Chapter 112

Chapter 112

I Became the Academy Mafia Chapter 112The people who would go with me to Sector C were decided in an instant. A large number of organization members who lived in Sector C volunteered to go themselves with fierce looks in their eyes.

And so, the organization members lined up in front of the estate.

Every one of them wore the gas masks I had distributed and waited for orders.

Just as we were about to depart.

“I'm late.”

Parnello approached wearing a gas mask, smiling with his eyes.

“Parnello.”

“Since this is something the Young Master is personally taking part in, and Alessia and Ratte are involved as well, shouldn't I at least remain by your side?”

“...

What about Father?”

“The Consiglière said he would personally stay by his side. If it were anyone else, I might worry, but with him there, I can go with peace of mind.”

“...

That's true.”

The Consiglière was overshadowed by the monster known as Parnello, but he too possessed strength befitting Calione's number three.

If it was the Consiglière, there was no need to worry.

“Have the agents isolating Sector C been contacted?”

“Yes, the Intelligence Division has already informed them.”

“Let's depart immediately.”

“I'll escort you.”

Parnello truly was an all-purpose man who could do anything.

Was this level of sense and ability what it took to be called Father's right hand?

He was practically an army unto himself.

I immediately got into the sedan Parnello was driving.

Twelve vehicles left the estate.

As we headed toward Sector C in a long convoy, we came across a strange sight.

A group of cars at the entrance continuously flashing blue and red lights, and organization members blocking them.

“...

Police?”

“I'll go check.”

While I was puzzled by the sudden appearance of the police, the organization member sitting in the passenger seat got out first and walked toward them.

The three began talking about something.

When I saw the officers' expressions gradually becoming strange, I got out of the back seat and approached them.

“What is the problem?”

At my appearance, the officers turned their gazes toward me.

“Are you the person in charge of these men... huh? That Calione...?”

One of them suddenly recoiled and shouted, while the officer beside him wore a confused expression as though he had no idea what was going on.

Judging by the fact that he knew my face, he seemed to have some connection to Calione.

“From your reaction, it seems you know me... I suppose we've met before.”

“...

I was at the scene the day the Blunty Family disappeared.”

“Ah, I see. Someone who was there that day. A pleasure to meet you. It seems we'll be able to understand each other well.”

I slowly approached him and lightly brushed the dust from his collar.

“But there is one thing I'm curious about.”

At the same time, the pressure I released in an instant swallowed the surroundings.

“May I ask what you're doing in Calione territory?”

The officers swallowed audibly and broke into cold sweat.

The officer hesitated for a moment at my words, but eventually sighed and opened his mouth.

“We lost contact with an officer stationed in Sector C, so our superiors ordered us to investigate what happened. But... as you can see, unlike usual, Calione's organization members are blocking us. May I ask why?”...

There were police officers inside too.

If so, their presence here wasn't incomprehensible.

They had ultimately only been dispatched under orders as well.

“The reason is simple. If the two of you go inside, you'll both die.”

“...

What?”

“N-no matter how much it's Calione, saying something like that...”

The two widened their eyes as though they didn't understand what I meant.

No, perhaps they'd interpreted my words in a different way?

To avoid any misunderstanding, I decided to explain a little more.

“There's something quite dangerous inside. We're here now to deal with it. Since this is a Calione matter, I can't give you the details... but we'll make sure the officer inside comes out safely.”

“What do you mean──.”

“Detective Kim. Enough.”

When the confused-looking officer holding the radio tried to say something more, the officer beside him stopped him.

“I understand what you're saying. Then, we're counting on you.”

He said that and offered me his hand.

“Yes.”

After lightly shaking his hand, I headed toward the entrance, and Parnello naturally fell into step beside me.

“You heard that?”

“Yes. I remember that man as well.”

“You do? Is he trustworthy?”

“Yes. I can't say about the other one, but the man who just shook hands with you has worked with Calione for a long time, so he'll handle things appropriately. More importantly... he just made eye contact with me.”...

I'd keep my mouth shut too if I were him.

In the end, after the police left, we approached the entrance, where the organization members bowed and greeted us.

“How is the situation inside?”

I asked the person who seemed to be in charge here while taking a gas mask out of my bag.

“At first, many people demanded that we lift the quarantine, but now it's deathly quiet.”

“...

I see.”

There was a possibility the organization members themselves had become infected while enforcing the quarantine.

After ordering everyone who had come with me to put on their gas masks, I told the person in charge.

“If anyone here complains of unusual symptoms, send them to the estate immediately. Organization members wearing protective suits will guide them.”

“We'll do so. Young Master.”

After sending him away, I looked at the gas-mask-wearing organization members and briefly explained this operation.

“What we need to do is find Plague, or anything that looks suspicious at a glance.”

One of the organization members raised a hand.

“...

Something suspicious?”

“Yes. Most likely... something shaped like a gigantic mushroom. If you find anything like that, contact me immediately. There may also be villains hiding in this district, so if combat breaks out, fire a flare into the sky at once. Questions?”

This time, no one raised their hand.

