Chapter 36 - He's Really Eating It... Eating...

Everything Django said after that was exactly as William had said before.

Josephine was the precious daughter of William, the tobacco plantation owner.

And Django was the son of a slave family that had been working for William's family for generations.

Django was also a slave of the William family when he was born, as it was before the Emancipation Proclamation.

But there were some facts I was hearing for the first time.

"Actually, I'm a strange one among slaves. Haha, I actually can't distinguish colors."

"...You can't distinguish colors? Then..."

...Is he color blind?

In both my past and current life, I had never met someone who couldn't distinguish colors.

So I asked him with a bit of curiosity, "Then how did you know I was white?"

"I can't distinguish colors, but I can tell light from dark. White people are light, and black people are dark, that's how I can distinguish races."

Ah... right.

Being color blind doesn't mean you can't see at all.

Was that question a bit rude?

But Django didn't seem to mind and continued, "Even in my colorless world, our young lady was exceptionally beautiful. For a slave and servant like me, it was something I couldn't even dream of..."

"Oh, but how did you end up falling in love and coming all the way to San Francisco?"

"That's..."

Just as I casually asked why they fled specifically to San Francisco and not somewhere else, that was when it happened.

Thud.

"Noah, your fried chicken order is ready."

Owner Paul brought out a tray full of fried chicken and cornbread and set it in front of us.

Seeing that enchanting sight after so long, I forgot about gathering information and let my guard down.

Fried chicken.

Actually, strictly speaking, this was a food that flourished in the East, especially in the South.

It was hard to find restaurants that served fried chicken in the West.

It was only because San Francisco was where many people gathered that there was a chicken place.

Moreover, as far as I knew, this was the only place in San Francisco that served fried chicken.

Chicken was also a soul food for Koreans.

That was why I wanted to come straight here as soon as I arrived in San Francisco.

Sniff.

Ah, the smell is fucking heavenly...

Smelling chicken after 3 years, I couldn't come to my senses.

"Well then, enjoy your meal, Mr. Noah."

Meanwhile, Django picked up a chicken with his fork.

But...

"...Wait a minute, you bas... I mean, Mr. Django. Stop right there."

"...Pardon?"

This fearless bastard in front of me dared to boldly grab a chicken leg in front of me who was meeting chicken after 3 years.

Unable to bear that sight, I took the chicken leg from Django's plate and then.

Thud.

"Eat this."

"...Mr. Noah."

I put a large piece of chicken breast on his plate.

In Korea, even a saint might slap someone for this, but Django's reaction was the opposite.

"C-can I really eat this...?"

Django looked at the chicken breast on his plate with an expression of awe.

It couldn't be helped, because in America, chicken breast was called white meat and was preferred by white people.

In contrast, chicken legs were dark meat.

It originated from black people mainly eating the chicken legs left behind by white people who didn't eat them.

I was white, Django was black.

But I was eating the chicken leg and giving Django the chicken breast, so from Django's perspective, it must be bewildering.

Actually, even the chicken breast was delicious in Western fried chicken.

It was kind of moist and plain, which was a special taste.

Of course, even so, I preferred the chicken leg.

But intending to raise my likability with Django more with this, I smiled slightly and answered, embellishing a bit about preferring the chicken leg, "You said you can't distinguish colors, right? Then what does white meat or dark meat matter?"

"...!"

"Isn't it just about eating what you find delicious, regardless of color?"

"...Mr. Noah."

Django was the type whose thoughts were all visible on his face.

He took a bite of the chicken breast with a very moved expression.

"Chicken breast... so this is what it tastes like."

"..."

Don't tell me this is his first time eating chicken breast?

Django eating the chicken breast looked somewhat like a black goat grazing on grass for the first time after starving for a week.

I mean he looked really, really pitiful.

So I couldn't help but wonder again.

I still don't understand… Why would they give $10,000 to catch a kid like this?

It seemed like anyone under William's command could catch and kill this sucker...?

Why did he come looking for me and offer the large sum of $10,000...?

Hmm...

Chomp.

Not understanding the situation, I pondered while tearing into the chicken for now.

Now that I had found Django, finding William's daughter Josephine should be quick too.

If I catch Josephine and take her back to Justice Town, it was $10,000.

And...

If I killed this sucker in front of me and cut off one body part, it was an additional $10,000.

But I couldn't help but hesitate a bit about killing Django too.

It wasn't because I was worried about being branded an outlaw for killing an innocent civilian.

It seemed like no one would know if I secretly killed someone as naive as him and dumped the body in the sea.

It was just, how should I put it...

After knowing that Django was a better guy than I thought... I felt a bit guilty.

I didn't sympathize with NPCs and the most important thing for me was to go home as soon as possible, but...

Even I found it difficult to readily kill an innocent civilian NPC.

So I couldn't decide what to do with Django until I finished eating the fried chicken.

Leaving those thoughts behind, we finished the meal and...

"Owner, thank you for the meal."

"Paul, it was delicious. I'll come once more before leaving San Francisco."

"Alright, see you next time."

I left the restaurant, saying I'd come again to Paul.

Patting my full stomach, I went out first, and Django followed, asking me, "Mr. Noah, I have somewhere I need to go now, what are you going to do?"

"..."

While eating chicken, I thought about just catching Django first, but the top priority of this request was still Josephine, not Django.

I put on a friendly smile and said to Django, "I should go back too, which way are you going, Mr. Django?"

