Holy Father-Style Tool-Person - Chapter 12

Chapter 12: The Twelfth Day of Being a Tool-Man

The chaotic night concluded with the late arrival of the reinforcements. As the medical staff lifted Dazai Osamu onto a stretcher, the bandaged youth, lying leisurely, suddenly looked at Hiiragi Eiji with a gaze full of inquiry.

Eiji looked back in silence.

After a long time, Dazai blinked. “Aren’t you coming up? As well, the accompanying family member?”

Eiji froze for a moment.

Suddenly, a memory surfaced from a previous mission with Dazai.

Back then, he was playing an unremarkable minor role just like today, silently blending into the back of the crowd. After a gunshot rang out, Eiji watched as Dazai, standing at the very front, tossed his weapon to a subordinate behind him and commanded in a cold, calm tone: “Execute them all.”

The moment Dazai turned around, a dense hail of gunfire erupted behind him. As he passed by Eiji, his dark brown eyes seemed to sweep over him casually, yet they stirred no ripples and did not linger for even a second. That icy gaze, even in its periphery, was light and devoid of any weight.

That was the Dazai who had a favorability of 13 toward him.

Eiji found it hard to describe Dazai’s attitude toward him, but at this moment, looking at the Dazai who was staring fixedly at him with those dark brown eyes, Eiji suddenly understood. Prior to this, Dazai’s attitude when facing him had always been arrogant.

That was his truest inner self. From the very beginning, even as favorability slowly rose, he had never truly acknowledged Eiji. Naturally, no matter what the “grand gift package” from the System contained, it wouldn’t have worked, because Dazai Osamu was never a person who would be influenced by external factors.

But now…

Eiji pursed his lips and smiled. With a nimble leap, he jumped onto the vehicle.

Seeing him follow, Dazai slowly closed his eyes as if exhausted, no longer paying attention to anything around him. Only the corners of his mouth curled up slightly, almost imperceptibly.

Eiji looked up at the roof of the car, a sense of satisfaction rising in his heart. Ah, the joy of nurturing!

On this day, the ice known as arrogance that had surrounded Dazai Osamu finally began to melt under the light of those magnificent “fireworks.”

…

Bar Lupin

It wasn’t until 9:30 PM that movement came from the entrance. Oda Sakunosuke and Sakaguchi Ango both turned their heads to see Dazai Osamu walking sluggishly.

“…You’re late, Dazai. Didn’t you invite us out today?” Sakaguchi Ango pushed up his glasses and complained helplessly.

“Because I ran into a bit of a troublesome matter.” Dazai sat in his regular seat.

His left arm, wrapped in a splint, drew the attention of the other two. “Dazai, is your injury alright now?” Oda Sakunosuke asked.

The bartender slid Dazai’s transparent glass over, skillfully filling it with a mixed drink. “Yeah, it’s fine. It healed surprisingly fast this time,” Dazai replied cheerfully.

“Yeah, of course it was fast,” Ango muttered from the side. “With someone managing you twenty-four hours a day, making you special patient meals, ensuring a nutritious diet, and handling all your missions for you, how could it not be fast?”

Dazai looked at Ango in surprise. “Ango-san, you know so much detail.”

Ango silently pulled his phone from his pocket and opened a thread that had recently been circulating widely on the internal network.

《I’m salty (jealous), who understands?》

OP: Is this a “Boy Mom”? The cooking is so good, the personality is considerate and gentle, and they even went to the nutrition department specifically to learn scientific dietary pairing. Just asking, who understands this level of care?

[Image.jpg][Image.jpg]

1L: ? The first photo… isn’t that the hospital room of that Associate Executive who never wants to act like a human? The second one is that newcomer transferred under him? What is he holding? A thermal lunch box?

2L: Same office here. I understand.

10L: …Understand.

22L: What on earth are you guys talking about?!

45L (OP): No more riddles then.

Someone “Unspeakable” was hospitalized due to injuries on a mission. As for who this person is, those who know, know. Brothers who have worked under him, I’m lighting incense for you. If you still don’t get it… go treat your brain damage!

Since then, the “Boy Mom” has started a daily visitation journey. Not only are three meals a day provided on schedule, but even work has been moved to the hospital room to be completed.

The goodness of the Boy Mom, nobody understands. This kind of 360-degree radiation into every aspect of your life, even doing your work for you. Are you salty yet? Anyway, I’m salty. Especially since this good luck fell on the head of that “Unspeakable” person.

55L: Damn. I’m deeply salty.

69L: Salty…

182L: Sincere question: what advantage does the Unspeakable possess? Is it just that as long as I also stop acting like a human, then the Boy Mom will…?

(Following this, a long string of “Salty” replies.)

Dazai laughed until he was doubled over after reading it, then slowly took out his own phone. Ango felt a sense of foreboding. He instinctively refreshed the thread and saw a new reply.

444L: It’s only slightly more lavish than the hospital’s patient meals.

PS: I have notified the Internal Affairs Department to look up the employee IDs of everyone in this thread. It feels great to act like a human especially as everyone’s boss : )

[Image.jpg][Image.jpg]…

The newcomer posted a series of a dozen photos, each one showing the dishes inside the thermal lunch box lavish and nutritionally balanced. After this post appeared, Ango could completely imagine the frustrated and “dare not speak out” expressions of everyone in the thread.

Looking at that final sentence, “It feels great to act like a human,” Ango fell into silence.

I can’t find a single shred of evidence of you acting like a human at all?!

…

Eiji Hiiragi’s life has been very fulfilling recently.

Ever since the warehouse district incident, Dazai Osamu seemed to have changed his nature. Previously, he was always fighting on the front lines to get discharged; this time, he seemed to have grown roots and stayed put.

Eiji’s workload rose sharply as a result. However, looking at the character panel.

[Dazai Osamu: Favorability 48]

The old father shed tears of joy. Every bit of effort has its reward! A whole six points of favorability!

But early this morning, while Dazai was still in the hospital room waiting for Eiji to peel fruit to feed him, he received a work-related call. When he hung up, the lazy expression on his face had vanished, replaced by a deep, searching look directed at Eiji.

“W-what’s wrong?” Eiji had a bad premonition.

“There’s a new mission, Eiji,” Dazai said softly. “The Research Department analyzed the ability components of a bomb-ability user in the Port Mafia, and they’ve defected. The current predicted direction is toward Tokyo.”

Eiji’s heart was suddenly hammered. Not just because he knew two people at the Police Academy died in bomb-related accidents, but because—

Dazai’s deep, dark brown eyes seemed to have already seen through his hidden secrets.

…Has he already noticed something?