Drugs & Dominos

Prologue

BEGG

Early December 1931. Somewhere in New York.

In a dimly lit room, two men were silent.

Even the beating of their hearts dissolved into the stillness, and their existence seemed very tenuous.

"Please understand, Begg. This is the last time I'll be able to meet with you to negotiate."

With no prelude whatsoever, the tall man broke the impasse. Prompted by this, sound, movement, and color seemed to return to the pair's surroundings. As if to confirm that time had begun to move again, the tall man—Maiza Avaro—heaved a great sigh.

"Begg. Say something. I can't leave without an answer from you, and depending on that answer, I may end up hurting you."

Maiza looked sincerely troubled, and the man he'd called Begg finally opened his mouth. Vocal cords subdued, he emitted words that sounded rather choked.

"A-a-all right. I-I-I'll do... as you... say."

Begg's eyes wandered vacantly through space. Only his heart had turned to face Maiza.

"I w-w-won't... d-d-distribute d-d-drugs on... Martillo Family... territory... anymore."

On hearing those words, Maiza looked relieved. He walked over to his old friend.

"Thank you, Begg. Now we won't be your enemies."

In addition to pleasure there was sadness in Maiza's expression. After a short silence, he spoke to the man in front of him again. However, his tone held not situational social diplomacy but genuine feeling for his old companion.

"From this point on, I'm speaking not as a Martillo Family executive but as your friend. Begg, if possible, don't distribute drugs in town—"

"I... I... I refuse. I—I can... do... what I want."

"Begg."

"I... I... I became an alchemist... because I wanted to overcome... my limits... as an apothecary. M-my dream, my wish, my mission... It—It's about to come true. Two hundred years, and finally, finally, finally, I think... I'm about to get it. A—a way... to make... people... happy."

On hearing those words, Maiza shook his head slightly.

"Are you still saying that? No such thing exists."

"I can do... it. I... just... want to... make... people... into... the world. I want... to make... a world... for... each... individual... person. The... best... world... for that person. If I can... make that state... p-permanent, people can... They can die... smiling."

"In other words, you'd destroy the human race. Don't you see? They'd use drugs to bask in their delusions until they died, leaving no descendants, not even eating..."

"O-of course... that's... only... the first... stage. S-someday, I'll make... a drug... that... lets people... keep... dreaming... in their hearts.. while they're awake... and going... about... their business... as... humans. The sort... that... doesn't... damage their bodies, only... makes... them... feel happy."

At Begg's "dream," which was like an elementary schooler's essay, Maiza sighed a little.

"You'll exhaust their souls. Why can't you understand that?"

"Ha-ha-ha. You're saying... that you... of all people... believe... in something as... unscientific... as... souls?"

"At the very least, we aren't in any position to be saying scientific and unscientific anymore. You know that already, don't you? After we made a deal with a demon and became immortal."