I don't want to be an elf!

"What do you mean you didn't succeed in committing suicide this time, Mr. Dazai!" The young man, who had been listless, immediately became agitated upon hearing this. "Shouldn't you thank me first after being rescued? Do you know how much effort it took me to swim to shore?"

"I didn't ask you to save me, did I, Atsushi?"

"If a senior member of the detective agency suddenly jumps into the river, shouldn't we save him out of both compassion and reason?"

"I'm just doing what I enjoy, and you're getting in the way of my hobby."

"Can suicide be considered a hobby?"

"You are not allowed to interfere with my hobbies!"

"Even if you're going to commit suicide, at least wait until after get off work and find a secluded place. Don't see a river while carrying out a mission, shout 'Ah, this river is so beautiful,' and then jump into it to commit suicide!"

The two drenched, disheveled individuals, disregarding their appearance, argued fiercely on the grass, neither willing to back down.

If others saw them, they might think they were arguing about something very important.

After all, they were both core members of the Armed Detective Agency.

Osamu Dazai and Atsushi Nakajima.

Although the latter is a new detective who has only been with the detective agency for less than a month and has not even been able to complete a case on his own so far, the former is a famous detective in Yokohama... if bad reputation counts.

Osamu Dazai had a penchant for suicide, and he would attempt suicide regardless of the occasion, time, or place.

As a result, he receives complaints from clients almost every time he carries out a commission.

[Dazai Osamu wanted to hang himself at the crime scene using the rope used by the victim, and even asked me to kick a stool for him.]

[Your detective has been trying to commit suicide for five minutes now. If you don't send someone soon, he might really be dead.]

The detective sent by your agency has died on my lawn. Please send someone to collect the body.

It might sound unbelievable, but no matter how many times this man, blessed by Lady Luck, attempted suicide, he always failed for various reasons.

So much so that everyone in the detective agency was used to Dazai Osamu's suicide attempts, and sometimes they would even bring out benches to watch what kind of tricks he could come up with for suicide.

As for why Dazai Osamu was so keen on suicide?

According to him, it was just a hobby.

"Come to think of it, the first time we met was in a similar situation."

Dazai Osamu suddenly remembered something and said with some melancholy, "That day, it was Atsushi who meddled and saved me from jumping into the river, otherwise I would have been reporting to the underworld long ago... if there really is an afterlife in this world."

Atsushi Nakajima was speechless for a moment.

Logically speaking, saving someone's life should earn their gratitude, so why do I only receive disdain?

Or is it that this unreliable senior who recommended him to the Armed Detective Agency really wanted to commit suicide?

Atsushi Nakajima didn't know, after all, he was just a newbie who had only recently joined the Armed Detective Agency.

"Ah, right."

As if remembering something, Dazai Osamu asked, "Now that I think about it, you've been a member of the Armed Detective Agency for almost a month, haven't you?"

“Yes, that’s right.” Nakajima Atsushi did some mental calculations. “To be precise, it’s 28 days.”

"28 days? That's good, that's good." Dazai Osamu breathed a sigh of relief. "There's still time to write the report."

As the guarantor who recommended Atsushi Nakajima to join the organization, the president of the Armed Detective Agency assigned Osamu Dazai a task when Nakajima received his admission.

Closely observe the new recruit's condition within a month, help them integrate into the group as much as possible, and write a report after the task is completed to evaluate their overall abilities.

Dazai Osamu readily agreed, but then forgot all about it.

Writing reports is tedious and boring, and he would never voluntarily touch it.

Even the reports that he was required to write after completing a task were always delayed until the deadline.

However, generally speaking, his reports are not delayed until the deadline.

Because before that, someone would get impatient and write it for him.

However, this report was personally commissioned by the president, and the recipient was Atsushi Nakajima, which made him take it seriously.

Otherwise, his salary will be docked.

"Cough cough."

Dazai Osamu cleared his throat and suddenly put on an expression of a senior caring for a junior: "Atsushi-kun, how have you been these days?"

"Why do you ask this suddenly?"

"Because I haven't paid much attention to you since I brought you into the detective club, isn't this my way of making up for it as your senior?" Dazai Osamu said without changing his expression. "Are you getting along well with everyone in the detective club?"

Upon hearing this question, Atsushi Nakajima displayed a complex expression.

If your surroundings consist of Osamu Dazai, a suicidal individual who constantly talks about suicide and actually does it; Akiko Yosano, a sadistic female doctor who always hopes her colleagues will get hurt; Kenji Miyazawa, a cowherd with a peculiar way of thinking; Ranpo Edogawa, a detective who lacks common sense and is extremely arrogant; Doppo Kunikida, a hot-tempered and old-fashioned man who is easily provoked; and Jun'ichirō Tanizaki and Naomi Tanizaki, a brother and sister who are completely oblivious to what others think and show affection in public...

Can you get used to it?

As an ordinary person born in an orphanage, Atsushi Nakajima could only tremble in fear in this company that gathered together oddballs.

