TMI Setting Guide of 'The Organization' (English)

Hello, dear patrons!

As promised, today we're going to have a special (TMI) episode!

However, due to time constraints, the section on psychological training through tattoos... um... well...

It seems difficult to proceed with it right now!

Originally, I intended to introduce the new Black Rose through this segment, but...

It feels like there's not enough time to cover everything!

If chosen later through a vote as an $8 short comic, I'll briefly explore it there.

For now, let's delve into the origin and history of the "Organization!“

1. The Legacy

"The Legacy."

That's the official name of the organization.

Directly translated, it means "The Inheritance," or "The One True Inheritance."

Quite a heavy feeling, isn't it?

"Inheritance" alone already carries weight, but adding the definite article "the" intensifies it further.

There's a reason why the organization bears such a heavy title.

The name arose from the death of a woman and the desire to carry on her will.

Indeed, she was the foundation of the organization, the origin of the Godmother, and perhaps we could call her the very first Blackrose.

Her real name was "Mary Rose," after all.

So, who exactly was Mary Rose to create such a globally influential underworld?

Let's now take a closer look at Mary Rose's life.

2. Mary Rose

Mary Rose was born on February 8, 1941, in Harlem.

However, Harlem at that time wasn't completely impoverished—it was still influenced by residual white power structures.

Originally, Harlem was developed as a planned city for middle-class whites, but it took its current image after the massive influx of Black residents.

Thus, Mary Rose was of mixed white and Black heritage.

But, as always with protagonists, hardship followed. She grew up poor, without a father.

Her mother was just a cleaner working for white households.

Rejected by both Black and white communities, Mary had a dream nonetheless.

She possessed a sharp intellect, excellent judgment, and beauty to match.

Simply put, she was an incredibly talented, ambitious girl. Back then, people would call her an "all-rounder."

Anyway, she dreamt of escaping the miserable Harlem and becoming a successful career woman.

She didn't want to end up an alcoholic blaming the father who abandoned her, like her mother did.

Unable to attend high school, Mary taught herself while working as a library cleaner.

Thanks to her wit and negotiation skills, she landed a cleaner job at a prestigious university library, secretly studying textbooks there.

One day, she was caught by a young professor while secretly reading these books.

2-1. Mary’s First Love, Professor Edmund

Late at night, young Professor Edmund witnessed a cleaning woman secretly reading textbooks without permission.

It was unacceptable for a mere cleaner to read textbooks she wasn't allowed to, and he approached to reprimand her... but oh my, she was incredibly beautiful.

He decided to forgive her.

Besides, her scribbled notes showed remarkable engineering insight, intriguing him even more.

“What’s your name?” Edmund asked.

“Mary Rose.”

It was a common name, but now, she was the only Mary Rose he cared about.

Even after telling her not to come at night again, her face and figure remained etched in his mind.

A week later, Edmund returned to the library at night, heart racing but pretending otherwise.

“I’m just here for reference materials,” he told himself.

However, rather than reference materials, Mary’s breathtaking curves once again captured his attention.

This cheeky thief was again secretly studying textbooks.

Professor Edmund cleared his throat with a mischievous grin. Startled, Mary turned around.

With a carefully practiced "charming look," Edmund crossed his arms.

“I thought I told you not to come back?”

“I-I’m sorry! I’ll leave immediately!”

Mary hurriedly gathered her things, inadvertently revealing her ample cleavage.

Just as she turned to leave, she felt Edmund grab her wrist firmly.

His eyes burned with desire.

“Wait a moment, student.”

“…Student?”

“My father always said, education should be available to everyone.”

“……”

“Every Wednesday at 10 PM. I'll give you exactly one hour. Bring any questions you have.”

Releasing her wrist, Edmund walked away, adjusting his coat casually.

Mary stood watching him leave, her cheeks flushed.

With each step down the hallway, Edmund felt the heat of her gaze burning into his back.

His heart raced wildly, and he could still vividly recall the softness of her wrist in his grasp.

Would it feel the same if he touched elsewhere?

Edmund scolded himself.

“You're the youngest professor at a prestigious university! Keep your dignity!”

He convinced himself that his intentions were purely educational, nothing more.

Adjusting his clothes awkwardly, he walked into the brightly lit exit.

