Chapter 56

Chapter 56

I Became the Academy Mafia Chapter 56Right. I had briefly forgotten.

The Calione Family.

A worldwide organization that brought countless Families under its wing and formed relationships with them akin to family.

Their defining trait was... that they truly regarded the people of the same Family as actual family.

“Eugene! Do you remember your uncle? I'm the uncle who used to carry you on my shoulders when you were little!”

“You fool! How old was he back then? How could he remember that? Eugene! Do you remember your uncle giving you spending money in the old days?”

“You rotten bastards! Can't you see our Eugene's expression has gone stiff?! Shut up and stay still!”

The calm atmosphere from just moments ago vanished, and with my appearance, the banquet hall instantly became noisy.

While I stood there flustered and unable to do anything.

Clap clap―A clapping sound rang out, dominating the noisy banquet hall.

Light, yet overwhelming.

It swept through in an instant, yet there was no one who failed to hear it.

Silence suddenly descended.

“Enough.”

Of course.

No matter what, there was no way Father would stay silent while they made this much noise in front of him.

“You've startled our Eugene, you people. Sit here, Eugene. You must be hungry, so let's hurry and eat.”

I had forgotten.

That Vito Calione was more of a doting father than I'd thought.

“...

Yes.”

Cutting through the atmosphere that still felt somewhat awkward, I quietly sat in the empty seat beside Father.

At the same time, Parnello, who had somehow moved behind Father, clapped his hands a couple of times. The doors on both sides opened, and carts loaded with food began rolling in one after another.

At last, the proper banquet began.

Dishes were placed on the table one by one. Soon, when the entire table had become filled with food.

Father tapped the glass in front of him several times with a spoon, drawing everyone's attention once more.

“Everyone, thank you sincerely for coming to congratulate our Eugene like this. Since it's been a long time since we've all gathered, I'm sure each of you has stories that have piled up, and things you're curious about. So relax and speak freely────”

“──Papa! Ji-yoon is hungry!”

In the middle of Father's speech, Ji-yoon burst through the door and charged into the dining hall with rapid footsteps.

At the sight, the bosses of the other Families wore expressions as though they might die from how cute she was. Looking satisfied, Father pulled Ji-yoon into his arms as she ran toward him and said.

“Let's eat.”

At the same time, the atmosphere of the banquet hall transformed into something on the level of relatives meeting during a holiday.

“Come now, Don. I hear kids these days call you an old fossil if you talk too long.”

“Hey! What kind of way is that to speak to the Don! More importantly, Don, may I hold Ji-yoon for a bit too?”

“Ji-yoon! Come to Uncle instead of that wretch! That's right!”

As expected, nothing could surpass Ji-yoon's cuteness, and most of the attention that had been focused on me just moments ago flowed toward her.

As I ate while watching the scene with satisfaction.

“Isn't it amusing? Men who call themselves Family bosses acting that foolishly.”

Father's voice came from beside me.

“It actually makes me comfortable. It feels more like meeting close relatives.”

That was the truth.

How could I have imagined a Family banquet would be like this?

I'd even prepared digestive medicine just in case they tried to test my qualifications or made me eat in a solemn and heavy atmosphere.

And yet... it was this lighthearted.

It almost made me wonder if I'd gotten nervous for nothing.

“In truth, those people aren't usually so lighthearted. During recent executive meetings or matters of business, they act more responsibly than anyone as bosses who bear responsibility for their own Families. But a ‘banquet’ like today is different.”

A place where people met, ate food, and talked together.

Not something official related to work, but a gathering meant to celebrate.

“Before we are members of the same Family, we are family.”

Most of the bosses gathered here were people who had built the organization together with Father from the past and family who had overcome hardship and adversity alongside him.

“Today, they've come solely to celebrate you, not for work. So I hope you too will treat them comfortably.”

I thought I understood what Father was worried about.

He was worried.

That perhaps I saw Calione as nothing more than an organization.

That perhaps I didn't understand why a ‘Family’ was called a Family.

And I wanted Father to worry less about that.

“I am also part of the Family, so I think of everyone here as family.”

“...

I see. Then that's enough.”

Father lightly patted my shoulder.

A little later, after Ji-yoon, who had eaten all sorts of food offered by the uncles, muttered, ‘I'm full...,’ and left the banquet hall, everyone's attention finally returned to me.

“I heard you're in the same club as my son.”

The first to speak to me was Antonio Vivald, boss of the Vivald Family and Jin-woo's father.

“Yes. You've raised an excellent son. Even today, Jin-woo was a great help to me.”

At my words, Antonio seemed to remember something and chuckled.

“That boy suddenly started pestering me to teach him how to use his bloodline ability. So that was why.”

“Ah, of course, I didn't force him or anything.”

“Hahaha! Of course. I can tell that much just from the way my son talks. That dense fool still doesn't seem to have noticed anything... perhaps after watching you by his side, Young Master, he realized something on his own. He's a talented child, so I'm sure he'll be a great help to you as well.”

Antonio spoke to me with a satisfied smile.

Seeing that, I decided to ask something I'd been curious about.

“There is something I would like to ask.”

“If it's something I can answer, then naturally I should.”

