When I made my entrance, the high-ranking officials were so shocked they nearly passed out.
Of course, Paula Carmen’s appearance was expected. So was Veronica Carmen’s… The high-ranking officials were already aware of this, having received contact from Rita Carmen.
But the entrance of Little Dom, the boss of the Solomon Family, and myself, the boss of the Felini Family, was a different story.
“Damn it, Under Boss. Why the hell is the Wolf here?!”
The first to react was the old slime, Alex Leonhart.
“…Elder Leonhart? It’s been a while.”
Slime isn’t exactly a common race, but he’s probably the only old one around. Moreover, the device carrying him seemed a bit more sophisticated than before.
“…”
Of course, Leonhart didn’t appear to be particularly thrilled to see me.
While Leonhart was the first to react, the most intense reactions came from the others. They were ready to bolt out of the abandoned building without even hearing the upcoming major announcement.
“Hey, can we just let them go?”
“…No.”
Paula Carmen quickly clapped her hands, her silver hair fluttering.
Immediately, members of the Carmen Family, who had been on standby, blocked their exit.
“Everyone, come out!”
Following Paula, Solomon shouted. Then, the members of the Solomon Family who had escorted us appeared.
Hamster humans, golems, and elves, to boot.
And we couldn’t forget the Gollymen, with their massive sizes and intimidating faces. Before the high-ranking officials could process the sudden appearance of these figures, they pulled out their guns.
“What the hell is going on here? Wolves!”
“…McBratney?”
Patrick McBratney, the boss of the Orc Gang who had arrived after receiving a message from Leonhart.
McBratney was one of the high-ranking officials of the Carmen Family with whom I had history. However, I didn’t have the luxury to reminisce about my dealings with him right now.
“Everyone, lower your guns.”
“Why don’t you lower yours first?”
“….”
McBratney’s attitude hadn’t changed a bit. Even in this situation, he came out unafraid and confidently.
But if he was going to be cocky, he could at least gauge the situation first.
I scratched my head in what seemed like a troubled manner. It wasn’t entirely meaningless.
As a signal, the Wolf Trainees brought in for Veronica’s protection appeared, along with those from the Carmen Family who had defected with Veronica.
In terms of numbers, they likely outnumbered the high-ranking officials.
“….”
Seeing the situation unfold like this, McBratney, Elder Leonhart, and the other high-ranking officials had only one option left.
To listen to the major announcement prepared by myself, Veronica, and Paula.
Nevertheless, they still didn’t lower their guns.
So there stood the high-ranking officials and those blocking them, both sides aiming at each other in this tense standoff inside the dimly lit abandoned building.
“Veronica.”
“Yes, sister. Let’s begin.”
Watching a bomb that could go off any moment isn’t exactly my style.
I prompted Veronica, and she urged Paula.
“Alright, everyone, lower your guns. We have something to tell you.”
“….”
McBratney hesitated long after Paula’s statement.
“Under Boss, isn’t this a bit excessive?”
The first to lower his weapon was Leonhart. His green body was furrowed with an angry scowl at the eyes and mouth visible on his front.
Despite his discontent with the situation, he started the chain reaction, and soon the high-ranking officials began to lower their weapons as well.
As a result, those who had been blocking the exit also ceased targeting the high-ranking officials.
“Godfather, just give the word. We can wipe them out immediately.”
“No, don’t complicate things; just stay still.”
Solomon spoke confidently as if he were holding machine guns in his hands. But since things were calming down, I told him to keep quiet.
“Some of you may already be aware. Your mother must have contacted you. You must’ve been quite taken aback when you heard from her yesterday.”
“What? What are you talking about?”
The high-ranking officials who hadn’t received contact from Rita Carmen started to buzz with confusion at Paula’s words.
“Rita Carmen is retiring from the Boss position.”
I thought Paula was taking her sweet time drawing this out.
While the fact of Rita Carmen’s retirement might be shocking, it wasn’t an unexpected outcome given her cooperation as a key witness in the hearings.
“….”
Meanwhile, Veronica was keenly observing the reactions of the high-ranking officials.
“So, who will be the next boss?”
“Under Boss, I guess.”
“Could it be…?”
“….”
Questions were being thrown out by some, while others withheld their words.
I watched the two factions, mixed up in confusion, alongside Veronica.
“Those who are aware will know. The next boss chosen by Mother… is Veronica, who stands here.”
Paula spoke nonchalantly.
It was hard to believe the reaction of someone who was generally closer to the boss position than Veronica, being the second-in-command of Rita Carmen.
Perhaps the high-ranking officials were in the same boat; they too seemed perplexed.
Having already heard about this from Rita Carmen, the high-ranking officials didn’t respond too violently nor expressed intense reactions.
“Is that unqualified girl really the new boss?”
“Got a problem with it?”