2-2. Mary’s Downfall

Mary and Professor Edmund soon fell deeply in love.

Mary saw in Edmund, the refined and respected professor, a reflection of her dreams, and Edmund saw beauty not just in her body but also in her radiant eyes.

Initially drawn by her sensual charm, he soon found himself captivated by her earnest spirit, eager to help her not just as a teacher, but as a fellow human being.

Their secret meetings increased rapidly.

What began as weekly became twice, then thrice weekly meetings.

Days and seasons swiftly passed, filled with turning pages, whispered conversations, and stolen moments.

But their bliss shattered one night when an angry scream echoed through the quiet library.

“Edmund!!!!”

Startled, Mary and Edmund turned towards the sound.

Standing there, face twisted in fury, was Edmund’s wife, Emily.

“Oh…” Edmund thought in horror.

Why couldn’t she have come when we were simply reading books…?

“Professor…?” Mary whispered fearfully.

“Emily, I can explain everything! It was this girl who…”

That night, Mary felt her life shatter completely, as fragile as the bottles her mother threw in drunken rage.

2-3. Shattered Dreams

Mary was sent to prison.

Why Mary and not Edmund, the one who actually had an affair?

Because Edmund loved his own life far more than he loved Mary.

He couldn't give up his professorship, his reputation, or his marriage. To appease his wife, he accused Mary of being a "gold digger." Shockingly, his simplistic accusation convinced the police—especially when accompanied by his tearful testimony of being blackmailed. It was a tragedy quite possible in the 1960s.

In court, Mary’s defense was weak due to relying on a public defender and an all-white jury. She was sentenced to two years but was released after one year and four months for good behavior.

Could she now start over, fresh and hopeful?

NOPE!

Now, even finding a job was nearly impossible. Most employers were white and unwilling to hire someone with a criminal record for theft or fraud, especially a Black woman.

Homeless and humiliated, Mary ultimately had no choice but to return to her miserable hometown.

2-4. Returning Home

“Aye~ Mary…! You're back… huh?”

Two tall Black men greeted her upon returning home.

How do these thugs know my name?

Then suddenly, she recognized familiar faces from childhood.

Ah, James and Malach.

But why are you guys in my house, Mary wondered.

James and Malach exchanged uneasy glances.

“You didn’t hear?” “Hear what?” “Your mother… passed away last year.”

From alcoholism.

2-5. How Should I Die?

What's the easiest, least painful way to die?

This was all Mary could think about.

Jumping from the 8th floor?

No, she’d likely survive, horribly injured and suffering.

What about the Empire State Building, built in 1931?

Boom! That's the one. Quick and neat.

If the papers made a huge fuss, Edmund might feel guilty. Two birds, one stone.

But wait—she had no money to get to Manhattan!

She needed a job, but who’d hire her?

“That'll hurt if you jump from there.”

Mary heard a young voice from behind. A kid stared at her with a sullen expression.

“Someone jumped recently. Looked really painful. Arms and legs all—”

The child twisted his limbs grotesquely to illustrate. Mary grimaced. That wasn’t necessary.

Thump.

The kid dropped the book tucked under his arm.

[Principles of Mathematics]

Mary’s eyes widened.

“You read that?” “Oh, this? It's my pot holder.” “……”

The kid scratched his head awkwardly.

“Sometimes I read it when I'm bored, but it makes no sense.” “Let me see.”

Mary opened the book with a wistful smile, flooded by nostalgic memories. Edmund’s face flashed through her mind.

Bastard.

She sighed deeply, then asked the child how far he'd read.

“Here.” “Page 80? Impressive. Did you understand it?” “Sort of.”

Mary’s eyes sparkled. She saw her younger self in him.

At that moment, Mary decided to teach this kid everything in the book before dying.

2-6. Blackjack

The problem was money.

To live, you need money, but where could she earn it?

She asks Malak and James, who are beside her.

"Where do you guys work?"

"Work? We just hang out."

"Then where do you get money?"

Malak and James' expressions turn strange.

These bastards are hiding something.

"Anyway, why do you guys keep hanging around my house?"

"Well, it's just... we fixed this place up—"

"Shut up and give me money, or tell me where you earn it."

Malak and James exchange glances again.

As if by agreement, they both let out small sighs, brush off their backsides, and stand up.

