Anything and everything in the resplendent reception room was gaudy, expressing the personality of its owner quite well.
On this day, I was visiting the house of Finocchio Bargini, Don of the Bargini family. It appeared that afternoon tea time was just about to begin, and a full-fledged tea set had been laid out on the table.
「Here you go, Noel. The information you requested」
After receiving a thick envelope from Finocchio, I took out the documents and checked them. Written on them was the information related to the railway that was in operation inside the Republic of Rhodania.
Presently, the Empire, which was prospering due to the numerous inventions made from Beast materials——the Magical Tools civilization, was the most outstanding in terms of technological prowess compared to the neighboring countries.
Under normal circumstances, it wouldn't have been strange for railways to have already gone into operation. Technologically speaking, it was easily possible. However, due to the fact that Abysses formed easily inside the Empire, laying and maintaining railway tracks was difficult. Consequently, the Empire still remained reliant on the power of horses.
On the other hand, in the neighboring country, the Republic of Rhodania, the railway had been successfully implemented four years ago, and its national strength had increased dramatically due to the benefits it brought.
What I wanted to know was the detailed history and the current state of the railway. I needed to understand everything about the concrete economic benefits obtained from actually operating the railway, as well as the unintended harmful effects it brought. For that reason, I decided to use the Bargini Family’s connections to obtain such top-secret information from the Republic of Rhodania.
「Is Lorelei really going to open a railway?」
When asked by Finocchio, I nodded as I looked through the information.
「I’ve no doubt that it’s true. From my own investigation, I found out that Volcan Heavy Industries, which has a partnership with Lorelei, has significantly stepped up their procurement of Beast materials and the raw materials for fabricating metals. They won’t need such a large stock of materials unless they’re doing something like laying railway tracks throughout the country」
「But how are they going to lay railway tracks throughout this country?」
「I have a rough guess, but I don't know the details yet. It would be a great help if the spy I hired does a good job, I suppose」
I put the documents down on the table and pointed to the earring in my left ear.
「It’s an earring made from a communication stone. It allows me to communicate with the person who is wearing the other earring made from the same stone. I gave the other earring to the spy and told him to contact me if anything happens」
The reason why I chose to use the communication stone earrings instead of Link, was because only I could initiate contact in the case of Link. On the other hand, the communication stone earrings would allow Loki to contact me as well.
「I also have those, but there is a danger of being eavesdropped on, you know?」
「I know. That’s why I made him promise not to use it except when absolutely necessary. That’s because, not just the contents of the conversation, even the whereabouts of the people talking can be pinpointed by those who have the technology to eavesdrop on them. I can’t afford to give them a just cause——an excuse to attack us」
It wasn’t just the communication stone earrings that had a danger of being eavesdropped on, it was also the same for Link.
In the end, a violent conflict was inevitable, but that was a topic for after our side’s preparations had been completed. Letting them have something on us before the preparations for the battle were completed was out of the question.
「What are you going to do if the spy fails?」
「I suppose I’ll have no choice but to use forceful methods. No matter what happens, I can’t afford to hand Lorelei the rights and interests of the railway」
「Forceful methods, you said? With Lorelei as your opponent, even if you challenge them head-on, you definitely can’t win. For the record, I can’t lend you any fighting strength, got it? I’m also in a position with a lot of enemies, so I can’t afford to reduce my fighting strength easily」
「Don’t worry. I’ve no intention of relying on you in battle」
This was also an important time for Finocchio. He had secretly formed a partnership with me, and had decided to aim to become the Head of the main Family, the Luciano Family. At present, when there was a possibility that he would end up in a fight against not just hostile organizations, but the Dons of the other direct affiliates——his sworn brothers, I shouldn't reduce this drag queen’s fighting strength for my own convenience.
「I’m thinking of spreading stimulants around」
I said while sipping tea.
「Huh? ……Eeh? What did you say?」
Finocchio tilted his head with an expression that said that he couldn’t comprehend my words.
「Ca, can you say that one more time? Just now, did you say stimulants?」
「I did」
「A, and what did you say you were going to do with the stimulants?」
「I said, I’ll spread them around」
I put the tea down on the table and looked straight at Finocchio.
「The key to the railway plan is the engineers of Volcan Heavy Industries. Without them, no matter how much money is spent or how much behind-the-scenes maneuvering is done, the plan cannot be realized. It’s for that very reason that the engineers should be tired from the heavy workload and the considerable pressure they are under. If I offer people like that stimulants that will make them feel better, they should become addicted in no time. An engineer who has become a junky is useless. At that point, Lorelei's plan is done for」
When he heard what I said, Finocchio went wide-eyed in shock. The light vanished from his eyes and he went into a daze. His ludicrous look was so funny that I laughed out loud.
