Half-step Purgatory

Durin stroked the black cat on the armrest of his chair, sitting on the black leather sofa. Through the glasses perched on his nose, his gaze passed over the long table in front of him and settled on the man kneeling on the carpet:
"I understand, you've made money in Naples, your business has been very successful, and you've led a happy life. You've had those secret police, friends in both the law and the underground, and even the Royal Family speaking on your behalf."
"You don't need a friend like me, I know that. You're afraid of owing me a favor, and you don't want to get involved in troubles."
"But now you come to me and say, 'I beg you, Mr. Durin of the Corleon family, please help me seek justice, so that my life and my family will not suffer and sink into despair.'
Yet, in your eyes, I was nothing more than a second-rate artist involved in movies and music. Even at the brink of death, you still show me such disrespect, not even willing to call me by my title... Keeper of Secrets."

Durin's Diary

Dutel Marcus looked at the little fellow sitting in the back seat, and he felt envious.


The object of his envy was naturally Yishu, his old friend who had fathered seven daughters and finally had an adopted grandson—well-spoken and sensible.


Although the father was from the Corleon family, making the dragonkind features somewhat different from elder brother Yishu, the boy was the spitting image of the little lady in his memory.


That's right, definitely Yishu's blood, no faking it.


Moreover, Dutel remembered meeting the child when he was four years old, and he hadn't expected that the boy would still remember him.


With this kind of memory, Dutel thought not one of his own kids could match up.


"The little guy is all buckled in." With that thought, he turned the key to start the engine, and Dutel drove his car out of the school gates.


He even waved to the guard—they were all big fellows from Oso.


Chapter 17: The Elder and the Youngling