The Hagen Mansion.
I hadn’t entered the interior yet.
“So, what should we do, Luke?”
“Let’s listen to what he has to say first. I’m curious about the proposal from that distinguished individual.”
Sarina was hiding her intent but was clearly eager to execute what she had mentioned earlier.
‘The mayor, the godfather, and now the city’s top entrepreneur will fall.’
There would probably be immense chaos. The other entrepreneurs, thinking it was their turn next, might leave the city.
If we didn’t act promptly, the stocks of Hagen’s company would also plummet.
…Opportunities arise amidst chaos, but I didn’t wish for chaos on that scale.
I shook off my thoughts as we arrived at the mansion’s main gate.
As Kambara mentioned, the golems guarding the main gate demanded our identification.
“These bastards called us here…”
“Sarina, stop.”
“….”
I restrained Sarina and told Kambara to hold her back.
Then, I showed the golem the business card Hagen had given me through Gelaba.
“I’ll need to verify this for a moment.”
“Go ahead.”
I thought they might be searching our bodies. However, the verification the golem mentioned meant confirming with Hagen regarding this business card, not searching us.
Before long, the golems opened the main gate for us, and a well-dressed old man approached us, resembling a butler.
“Mr. Luke Felini, thank you for accepting Lord Hagen’s invitation.”
“….”
I didn’t know what to say. The butler guided us into the mansion amidst my silence.
As we stepped inside the mansion, it looked as glorious as a palace from the outside. The interior was even more impressive.
Notably, the size of the space visible from the outside was clearly different from what was visible inside.
“It looks like magic has been used here.”
In response to Kambara’s words, Sarina and I simply nodded. Sometimes when killing people, we also use magic or magically enhanced objects… but applying magic to one’s home is a completely different realm.
I watched the butler for his reaction to Kambara’s words, but he neither affirmed nor denied it.
No, it might be that both actions weren’t permitted for him in the first place.
“It’s really magnificent.”
The butler didn’t reply to my comment, but showed a familiarity with my reaction.
The walls and stairs were made entirely of white marble. As we climbed the stairs to the first and second floors, the walls adorned with various paintings appeared before us.
The ceiling towered to an unfathomable height.
After the relatively simple wooden door, the butler opened, he demonstrated a smooth maneuver that placed him behind us.
Bang!
As the butler closed the door, I was curious about the purpose of the room we arrived in.
‘Ah, I get it now.’
One painting decorating one side of the wall depicted a suited goblin showcasing a golden pocket watch.
This was clearly Morgan’s room. Whether it’s an office or maybe even a consultation room wasn’t certain.
Luxurious red chairs bordered with golden decorations and wall patterns lavishly adorned. The paintings were a far cry from those I had seen in the corridor earlier, being much more expensive and complex in shape.
Whatever I had imagined, the mansion exceeded those expectations.
To describe my expression now…
Perhaps it resembled that of an enemy soldier who had lost his composure upon witnessing the grandeur of a palace during the Russian Revolution.
In this room, besides us and the butler, there were two other individuals present.
One was Hagen, sitting at his desk, not moving an inch and checking something.
And the other was a man sitting modestly in a red chair—who I mentioned earlier.
He was dressed entirely in black, with the only exception being a red, round hat. Even I could tell he was a clergy member.
But… bishop? Cardinal? I had no idea what his exact rank was.
“I don’t know who you are, but you seem too busy to be in a place like this.”
The city’s clergy were going through a busier time than ever. Chaos erupted after the mayor and godfather’s deaths, leading to violent protests and looting throughout the city.
Clergy members strived their best to mediate the violence between the police and protestors.
This person before me didn’t seem to fit that description.
“You have a big misunderstanding. I too am a guest invited by Lord Hagen.”
“Everyone, I seemed to have zoned out for a moment.”
Barely finishing his words, Hagen stood up.
Though the goblin rose, it didn’t mean he grew taller. Sure, he was somewhat stocky for a goblin, but that only made him seem even smaller while sitting in a chair.
Regardless of such details, he was the smallest and yet the largest figure in the city.
“Bishop, we shall revisit our earlier conversation later.”
“Certainly.”
So, he was a bishop. Upon hearing Hagen’s words, he stood up immediately and exited through the door opened by the butler.
“Now, shall we all sit instead of standing around?”
“….”
