A French publishing house contacted Randou to ask whether he would be willing to accept letters from readers.
Randou refused.
Writing poetry was a hobby, not a responsibility he intended to shoulder.
The people at the publishing house immediately panicked. Nearly in tears, they pleaded, "Mr. Nicolas, one of your fans has kidnapped a member of our publishing house who was on a business trip overseas. His only demand is to get in touch with you. We would never dare reveal your phone number or address, but we beg you to fulfill just one small request from your admirer."
Randou fell into a strange silence.
Was writing really such a high-risk profession?
"First of all," he replied, "please stop calling me 'Mr. Nicolas.' That's a pen name, not my real name."
He could not endure such an awkward form of address. Gently stroking the ring hidden beneath his glove, he continued, "Regardless of which gentleman or lady committed this kidnapping, it has nothing to do with me. If you disclose any of my personal information without permission, I'll see you in court. If there are any problems, please contact the police. Thank you."
With that, Randou slipped his phone back into his pocket.
Having recently been promoted to vice-captain of a combat squad, he received concerned looks from several of his black-suited colleagues.
"Mr. Randou, have you run into some trouble?"
Randou smiled.
"It's nothing."
The Port Mafia's boss was hardly a good person, but the organization's members still retained a measure of humanity.
No wonder Akiya was willing to remain in this backwater organization.
For those in the combat division, advancement was earned through battle.
The more attacks and counterattacks the Port Mafia launched against its enemies, the faster combat personnel could rise through the ranks. Their promotions came far more quickly than those of office workers who spent their days behind desks.
In the blink of an eye, Randou had become one of the organization's rising stars through sheer combat ability and battlefield skill. His transfer into the Black Lizard unit, which answered directly to the Port Mafia Boss, was only a matter of time.
As long as they survived, front-line combat members earned the respect of everyone in the organization.
They wagered their lives in exchange for a future.
Akiya's seemingly ruthless willingness to let Randou fight and advance had an unexpected effect. Although the Port Mafia Boss—whose eyes could tolerate no imperfections—deeply disliked the romantic relationship between the two men, he had refrained from interfering with Randou's path to promotion.
To the outside world, the Port Mafia Boss claimed that he was gravely ill. Using his deteriorating condition as a pretext, he purged a number of rival forces as well as "unstable" elements within the organization itself.
Yet his health showed no signs of improvement.
Anyone with eyes could see the truth.
The Boss was simply getting old.
His body was naturally succumbing to age and decline.
No one, however, dared say such a thing aloud.
Instead, they could only continue searching for doctors to treat him, desperately trying to avoid becoming the next unfortunate target of his temper.
Asou Akiya met with the Port Mafia Boss once again.
The old man's complexion had worsened dramatically. Day by day, the harshness in his eyes grew more pronounced, like an aging lion desperately proving that he still possessed the strength to rule.
"Boss, the organization's losses were considerable after the rash attack on the Takasekai."
Asou Akiya helped the white-haired elder sit upright, handed him a glass of water, and accepted the medicine offered by the private physician.
"That only proves you people are useless!" the Port Mafia Boss barked, as he always did.
"Boss."
Akiya let the insult go in one ear and out the other.
"Please take your medicine."
The Port Mafia Boss swallowed the pills with some difficulty.
His body had become weak.
The hardships and battles he had endured while building the Mafia in his younger years had left countless hidden injuries behind. Now that age had caught up with him, those old wounds tormented him relentlessly.
The older he became, the more desperately he longed for the vigor and health of his youth.
And in the entire underworld, nothing was rarer than a healing-type ability user.
"Analyst!"
The Port Mafia Boss suddenly grabbed Asou Akiya's arm.
His fingers were rough and calloused.
The fierceness in his voice barely concealed the anxiety beneath it.
"Find me a healing-type ability user! If someone can truly restore my body, you won't need to earn ten billion dollars for the organization anymore. I'll promote you directly to Executive Candidate!"
This time, he addressed Akiya by his title rather than his name.
After suffering from illness for half a year, the Port Mafia Boss had reached the limits of his patience.
The doctors brought in by the organization could do little more than alleviate his pain. None of them could truly cure him.
As a result, he had begun to view everyone around him with suspicion.
He was old.
There were very few people within the Port Mafia whom he still trusted.
Asou Akiya was one of the subordinates he had personally promoted. The man possessed an exceptional mind; surely someone so intelligent would not be shortsighted enough to betray him.
Besides—
Other than himself, who else in the Mafia would recognize the value of a man with no ability?
Who else would elevate him to such a high position?
"..."
Asou Akiya fell silent.
Then he spoke carefully.
"Even if we were to find a healing-type ability user... they still wouldn't be able to…"
The Port Mafia Boss exploded in fury.
"Asou Akiya! Are you cursing me to die?!"
Akiya felt that no matter how difficult an elderly person could be, none could compare to this one. The old man wanted to hear the truth, yet at the same time refused to hear it whenever it was spoken.