I shouted from next to Veronica, not knowing who had said that.
“….”
It seemed even if someone had a problem, they didn’t dare voice it in my presence. Although McBratney and Leonhart were indeed there, they seemed to think it wasn’t the time for them to step in.
“Then why is the Wolf here?”
How could someone be so oblivious? The glances other high-ranking officials gave to the guy who just spoke were quite telling.
Ultimately, it seemed like another official nearby explained my relationship with Veronica to him.
“If Veronica becomes the head of the Carmen Family, that would be good for you too.”
I spoke with a tone of certainty.
If Veronica were to become the boss of the Carmen Family… they would form part of the new Five Families and enjoy benefits from a steady supply of drugs coming from Tirenia.
“Ha, when the hell did we get expelled from the Five Families to now suddenly being called the Five Families again?”
If someone were to hear that, it could sound like I was the one who had expelled the Carmen Family from the Five Families.
“I’m not sure why you’re telling me that. I’m not the assailant in that matter; I’m a victim, just like you.”
“Under Boss, does Carmen agree with this?”
“Yes, she does.”
Paula didn’t mention that she would eventually step down from her position as Under Boss. The fact that she refrained from unnecessary remarks meant she wasn’t an unintelligent woman.
*
“Then I take it no one opposes the Godfather’s proposal?”
“….”
“No opposition? If we can return to being the Five Families and get a drug supply, we would welcome it.”
McBratney actively welcomed my proposal. In contrast, Leonhart had a displeased expression but didn’t openly oppose it.
The reactions of the two high-ranking officials were quite understandable.
If the dynamics within Rita Carmen’s and Paula Carmen’s regime changed, it was clear that Leonhart’s power and influence, bolstered by both of them, would come under threat.
On the flip side, it was an excellent opportunity for me and my ally, McBratney, to tip the scales in our favor.
Even if Veronica became the new boss of the family, her inner circle would consist only of about 30 members who had defected to the Felini Family with her and 10 Wolf Trainees.
The Gollymen and Solomon Family members I brought along would eventually have to withdraw.
Of course, the factions following Rita Carmen and Paula Carmen would continue to support Veronica, but how much loyalty they would show her compared to the prior two was far from certain.
So, there was a chance McBratney and his Orc Gang could rise to prominence.
“Alright, let’s disband for now.”
“….”
Paula Carmen ordered the high-ranking officials to disband.
However, instead of leaving immediately, they launched a barrage of questions at Paula.
If the next boss was Veronica, who would become the next Under Boss and Consigliere? Wouldn’t it be alright for them to become official members of the family organization now?
These were extremely sensitive questions for them.
While Paula was bombarded with inquiries, I intended to leave the abandoned building with Veronica and Solomon.
“Wolf, it’s been a while.”
“McBratney. I didn’t expect you to still be kicking.”
We weren’t exactly close, but we had known each other for quite a long time.
To be precise, it dated back to when my father was still a tool for the Five Families. There was a gang of Orcs, acting independently and not part of any of the Five Families’ branches.
The Five Families dispatched Wolves, Spiders, and Vipers to suppress that gang.
However, the war with the Orc Gang ended much faster than expected because Patrick McBratney, one of the gang’s executives back then, betrayed the gang and cooperated in the boss’s assassination.
Given this history, the Carmen Family never fully trusted McBratney even after he became one of their high-ranking officials.
In contrast, while Leonhart shifted allegiances, he never betrayed the organization or played a part in assassinations.
“Can we have a moment to talk?”
“Veronica, Little Dom. Just a sec.”
I was curious about what McBratney wanted to discuss.
After asking Veronica and Solomon to wait here, I followed McBratney further into the abandoned building, away from the people.
“So, what’s on your mind?”
“Since we’re both busy, let’s get straight to the point. After your sister becomes the head of the family, have you decided who to appoint as Under Boss and Consigliere?”
“…You seem interested.”
I could have answered honestly, but I chose not to.
Just because McBratney was a high-ranking official didn’t mean he was formally a “member.” He was still just an “official.”
To put it metaphorically, he felt a bit like an important contractor, not quite on par with a primary one.
“Honestly, I don’t even know if Paula will step down from her Under Boss position. So let’s discuss that later.”
“….”
McBratney didn’t press further on my reaction.
He knew when to back off, which was different from other Orcs.
If he and his Orc Gang could support Veronica as her inner circle, that would be a huge boon. But as I had so many undecided matters, I couldn’t rush into anything.
“Veronica, have you been waiting long? Let’s go.”
“Yes, brother.”
After finishing my conversation with McBratney, I rejoined Veronica and Solomon.
The three of us immediately boarded the armored vehicle parked outside the abandoned building and headed toward the base of the Carmen Family.
Leading the way was Paula Carmen in her car.
