It was the first failed assassination attempt since Messina became head of the Rezzetta family.
Perhaps it was a natural outcome, since the opponent was Killian.
“Seeing as you sent Cezanne as a spy, it seems you knew from the beginning that I would assassinate you?”
Killian nodded at Messina's words and took out a cigarette and lit it.
The Starr family had been closely monitoring the Crown Prince's actions for months, especially since he was collaborating with members of the Giuliano organization.
“It was a bit unexpected that he would use your family.”
Killian chuckled and lit a match.
The Crown Prince's obsession with Emily was bizarre. Their relationship wasn't long enough to warrant such an obsession, and they hadn't even dated.
But from the moment he was born, he always enjoyed the best and had everything he wanted.
Isn't the only thing he, the Crown Prince, has not been able to obtain in his life the affection of Emily?
Perhaps it was the first failure Lucius had ever experienced in his life, so it was only natural that he hated Killian, the cause of it, to the point of wanting to kill him.
The problem is that Killian can't die that easily.
In any case, the Starr organization had been involved in its operations even before Lucius found the Rezetta family's hideout.
The first thing he did was to make Cezanne a double agent.
The matter was easily resolved. The Crown Prince continued to pretend to be a coincidence and wandered around Emily's vicinity.
Because of this, Cezanne, who escorted Emily on her outings, often clashed with the Crown Prince. Then one day.
"Your Highness."
Lucius looked surprised when Cezanne, who had always been wary of him, spoke to him.
“Please keep this conversation with Your Highness a secret.”
“What’s going on?”
This time, it was Lucius who looked at Cezanne suspiciously.
“Do you still have feelings for our lady?”
“Then why do you think I’m doing this?”
Lucius looked displeased.
“Then I can help you.”
“You suddenly said you would help me. Do you think I would believe you?”
“Really. In fact, I hate that bastard Killian.”
Cezanne fooled him perfectly by lying that she thought Killian had killed her benefactor, Claude.
Approaching the Crown Prince at the right moment and deceiving his naivety was not difficult. However, deceiving the Rezetta family required considerable effort.
So, Cezanne intentionally leaked information about the clubs, casinos, and buildings that Killian was trying to contract through the Crown Prince, thereby building trust.
The problem was that Messina, who was very suspicious, did not easily tell Cezanne the date or location of the assassination.
“It’s obvious they’re going to use guns anyway.”
In such a situation, Pete advised Killian to wear armor even in normal times.
“But how do you block the head?”
Knox frowned and shook his head. It was obvious he'd shoot the head to increase the chance of a successful assassination.
“I wish I had a hat that was so sturdy it could deflect bullets.”
At those words, Pete slapped his knee.
“Knox, how did you come up with such a wonderful idea?”
“...What kind of great idea is this?”
Knox had a shaky expression, but it wasn't bad to hear the compliment after a long time.
“People with highly developed brains like ours are actually unable to think of such simple things.”
“Hey, for some reason, you actually praised me.”
Pete left Knox, who was spitting out curses, and went straight to the arms dealer to place his order.
“So you’re saying we should make the armor look like a silk hat or a felt hat?”
The arms dealer who first received Pete's order reacted with disbelief.
"To create that type of armor, you'd need to forge a new casting, and even making the visor isn't usually that complicated. Do you think I'm some kind of designer?"
Pete showed the arms dealer a bag full of money.
“And if you succeed, I’ll double that amount.”
“I will try to make it.”
But making the hat within the promised deadline was no easy task.
Because it was to be worn on the head, it couldn't be as heavy as something worn on the chest, and because it wasn't made of a form-fitting material, it wouldn't fit snugly on the head.
After several failed attempts, the arms dealer finally gave his approval.
“If you give me just a little more time, I think I can make a perfect hat in less than a week.”
He developed an entirely new material. He extracted fibers containing magical properties specialized for defense, compressed them tightly, and woven them into a net-like shape.
The plan was to create a protective hat using the principle that magic stones fired from a gun cannot penetrate this net and get caught in it.
“It may not be able to completely absorb the shock, so you may be momentarily stunned, but the magic stone will never penetrate your head.”
The problem was time.
If the Rezetta family attempted to assassinate Killian within this week, he could have been defeated without even being able to use this armor.
So Cezanne tried to find out the exact date of the assassination by contacting the Rezetta family more frequently.
Then, at one point, she entered Starr headquarters with a bright expression on her face.
"Killian! I just found out the schedule for the Rezetta family."
That was definitely Emily's doing.
Cezanne, who learned the assassination schedule through Emily and Marlene's conversation, deliberately leaked the information to Messina.
As expected, Messina delayed the schedule for fear that the assassination plan would be discovered.
