Chapter 78 – Where Hoodlum’s Belong
What I imagined delinquents being like. They’re outlaws who go against common sense and rules.
As an honor student, it was the image of the person who was the exact opposite of me.
In that sense, there were no delinquents among the students in the academy.
However, the delinquent I saw in this town may be a little different from that image.
At least they are not outlaws.
They set their own rules and adhere to them in their own way.
So, their own set of laws? If that’s the case, I try not to break them.
And I don’t know if I have any affection for my hometown, but I wouldn’t allow any entity to taint it.
Somehow, I felt that way.
“…… Hey… Tre’ainar. What do you think a hoodlum is? Were they in the Demon Realm too?”
Something I don’t really understand. Involuntarily, I asked Tre’ainar the question.
“Tis not something to think so deeply about…… quite simply, they are garbage.”
“Oh, oh…… that’s clear.”
“No matter how glorifying they may seem, after all, hoodlums get frustrated as soon as things do not conform to their ideals, and can only express their feelings on the impulse of violence…. hundreds are harmed and no profit…. such lower class creatures.”
He affirmed with harsh words. Come to think of it, Bro himself said so as well.
The scum, trash and hopelessly reckless fellows of the world. That’s the hoodlums.
“Moreover… such a way of life cannot be sustained indefinitely. Humans and demons have to eat. In order to do that, they need money, and the only way to get it is to work properly. If they are unable, they will join the mafia, or commit crimes like thieves and pirates. In any case, tis not possible to stay a hoodlum forever. However……”
Saying that, Tre’ainar looked around with some thought.
The hoodlums working in this gambling house. Everyone was excited as if they were working with a sense of fulfillment and purpose.
“In this town, delinquents can work as hoodlums and live as hoodlums. At least…… for now. That said… I do not think it will last forever.”
As Tre’ainar says, there is no way that the delinquents can remain hoodlums forever.
If you can’t graduate and become a warrior, even if you have such people in the Academy, you’ll just fall behind.
The fighting skills and performance of delinquency will be of no use in the future.
But here?
According to the Old man…… they weren’t doing anything illegal…… then, there was no problem, and these guys are working while being hoodlums.
“…… Oh? You…… how did you get in? Admission should be restricted at the entrance…”
And, a voice called from behind me and Tre’ainar.
I was a little surprised at the voice, but I knew in an instant who it was.
“A gentle Elder helped me get in… you’re not going to kick me out, saying it’s against the rules?”
“Kakkaka…… come now, it’s fine. We would’ve let you in if you wanted, brother…”
As I looked back with my retort, there stood Bro with a smile on his face.
“Oh, Mr. Bro! Were you here? I’m winning a lot today!”
“Hey, Bro. What about that lady? Is Miss Gavana here today?”
“Well, that Duel Monster was exciting. I’ll ask again next time!”
Bro, where are the boobies? I’ve used my sick leave to skip Congress, so I want to buy a woman.”
Bro, who was popular in the town, might also be popular with the nobles gathered on this floor. Everyone who passed by would call out, and Bro would respond with a friendly laugh.
“You’re very popular.”
“Kakkaka, well, because I’m handsome.”
Somehow, I really feel like a casino master, and it doesn’t seem to have a very bad air.
“Hey, Bro…”
“Hmm?”
“What is this place? It looks like gambling house secretly managed by the upper class of the Empire, but why are you guys in charge?”
Why are the hoodlums working in a place like this?
In the first place, why are Bro and the others working properly in such a place?
“In a nutshell… a place where we can stay hoodlums.”
“Wh-What…?”
Bro answered my question without hesitation.
It was the opposite of me and Tre’ainar who thought that it was impossible to live as a hoodlum forever.
“After the war…… Until a decade ago, this town… was almost lawless and chaotic, a town dominated by the Mafia. It sounds like a merchant town, but illegal trade was a daily occurrence, arms sales, trafficking of land from the vulnerable, scams and badger games, prostitution, human trafficking that treated slaves mercilessly, whether they were demons or children, and rampant violence and extortion…. Back then, the town was a black market where the rich vent their desires…. Indeed, calling it no man’s land was no exaggeration. Unlike the Imperial capital, which was regarded as a gorgeous symbol of peace, this was writhing land of trash left behind by the times.”
It was a world that I could not imagine, knowing it only by the name of “merchant town”.
“But even among the kids who were born and raised in such a city, they were not bound by anything…. those who would not be subordinated to the environment created by the adults, would not be controlled, and want to live freely to oppose something become ‘hoodlums’, put up their bodies without fear, and instead of the untrustworthy Imperial Warriors, took the role to protect the town like vigilantes…. our presence in the fight against adults was significant.”
