Chapter 7

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At the top floor of the Port Mafia’s headquarters, in the leader’s office.

A youth with ochre-orange hair stood before the boss, reporting on the details and outcome of the latest mission. Even as the leader, acting like a pervert, tried coaxing a nearby blonde little girl to change into a cute Lolita outfit, the youth’s expression and tone remained utterly unchanged.

Perhaps he had grown accustomed to it all, treating everything as invisible.

Once the report concluded, the middle-aged man, as if he hadn’t even heard the briefing, smiled and said, “Well done, Nakahara-kun.”

Nakahara Chuya removed his hat, held it before his chest, and bowed to Mori Ougai.

“However, I have another task that requires your attention,” Mori Ougai added from behind his desk.

Nakahara Chuya showed no impatience, only a dependable, deep voice: “Yes, BOSS. I will not fail your trust.”

“This mission requires you to work alongside Dazai-kun,” Mori Ougai continued.

At the mention of Dazai Osamu’s name, a fleeting grimace crossed Nakahara Chuya’s face—he clearly wanted to punch the owner of that name straight into the ground. But since he was standing before the boss, he restrained his temper. After hearing the mission assignment from Mori Ougai, he saluted once more and withdrew.

Only once the office door closed and Nakahara Chuya had walked away did Alice fold her arms and glare at Mori Ougai.

“Rintarou, you villain!” she accused. “This obviously wasn’t a mission that required Dazai and Chuya to team up. You just want Chuya to keep an eye on what Dazai’s up to!”

Mori Ougai coaxed her gently, “I’m curious too. Dazai-kun actually took leave specially to attend a music festival.”

“I heard before that it was Dazai-kun who arranged for the PR officer’s former manager to be introduced to the other party. I’ve never seen Dazai care so much about anything,” he added.

Whether he was referring to the “matter” or the “person”—only Mori Ougai knew.

“And Alice, don’t you like her too?” The man smiled, though the smile didn’t reach his dark blood-colored eyes, which seemed to contain coagulated blood slowly flowing inside them. “That little girl’s singing.”

“Too bad she’s a year older. Otherwise, it would have been perfect… How come I never found a kid like her back then?” Mori Ougai sighed with genuine regret.

Alice grew wary. “What are you trying to do, Rintarou? I really like Kaori!”

Mori Ougai’s voice suddenly turned exaggeratedly aggrieved and shocked. “Alice, how could you think that of me? Am I really that kind of person in your heart?”

The blonde little girl glanced at Mori Ougai and snorted. Though she said nothing, everything seemed understood without words.

“Oh, don’t be like that, Alice,” Mori Ougai said.

His gaze fell on a file atop his desk, where a printed photograph of Kaori was visible.

The Port Mafia’s leader’s lips curved slightly, revealing a meaningful smile.

“After all, I’ve always been troubled by Dazai-kun’s presence.”

Alice looked at him with her deep blue eyes, which upon closer inspection seemed hollow, like two blue glass beads.

“If by using this little lady’s presence, the relationship with Dazai-kun can become more harmonious... that would be truly wonderful.”

After saying this, Mori Ougai paused briefly and sighed, “And it’s really profitable. I’m already starting to miss the days when the PR officer was still around.”

“Alice, what do you think about us launching an idol group too?”

The blonde little girl shouted in protest, “Then Rintarou can debut by himself!”

“Aw, don’t say that, Alice…”

***

Nakahara Chuya was completely unaware of what was happening behind him.

Just thinking about having to partner with Dazai Osamu for the mission made him feel like tens of thousands of ants were crawling all over him.

His footsteps were heavy and increasingly forceful as he approached Dazai Osamu’s office door, almost like a Godzilla capable of trampling a building; but the empty office mocked him like a sardine’s best insult—at least, that’s how Chuya interpreted Dazai’s silent provocation and mockery.

His knuckles cracked loudly as he clenched his fist, then he grabbed a hapless subordinate of Dazai’s passing by and demanded, “Where’s that bastard Dazai?!”

