The Mad Priest of the Slums #27
Fuji Junpei had just left the room.
“He left without even saying a word to sit down.”
As I ran my hand along the back of the empty sofa meant for guests, Jamie’s waist bent at a right angle behind me.
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t do anything that could be misinterpreted if others saw it. If someone saw, they’d think I was Jamie’s superior or something.”
During my bodyguard duties, our relationship was actually no different from any other.
But in this situation, it wasn’t a big issue, so I lightly tapped her shoulder and straightened her bent waist.
“I don’t blame Jamie, so please relax. If I had intended to make a problem of it, I wouldn’t have pushed Jamie who was trying to stop in the middle.”
“I promise not to repeat mistakes like today.”
“I’ll remember that.”
I looked at Jamie’s stiff face for a moment, then recalled Fuji Junpei’s words from earlier and asked her.
“You were called Doberman, right?”
“That’s how I’m called.”
“I didn’t really get that feeling.”
“Really?”
I nodded once at her question with a hint of doubt.
“It might be rude, but I felt that both her appearance and her actions or personality were quite similar.”
“Appearance……”
“Of course, that’s a compliment. I prefer dogs over cats.”
“My feelings are a bit complicated. You said it’s a compliment, but comparing it to a dog……”
Actually, Jamie had a slightly awkward expression.
“Jamie.”
“Yes, Master Priest.”
I looked around at the floor filled with broken furniture and asked her.
“How about a bet?”
“I decline.”
“Even the quick learner part is similar.”
“……”
Jamie narrowed her eyes.
I lightly caught her gaze and continued.
“It seems the nickname Doberman doesn’t sit well with you.”
“If I have to choose… well, I kind of like it.”
“But why the expression?”
“I get this feeling that there’s a slight difference between how hostile organization members or other guys think of Doberman and how you think of Doberman, so my mood stays a bit off.”
At her honest answer, I nodded.
I couldn’t know exactly what image others had when calling her Doberman, but I could agree that it was different from the image I had of Doberman, as she said.
“Jamie.”
“Yes.”
I glanced at the closed door and asked her subtly.
“If I were to do something that could bring disadvantage to Mad Dog, would Jamie stop me?”
“No. My role is to protect Master Priest’s safety as a bodyguard, not as a surveillance.”
“Should I pat your head?”
“…No.”
“You seemed to like it yesterday.”
“……”
Jamie slightly closed her eyes and lowered her head.
Although it didn’t show much due to her skin tone, upon closer look, only the area around her cheeks was a bit darker.
“Then, even if I do something like that, it won’t bring disadvantage to Jamie. Though it doesn’t seem like Benjamin would do that.”
“That’s what I said.”
“Thank you for the answer.”
Since there was nothing more to ask, I closed my mouth, and Jamie, since she wasn’t in my house but outside, also kept quiet.
“They’re coming.”
“As expected, Doberman.”
“……”
Although no sound reached me, Jamie informed me immediately that she had heard footsteps from beyond the closed door, and I called her nickname with meaning of praise, but for some reason, she gave me a slightly displeased subtle expression for a moment, then focused on the door.
“Sorry, could you open the door?”
Soon after, Fuji Junpei’s voice came from outside the door, and I stopped Jamie who was about to go first and opened the door myself.
“Ah, thank you.”
“It’s nothing.”
A fake smile as we looked at each other.
Fuji Junpei entered with one large jar in each hand, a bit larger than his palm.
“Come on, sit down.”
It was an extremely late suggestion, but I just nodded and sat on the different sofas facing Fuji Junpei.
“I should mention that this is not at all forced. It’s just a suggestion. If you don’t like it, you can stop anytime.”
“I’ll remember.”
If he was going to this much trouble, he must have prepared something nasty.
So I was even more looking forward to it.
“As I said, the jars contain pieces of rotten fish. They’re all prepared, so eating them is fine.”
With a short explanation, Fuji Junpei extended the jar he had on the left towards me.
“When you open the jar, take one bite each, and eat until the last. It’s very simple. I’ll go first.”
Without waiting for permission, Fuji Junpei quickly opened the lid of the sealed jar.
“Mmm……”
It wasn’t my sound.
It was a groan from Jamie behind me.
It was a perfectly understandable reaction.
As soon as the jar was opened, the pungent smell of long-fermented red fish spread instantly, enough to make one wrinkle their nose.
Regardless of race, smells like this are the kind that make most people feel uncomfortable, except for a very few.
“Ugh…”
And when I opened the jar in front of me, the smell doubled in intensity, and Jamie naturally groaned even stronger than before.
“People from other countries might find it hard to accept, but this is a very difficult and precious food to make.”