They simply looked at me with determination in their eyes.

They too would want to end this situation quickly for the sake of their families.

“That was long-winded.”

I muttered that and stood before the two-meter-tall iron gate blocking the way ahead.

“Then, let's go in.”

Creeeeak───The moment the gate opened, everyone immediately began running toward the center of the district.

If Plague had activated his ability, he would surely have scattered it mainly around places where many people moved about.

The lively streets I'd walked through with Alessia before were now eerily silent, like a city that had gone through the apocalypse.

“There isn't a single sign of anyone around. It seems they moved somewhere together.”

Parnello also seemed to sense something strange and looked around as he spoke.

All those people had moved somewhere in a situation like this?

“Parnello. Is there a building or space in Sector C large enough for people to gather in one place?”

“Hmm... one place comes to mind, but would people really gather in one place in a situation like this?”

“Normally, they wouldn't. But... what if there was someone controlling them? If the streets are this quiet, there's no other explanation than that they were moved somewhere.”

“I see... Then we'll head there immediately.”

This time Parnello took the lead and changed direction.

We headed toward a commercial district slightly outside the center.

There stood the largest supermarket in Sector C.

“If they gathered anywhere, I imagine it would be here.”

Parnello stood before the supermarket and looked around as he spoke.

Just in case, I used [Skill: Aura Sonar]

and, sure enough, detected people inside.

Just as he said, they seemed to be using this place as a shelter.

“Let's go in.”

Even though it was a large supermarket filled with people, no light was visible from outside, so I activated night mode and entered.[Skill: Aura Sonar]

The people detected were gathered on the second floor.

Ignoring the first floor, which had been reduced to chaos, I was about to quickly head up the stairs when.

“Hm?”I realized the door to the second floor was locked.

Was there really a need to lock the door?

Thinking that, I altered my aura, inserted it into the keyhole, and opened the door.

Click──When I entered through the door with the crisp sound, faint light greeted us.

And at the same time...

Squeak── squeak── squeak── squeak── squeak── squeak── squeak── squeak── squeak── squeak──We found ourselves surrounded by countless rats.

“...

At least we know for certain who's here.”

“Indeed.”

The swarm of rats circled around us as though checking our faces.

A moment later, the rats began disappearing elsewhere, and from the distance, a black silhouette approached with the sound of footsteps.

“G-grandpa and Young Master?”

A trembling voice filled with fear.

Beyond the darkness, I could see a girl with white hair and red eyes.

“Ratte...?”

The last time I'd seen her, her face had been badly swollen from torture and covered in dust and blood, so this was the first time I was seeing her properly.

Of course, judging by the blood staining various parts of her clothes, it was still difficult to call her appearance proper.

“Y-yes. How did Grandpa and the Young Master get here...”

“We came to resolve the situation. First, I have something I want to ask... are all the people who disappeared from the streets here?”

“Ah, yes. I'll guide you further inside first.”

Saying that, Ratte turned around and began walking ahead.

As we followed her deeper inside, the light gradually grew brighter.

There were exhausted people slumped down, and rats weaving among them while supplying water and food.

I thought I understood the situation.

“Ratte, did you evacuate everyone here?”

“Ah, yes. That's right. Sister Alessia told me to do it.”

“...

Alessia did?”

“Yes.”

Apparently, while taking her usual ‘night walk,’ Alessia suddenly felt chest pain and collapsed.

But it wasn't a problem unique to her. At the same time, other people nearby also began collapsing one after another.

“Sister said this was definitely a terrorist attack against Calione. And that the ringleader must also be somewhere around here.”

Somehow managing to steady herself, Alessia left Ratte with instructions on what to do before leaving to search for the person behind the attack.

And what she'd told her was...

1. Gather as many people as possible in one place.

2. Separate those showing symptoms from those who aren't.

3. Hide until additional support or contact comes from Calione.

Those three things.

At that moment, Parnello, who had been standing behind me, surveyed the surroundings and asked.

“Considering that, most of them appear unharmed. How did this happen?”

“Ah, that. I checked the rats just in case, and there were a lot of sick ones. I thought they might be connected to what was happening, so I isolated all of them.”

This could only be called incredibly fortunate.

Rats were the carriers Plague most commonly used.

And Ratte, who could control rats, just happened to be here. It was truly a stroke of heavenly luck.

“How many civilians are infected?”

“Yes, there are currently thirty people isolated separately on the third floor. I don't really know what's happening outside, though.”

Thanks to the quick response, the situation wasn't as bad as expected.

Just as I let out a sigh of relief and was about to tell Ratte she'd done well.──!

One corner of my vision began turning red.

“That is...”

A red light floating in the sky beyond the window.

That was undoubtedly the flare gun signal I'd ordered the organization members to use upon encountering an enemy.

But then.───Fweee. ───Fweee.

One after another, more and more flares began shooting into the sky.

Before long, the sky over Sector C had begun turning red with flares.───Fweee. ───Fweee. ───Fweee. ───Fweee.

“Young Master. That is...”

“Yes.”

Something was clearly going very wrong.