“May I ask why you didn't tell Jin-woo about my identity?”

Before Jin-woo was an Academy cadet, he was also the heir to the Vivald Family and a child belonging to Calione.

From Antonio's perspective, he should have been constantly worried that Jin-woo might make some kind of mistake toward me.

Yet even today, Jin-woo's reactions made it clear that he still didn't know I was Calione's successor.

“Young Master didn't seem to have told Jin-woo, so I kept it hidden as well. Didn't you have your own reasons for doing so?”

From the way he said it as though it were the most obvious thing in the world, I felt I understood what kind of person Antonio was.

“...

That's correct. Thank you for your consideration.”

“Haha! There's nothing to thank me for. It's only natural. Please continue taking care of my foolish son.”

Antonio bowed politely, then returned to his original seat.

The next person who approached was a middle-aged man who had just moments ago tried to give Ji-yoon one million credits as spending money.

“Wahahaha! Nephew! An executive already? That's impressive!”

If this had been an official organizational event, it might have been different, but since Father had said this wasn't a gathering of ‘Calione’ but a Family banquet, hearing him call me nephew didn't feel bad at all.

“Thank you, Uncle.”

That also meant I didn't need to act excessively humble.

For now, I only needed to think of myself as Father's son eating together with Father's close friends.

The man who spoke to me was named Michela Milano.

He was a member of a Family active in Europe and someone who had returned to Korea after being summoned by Father.

“Ah, I heard you recently entered the Academy in second place? Haha! How admirable! Truly admirable!”

Michela laughed as he patted my back. Then he suddenly stopped moving his arm and stiffened his expression.

“Wait, this... was this made by the Maestro?”

He noticed that just by patting the suit a few times?

I couldn't tell whether the suit was that good or this man's senses were that sharp, but one thing was certain.

At his words, everyone in the banquet hall started looking at me.

“Uh... yes. It's something Father gave me as a gift.”

“My goodness... that's insane. Completely insane. I haven't even managed to place an order with the Maestro yet. Looks like your father pulled some strings.”

“Yes. I heard Father went to some trouble.”

At my words, Michela glanced at Father.

“Don, just how much do you dote on your son? A suit from the Maestro? You told us the Maestro's health hasn't been very good lately, so recently even we were given works made by his apprentices, weren't we?”

At Michela's words, Father cleared his throat and turned his gaze away.

“Well, the apprentices are more than skilled enough... and don't you people have little need for things like that anymore? It should go to someone who needs it.”

“Huh... spoken like a true doting father. Hmph! How petty. Now the present I prepared is going to look like nothing!”

Hm? A present?

“Back in our day, there was nothing like it, but I heard that if you attend the Academy, you end up in a lot of spars and things like that. So your uncle pulled a few strings.”

Saying that, Michela suddenly reached inside his clothes. A moment later, a large box popped out from his inner pocket...

What?

Was his suit combined with a subspace artifact?

Still somewhat bewildered, I accepted the box and opened it. Inside were neatly arranged glass bottles.

“This is holy water personally consecrated by the cardinals at the Vatican together with the Saintess. They say if you sprinkle it on illness or wounds, they heal quickly. It also has fewer side effects than potions and is better for the body.”

I'd used this item a few times in the game as well.

Top-tier holy water classified as S-rank even among holy water.

It was a rare item even in the game, so I could roughly imagine how valuable it was in this world.

“Thank you very much. I'll repay you someday.”

“Repay me for what? Your uncle is giving it to you because you're adorable. Just say thank you~ and take it!”

And starting with Michela, the other Family bosses began competing with one another to give me gifts.

Most of the gifts were things like elixirs and potions, perhaps because they'd heard I'd entered the Academy.

Only after a mountain of gifts as tall as me had piled up beside me did the assault of presents finally end.

What came after that wasn't anything special either.

Ordinary conversations like, if something happens next time, I'll call you so come help me out, stay healthy, or tell me anytime if you need help.

It truly, truly was just a family event on a different scale.

Of course, there were parts that were overwhelming because of that scale, and with so many people, it was undeniably tiring.

At last, when the banquet ended and all the Family bosses returned to their respective places, the silence that arrived seemed familiar as it quickly wrapped around the mansion.

“You worked hard keeping company with those old men.”

While walking toward the study with Father, he suddenly spoke.

“Although today you met them as uncles and nephew, someday there will come a day when they come to help you in Calione's name. So think of them as your people, and always remember them.”

At Father's words, I silently nodded.

One of the positions I absolutely had to reach in order to see the ending of this game world.

The Don

of Calione.

And just as Father said, someday those people would move for me as well.

“You're going to the Academy tomorrow too, aren't you? Rest well tonight. If I have anything to ask of you, I'll have Parnello deliver it.”

“Understood. Father, you should go in and get some rest as well.”

“Very well.”

After seeing Father back to his bedroom.

I stood blankly in the now-empty hallway after all the servants had left to clean up the banquet.

Another event had ended like this.

But I couldn't afford to sit around spacing out.

Because tomorrow, another major event would be waiting at the Academy.

Thinking of the ‘Class Ranking Match’ that would begin tomorrow, I sighed.

“Seriously, I never get a day off.”