The Sinner's Prayer
The air reeked of damp rot. Sticky, half-dried blood clung to the soles of his shoes. Unbothered, Tezman strode forward with his long legs.
“S-save me… please.”
Five or six men knelt naked on the ground. Their wrists were bound with cable ties, and the way they trembled made it a miracle they were still breathing. Tattered. That was the perfect word for them. Knife wounds gaped open, pouring blood, and none of them could even open their eyes properly as they mumbled desperate pleas for mercy.
With an expressionless face, Tezman approached them and spoke in a quiet voice.
“God.”
At the word God that left his lips, every face in the room twisted with shock. What followed only made them question his sanity even more.
“Forgive me.”
A hand clad in a black glove reached into its holster and drew something out. It was a sleek silver revolver. The weapon looked more like a work of art, and it suited him perfectly.
“Our sister told me to repent if I ever did something bad.”
“Fuck! Please, spare me… I was just following orders…!”
Tezman pressed the muzzle against the man’s forehead and pulled the trigger without hesitation. The cylinder spun with a mechanical click, followed by a deafening gunshot.
Bang—
“Ah. I was supposed to say it after shooting.”
He stared down at the man collapsed at his feet with emotionless eyes, then handed the revolver backward. The man standing behind him took it without a word.
His name was Duhan. Just like his decadent, seductive face, his personality was equally sharp and volatile. Accepting the revolver, Duhan stepped beside Tezman and asked with a sly grin.
“Hearing the word God from Tezman’s mouth… doesn’t it give everyone goosebumps strong enough to kill them?”
Bang—! Another gunshot rang out, and another man crumpled to the ground.
“I don’t believe in any god. I only believe in our sister.”
“Our… sister?”
At the mention of a nun, Duhan slowly rolled his eyes. He had been thrilled when he first heard that Tezman had finally taken an interest in a woman—only to find out she was an Asian nun. Of all things, an Asian nun.
Duhan wasn’t exactly pleased, but he knew he should be grateful that his boss had developed any interest in a woman at all. As long as the interest lasted, swapping her out for someone else wouldn’t be difficult.
Gunshots rang out in rapid succession. After the last kneeling man let out a short, sharp scream, Tezman turned away. Cact, who had been waiting in front of a black sedan, quietly opened the rear door the moment he saw him.
“Leroi will be arriving soon. Will you not wait to see him?”
At Cact’s question, Tezman gave a small nod.
“Tell him to come to the estate tomorrow.”
“Understood.”
The car carrying Tezman began to move slowly. Three more black sedans followed closely behind.
“That nun… is she the woman we saw at the cathedral?”
Duhan, who had appeared beside Cact at some point, frowned deeply.
“If I’d known this would happen, I would’ve taken a good look at her face back then. Tsk.”
Both Cact and Leroi possessed immense loyalty toward Tezman, but neither could match Duhan. Born and abandoned in the red-light district, Duhan had survived day by day through pickpocketing. Sometimes he was beaten for it. That day had been one of those times. He had made the mistake of reaching into the wallet of a pimp who managed the prostitutes and had been beaten nearly to death. As he lay there, gasping for breath, the person who extended a hand to him was Tezman.
To Duhan, Tezman was a god. He was his entire world and his reason for living.
“An Asian woman, of all people.”
Duhan let out a hollow laugh, as if the idea was absurd. He knew that Tezman’s biological mother had Asian blood. He also knew that the Pavard Family disliked Asians because of her.
That was exactly why Tezman should never get involved with that nun. After all, Tezman was going to become the next head of the Pavard Family.
“If she’s a nun, she should just stay quietly shut up in the cathedral…”
Cact quietly called out to Duhan, who was staring into empty space with cold eyes.
“Duhan. It would be best if you didn’t do anything unnecessary.”
“What? What do you mean by unnecessary?”
“Anything Tezman wouldn’t want, for example.”
It was a clear warning. Duhan understood the true meaning behind those words perfectly. Even so, he couldn’t stop himself.
“Cact, have you gone soft now that you’re getting older?”