「Ahahaha, it’s a joke, just a joke! I won't do something like that」
Once he realized that it was a lie, Finocchio took a deep breath, perhaps because he was relieved.
「……Y, you gave me a shock~. Why you little! Even when joking, there are limits! Something like spreading stimulants around to crush an opponent is forbidden even for Yakuza! If you do that, even if your plan goes well, it’ll become a sea of blood in the end!」
「Like I said, I was only joking, alright?」
「Hmpt, I’m not so sure!」
Finocchio’s face twisted in displeasure.
「You have a prior offense from blowing up the prison, don’t you? I’ve got no idea what you’re capable of. Doing whatever it takes for your goals is well and good, but looking at the things that you’ve done, you’re a Yakuza! No, you’re a monster that surpasses the Yakuza! You Demon!」
「It’s truly a great honor to be praised as a Demon by an active Yakuza」
When I shrugged my shoulders and smiled wryly, Finocchio’s long face became even longer.
「Noel, you think of yourself as a schemer, don’t you? Well, that's a fact. There aren't many people who are as cunning as you. Most enemies will be quite helpless before your schemes, won’t they? However, people have this saying,『The crafty schemer drowns in his own schemes』, you know? If you use dirty tricks all the time, you’ll end up digging your own grave」
「For example? What kind of situation are you envisioning when you say that I’ll dig my own grave?」
「Huh? Wh, what kind, you ask…… That’s……」
When I questioned him back instantly, Finocchio was at a loss on how to answer and faltered.
「Fo, for example, something like the fact that you do bad things gets exposed and you lose your place in the imperial capital. It’s exactly because information warfare is your strong point, that you’ll meet your end by being killed by information」
「Oh, there's no way that'll happen」
I declared without hesitation. That was because I knew that it was impossible for that to happen.
「Wh, what makes you so sure?」
「It's very simple. You see, I――」
「Stop!」
Finocchio interrupted me and waved both hands in refusal.
「I bet you used a dirty trick again, didn’t you!? No! I don’t want to hear it! Why do I have to listen to such gory topics during my fun tea time! Even I, who’s called the Mad Pierrot, needs peace of mind! I definitely don't want to hear it! AAH~ AAAH~ I can't hear you! I can't hear any~thing!!」
I sighed as Finocchio shouted while covering his ears.
「By the way, what about your side? Is the plan proceeding smoothly?」
「If you’re talking about the battle tournament, then it’s proceeding smoothly. So that we’ll be able to cope even if it’s held on short notice, we’re moving forward with the arrangements for the land and facilities. Once Noel becomes one of the Regalia and asks the emperor, we’ll be able to hold it anytime. It’s not a problem」
「I’m not talking about that. I’m talking about the matter of becoming the Head of the Luciano Family」
「……The groundwork is going without a hitch」
「Hmmm. I suppose there's no problem then」
So, I said as I narrowed my eyes.
「Who needs to be killed?」
「You……」
There were thirteen major executives in the Luciano Family, including Finocchio. In order for Finocchio to become the new Head, many of them would have to be eliminated.
「I’m the one who put you up to it. I’ll spare no effort to help」
「Shut up. Even without your help, I’ll do what needs to be done. I’m Finocchio Bargini. The beautiful Yakuza called the Mad Pierrot. I won’t hesitate to kill even if my opponents are my sworn brothers」
The part about being beautiful was unnecessary, but his fighting spirit seemed sincere. He would probably not change his mind.
「Understood. I believe in you」
As I nodded, there was a knock on the door of the reception room.
「Mistress, I've brought him」
「Understood. Enter」
When Finocchio responded, the door opened and two men came in. One was Finocchio’s underling, who had a muscular appearance. The other was a man in a wheelchair who looked like a vagrant and had no limbs. Pushing the wheelchair, the underling brought the man before us. Finocchio and I stood up and walked up to the man.
「You’ve become quite good-looking, haven’t you, Albert?」
I looked down at Albert and smiled.
Albert Gambino. The man who used to be the Don of the Gambino Family. He had now been excommunicated by the Family and not only had his limbs been cut off, he was being kept in Finocchio’s pig farm. Albert's eyes were closed the entire time, and he hadn't budged an inch.
「I had him brought here because that’s what you asked for, Noel, but what business do you have with him now after all this time?」
When Finocchio asked, I turned my gaze to him.
「I'm interested in the alchemist that this guy hired, you see? I want to ask about his whereabouts」
「Alchemist, you say……the guy who made that dangerous stimulant? Su, surely you’re not really going to do what you said earlier......」
「That's not it. I simply have some medicine that I want him to make」
I shook my head and then leaned my face towards Albert.
