Make Our Family Great Again – Chapter 106

Veronica started having a necessary conversation with Paula Carmen.

The call mainly revolved around… how Veronica was set to become the new boss of the Carmen Family, and the preparations that came with it.

First things first.

Excluding idiots like the already deceased Hector Carmen, the reinstatement of those who had fled to the Felini Family along with Veronica was discussed.

I couldn’t hear Paula Carmen’s voice, but just from Veronica’s replies, it was clear that their reinstatement was granted without much fuss.

“Elena.”

“Yeah?”

While paying attention to Veronica’s call, I confirmed with Elena about what she had done after meeting Paroni.

“I just gave him a couple of punches. After that, I got that contact.”

“Is that all?”

Felicita asked.

“Of course, that’s all. But that congressman learned his lesson.”

The lesson that he shouldn’t ignore us. That was probably the lesson Elena intended to convey.

It seemed she had made this quite clear.

Even though it was a sudden situation and time was tight, she was basically saying that we shouldn’t take unilateral action without telling us.

In fact, after we received Rita Carmen’s message, there was plenty of time to inform us.

“Did you threaten him or anything?”

“I did. Something like the last time we suppressed that scandal about the bishop. I told him we could blow it up several times worse.”

“…Well, that should be enough. It’s true that the guy was asking for trouble.”

Seriously. Because of jerks like him, the stereotype that elves are secretly a lewd race seems never to fade.

That was all there was to say about Elena meeting Paroni.

“Okay, Luke. Now it’s your and Felicita’s turn.”

“Huh? Us?”

When I asked back, Elena nodded. She seemed to want to hear about what happened at the Rat Hole’s funeral.

“…There wasn’t much to say to you.”

“If it’s about something else, it was quite a sight.”

Felicita began recounting what she observed and felt at the Rat Hole’s funeral.

She said it was greedier and uglier than any typical funeral you could compare it to.

“I don’t know what the financial situation of the bereaved is like, but some were trying to snatch the condolence money we gave.”

“They tried to take it right there?”

“Yeah, I don’t know if that’s customary or if they had many debts, but it was clear the widow wasn’t willing to hand it over herself.”

“Still, Luke handled it all.”

Felicita said this and clung back to me.

“Could you back off a bit?”

“Why? Our kid likes being with his dad.”

“Don’t use the kid as an excuse.”

It seemed Elena and Felicita had gotten used to dealing with each other by now.

Felicita playfully teased Elena, and Elena casually shot back, just like usual.

“Luke. Is this really okay?”

“What’s okay?”

“Going with Veronica to the Carmen Family.”

“Don’t worry. It’s not just me and Veronica. More importantly, are you sure you’re fine?”

“Yeah?”

“Those Carmen Family guys under you. You don’t need to push it too hard.”

“It’s fine. They’re already distracted by something else. Honestly, it would be more efficient to send them back to the Carmen Family again and let them serve as Veronica’s personal guard.”

“Elena, I never thought you’d think that far.”

After Elena finished speaking, Felicita responded.

“Shush, okay? I might have more experience than you.”

“Well, I hate to admit it, but that’s true.”

Felicita willingly acknowledged her words. And why not? She had led the organization in place of her Blue Eyes addicted father for years.

On the other hand, Elena had been managing her territory even before she pushed me away and took over the Academy.

“But at least I didn’t take the Academy from Luke.”

“You keep…”

Elena reacted sensitively to Felicita’s words.

There might be things uncovered about her that she wanted to hide, but it could also be a memory I want to forget… and she seemed to be concerned about that.

“Enough. I’m okay.”

The scars in my heart won’t disappear, but so what.

Even if they are invisible scars, I didn’t feel any shame in overcoming the pain that left those scars and continuing to live on.

“Oh, and one more thing. No matter how many of the Carmen Family folks I reinstate beneath me… it won’t be enough.”

“True, the formal organization size of the Carmen Family is small… but when you consider the associates, you’re definitely right.”

I nodded at Elena’s words.

“How about sending the Wolf Trainees too?”

“I’d rather attach the Wolves, but… we don’t exactly have the luxury for that.”

“Yeah, there’s nothing we can do. Of course, it’d be fortunate if those guys don’t cause any trouble.”

Incomplete as Wolves. They hadn’t developed their precise skills nor possessed the cold ruthlessness.

But it couldn’t be denied that they were more useful than regular members.

In terms of managing the organization, those who came with Veronica were to serve as personal guards, while these guys needed to fulfill that purpose in terms of might.

“And Elena. Don’t worry too much. The Solomons aren’t just hamsters.”

Big Dom, the predecessor of Little Dom from the Solomon Family, despite being someone my father sent, was indeed a Caporegime of the Sanchez Family.

Naturally, under him, there were members who hailed from Golem.

