Chapter 19
Family.
It is the English word for family, generally used when referring to peaceful households living in places like the Leaf Village or Springfield.
But every situation has its exceptions.
This word also came to be used in another sense through a film released in 1972.
─A mafia organization.
In modern society, the word ‘mafia’ is used to refer to criminal organizations, as when the Japanese yakuza are called the Japanese mafia, Mexican gangs the Mexican mafia, and the Chinese triads the Chinese mafia….
It even became a byword for a type of criminal organization, so there is no need to elaborate on how great the impact must have been at the time.
Anyway, even I, a twenty-first-century man, pictured the Sicilian Mafia stroking a wheezing cat whenever I heard the word mafia.
“─And that brings us to the Sparo Rapido Family. The detailed history of the Sparo Rapido Family apparently dates back to before the Age of Turmoil, but unfortunately, it is lost media recorded only in books. In any case, the important point here is that it is a historical and secretive organization.”
As always, Speed Wagon—no, Michael—was explaining everything to me.
“The Sparo Rapido Family is one of the three organizations that effectively rule District 49. Of the three, it is easiest to understand them as the most traditional mafia. Ah, but I cannot explain that without also going over the three major organizations….”
“Wait.”
I stopped Michael for a moment after he had been explaining things for nearly ten minutes.
It was not because I was particularly worried about Michael’s throat.
My ears did feel as though they were about to bleed, but they did not actually hurt, either.
“Why?”
“I’m genuinely asking because I’m curious about this….”
While indirectly implying that I was not curious about the history of the mafia in the slightest, I pointed toward the ‘other homeless people’ nearby.
“…What on earth is this situation?”
The vacant lot behind the grocery store.
One homeless man was holding a half-broken light above his head to illuminate the area, while someone else was holding a half-torn reflector and meticulously adjusting the brightness around us.
That was not all!
On another side, I could see a homeless man playing an instrument with several broken strings and providing noir-style background music.
(It sounded vaguely similar to the music from New World.)
There was also a homeless man laying out hot dogs cooked well-done over the flames of a barrel fire.
…And it still was not over!
Finally, there was even someone flipping through a picture comic one page at a time in front of Michael and me, the pages depicting a mascot character with a retro feel.
“And what is that drawing?”
“Ah, one of the homeless people used to draw comics as a hobby. I asked for his help.”
I had been asking why he had drawn it, not how he had drawn it.
For the record, the art style was similar to Vault Boy.
Michael had told me he would explain the history of the mafia, then returned with all these people and props less than thirty minutes later.
What the hell was this guy?
He had apparently worked for a corporation, but he was absurdly competent in completely useless ways.
The important part right now was the uselessness.
It was strange that he had gone to the trouble of gathering people and creating this whole setup when he could have simply explained everything verbally.
“This kind of report places great importance on form and appearances. I understand what worries Hotdog Man, but from the perspective of an aide, I have no choice but to act differently. I ask for your understanding.”
What aide was he talking about?
Ignoring my cold stare, Michael looked at the homeless people around us.
“Everything was done because of Hotdog Man’s immense popularity. They volunteered to do it themselves.”
“We ate well today, too!”
Someone’s breezy voice followed from behind.
Immense popularity (expired groceries).
Of course, half of them were probably joking, but the problem was that the other half seemed to be completely sincere.
“Then may I continue the explanation?”
What else could I do in this situation?
You cannot get off a moving train.
Everything had clearly slipped out of my hands already, and even if I stopped them here, there was no telling what bizarre thing they might do next time.
When I waved my hand halfheartedly, Michael cleared his throat and signaled to the people around us.
Ting, ting-ting….
Along with the music played on the broken instrument, the explanatory drawings began turning one page at a time again.
“……”
I had just noticed something.
The role of holding the reflector was not being handled by a homeless person, but by a familiar-looking girl.
…What are you doing there again?
She seemed to be working hard at it, so I could not bring myself to say anything.
* * *
After the lecture, explained so kindly that even a five-year-old could understand it, ended.
The homeless people who had created this ridiculous spectacle dispersed, each wearing a satisfied expression.
“…So.”
I summarized the story I had listened to for twenty minutes in a single sentence.
“That mafia organization regularly sends invitations to the large and small organizations in the surrounding area, saying, ‘Since we live in a lawless area, let’s just get along more or less.’”
“That’s right. From what I have heard, their intention is to have the organizations become familiar with one another.”
“…Where did you hear that?”
“Through a documentary-style video and wiki records written on the cyberweb─.”
Turn off Namu Wiki….
Michael continued speaking calmly.
“The important part here is the ‘large and small organizations’ you mentioned. It would be impossible to gather every organization in District 49 in one place.”
A round light lit up in Michael’s eye.
He’s looking at Namu Wiki again.
“They obviously cannot gather organizations with hostile tendencies, or even dayflies that cannot be called organizations at all.”
Clap. Michael skillfully drew everyone’s attention with a clap and concluded his explanation.
“In other words, our organization meets the standards set by the Sparo Rapido Family.”
“I told you, there is no organization….”
And when had we become the same organization, anyway?
It was truly beyond me.
…Though we did share the experience of eating the same expired food.
“They do not seem to see it that way.”
“I feel depressed, so I want some bread….”
“…Why would you eat bread because you’re depressed?”
What an emotionally insensitive guy.
I sighed and looked at the ‘Bogus gang’s truck’ parked on one side of the alley.
Near the truck, several homeless people were lying against it or gathered together and chatting.
