Chapter 238
"Master. Have some of this, too."
"No, I'm full."
"You need to eat to recover quickly, don't you?"
"I'm not eating."
~A VIP ward in an urban center in Sicily~
I was sprawled out on my bed there, eagerly pushing away the apple that Latte was shaving, when I heard a knock on the door.
-Junior, it's Michaela.
-I'm here, too, Eugene!
I nodded at the two voices outside and motioned for Latte to open the door.
The doorknob opened with a click.
"Eugene, I didn't know what you'd like, so I bought a fruit basket."
"I snuck in some gifts from the Vatican too Hmm? You have company."
It had already been two days since I was admitted to the hospital.
The raid on the Etna volcano ended without much damage.
Why do I say "no major damage" when there were so many dead, seriously injured, and slightly injured?
It's because the raid survival rate in Etna Volcano, according to official statistics, was 1%.
Dozens of people came out alive from a place where 50 people would have gone in and only one would have survived, so it was a success.
The world was already calling everyone who participated the heroes of the century.
Shortly after defeating Typhon I feigned unconsciousness outside the temple, having been transported elsewhere by him during the raid.
The skill effect of Magical Rogue and the impact of Holy Power were strong, and no one suspected me.
In the first place, no one would believe that Corleone Jr. had taken down Typhon by spraying holy power in a grotesque outfit.
I didn't have to pretend to lose my consciousness, because as soon as I ducked out of the way and accepted my barely contained disorientation, I lost it.
"Well," I thought, "it's a miracle I made it this far, considering the recoil of the divine tendon and the use of a holy item that didn't fit me well.
Still, it made me a hero, even if I was the one who was wounded in the fight against Typhon.
"Well, since it looks like your friends are here, I'll leave you to it, and your favor will probably be done by this evening."
"Okay. Please."
"Okay. Get some rest, then?"
Latte moves out of the way to make room for the two visitors.
"Eugene. Who is that?"
Elena asks curiously at the arrival of a stranger.
"Someone from Corleones side."
"Oh. I thought she was cute, but shes scary."
In her mind, the Corleone are still a group of scary people.
Well, they're all harmless.
"So what's going on? Didn't you and Sister get out of the hospital yesterday?"
"Oh, that's right."
"Well, I had something in mind for Eugene's speedy recovery."
As she said that, Michaela pulled something out of her sleeve.
What she pulled out of her sleeve was a small box with luxurious packaging.
"What is that?"
"It's a fig, grown by the Pope himself. Unlike other fruits, they are full of holy power and will help you recover."
"Grown by the Pope himself? A gift from the Pope. Is that the same thing?"
She shakes her head, wondering why such a thing would suddenly appear here.
Oh, she stole it.
"that. Is it really that easy to steal?"
"Well, if you get caught, it's only about three pages of prayer paraphrasing, so it's no big deal. Here, have at it."
With that, she gently placed the figs on my comforter.
Her care in handling the Pope's fruit was so great that I slowly reached for the figs.
[You have found a new item]
[Name: Figs Grown by the Pope Himself]
[Rank: Rare]
[Type: Elixir]
[Description: These figs were grown by the modern Pope himself in the Vatican's garden. Filled with divine power, consuming this fruit will boost your body's metabolism and increase your ability to recover over a period of time]
Wow, this is showing up as an item.
It looks like it's really valuable. I cut it in half with my hand and chewed the flesh inside with my mouth.
"How is it?"
"Oh, yeah. It's delicious."
It tastes just like a fig. No, maybe a little more than a regular fig? Still, it's good for me, so I chewed it up.
Well, actually, I felt better this morning, but I can't stand elixirs.
"By the way, Sister. What's the situation with Venezia and Medici?"
"Oh, that."
The Medici family was unable to obtain the Fire Essence due to the advent of the Magical Rogue.
In other words, they didn't get the item that was the end goal of the raid.
"I've heard that Don Medici collapsed because of it. He's probably lying in bed in his mansion, groaning, isn't he?"
"Really? That's too bad."
So, it was true.
Before the raid, I asked Latte the real reason why they were trying to get the Fire Essence.
Apparently, they had some kind of deal with the Vatican.
With the Vatican?
Yes. In exchange for the essence of fire, the Vatican would give them a potion called the Holy Blood. Apparently, if you drink it, you can become an Awakened.
Awakened people live much longer than normal people, age more slowly, and are less prone to illness.
Anyone else would have been tempted to seek the holy blood' for these reasons, but not the Medici.
Apparently, they thought that the only reason Corleone got this far was because the Don was an Awakened, and he dreamed of reviving the Medici by making himself and his son Awakened as well, because even now the Medici are uncomfortable with the idea of a Corleone branch in Italy.
As it turns out, their goal is the revival of the Medici and the removal of Corleone from Italy.
In other words, giving the Fire Essence to the Medici would be like giving treasure to the enemy.
How could I, as Corleones heir, stand by and let that happen? Especially when it was free?
"Eugene?"
"Huh?"
"What are you thinking?"
"Nothing, just curious."
"Curious?"
I slide off the bed and straighten up, and they both look at me in surprise.
"Looks like the figs Sister brought you did the trick, and you can leave the hospital today."
They look like they didn't expect me to wake up so quickly. I'm sure [Natural Healing (A)] is a hoax, because most wounds heal in a day or two.
"Junior, do you think you might have troll blood?"
"What?"
"I mean, I know you've been healed by high priests in the Vatican, but doesn't it make sense that you'd normally wake up in two days from that wound?"
