“Chew.”

【Dororo, this way of eating is so troublesome.】

If Hyakki had a face, he would be on the verge of tears right now, unable to resist Dororo’s demand.

After a few rounds, Dazai smirked. “I knew you’d understand what I meant.”

Dolls are super smart!

If only he were a bit more obedient, not pretending to be ignorant would be even better.

After a satisfying meal at the Chinese restaurant, Dazai peeked out of the private room and asked the waiter for two bamboo skewers. He wrote “Mammon” on one skewer and “Mammon” on the other, then placed the two skewers where Hyakki could touch them. He excitedly played a game of drawing lots, saying, “Hyakki, you choose one! The one on the left costs money, and the one on the right… costs your life.”

Mammon was greedy and required a large sum of money to satisfy his appetite, while Liu Dao Hai had once destroyed a mafia family, so he probably wanted the life of the head of the Vongola family.

Dazai wasn’t afraid of being broke, nor was he afraid of losing his life, his words carrying profound meaning.

“I’ve noticed that your luck has always been very good, much better than mine. It’s as if even God doesn’t want anything bad to happen to you. Why don’t you decide for yourself which illusionist will restore your body?”

Hyakki “looked” straight at him, his gaze slightly deviating from Dazai Osamu.

Dazai asked suspiciously, “What are you looking at?”

He looked around and noticed that Hyakki seemed to be looking at the lobby where they had entered. Situated there, facing north and south, away from the dining guests, was a compassionate Bodhisattva statue. Buddhism is prevalent in Japan, and even ordinary people know the names of some Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. The statue placed in the Chinese restaurant was that of Avalokitesvara, the Bodhisattva who protects safety.

In his mind’s eye, Hyakki saw the gilded Bodhisattva statue through the hollow edges of the wooden compartment. Under the owner’s years of dedication, the statue, despite being placed in a restaurant where animals were slaughtered, remained untouched by any traces of grease or smoke, serene and tranquil, blessing the believers.

【Is that the silhouette of a Bodhisattva statue?】

The inanimate object emitted a faint green light, reminiscent of the Bodhisattva statues he had seen many times in illusions. The statue of the Avalokitesvara, holding a child, had protected him when it mattered most.

“If you want to see, I’ll take you over there.” Dazai helped him put on his mask and put away the bamboo skewers.

When Hyakki arrived in the lobby of the Chinese restaurant, a diner had just finished eating and was offering prayers to the Bodhisattva. The person wore a crimson Tang suit, with a graceful figure. Even though her face was hidden behind a fan, her feminine charm was still evident. As she turned to leave, she nearly collided with Hyakki but was stopped by Dazai Osamu’s hand, which inadvertently brushed against her smooth and delicate skin.

Dazai had seen beautiful women before, but he rarely felt such a simple “spark.” Being still young, he hadn’t developed much interest in young women yet.

“This Lady…” He was somewhat intrigued by the woman in the cheongsam, whose face was obscured.

What’s going on? Did I see things wrongly? He seemed to see something blurry behind the fan.

Suddenly, Hyakki grabbed his hand, causing him pain, and Dazai let out a sharp breath.

【The Bodhisattva statue…】

Where they are offering prayers.

The compassionate Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva statue shattered into pieces, with its golden paint chipped off, and its head fell from a height.

“Bang!” The sound of a hard object rolling was clear, as the crown of the Avalokitesvara broke, and its neck separated, rolling all the way to Hyakki’s feet, as if replaying the scene of Hyakki’s birth.

Dazai Osamu’s expression darkened.

However, he quickly calmed down and communicated with the restaurant owner, clearing himself and Hyakki of the suspicion of damaging the Bodhisattva statue.

This incident was like a minor episode, and Dazai had no intention of lingering in Chinatown. He hailed a taxi and returned to Dr. Mori’s clinic with Hyakki. Hyakki was not in a good mood; he wanted to offer prayers to the Bodhisattva to express gratitude for saving his life, but ended up witnessing the Bodhisattva shattering into pieces.

