Chapter 214

Chapter 214

I Became the Academy Mafia Chapter 214The beginning of the incident goes back to the evening of the closing ceremony a few days ago.

Enhancement materials and equipment were piled high inside the Cube.

Lying on my bed and wondering what to do with all of them, I couldn't come up with a suitable method.

“It'd be nice if people capable of handling this many materials were easy to find...”

Since most of them weren't ordinary materials, the number of people skilled enough to handle them was extremely limited.

And the people who dealt with things like this were usually masters in their own right, with stubborn ways of doing things.

Quite often, even the name or wealth of Calione wouldn't work on them.

In other words, it meant I could only do it through quests...

“Ah, whatever.”

In the end, I gave up agonizing over it alone, got out of bed, and left my room.

“...

Young Master? Are you going somewhere?”

Apparently she had been cleaning the hallway, because she tilted her head when she saw me.

“I'm going to see Godfather for a bit.”

The person I intended to meet was my Godfather and the man called the brains of Calione, the Consiglière.

I thought perhaps Godfather could help me in a situation like this.‘If I can't get equipment made using my name, I can just receive a quest through something else, right?’“Ah. If you mean the Consiglière, he should be in his office right now. I just brought him refreshments.”

“Really? Thanks.”

It was fortunate that Godfather wasn't asleep.

When I headed straight for Godfather's study, soft light spilled through the frosted glass set into the door.

I caught my breath, tidied my hair, then knocked.

“Godfather. It's Eugene.”

A moment later, Godfather's voice came from inside.

“Come in.”

When I turned the doorknob and stepped inside, I saw Godfather stretching.

“You were still working.”

“It's better than usual, at least. So, what brings you here?”

His dark circles were definitely lighter than usual, so it seemed his workload had improved somewhat recently.

Without any unnecessary preamble, I sat across from him and immediately got to the point.

“I'd like you to introduce me to a Maestro or Meister you know.”

The Maestro in Seoul who had made DisPater specialized in Western tailoring.

That wasn't the kind of equipment I wanted to enhance, so I needed someone else.

“A new craftsman...?”

A small arc formed in Godfather's eyes after hearing my words.

“As it happens, there is someone I can introduce you to! Truly, this works out perfectly. I've been racking my brain over that issue!”

An extremely positive response.

A very good sign if this was the prelude to a quest.

I checked the window in front of me and showed my delight.

Then all I had to do from here was react appropriately to the story.

“You were having trouble over it? That's perfect. If it's something I can help with, I'll gladly do so.”

He nodded with an extremely satisfied smile at my answer.

“Is that so? Excellent! Then wait a moment.”

Saying that, he began rummaging through the mountain of documents.

A short while later, a document pulled from his hands was placed on the table.

“How would you like to visit your homeland?”...

Pardon?

______________

After that, everything moved quickly.

Since it was a sudden quest, I hadn't expected it to be nearby, but Italy?!

And Italy, where our family's ancestral home was located?!

The rustic phrase telling me to visit my homeland somehow felt completely different when the word Italy was attached to it, like heading home for Chuseok.‘I hadn't thought this far... but it's not bad.’I'd only been thinking of looking for something domestically and hadn't considered going overseas.

But now I was Calione's eldest son.

Unlike when I played other characters, I didn't need to grind myself half to death during my first vacation just to build a foundation.

And the craftsmen in Italy.

If they were the people I knew, they were more than capable of creating the finest equipment.

To think I hadn't considered this. It seemed I'd fallen into a rut without realizing it.

I should reflect.

“Yaaawn... I'm sleepy...”

Across from me, I could see Ratte yawning with an extremely sleepy expression.

She blankly stared out the window while chewing peanuts.

“Ratte?”

“Yes?”

“Why are you coming with me?”

“Uh... I have a mission in Italy too?”

Apparently the reason she was on the same plane as me was because she also had business in Italy.

Well, since the Academy where she normally operated had entered vacation, Cielo notturno, being an ‘on-campus’ café, had closed as well, so it was natural for her to be assigned another mission.

The one problem was...

“This isn't a Family private jet. It's ‘my private jet.’”

“What?!”

The plane we were currently on was my personal jet.

Of course, it wasn't like there were no private jets currently used by the Family.

But considering future developments, I'd bought one because there was no telling when Father and Godfather might urgently need to travel overseas.

It was a decision I could make because I'd recently earned a lot of money.

I still couldn't forget Haru's eyes trembling when I asked her to arrange the purchase.

Anyway.

“Don't Family missions normally use additional aircraft rather than private jets?”

“Uh... well... that is... c-could you let me ride with you? We worked together at the Academy, didn't we! Right!”

Ratte looked at me while trembling so hard that even the bag of peanuts in her hands shook.

She looked just like a frightened mouse.

“Hmm, I'm not sure...”

“Pleeease...! Aircraft are exhausting...! And it's inconvenient bringing the kids along!”

-Squeak!

She hugged the guinea pigs tightly, and now even tears were welling in her eyes.

After confirming even that reaction, I snickered and answered.

“I'm joking. Since we're going the same way anyway, let's go together.”

“A-as expected of the Young Master! Merciful Young Master! Wonderful Young Master!”

“You don't need to overdo it.”

“Ah, yes.”

