Chapter 74
Last evening, seeing Johann having a good time with Lucas put Emily’s mind at ease.
But what made Emily even happier was that Killian had a very good first impression of her.
“I’m glad I invited everyone over.”
She hadn’t expected it, but she was grateful that Killian had gone along with what she had arranged, and the atmosphere was more pleasant than she had imagined.
Of course, that was purely Emily’s subjective opinion.
Sezanne, noticing Emily’s twitching lips, smiled as well.
“Something good happened?”
“Oh, Sezanne, when did you get here? You should have said something.”
Emily, feeling shy, nervously adjusted her clothes.
Today was the day Emily would undergo a new type of training.
“Today, instead of physical training, we’ll focus on something practical for survival.”
Hearing that there would be no physical training, Emily quietly cheered inside.
“What are we learning?”
Sezanne pulled out a piece of scrap metal shaped like a key from her bag.
“This is a master key.”
“A master key?”
“Yes. Today, you’ll learn about the master key. Of course, having a master key doesn’t mean you can open every door. The most important thing is learning the technique.”
Sezanne placed several types of locks on the table.
“You’ll practice unlocking all the pins using this master key.”
Emily fidgeted with the master key in front of her.
It was an interesting subject, but she couldn’t shake off the uneasy feeling that it was somehow illegal.
‘No, I’ve already been trained by the mafia—what do I have to be afraid of?’
Shaking off her negative thoughts, Emily refocused on Sezanne’s instructions.
But Sezanne, having already noticed Emily’s uneasy expression, could tell what she was worried about.
She briefly explained why this training was necessary.
“You’re learning this not to steal, but to protect yourself. It’s useful if you’re trapped somewhere unfamiliar or suddenly need to access something.”
Emily’s expression brightened at those words.
“I see. I’ll learn diligently.”
“Then let’s start by inserting the master key and using the wrench to release each pin.”
Sezanne demonstrated first. In less than ten seconds, all the pins clicked open.
“Once all the pins are released, you turn the wrench, and the lock opens.”
Soon after, there was a click, and the lock opened.
“Would you like to try?”
“Yes.”
It wasn’t as simple as she had imagined.
Emily practiced until her hands were blistered, but it still took her a long time to release all the pins.
“That’s enough for today.”
Eventually, Sezanne stopped the training.
Given how often the boss interfered with the intensity of her training, it was clear she wouldn’t be left alone if her hands got blisters.
“I’ll have to practice in my room.”
Unaware of the circumstances, Emily became completely absorbed in the thrill of unlocking the locks. Every pin she released brought a rush of exhilaration.
“You must return the lock and wrench to me after practice. It’s too dangerous to keep them.”
“Dangerous?”
Ignoring the question, Sezanne quickly packed the locks and wrench.
“You’ll get faster soon, so don’t worry. Rest well tonight.”
“Hmm, okay.”
Emily went up to her room with a sullen expression.
Johann, who had shared meals with her, returned to the academy as the weekend ended, so Emily had to have dinner alone again.
“Has he come home yet?”
“No, he’s late again today.”
“Has something been going on lately?”
“This world is full of incidents. Don’t worry too much.”
After reassuring Emily, Sezanne checked the surroundings and quietly slipped out of the Star mansion.
Messina, having visited Killian’s mansion, began preparing thoroughly for his assassination.
“I’ll be using this for the operation.”
Messina placed a gun in front of Zed.
“It’s lighter than it looks.”
The gun was more sophisticated than their previous one, yet lighter and simpler to operate.
“You’ve spent quite a bit, it seems.”
“To kill Killian, such an investment is necessary. A great painter naturally needs the best brush, doesn’t he?”
Messina’s gaze as she caressed the gun was anything but ordinary.
“Did you secure the house across from Delina House properly?”
“I couldn’t go myself because it’s in Portua District 3, so we sent agents whose faces are unknown. They confirmed the contract was successful.”
“Good. All that’s left is to lie in wait and shoot.”
Unlike Messina, who was pleased with how smoothly things were going, Zed looked worried.
“Lucas likes Johann a lot, so I’m concerned about killing his uncle.”
“He’s not his biological uncle.”
“Still, if this makes the Star Family and the Rezeta Family enemies, it will affect the two kids’ relationship.”
“It can’t be helped. As a mafia, Lucas must learn that the organization comes first.”