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Though Nakahara Chuya’s anger wasn’t directed at him, the poor subordinate trembled from being caught in the storm’s eye. “D-Dazai-san... he’s supposed to have taken leave…”

“Huh? Him? Taking leave?” Just as Mori Ougai seemed shocked, Chuya was equally incredulous. “That guy actually has the sense to take leave?”

Wasn’t he the type who always skipped work without a trace?

A serious leave meant Dazai didn’t want any outside interference or sudden incidents to disrupt this operation. This piqued Chuya’s curiosity. After all, this was Dazai Osamu—what could possibly make him care that much?

“Tch, what’s that bastard Dazai taking leave for?” Chuya asked.

The Port Mafia member standing before him wore a strange expression.

“Uh… as for Dazai-san…” the subordinate hesitated and stammered. Clearly, he doubted the truth of what he was about to say — unless everyone had been hypnotized or subjected to some illusion to alter their perception, which would explain such an absurd situation. “Dazai-san apparently went to Honshu Island to attend the Fuji Rock Festival held in Niigata Prefecture.”

Hearing this, Nakahara Chuya nearly staggered. The Port Mafia’s formidable Gravity User almost gave everyone a demonstration of a sudden fall.

“Dazai? A music festival?” Chuya almost pulled out his phone to check if it was April Fool’s Day.

Obviously, even the subordinate who gave this answer found it ridiculous. But on second thought, given Dazai Osamu, nothing was too outrageous or out of character. “Yes… Dazai-san had a Shinkansen ticket this morning. He might already have arrived in Niigata.”

Why did this subordinate know so much?

Because he was the unlucky one responsible for escorting Dazai to the Shinkansen.

Chuya frowned, pondering, then dredged up from memory something from a few months ago.

—Dazai Osamu had contacted the PR officer’s former manager and planted personnel under their command.

Chuya had tried to investigate this before, but competing with Dazai’s intellect was a tall order.

Every time he tried to dig deeper, various unexpected incidents disrupted his progress, which was somewhat understandable.

But this time was different.

Chuya was absolutely determined to uncover what Dazai had been secretly doing behind his back!

“A music festival? I’m working while he’s off at a music festival?” A sinister smile spread across Chuya’s face as he cracked his knuckles. “Book me a ticket to that festival too.”

He was going to drag that sardine bastard back himself!

***

“Ah-choo!” Dazai Osamu sneezed several times in a row, drawing the attention of Oda Sakunosuke and Kaori.

“Catch a cold, Dazai?” Oda asked.

Dazai’s face showed a sulky expression. “No, only fools catch colds. It must be some annoying little dark dwarf talking bad about me behind my back.”

Without much thought, Dazai could guess exactly what was going on. He smirked and began applying eye drops to Kaori—an act of excessive precaution, considering Kaori and Nakahara Chuya had never met nor even knew each other’s names.

Their group was quite large and bustling, as it was summer vacation and the kids had no school, already clamoring to attend Kaori’s live concert.

Alongside the “big kids,” Kaori and Dazai, everyone they met showed admiration towards Oda Sakunosuke.

He was a legendary parent single-handedly managing seven children! Anyone who had even a slight understanding of how difficult children could be would look at Oda with reverence, as if witnessing an extraordinary feat.

Oda noticed the looks but was somewhat perplexed. “?”

Dazai, fully aware of the situation, laughed loudly, pounding on the table in front of him.

Upon arriving in Niigata Prefecture, the festival organizers greeted them and escorted them to a prearranged hotel. Unfortunately, the ski resorts were closed for the season, or else Kaori would have loved to try skiing.

However, the hotel had hot springs, somewhat compensating for the inability to ski.

The music festival would last three days, and Kaori’s performance was scheduled for 8 p.m. on the first night. “Butterfly in the Labyrinth” was a song that shone brightest with dazzling, shifting lights, so that time was chosen specifically.

Otherwise, the organizers would have preferred her to open the festival or close it on the last day.