There was enough time for the hat to be completed.
The Rezetta family, unaware that Killian was wearing armor on his head and body, believed they had successfully assassinated him.
Cezanne aimed for that moment.
The moment when they all pack their bags with peace of mind.
And when the weapons in her hands were out of sight, she fired a firecracker into the sky. It was a kind of signal flare.
The Starr family, having seen Cezanne's signal, raided the Rezetta family's hideout with their weapons ready.
And to prevent them from fighting back, John even burned the incense that paralyzed their limbs.
The reason why the Starr organization members, including Cezanne, were fine was that they had already trained themselves to be immune to the scent.
The members of the Rezetta organization, intoxicated by the scent, were half-unconscious, but Messina, who had A-class magical powers, quickly recovered from the paralysis as soon as she became accustomed to the scent.
“Wait a minute, so you also made up the story about you killing Claude?”
Cezanne answered Messina's question on his behalf.
"Yes. Claude passed away after suffering from a chronic illness. It had nothing to do with Killian."
Messina was speechless and gaped.
"Killian, did you train a member of the organization, or an actor? Her acting is so top-notch, it's astonishing."
At those words, Cezanne blushed.
“It’s not a compliment, so don’t be shy.”
Messina spat out irritably.
"Anyway, I thought you were the most ungrateful bastard in the world, but if that's not true, then so be it. I'm glad I couldn't kill you."
Killian narrowed his eyes.
“Are you serious?”
"I told you so. It's a shame I couldn't make Lucas a noble, but I'm not the kind of person who would break Mafia rules for my own gain."
Messina's eyes were confident as she spoke those words.
"Look, I'm a victim too, after all. You're not planning anything against us, are you?"
“Well? I guess I’ll have to think about it.”
Messina, who had gained hope from Killian's words, approached him on her knees.
"My next plan is to take care of those Giuliano guys. Do you want to join me?"
"That was a rather intriguing story," Killian asked, raising an eyebrow.
"How?"
"I can't tell you that in advance. Join hands with me. I'll repay my life debt with this. We're not on bad terms, are we?"
The Gotio family had already formed an alliance after the funeral incident, and if the Rezzetta family joined forces, it was only a matter of time before the Giuliano organization was destroyed.
“How can I trust you?”
“Isn’t that what I should be saying, you swindler?”
Messina looked at Cezanne and Killian alternately, as if she was about to explode with anger.
Whether she said it or not, Killian calmly shook off his clothes and changed the subject.
“But if the Crown Prince finds out you’re joining hands with me, he won’t leave you alone, right?”
"Of course, I'll keep your hand in mine a secret from everyone. Even if I blame you for this failed assassination, the Crown Prince won't have anything to say, right?"
The first assassination attempt had already failed because of Lucius's cube equation, and if it was revealed that Cezanne, whom he had brought with him, was a double agent from the beginning, it would be difficult to place the blame on Messina.
“If we meet and discuss something, we can do so as parents... That would be fun!”
At those words, Killian's face hardened.
“What’s wrong? Why do you look like that?”
Giovanni chimed in, as if to thank her for bringing up the topic.
“Killian plans to divorce his wife, so it may be difficult for us to meet as parents.”
“What?”
Messina frowned strangely.
"What are you talking about? When I saw you back then, the family, no, the two of you, seemed to be in a great mood."
By the way, Messina muttered and squirmed.
"Could you loosen this up? Let's talk in a more comfortable position. I've never been on my knees this long before."
Anyway, the Rezetta family's weapons had been confiscated, and Messina's body had been searched.
At Killian's wink, Cezanne released the ropes that bound Messina.
“Ah- phew.”
In the meantime, Messina groaned and stretched out her leg, as if a rat had come.
"So, let's continue with what we were talking about earlier. Are you saying you're breaking up with Emily?"
Killian glared at Giovanni once, then sighed and opened his mouth.
"Why should I share that story with you? Let's stop this pointless interest and discuss the Giuliano Organization."
“Is Giuliano the problem now?”
Messina clicked his tongue.
“Killian, I can guess why you’re giving up on this marriage you worked so hard to arrange.”
For the first time in a long time, Messina's expression was serious.
Messina had actually been quite shocked that day at the Starr mansion. She had no idea Killian could be someone so warm-hearted.
And Emily's eyes, looking at Killian, were also filled with affection.
'Does that idiot not know that, or is he pretending not to know?'
Messina felt her heart sink at the sight of his expressionless, yet seemingly sullen, expression, and looked straight into Killian's eyes as she spoke.
Messina's analysis was quite sharp.
"Think carefully! I don't think divorcing Emily will make your weaknesses disappear."
