Make Our Family Great Again – Chapter 88

I didn’t realize it was Congressman Porter on the phone until I heard his voice.

I was just having a light salsa fusilli salad with Elena in my room.

“….”

“Luke, who is it?”

“Chairman.”

After pulling the receiver away from me, he replied in a low voice.

“That Senator?!”

Despite my efforts, I wondered if Elena’s loud voice might have carried over to Congressman Porter on the other end of the line.

“John L. Porter.”

“Mr. Felini, thank you for taking my call. It appears by coincidence that my wife and I are members of the same social club.”

“No, that club no longer accepts members from other races. My wife has been expelled as well.”

“…What?”

I focused more on Elena’s expression brightening at being called my wife than on Congressman Porter’s flustered voice.

“Come to think of it, they’re saying that anti-mixed-race sentiment has surfaced because of this Borges hearing. I must clarify that the majority of mixed-race citizens are decent and honest people entirely unrelated to the mafia.”

Am I really going to keep listening to this white clown’s nonsense? That thought began to take root.

His voice alone was irritating just thinking about it.

“So, what is it that you’re calling me for at this hour?”

“…Some civic organizations filed a class-action lawsuit against me. Apparently, those unhappy with the policies and bills I’ve promoted in Hebili have provided substantial funding for that lawsuit.”

“Is that so?”

“I only think of the people.”

“No, you’re just a guy who thinks about your popularity. That’s why you’re so eager to take down Borges, right?”

“The term ‘eager to take down’ is a bit inaccurate!”

“Do you want these civic organizations to drop their lawsuits against you?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

Ha, what a straightforward gentleman.

Who would like to go bankrupt anyway?

“Then be gentle with Borges.”

“Gentle?!”

Congressman Porter seemed to ask for a more precise definition of ‘gentle’ from me.

“Don’t mention names anymore. Then the civic organizations will back off.”

Thud. I quickly placed the receiver down on the phone.

Congressman Porter must have been surprised that I hung up after only saying what I needed to say.

But there was no further conversation that would have been beneficial or necessary. I had already conveyed everything he needed to know.

“….”

[The reason humans are lonely is that they build walls, not bridges.]

At that moment, the fusilli pasta of the salad I had been eating began to move grotesquely, forming letters.

I was confused whether it was directed at me or Congressman Porter. Of course, it was fitting for Porter, who advocated for racial separation.

Maybe this guy is just learning to say contextually appropriate things now.

“Luke, so what did the senator say?”

“That jerk mentioned the expulsion from the social club.”

“…That’s unfortunate, but it can’t be helped. Since Borges is a golem, all of us mixed races are facing the consequences.”

“Yeah, true enough.”

Honestly, I didn’t care much.

I didn’t even participate in such gatherings, and mingling with my underlings or family members was all I was doing.

But Elena was different. Watching her lose even the little bit of normalcy she enjoyed was incredibly painful.

“Luke, I’m okay.”

As my face grew serious, Elena had come over and gently stroked one of my empty hands.

“I’m happier being with you, Luke, than being surrounded by many people.”

“What’s with that? Saying such commendable things?”

Ha, who’s comforting whom here?

Time being what it is, Elena and I were already in our pajamas.

It’s not that Elena didn’t look attractive in normal clothes, but she looked absolutely beautiful in pajamas.

However, unlike the snug-fitting clothes, there was a certain looseness that concealed her healthy muscular form.

“Aside from that, did the senator say anything else?”

“He did. He seems scared stiff because of the class-action lawsuit. I don’t know how he got our contact info, but calling is proof of that.”

“Well, being a senator, I guess he has that level of intel. It would have been disappointing if he didn’t.”

That much was true.

“I warned him to handle Borges gently… so he’ll probably comply if he wants to avoid bankruptcy.”

“Yeah, but we can’t let our guard down. I told Paragoni to cozy up to Congressman Porter too.”

Aside from my warning to Congressman Porter.

It seemed like Paragoni was likely planning to whisper sweet nothings into his fellow’s ear during tomorrow’s hearing.

“Then there shouldn’t be any worries.”

“Unless something happens to Borges.”

“…At least I don’t think we’ll make an appearance on our side.”

“You never know. Sanchez and that lackey of his must be furious. And the other Five Families are the same, fearing their names could come up just like Sanchez’s.”

“That’s true for us too.”

“No, neither we nor the Wolf were ever named in the hearing. Senator Paragoni could not have asked about us.”

Thinking back, that made sense.

Was I leaving room for help concerning the issues I’m facing now?

“If he was watching over us, he wouldn’t refuse my proposal.”

“Well, that sounds like a different problem altogether.”

