"Cocytus -Ballerina Under the Moonlight" Episode 11

"Cocytus. A river in the underworld of Greek mythology. A frozen hell that spares no traitors."

The Vittorio in the image was a grumpy-looking man with a wrestler's build. He had a shaved head and tattoos of a cross and the Virgin Mary on his arms and back. His eyes were a light color, and his pale skin suggested he was of mixed immigrant descent.

It was said that he had joined the Clan Gelo organization due to his family's heavy debts. Although he became involved with the mafia for money, his wife fell ill with a rare disease, leaving them rejected by hospitals because of their mafia ties, and the treatment costs became a burden for him.

He worked as a cleaner and bodyguard for Clan Gelo and had some contact with Augusto. He was a good choice as a collaborator; a man who does not forget his feelings for family is rare in the mafia, so if a cooperative relationship could be established, he would become a trustworthy ally. Shindo vouched for him.

Although Nathan had never met him, the man who devised this operation, Takanashi, seemed to be quite sharp.

—Contact someone within the organization who has grievances and seize their computer.

Indeed, simply obtaining a password would be meaningless. The valuable information was contained within the computer itself. Vittorio was essential for that operation. Nathan was finally set to make contact with him.

Despite earning decent money in the mafia, