Paula Carmen’s car sped off somewhere ahead of us, before our armored vehicle.
Since I got into the car, I kept my gaze fixed on the scenery outside the window.
“….”
“Brother, are you feeling uncomfortable or something?”
“No, it’s nothing.”
“…Your face says otherwise.”
Veronica leaned in closer to me, despite already being quite near.
“I just wish that guy would keep his machine gun under control.”
“You heard that, right?”
“What?!”
Veronica, on hearing my words, hurriedly took Solomon, who was holding the machine gun at the back of the car, and moved him to the passenger seat.
“….”
Even after being moved, Solomon continued to stare at the machine gun.
Regardless, I felt a bit more at ease now. If anything were to happen… I could just fall back and start shooting.
“Little Dom.”
“Yes, Godfather.”
“How many of the guys you brought with you?”
“Altogether, about 40 of them.”
“And among those, how many are Golems and Elves? About half?”
“Yes, that sounds right. Is there something you want me to do…?”
“Yeah, it’s nothing major. I just thought I might like to leave some of your guys next to Veronica, just in case.”
“Next to Miss Veronica?”
At my words, Veronica and Solomon looked at me.
“If things go well, we won’t need to do that, but you never know.”
“You’re worried about whether those who follow my mother and sister will also follow me.”
“Exactly.”
Veronica picked up on exactly what I was concerned about.
The loyal faction within the Carmen Family. Specifically, how those loyal to Rita Carmen would react to Veronica was key here.
“To begin with, you and your men are seen as traitors in their eyes.”
“Yes, that’s true. But they’re not smart enough to refuse my mother and sister’s orders or think differently. Plus, they’re certainly not stupid enough to reject the status and narcotics supplied by the new Five Families being led by the Felini Family.”
Not too smart, yet not too stupid—sometimes it’s the ones in the middle that can be the best to deal with.
From that perspective, maybe trusting Veronica’s judgment wouldn’t be such a bad idea.
“Moreover, it seems they have no other choices.”
“Really?”
I returned Solomon’s question.
“Excluding you, Godfather, and the new Five Families, the only ones the Carmen Family can ally with are the Sanchez and Dragovich families—only those two. But as you know, there’s no way that’s ever happening.”
That’s true, especially considering what the Sanchez Family’s boss did to Carmen.
There might be a slim chance with the Dragovich Family, but Rita Carmen had neatly erased whatever little possibility existed by babbling about the two families during the hearing.
Looking at it this way, it seemed Rita really established the game quite well.
“You guys have a point, but you never know how things will turn out.”
“Then I’ll leave about half just in case.”
“Yeah, that should be enough. No need to keep them around for too long. Once we deal with the Sanchez Family, there won’t be a need to.”
“So, I guess those guys are next up?”
Solomon seemed quite pleased to hear that once the Carmen Family’s issues were settled, the Sanchez Family would be dealt with next.
After all, he had debts to pay to Eddie Sanchez, so it made sense.
“When it comes to supporting Veronica, the only group that could possibly do that is the Russo Family. But you know how their situation is these days, right?”
“Yes, it’s a relief if they’re not asking for help instead.”
That would definitely set Darius Russo off, but it was simply the truth.
The Vipers were causing more trouble for the Russo Family than anticipated. If the money spent on that chaotic party previously had been used against the Vipers, maybe it wouldn’t have been this bad.
“In contrast, the forces that can support you are plentiful.”
When it comes to pressuring or overpowering the Sanchez Family, to the west, it’s only the Carmen Family, but to the east, there’s the Felini, Marinelli, and Solomon Families—three in total.
With just the Felini Family, led by Elena and me, the battlefield would undeniably shift from Solomon Family territory to Sanchez Family territory.
“…Should we keep all 40?”
“That’s a bit much. They might see Veronica as a puppet at that point.”
“I understand. Then we’ll keep only about half.”
Veronica having enough support that it seemed like she was backed by the other Five Families would be sufficient.
Ten Wolf Trainees, twenty Solomon Family members, and about thirty following Veronica. The Carmen Family’s official members…
“Veronica, how many members does the Carmen Family have?”
“Excluding my colleagues and me, it’s just over fifty.”
“…Is that really all?”
“The Carmen Family’s strength comes from its associates and supporters.”
Looking at it this way, one might start doubting how the Carmen Family is part of the Five Families.
But the true weapon of the Carmen Family is its intelligence and schemes. Once one experiences fighting against former allies, who were once friends, because of Rita Carmen’s cunning, they will inevitably come to realize its potency.
Even if one were to win, thinking that the enemy was originally one’s ally could still be considered a great loss.
Well, it’s not as if those tactics had no limits, but they’re definitely tricky opponents to deal with.
So, if Veronica becomes the new boss of the Carmen Family…
While it might not be on the same level as when Rita Carmen was in charge… it would mean the Carmen Family would be on the same side as Elena and me.
“Veronica, how much longer do we have to go?”
“Just a bit more, if the family’s stronghold hasn’t changed.”
Veronica mentioned that it was very likely it had changed. After all, the Carmen Family had multiple strongholds.
When she and her colleagues defected to the Felini Family, they likely worried that information regarding their stronghold’s location would leak.
“….”
“Veronica?”
“It seems likely that the stronghold’s location has indeed changed.”
Veronica said that the direction the car with Paula was heading did not match the location of the stronghold she knew.
