Sarina burst into my office, covered in blood.
“Luke, do you have any spare clothes?”
As Sarina hurriedly took off a piece of clothing that was originally not red, Kambara looked utterly flabbergasted.
Usually, in such situations, people would turn their heads away, but Kambara adjusted his glasses instead.
“Hey, what’s going on?”
“Y-Yeah? Uh, it’s just that…”
“Wait a second. There should be some spare clothes for the union members around here somewhere.”
Regardless, I calmly started searching for some suitable clothes.
“Is there nothing else but union members’ clothes?”
“Sarina, this is a union office. There can’t possibly be other clothes here…”
“Then just give me one of Luke’s clothes.”
“Did you plan this from the start?!”
Reluctantly, I took off the shirt I was wearing and handed it to her, and she gladly accepted. In exchange, I ended up wearing a union member’s outfit.
“…”
Kambara quickly returned his hair and glasses to their original positions, almost as if a storm had passed.
“Seems like you and your sister don’t keep much distance, huh?”
“What do you mean by that?”
“Just what it means, I suppose.”
Sarina acted all touchy-feely after hearing Kambara’s comment. I jumped in to ease Kambara’s awkwardness.
However, Kambara wasn’t entirely wrong.
Especially Sarina and I, along with Giovanni and Carso, were brothers who had crossed life and death together. Our blood-related parents abandoned us, but as mere strangers, we forged a bond even stronger.
In that sense, Sarina and I felt a bit like siblings. Although she wanted something more than that.
“So, Sarina, what happened?”
“Luke, this is the drug, right?”
“…”
The blue powder Sarina showed me was tightly sealed. Just by looking at its radiant blue hue, I could tell what it was.
“It’s Blue Eyes.”
“Just as I thought.”
Blue Eyes.
It’s a strong drug primarily distributed by the Carmen Family, led by Rita Carmen. It got its simple name because addicts’ pupils turn blue.
In fact, there was a time when we thought about dealing with that drug too. But there was just one problem.
It was too strong.
Before considering handling it, we sometimes gave it to druggies to test.
“Oh, this is great! Oh man, this is amazing! …It killed me.”
That was the druggie’s last words. He sprawled out on the floor and didn’t move a muscle.
“…What?! He’s dead?!”
“Luke, this won’t do.”
For a dealer, having druggies die quickly is not a good thing at all. We make money by them continually buying our drugs! If they die while using it, this beautiful drug economy just doesn’t function.
Plus, acquiring Blue Eyes wasn’t easy. Only the Carmen Family and a few independent dealers sold it in small quantities.
No one knew who the supplier was, either.
“And check this out. Familiar, right?”
A silver mask that covered the face completely.
It had a haunting beauty, expressing only the necessary features… it was primarily used by the Carmen Family’s members.
Even Carmen, their boss, wore that mask whenever he revealed himself to avoid showing his face.
“A subordinate of Carmen was openly trying to sell this drug at the Academy.”
“So you dealt with him?”
“Yeah. I took everything he had.”
While saying that, Sarina showed a weapon that seemed to belong to the guy she dealt with.
“…You’re fearless.”
“Me?”
“No, I mean those Five Families guys. After Russo, now Carmen. Looks like these bastards think they can treat us as idiots.”
It wasn’t surprising that they thought so since I hadn’t avenged my father and was busy meeting film stars. However, considering they had already taken control of the Academy, it was suspicious.
“Wait a second, sis. Did you really come all the way here like that with students watching?”
“Of course not. My subordinates covered for me.”
Still, the students must have seen something.
“Anyway, good job. But how did you handle that dead guy?”
“I made sure he was unrecognizable. My subordinates are handling the body now.”
“Good. Keep doing that whenever you see one of Carmen’s subordinates.”
I suspected that one of the Russo or Carmen families would come looking for me soon. They wouldn’t think twice about having invaded my territory, only raising a fuss about the damage they suffered.
*
I was about to get into my armored car to head back to the hotel.
“Mr. Luke!”
“Oh, long time no see.”
An elf student wearing an Academy uniform had come looking for me. He knew me, and I knew him.
