I left them in the room inside, and the goods I was supposed to deliver... they frisked me when I was brought here—Nonno, I-I'll go retrieve them.
Umberto
Forget it, boy.
Umberto
The Venezia residence is several blocks away from our shop. It's a long way back.
Luchino turns around, and does not see any mafioso come out from the residence.
He feels the old tailor's hand on his shoulder. He can feel the wizened hand trembling, as if he had exhausted his strength during the meeting with the old Venezia earlier.
To make matters worse, he realizes his own arms are still so scrawny. If his nonno falls, he might not even manage to hold him up.
Luchino
Nonno...
Umberto
Hm?
Luchino
N-Nothing.
Luchino has questions in his head that he can't voice. But suddenly, he recalls a vague image in his mind resembling their current walk back home on an equally strange road.
Was he three, or four?
He remembers a vehicle driving by the farm. An old man jumps down, fails his landing, and falls clumsily.
The old man then walks up to him. He stares at the mud on his face, a pair of scissors, and a ruler on his waist, and bursts into tears from fear. The old man panics, frantically trying to soothe him—
There were far fewer wrinkles on his face then.
The old man takes him by the hand and leads him away from the farm. Uncertain of where they're going, he cries even louder in fear. The noise startles nearby fowlbeasts, sending them flying into the distance.
'Hush, Luchino. Don't cry.'
'Umberto, say something, anything... Ah, Nonno will tell you a tale...'
'Every hunter runs into a wolf before they go into the wastes.'
'The wolf says: Mulberry wood makes sturdy bows, and stones can be sharpened into deadly blades; but you must shed the clothes on you to survive, for it is the only thing that does not belong in the barrens...'
'Haha, you really stopped crying. Did you like the story, bambino? I know many, many more...'
Accident, I swear. I was trying to hit those stronzi that ran away and then you, you got in my way...
Venezia Sr.
The wound on your face... did they do that to you?
Obstinate Girl
They say my ears are big and weird. They say I'm not a Lupo and don't belong here in Siracusa.
Obstinate Girl
Did you see their injuries? They ended up worse than I did. Why run their mouths if they can't defeat me? I'll pull out their teeth the next time they try me again!
Venezia Sr.
Haha, you're more of a Lupo than they are.
Venezia Sr.
Where's your family?
Obstinate Girl
Dead. We came here as refugees, but papa and mama encountered a gang brawl when they went to ask the government for help.
Venezia Sr.
Do you have anywhere else to go?
Obstinate Girl
No.
Venezia Sr.
Do you want to come with me then?
Obstinate Girl
You need me to fight for you?
Venezia Sr.
We can talk about that when you're older.
Venezia Sr.
My daughter, Bella... she's sick and doesn't really go out, so she could use a playmate...
Obstinate Girl
If she's fine playing with a Vulpo, I don't mind.
Venezia Sr.
That's it?
Obstinate Girl
I'm weak. I've been staying here in the park, but I can't beat everyone up.
Venezia Sr.
Take this.
Obstinate Girl
What is it?
Venezia Sr.
Famiglia Venezia's crest. Take it, and you become one of us.
Obstinate Girl
But I'm not a Lupo.
Venezia Sr.
Many in the famiglia aren't either, but we're even closer to each other than the other famiglie. You'll understand in time.
Don't hide behind your mother like that. She can block your body, but I can already see your tails.
Timid Girl
...
Venezia Sr.
So this is Lisa?
Venezia Sr.
She's a complete contrast to you when you were a girl, Ingrid.
Ingrid
Sorry. For not telling you before I brought her back here.
Ingrid
The vecchi at the shrine discovered this child, and I couldn't let her stay in Higashi any longer.
Ingrid
Because having the blood of the so-called nine-tails means spending your entire life inside the shrine, living a life like her father. Worshiped like a mascot that grants every request, è ridicolo.
Venezia Sr.
We've tidied up a room for her. Once she gets used to life here, she can go to school with the other children in the famiglia.
Ingrid
I hope Lisa will stay far away from the farce in Higashi, but I don't want her to learn the so-called Siracusan way to survive either.
Venezia Sr.
...
Venezia Sr.
Arrange this with Anton and hire professional teachers for her. Music, literature, art, astrology, Originium Arts... Let her study whatever she likes.
Ingrid
You're not mad at me?
Venezia Sr.
You're still here, Ingrid.
Venezia Sr.
Has your blade slowed? Have you completed fewer missions?
Ingrid
No.
Venezia Sr.
Then you remain the most reliable person to take over my responsibilities.
Ingrid
Si.
Venezia Sr.
Besides, I find myself fond of this bambina.
Venezia Sr.
So the most important thing to do right now is show her I'm not scary. Haha.
I snapped the tendons in that stronzo's limbs and tail, but he still refused to confess who planned the assassination. He just kept saying he didn't know anything...
Ingrid
Same as the other seventeen before him.
Venezia Sr.
Lisa just fell asleep a moment ago.
Ingrid
Her Oripathy is quite severe. The crystals have spread to her shoulder, there's no need for you to look after her yourself.
Venezia Sr.
I've taken my precautions. Besides, she got infected because of me. Ingrid, you've been silent on this.
Venezia Sr.
Lisa's an innocent girl. She doesn't know how bad things are outside, but she can instinctively pick up the tension in the house.
Venezia Sr.
When you went to rescue Antonio, she wanted to stay with me so you could worry less.
Ingrid
...
Ingrid
The people from Rhodes Island are here.