Messina’s expression wasn’t exactly cheerful either.
“Check on Killian’s movements. The operation can’t fail.”
“Yes, understood.”
After Zed left, Messina pulled out a black full-body suit she wore for important assassination missions.
“Killian, I have no regrets about you, but I must die for our Lucas.”
Seeing Messina hesitating, the Crown Prince made a new proposal.
The Rezeta Family would be elevated to noble status. That way, no one could ignore Lucas.
“Boss.”
Someone knocked on Messina’s door.
“Sezanne is here.”
“Let her in.”
Sezanne, wrapped in a robe, carefully entered the room.
“I’ve been waiting, Sezanne.”
“Sorry I’m late.”
“No worries. You’ve been training the lady of that house. You must be busy.”
Messina moved behind the table and served coffee personally.
“Would you like some?”
“No, I can’t eat well outside.”
“You tell me not to suspect you, but you seem cautious of me instead.”
Messina smirked and took out just one cup.
“By the way, how’s Emily’s training going? She looked a bit soft—hope she’s handling it well.”
“She’s a noble, so she can’t be perfect. I’m just going through the motions as per your instructions.”
Sezanne was giving Messina detailed updates about what was happening at the Star residence.
“This is information on the store we were planning to contract at Star House this time.”
Not just that—Sezanne even shared sensitive details like bidding amounts.
“Thanks to you, we easily acquired the building in District 14… it’s a pity I couldn’t see Killian’s face when he lost it.”
Sezanne gave a small, awkward smile at Messina’s joke.
“By the way, Messina…”
“Hmm?”
“You must keep your promise to let me take part in killing Killian.”
“Alright, I said I would.”
“Then why haven’t you told me where the operations HQ is?”
Messina shrugged.
“I can’t. You’re not part of our family, so I can’t reveal top-secret information.”
“But I…”
“I know. Don’t feel too upset. On the day of the operation, I’ll take you there.”
Messina had come to trust how genuinely Sezanne cared about this matter.
Asking another mafia to carry out a boss’s assassination was considered worse than betrayal in the mafia world.
At first, when the Crown Prince brought Sezanne for the operation, everyone wanted to kick her out…
“I owe my life to Claude, and so does Killian.”
Sezanne knelt before Messina, pleading to be heard.
“But Killian repaid Claude’s kindness with enmity. Everyone thinks Claude died from illness, but Killian surely killed him.”
She insisted Johann, Claude’s son, should be elevated as the new boss. Her reasoning was convincing, but Messina couldn’t trust her immediately.
“How did the Crown Prince know Sezanne and bring her here?”
Messina asked Lucius nearby.
“Didn’t I tell you? He promised to provide a justification so killing Killian wouldn’t provoke the council.”
Knowing the Star Family wasn’t bound by blood, the Crown Prince followed Kairon’s advice to exploit this weakness.
That’s how they found Sezanne.
“Killian killed the boss who raised him, so it’s no problem to kill him.”
Even after hearing the story, Messina remained skeptical.
But as Sezanne provided information on the Star Family and Killian’s weaknesses, Messina gradually trusted her.
With the Crown Prince arranging everything and the potential gains being significant, there was no reason to hesitate about Killian’s assassination.
‘Still, poor Emily will end up a widow.’
Messina regretted visiting that house. She felt sorry thinking of Emily, who was good to Lucas.
‘Am I getting old? Feeling useless emotions like this…’
Messina glared at Zed in the photograph.
Though she had seduced Zed and married him, she had forgotten all about it.
She blamed Zed for her heightened sensitivity after having a child.
“Um, Messina?”
“Ah, Sezanne. Sorry, I thought you’d left.”
Sezanne’s voice pulled Messina from her thoughts, and she sat down with her.
“You asked last time how the Crown Prince knew the Rezeta organization and commissioned the assassination, didn’t you?”
“Yes, I did. You’d understand better than our own agents.”
Messina looked at Sezanne appreciatively.
“You already figured it out?”
“Yes. You probably guessed too, Messina. It was the Giuliano organization.”
“So it was them. How despicable.”
Messina clenched and unclenched her fists in deep thought.
She couldn’t tolerate those trying to reap benefits while watching from the sidelines.
“After this, we’ll have to deal with the Giuliano organization too.”