Big Dom was a pure elf, unlike his son, which meant there were elven members too.

So, you might say the Solomon Family was centered around hamster men, Golems, and Elves. Thus, there were reasons I could trust them.

Many members of the Sanchez Family were Golems, but they also mobilized Golems and the Gollymen made up of crocodile and shark men.

“We won’t be taken down easily, even if we get attacked while passing through their territories.”

“Considering Melata’s personality, it seems unlikely he’d strike first.”

Felicita referred to the guy currently leading the Sanchez Family in place of Eddie Sanchez, who was in jail.

Gata Melata.

The Golem who went from street fighter to the right-hand man of Eddie Sanchez, the new boss who took out the Caporegime of the Cassio Family.

He wasn’t a loyalist of the Cassio Family, nor was he a faithful subordinate of Sanchez.

No matter who the boss was, he was a balancing weight maintaining a certain power within the organization. That wasn’t an easy role to fill at all.

He needed to have sound interpersonal relationships and enough power to withstand external pressures differing from the boss’s intentions and opinions.

It was quite understandable that Sanchez took him on as his right hand for that reason.

Anyway, the point is, unlike his boss, Gata Melata isn’t hasty or violent.

*

In any case, we planned to announce that through Little Dom we would be passing through their territory. It would be more like a notification.

Carmen Family, Dragovich Family.

And all of our new Five Families were at odds with each other, while the current boss, pinned down by the congressional inquiry, was stuck in jail—Sanchez Family.

Given these circumstances, it didn’t seem likely that Melata would take the risky move of attacking me, Veronica, and Little Dom.

“Luke, Felicita. I know what you mean, but you never know with people. Even if it’s not Melata, some idiot on the ground might pull the trigger.”

“….”

Hearing Elena’s words reminded me of my father. Yeah, Elena had a point there.

“Okay, then I’ll go around appropriately while passing through their territory.”

“Really?”

“Of course. Why would I lie about this?”

Instead of saying “got it,” Elena responded with a hug.

“Hey, Elena? Didn’t you tell me to back off, though?”

“….”

Elena seemed to completely ignore Felicita’s words.

“Um, big brother. Sisters.”

While we were caught in this, Veronica approached.

“Oh, Vera. So, did the call go well?”

“Yes. Paula Carmen said they’d take the necessary steps to hand over the next boss position to me.”

Among the measures Veronica mentioned, the most crucial was.

Convincing the Caporegimes and High-Ranking Officials of the Carmen Family. Especially the latter was more important than the former.

This matter was something Rita Carmen wanted, so if it was Rita Carmen’s and Paula Carmen’s order, the Caporegimes would follow seamlessly.

On the other hand, the High-Ranking Officials had more room for resistance.

They were not just high-ranking officials, but rather heads of gangs that cooperated with the Carmen Family and other organizations.

And these guys were the main force behind the Carmen Family. They’d built a secretive organizational structure by reducing the scale of formal members and dealt with opposing forces with other factions.

That was Rita Carmen’s approach.

Veronica, my two wives, and I prepared what we could before nightfall.

And finally, the next morning arrived.

Veronica and I got straight into an armored car and headed towards the Solomon Family’s stronghold.

The vehicles escorting us.

They were made up of Wolves and members under Elena, and their role was to escort the car carrying me and Veronica to the Solomon Family’s base.

“Hey, Veronica?”

“Yes, big brother.”

“With this space open, do we really need to stick so close?”

“This chance rarely comes by, you know.”

Veronica said, as if now was the opportunity since Elena and Felicita were not present.

She wasn’t as forward with her affection for me as before… but then again, her body pressing against me was pretty aggressive in its own right.

In any case, the armored car safely arrived at the destination.

“Godfather! And Miss Veronica! Good to see you.”

“Hello, Solomon.”

“You can call me Little Dom.”

Before me and Veronica, a small hamster man started making a fuss, performing like a little entertainer.

“The Gollymen have arrived, right?”

“Yes, brother. They’ve arrived.”

Kambara, who had just come close, was not someone who seemed fit for this line of work… but since he was here on behalf of his brother, it made sense.

“Our guys are all set too.”

“Have we heard anything from Melata?”

“I’ve definitely passed the message, but… no response yet.”

“Big brother, what should we do?”

“Well, just because he hasn’t replied doesn’t mean the boundaries of their territory haven’t overall weakened.”

“Does that mean it’s okay for us to pass through?”

“It could be a trap. Godfather.”

“….”

Little Dom’s advice. Ultimately, like what I said to Elena yesterday.

We decided to pass through without directly crossing into the Sanchez Family’s territory, just enough to go around and head toward the Carmen Family through the Russo Family’s sector.

“Alright, let’s go!”

Just as I shouted, a convoy of cars started to move.