Dieci South Section 4: Rodion's Story

'A Food for Thought'.

This book's got a real nice title, don't it?

Think about it. A meal for your heart... That better be one hearty meal, don'tcha think? That's what they say here, anyway.

So that's why you're...

... having a whole meal in the library?

Yup.

Wait, no. C'mon, you gotta be exact in your wording, or suffer confusion and misunderstandings.

I'm having a 'snack'.

... Riiiight...

Look. This is a library. This is where you find various 'foods for thoughts', right? In other words, this place is full of 'foods'. Which is to say that this place is, in essence, pretty much one huge diner!

In conclusion, there's absolutely nothing wrong with having a little snack in here!

Yeah, okay. I think we can end the interview right here. Unlike your 'foods for thoughts', this interview is severely lacking in substance.

I'll let the Madam Librarian know that I had a rather fruitful interview with you about the Dieci Association and its vast mega - diner with dishes from all over the City. How's that?

Oh, come on! My bad, my bad!! I'll get serious. Just don't tell her any of that, 'kay?

… Sigh.

Okay, so... You wanna know what the essence of the Dieci Association is?

Yes. Well... I do know that it specializes in accumulation of 'knowledge'.

But I do want to know what this Association means to you, Ms. Rodion.

Hm, what this Association means to me...

This place is like... home.

I'm sure ya already know that the Dieci Association picks up and raises kids without parents or guardians, right?

I am aware, yes. To the public, your Association is known as the 'Association of Charity'.

Well, that's how I ended up here~ Boy, that really was a long time ago.

Before that, I'd live off dirty stale bread from the streets... sleep under sheets made of clothes stripped off the back of my dead friend's body... Yeah, guess I had times like that.

Ahem, khm...

Oh, too dark for ya?

Well, anyways. They picked me up and gave me a proper life. It is kinda annoying though that, as a member of this Association, I gotta study so dang hard.

Well, you've made it to Section 4. That means you've been working hard, right? I doubt all you've been doing here was feeding yourself with 'foods for the gut'.

Haah~ I dunno, don't think I studied that hard~ I must be a natural genius, hehe~

……

I gotta say though, studying isn't completely joyless.

Because... the more I know, the stronger I get.

I've heard of that. Your strength is proportional to the amount of knowledge you've amassed...

Fuhu. The undying truth of the universe itself has my back. Of course I'd have no trouble beating the crap outta those knuckleheads.

Some birdbrained idiots underestimate Dieci Fixers, ya know? When they hear us coming, they think they're about to fight some nerds.

... So they look down on your Association. Doesn't that get irritating?

Not at all! Actually, it... spices things up.

Every time they dare look down upon us, my stoles glow with power... and my fists smite their ruin upon the curbside.

They're just perfect opportunities to show how wide the gap of knowledge is between us and those ignoramuses who don't know the true power of the Dieci Association.

Don'tcha think?