“With adults… That’s….”
“Uh huh. The Bockmati Family that ruled this town…… in order to resist their rule, we fought hard and started an endless struggle.”
I didn’t know that either, and even Tre’ainar shook his head.
The Mafia led by the boss who ruled this town and was well-known in the Demon Realm.
Was there a fight between the organization and the town’s delinquency?
“It’s just a war… even though we were about to be crushed by the overwhelming violence and power of adults, we keep on fighting against all adversity, and the world had come to support us…. we began to feel proud of our existence and way of life…. burning with a sense of purpose, always glaring…… maybe that was the time when we were at our brightest. But…… it didn’t last either.”
With a complex expression on his face, Bro stared at me as he talked.
“The Hero, Hiro and Emperor Solja, who noticed the distortion of the town, took the initiative…… and set out to cleanse this town…. They seized Imperial Upper Class that were connected to the Mafia, and swiftly crushed the power of adults which overwhelmed us with even greater strength…. The Mafia was eradicated…… our battle had come to an end… We lost our mission and everything, we had become lazy brats with no purpose.”
With an air of loneliness, as if he had lost his purpose in life, Bro talked about what my father had done.
“The Empire’s hand was brought in to change it into a town where merchants would feel safe doing business and prosper without doing anything illegal. However, for those of us who fought for such a town, we didn’t feel very comfortable there…. Some tried to get a job for their livelihood, but it didn’t always last long.”
“Why…”
“I don’t know if you grew up in clean water, but… there are deep seas where the sun doesn’t shine, and some fish can only live in filthy, dirty water…. For those of us who grew up in a garbage town like this, the waters that were completely cleaned up by the hero was a difficult environment for us to live…. we who could only fight, couldn’t easily live properly or even get a proper job.”
Listening to that story, I suddenly remembered what I had heard while I was in the Academy.
In the past, it wasn’t difficult to become an Imperial Knight because there was a war, but in this day and age when the war is over, armaments are being reduced, and it has become difficult to become an Imperial Knight.
In the era of war, there was a place for the Imperial Knights, where they were admired and played an active part, but after the war, the number of people who will become Knights and the places where they play an active role are decreasing.
Maybe that was the case with Shinobu and the ninja warriors.
“I myself, would often think ‘this time for sure’, ‘I’m a man, not trash’, that it could return to how things used to be, and I feel as if I would enjoy myself more than ever…”
But in their case…… I don’t think it’s something you can do with me.
“That was the time. It was proposed by the Minister of the Empire, Chitsue. The reopening of gambling house, which was requested by many wealthy people. The Empire became the head honcho and did it…. the employees…. why not just assign the delinquents who had some power and influence in the town… give a place where youths can contribute to the country as a new avenue for employment…. we were given this place with the meaning of some kind of experiment… Like the old days, we kept an eye on so that the corrupt wealthy people and bad adults wouldn’t run wild and pollute the town again like they used to, and continued to protect it….’The Hoodlum Soldiers’… whatever they call us.”
While looking embarrassed, Bro said some crazy words about Hoodlum Soldiers’.
However, he doesn’t seem to be dissatisfied.
“It’s not just a job to eat… the kind of work that gets you fired up with purpose and take initiative…… the kind of work that will keep us as we are…… well, I doubt that’s what Minister Chitsue’s ‘true intentions’ are, but…… this is the place where we belong now.”
No, far from being dissatisfied, he’s somewhat proud.
For the rest of my life, they will live as they want without being bound. They live according to the rules they are satisfied with.
It sounded like what a delinquent would say.
But on the other hand……
“But you… don’t be like us.”
“Wh-What?”
“A worthless existence in the world… not like us who beautify and justify a world where the sun doesn’t shine… you’re going to be a big shot in the sunny world.”
Bro himself has a way of life that makes him proud…… no, it’s a way of life that he justifies, but he said, “Don’t be like me”, like an adult preaching to a child.
I don’t feel like I’m going to be delinquent or yearn for it.
However, it was true that I was interested in Bro and the others, and Bro’s words, that seemed to look through it, left an impression on me.
And then……
“Bro! Hey, Bro!”
Somewhat in a hurry, baguette head rushed over, calling for Bro.
“What happened?”
“Ah. Just now, that Chitsue guy has arrived…… Somehow, there’s something important about the auction, so he wants me to call Bro.”
“…… Hoh~.”
Minister Chitsue. That person? …… seriously. He knows me very well, I better avoid a face to face…
“Something important… Well…… what kind of adult’s agenda will come out…”
Then Bro, seeming somewhat reluctant, sighed with a wry smile.
I was worried about the situation, and I wanted to stay away from Minister Chitsue, but before I knew it, I was following Bro.