As someone accompanying Kaori on stage, Dazai also slipped into the makeup room. When he arrived, Kaori had already changed into a black halter-neck dress, revealing a portion of her smooth back. Interlocking silver rings and chains formed a belt, one of the few adornments she wore—but she didn’t need an elaborate stage outfit; this was enough.

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The makeup artist gently brushed glitter onto Kaori’s eyelids. She closed her eyes, hearing Dazai’s exaggerated voice echoing from the doorway.

“More like a dark queen than a princess,” Dazai said, pulling out his phone. “Click, click,” he took several photos, then met Kaori’s violet eyes through the mirror.

The makeup was complete just as Kaori opened her eyes.

Caught red-handed, Dazai showed no embarrassment—his thick skin rivaling a fortress wall. Instead, he smiled and waved at Kaori.

“Your Majesty the Queen,” he said with a gentlemanly bow, extending a hand. “Might I have the honor of being your temporary knight this evening?”

Kaori stepped forward, placing her hand in his. Though nothing outwardly changed, she felt a sudden sense of reassurance.

Because she knew that as long as she maintained contact with Dazai, her… let’s call it “ability” wouldn’t spiral out of control.

Walking down the long, nearly deserted backstage corridor, the roar of the crowd outside grew louder. Kaori instinctively squeezed Dazai’s hand tighter, then stepped out.

The stage lights blazed suddenly, and amid the illumination, the blonde girl shone even more brightly—like a sparkling diamond or a star. The moment she opened her mouth, she captured the attention of everyone present. The tens of thousands gathered fell silent, all eyes fixed on her.

The atmosphere shifted and ignited; her voice seemed to possess a special magic that made it impossible to look away, hearts pounding fiercely.

Those who have never been to a live concert could never grasp the soul-stirring impact; an excellent live show carries a bewitching power that transforms listeners into the most devoted followers.

The music festival had lasted all day. Before Kaori’s performance, other excellent singers had appeared, but none could match the grandeur of her stage debut.

“When you drift into slumber, are you somewhere too?”

“Are you dreaming happy dreams?”

Dazai’s indigo eyes trembled sharply as he grasped Kaori’s arm firmly.

For a fleeting moment, he saw bat-like wings unfurl behind her, and a swarm of blue-purple butterflies flutter past. Yet this entire vision vanished into nothingness at his touch, as if it had never existed.

Though her ability’s activation was halted, the fluttering in his heart did not fade. The black-haired youth’s lips moved slightly, as if to speak, but the stage’s noise swallowed his words. No one could hear him.

Instead, he received a reply from the girl—in song.

“Even if fate blinds my eyes,

I will pierce through these clouds and soar toward a distant tomorrow.”

This was Kaori’s answer to Dazai’s question—indeed, for a girl always resolute, upright, never doubting or questioning herself, she found Dazai’s doubts almost laughable.

What was the point of agonizing over one’s right or purpose to exist in this world? Just as she once couldn’t understand why Amu doubted herself, turning into a villain, she now couldn’t comprehend Dazai’s self-denial.

But for all the help Dazai had given her, Kaori was willing to share her answer with him.

“If not a god, then who else can deny the right to be human?”

At that moment, Dazai’s eyes widened, pupils contracting sharply. No one knew what he saw or imagined from those words, but long after the performance ended and Kaori led him back backstage, the black-haired boy finally seemed to detach from his deep, private reverie.

This time, however, the way he looked at Kaori was too intense and bright, causing the blonde girl to loosen her grip on his wrist.

“I’ve now become a complete fan of Kaori!” Dazai announced with joyful exuberance.

Suddenly, his voice dropped low, like someone enjoying their day only to have a cockroach suddenly appear on the street—utterly ruining the mood.

“Why is there a slug here… awful, it’s making the air nauseating…”

Answering him was a figure stepping from around the corner—the ochre-orange-haired youth—and his furious roar.

“Shut up, Dazai! I’m going to beat you into the ground today!”