That night, when Dr. Mori returned to handle his work, he changed back into his white coat and scratched his head. “What happened to Hyakki?”

“He went to Chinatown and got scared,” replied Dazai Osamu, teasing Hyakki with a feathered stick he had found, but Hyakki, who usually cooperated, ignored him.

Hyakki hugged his knees and sat on the chair, refusing to face Dr. Mori.

Dr. Mori asked in a tight tone, “Still not accustomed to my presence after all this time?”

Dazai casually remarked, “Maybe Hyakki will accept you once you stop killing people.” However, his words received no response from Dr. Mori, who just smiled and went back to his desk to work.

Dazai leaned close to Hyakki, their foreheads almost touching.

Avoiding indoor surveillance.

He placed the bamboo skewers, pinched at both ends, into Hyakki’s hand.

“Pick one.”

Under Dazai’s influence of life flames, Hyakki no longer dwelled on his troubled past.

【Is Dororo comforting me? What is in my hand? 】

The black-haired youth hesitantly drew out one of the skewers.

What’s this all about???

Dazai’s wish to have Hyakki draw a lot came true. Taking a look at it, it turned out to be “Six Paths Skeleton.”

Unexpected yet predictable.

To have Mammon restore Hyakki’s limbs, spine, or even attempt to restore his senses, the price Dazai would have to pay could amount to billions of dollars annually!

Too expensive. This was far beyond what the fourteen-year-old Dazai could afford.

Believe it or not—

Dr. Mori couldn’t afford it either.

The Yokohama Port Mafia left Dr. Mori with a financially strapped organization, an empty weapons department, and various messy problems to deal with. Perhaps the future Dazai could earn it back, but it would undoubtedly mean getting his hands dirty.

“Leave it to me.” Dazai destroyed the bamboo skewer, putting it back in his pocket carefully.

Hyakki hugged his knees, “looking” at him, surrounded by his breath. Dazai could hear the sound of breathing behind the mask, without agitation. It was as if both their souls had been purified.

Their world was just so small, so quiet.

Suddenly, Dazai felt that the woman in the Cheongsam he saw during the day didn’t seem as attractive as Hyakki exuded.

The charming flower carries poison.

The only one who wouldn’t hurt him was the puppet reaching out to him.

“Hyakki, restore your face soon…”

Dazai brushed aside the bangs covering Hyakki’s face, revealing the entire mask, its false beauty.

But he felt that falsehood was not necessarily a bad thing.

Enhance aesthetics, UP~.

The next day, a new statue of Guanyin Bodhisattva appeared in the clinic.

Dr. Mori worked on the empty wall, hastily creating an altar for the statue, and asked him in confusion.

“Why put a statue of Guanyin Bodhisattva in the clinic?”

“Hyakki likes it.”

After commanding the leader of the Yokohama Port Mafia, Dazai smiled at Dr. Mori with less pretense.

Dr. Mori sighed, “Dazai-kun, I have to admire you. You put more effort into caring for a puppet that’s about to fall apart than you do for cats and dogs. I thought you would lose interest in him soon.”

Dazai didn’t care about his deliberate question and brought Hyakki over to see the statue of Guanyin Bodhisattva.

Hyakki couldn’t see the specific outline of the deity: [It seems like there’s an obstacle in front?]

Dazai rubbed his chin in thought. “Why can’t you see it? Is it because I bought a cheap one, or is there some mysterious force of faith at work…”

It’s because you’re too poor to afford gold plating!

“Dr. Mori!”

Dazai noticed the problem and immediately called out to Dr. Mori, “The Bodhisattva still needs to be gold-plated!”

“…We don’t have the money. Let’s save some.”

“…”

Are we really in the mafia?

Today, the Yokohama Port Mafia was still as poor as ever, struggling to make ends meet, eating instant noodles together.