Ayanokouji’s Guide to Using Tools at Butei High - Chapter 3

Tanizaki Junichiro’s presence acted as a very effective social lubricant.

Simple-minded as he is, he significantly blunted the edge of Dazai Osamu’s sharp remarks.

Hearing Dazai’s words, Tanizaki asked me in surprise if I really had come for an interview before.

In response, I nodded and said: “At the time, after the clerk finished the interview, I never received any further news. I assume it was because I do not possess an ability.”

Tanizaki nodded understandingly at my answer.

“So, will you accept my request?” I raised my demand again, saying: “I have to head to Fuyuki City this afternoon. If possible, I hope to receive a reply today.”

Dazai Osamu took a sip of his coffee, wearing a pensive expression as he said: “The reward is to be deducted from your salary, correct?”

Given my persona as someone who is penniless and possesses nothing of value, the only thing I could naturally do was use my future wages to cover the commission fee.

“I remember Ranpo-san also has to go to Fuyuki City on a business trip today,” Tanizaki said. “You know about that serial killer in the recent news? After the police sent the request to the Agency, Ranpo-san said the killer should be in Fuyuki City right now.”

“I see…” I put on a thoughtful expression.

“What are you going to Fuyuki City for?”

“One of the courses for my major has an internship in Fuyuki City; it lasts for about five days.”

Seeing that both Dazai Osamu and Tanizaki maintained such a loose attitude during the interview, I felt I didn’t need to treat this as a formal interview setting. Instead, I started chatting with Tanizaki Junichiro.

“What kind of internship?”

“A church internship.”

After I said that simply, the corner of Tanizaki Junichiro’s mouth twitched. He had worn this same indescribable expression the first time he heard what my major was, as if he wanted to ask many questions but caught himself before the words left his mouth.

His expression now was exactly the same as back then.

I am a double-major bachelor student in Theoretical Physics and Theology. There isn’t much to say about Theoretical Physics; it’s just studying theoretical knowledge, and the assignments are mostly objective practice questions and writing related papers. The Bachelor of Theology is more practical, besides classroom lectures and regular group discussions, it includes an internship. The internship involves going to a church to serve as an intern pastor for proselytizing. Every semester, one must accumulate at least 200 hours of preaching time.

As for the Fuyuki Church I applied to, the clergyman, Mr. Kotomine Risei, has already approved my application.

People often ask me why I chose to study Theology alongside Science. At first, I would explain seriously, as if searching for a precise and rigorous theory to support my actions. I even gave my classmates an objective example: “In fact, among the Nobel Prize winners in Physics over the last 100 years of the previous century, only 7.5% were explicitly atheists or non-religious.”

But they didn’t accept that.

Later, I changed my story: “Actually, it’s related to my family of origin.”

I personally receive state welfare subsidies, so meddlesome people would check for themselves and find out that I am an orphan and live in hardship. Consequently, the College of Science was very understanding of my pursuit of spiritual solace. The School of Theology was also very inclusive of me.

This matter allowed me to understand many things.

As far as most young people who consider themselves knowledgeable and capable are concerned, they are unwilling to ask ‘why,’ because in their view, doing so would make them seem ignorant. Thus, to achieve logical self-consistency, they choose to understand things in their own way, adding their own mental embellishments to the stories they hear, ultimately completing a self-persuasion.

Of course, some people simply cannot understand. Therefore, they end up like Tanizaki; every time they hear it, they clearly have much to say but cannot speak, which finally resolves into a simple and powerful “Good luck.”

While we were chatting, the sound of submachine gun fire suddenly erupted from the roof. The continuous gunfire sounded like a massive fireworks display, roaring without pause, causing even our floor to vibrate slightly.

But in the face of this sudden gunfire, everyone’s expressions, including the shop owner’s, were quite calm, as if it were merely a hailstorm that would pass soon. Thus, everyone continued doing what they were doing.

Seeing my confusion, Tanizaki Junichiro explained to me: “You’ll probably see him later anyway. I might as well just tell you now.”

Rather than being concerned with the reason, I was more focused on Tanizaki’s wording. His phrasing clearly indicated that he already considered me a new member of the Armed Detective Agency and had begun introducing me to my future colleagues.

In that case, was Dazai’s interview just a mere formality?

While I was thinking, I listened to Tanizaki Junichiro explain exactly what was happening.

He was certain the gunfire came from the Detective Agency’s location, because they had recently taken in a new recruit named ‘Nakajima Atsushi,’ and this person had been targeted by the leader of Yokohama’s underworld—the “Port Mafia.” Consequently, these past few days, people had been harassing the Agency members and the Agency itself from time to time.