Elena and I continued our conversation while starting to eat the salsa fusilli salad again.

Amidst that, we heard someone entering through the front door.

“Ah.”

Elena reacted as if her precious moment with me was being interrupted.

“Felicita?”

“Yeah, it’s me.”

I asked just in case. But Felicita swiftly appeared in the living room where Elena and I were, the moment I called her by her nickname.

She was also in her pajamas, but being a creature of her kind, she had a structure allowing her tail in the back to move freely.

“What’s up? It’s not even midnight yet, why are you here?”

“Elena, there’s no way I wouldn’t know such things. And I must have a reason to come, right?”

“Just hurry up and say what you have to say.”

“I’ll think about it.”

“Feli, do you want to eat some of this?”

“Wait a minute.”

I offered her the salsa fusilli salad that still had plenty left.

Felicita didn’t refuse my invitation but responded as if she had something to say.

“I got news from Manfredi.”

“What news?”

“It’s about Borges.”

“Hey, what’s that thing you’re holding?”

Elena pointed at something Felicita was holding in one hand while subtly hiding it with the other.

“Oh, this is for Luke. You’ve eaten enough already, so how about not worrying about it?”

“…You didn’t grind down another horn, did you?”

When the bosses of the Five Families watched the Borges hearing at Dragon Hill Hotel, Felicita had been trying hard to obtain another horn from her siblings, and eventually managed to get one.

By the time I and Elena joined Felicita after all the bosses had left, she was already holding a horn.

“Here, just down it while you listen.”

“….”

I had no idea how much of a dragon’s horn had been ground down, but Felicita told me last time that it was incredibly potent. As someone who loved food, there was no way I could refuse something like this.

“So whose horn is this?”

“Who else but one of my younger sisters?”

“No, it’s Luca’s.”

“…That guy?”

Unlike what Elena had expected, the horn I was about to eat belonged to Luca Marinelli, the youngest sibling of the Marinelli clan.

Unlike Manfredi and Felicita’s sisters, Luca held some resentment towards me.

It would be strange if he didn’t, considering he had already been knocked out cold by my fist.

“So, why don’t you get to the main point already?”

“Elena, that’s what I was planning to do.”

Felicita murmured that I seemed quite impatient. But honestly, I was just as impatient as Elena’s brother.

“Borges will be under federal protection from marshals in Jonesborough after the hearing finishes.”

“…What? I thought he was in Hebili.”

“Do you think he’d move from Jonesborough to Hebili every day while the hearing is going on?”

“Once he wraps up the schedule in Hebili, he’ll take a flight to Jonesborough. He’ll spend the night there.”

“So it’s our taxes paying for his flight?”

“Well, in a way, yes.”

Damn snitch bastard. Living the high life.

*

What Felicita had informed me wouldn’t be immediately useful but would definitely be helpful in dire situations.

If Congressman Porter had resolutely decided to reject my proposal and head towards bankruptcy,

then the only thing left was a direct approach to targeting Borges.

Later, Felicita promised to return a few hours later before heading back to her room. Though Elena threw her some teasing remarks, Felicita shrugged them off with amusement.

“Elena, wouldn’t it be okay to get close to Felicita slowly?”

“No, not until I’m buried in the ground.”

If it was up to me, I would have liked to shove dirt into her face, but of course, I didn’t actually do that.

Elena was my precious wife and sister after all.

Meanwhile, as dawn broke, it became the next day.

For me, it signified a day spent with Felicita, while for others, it was the day of the Borges hearing.

From early morning, the senators participating in the hearing were busy attending to their appearances.

“Chairman, good morning.”

Congressman Paragoni approached Congressman Porter and said.

“Oh, could you do something about the wrinkles under my eyes?”

“Yes, Congressman.”

Before the hearing broadcast, Paragoni was preoccupied with how his face would appear on TV.

“So, what’s the matter?”

“I feel like you’re getting too invested in this hearing, Chairman.”

“…There are millions of viewers for this hearing.”

“Yes, exactly. So I’m saying, it seems a little excessive, doesn’t it?”

“Who are you talking about?”

“Borges. That golem friend of yours.”

“Hah, Congressman. There have been more than ten murders involving Borges in Hebili alone. This is not an issue to be taken lightly.”

“Then how about this? My colleagues and I will help your agenda, Chairman.”

“…What do you want in return?”

“I hope you can consider the bigger picture rather than focusing solely on pressuring me for names.”

“….”

With yesterday’s warning still fresh, Congressman Porter’s mind began to waver in the face of today’s new proposal.

Meanwhile… the moment was approaching again.

A new phase of the Borges hearing.