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 young bishop didn't understand; in his eyes, these were just five seemingly ordinary fruits, so he took them back with him to the spectator stand.


As he passed the friendly Church's seats, an astute Cardinal of the Wisdom God Church caught sight of the fruits and immediately inhaled sharply. Then, he stood up, facing Durin with an expression of humble respect—a gesture of recognition that Durin was indeed the favored disciple of the Dual Mothers.


Otherwise, he could not understand how Durin was able to produce fruits from the World Tree so effortlessly.


The Cardinals of the Prime Creator glanced at the fruits and sighed one after another. Old lady Michael, however, smiled and spoke, "You young man are lucky. Take these fruits back with you."


He shook his head, and as Durin had instructed, placed one of the fruits into the cup in front of her.


As everyone watched the fruit dissolve and vanish, finally, an old man nodded, "Indeed, it's real, freshly picked fruit."


Chapter 235: Thoughts