Gallyman Hunt (1)
The hotel restaurant, reached after descending several floors in the elevator from the top level. Elegant opera music played in the background. A luxurious chandelier hung from the ceiling, proudly displaying its brilliance, while between the walls draped in red curtains stood golden statues or paintings that perfectly matched the restaurant's refined atmosphere.
"This way."
I led Elena and Felicia to my usual table. On the white tablecloth sat a vase of flowers and several spice jars nearby. The moment we appeared, two waiters hurried over and asked about our orders.
"The usual cod fillet and veal cheeks in red wine sauce."
"Same for me."
"...I'll have the same."
Once I'd placed my order, both Felicia and Elena followed suit and ordered the exact same thing. I wasn't sure about Felicia, but Elena clearly hated the idea of losing to her in any way.
"You two sure about that?"
When they both quickly answered that they were, I had nothing left to say. Still, for the sake of variety, I decided to order a few more dishes.
"Add the sea bream baked in salt and the Hevilly-style prime rib steak as well."
"Yes, understood."
While the two waiters went to relay our order to the kitchen, I observed the people with me. Felicia was watching me, I was watching Elena, and Elena was watching Felicia in turn. It was a very strange sight.
Suddenly, a thought occurred to me. In the world I originally came from, I would never have been able to enjoy any of this. Much less share it with two such beautiful women.
While I was lost in those carefree thoughts, Elena was feeling incredibly complicated. After so long, her relationship with me had finally been making real progress. The distance between us had been closing at a pace incomparable to before! Yet this woman was about to ruin everything.
I tried my best to pay attention to Elena, but every time I showed consideration or reacted to Felicia, a corner of her heart ached.
"Elena, are you okay?"
"Huh? Oh, I'm fine. If only that uninvited guest weren't here."
Felicia paid no mind to Elena's reaction and pulled her chair closer, trying to lean against me.
"Isn't this a bit much? I'm his wife now too, you know."
"Don't get any ideas. It's just a political marriage."
"Isn't that the same for both of us?"
Felicia's words left Elena with plenty she wanted to say, but she held back. How had a simple dinner with me turned into this?
"Felicia, that's enough."
"Fine."
Felicia obediently backed down at my command. Even Elena could tell at a glance how completely smitten she was with me. That was probably why she was willing to go to such ridiculous lengths just to stay by my side.
"Besides, didn't you used to hate Luke, Elena?"
"Why don't you shut your mouth?"
Elena snapped without thinking.
"Elena, calm down."
"I'm perfectly calm."
Elena hated every part of the current situation. The way Felicia kept provoking her, the way I was trying to mediate—it all irritated her to no end.
"By the way, who's going to handle things on your side?"
"What do you mean?"
"The Gallyman thing."
"Ah, Manfredi and Luca will take care of it. What about you?"
The Gallyman were the largest among the minor factions situated between our Fellini Family and the Marinelli Family. They were originally a group of reptilian humans who lived on the city's outskirts, but somehow they'd managed to slip into the chaos and establish themselves here. They were closer to a street gang than proper mafia.
"Giovanni and Sarina."
"Sorry, I don't really remember the names of the wolves."
"Giovanni's the sleazy-looking guy, and Sarina is the woman who's always dying to kill you."
"Ah."
At Elena's description, Felicia finally seemed to remember who they were.
"Well, that woman seems to hate you too, anyway."
What Felicia said was true. Sarina hated every woman around me. Not to mention Elena had taken the Academy, which had originally been my territory.
"Watch your mouth, you whore."
"Elena."
I knew things would turn out like this the moment Felicia started needling Elena. The first to react to the words that flew from Elena's mouth was me. At that very moment, more of those strange phrases appeared around us, but I was in no position to pay them any attention.
"I'm not apologizing to that woman."
"That's right. You don't have to apologize. It's the truth."
"What?"
When Felicia readily agreed, Elena looked genuinely flustered instead.
"Of course, he'd only ever belong to Luke."
"...."
It seemed Felicia had no intention of yielding even a single word. Besides, Elena and I had never even been intimate. Compared to that, Felicia had...
Was that why? Even though Elena had been the one to throw the insult, her face flushed bright red as if she'd suffered a terrible humiliation.
"Elena."
I grabbed her hand and made her drink the cold water on the table to calm her down.
"...."
"Ah, here comes the food."
Right on cue, the dishes we'd ordered began to arrive. Cod fillet served with olives, chickpeas, fresh cherries, and tomato sauce. Veal cheeks braised in red wine, accompanied by mashed potatoes and various green vegetables. Then came the appetizingly browned sea bream baked in salt, followed by the Hevilly-style prime rib steak served over crushed potatoes beneath it.
The first two dishes were portioned for three people. The latter two were served only for one.
"Elena, Felicia. Let's eat for now."
"...."
Felicia obediently followed my suggestion, while Elena glared at her for a moment before finally relenting.
"It's not bad, actually."
"It might fall short compared to Dragon Hill, though."
"No, it's not necessarily like that."
What Felicia had called "not bad" were the sea bream and the rib steak. The other two dishes were ones she'd eaten often while secretly meeting with me. Meanwhile, as Felicia and I chatted, Elena was violently cutting into her food beside us. If I hadn't been there, she probably would have stabbed Felicia with that knife right then and there.
"You've really changed a lot, Elena."
"Felicia."
"...What?"
I thought things had finally settled down, but Felicia spoke to Elena again. I quickly tried to intervene, but Elena asked as if it were fine.
