This Is Just Business
The Hevilly Eastern District Courthouse was in the middle of a heated legal battle. The defendant was an ordinary laborer—a truck driver who hauled cargo at the port. He stood accused of intercepting goods belonging to a specific company.
"Your Honor! As you well know, according to the union's collective bargaining agreement, a truck driver can only be fired for specific offenses."
"And what are those offenses?" The judge wasn't actually asking because he didn't know. It was merely a question meant to help the spectators understand.
"They relate to the driver's general work attitude. Failure to observe working hours! Drinking during working hours! Acts of violence during working hours! Violating traffic regulations while transporting cargo!"
The defense attorney declared it all in a booming voice that echoed throughout the courtroom. "Nowhere in the collective bargaining agreement is there any mention of theft. Furthermore, the company has failed to prove that the defendant committed any such act. Yet the reason they've brought charges against him is simple! If this were truly a matter of right and wrong, they would have simply fired him. The fact that they didn't is precisely why we're here today!"
The attorney behaved as if he were some renowned orator. Unrestrained gestures, an emotional tone, and eyes bloodshot with fervor.
"They're harassing the defendant in order to uncover a nonexistent, imaginary accomplice! But what can they do about it? Since nothing was stolen, there can't be an accomplice!"
The attorney shrugged dramatically with both arms spread wide.
"Let me repeat: the defendant is a diligent worker who has served for over ten years without ever taking a single sick day! A model employee! A model colleague! And a model family man!"
His perfect rhyme sent a visible shiver through the defendant's coworkers seated in the gallery.
"Of course, he did violate one rule."
The defendant looked visibly alarmed at his lawyer's words. His reaction made it clear this hadn't been rehearsed beforehand. The company side seemed confused about what was happening, but the attorney was no fool.
"The union rules themselves! According to union regulations, a truck driver's job is strictly transportation. They explicitly state that drivers should not assist in unloading the cargo they've transported! Yet the defendant, even on the coldest winter days, personally helped unload the goods he had delivered."
With that, the defense attorney's closing argument came to an end. The prosecutor's closing statement began, but it seemed unlikely to overcome the defense attorney's powerful final plea and the undeniable truth of the defendant's exemplary work ethic.
In the end, everyone in the courtroom could only wait for the judge's ruling.
The presiding judge was a member of a rare heteromorphic race in this city—and this country. Ironically, the defendant himself was human. The sight of a heteromorph passing judgment on a human was an incredibly unfamiliar scene. It felt as if the natural order of the world had been flipped upside down.
"This case will be dismissed with a warning."
"Yes, Your Honor!"
"No, that wasn't directed at the defense. It was for the plaintiff! If you drag another worker into this court without proper evidence and attempt to intimidate them again, I will be truly disappointed!"
The judge issued a stern warning directly to the plaintiff company.
"If I held any shares in your company, I would have sold them all long ago."
Even in the face of the judge's rather excessive remarks, the company representatives could do nothing. They had failed to prove their case, while the defense attorney had successfully protected his client. That difference had created the current outcome.
With the trial concluded, the gallery instantly erupted into noise. The defendant's coworkers celebrated their colleague's victory as if it were their own. Other spectators, moved by their human display of solidarity, showered the defendant with warm support and encouragement while hurling criticism and curses at the plaintiff.
"Thank you, Mr. Salmo."
"Not at all. On the contrary, many people will be grateful for your loyalty."
Anthony Salmo, the Consigliere of the Fellini Family, spoke in a very low whisper—completely different from the booming voice he'd used while defending the defendant. Once again, he had secured a victory by defending a family associate who had conspired with the Fellini Family in criminal activity.
"Tell the young lady and Mr. Luke that we won this one too."
Salmo lit a cigarette and gave the order to his subordinate as he placed it between his lips.
"Huu..."
The taste of a cigarette smoked to celebrate a courtroom victory. Even if he were to devour a god, it probably wouldn't feel this euphoric. At least, that was what Salmo believed.
When Salmo's victory report reached us, we were on the top floor in Elena's luxurious suite, surrounded by an enormous number of money bags.
"...The Financial King really is something else," Elena muttered, still seeming unable to believe it. Felicia and I felt the same way.
"Boss, this is the last of it!" Carso called out.
Even as he spoke, Carso, Giovanni, and the wolves under their command were still hauling more money bags into the suite.
"Good work!" I shouted loudly, mindful of the distance between me and the wolves, since so many money bags now filled the space between us.
"We won the trial and received the money from Hagen. Now all that's left is to prepare to receive the drugs."
"Ah, young lady. Boss. There's something I need to report," said Carso, who had personally brought the money prepared by Hagen from the scene.
"It seems the rat bastards saw us moving the money."
When Carso said "rat bastards," he wasn't referring to traitors or informants. He literally meant the rat people who lived in this city. The rat people. They knew their place well enough to live among the beggars and thieves in the city's sewers. Their numbers, however, were so vast that no one could do anything about them. If I had to compare it to something from the world I came from... it would be the beggars' organization from martial arts novels—the Beggar Sect. In this case, their entire race functioned as one giant Beggar Sect. Since they existed everywhere, they traded the information they saw and heard in the crudest possible ways. No doubt the news that we had obtained an enormous sum of money would reach Rita Carmen's ears as well.
"Boss, I'm sorry."
"It's fine. Avoiding those guys in this city is nearly impossible anyway."
It was unfortunate that information about us had been exposed, but scolding Carso wouldn't change anything. At that moment, something suddenly emerged from between the money bags, grabbed one of them, and made a run for the suite's entrance.