Fuji Junpei reached into the jar and pulled out a piece of fish with a dark brown tint.
It had no head or scales, looking like dried fish at first glance.
“Then.”
Fuji Junpei bit into the fish in his hand without hesitation.
‘The texture might be similar to dried fish.’
From the bite mark and sound, I imagined the texture of the fish piece.
“Hoo~! As expected, it’s delicious.”
With a fake smile, he gestured for me to eat quickly, so I put my hand in the jar.
‘The feel is okay, but it’s quite unhygienic.’
As I touched the surface, the sticky sensation greeted me first.
I took a piece from the jar and bit into it as he did.
Crack.
The outer surface was similar to dried fish as expected, but as my teeth went deeper, I chewed a very soft and mushy flesh with an unpleasant sensation.
And the unique stench of rotten fish filled my mouth.
‘Indeed.’
I thought it would end at serving a slightly nasty food.
But to think he’d pull a prank like this.
I chewed the soft texture well and swallowed it.
Only then did a slight crack appear on Fuji-sa’s fake smile.
“As expected, fellow Easterner! It suits your taste.”
At Fuji-sa’s exaggerated action and question, instead of answering, I placed the fish piece I was holding on the table and roughly wiped my hands with a handkerchief.
And I pulled out the pistol tucked at my waist and placed it next to the fish piece.
“What does that mean──”
“Fuji Junpei. Have you ever heard this saying?”
I extended my hand to Jamie behind me and asked the one whose expression was hardening.
“No choice always comes with a price, right?”
“I haven’t heard of it. Rather……”
Fuji-sa stopped talking and closed his mouth.
Because Jamie behind me was handing me a magazine filled with bullets.
“This time, I’ll make one suggestion.”
I inserted the magazine into the pistol and loaded one bullet.
“It seems you’re quite close to Mad Dog too, so if you eat all the fish pieces for my share, I’ll overlook this prank.”
“Ha……”
Where was the laugh in my words?
Fuji Junpei burst out laughing in disbelief and stood up. Then he said to Jamie who was behind me, not me.
“Jamie. I gave you this opportunity thinking of our connection with Mad Dog. But to come out like this. I’m very disappointed──”
BOOM!!
With a sound that made my ears a bit numb and the unfamiliar smell of gunpowder brushed my nose.
“Eh, u, eh? Ah, aaaaah!?”
And Fuji Junpei, who had a small hole in his left thigh, sat on the floor with a cry.
‘There’s almost no recoil.’
‘Because the range is short.’
Whether or not, Jamie and I exchanged a few words about the pistol.
“Aaaah!! This, this crazy dog!! Now, now! I know what you did!!”
“Made a hole about the size of a thumb in the left thigh of a man named Fuji Junpei.”
“Shibaal!! What do you think I am, Shin-gwan!? In this slums, I’m more valuable than trash like you!! You’re done now!”
The eyes of Fuji-sa, who had completely rolled back, turned to Jamie standing behind me.
“Doberman!! Contact Boss Benjamin right now! Tell him I won’t let this slide!!”
“……”
No matter how much he ranted, Jamie didn’t budge.
She just let out a small sigh, as if she had anticipated what was coming.
“I guess the suggestion was rejected.”
“Yes.”
“Wh, whu, wh, wha!?”
As I raised the pistol to aim at his head, fear and urgency appeared on his face full of anger.
“You’re, you’re not really going to shoot, right? Eh? Think carefully!! How many power figures are waiting for my job here!? I’m the one with the best skills on this street──”
“Fuji Junpei. Do you know this?”
I aimed precisely at his forehead, which was turning pale, and gripped the pistol with both hands.
“Unique is much more valuable than the best.”
“Wh──”
BOOM!!
A pretty little hole appeared in Fuji Junpei’s forehead, eyes wide open.
And his body collapsed limply.
“Let’s go down.”
“Yes.”
I removed the magazine and handed it back to her, then left the room.
“Master Priest.”
“What is it?”
“As a new worker, may I report briefly?”
“Reporting is important. And the new worker is fine.”
When I came down, the woman who had greeted us earlier was kneeling in front of the stairs waiting for us.
Her hands neatly placed on her thighs were full of small scars and calluses.
“Fingers h──”
“Do you know interior design?”
The woman who had been exuding a solemn atmosphere looked up at my unexpected question with long, torn eyes blinking.
“I, I didn’t hear correctly…?”
“I asked if you know interior design.”
“Eh… I learned from the report──”
“Enough. Then I need to get an estimate, so let’s go by car together.”
“Eh……?”
I casually stepped aside the nameless woman who seemed to have trouble understanding the situation from the stairs.
“Eh, u, eh?”
Jamie tucked her like luggage under her arm and followed behind me.