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

After a good night's sleep, Durin woke up to find that there was no one beside him. He got out of bed, put on his everyday clothes, and before he could go downstairs, he heard Lina's laughter and then the girls playing around.


Durin peeked his head out from the second floor and saw the girls preparing breakfast, and Astrid, the silly girl, still sat by the fire, narrating stories from the storybook she held in her hands to Maria.


"Master Durin, I need to buy groceries today, could you let Miss Lina accompany me? She's strong and can carry a lot of things," Xialu requested support from the other side.


Durin nodded and looked at the little dragoness, "Lina, you're strong, you go with her."


"What about me being strong?" The little dragoness rubbing against Astrid's feet for the stories was a bit unhappy.


"Today, after you carry the food back, I'll make you popcorn chicken," Durin said, tempting the little dragoness with a tasty bait.


Chapter 18: The Dark Forest