Chapter 20

"Is Ryunosuke also a superhuman?" Dazai Osamu, who had already suspected it, asked, feigning curiosity.

Ryunosuke Akutagawa: "Yes."

Mori Ougai's eyes lit up even more. Although he didn't know how strong Akutagawa Ryunosuke was, people with supernatural abilities were indeed rare!

"Huh? He's clearly a superhuman, yet he ended up in Leibo Street." What's the story behind this?

"Isn't Dazai-kun the same? His clothes are expensive, and his abilities are clearly outstanding, yet he still thinks about suicide." Rokudo Mukuro wasn't going to tolerate him.

Dazai Osamu tilted his head and smiled cutely, but the smile was like a mask, and his eyes were devoid of any emotion: "Suicide by drowning is just a hobby of mine." He didn't mention anything else.

“Your hobbies are quite unique.” Rokudo Mukuro laughed as well. The two looked at each other and then looked away at the same time.

"...Why did Dazai-kun commit suicide? Could suicide have solved the problems that were troubling you?" Akutagawa Ryunosuke, who had been somewhat silent, suddenly asked. He didn't actually care why Dazai Osamu committed suicide; his tone was as calm as if he were asking the other person what he wanted for lunch.

Dazai Osamu looked at Akutagawa Ryunosuke; the two were very similar, and he understood the meaning behind the other's question. Why commit suicide?

"Why do people live? Is there any real meaning to living?" Dazai Osamu not only did not answer Akutagawa Ryunosuke's question, but instead asked him a question.

In Dazai Osamu's eyes, everyone lives for the sake of profit and scheming against each other. He can see through their calculations at a glance, especially those in his family, who are so dirty and hypocritical that they are beyond redemption.

In this mire, his blood had long since turned black. What was the point of living such a life? Why did he choose to live in this world that was on the verge of decay?

Ryunosuke Akutagawa didn't know the answer to Dazai Osamu's question either. His essence was very similar to Dazai Osamu's. He saw through the world too early and struggled to survive at the bottom of society in a daze, without knowing what the reason for living was.

But the biggest difference between him and Dazai Osamu is that he has a younger sister, and he wants to live! He wants to find a reason to live. Even if the world is like hell in his eyes, or even more like hell than hell, he will fight to the death in this hell.

“I don’t know, but I believe I will find the answer to this question.” Ryunosuke Akutagawa’s eyes were unusually firm.

Seeing the resolute look in Akutagawa Ryunosuke's eyes, Dazai Osamu looked away as if burned, a surge of malice rising within him. In the end, he simply clenched his fists, lowered his eyes, concealing the chilling glint within them. He whispered, "Whatever..."

Fate also deviated from its course at this moment.

As Ryunosuke Akutagawa and Osamu Dazai launched into a profound philosophical debate before them, Mori Ougai and Rokudo Mukuro both wanted to sigh and rub their foreheads.

Mori Ōgai's sigh stemmed from the realization that the two sparkling diamonds before him were of high purity and quality. Yet, they were also the most difficult to control. Intelligent and stubborn people are the hardest to manage.

"It's not good for such a young age to think so much!" Mori Ougai once again put on his medical ethics, trying to enlighten the two children in front of him, and pulled the sparkling diamond into his arms.

"Is this uncle trying to lecture us?"

Mori Ougai smiled without saying a word. He knew that if he could persuade these two children and change their minds, he could directly rule the world with his words!

"It seems like Dazai-kun and Ryunosuke-kun are both quite world-weary!" Rokudo Mukuro exclaimed, but he didn't find it particularly strange.

So these literary giants truly deserve their title! They can come up with so much from the simple psychological issue of world-weariness, and even ponder such serious philosophical questions.

“Misery-of-the-world? Mukuro-kun, aren’t you the same?” Ryunosuke Akutagawa had spent some time with Rokudo Mukuro, and being sensitive, he could certainly sense Mukuro’s alienation from the world.

"Kufufu...that seems to be the case." I used to hate all Mafia in the world, which was almost like being world-weary! "However, I think the problem isn't as complicated as you all think!"

"If it were Mukuro-kun, what would you do?" Dazai Osamu asked with a curious look.

"Of course, we should destroy everything that gets in our way, no matter what it is," Rokudo Mukuro replied calmly. He hated all Mafia in the world, so during his chuunibyou (adolescent delusions of grandeur) phase, he would take action to eliminate those despicable Mafia, although he was unsuccessful.

"Wow!" Dazai Osamu clapped his hands. (Image)

"As expected of Mukuro-kun, he's amazing." Ryunosuke Akutagawa also exclaimed in admiration.

"Mukuro-kun, the three of you are acting like villains!" Mori Ougai felt that maybe it was because he was getting old and there was a big generation gap between him and these three children. He couldn't understand what they were thinking at all.

Rokudo Mukuro chuckled softly at Mori Ougai's words: "Can those two even be considered villains?"

"So you don't deny that you're a villain at all?" Mori Ougai immediately realized what was going on.

"Kufufufu... I think this is a compliment!"