Perhaps it was a natural outcome, since the opponent was Killian.
“Seeing as you sent Cezanne as a spy, it seems you knew from the beginning that I would assassinate you?”
Killian nodded at Messina's words and took out a cigarette and lit it.
The Starr family had been closely monitoring the Crown Prince's actions for months, especially since he was collaborating with members of the Giuliano organization.
“It was a bit unexpected that he would use your family.”
Killian chuckled and lit a match.
The Crown Prince's obsession with Emily was bizarre. Their relationship wasn't long enough to warrant such an obsession, and they hadn't even dated.
But from the moment he was born, he always enjoyed the best and had everything he wanted.
Isn't the only thing he, the Crown Prince, has not been able to obtain in his life the affection of Emily?
Perhaps it was the first failure Lucius had ever experienced in his life, so it was only natural that he hated Killian, the cause of it, to the point of wanting to kill him.
The problem is that Killian can't die that easily.
In any case, the Starr organization had been involved in its operations even before Lucius found the Rezetta family's hideout.
The first thing he did was to make Cezanne a double agent.
The matter was easily resolved. The Crown Prince continued to pretend to be a coincidence and wandered around Emily's vicinity.
Because of this, Cezanne, who escorted Emily on her outings, often clashed with the Crown Prince. Then one day.
***
"Your Highness."
Lucius looked surprised when Cezanne, who had always been wary of him, spoke to him.
“Please keep this conversation with Your Highness a secret.”
“What’s going on?”
This time, it was Lucius who looked at Cezanne suspiciously.
“Do you still have feelings for our lady?”
“Then why do you think I’m doing this?”
Lucius looked displeased.
“Then I can help you.”
“You suddenly said you would help me. Do you think I would believe you?”
“Really. In fact, I hate that bastard Killian.”
Cezanne fooled him perfectly by lying that she thought Killian had killed her benefactor, Claude.
Approaching the Crown Prince at the right moment and deceiving his naivety was not difficult. However, deceiving the Rezetta family required considerable effort.
So, Cezanne intentionally leaked information about the clubs, casinos, and buildings that Killian was trying to contract through the Crown Prince, thereby building trust.
The problem was that Messina, who was very suspicious, did not easily tell Cezanne the date or location of the assassination.
“It’s obvious they’re going to use guns anyway.”
In such a situation, Pete advised Killian to wear armor even in normal times.
“But how do you block the head?”
Knox frowned and shook his head. It was obvious he'd shoot the head to increase the chance of a successful assassination.
“I wish I had a hat that was so sturdy it could deflect bullets.”
At those words, Pete slapped his knee.
“Knox, how did you come up with such a wonderful idea?”
“...What kind of great idea is this?”
Knox had a shaky expression, but it wasn't bad to hear the compliment after a long time.
“People with highly developed brains like ours are actually unable to think of such simple things.”
“Hey, for some reason, you actually praised me.”
Pete left Knox, who was spitting out curses, and went straight to the arms dealer to place his order.
“So you’re saying we should make the armor look like a silk hat or a felt hat?”
The arms dealer who first received Pete's order reacted with disbelief.
"To create that type of armor, you'd need to forge a new casting, and even making the visor isn't usually that complicated. Do you think I'm some kind of designer?"
“I'll give you enough money so you won't feel shortchanged. This is an advance payment.”
“And if you succeed, I’ll double that amount.”
“I will try to make it.”
But making the hat within the promised deadline was no easy task.
Because it was to be worn on the head, it couldn't be as heavy as something worn on the chest, and because it wasn't made of a form-fitting material, it wouldn't fit snugly on the head.
After several failed attempts, the arms dealer finally gave his approval.
“If you give me just a little more time, I think I can make a perfect hat in less than a week.”
He developed an entirely new material. He extracted fibers containing magical properties specialized for defense, compressed them tightly, and woven them into a net-like shape.
The plan was to create a protective hat using the principle that magic stones fired from a gun cannot penetrate this net and get caught in it.
“It may not be able to completely absorb the shock, so you may be momentarily stunned, but the magic stone will never penetrate your head.”
The problem was time.
If the Rezetta family attempted to assassinate Killian within this week, he could have been defeated without even being able to use this armor.
So Cezanne tried to find out the exact date of the assassination by contacting the Rezetta family more frequently.
Then, at one point, she entered Starr headquarters with a bright expression on her face.
"Killian! I just found out the schedule for the Rezetta family."
That was definitely Emily's doing.
Cezanne, who learned the assassination schedule through Emily and Marlene's conversation, deliberately leaked the information to Messina.
As expected, Messina delayed the schedule for fear that the assassination plan would be discovered.