Sarina, Kambara, and I sank into the red chairs at Hagen’s suggestion.
If Sarina and Kambara could meet Hagen directly, it wouldn’t have been a bad idea to bring Elena along too.
“Am I next to see you after the bishop?”
“Yes, indeed. Bishop Smith and I share the same view. It’s foolish to suppress the people’s anger with the military.”
Hagen seemed keen to quell the chaos in the city as quickly as possible.
“Mr. Felini.”
Hagen suddenly bore an awkward smile and asked me.
“Do you have any idea why I collect so many artworks?”
A moment of silence passed. I couldn’t answer at all, but it seemed Hagen had anticipated this situation and promptly continued.
“Because perhaps the world is more beautiful than we think. More importantly, I find peace in what I can understand.”
“….”
“Significant incidents, like the unsolved murder of a godfather, clearly transcend my understanding.”
“It seems the police have neither the ability nor the desire to catch the culprit.”
Hagen stroked his magnificent gray beard at my words. I pondered what that act might signify.
“Stopping the protests that have spread across the city would also be a challenge. I believe there are two reasons when someone perpetrates an act. One is the plausible reason others think, and the other is the real reason.”
“….”
Sarina and Kambara didn’t say a thing. Even though they existed in this space, they knew well they had no qualifications to interject in this conversation.
“So, what is that grand reason the distinguished Hagen has for wanting to see me?”
“Hhm.”
Upon my inquiry using his earlier words, Hagen revealed a slight smile.
“As you might know, this city is one of the most powerful economic centers in the world. For this flow to continue… the city must stabilize.”
“Yes, that seems obvious.”
It was only natural.
With crime organizations taking root throughout the city and everyone trembling in fear of violent protests, the economy wouldn’t function properly.
“Since your father passed away, this chaos shows no sign of calming down. The turmoil in the city due to your father’s death is more crucial than his actual death. It may sound cruel, but it is a clear fact.”
Hagen spoke politely to me, younger than him by several years.
The content of his speech wasn’t particularly polite. Sure enough, I could see Sarina growing increasingly impatient.
“Seeing that you’re explaining this to me, you’re probably not exactly a nice person, huh?”
“That would have been preferable… but then I wouldn’t be here.”
I had just asked about the reason he called for me, but I still hadn’t heard that answer.
*
“Anyway.”
“….”
Just as I was about to say something, Hagen initiated a new topic.
“I’ve heard that Steel King George Loader is now backing Eddie Sanchez.”
“…Really?”
I couldn’t understand why this tycoon would choose to support Sanchez. As far as I knew, Loader had been nothing but an immigrant kid with nothing before he became successful.
He might feel a sense of kinship to Sanchez, entangled as he was from street fighter to boss.
“Perhaps he’s helping him from behind scenes to quell the chaos in the city as quickly as possible.”
“It seems that’s already failing.”
Sanchez and his family were not settling the turmoil but rather engaging in shootouts with the police.
“So unlike Loader, I’m inclined to wager on another player.”
“….”
Could this mean Hagen was offering to back me? I was confused, wondering if it was a dream or reality.
“Considering multiple factors, I predict that Mr. Felini could swiftly fill the void left by the deceased godfather. If that could shorten the period for the city’s stabilization, I’d find no regret in spending money on that.”
“I’d be honored you think so.”
There was no way I could miss such an opportunity. I thought I’d gladly accept the sweet fruit Hagen was offering me.
“I will not concern myself with what you wish. I saw what I needed in you and approached with a plan. How does that sound?”
Hagen was asking if I would accept his proposal.
“Sounds good to me.”
That was likely the answer Hagen had hoped to receive. Seemingly satisfied with my reply, he poured whiskey from a bottle on his desk into my glass.
Then he clinked his glass against mine.
Hagen took a sip from his drink, and I followed suit.
The cooperation between the Felini Family and Hagen would be simple. Hagen would regularly provide us with a certain amount of funds while we would regularly report our plans and actions to Hagen.
It all seemed straightforward.
Of course, if our plans and actions didn’t meet Hagen’s approval, we would have to accept his views and show changes.
But there was undoubtedly a line I couldn’t compromise on.
“I won’t give up on avenging my father.”
“…Fear and terror. They are likely essential for the new godfather to rise. As I mentioned earlier, if the outcomes are realized, I shall not care.”