"Boss," he said calmly, "I am the person least likely to betray you."
Asou Akiya could hardly be called the most self-aware person in the world, but he had never been someone who greedily reached for things beyond his grasp.
Winning Randou's heart had already required a fair amount of clever maneuvering on his part.
He understood all too well the consequences of occupying a position beyond one's abilities. That was why he constantly strove to improve himself, ensuring that one day he would not be looked down upon by Arthur Rimbaud.
As for the position of Port Mafia Boss—
Akiya believed he was completely unqualified for it.
He lacked the ruthlessness required.
He lacked an ability powerful enough to protect himself.
Surely he couldn't imitate the Boss Dazai of the IF timeline, hiding twenty-four hours a day inside a pitch-black office, surrounded on all sides by bulletproof barriers, somehow transforming a tall-rich-handsome protagonist archetype into a beautiful, powerful, and tragic figure.
No, thank you.
Absolutely not.
Akiya considered it far wiser to set realistic goals.
For example—
Becoming an Executive Candidate.
The Port Mafia Boss gradually suppressed his anger.
The sharpness in his eyes slowly softened.
"I want the best doctors available..."
"Yes," Akiya replied. "I will continue searching for suitable doctors on your behalf. No amount of money is too much if it can improve your condition. In the meantime, I hope you'll maintain a stable and positive mood. That will be beneficial to your health."
As usual, Asou Akiya skillfully soothed the Boss's temper.
The moment those words left his mouth, he received admiring looks from the Port Mafia guards hidden in the shadows and from Ozaki Kouyou as well.
At first, the Port Mafia Boss thought nothing of the statement.
Then, a moment later, his sluggish mind finally caught up.
"Wait a minute. What exactly did you just say?"
He glared at Akiya.
"When did I ever need your money?!"
His trembling finger pointed accusingly at the black-haired young man.
"The entire Port Mafia belongs to me! Since when was it your turn to pay for anything? Get out of here, you nonsense-spouting brat!"
Yet somehow, hidden within the harsh reprimand was the faintest trace of amusement.
As unbelievable as it sounded, during the period of the Port Mafia Boss's illness, his relationship with Asou Akiya had grown noticeably closer.
At the very least, he no longer treated him with the same cold harshness he reserved for ordinary subordinates.
There was something unique about Asou Akiya's presence.
He carried an air of gentle warmth and tranquility. Around people he knew, he naturally displayed the calm composure of a man supporting a family. As long as no one threatened his home, he was a harmless person.
More than that, Asou Akiya was someone who cherished goodness.
If another person treated him well, he would remember it.
Even if he did not go out of his way to help them in return, he would never deliberately scheme against or harm them.
The principle he lived by was simple:
If others did not offend him, he would not offend them.
The Port Mafia Boss, whose thirst for power ran deeper than almost anyone's, only allowed himself to lower some of his cold defenses in front of Asou Akiya.
After all, no one could hide anything from the Analyst.
There was little point in maintaining excessive pretenses.
Even a man like him needed moments when he could relax.
As a result, Asou Akiya had gradually become the Port Mafia Boss's personal receptacle for negative emotions.
Asou Akiya: I should be thanking you for that, I suppose.
As he finished tucking the blanket around the Boss and prepared to leave, the Port Mafia Boss suddenly spoke in an indifferent tone.
"The matter with your driver... was handled well."
Akiya's expression management was flawless.
He revealed precisely the right amount of confusion.
The Port Mafia Boss could not even be bothered to look at him.
His breathing gradually steadied.
As a ruler of the Mafia who had witnessed every variety of darkness and hidden intrigue imaginable, he had no need for explanations from others.
He had already determined the cause of Driver Tanaka's death.
Asou Akiya had eliminated the man who betrayed him.
As for the rest—
He had no intention of pursuing the matter.
For a moment, Akiya seemed as though he wanted to say something.
But seeing that the old man had already settled down to rest, he ultimately suppressed his thoughts, bowed respectfully, and left.
Only after walking out of the place where the Port Mafia Boss was recuperating did Asou Akiya realize that a cold sweat had appeared on his back.
He had almost forgotten.
In a place like the Mafia, reasons and excuses were unnecessary.
Sometimes...
Mere suspicion was enough to condemn a person to death.
"How completely unreasonable."
Akiya knew perfectly well that Randou had handled every detail afterward flawlessly. There was no evidence whatsoever.
Yet because the Port Mafia Boss had decided that Asou Akiya was responsible, no amount of explanation would ever matter.
Raising a hand, Akiya brushed his hair back from his forehead and murmured quietly to himself,
"Good thing I chose the right side."
From last year to this year, the executive Colonel was not the only person who had tried to recruit him. Executive Nishida, his direct superior, and Executive Yagishita, whom he had barely met more than a few times, had both sent people to express goodwill toward him.
He had become one of the Port Mafia Boss's favored subordinates.
Where there was fame, there was trouble.
