How Lilies turn Black Chapter 20 - Silvano Giacone (5)

Theodoro entered the bar as usual, accompanied by his assistant, Paul.

 

Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted a middle-aged man with graying hair, and his dark eyes lit up. 

 

Without pausing, Theodoro turned and walked toward him.

 

The air seemed unusually calm, and the man sitting alone, sipping his drink, slowly turned his head. 

 

His calm eyes focused on Theodoro, and a few strands of hair caught at the corners of his eyes.

 

“Theo.”

 

Theodoro smiles at the friendly nickname.

 

“What brings you here?”

 

“It’s been a while, and you should be more welcoming. Pity the old man.”

 

Theodoro grimaced and shook his head, as if such things were not his specialty after all.

 

Still, the surrounding aura was somehow light and relaxed. Perhaps no one in the organization had ever seen Theodoro so unhinged.

 

“You should have stopped by more often.”

 

To whom the arrogant man, honors. Who he exchanges greetings with so casually.

 

It was Vincent del Piero, an old friend of Theodoro’s father, Vittorio, and the second generation of the family’s consigliere (advisor).

 

“I’ve been busy with the lawyer’s appointment. I just wanted to pop in and see you. How’s everything going? I heard Antonio broke up with you the other day.”

 

“Nothing major, nothing you need to worry about.”

 

Vincent nodded slowly. It was a somewhat impassive answer, but he didn’t seem to mind, because he knew it was sincere for Theodoro.

 

“I suppose so, then. He’s been in quite a bit of trouble lately, even if it’s not your business.”

 

“I take it the Westlands are in trouble again?”

 

The Demercy West Peal, which Antonio had taken control of by force. 

 

A place where there was no breeze, and where the relentless resistance of the uprooted goth gangs had left them without a home.

 

“If it’s easy to forget, so be it, but this time your brother has joined in the fray, so push the fuss away.”

 

Theodoro looked at him with a questioning expression.

 

“Well, it’s a good plan. Luciano won’t be around forever, and you’ll have to think about what you’re going to do when he does.”

 

The furtive voice dropped even lower. Theodoro stared down at the floor for a moment, listening to the man’s admonition. He didn’t know what he was thinking.

 

Vincent looked as if he wanted to say something more, but his eyes were complex and he remained silent. 

 

He decided it was better to put the headache on hold. The conversation quickly moved on.

 

“By the way.”

 

He glanced around the bar and tilted his head.

 

“I hear a young lady singing, but I can’t see her, and I’ve been meaning to check her out tonight.”

 

“Huh?”

 

Paul, who had been quietly watching, interrupted with a short question, though he quickly backed away with a bow, realizing the rudeness of it.

 

“I’m sorry, but…”

 

He glanced around the bar questioningly. Though he didn’t ask, it was clear that he was puzzled by Lilia’s absence.

 

Combined with Vincent’s curious look, Theodoro sighed and let the answer slip.

 

“I don’t think we will ever see her here again. I wish she could have come yesterday. It’s a shame, because her singing was lovely.”

 

“Well?”

 

“What? Is there something wrong with Miss Moretti…?”

 

Theodoro would have preferred to stop his troublesome explanation at that point, but the reaction of the two men made it impossible.

 

He briefly recounted his conversation with her yesterday evening. Liliana Moretti had traveled to 

 

North Wellington on her initiative to oppose the forces of Antonio, and to use Silvano Giacone as a means of doing so.

 

The two men who heard the story expressed their dismay with contrasting reactions.

 

The dignified older gentleman rubbed his chin with a short exclamation of ‘Oh, that’… and Paul, who had been sipping his drink, spewed the liquid in his mouth onto the floor.

 

“You mean to tell me you let that happen!”

 

Theodoro glared at the impurity that threatened to spill onto his pants.

 

“It’s enough that I warned her repeatedly that it was dangerous. Should I have grabbed her by the thighs and shot my load?”

 

“Not really… but you know better than that, Theodoro… She wouldn’t make it back alive.”

 

“Good.”

 

Vincent, who hadn’t said much the whole time, chimed in, and Paul looked up at him as if he hadn’t expected him to say that, and Theodoro wiggled his eyebrows once.

 

“It’s a good thing you did. She’s a young lady who has no clue. I’m not defending Antonio, but the one-night stand is a bit too much.”

 

“…”

 

“You handled it without any hassle on our end.”

 

The cold, heartless remark made Paul turn white. But Theodoro didn’t offer any retort, and Paul knew what that meant.

