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

Old Royce led Aleksei out of the tent, and the old man smiled, "Things were handled well."


"The mayor has received quite a bit of dubious money, and I suspect some of it even came from members of the Tri-Saint Society and proponents of the Northern Doctrine." Faced with the elder's praise, Aleksei's expression was grave.


"It seems keeping him was the right decision, and both directors didn't want to sacrifice you or the Nice division this time, so they had to come up with a sacrificial lamb hefty enough, and the mayor of Nice clearly has many issues, big enough to have him killed many times over." At this, Old Royce shook his head, "You see, this is what you used to look down upon."


"People change, and besides, this matter had nothing to do with me; I had no need to lose my life over it." Aleksei fell silent, "But I still regret it, for the mayor's young daughter seems to have just been born."


Chapter 130: A New Night