Fortunately, Asou Akiya's habit of avoiding unnecessary social interactions solved many problems for him. Living as a lone wolf certainly had its disadvantages, but it proved incredibly useful whenever he wanted to stay out of trouble.
"Sorry, I can't make it for drinks this time either."
Asou Akiya dialed Takekawa Izumi's number and apologized to his former senior colleague, once again declining an invitation to a gathering at an izakaya.
The other man did not fully understand Akiya's current circumstances and replied regretfully, "Alright. Let me know when you're free next time. This gathering is special because everyone's bringing their spouses and family members. We originally wanted everyone to meet, chat, and get acquainted. What a shame—we're going to miss your French girlfriend yet again. Honestly... a French beauty, too."
Akiya suddenly felt an itch in his throat and coughed.
"Cough! There'll be an opportunity in the future."
Takekawa Izumi immediately complained, "How many times have you said that already? I still haven't seen her once. Don't you know that the more tightly you hide something, the more curious people become? I never expected you to be this possessive."
Feeling slightly guilty, Akiya replied, "Yeah... that's my fault. Please apologize to everyone on my behalf."
Takekawa Izumi had no intention of scolding him further.
Especially now that Akiya occupied a much higher position than before.
"Sigh. Just do your best, kid. And don't get yourself killed."
"Will do."
Just before ending the call, Akiya suddenly remembered something and hurriedly added, "Next month, on July 7th, there'll be a special event at the Yokohama Ferris Wheel. Couples and married partners will receive free admission for the day. The event hasn't been publicly announced yet, but you can take your wife there."
Takekawa Izumi immediately understood.
"July 7th... Tanabata, huh?"
The traditional Chinese festival had spread to Japan and become popular in many cities throughout the country.
Last year, during the candlelit dinner he had shared with Randou, Akiya had made a promise while they sat together inside the cat café.
The date he had spoken of was July 7th.
He wanted Yokohama to remember the day that symbolized their love.
As long as they remained in love for one year, admission to the Yokohama Ferris Wheel would be free for one day.
If they remained in love for two years, admission would be free for two days.
And so on.
Year after year.
Continuing into the distant future...
Until the day the business went bankrupt.
Asou Akiya: As if I'd ever go bankrupt!
The moment he thought about the unsold Twilight Manor that had failed to attract any bidders at auction, he became even more convinced that spending money to commemorate love was the right thing to do.
I have money!
Even if I haven't gotten my hands on the gold yet, I'll just spend it in advance!
When he returned home, Akiya told Randou about the dinner gathering and the upcoming Tanabata event.
Randou responded exactly as a boyfriend deeply in love would.
He happily leaned over and kissed him.
Being French, he had absolutely no intention of criticizing such a wasteful use of money.
Little by little, some of Akiya's frugal habits from his previous life had been worn away under the influence of his lover.
You can't catch a wolf without sacrificing the child!
Wait, that's not right. I meant, you can't catch a wolf without giving up a pair of shoes.*
*{Note: This phrase was originally a colloquial saying from Sichuan, called "you couldn't catch a wolf without losing the shoes." Originally, when people wanted to catch wolves, they often had to climb mountains and search far and wide, and the shoes they wore were not like the rubber-soled ones we have now, but rather straw shoes or cloth shoes. The more they walked, the more the shoes would wear out, and if you didn't care about wearing out the shoes, you naturally wouldn't catch the wolf. Coincidentally, in the Sichuan dialect, the pronunciation of "shoes" is similar to "child," and over time, many people who didn't understand it, especially those from other regions, naturally heard it as "you can't catch a wolf without losing the child."}
"Should I attend one of your gatherings next time, Akiya?" Randou asked teasingly.
After all, Akiya was always telling people outside that he had a wife.
"Would my appearance frighten them?"
Akiya answered honestly.
"Even if they saw you, they probably wouldn't believe it."
The groundwork he had laid in the past was simply too extensive.
His colleagues had all assumed that his partner was a woman.
Not a single one of them knew the truth.
Randou looked puzzled.
"Why wouldn't they believe it?"
Did they not look like a couple?
Suddenly struck by inspiration, Akiya hooked an arm around Randou's shoulders.
"Brother!"
"..."
"My best friend~."
"...I understand now. You don't need to keep acting."
"My darling!"
Randou snorted.
"Hmph. The way you say 'darling' doesn't sound anything like you're talking about a wife. No one would ever mistake me for a woman."
"What?! Are you saying you want to dress up as one?"
"Akiya, keep dreaming."
Randou immediately pinched Asou Akiya's cheeks.
The two of them ended up tumbling around on the sofa together, laughing and wrestling playfully.
Edogawa Ranpo walked upstairs without so much as glancing in their direction, pretending not to see the disgustingly affectionate couple occupying the living room below.
Adults were always like this.
Constantly showering each other with sweet words.
Weren't they afraid of making everyone else sick from all the sweetness?
Lord Ranpo refused to consume this dog food!