The Dark Era

Ch.4 Rumors

~~~~One Year Later~~~~

It's been officially one year since I joined the Port Mafia. I'm currently in a small office of some building. There was a lot of boxes and different types of medication and chemicals around this small office.

I was sitting next to, the now 15 year old, Dazai who was mixing chemicals together in a beaker. I just watched him as Mori sat at a messy desk at the other side of the room.

"Keep going." Dazai informed me.

I look back at the book in front of me.

"Then the guy..um..."

"Escaped." Dazai says, still mixing chemicals together.

"Escaped from the..."

"Underground."

"Underground...cell?" I read.

"Correct."

While playing with the chemicals, Dazai was teaching me how to read.

He's only recently been teaching me. He's been very busy so there's no time for reading lessons. Only when he had time he would teach me.

"It's only been a week and you're getting the hang of reading. Well aren't you a fast learner."

"..."

Mori suddenly sighs out loud.

"This is hopeless. Our weapon smugglers are three weeks behind schedule. At this rate, our men might as well be bringing kitchen knifes to the fight. And that's not all. With the escalating violence, we're losing contracts for our protection business. Maybe we're just not cut out for this line of work."

Mori lets out another sigh before turning in his chair and facing us.

"What do you think, Dazai-kun?"

Dazai simply faces Mori with a bored look as he continues mixing his chemicals. 

"Come on, Mori-san... Not having the finances, not having information, not having the complete trust of your subordinates... You knew all of that from the very beginning, right?"

"You're so mean to me. Wait, why are you mixing hypertension medication with hypotension medication?"

"I thought taking them together might give me a peaceful death."

"Dazai-kun, you were there when I inherited the boss's seat. You're a witness for his will."

While saying this, Dazai proceeds to bring the beaker to his lips.

"I can't have you dying so willy-nilly."

Dazai simply looks at Mori through the corner of his eye and moves the beaker away from his mouth. He looked a bit disappointed, but only for a second. He went back to his bored expression very quickly.

"You have Shiori."

"She came to us after the deed was done, so she's no good."

"...You know you made an error in judgment, right? It was smart of you to choose someone who attempts suicide as your accomplice, but a year later, here I am. I'm still alive and kicking. Plus, you let an outsider know you killed the pervious boss. I guess that makes two errors."

Mori looks at me, then back to Dazai.

"I made no errors. We were successful in our mission together."

"The mission still isn't complete until those who were involved in the assassination, or know about it, are silenced. To the end, I was a perfect accomplice. Even if I ended my life in a suicide of unknown motivation after you've became boss, thanks to my testimony, no one would suspect a thing. As long as Shiori would be dead alongside me that is."

Mori had an evil smile as he watched Dazai and I.

"You remind me of someone. If I was going to silence you, I would have done it long ago. Plus, by letting her stay in the mafia, Shiori is my gift to you for collaborating with me. She follows your every command. So, if you command it, she would never say anything, right, Shiori-chan?"

I look from my book to Mori.

"I must follow Dazai-san's orders and only his orders. Boss is simply Dazai-san's boss, not mine."

I look back at my book and continue reading.

"How cold. For someone with no emotion, you sure are harsh."

"Hmm..." was my only reply.

"Anyway, Dazai-kun, if you really want, I can prepare something that'll end your life comfortably."

That got Dazai's attention.

"Really?"

"In exchange, I want to ask you to do a quick investigation for me. You can bring Shiori if you want."

Saying this, Mori turns back to his desk and opens his drawer to pull out a piece of paper and starts writing on it. He continues talking as he writes.

"It's not a big deal. There's no danger involved, of course."

"Shady." Dazai simply replies.

"I believe you know about the Suribachi City in the Yokohama settlement." Mori turns around to face us with a smile. "There's a rumor going around that a certain individual has emerged in that area. So I want you to investigate that rumor."

Mori holds up the piece of paper he wrote on. I tilt my head as I try to read it.

"This is known as the "Silver Message". It's a contract. It's a delegation of authority. Show this to anyone in the Port Mafia and they'll do anything you ask of them."

"Who's the rumor about?" Dazai asks.

"...You've been teaching Shiroi, correct? Let's see if you're a good teacher. Shiori-chan, can you take a guess?" Mori smiles at me.

I close my eyes with my head still tilted as I think.

"A rumor that's harmful just by spreading..."

It's silent for a few seconds. Dazai stands and simply walks up to Mori to take the letter as I speak.

"Has to be about this pervious boss you two use to know, correct?"

"Very well, Shiori-chan. Dazai has been teaching you well."

"I understand that some people shouldn't rise from the dead. This rumor is harmful to you."

"Well said, Shiori-chan."

"You'll promise to make that drug for me?" Dazai asks.

"Of course. Are you bringing Shiori?"

"Yeah, this will be good for her training."

I walk up to Dazai's side as Mori smiles at me.

"This will officially be your first job. Welcome to the Port Mafia."

I don't say anything. Instead, I just follow Dazai to the door. But he stops right in his tracks and speaks.

"That's right." He turns his head a bit to look back at Mori. "Who's this person I remind you of?"

"Well, me, of course." Mori smiles.

Dazai just continues to stare at Mori.

"Dazai-kun, why do you long for death?"

"Let's turn that question around. Tell me, what value is there in the act of this thing people call 'living'?"