"Follow us."

"You earn money here?"

"Yeah."

Of course.

The place they earned money was an illegal gambling den.

But the entrance was bustling, and the smell of money filled the air.

Ripping off those naive white guys could be quite profitable.

But could Marie, who had never even touched cards, make money?

At that moment, a clever idea pops into her head.

"See that waiter serving over there?"

"Yeah."

"Is she prettier than me?"

"No."

"Are you close with the boss?"

"Well... I guess you could say that?"

"Then get me a job as a waiter."

Malak and James exchange glances.

What now? Why?

Malak scratches the back of his head and says.

"That's not possible."

"Why? Is she your girlfriend?"

"She's the boss's younger sister."

"Ah."

Still, Marie didn't give up.

"There must be more than one waiter, right?"

"Well... all the spots are filled."

"All boss's family?"

"Yeah."

Marie bites her nails hard.

Living in this world really isn't easy.

Shit, it's hard just to survive until my planned suicide date.

"Are you guys card sharps?"

But what could she do?

To live, she had to face it head-on.

After exchanging glances, Malak and James ask.

"You want in too?"

"Yeah. Are you guys card sharps?"

"We're pretty good."

"Teach me."

Exchanging glances once more, Malak and James stare at Marie with sullen faces.

It's as if their faces say:

Do you think you can learn just because we teach you?

2-6. Black Rose (Note: Title change in the original text)

She's damn good.

Marie had a natural talent for gambling.

Damn it, I should have just gone to gambling dens from the start.

Soon, she gains notoriety at the gambling den.

A wicked woman obsessed with money, squeezing out every last cent.

The white men she fleeced started calling her 'that Rose bitch,' or, with racist undertones, 'Black Rose.‘

2-7. A New Dream

But you can only fleece people so many times before you start getting unwelcome attention.

An atmosphere of unease towards her was slowly forming.

Eventually, she reduced her visits to the gambling den and spent more time teaching the little kid.

Teaching the bright child was enjoyable, and they made rapid progress.

As this happened, Marie felt strange as the day she planned to die drew nearer.

"What are you doing?"

"Running a business?"

From then on, Marie started creating reasons to live.

Once one child caught her eye, other children started to as well.

"Why are your eyes so bruised?"

"The LP store owner hit me."

"Why did the owner hit you?"

"I got caught stealing an LP."

"What LP? Should I buy it for you?"

Thus, Marie began looking after the children.

It felt like rescuing her younger self, a very rewarding and kimochi (satisfying) task.

And from then on, Marie began to see the reality of this neighborhood.

Ah, it's become more of a slum than when I lived here. It's harder to live. If I'm not here, these kids will end up living the same life as me.

From that moment, Marie, after sharing the fragments of her broken dream with the children, vowed to protect their dreams at all costs.

2-8. Queen of Spades

What do you need to teach children?

The answer was money.

Marie needed money. A tremendous amount of it.

Especially Marie, who had seen and heard various things while working as a cleaner at a prestigious university, felt the necessity of a 'proper system' more than anyone else.

And to create that system, you need money.

An enormous amount of money.

Fortunately, the opportunity arrived soon after.

"You lost everything to a mere woman like this?"

A well-built Black man scoffs at Marie.

Beside him stands a white man with a triumphant smile.

Marie recognized him as the white man who had run off after losing even his coat to her a while ago.

So, is the Black man in front of her a player brought by the white man?

She turned to look at James and Malak to ask, but it seemed unnecessary.

Their expressions already told the story.

"Marie, don't do it. You can't beat this guy. He's notorious even in Las Vegas."

"Life's all or nothing anyway. I've earned enough money to get to Manhattan."

"What are you talking about?"

"You don't need to know."

Marie knew.

This was the last chance to milk money from this gambling den.

If she missed this opportunity, she could probably earn from the den for a short while longer, but soon enough, they would surely give her a small sum, say 'You've graduated now,' and ban her from entry.

She couldn't miss this chance.

Otherwise, it would be neither here nor there.

And so, Marie enters the gambling den with the legendary Las Vegas dealer.

"What? It was a Queen?"

"It wasn't a bluff, it was real. It was a Queen."

Four hours later.

The gambling den is buzzing.

Everyone is astonished, unable to hide their shock at the card Marie revealed.