Chapter Thirty-Nine: A Traitor Among Us

"The senior members of the detective agency... all have such unique personalities."

Atsushi Nakajima smiled wryly, carefully choosing his words as he cautiously expressed his thoughts.

In this detective agency full of oddballs, or to put it bluntly, freaks, he has done his best to adapt to the environment.

However, he still occasionally felt like he was the only odd one out in the group.

Like a husky in a pack of wolves.

At first glance, it seems fine, but upon closer inspection, a question arises.

Why is this thing here?

Seemingly sensing a hint of inferiority in Nakajima Atsushi's wry smile, Dazai Osamu couldn't help but laugh as well.

"Atsushi-kun, you don't actually think you don't belong in the detective agency, do you?"

“No, no, no, I’m already a full member, so I do feel a sense of belonging,” Atsushi Nakajima said nervously. “It’s just that I always feel… whenever I think I understand my seniors, they always show some shocking… frightening side of themselves.”

“You have to understand other people. After all, those who can join the detective agency all have some secrets.” Dazai Osamu said nonchalantly, “Normally they are just like ordinary people, able to chat and laugh with you. However, once they encounter something related to their secrets, their other side will be brought out. That’s normal.”

"Is this normal?" Atsushi Nakajima muttered. "I don't have that."

Hearing Atsushi Nakajima mutter something under his breath, Osamu Dazai paused, as if he couldn't understand why he would say that.

Then, as if he had understood something, his smile turned strange, and he suppressed a laugh as he said, "Wait, Atsushi-kun, you wouldn't... you wouldn't think you're the only normal person in the detective agency, would you?"

"Compared to my seniors, I think I'm pretty harmless enough," Atsushi Nakajima said with a dark expression.

"Harmless?" Dazai Osamu laughed loudly. "As a former government-wanted disaster-level beast and now a target of the Port Mafia, everyone thinks you're the most abnormal one in the entire organization, okay!"

"I'm wanted by the government because my superpower went berserk! I was captured by the Port Mafia, and I still don't know why!"

"That's why I said everyone in the detective agency has some secrets, even if they themselves don't always know them."

Dazai Osamu patted him on the shoulder and said encouragingly, "We're all freaks in the eyes of ordinary people, so let's not look down on each other. Don't worry."

Atsushi Nakajima said, on the verge of tears, "Is this really encouragement? Why can't I be happy at all?"

"When you can feel genuinely happy, it means you have been assimilated by us."

"Such a thing is absolutely impossible."

"We'll see."

Just then, the two heard screams coming from not far away.

Then, intense gunfire erupted.

Dazai Osamu and Nakajima Atsushi's conversation ended. They exchanged a glance and ran toward the direction from which the gunshots had rang out.

Brushing past other fleeing pedestrians in twos and threes, the two soaking wet people disregarded their appearance and rushed to the center of the incident.

"Dun-kun, have you discovered something?"

"What? Enemies?"

As Dazai Osamu ran, he said, "The last time I took you on a mission, you were a coward who would crouch down with your head in his hands at the sound of gunfire. Now you have the guts to work with me."

Atsushi Nakajima blinked, as if only now realizing his own change, and said slowly, "It's not easy for a place to take me in, I can't just stay a useless person forever."

"Aren't you afraid anymore?"

“I’m still very scared, but…” Atsushi Nakajima revealed a determined look, “but I believe in Mr. Dazai, and I also believe in the other senior members of the Detective Agency.”

“Well said.” Dazai Osamu laughed. “You have taken the most important step. It seems that assimilation is only a matter of time.”

"I won't be..."

Just as the two reached the intersection and were about to turn, Dazai Osamu suddenly stopped and spread his arms to block Nakajima Atsushi, who was behind him and almost couldn't brake in time.

Dazai Osamu put his index finger to his lips, signaling him to be quiet.

Atsushi Nakajima nodded and cautiously approached Osamu Dazai, hiding behind the wall to minimize the chances of being discovered.

This area is close to the unloading port and is generally a high-risk area for accidents, so it's not uncommon for crimes to occur here.

But the sound of gunfire can only mean two things.

Police, or the port mafia.

In Japan, firearms are also prohibited from being purchased or carried. Even in gang fights, people usually only use baseball bats, or at most, Japanese swords.

Gangs that have the ability to acquire guns are at least local tyrants.

In Yokohama, the Port Mafia is the local tyrant.

Therefore, when gunshots are heard, it either means that the police have encountered a situation where they have to use deadly weapons, or that the Port Mafia has once again committed acts of misconduct in public.

In either case, the Armed Detective Agency has grounds to intervene.

Dazai Osamu poked half his head out and saw a mess not far from the crossroads.

Several cars collided and were abandoned on the road, or crashed into telephone poles and emitted thick smoke. Workers at the port scattered their tools and goods all over the ground, and even a few shoes that had run away could be seen.

Amidst this devastation, two girls wielding dual pistols were firing at each other with actions impossible for humans.

stranger!