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

"Sean Esposito," Durin stroked Kyle, who had jumped onto the armrest of the chair.


"Sir, please save me and my family," the middle-aged man pleaded on his knees, his face earnest as he looked at Durin.


"How am I supposed to save you?" Durin took the intelligence passed to him by Madame Lin, filled with the deeds Mr. Sean had committed in his hometown.


Halfway through, Durin grew bored; sitting on the black leather sofa, he looked over the rim of his glasses across the long table to the man kneeling on the carpet.


"I understand, you made a lot of money in Naples, even before the Northern Doctrine swept through the North, you had expanded your business to all the major cities in Farol. Your life was prosperous, your descendants plentiful, and your daughter married to a high-ranking gentleman. Farol's nobles raised secret police, friends in law and on the streets, and many spoke on your behalf, until Secretary Ace decided to brand you a traitor."


Chapter 111: You Are So Disrespectful to Me