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

The next morning, the Assistant Priest led his people to the abandoned village, where they found the body of a murder victim.


The clothing remaining on the corpse was the style of ladies' dress from the Farol Duchy, and its small skeletal frame was a strong indication of its identity—it was very likely one of Farol's unfortunate ladies, possibly dead from a kidnapping, or maybe she had drifted to the village following a sea disaster; alternatively, she could have been taken there and then abandoned.


In any case, the Assistant Priest had reported the incident, and Durin did indeed hope that the lady's avenger would come forward soon.


Besides that, Durin arrived at a military port five miles away where the twelfth raiding fleet's attack squadron of the Eternal Forge Fortress was setting sail today.


Alice and Lina had opened a teleportation gate back to the Ever-burning Stronghold, and Durin, along with the capable Anta and Melinda, boarded the core attack vessel they had reserved.


Chapter 167: The Z Flag