Venezia Sr.
So you already found a place better for her.
Venezia Sr.
The famiglia can find the best Oripathy doctor for Lisa. You didn't have to contact that Rhodes Island company behind my back.
Venezia Sr.
Ingrid, there's no need for you two to leave.
Ingrid
Signora Sicilia will visit Terni herself tomorrow. The Tancredis and the Venezias will have no choice but to sit at the negotiation table.
Ingrid
You need to wipe my name off the famiglia records by then. Insist I was expelled, like how the Tancredis refused even at the brink of death to acknowledge they planned your assassination.
Ingrid
I remember discussing this before.
Venezia Sr.
Indeed.
Ingrid
I'm sorry, Don Venezia. The famiglia crest, take it back.
Venezia Sr.
No, Ingrid. Keep it.
Venezia Sr.
I have approved of you taking revenge for Lisa. I am fond of her. Why else do you think no one from the famiglia has stopped you these past two weeks?
This emblem has been a blessing from you, but also a shackle for me.
Ingrid
...
Venezia Sr.
How is she doing on Rhodes Island?
Ingrid
She's considered an employee now. A few years ago, she even went to Leithanien and helped them investigate an incident about missing Infected.
Ingrid
She even kept it a secret from me and never mentioned it in her letters. I talked to her friends when I went to see her, and they were all saying how well she did on that mission.
Venezia Sr.
I miss Lisa so much.
Ingrid
If she's willing to come back, I won't stop her... You know I'm not here to reminisce about old times.
Ingrid
Perhaps you had many plans for me when you insisted I keep the famiglia emblem—
Ingrid glances at Antonio standing silently on the side.
Antonio
Keep it, Ingrid. Papa was telling me how we could all visit Montelupe together after Carnevale is over.
Ingrid
Hm?
Venezia Sr.
Anton, it's too early for that.
Antonio
Didn't you say Signora Sicilia might relent?
Venezia Sr.
...
Antonio
She used to loathe Carnevale, and now it's back in Siracusa with a brand new look. Compared to that, Ingrid's violations are not even worth mentioning.
Antonio
I mean, it's been six years. Famiglia Tancredi today is no longer worthy of Signora Sicilia's concern.
Antonio
In these six years, I used the single vehicle factory I held onto and ate up all of their businesses in Terni.
Antonio
Signora Sicilia values results. So I showed her.
Venezia Sr.
Is that how you see it, Anton?
Antonio
Yes, papa.
Ingrid
Antonio's done very well by your side. The family no longer needs me here.
Venezia Sr.
Anton... After Bella's passing, I could feel him becoming wary of me.
Antonio
...
Venezia Sr.
How much value did he have as a son-in-law after Bellas's death? That's probably what he was thinking at the time, and how he got himself so busy after.
Antonio
Papa, I—
Venezia Sr.
I don't want to give you too much pressure. We already have enough territory, even in this newly-built Nuova Volsinii.
Venezia Sr.
You've done very well, Anton.
Venezia Sr.
Seeing Ingrid leave and Bella die... what I truly care about is the few 'family' I have left... After all, I am an old man.
Venezia Sr.
I don't want to lose any of you anymore.
Antonio
...
Ingrid
...
Ingrid looks at the old man whose hair has turned entirely gray, and does not say anything else.
She puts the crest on the table.
Antonio
Ingrid, you heard what he said. At least for now—
Ingrid turns and leaves before Antonio can even finish.
There's never been much I could do for you, besides killing.
Ingrid
But even the best killer is still just a killer, not 'Venezia Junior'. Antonio fits that role better than I can, so my departure isn't such a big loss.
Ingrid
You must have realized it in the past six years. Deep inside you're disappointed with me.
Venezia Sr.
...
Ingrid
But wasn't I disappointed too, when I failed to find out the truth about her injury?
Ingrid
Oripathy is incurable. You know better than anyone else why I came back to Siracusa.
Ingrid
I intend to find the culprit I couldn't track down six years ago... and end his life. That's the only thing I want to do.
Venezia Sr.
But you know what it means to abandon the emblem and leave.
Ingrid
Yes. We might end up as oppositions.
Venezia Sr.
...
Ingrid
I can't guarantee that I won't harm any of the Venezias.
Ingrid
Even so, I'll make things decent, for your sake. This is the only thing I can promise you.
Antonio
Papa, I can try and talk to her more...
Venezia Sr.
No.
The old man runs his fingers over the famiglia crest, and puts it in his chest pocket.
Venezia Sr.
We all know what kind of person she is.
Venezia Sr.
She's not easily swayed when she's set on something. I'll keep this emblem for now. When she comes to her senses, I'll return it to her.
Antonio
...
Venezia Sr.
Keep a low profile for now; consider it keeping me company at home.
Antonio
But the company...
Venezia Sr.
Do you not trust the subordinates you hired yourself?
Antonio
I understand.
Venezia Sr.
I may not interfere with your work here in the city, but it doesn't mean I'm in the dark.
Venezia Sr.
Umberto de Montano is an old friend of mine, and he has always acted with decency. So leave them be.
Antonio
Yes, papa.
Venezia Sr.
I heard that Ingrid asked you about how Lisa got hurt. Did you find out the truth?
Antonio
Just some clues. So much time has passed, after all.
Venezia Sr.
Is that so? Anton, there are some matters you can judge on your own to be right or wrong...
Venezia Sr.
But when it involves the famiglia's reputation, think carefully before you act.