He was the representative of the student brokers selling the drugs we supplied.
“Mr. Luke, just a moment. I only need a little!”
“Why don’t you hop in?”
“M-Me too?”
I had some Gollymen members guarding me at the moment.
As the alligator man and shark man flashed threatening smiles, his face turned pale and almost ghostly.
“What are you standing there for? Get in.”
“Yes, yes!”
As soon as the Gollymen closed the car door, a Werewolf driving the car glanced at him.
“Uh, Mr. Luke.”
“…”
I didn’t react verbally, but I was listening.
“Professor Kalma mentioned he would raise the price for the drugs supplied by the families.”
“Yeah, I told him to do that.”
Gulp. Instinctively, he swallowed hard at my nonchalant response.
“Then shouldn’t we be getting something extra?”
“…”
Wait a minute, did he even offer his condolences for my father’s death? Suddenly, I found him irritating.
“No, Professor Goblin must have said more than that.”
And it was unlikely he would bring good news about them.
“First, the reason I raised the drug price is that there’s a good reason. The first is to lower your cost for buying your degrees. The second is that my father passed away, and the family isn’t the same as before.”
Whether the organization across the sea would continue to exclusively supply us with drugs was uncertain.
Even if they weren’t acting like it verbally, they were likely still weighing us against other organizations.
“Sorry about that.”
Only then did he offer his condolences for my father. I decided to let that pass.
“Are you dissatisfied because it seems like only the professors are benefiting?”
“Yeah. To be honest, what other reason could there possibly be?”
“Then let’s do this. I’ll double what you’re supposed to get now.”
“…Huh?”
“Only, you’ll be responsible for keeping the other guys’ complaints under control. How about that? You can handle it, right?”
He confidently replied that he could.
I was happy to save money that I would have given to the other student brokers, and he could get paid more for his rightful labor.
Once again, a world where everyone is happy was created by me.
“Alright, then get back to the others.”
“Yes!”
As soon as he got out of the car, I headed to the Lupus Carlton Hotel at the port.
I had a pile of things to report to Elena. However, there was a woman waiting for me at the entrance of the hotel.
It was Felicita.
“Felicita, what are you doing here?”
“I was waiting for you.”
Surely, our relationship had begun purely from curiosity. That simple curiosity had since transformed into possession and attachment, leading to where we were today.
Even in this uneasy coexistence with Elena, she never stopped trying to make me hers.
“Just so happens, I was about to head to the top floor.”
“Are you going straight to my room?”
“No, I have something to report to Elena.”
Felicita seemed a bit disappointed when I mentioned Elena’s name. But instead, she linked arms with me, and her tail slowly began wrapping around my leg.
“By the way, your outfit is quite unusual today.”
“Well, yeah. It’s what the Academy union members wear.”
It wasn’t just unusual but was designed solely to foster a sense of belonging at the expense of aesthetic sense.
I was filled with the desire to change into different clothes in my room.
I started recounting the day’s events in the elevator with Felicita.
Even though I felt a bit uneasy discussing it with her before I did with Elena, her presence was too familiar and comforting to me.
“A subordinate of Carmen showed up at the Academy today.”
“…Wasn’t it from Russo?”
“Yeah, he was openly selling this.”
I showed her the well-sealed Blue Eyes.
“Can’t believe they’re trying to spread that drug even at the Academy.”
Her father was also a victim of Blue Eyes addiction, so it made sense for her to react that way.
Speaking of which, Vito Marinelli had used that potent Blue Eyes without dying until he became addicted. Perhaps being of the golden dragon’s lineage made him sturdy.
“Already two of the Five Families have approached the Academy.”
“They must be wary of us.”
They were likely hoping to see Felini and Marinelli fighting to the bitter end.
Or maybe they had figured out, with their amazing intel, that Felicita and I were in a strategic marriage to unite the two families.
Dingdong―! Regardless, the elevator arrived at the top floor.
As soon as the door opened, I saw several black men in the hallway leading to each room. They bowed their heads and showed respect as if they knew who I was.
“…”
I headed straight to the room shared by Elena and me.