There was enough time for the hat to be completed.
The Rezetta family, unaware that Killian was wearing armor on his head and body, believed they had successfully assassinated him.
Cezanne aimed for that moment.
The moment when they all pack their bags with peace of mind.
And when the weapons in her hands were out of sight, she fired a firecracker into the sky. It was a kind of signal flare.
The Starr family, having seen Cezanne's signal, raided the Rezetta family's hideout with their weapons ready.
And to prevent them from fighting back, John even burned the incense that paralyzed their limbs.
The reason why the Starr organization members, including Cezanne, were fine was that they had already trained themselves to be immune to the scent.
The members of the Rezetta organization, intoxicated by the scent, were half-unconscious, but Messina, who had A-class magical powers, quickly recovered from the paralysis as soon as she became accustomed to the scent.
***
“Wait a minute, so you also made up the story about you killing Claude?”
Cezanne answered Messina's question on his behalf.
"Yes. Claude passed away after suffering from a chronic illness. It had nothing to do with Killian."
Messina was speechless and gaped.
"Killian, did you train a member of the organization, or an actor? Her acting is so top-notch, it's astonishing."
At those words, Cezanne blushed.
“It’s not a compliment, so don’t be shy.”
Messina spat out irritably.
"Anyway, I thought you were the most ungrateful bastard in the world, but if that's not true, then so be it. I'm glad I couldn't kill you."
Killian narrowed his eyes.
“Are you serious?”
"I told you so. It's a shame I couldn't make Lucas a noble, but I'm not the kind of person who would break Mafia rules for my own gain."
Messina's eyes were confident as she spoke those words.
"Look, I'm a victim too, after all. You're not planning anything against us, are you?"
“Well? I guess I’ll have to think about it.”
Messina, who had gained hope from Killian's words, approached him on her knees.
"My next plan is to take care of those Giuliano guys. Do you want to join me?"
"That was a rather intriguing story," Killian asked, raising an eyebrow.
"How?"
"I can't tell you that in advance. Join hands with me. I'll repay my life debt with this. We're not on bad terms, are we?"
The Gotio family had already formed an alliance after the funeral incident, and if the Rezzetta family joined forces, it was only a matter of time before the Giuliano organization was destroyed.
“How can I trust you?”
“Isn’t that what I should be saying, you swindler?”
Messina looked at Cezanne and Killian alternately, as if she was about to explode with anger.
Whether she said it or not, Killian calmly shook off his clothes and changed the subject.
“But if the Crown Prince finds out you’re joining hands with me, he won’t leave you alone, right?”
"Of course, I'll keep your hand in mine a secret from everyone. Even if I blame you for this failed assassination, the Crown Prince won't have anything to say, right?"
The first assassination attempt had already failed because of Lucius's cube equation, and if it was revealed that Cezanne, whom he had brought with him, was a double agent from the beginning, it would be difficult to place the blame on Messina.
“If we meet and discuss something, we can do so as parents... That would be fun!”
At those words, Killian's face hardened.
“What’s wrong? Why do you look like that?”
Giovanni chimed in, as if to thank her for bringing up the topic.
“Killian plans to divorce his wife, so it may be difficult for us to meet as parents.”
“What?”
Messina frowned strangely.
"What are you talking about? When I saw you back then, the family, no, the two of you, seemed to be in a great mood."
By the way, Messina muttered and squirmed.
"Could you loosen this up? Let's talk in a more comfortable position. I've never been on my knees this long before."
Anyway, the Rezetta family's weapons had been confiscated, and Messina's body had been searched.
At Killian's wink, Cezanne released the ropes that bound Messina.
“Ah- phew.”
In the meantime, Messina groaned and stretched out her leg, as if a rat had come.
"So, let's continue with what we were talking about earlier. Are you saying you're breaking up with Emily?"
Killian glared at Giovanni once, then sighed and opened his mouth.
"Why should I share that story with you? Let's stop this pointless interest and discuss the Giuliano Organization."
“Is Giuliano the problem now?”
Messina clicked his tongue.
“Killian, I can guess why you’re giving up on this marriage you worked so hard to arrange.”
For the first time in a long time, Messina's expression was serious.
Messina had actually been quite shocked that day at the Starr mansion. She had no idea Killian could be someone so warm-hearted.
And Emily's eyes, looking at Killian, were also filled with affection.
'Does that idiot not know that, or is he pretending not to know?'
Messina felt her heart sink at the sight of his expressionless, yet seemingly sullen, expression, and looked straight into Killian's eyes as she spoke.
Messina's analysis was quite sharp.
"Think carefully! I don't think divorcing Emily will make your weaknesses disappear."
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