"...What the hell is that?!"
Elena was utterly horrified once she identified the creature that had suddenly appeared. And for good reason—it was a silkworm moth larger than a human face.
"Hev! Don't do that!"
Felicia chased after Hev, who was fleeing with the money bag, heading for the entrance. Naturally, the two of them ended up out in the hallway.
"Where does she get off pulling such an obvious stunt..."
It was clearly a clumsy performance. Given Felicia's personality, I figured it was just a prank, but Elena seemed to think differently.
"Luke, go to that woman's room right now and retrieve the bag."
"Elena, with this many bags, can't we just let her have one—"
"Luke. That's a boss order. Now."
"...Understood."
Elena would do this sometimes. Especially when I tried to take Felicia's side, she would immediately invoke her authority as boss. As the Underboss, I had no choice unless it was a truly special situation.
I made my way through the countless money bags toward Felicia's suite.
"Felicia, where's the money bag?"
"Hmm, Hev took it, so I'm not really sure."
"Felicia, don't be like this."
"Why? Did Elena tell you to get it back no matter what?"
"Yeah. She called it a boss order."
When I made an exaggerated gesture with both hands, Felicia burst into laughter.
"Of course she did."
She reluctantly handed over the money bag she had taken.
"Luke, don't you think you should have been the boss instead of Elena?"
"Felicia. I've told you not to say things like that."
Felicia's eyes were honest. It meant she truly believed what she was saying.
"It was Father's decision. And Elena is my little sister."
"...."
When I spoke with a hint of sadness in response to her reaction, Felicia suddenly kissed me, as if in apology.
"Luke, I knew you'd answer that way."
She said that even though she might appear cold on the outside, my dedication to family and overflowing loyalty as the "little wolf" was exactly why she loved me. As expected. She had clearly brought up the whole "boss" thing just to say this to me.
I kissed her once more before returning to Elena's suite.
With that, all preparations to welcome our friends were complete.
It was Saturday—the day before Sunday, the one day this week that Elena had claimed me exclusively in exchange for supplying drugs to the Marinelli Family.
A ship that had departed from Tirenia across the sea finally appeared, arriving in Hevilly. The most important people on that ship were Kazin, the person in charge, and... his successor, Haremo. Haremo was Kazin's replacement. Although he wouldn't take over immediately, he would gradually assume Kazin's role.
The port now belonged to Elena's territory, but since I had been handling this all along, it was decided that I would be the one to receive the drugs from Kazin.
As I stood on the dock, feeling the night sea breeze while watching the ship moor, Kazin and his subordinates soon disembarked.
"Wolf!"
There was a subtle change in the way Kazin addressed me. No longer "little wolf," but simply "wolf." With the original Wolf, Vito Fellini, gone, he now called me by my father's nickname as if I had inherited it.
"Kazin."
I called his name, and those around us naturally stepped back. They had no right to speak in the conversation we were about to have. Of course, they kept a slight distance, and Haremo was clearly focusing on our exchange.
"Kazin, is the quantity the same as last time?"
"Yeah, same as last time. Same goods, same quantity."
"Good."
"But there's one thing that's different."
"...What is it?"
"This time, I can't hand all of it over to you."
"...."
"Of course, it's conditional. The boss has recognized that the situation in this city has changed."
"Explain in more detail."
"Wait, you're speaking too casually to the boss..."
"Shut your mouth, Haremo."
When Haremo tried to interrupt, Kazin silenced him immediately.
"...."
"I'm sorry it's come to this. But business is business—what can we do?"
As Kazin spoke, he couldn't quite meet my eyes. Kazin was honest in both his words and actions. At the very least, it was clear he felt sorry toward me.
"The boss said you must meet with the other five families and hear their conditions as well."
"Did I hear that wrong? It sounds like you're saying there's a port where they can receive the goods."
"Luke, just a moment."
I could have killed Kazin and his subordinates right then and thrown them into the sea. Or I could have mobilized the coast guard to ensure they never set foot in this city again. But I refrained because there was nothing to gain from it in terms of business.
"For now, we can hand over half of the drugs we've brought directly to you. As for the remaining half, we'll check the conditions offered by the five families first... and if they don't suit our taste, we'll give them to you."
Kazin explained that, from his organization's standpoint, they needed to verify the conditions the five families were offering.
"It's a waste of time. Do you really think they'll offer better terms than us?"
"Luke. I respect you, but I still need to confirm what their conditions are. There's such a thing as minimum procedure."
Right. A procedure that had suddenly appeared out of nowhere. Of course, it was obvious that the five families couldn't take any drugs from this port without our permission. There was also a high chance they wouldn't aggressively present any conditions.
After running through various calculations, I reluctantly agreed to Kazin's words. He expressed his gratitude to me several times before immediately heading off, right after disembarking, to visit the five families of the city. From the direction he took, it looked like he was heading to the Marinelli Family first.
Watching him go, it was clear that Kazin's boss didn't fully understand the current situation in this city. The Marinelli Family was currently cooperating with us through a political marriage. On top of that, they were receiving a large supply of drugs through us. There was no reason for them to deliberately seek direct supply from Kazin's organization and risk creating friction with us.
Anyway, thanks to Kazin's actions, it seemed the bosses of the five families would soon gather in one place. The one leading this movement was Eddie Sanchez, the boss of the Sanchez Family. The remnant of the old days that my father had ended by tearing out their throats. The powerful organization made up of the five families—the Committee—was about to be reorganized. Of course, compared to its former glorious days, it would be in a truly pathetic state.