 

His hand trembled slightly as he gripped the cloth napkin, and Theodoro clicked his tongue in warning.

 

“Paul, you’ve been living with her as a tenant, commuting to and from work with her. I don’t know if you’ve developed a relationship with her, but don’t feel sorry for her.”

 

“…Yes.”

 

The answer came back reluctantly. The table fell silent again.

 

Vincent crossed his legs nonchalantly, even as he uttered his murderous words. After a long moment, he stopped moving.

 

“Maybe I’m wrong.”

 

The remaining two eyes focused on him, and Vincent spoke in a calm tone that lacked any particular emotion.

 

“Maybe she’ll come back in one piece. After all, she was allowed to sing here, in the place you hold so dear, and not elsewhere… and she went into Antonio’s den and came out unscathed, didn’t she?”

 

Was this the same man who had raised his hand in Lilia’s defense only minutes ago? He was looking at the woman with surprisingly unbiased eyes, assessing her.

 

None of it would have been possible with the help of others, or even luck if she’d been a stupid woman who couldn’t say a word.

 

Perhaps that was the only rational thought Vincent could have had because he was the perfect other, the perfect third party to what had happened.

 

Perhaps that’s why Theodoro and Paul both echoed the words, unable to let them go.

 

Vincent looked around at them with an unreadable smile.

 

“We’ll see what happens.”

 

“…”

 

“Whether it’s going to be something worth caring about or not.”

 

✨

 

Meanwhile, in North Wellington at that time…

 

“Ugh!!!”

 

Lilia let out a short scream as she tripped over her own feet while stumbling backward. She shuddered, unable to stand up.

 

The touch on her shoulder was no mistake. It was definitely warm and belonged to a human.

 

‘Where is he?’ 

 

She looked around, but there was nothing but pitch darkness. She couldn’t see where the exit was, or where the stranger was watching her.

 

Unease washed over her shadowed face.

 

Ting!

 

There was a clear sound, and a small fire erupted in front of her eyes. Her vision snapped open and a man with a cigarette lighter stood in front of her.

 

“Who do you think this is?”

 

“Ack!”

 

Her voice came out in a loud, guttural exclamation. The man’s hand came up to her cowering body, clutching her head.

 

“Whoa, whoa. I was the one who was startled, what if you’re more so?”

 

Her heart pounded in her chest, unable to be calmed by the gentle tap on her shoulder. Lilia glanced uneasily around the dimly lit room and at the man.

 

“Are, are you Mr. Giacone?”

 

“Uhm…?”

 

The man’s eyes narrowed, forming an arc.

 

“I thought I asked you who you were first.”

 

A ticklish smirk and a terse reply. The saliva drained from my mouth.

 

What should I say? He wouldn’t understand if I said his name.

 

It would be ridiculous to ramble on about my purpose for coming here in response to such a simple question.

 

Lilia pursed her lips for a moment, and the short-tempered man’s mouth twisted into a sneer, and then, without waiting any longer, he jumped to his feet.

 

Tap. Tap—

 

His footsteps quickly moved away. The small flame of the lighter followed him, plunging him into darkness.

 

‘…What is it, should I follow him?’

 

The terror that had made her palms sweat had quickly dissipated, and Lilia stood up, staggering with embarrassment. And then.

 

Pop!

 

A bright burst of light erupted from the high ceiling, the incandescent bulbs creaking precariously as they flickered to life. 

 

Lilia rolled her eyes at the unexpected sight.

 

“Ugh…”

 

Through her narrowed eyes, she saw a black silhouette. 

 

The man who had shoved the lighter in her face seconds ago was now standing against the wall in the distance.

 

He glanced up at the light to make sure it didn’t hurt his eyes, and then called out in Lilia’s direction.

 

“Are you going to stay there?”

 

“…What?”

 

“You can’t talk to me on the ground with the lights off.”

 

Right, fair enough.

 

But the change in demeanor and hospitality was as abrupt as the flip of a palm, so Lilia hesitated for a moment, then began to stumble.

 

The corners of the man’s mouth twitched like a snake’s tail.

 

‘Hmm?’

 

There was no time to double-check to make sure she hadn’t misread him in the dull light. She narrowed her eyes, but the strange smile was gone, and he was waiting for her with the same bored expression as before.

 

‘What, a creep…’

 

With the tip of his chin, he gestured lazily to an office on the second floor.

 

“Come up here.”