"When have I ever done anything that made sense?"
She looks like she's been dumbfounded by my brazenly stated answer.
She sighs and shakes her head.
"You've always been one to make no sense, so where are you going, rushing out of the hospital like this?"
"I'm going to be a little busy, I have some things to finish up."
"Wrapping things up?"
"Yes."
Well, you can't stay in Italy forever.
* * *
"I'll take you."
I follow Latte, who hasn't worn a suit in a long time.
The weather is sunny and the breeze is cool.
Dozens of members of the organization follow me as I walk in the forefront.
We're headed to the Medici family mansion.
At its entrance stand men of fierce bearing and members of the Venezia guild who only days before had fought at each other's backs.
"Corleone Junior, I'm sure you've heard that we need talks, not war."
Luca, at their head, looked at me and spoke.
"We're here to talk, yes, but I assume you've prepared something as well?"
"We are merely Don Medici's escort."
"What a coincidence, they're all my escorts too. How about, may I come inside?"
"Only if you go in alone."
Latte, who was standing next to me, jumped at our conversation.
"What do you think you're doing, sending him in alone? Are you sure you want him to go in there?"
At the same time, a tremendous surge of momentum comes from behind her.
A sense of intimidation takes over the room, as if a giant jungle hamster is looking down.
Even the Medici soldiers in front of me flinch and take a step back.
"Latte."
"Yes."
She steps back, bowing her head as her name comes out of my mouth.
Once again, she looks at them and opens her mouth.
"You see, I don't know what's going to happen on our end without me, so I don't think that's a good idea."
"Then we'll have no choice but to keep you out, too."
"Do you think you can stop them?"
I've brought the elite troops of the Milan family under Corleone.
Even if they were members of the Venezia Guild, it was impossible for them to stop us with their poorly healed bodies.
"That's enough."
At that moment, the iron gates of the Medici family opened, revealing a man in a wheelchair.
Don Medici, with Medici Junior pushing the wheelchair behind him.
"What do you want to talk about?"
The rumors of his illness were true, and his skeletal frame was even worse than when I first saw him.
His face was thin, his hands and feet shriveled, and his voice cracked.
He was obviously devastated that he hadn't gotten the Fire Essence in this raid.
"I thought you might want to fulfill a contract."
"Thecontract?"
"The one where you agreed to pay off Maestro Ludvio's debt. Didn't you agree to fulfill it once the raid was over?"
Medici laughs, "Huh!" as I bring up the subject in a commanding voice.
"I didn't even get the fire essence, and you expect me to fulfill the contract?"
"Surely our initial contract was success of the raid', are you changing your mind?"
He hears my words and glances at the gang members behind him.
"This is why you brought the children of Milan to ."
"As long as you're sure of our contract, it shouldn't be a problem."
During the brief standoff Luca crouched slightly lower, ready to draw his sword at any moment, and Latte shifted her center of gravity forward, ready to protect me at any moment.
But
"I see. I will."
It was Medici, after all, who was the first to give in.
"Child, hand it over."
"Father!"
"Do you think we can take on them as we are, a bunch of sick people?"
Medici Jr. has no answer to his question.
"So, hand it over to me."
Finally bowing his head, Medici Jr. walked over to me and handed me a piece of paper.
It was a borrower's note with the name Ludvio Marco on it.
With this, the maestro's debt was completely canceled.
"Yes, I see. Contract fulfilled. Thank you. Don Medici."
"I did what I had to do. Well, I'm not feeling well, so I'll go inside first."
"I wish you well."
After hearing my answer, the two men turned their wheelchairs around to go inside with their son.
But before they do.
"Oh, I almost forgot, Maestro Ludvio has come under the Corleone umbrella as of today, and the street where his workshop is located will also be under the direct control of the Milan family as of today."
I decided to let them know the latest position, in case they were still sharpening their blades of revenge.
"What do you mean by that?"
At this, Medici Junior turns and looks at me.
"That street used to belong to us, the Medici!"
"Why, are you resentful?"
I slowly step in front of him, still brazen.
"It's a street that's not even worth that much money, it doesn't really matter, I wouldn't have cared, except that it's my hometown, and I've actually neglected it, but."
I place my hand lightly on his shoulder and give it a squeeze. The other's face frowns for a moment.
"You shouldn't have crossed the line. You know, our Corleone family code."
It's all about family.
"There are still a lot of people in my family who think they owe Maestro Ludvio a favor. Like father."
"Ugh."
I loosened my grip on his increasingly distorted expression, and very gently brushed the dust off his shoulders.
"Well, that's the way it is, if you're feeling unjustified."
Having said all I had to say, I gave them one last sweep and finished.
"Maybe you should contact the Vatican."
Just like they always do.
He stood there dumbfounded, unable to take my last words anymore.
"That's not going to happen. Corleone Jr."
It was Don Medici who answered my question.
"So may I go back?"
"Of course, Don Medici, you may go back. Medici Junior is since you haven't answered yet."
He clenched his fists, his knuckles white from the exertion.
His head shook with trepidation.
"that's not going to happen."
And then, with difficulty, he spoke.
"Isn't it?"
When he finally gives in, I drive the final nail in the coffin.
"You're the heir to an organization. I'm sure you'll take care of yourself, and we'll see each other often, won't we? We're fellow heirs."
I remind him who stands at the top.
"Hopefully, we can continue this good relationship in the future."
And that they will continue to be under Corleone.
"Let us remain friendly Medici Junior."
Even as a mafia you are no match for me.
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