Now, they clearly knew the Agency was under attack, yet their attitudes remained composed and unhurried. This showed they weren’t worried at all about being targeted by the Port Mafia, which also indirectly demonstrated that the Agency’s strength was not to be underestimated.

However, I felt I had to say something first.

“Even if I join the Detective Agency, I will not participate in combat. I hope you do not have expectations of me.”

“Understood, understood,” Tanizaki said soothingly. “Although the Agency does handle combat output, not everyone is a fighter. Our Ranpo-san doesn’t fight either. If you join, we will be responsible for protecting your safety.”

“Professional safety,” Dazai Osamu added quietly.

Was he saying that if problems arose due to private matters, they would not provide protection?

My thoughts were pulled back by Tanizaki.

“Shall we head up?” Tanizaki Junichiro looked toward the ceiling; it had clearly become much quieter up there. “They should be clearing the scene now.”

As if responding to his words, men in black were thrown down from the high building, caught by a garbage truck that had presumably been called by the Detective Agency. Otherwise, if they were just left on the roadside like that, the Agency would have a headache just dealing with the city appearance fees.

As I stood up with Tanizaki, Dazai Osamu had no intention of returning to the Agency; he turned to flirt with the waitress by the table. Tanizaki expressed no opinion on this.

As I pushed open the cafe door, I picked up a monocle lens on the roadside—a circular lens that had fallen from its frame. It wasn’t badly shattered, only showing small hairline fractures in the corner. After picking it up, I glanced over at the garbage truck nearby; the head of a silver-haired man had just popped out.

He happened to be wearing a single lens frame.

I thought about it for a moment, wrapped the lens in my pocket handkerchief, and helped him stuff it into his coat pocket. This was just a small gesture, not intended to attract anyone’s attention—like picking up someone’s wallet on the street and handing it back. To me, it was the most natural thing in the world.

After doing this, I saw the man’s eyes open a crack. He gave me a weak glance before closing them again.

He didn’t say thank you, and I didn’t need to give him any response.

Tanizaki Junichiro opened the main door of the first floor of the office building and stood by, waiting for me to finish. Tanizaki’s expression was somewhat sentimental.

“The vibe clergymen give off is truly mysterious.”

I didn’t quite understand what he meant by mysterious, but I wasn’t curious either. As I followed him into the office building, I habitually stuffed both hands into my pockets.

As it turned out, I discovered that the other pocket, which didn’t hold the handkerchief, was empty—my phone should have been in there.

“Sorry, I might have left my phone in the cafe. Tanizaki-kun, I know where the Agency is, why don’t you go up first?”

Without waiting for Tanizaki’s reply, I walked back into the cafe and went straight to Dazai Osamu. He had been chasing the waitress with jokes earlier, perhaps to no avail, and now he was sitting in my original seat.

“Is something wrong?”

Dazai Osamu watched me return.

“Did you see my phone?”

“Nope,” Dazai Osamu said without hesitation, followed by a curl of a smile on his lips.

I was certain that when I arrived at the cafe, my phone was in my pocket; additionally, while ordering coffee, I had used my phone to check the time. Therefore, I had reason to believe my phone’s disappearance was related to Dazai Osamu.

My gaze remained fixed on his face.

But Dazai Osamu continued to maintain his warm smile: “Maybe it’s on the seat, or fell on the floor? Do you need help?”

I didn’t respond, but I did indeed find my phone under the chair of the seat.

“You look like you don’t trust me. I could sense this kind of attitude from you back when we first met in the elevator.”

So, is that why you still remember me even after two years?

I didn’t want to answer, but while I was checking my phone, Dazai Osamu spoke again.

“You knew me before, didn’t you?”

I gave him a look.

Compared to that person four years ago, Dazai’s life after leaving the Port Mafia and being “whitewashed” had changed a lot. I could even sense a flicker of human warmth—like the temperature of melting snow in spring. Although I couldn’t say how that temperature was visible, the traces of change were clear.

“To you, does it matter whether I knew you before?” I paused, then said.

Since I was bringing this up so proactively, it was only because I didn’t want him to overthink things and assume I intended him harm, which would lead to him constantly causing me trouble later. I didn’t want to have too much interaction with him.

I came to the Detective Agency with a purpose, and for that reason, I didn’t want any unnecessary complications.

As soon as I finished speaking, Dazai Osamu said bluntly: “You don’t seem to like me very much.”

“You can be more confident.”

Dazai didn’t know what I was talking about and tilted his head slightly.

But I wasn’t finished, so I continued to say expressionlessly: “You can remove ‘seem to’.”