*
Amid some anxiety, we arrived at the Carmen Family’s stronghold.
“…Is the Carmen Family’s stronghold here?”
“As I mentioned earlier, the stronghold is in multiple locations, and this is one of them.”
Typically, when referring to the Carmen Family’s base, it would be a social club or a bar.
However, what we arrived at was quite a large casino.
“Godfather, I don’t think this place is completely unmatched with the Carmen Family either.”
“Alright, everyone, follow me.”
Before I could even respond to Solomon’s remark, Paula Carmen, who had been waiting for us, spoke up.
We hurriedly followed her lead. While Veronica was just fine, and I was not too worried, Solomon was particularly short and had short strides.
The difference in our strides made it challenging to keep up with Paula. In the end, even while walking, Solomon had to run.
“Little Dom, slow down.”
“Yes? I can’t do that!”
But perhaps since Solomon was used to it, he paid it no mind.
With the appearance of Paula Carmen and our group, the movements of the casino employees shifted.
Come to think of it, those employees, like the ones at the social club, could likely become useful forces in emergencies, but they were probably just regular associates, not official members of the Carmen Family.
We navigated through the casino without disturbing the various patrons and got into the elevator.
“Veronica, I feel like I have a lot to explain to you.”
“Really?”
Paula Carmen began her explanation regarding each floor of the casino.
Solomon and I were listening but not intensely focused, whereas Veronica was different.
Ding—!
The alarm sounded as the elevator stopped on the fourth floor. This was said to be the floor where Paula’s office was located.
In other words, this was effectively the Carmen Family’s stronghold.
“Godfather, just so you know, our family’s Consigliere and Caporegime are waiting for us.”
“…They aren’t waiting for me, are they?”
“No, specifically, they’re waiting for the new boss, Veronica.”
I wanted them to have a chance to speak. However, Paula Carmen stated that Solomon and I could only accompany her up to this point.
“What?”
“Do you want us to send only Miss Veronica, knowing what might happen?”
As Solomon’s voice rose, the other Carmen Family members around us began to show themselves.
In that brief standoff, the elevator that had gone to the first floor returned to the fourth floor. The Wolf Trainees and Solomon’s subordinates, who hadn’t come with us, appeared.
“….”
I watched as they approached us brazenly. The elevator doors closed, and we began to move back down to the first floor.
In no time, other members were bound to take the elevator up to this fourth floor.
“Brother, I’m okay.”
“We’re not okay.”
“Then how about this?”
Paula made a proposal in response to my firm stance.
Even though Solomon and I couldn’t participate in the Carmen Family’s succession ceremony, she suggested letting everyone who follows Veronica enter, just in case.
“Not only them, but we can wait here until your subordinates arrive on the fourth floor. That way, you can respond quickly to any situation that arises.”
“Godfather, what do you think?”
Before Paula finished, Solomon asked.
“….”
But when I didn’t readily give a positive response, Paula made another concession.
“You two can come in, but it’s a no-go for the room where the ceremony is taking place. How does that sound?”
“Okay, let’s do that.”
The previously suggested conditions still stood.
Thanks to that, we waited until all those who had accompanied us arrived in the elevator on the fourth floor before we could finally move properly.
“Veronica, if things even seem a bit suspicious, call us right away, okay?”
“Yes, don’t worry.”
Veronica and I whispered to each other as we followed Paula.
Meanwhile, there were also customers on the fourth floor of the casino. However, the atmosphere felt different from the patrons on the first floor. They seemed to be higher-class or in some relation to the Carmen Family.
“This is the room.”
“Veronica.”
“Yes?”
“Go in there and give them a proper piece of your mind.”
“…Yes.”
Hearing my words, Veronica relaxed her serious expression and showed a bright smile. Paula, seeing this, pulled out a metal mask from somewhere.
Right, that mask was synonymous with the Carmen Family. While Veronica tried to put on her mask, Paula instead handed her another mask.
“It’s your mother’s mask.”
“….”
Silently, Veronica put on Rita Carmen’s mask.
After that, the two entered the room where the ceremony was taking place, and Solomon and I had our subordinates guard the surrounding area.
“Godfather, should we contact the Russo Family now?”
“No, it’s likely to be hard for them to arrive before anything happens. Just be prepared to respond whenever.”
“Yes. If I’d known, I would have brought the machine gun from your car.”
“….”
Is he serious? This guy.
Meanwhile, as Solomon and I stood near the room where the ceremony was taking place, the casino employees began to guide us to the reception room.
I followed their guidance while heading toward the reception room that was closest to the ceremony room.
“Godfather, aren’t you feeling a bit hungry?”
“Well, a little something wouldn’t hurt.”
Today, I had an unusual craving for chicken. Upon hearing this, Solomon went out from the reception room to order some chicken dishes.
A short while later, as Veronica and Paula were conducting the ceremony in another room, the first dish Solomon ordered arrived.
Given we were in a casino, I didn’t have high expectations for the food.
“….”
But it turned out to be this?
“Little Dom, what is this?”
“Um… I’m not quite sure either.”
Solomon had certainly ordered chicken-related dishes.
When we asked the casino employee about the dish, they called this bizarre food “Chicken and Waffles.”
Hearing that a piece of chicken was placed on a waffle made me chuckle. There was another plate nearby with peaches and cream, and honey on the plate’s bottom.
For someone like me, who hated the thought of sweet meat… chicken and waffles?
