My Second Life as a Mafia Tyrant

Chapter 11: A Woman Named Elke

Elke was born into a wealthy family.

She was the daughter of a major corporation that had been in her family since her grandfather’s generation. The company was involved in manufacturing auto parts for export to the “National Union.” As the “National Union” exported more and more cars to countries undergoing motorization, Elke’s grandfather’s company grew alongside it.

　Her father, who had succeeded her grandfather as president, died of lung cancer at a young age. She wondered why this had happened to a man who didn’t even smoke, but she had no choice but to accept his death.

Her mother took over as president, attracting investment from the “National Union” and expanding the company even further.

　Because of this, Elke never wanted for money. She could have anything she desired.

At least, anything money could buy.

It was when her father developed lung cancer that she realized there were things money couldn’t buy. His lung cancer was inoperable and had metastasized, leaving only chemotherapy with severe side effects as an option. Even so, he wasted away, losing the gentle, dependable presence he once had, and eventually passed away.

“I want to work in pharmaceutical research.”

It was the first time she had thought about the future of her own volition.

Until then, she had been made to study foreign languages, music, art, and everything else simply because her parents told her to. Her parents had raised Elke to be a proper president’s daughter, ensuring she would be accepted in high society.

　Elke didn’t dislike that, but it wasn’t her own choice.

　However, her desire to work in pharmaceutical development was clearly her own decision.

　She had seen people dying of cancer, just like her father. Every time she visited her father’s hospital, she saw patients suffering from similar illnesses. So, she thought, if there was something she could do for those people, she wanted to do it.

　At first, her mother was reluctant.

　The 1970s were a time when the prevailing view was that women belonged at home doing housework. As a female business owner herself, Elke’s mother had faced ridicule and contempt from men in similar positions, and she did not want her daughter to go through the same ordeal.

　Nevertheless, Elke was determined to pursue a career in pharmacy.

　In high school, she studied desperately and consistently achieved better grades than the male students.

　Seeing that she was that determined, her mother agreed to let Elke enroll in the pharmacy program at a university in the “Federation.”

But her mother’s fears came true.

The male students around her did not take kindly to Elke, who achieved excellent grades in the pharmacy program and even skipped a grade. The professors joined in on the jealousy. They would deliberately have Elke solve difficult chemical reaction equations and then say to the male students, “So you guys can’t even beat a girl,” they would say.

Elke endured it all, thinking only of her dream.

One of the professors took Elke’s side. He invited her to his lab and offered career advice. As if fate had brought them together, that professor’s lab was conducting research on anticancer drugs that were effective yet had minimal side effects.

　Elke felt as if she had been saved, but that feeling lasted only as long as she was in that professor’s lab.

The male students whispered behind her back, subjecting her to the same mockery and contempt her mother had faced from other business executives—all because she was a woman.

But it was for her dream. Besides, if she wanted to fully dive into the male-dominated world of research, she couldn’t let something like this get her down. Female researchers are looked down upon just as much as female business executives. Unless she achieved notable results, she would never be able to work on significant research topics.

It would have been better if this were the “National Union.” In the “National Union,” the women’s civil rights movement was gaining momentum, and the ideal of gender equality was beginning to take root. Of course, even then, it couldn’t be called a welcoming world for female researchers. Still, the world had been progressing since the 1950s.

　Elke kept pushing forward for her dream. But Elke was human, too. There were times when she felt down. When she gave the wrong answer during a lecture and was scolded even more harshly than the male students, it was a source of depression for her.

It was at a time like that that a student—one with a hippie-like vibe whom Elke didn’t particularly care for—approached her. The student said he wanted to talk to Elke and invited her to the parking lot.

“I hear you’ve been going through a rough time? I’ve got something that can help you forget your troubles. How about it? I’ll give you a free sample to start with.”

Hearing that, Elke immediately knew he was talking about Snow White.

Snow White residue. Commonly known as “White Glass.” It’s a drug processed into cigarette form, primarily circulating as a gateway drug.

　In her pharmacy classes, she had learned about the uses of Snow White, as well as its illegality and dangers. In anesthesiology, while studying the history of Snow White, she was taught that indigenous peoples had used it as an anesthetic during surgeries. She had also been taught about its history of side effects and addictiveness.

　So Elke knew full well that Snow White was dangerous. White Glass, the dregs of Snow White, is a gateway drug. Even if its addictive properties and psychological effects are low on their own, eventually the stimulation from White Glass alone will no longer be enough, and users will turn to more toxic drugs.

　She had to refuse. If she bought Snow White from a dealer, the university would expel her. Even without that, dabbling in drugs was wrong.

She knew that. She should have known.

“Then, just one bag.”

“Five ducats.”

The White Glass was surprisingly cheap.

　Elke hid the drugs she’d bought at the bottom of her bag and took them straight back to the apartment she was renting. Then she stared at them intently.

What would happen if I smoked this?

Would it relieve me of all my troubles?

Or would I see hallucinations and go mad, just like drug addicts do?

She did want to feel better. University life wasn’t easy.

　But should she really turn to drugs?

Elke stared intently at the white glass, torn by her thoughts.

Then she made up her mind. She would give it a try.

You don’t need any special knowledge or tools to use white glass. All you need is a match or a lighter. After that, you just smoke it like a cigarette.

Elke tentatively brought the white glass to her mouth and lit it with a match.

　She inhaled the smoke and coughed at first. The next time, she took a calm drag.

How was it? Had she forgotten her worries?

She had temporarily forgotten her worries. It certainly did feel better.

But this was an illegal drug.

No matter how cheap it was, or how temporarily it made her forget her troubles, she must never touch it again.

Elke vowed this to herself.

　She was going to make her dream come true. She was going to get a job in the pharmaceutical industry and work hard to save cancer patients.

“Sorry. Did you have to wait?”

“No, I just got here. I’ll show you the way.”

Alois, driving an SUV made by the “National Union,” picked Elke up at the university’s main gate.

Alois was taking Elke somewhere. To a drug party.