To other people, they probably looked as though they were simply relaxing and fooling around.
“Hey, Hotdog Man. Leave the truck to us!”
“Yeah. We’ll guard it properly so nobody steals it!”
They were keeping watch on their own.
For the record, I had not said anything at all….
Anyway.
I realized that the invitation I had received from that Rapido-whatever Family was closely connected to the building-revenge incident I had caused.
After all, any Korean would know perfectly well what a large number of CCTV cameras and dashcams could do.
That was even more true in a cyberpunk world with advanced technology.
When the Bogus gang’s hideout had exploded in its entirety for reasons unknown, I had thought no further incidents connected to the place would occur.
‘Now there’s a mafia family all of a sudden.’
It was quite a headache.
It felt as though a man in a black coat with a cigar in his mouth might appear at any moment, smashing Prohibition to pieces with a Thompson submachine gun.
Even so, I could not simply ignore the invitation.
Although I had only half-listened to Michael’s explanation, it seemed obvious that the organization wielded enormous influence in District 49.
I took the invitation from my pocket and checked it again.
In hard-to-read cursive, it said,
『Abel Anderson, you are invited.』
─ 14, Old Central Sector Blvd, AREA 49.
─ A maximum of two companions.
My fake name was written there, of all things.
Technically, it was my real name according to my ID, but still.
‘The time is late evening.’
The date was, um.
…….
It was tomorrow.
I slowly raised my head.
There, alongside Michael, Rivera—the little girl whose arrival I had not even noticed—was waiting for me.
Rivera rose onto her tiptoes and stretched out a finger with difficulty.
At its tip was the line that read, ‘A maximum of two companions.’
“No.”
Just like the last time we went to the Bogus gang, why did this barely grown little brat keep trying to follow me into such a dangerous place?
At my firm response, Rivera naturally puffed out her cheeks, then quickly let the air out.
“…I’m not a little kid, ngh. That’s not it, I mean. Ugh….”
She looked as though she had something to say and was about to die of frustration.
Even so, watching someone who did not even reach my chest stomp her feet looked nothing but cute.
She was even standing on her tiptoes right now.
It was not strange for a child that age to want to get involved in adults’ business.
I looked down at the crown of Rivera’s head (her face was hidden by her hair, too) and gently stroked it.
“Who knows what kind of dangerous things might happen there?”
“Ugh….”
A shivering vibration traveled through my palm.
A little while later.
As if by magic, Rivera’s trembling stopped.
“……”
As though she had made some kind of decision,
the little girl slowly raised her head.
Following the flow of gravity, Rivera’s black hair naturally spilled to the side.
Her small, distinct features even looked mature at a glance.
Along with pupils so bright they could easily be mistaken for gold, a resolute look emerged.
And then.
Rivera completely disappeared in front of me.
“…??”
Before I could even wonder what had happened,
something poked me in the side.
“I’m definitely going.”
I realized something new.
No matter how firm your muscles were, that did not mean they were immune to tickling.
“…Wait a second.”
I quickly turned my head in that direction, but Rivera was nowhere to be seen.
How was she so fast…?
It was as though she had vanished right before my eyes.
The world did not slow down the way it did when I fought someone else.
Even so, it was a fact that Rivera’s speed was absurdly fast.
“I’m definitely going.”
“So just listen to me for a—.”
“I’m definitely going.”
And then, a memory from my childhood flashed through my mind.
Back when I was taking care of my little sister.
- It’s mine!! It’s Danbi’s!! I’m not leaving until you buy it!!
- Heh heh, your name isn’t Danbi.
- I dooooooon’t waaaaaant to!!!
Apparently, she had seen something strange on YouTube.
A bizarre life-form (my little sister) was throwing a tantrum in the children’s section of a department store, writhing on the floor.
It was the terrifying stubbornness found only in children that age.
“I’m definitely going.”
“No, let’s solve this through dialogue first….”
“I’m definitely going.”
“…Please stop poking my side.”
“……I’m definitely going.”
For the record, according to Michael, who had witnessed battles between the strongest people in the world, this terrifying situation lasted for more than thirty minutes.
“Fine, I’ll take you with me! Just stop now….”
In the end, I had no choice but to give up.
I was going to attend a meeting held by a mafia organization, and I had to take a little kid like this with me.
Or I could say yes for now, then secretly leave without her when we departed….
“If you leave me behind, I’ll get mad again.”
“…Did I say that out loud?”
“……”
A look of dismay could be glimpsed through Rivera’s shaggy hair.
Damn it, I had only gone and revealed my inner thoughts.
“…All right. I’ll definitely take you with me.”
Yeah, what could possibly happen?
Besides, with her movements that fast, I figured she would at least be good at running away.
Rivera continued staring at me, as if she doubted the sincerity of my words.
“…Heh.”
Soon, she let out a laugh with the sort of smile a child her age might wear.
Perhaps it had slipped out without her realizing it, because she quickly shut her mouth.
Michael did not seem to question the fact that he would be accompanying us, either, so it seemed we could simply go as the three of us.
I looked at Michael and Rivera.
…….
Then a thought suddenly occurred to me, and I voiced it.
“But can we really go like this?”
One poor girl who was the head of her family.
One active homeless man.
And finally, one grocery store manager.
Even putting it kindly, the clothes on the three of us were not exactly clean.
To put it simply, they were of a quality that would not look strange if we used them as rags right now.
At my words, Michael nodded.
“…Even so, it would be best to at least observe the party’s basic dress code.”