After selecting her personal secretary, Kurumi Tokisaki left the boss's office.
Mori Ōgai, claiming he had other matters to attend to, didn't accompany Kurumi to meet her new secretary. Instead, he had a servant guide her.
Following the servant, Kurumi took the elevator down to the second basement level—Port Mafia's underground prison.
Walking through the dimly lit corridors, she saw the prisoners locked away in their cells.
Emaciated bodies, sallow skin, nearly every one of them bore marks of torture and abuse.
Some were missing arms, others had hollow, pitch-black eyes, and some were covered in gruesome scars.
These were the ones who opposed the Port Mafia.
Or rather, had opposed them.
Now, these overconfident fools had fallen as defeated prisoners. No matter how glorious their past might have been, they were now trapped in this sunless dungeon, waiting day after day for death to claim them.
Even when someone walked past their cells, they didn't so much as twitch—as if they hadn't seen a thing.
As they reached the deepest part of the prison, the number of prisoners dwindled, leaving mostly empty cells.
The servant stopped in front of one and unlocked it, swinging the door open with a polite "After you" gesture.
"My duty ends here, my lady. You may see her now."
"Why is my new secretary locked in a dungeon?" Kurumi tilted her head. "I thought this was where you kept your enemies. Isn't she one of yours?"
"Before becoming your personal secretary, she was an assassin under Ryūnosuke Akutagawa, one of our squad captains. During her last mission, she let a child witness escape after a killing. As punishment, Akutagawa-sama confined her here for reflection."
"Ah, right. I almost forgot she was one of his." Kurumi suddenly realized. "If I take someone from under him, won't that guy hold a grudge?"
"Rest assured, this arrangement has the Boss's approval. Even Akutagawa-sama has no right to oppose it."
"Well, that's a relief."
"Any other questions?"
"No, thank you for the explanation."
"Of course. Then I shall take my leave."
With that, the servant departed, leaving Kurumi alone.
Peering into the cell, the dim corridor light barely illuminated half of the room. Squinting, Kurumi could just make out a small, motionless figure curled in the darkness.
Even after hearing people talk about her, the girl showed no reaction.
It was as if she had shut herself away, sealing her heart in a world untouched by the outside.
Port Mafia's most gifted assassin. A criminal who skyrocketed up the government's most-wanted list. The wielder of [Demon Snow], an ability born for slaughter.
A girl who, by cruel fate, had sunk into the mire—lost on a path leading straight to hell.
The slaughter-blessed maiden—Izumi Kyōka.
"Pleasure to meet you. My name is Kurumi Tokisaki."
Stepping inside, Kurumi stood before the girl. "Starting today, you're my subordinate."
For the first time, Kyōka moved. Slowly, she lifted her head, her hollow eyes meeting Kurumi's.
"Who is the target?" Her voice was flat, devoid of emotion. "Who do I kill this time?"
"Good news—you don't have to kill anyone." Kurumi smiled. "From now on, you're not Port Mafia's assassin. You're my personal secretary."
"...What do you want me to do?"
"Hmm, good question." Kurumi tapped her chin thoughtfully.
What does a personal secretary even do?
According to Mori's explanation, a personal secretary was supposed to guide her, help her integrate into the organization, and assist during missions.
Of course, her earlier claim about being unfamiliar with Port Mafia was just an excuse.
As someone who'd transmigrated here, she knew Port Mafia's operations inside out. She had no questions needing answers, no desire to bond with others—after all, she was destined to leave this world eventually. And when it came to missions, her clones were more than enough support.
A personal secretary? Utterly useless to her.
That was one reason she'd tried to refuse the position earlier.
So even if Kyōka asked what her job was, Kurumi had no real answer.
"Ah, right."
After a moment's thought, Kurumi's expression remained indifferent as she spoke. "I'll be renting a place soon for daily living. Your duties will include—but aren't limited to—cleaning, laundry, cooking, and general housekeeping."
For the first time, Kyouka's doll-like face showed a flicker of confusion.
Cleaning? Laundry? Cooking?
Wasn't that… a maid's job?
Why her?
She was a core member of Port Mafia—an assassin with a flawless record, the one who'd taken the heads of numerous high-profile targets.
Shouldn't this "Kurumi Tokisaki" have chosen her for her lethal skills? As a finely honed weapon?
Anyone could sweep floors or cook meals. Why did it have to be her?
As if unable to process Kurumi's words, Kyōka fell silent before asking again, "I don't have to kill anyone?"
"The only thing you'll be killing from now on is the live fish from the supermarket." Kurumi shrugged. "I don't need you to murder people. I don't have enemies here, and if I did, I'd handle them myself."
"My value lies only in killing."
Kyōka's empty eyes bore into Kurumi, her tone eerily calm. "If I can't act as an assassin, I'm worthless."
—Those without value don't deserve to live.
That was the creed of Port Mafia's "Rabid Dog," Ryūnosuke Akutagawa.
To the mafia, if you weren't killing, you had no purpose.
Lives were trophies. Infamy was a medal. Only by constantly proving your worth could you survive in this brutal world.
That was the first lesson Kyōka had learned after joining the Port Mafia.
--+--