The Kondo Group had a big reputation, but only among high society. In the eyes of ordinary people, it was no different from organizations like the Yama-x Group or the x-Dragon Society. Ahem... that wasn't quite right either. After all, the Kondo Group was nowhere near as brazen as violent syndicates like the Yama-x Group and x-Dragon Society. Well, in truth, the Kondo Group's members either disdained such things or were restrained by the prohibitions Toshiro had laid down—ordinary people who knew of the Kondo Group only knew that it bore the name of a violent syndicate, yet had never done what a violent syndicate did. Otherwise, the people from the Oolong Tea Research Club would not have both respected and feared the Kondo Group, only to feel there was nothing much to it once they had a few drinks.
Even when a whole group of people died the next day, no one dared point their suspicions at the Kondo Group. Fear was one thing, but the Kondo Group's good reputation was another... There was no helping it. Aside from driving violent organizations like the Yama-x Group and x-Dragon Society out of its territory, the Kondo Group had no other notable record. It even charged very little in management fees—and those were voluntarily paid by merchants who felt guilty refusing to pay for the Kondo Group's protection!
Toshiro and that gorilla Kondo had not wanted to collect that kind of hard-earned money, but Sogo Doma's words made them understand. "Mr. Hijikata, and Gorilla..." Isao Kondo was moved to tears.
"Think about it. Even constables get paid, so why shouldn't we take money for ensuring their safety?"
"But..." Toshiro Hijikata had wanted to argue.
"Don't give me that 'but' stuff..." Sogo Doma had explained with sound reasoning at the time. "There's