And so began our flight to Italy.

After enjoying drinks and food and watching a few movies inside the peaceful private jet, we arrived in Italy before I knew it.

Ratte... I'd expected her to keep me company during the flight, but once she fell asleep, she didn't wake up at all, so it practically felt like I came alone.

Apparently it had been nearly four days since she'd slept.

After hearing the reason, I couldn't not forgive her...

Sorry, Calione.

______________

By the time we arrived, it was already bright morning.

So this was jet lag?

The plane landed on a small private airstrip in Sicily, Italy.

Unfortunately, because of the nature of the mission, there was no one anywhere to greet me.

“Uuuugh...! We're finally here. Ah, Young Master, where are you headed?”

Ratte stretched the moment her feet touched the ground and asked.

“I'll probably head straight to the mission location. What about you?”

“Ah, I think I'll be going to Calione's Italian headquarters. The support request came from there.”

Saying that, she hoisted luggage almost as large as herself onto her back and bowed deeply toward me.

“Then I'll be going first, Young Master! I hope we meet again with you in good health!”

“Yeah, good luck.”

Watching Ratte disappear with quick little steps, I started moving as well.

Since there was some distance to the destination, I called an Uber and headed there.

Olive trees visible between the passing trees and walls.

The warm sunlight beating down and the distinct exotic scent seemed to clearly announce that this was a foreign land.

The population density was definitely lower, and there were fewer cars too, so even the air felt different.‘Feels refreshing.’After driving like that, I finally arrived at a small rural village in Italy.

When I walked toward a statue near the edge of the village, I saw an old man silently leaning against it and puffing on a pipe.

That old man was the Italian Maestro I had been looking for.‘Ludvio Marco.’

As I slowly approached, our eyes met.

He saw me, smiled brightly, and walked over.

“Hahahaha! Well, well, the Calione brat. No, that's not right. You certainly take after the Don of Calione!”

He laughed heartily and spread both arms.

I naturally accepted his embrace and smiled.

“I'm sorry to have kept you waiting, Maestro.”

“Hahaha! Kept me waiting? What nonsense. All I usually do is feed pigeons in places like this. Hahaha!”

After we finished embracing, he held out his hand toward me.

“I am Ludvio Marco, once a shoemaker.”

“I am Eugene Han Calione, heir to the Calione Family and son of Vito Calione. It is an honor to meet you, Maestro.”

His hand was coarse, rough, and hard, as though representing all the years he had lived.

“There's no need to call meeting this old man an honor. Come now, let's head to this old man's house. It's quite a distance, so we'll have to walk diligently!”

Apparently his house was on a coastal cliff some distance from the village.

I returned a warm smile to the man welcoming me as though a grandson had returned after a long time, and slowly arrived at his home.

“Ah, go inside first. There's someone who gets angry if I smoke inside the house. I'll have one before coming in.”

“Yes. I'll do that.”

Leaving him behind as he lit his pipe, I stepped inside, only for something to suddenly jump out.

“Boo!”

______________

I sighed while looking at the girl sprawled on the bed, then turned toward Ludvio beside me, who looked dumbfounded.

He clicked his tongue and shook his head.

“Honestly, trying to scare an old man every single day. This is the punishment you get. Tsk, tsk.”

Ludvio looked almost pleased, as though this was far from the first time he'd suffered through it.

“I'm sorry. I never imagined you had a granddaughter...”

Honestly, how was I supposed to know he'd had someone waiting inside the house?

Since I sensed neither hostility nor killing intent, things passed without any real problem.

But.

“Hm? She's not my granddaughter.”

“...

Pardon?”

Apparently she wasn't his granddaughter.

“Then why is a girl who isn't your granddaughter in your house, Sir Ludvio?”

At my question, he wore a bitter expression, slowly approached the girl, and stroked her head.

“She originally lived in the village where we were. Now... she simply comes to help this pitiful old man. She's always been like that.”

Apparently there was some kind of history between them.

What was certain was that Ludvio cared deeply for this girl.

While I watched Ludvio silently stroke the girl's head.

“Grandpa, this is terrible!”

“Gah! You startled me!”

The girl suddenly shot upright and shouted.

“G-Grandpa! Calione! Calione!”

“...

What?”

“Calione came looking for you, Grandpa! Hurry! We need to run──.”

Uh...

“Me?”

When I cautiously spoke, she turned her head toward me with a creaking motion like a broken doll.

“Huh? Huh?”

Her face gradually turned pale blue, then she abruptly stood, clenched her fists, and moved in front of Ludvio.

“W-what business does the Mafia have with Grandpa?!”...

Well, I am Mafia.

Just as I was wondering how I should react.

“Elena. That's enough. He is a guest I invited.”

“...

What?”

Ludvio, standing behind the girl called Elena, spoke first.

At that, she turned toward him as though asking what he meant.

“You... invited Calione, Grandpa?”

“Yes. I thought it was time I changed too.”

Saying that, he moved Elena aside, approached me, and spoke.

“Have you heard the details of the request?”

“To reclaim the workshop that was taken from you. Is that correct?”

At my question, he nodded and slowly extended his hand.

His face had already changed from that of a kindly grandfather into the face of a great figure who had endured countless hardships.

“Good. From now on, let's talk business.”