Rokudo Mukuro genuinely felt that the word "villain" didn't fit Dazai Osamu or Akutagawa Ryunosuke. Looking at himself, he suffered inhuman treatment as a child, was taken to a Mafia lab for human experimentation, and had his normal life ruined by the Mafia. Therefore, he wanted to destroy all the Mafia in the world. Shouldn't that be the true villain?

And what he's doing is relatively minor compared to Byakuran, that chuunibyou (middle school syndrome) type. His path to adulthood is smooth sailing, but because his abilities are too special, he develops a misanthropic attitude. The world is too boring, so he decides to destroy it! That's his idea. Shouldn't that be the real villain?

As for Dazai Osamu and Akutagawa Ryunosuke, well, they were world-weary, but they went on to torment themselves like crazy. How could they be villains? In his eyes, they weren't even qualified to be villains.

Rokudo Mukuro didn't think his demands were too high at all.

"Alright, alright, stop talking about this. I really don't know why I, an adult, need to have a philosophical discussion with you kids. Let's go eat! I just put the food in the microwave, it should be ready now." Mori Ougai clicked his tongue, interrupting the somewhat awkward atmosphere.

At the dining table, five children and one adult sat together, chatting and laughing. Looking at this huge group of people, Mori Ougai felt sorry for himself. What sins had he committed? How had he gone from being an excellent military officer to where he was now...?

“…A babysitter.” Rokudo Mukuro voiced Mori Ougai’s thoughts. “Dr. Mori is basically running a kindergarten and working as a babysitter there!” And he was the one who funded it.

"...Why not a kindergarten teacher?"

"Dr. Mori, do you have a distorted view of yourself? Do parents feel at ease knowing you're a teacher?" Rokudo Mukuro stabbed him in the heart.

"Dr. Mori, I want to eat crab~ Rice without crab meat has no flavor at all!" Dazai Osamu called out to Mori Ougai without any hesitation.

Mori Ougai's forehead vein throbbed: "Dazai-kun, there are no crabs right now, and... the bandage on your hand looks familiar!"

After wrapping the bandage in his hand, Dazai Osamu picked up the sandwich from the plate, took a few bites, and complained as he ate, "This is awful. Dr. Mori, I want to eat crab tomorrow!"

"Oh, these bandages? I got them from the medical room, and they're quite good." Dazai Osamu affirmed the quality of the bandages.

Mori Ougai gritted his teeth. "How could it not work?! He grabbed the most expensive one right away, doesn't he know he's broke? Wanting to be the first to try something new? You're dreaming!"

"Ha, you'd be better off relying on Mukuro than on that bastard Rintarō!" Alice, who had disliked Dazai Osamu from the start, sneered. "The medicines in Rintarō's clinic, including the bandage in your hand, were all sponsored by Mukuro. He's so poor he's practically selling himself, and you expect him to buy you crabs? I think you'd better go eat the northwest wind."

Alice's words startled Dazai Osamu. He hadn't expected that their only adult would be so useless, having to rely on a child to pay for things.

"That's really surprising!"

Dazai Osamu's ambiguous gaze made Mori Ougai want to cover his face. He stared at Alice with a wronged look: Alice-chan~ Why don't you give me any face at all?

Alice snorted coldly and ignored him completely.

"So, here, Mukuro is the one who's rich and reliable, right?" Dazai Osamu attacked Rokudo Mukuro with his bright eyes.

Rokudo Mukuro remained completely unmoved: "Dazai-kun, do you plan to follow us from now on?" He didn't explain at all who the "we" he was referring to was.

"Of course! I'm homeless, while you..."

"If you're willing to take me in, I'll follow you." He also had a feeling that life with them would be very interesting.

"Is Dazai-kun going to school?"

go to school?

The Akutagawa siblings and Dazai Osamu were all taken aback. Go to school?

So Mukuro really is going to send them to school! Ryunosuke Akutagawa and Gin Akutagawa suddenly felt a little lost. They didn't know if they could adapt to normal life.

Dazai Osamu was dumbfounded. The topic had jumped a bit too fast! How long had they known each other? Two hours? Why did they go from taking him in to going to school so quickly?

Rokudo Mukuro's completely unpredictable nature even left the incredibly intelligent Dazai Osamu somewhat bewildered.

Besides, who wants to go to school? He's never been to a regular school, and he doesn't want to try. Who wants to study with a bunch of snotty-nosed, noisy elementary school kids?

Seeing the rejection written all over Dazai Osamu's eyes, Rokudo Mukuro smiled and said, "If Dazai-kun went to school too, I could pay for you to eat crabs every day!"

Rokudo Mukuro spoke with absolute confidence. Even Byakuran, that troublemaker who was always causing trouble, could suppress his desire to destroy the world for cotton candy. He didn't believe that Dazai Osamu could resist such temptation.

"You still like bandages, don't you!" His eyes swept over Dazai Osamu's arm. "I'll wrap your arm in bandages too!"

With a wave of his small hand, he exuded an indescribable air of dominance.

Dazai Osamu was all smiles. It's just going to school, he'll go! What he did after he got to school is anyone's guess.

A note from the author:

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