「Hey, wake up already」
I called out to him, but there was still no reaction.
「He’s been enjoying a good life with the pigs everyday, so he’s probably quite broken. It might be difficult to get anything decent out of him」
「Hmm. I see」
I took out a cigarette, held it in my mouth and lit it.
「Eww, Noel, did you start smoking? It's bad for your health. I mean, smoking is completely forbidden in my house though?」
I took no notice of Finocchio, who was criticizing me for smoking, and blew the cigarette smoke at Albert. Then I pressed the tip of the cigarette strongly against his cheek. The instant the sound of his flesh being burnt could be heard, Albert screamed and opened his eyes.
「Hhhooooottt!!」
「As I suspected, he's awake」
When I laughed mockingly, Albert glared at me resentfully. It was like he was saying that his misery was all my fault. In truth, he was exactly right.
「You've heard what I said, right? Tell me what you know」
「Wh, who will…… Someone like you……」
「Fufufu, you've got a face that says that there’s nothing you’re scared of anymore as you've already seen hell. But you're mistaken, Albert」
I grabbed Albert's face with both hands and put our foreheads together.
「The bottom of hell is deep. What you've experienced is just the entrance. ......Shall I open up your skull while you’re still alive and let you watch in a mirror as your brain is tampered with?」
「Hii, hiiii!」
With his face as white as a sheet, Albert tried to pull away from me by twisting his body, but as he had no arms or legs, there was nowhere he could escape to. Also, as I was holding his head tightly with both hands, he couldn’t even turn his face away from me. His clouded eyes darted around furiously as he searched for a place of refuge that didn’t exist.
「Are you scared of me? Then you had better tell me what you know right now. I have very little patience. Besides, if you tell me, I'll save you」
「……Re, really?」
「Yeah, really. I don't lie」
「……Got it. I'll tell you where he is」
Albert, who had given up, told me everything about the alchemist.
「Y, you promised...... Please save me......」
Albert begged me with tears flowing down his cheeks. That pitiful figure of his was truly wretched. No matter what others thought, my heart wasn’t made of stone. Of course I was going to save him. However, at the end, there was just one more thing that I wanted to ask him. I circled around to Albert’s back, rested my chin on his shoulder and whispered.
「Albert, do you remember a young girl called Chelsea?」
「Ch, Chelsea? N, no, I don't know......」
「Is that so? That's right. It’s natural for you to not remember her」
I hadn't had any expectations. If anything, I even felt relief at the fact that he didn’t remember.
「H, hey, I beg you. Please save me. I don't want to go back there anymore......」
「Got it. I'll save you properly」
I took my chin off Albert's shoulder and then secured his head firmly with both arms. Then, when I twisted vigorously just like that, I heard the dull crack of bones breaking.
「Goodbye, Albert. As promised, I've saved you from that unsightly life」
Off balance, Albert tumbled off the wheelchair when I let go. I had broken his neck in an instant, so I was sure that he hadn’t suffered. Considering the things that he had done, I had been as merciful as God by letting him die, if I said so myself
However, Finocchio and his underling, who had been letting things take their course, had shocked expressions on their faces.
「By any chance, was there anything bad about me killing him?」
When I asked, Finocchio laughed in a troubled——and yet, delighted manner.
「Noel, as I suspected, your calling is to be a Yakuza」
I put that Finocchio went wide-eyed in shock, but the literal wording there is “Finocchio had an expression like a pigeon that had been shot with a pea-shooter”. It’s really one of my favorite Japanese sayings, I always laugh at it for some reason.
If you didn't catch why Finocchio was convinced Noel will make a great Yakuza, recall what happened the last time Albert appeared. He begged Finocchio to save him and Finocchio agreed to, but not in a way he expected. Noel did something very similar here, though what he did was arguably not as bad.
Interestingly, to me at least, there is an English equivalent for the saying “The crafty schemer drowns in his own schemes” and it’s “Craft brings nothing home at the last”, but its usage is so rare, so I used the literal words of the saying instead.
Also, what’s with Noel’s sudden obsession with messing with other people’s brains lol? He offered to do it to Mary in Part 2 too…
So, after Johann confirmed that his plans were going smoothly, it’s Noel’s turn this chapter. Their plans can’t both come to fruition, so they’ll clash eventually, but there’s still a while to go. Thanks to Finocchio, the chapter didn’t end on a sombre note. Next chapter will be more antics from Wild Tempest! Castration is involved again, so stay tuned? Btw, I know that it’s kinda slow since the battle against the Lord, but boy oh boy, it gets good later.
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