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

Duke Algin always felt a little restless during lunchtime—he didn't know if it was because of his aging eyes or something else, but every time he looked in Durin's direction, he felt a subtle discomfort in his eyes.


Perhaps it was because of the sunlight? Durin was sitting near the window, and the winter sunlight coming in from the south window did bring a certain discomfort, but this time it seemed too severe.


He rubbed his eyes and looked towards another window, but couldn't feel anything that might cause the discomfort.


Just then, the girl named Natalia came to Durin's side, and he smiled as he picked her up and sat her on his lap.


Duke Algin remained silent for a moment, finally keeping this little secret to himself.


After lunch, the young people all had their things to do, and Duke Algin took the house wizard's teleportation passage directly to Amsterdam, the northern lowland city where the Astrology Tower was located.


Chapter 267: Twins