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

Northern Kingdom, capital Copenhagen, Carefree Palace.


"You say there's a kid who couldn't take it anymore, so he grabbed a pistol and a white glove and went looking for Durin?" The ruler, who was reading the newspaper, lifted his head to look at Fischer standing by the door; the latter nodded, "It's a child from a branch of the House of Sario."


"And what are the police doing about it?" Robert, the ruler, asked with some curiosity.


"They have already dispatched the best doctors and nurses, but considering they're using pistols, I heard they also contacted the crematorium's hearse driver." Fischer noticed his sovereign raised his eyebrows, so he added, "Do you need me to stop them?"


"Why would you? I remember the branches of the House of Sario being scarce in number, with apparently only two boys left." Robert put down his newspaper, "No, there should only be one left now, given that this kid is as good as dead."


Chapter 41: Instigation