"I'm going towards the dock over there."

"Oh my, that's the opposite direction from me. We should part here."

At the mention of different directions, Django bowed his head with a regretful expression.

"Thank you again for saving me today. The fried chicken was also delicious."

"Yes, well, it was nice meeting you too."

And then...

"..."

"...?"

He stared at me as if he had something more to say, but in the end, he didn't speak and turned around.

"...It would be nice to see you again, but we probably won't. Goodbye, Mr. Noah!"

"Yes, I hope you have good luck in your work, Mr. Django."

I waved to the departing Django and turned in the opposite direction.

And pretending to walk casually...

Swish.

I subtly turned my body and started walking in the direction Django had gone.

Of course, I had no intention of just letting Django go like this.

I planned to follow him to check where he was staying now and if he was with Josephine.

Step—

Keeping some distance, I followed, and Django walked happily, not realizing I was tailing him.

Django, who had left the Saint-Michel slum, headed to the dock as he said.

But there didn't seem to be any special reason for coming to the dock...

"..."

He just stared at the endless horizon.

The sight of the sun setting on the horizon felt a bit different from seeing a sunset on an endless plain.

I looked at that breathtaking scenery and then turned my head to examine Django's face closely.

My body with good physical abilities also had good eyesight, so I could see Django's expression in detail.

What kind of expression is that?

Should I say he's immersed in melancholy... or full of expectation?

If I had to define it, it was a face full of hope.

Looking at the sea with an expression full of hope? Could it be...?

I followed behind him, making various assumptions internally.

Django walked aimlessly here and there like someone without a set destination.

Looks like he came to the Saint-Michel slum just by walking around recklessly too.

But after the sun had completely set, Django's walking direction became consistent, as if he had a place to return to.

The place he headed was a street with quite decent quality inns, though not as good as hotels.

Did he take lodging here?

Step.

Just as I thought that, Django stopped in front of the most secluded inn.

He didn't go in right away, as if waiting for someone.

Swish.

So I also hid in a back alley to safely monitor him.

But...

Pitter—patter.

"Hmm...?"

"Uh...?"

There were other prior guests in the back alley.

"Emma?"

"Boss?"

They were none other than Emma and Billie.

Why are these two here...?

Before I could understand the situation, Billie approached me with an angry face and barked, "...Mr. Noah. If you run away like today one more time, I'll shoot without hesitation."

"Ah, I just had something to take care of. I swear to heaven I didn't cause any trouble. More importantly, why are you two here?"

As I tried to calm Billie down and asked, Emma answered with a meaningful face, "...Boss. We just found Miss Josephine."

"...What?"

"It was the exact same face as the portrait William showed us. So we were following Miss Josephine, but why are you here, boss...?"

"I found Django and was following him too?"

"...Pardon?"

As our words overlapped, we looked at each other with foolish expressions and then...

Swish.

We hurriedly turned our heads towards the front of the inn, and Django was hugging a white woman, though we didn't know since when.

Seeing that sight, Emma asked in surprise, "That white woman is Miss Josephine. Then who's that black man?"

"Oh, Django Montague."

I quickly scanned the face of the woman in Django's arms.

That face was certainly the same as the portrait William had shown before.

It seemed to be William's daughter Josephine for sure.

With this, we had found both Django and Josephine, the targets of our request, just one day after arriving in San Francisco.

I watched the two of them embracing and muttered, "Wow... the South Brotherhood is fucking good at their job. Emma and I found these two as soon as we arrived, but those bastards who call themselves the largest gang in the West still haven't found them? Incompetent bastards."

"No...!"

Hearing my sarcasm, Billie shouted as if upset, "You finding those people was pure coincidence...! Our South Brotherhood would have easily found those two in just a few days...!"

"Yes, yes~ I'm sure you would have~"

"...How dare you insult our South Brotherhood...!"

As I was having a brief argument with Billie like that, that was when it happened.

"Gasp...!"

Whoosh.

Emma, who had been staring at Django and Josephine continuously, suddenly bowed her head with a face as red as a tomato.

"Hmm? What's wrong, Emma."

So when I looked back towards Django and Josephine...

"Gasp."

The two were kissing passionately.

That sight was so intense that it was certainly too much for Emma, a country girl.

But of course, I didn't take my eyes off that interesting scene and muttered, "Wow.... They're really eating each other, eating."

"...Boss, can't you stop with the vulgar expressions?"

"Why are you so embarrassed, Emma? The kissing couple over there are adults, and we watching are all adults too.”

I playfully whispered to Emma, who still had a red face, while casually putting my hand on her shoulder, "Why? Ah, are you envious? Should we do it too?"

"...Get lost."

"Yes, ma'am."

"..."

"Billie, I don't like you."

"...No! I never said I wanted to do it either!! Why are you bringing me into this when I was just standing here quietly!!"

"Because you were looking with expectant eyes."

"When did I ever look with expectant eyes...!!"

"Shh, be quiet. We'll get caught because of you."

While I was verbally sparring with Billie, Django and Josephine finished kissing and went into the inn.

Emma, who had barely raised her head to watch their disappearing figures, asked me, "Boss. What are you thinking of doing? Should we go in right away and complete the request?"

"Hmm..."

It took over a week to come to San Francisco, but it looks like we'd succeed with the request in just one day.

Things were going much more smoothly than expected, so I couldn't help but be at a loss and fall into contemplation.