Duhan pulled a cigarette from the inner pocket of his jacket, lit it, and let out another hollow laugh.
“We have the same goal. We need to make sure Tezman rises even higher. That means placing a woman beside him who is worthy of him. For example, the youngest daughter of the prime minister who used to chase after him because she was madly in love with him.”
Duhan wasn’t wrong. If the woman could truly be of help to Tezman, they would follow her without question.
But.
“The choice isn’t ours to make.”
It was Tezman who would choose. Just as he had chosen to keep Cact, Duhan, and Leroi by his side.
“Cact!”
Frustrated, Duhan furrowed his brows sharply and called out again.
“You’re being noisy.”
At the same time, the gazes of the two men—and every member of the Pavard Family present—turned toward one direction.
“Where has Tezman gone?”
The man walking toward them moved with flawless elegance, like a noble prince. Duhan spoke to the man who was brushing back his dull khaki-colored hair.
“You’re late, Leroi.”
Duhan approached and reached out to drape an arm around Leroi’s shoulders. Leroi lightly swatted the hand away and said,
“I absolutely detest noise, Duhan.”
Though his face looked gentle and kind, Leroi’s eyes held no emotion as he stared at Duhan.
“And it seems you’ve forgotten, but Cact is Tezman’s secretary. Show some respect.”
Even though they were the same age, Leroi always used polite speech with him and kept his distance. It irritated Duhan to no end, but there was nothing he could do about it. For better or worse, Leroi was his only friend.
“Fine, fine. By the way, why were you so late? I thought you’d died on the way here.”
“I do not die. Unless the other party dies first, that is.”
Watching Leroi speak without a single change in his expression, Duhan twisted his lips into a smirk.
“This is exactly why I keep you as a friend, Leroi.”
That was the kind of person Leroi was. Having been raised as an emotionless hunting dog from the start only made it more true. Ignoring whatever Duhan said, Leroi stepped toward Cact.
“Has Tezman already left?”
“Yes. He said to come to the estate tomorrow.”
“Understood.”
Since Tezman was gone, there was no more reason to stay. As Leroi turned to leave the scene, Duhan grabbed him.
“Leroi. Did you hear? Tezman has apparently fallen for an Asian nun.”
“The woman we saw at the cathedral that day?”
“That’s right.”
Duhan tried to read Leroi’s expression. No matter how much Cact might disagree, if even Leroi opposed it, there would be nothing they could do.
“I see.”
But Leroi’s face remained as calm as ever.
“I see? That’s all you have to say?!”
“Well, what does it matter? If that is what Tezman wants, it is not for me to comment carelessly.”
“But the other person is…!”
“It is also not for you to comment carelessly, Duhan.”
Watching Leroi speak so calmly, Duhan ground his teeth.
“What? So you’re saying you wouldn’t care even if Matteo became the head of the Pavard Family?”
Leroi’s previously expressionless eyebrows twitched ever so slightly.
“Are you trying to push Tezman into the background like this? For now, Matteo is maintaining a business relationship with Tezman, but who can guarantee it will stay that way in the future?”
Slouching and swaggering, Duhan moved closer to Leroi and gave a chilling smile.
“If Matteo stabs him in the back and Tezman ends up dead… ugh!”
Leroi shot out a hand and seized Duhan by the throat. In an eerily calm voice, he said,
“Duhan. That is enough. I am not generous enough to listen to your nonsense.”
Leroi released Duhan’s throat. Spitting on the ground with a loud ptoo, Duhan lifted his head.
“This is exactly why I like you.”
“Unfortunately, I have a strong aversion to perverts who enjoy being choked.”
Tilting his head back, Duhan exposed his neck. Faint reddish handprints from where Leroi had just gripped him were visible. Duhan pointed at the marks with his finger.
“Next time, squeeze a little higher. I get more excited when it’s choked right here.”
Grabbing the front of his pants with one hand, Duhan turned his back on him. Leroi spoke his final words while facing away.
“Do not forget that I care for Tezman just as much as you do.”