Chapter 259

## Making a Homeland

**Making a Homeland**, or **Making a Home** (故郷を作る, *Kokyō o Tsukuru*) is the 259th chapter of the *Golden Kamuy* manga.

## Synopsis

In Abashiri Prison, Boutarou returns to his cell from solitary confinement as his cellmates, Shiraishi and Nihei welcomes him back. Shiraishi asks Boutarou who he had beaten up and Boutarou tells him he had attacked Ueji for lying to him about his aunt and would’ve killed him if Gansoku had not gotten too excited and jumped into the fight. Shiraishi claims not to know who Ueji is but says that it is not worth it getting worked up at every little small joke that would land him into solitary every time.

Boutarou asks Shiraishi if there is anyone waiting for him outside such as his family, but Shiraishi denies it, saying that he was abandoned at a temple when he was a baby. Despite this, Boutarou asks him if he understands where he’s coming from and if he will return to the temple upon his release. However, Shiraishi states that he ran away from the temple when he was just a kid and wonders if the temple is still there as it was just a rundown old temple with only one elderly man working as the head priest.

Shiraishi changes subjects and says that once he gets his hands on the Ainu gold, he will go on a country-wide tour of all the prostitutes in Japan. Nihei suggests that Shiraishi give up on trying to find the gold as he is just using the tattoo as an excuse to break out of prison. Shiraishi asks Boutarou what he will do with the gold and Boutarou replies that he will become a king. Shiraishi exclaims that Boutarou had mentioned that objective before, calling it a crazy dream that he cannot even make sense of.

Nihei wonders if Boutarou desires power and Boutarou reveals that including his parents and brothers, he had fourteen people in his family, all of whom died from smallpox and that he wants to have a huge family that they can’t possibly be all wiped out. Boutarou continues on, saying that he will build a country where his family will live and that the king’s children will tell tales about him to all of the citizens so that the fact that he was alive will never be forgotten.

Shiraishi and Nihei begins to make fun of Boutarou’s dream leading Boutarou to wonder if he should spend more time in solitary. Shiraishi tells Boutarou that he is truly a lonely person and that his desire to become king in response to that loneliness is just like him. He begins to brag that he is already a king, an escape king that is, and Boutarou hits back, saying that it is just a fancy way of saying that he breaks out of prison a lot and wonders if he will spend the rest of his life getting caught and breaking out of prison over and over again.

Boutarou states that making his own country basically means that he is making his own homeland, a place where no one will shun him or his family and that it is a place that he can come home to, suggesting that Shiraishi also make his own homeland as well. In the present time, Boutarou tells Asirpa to forget about the gold and to go back to her homeland to make a family with Sugimoto. Inside the brewery, Sugimoto tries to call for Asirpa but chokes on the smoke fumes and begins to curse himself for letting Asirpa get taken away again. Just then, Shiraishi appears before him, asking if he can stand up.

Koito approaches Boutarou with his saber drawn, asking about Asirpa but Boutarou swings his head around, blinding Koito with his long hair and punches him in the face. Boutarou draws his gun but is shot by Tsukishima who orders him to step away from Koito, causing Boutarou to flee into the brewery with Asirpa. Inside the brewery, Boutarou notes that there is less smoke down in the basement and that they should look for another exit to escape from. As Boutarou notices that the basement is flooded with beer, Asirpa holds onto the stair railings, declaring that if the gold is stolen, she will not be able to protect her own homeland.

Boutarou muses on Asirpa’s words but is surprised as Koito slashes into his left shoulder with his saber. Koito begins to scream in his Satsuma dialect as Boutarou lets go of Asirpa and swims into the pool of beer away from Koito. Koito notes that even with his wound, Boutarou was able to escape and wonders just who Boutarou is. Tsukishima calls out to Koito, asking where he is and Koito replies saying that he has secured Asirpa, unaware that Boutarou has returned to their position. Tsukishima climbs down the stairs, only to see a worn out Asirpa and Koito’s saber lying on the ground, with its wielder nowhere to be seen.

## Character Appearances

* Fusatarou Oosawa
* Yoshitake Shiraishi
* Tetsuzou Nihei *(Flashback)*
* Maiharu Gansoku *(Flashback)*
* Asirpa
* Saichi Sugimoto
* Otonoshin Koito
* Hajime Tsukishima