“Understood.”
After this, I exited the room through the door opened by the butler, much like the earlier Bishop Smith did.
“….”
Kambara looked as if he still couldn’t believe how significant a position he was in.
“Luke, doesn’t this mean we’ve already won?”
“I don’t know. Other entrepreneurs wouldn’t just sit idly.”
I tried to maintain a calm demeanor, hiding my trembling hands from excitement. Whoever the opponent may be… with Hagen’s help, avenging my father felt almost guaranteed.
After leaving Hagen’s mansion, we returned to where we came from.
*
The armored car I was in dropped off Sarina and Kambara at the Academy, then took me back to the Lupus Carlton Hotel at the port.
Upon descending to the top floor with the familiar elevator chime, I headed to Elena’s Room.
Today was supposed to be my day with Felicita, but I couldn’t skip reporting this important matter.
“….”
As I entered the room, surprisingly, Elena didn’t rush toward me.
Usually, she would show up like a dog welcoming its master.
“Elena?”
“…Luke?!”
I wondered if she had barged into Felicita’s Room and was beating her up, but thankfully, that appeared not to be the case.
“Oh, were you exercising?”
Now that I thought about it, it was easy to forget that Elena, the biological daughter of the wolf, Vito Felini, also put in quite a lot of physical effort.
It wasn’t just about making her body look beautiful; it was part of her survival training.
The well-defined muscles of her pectorals and abs were evident, and with her firm biceps and quadriceps, she was intimidatingly taller than me.
She quickly wiped the sweat from her healthy body and approached me.
“You came back earlier than I expected. So what did Hagen say?”
“…Don’t be shocked.”
“Why? What is it?”
She halted wiping her sweat as soon as she heard my words.
“Hagen is going to back us.”
“….”
Elena didn’t react immediately to what I said. There was too much information her brain had to process.
“And there’s bad news too.”
“Wait a moment.”
“George Loader is backing Sanchez.”
“What?!”
While I slightly obscured the good news with the bad news, the fact that Hagen was going to support us was ground-shattering.
I explained roughly to her how our cooperation with Hagen would be structured.
It was a necessary process, but it seemed too long for Felicita to wait.
“Luke! Hurry up and take me with you!”
Usually so patient, she was now anxious to have me take her with me.
“Tch.”
Although Elena had a lot to discuss with me, I decided to let her go for the time being. To be precise, I convinced her to do so.
“Felicita.”
“….”
As I stepped out of Elena’s Room, Felicita briefly fell silent.
“Really, do you like me that much?”
“That’s a question that doesn’t require a response.”
She answered while staring at the door of my Room.
“….”
Then Elena, still not having let go of her feelings for me, was glaring at Felicita and me.
“Felicita, let’s go inside first.”
“Alright, let’s do that.”
As we entered Felicita’s Room, we were met by a huge silkworm moth, Heb.
He immediately flew at me as if to see the traces Felicita had left on my shoulder.
“Heb, you don’t need to heal that.”
“Kiiih!”
At Felicita’s words, Heb reacted quite violently. It seemed healing someone was not just a matter of choice for him but closer to an instinct.
“Felicita, speaking of which, I just met the Financial King Hagen today.”
“Yeah, I heard that. Seeing your face, it seems something good happened.”
It wasn’t just something good.
I conveyed to her the impressive news that Hagen had offered to support us.
“…It certainly means that it wouldn’t be difficult for you to reclaim your hold over this city.”
Felicita’s face wasn’t particularly bright when she said that. There would surely be an obvious fate awaiting the Marinelli Family.
While it might be called an alliance, it would mean being in a position that was almost subservient to our Felini Family once again.
However… considering that the other four families would fall before our bullets, it might be a relatively better fate.
“I’ll congratulate you in advance.”
Saying that, Felicita suddenly hugged me.
“What are you talking about?”
“I mean, it means the time for our official wedding is approaching.”
“….”
Although Felicita and I had already married, considering the situation surrounding my father’s death, we had not held a formal ceremony.
She brought that detail up with a smile. That smile likely held excitement about marrying me and a sense of victory in watching Elena get envious of our situation.
“Yeah, I suppose so.”
While spending time with Felicita, I contemplated one thing.
With Hagen’s support… it seemed like it was about time to start moving to recover our family’s original territory.