"You used to be so desperate to devour Luke back then."
"Can we stop talking about the past?"
Elena spoke as if she wanted nothing more to do with it. Then she showed off the ring on her left ring finger.
"No matter what you say, Luke and I are husband and wife."
"...."
When Elena proudly thrust out her wedding ring, even Felicia seemed at a loss for words this time.
"Elena, Felicia. That's enough now."
"Okay."
They answered almost simultaneously.
After that, we continued our meal while talking about various things. That Felicia's room was one of the other suites on the top floor. That we'd bring her luggage over soon. And, naturally, that the cold dishes would be served later.
Before the evening grew too late, we finished eating and returned to the top floor.
Ding dong—!
The moment we stepped out of the elevator, I told Elena I'd take Felicia to see the room she'd be staying in for a bit.
"Luke, don't take too long."
"I won't. Don't worry."
After sending Elena off alone, I entered the suite Felicia would be using with her.
"...My wish has finally come true."
"How do you feel?"
"Obviously? It's the best!"
Felicia hugged me tightly, her long tail thumping against my thigh.
"By the way, Elena really has changed a lot."
"You're bringing that up again?"
"No, I'm serious. If anything, the one who benefited most from this marriage might be you, Luke."
"...Well, maybe."
What Felicia meant by my benefit was simple. Felicia's presence acted as a kind of stimulus for Elena. Now that a rival had appeared, it was only natural that she'd pay more attention to me and love me even more. I, who had once chosen the moon to avoid the sun, had ended up loved by both.
"Really. That side of you is so cute."
"Felicia, there's something I want to ask you."
"What is it?"
"The ones who targeted my father. You know about them, right?"
"...."
When I brought up such a heavy topic, Felicia hesitated for a moment before taking my hand and leading me further into the room.
"Rita Carmen. The offer came from her side. To be precise, it was made to my father, not me."
"...."
At least it was clear that one of the Five Families was involved. Felicia said she had naturally refused the offer, especially since that woman had been the one to get her father addicted to Blue Eyes.
"You don't know if any other families were involved?"
"No. Since I refused, they wouldn't have told me. Even if I'd accepted, that woman isn't the type to share information easily."
"I'll trust you."
"...Thank you."
Felicia seemed more moved by those words than anything else I'd said. She was dressed extravagantly, but the exhaustion on her face was obvious. Even so, she was worried about me.
"Luke, what happened to your ear?"
"There was some trouble. With my father gone, some people are starting to show their teeth."
I didn't go into detail. There was no point in telling her the wound had come from dealing with the Wylies Corner on my way back. Of course, Felicia couldn't tear her eyes away from the bandage wrapped around my ear.
"Felicia, you should get some rest for now."
"Yeah. I haven't been sleeping well lately anyway."
I'd confirmed what I wanted to know, and I needed to tell Elena about it as soon as possible. After watching Felicia lie down on the bed, I kissed her forehead. She returned the gesture by kissing my cheek.
After leaving her suite, I returned to the room I shared with Elena.
"...."
"Don't look at me like that, Elena."
"You're later than I expected."
She was dressed much more comfortably than before, staring at me with narrowed eyes. I couldn't tell if she was trying to seduce me or suspect me. I wished she'd pick one.
"I had some questions for Felicia."
"About what?"
"The ones who killed my father. I found out which of the Five Families approached the Marinelli side."
"...Who?"
"Rita Carmen."
The Marinelli Family had received an offer from that witch but refused it. Afterward, they had informed us of my father's crisis through Felicia. When I explained this, Elena seemed to be turning something over in her mind.
"They don't know if any other families are involved?"
"She says they refused the offer, so they weren't told that much."
I also added that Rita Carmen was the one responsible for getting Vito Marinelli addicted to Blue Eyes.
"At least we know who the enemy is now."
"And who our ally is."
Elena and I spoke from completely opposite perspectives.
"Luke, do you trust that woman?"
"...At least for now."
I wondered what Elena was thinking as she listened to my answer.
"Alright. Then I'll trust her too."
It was a reaction the old her could never have imagined. Just as Felicia had said, her presence was gradually changing Elena.
"Thank you, Elena."
I kissed my little sister's face. With the same lips that had just kissed Felicia's forehead moments ago.
"...."
Of course, Elena—who had no way of knowing that—blushed deeply.
"Don't get the wrong idea. It's not like I completely trust her. Just for now."
"I know."
The way she repeated what I'd added was rather adorable. I wished my father could have seen the two of us like this.
"Oh, Elena. I think it's better if I handle the Gallyman myself."
"You don't need to. Giovanni and Sarina should be more than enough."
"The sooner we finish this, the better. Once the Gallyman are dealt with, next is the Academy."
"...What about your ear? It's not even fully healed yet. Will you be alright?"
Elena looked at my ear just as Felicia had earlier.
"This much is fine. It's not like I'll be fighting with my ears."
No matter how long an elf's ears were, that would be impossible. At my casual remark, Elena let out a small laugh.
"Fine. But don't forget to crush them with maximum firepower. And there's no need for you or the other wolves to take any risks."
Wolves armed with submachine guns and sniper rifles, along with the port organization's men. If necessary, we'd also mobilize the subordinates of the other caporegimes. On top of that, the Marinelli Family soldiers led by Manfredi and Luca. It was far too overwhelming a force for a mere minor gang to withstand.
Elena and I talked without rest until we fell asleep. The way she refused to move even an inch away from me on the bed... was incredibly unfamiliar.