*
Once inside, I noticed a painting taking up a lot of space in the living room. It was covered with a white cloth, so I couldn’t tell what it looked like.
“Luke, welcome back.”
“I’m here too, Elena.”
“You weren’t called.”
Felicita waved her hand naturally from behind me, and Elena looked wary of her.
Elena seemed displeased that she had come close to me.
“Elena, as you know, today is…”
“I know, so be quiet.”
Yeah, today was meant to be with Felicita. So she had all the right to stick close to me.
“Anyway, let me introduce you. This is Ellen Douglas, the first place winner of this year’s Hebili Art Award.”
With Elena’s introduction, I could finally place the black man next to the painting.
Coincidentally, I had heard of him. He was praised in the newspaper as one of the artists leading the Hebili Renaissance.
The subjects he often painted were undoubtedly… discrimination and oppression.
Among the ones who always think selfishly, he was one of the better ones.
“Hello, Mr. Felini. Quite ironic, isn’t it?”
“What do you mean?”
“You buy drugs from Mr. Felini’s subordinates… and then you’re paid by Mr. Felini to paint for him.”
Ah, this guy was also a druggie. I had a bad feeling about this. Felicita seemed to feel it too.
Of course, Elena also showed a slight displeasure at Douglas’s comment.
“Douglas, show me the painting. I want to see your work.”
“What? Elena hasn’t seen it yet?”
Apparently, according to Elena, Douglas had promised to show it to us after it was completed.
“…”
“I think this may be my life’s best work,” he grinned.
Why do I keep feeling uneasy?
Douglas dramatically pulled off the white cloth covering the painting.
“…”
The three of us stood in silence, unable to say a word upon seeing the revealed painting. It was, indeed, an impressive piece.
In the center, there was a portrayal of me. The bright blue colors reflecting my right side, which looked perfectly fine, but on the left side, reflecting the chaotic city, I was painted as a grotesque monster.
Moreover, there were meaningful expressions that implied I had killed my father.
As soon as Douglas saw our expressions, he realized he had made a mistake.
“…”
I quickly glanced at Elena’s reaction. She mirrored my own expression.
“I hope this doesn’t offend you. This is how I perceive Mr. Felini. A natural state of coexistence of good and evil, just like every person in this world.”
“Are you saying my husband is a monster?!”
“…I believe everyone has duality, including myself. When I was a drug addict, I did terrible things to others. I suppose Mr. Felini, being a drug dealer, would feel that way too.”
Honestly, I wasn’t moved in the slightest. I was simply irritated that this black guy had ruined the painting Elena prepared for me.
The first to touch the painting in this situation was Felicita.
“You ought to start over from scratch.”
She said that while pulling out a razor blade and slashing the painting. Douglas looked distressed seeing that.
“Seems like Elena didn’t mention where this painting should be hung.”
It was meant to be displayed next to my father’s painting in the hotel’s restaurant.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t realize that…”
I couldn’t hang up a painting implying that the child is a monster next to a parent’s painting.
“Well, it’s alright. Still, next time, I’d prefer you to capture my true self without any abstract elements.”
“…Understood.”
Douglas quickly exited the room after my remark. His swift action ultimately saved his life.
Otherwise, he might have been killed by Elena.
“Luke, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to…”
“Elena, it’s fine.”
I responded to Elena as if it didn’t matter. But my reply seemed too tough for her to bear.
I discreetly tried to make my escape with Felicita.
After such an incident, leaving Elena alone to go with Felicita would certainly hurt her feelings… But today was still supposed to be with Felicita.
I lightly hugged Elena one last time.
As I stepped out of the room, I heard a loud crash. It definitely sounded like Elena destroying the painting.
“…”
Once inside Felicita’s room, the gigantic moth, Hebi, welcomed us.
“Seems like Elena is in a tough spot.”
“Felicita, do you really think so?”
“…”
Elena’s mistake was Felicita’s opportunity. She was probably secretly rejoicing that things turned out this way.
Anyway, I had a mountain of things to report to Elena.
I planned to wait until she collected herself before reporting. Until then, I would be spending time with Felicita.
