CHARACTERS

Tick Jefferson	The Gandor Family torturer. Uses scissors. Smiles constantly.
Tock Jefferson	Tick’s younger brother.
Maria Barcelito	A guest of the Gandor Family. An ingenuous Mexican girl. A contract killer who uses katanas.
Luck Gandor	The youngest of the three brothers who run the Gandor Family. Not cut out for the mafia. Immortal.
Isaac Dian & Miria Harvent	Two people, one character. Immortals. No explanation necessary.
Firo Prochainezo	A young Martillo Family executive. Immortal. Fights with a knife.
Ennis	A rent-free lodger at Firo’s house. A girl of marriageable age who’s also part of Firo’s body. Immortal. A skilled martial artist.
Maiza Avaro	The Martillo Family contaiuolo. An agreeable, mild-mannered young man. An immortal and former alchemist.
Ronny Schiatto	The Martillo Family chiamatore. The most dangerous man in the syndicate. His true strength is an unknown quantity. Demon.
Pezzo	A Martillo Family executive. Fat guy. Nicknamed Meatball. Immortal.
Randy	A Martillo Family executive. Scrawny guy. Nicknamed Ghost. Immortal.
Dallas Genoard	Human scum.
Eve Genoard	Dallas’s little sister. Her personality is the polar opposite of her brother’s.
Jacuzzi Splot	The leader of a gang of young thugs. Although he has a tattoo that covers half his face, he’s incredibly timid.
Nice	Jacuzzi’s companion and girlfriend. A mad bomber who wears glasses over an eye patch. Speaks politely to everyone except Jacuzzi.
Jon & Fang	Jacuzzi’s friends—an Irishman and a Chinese guy. A bartender-and-cook duo.
Donny	Jacuzzi’s friend. A giant, monstrously strong Mexican man.
Chané Laforet	Jacuzzi’s friend. A silent knife user who’s physically mute. Former terrorist.
Huey Laforet	A terrorist who was wanted across the U.S. Currently in police custody. An immortal and former alchemist.
Tim	The leader of Larva, a group that works for Huey.
Adele	A member of Larva. A woman who’s timid, always seems nervous, and uses a cross-shaped spear.
“Vino”	A hitman who haunts Manhattan. Monster. Also known as the Rail Tracer.
Nicholas	An information broker. Chief editor at the Daily Days and English edition copy editor.
Elean	An information broker. A black guy with sharp mood swings. Wears Chinese clothes for some reason.
Henry	An information broker. Human scum No. 2.
Rachel	An information broker. An errand girl who travels all over the country, collecting information.
President	The head of the information brokerage. Hides in the shadows of his documents. He’s a bit of an urban legend. Only the vice president has ever seen him.
Christopher Shaldred	A member of Lamia, a subgroup of Larva. A Nature-loving knife-gun user with a distinctive face.
Hong Chi-Mei	Asian. A member of Lamia. Christopher’s friend. A surly iron-claw user.
Leeza	A member of Lamia. An eerie being who appears as the languid “voice” of a woman.
Sham & Hilton	Mysterious entities who seem to be members of Lamia. Christopher and company call them “the twins.”
Senator Manfred	Money-grubber.
Mary Beriam	The senator’s daughter. Although her father is mad for money, she’s a simple, honest girl who isn’t the least bit arrogant.

Corporations truly are like living creatures.

Ours is no exception.

It is nearly impossible to manage everything about the body using only the brain and, by extension, one’s own consciousness. The parts that govern the unconscious aggregate; the body as a whole; individual cells; internal organs…each engage in extraordinary biological activity in places to which our awareness does not extend. There is no knowing whether this is for the sake of the body entire or for the cell itself, but in any case.

The same is true of corporations: Each individual staff member exerts themselves voluntarily—for the good of the company, or for the sake of their own livelihood—in places the executives’ hearts know nothing of.

However. Just as the “mind,” which is merely a portion of the human brain, can abruptly end its own life, in the entities known as corporations, staff members can be cut down by strong feelings from those at the top.

…While capitalizing on the fact that the cells’ voices do not reach them.

No doubt people commit suicide for a variety of reasons, but in most cases, when a corporation plants a blade in a part of itself, it does so in order to survive.

That’s right: Just as humans wish for eternal life, corporations occasionally possess the same desire.

Eternal growth.

Here at Nebula, that is our corporate philosophy.

The people of Babylonia once defied God.

Like their Tower of Babel, we strive endlessly for the heights.

That said—the Tower of Babel crumbled away.

In the end, I suppose, it was merely a building.

Nevertheless…we are not a simple amalgamation of stone or brick.

Our goal is to continue our growth eternally, as a living creature.

I believe there is far more meaning in that than in simply gaining eternal life.

Ha-ha, my apologies.

All this assumes that someone has managed to obtain eternal life, of course.

Now then, as I think you are aware, we have developed—or absorbed—a variety of business territories since our founding.

It is possible for our corporation, working alone, to assemble nearly all commercial systems necessary to human society.

If one views society as a living organism, our corporation can also be said to live.

Instead of blood, we shed assets, and in place of oxygen, we breathe the smiles of people who now live in comfort.

That is what we are, the shape of Nebula.

…You have demanded we loan you some of that money, our blood.

What exactly does that mean?

It’s quite simple, Mr. Turner. It means you will also become part of our body.

Still, do be careful.

Many of Nebula’s executives are high-strung individuals.

Overlong hair, dirty grime that falls from the skin…

Do not forget that cells that are not useful to the body are thrown away with no hesitation, like garbage.

Now then, on that understanding, regarding the amount we are able to loan you—

Dear me… There’s no need to be so tense.

Show us the passion you displayed when you screamed you would take Nebula to court.

…If you are feeling poorly—would you care for some liquor of immortality?

Mind you, it is rather expensive…