Why?

Blackjack is a game where you try to get as close to 21 as possible, then reveal your hand to compare scores.

Cards 2-10 are worth their face value.

J, Q, K are worth 10 points, and A (Ace) is worth 1 or 11 points.

At that moment, Marie had two 5-point cards down and had chosen to 'stand'.

The dealer thought Marie was bluffing again.

He had fallen for her bluffs several times already.

'I'll win. 19 points is enough.'

Marie's build-up was clever.

With strategic bluffs, she made him go all-in on this hand, and the dealer, thinking his hand was advantageous, chose to stand.

They revealed their hands simultaneously.

But Marie revealed the Queen of Spades, making her total 20 points.

Contrary to the dealer's expectation, it wasn't a bluff this time.

"....Ha."

The dealer let out an empty smile.

And that day, Marie became a legend.

2-9. The Orphanage

A significant sum of money extorted from the dealer.

As an ex-convict, Marie couldn't receive any government support, but she eventually succeeded in establishing an orphanage.

Although it was merely buying and renovating an empty store, it was enough for the children.

Just having a space where they could dream filled their hearts.

Marie, who projected her past self onto the children, now became their reason to live.

However, now banned from the gambling den, she had to do anything to run the orphanage.

So, she decided to become a strip girl, her mother's profession, which she truly despised.

All she had left to sell was her body and face.

But she was willing to expose her naked body under the glamorous lights of the night.

Nurturing the children's dreams was meaningful enough, and she could endure this much pain.

Except for that one time she accidentally spotted Edward in the audience, looking at her with a strange expression... it was a somewhat bearable life.

She could endure it because she was still dreaming.

2-10. Adrift.

But life, as always, doesn't just flow as intended.

If you can't even predict one step ahead in life, how much more unpredictable is a child's life?

Eventually, the thing she feared most happened.

Her passion and dreams helped the children grow, but the equally ambitious children began to fight amongst themselves.

The child who established an R&B and hip-hop label started going astray, joining hands with white capitalists. The child who bought the entire strip club, claiming to 'liberate mother,' eventually chased money and turned their attention elsewhere.

One child completely broke free from her control and became a major drug trafficker. Another child, whom she supported through college, felt disillusioned with their completely slum-like hometown and cut off contact.

2-11. Decision

Eventually, it leads to bloodshed.

Gangs clashed with gangs, resulting in numerous casualties, including a child who had been under her care.

Watching her dream tear apart and shatter, Marie makes a final decision.

The only thing she could do for the children now was to create an 'enemy' for them.

2-12. Death

That day, all the shops closed.

Even the streets, where gang fights occurred daily, fell silent enough to hear a pin drop, and the entire neighborhood was filled with sorrow.

Their mother, Marie Rose, who had showered infinite love throughout the streets, had suddenly died.

But soon after, Harlem boiled with rage.

They realized Marie Rose's death was a despicable scheme by capitalists who sought to profit by dividing them.

They united as one and drove out the enemy, but nothing could fill the void left by their mother.

Blinded by greed, they had lost something too great.

They had lost their mother, irreplaceable even for hundreds of millions, billions, trillions, or even quadrillions.

2-13. Truth.

Sometime later, the grown-up child returns to their hometown and looks around the orphanage with a bitter face.

Memories of their mother fill every corner, making it impossible to hold back tears.

Now, instead of a math textbook, an accounting book is in his hands, and his mother's words—that you still need money to protect your life—echo in his ears.

"Hmm?"

Then, the child's eyes catch a strange trace.

The child begins to follow the trace.

Just by tracking the trace, the day his mother was murdered unfolds vividly before his eyes.

One hour later.

The bright child collapses to their knees, face stricken with shock.

It wasn't murder, but suicide.

Marie Rose had faked her own death to protect the children.

2-13. The Legacy (Note: Title change in original)

The children, having learned the whole truth, reunited.

And their regret, anguish, sorrow, and suffering gave birth to an organization.

The Legacy.

They etched their mother's words deep into their hearts.

No matter what happens, we are family.We must protect each other.We must never scatter, no matter what.

.....

Thus, their madness gave birth to the world's most notorious organization, and to maintain that madness, they needed a single symbol.

The mother of the organization, the Godmother.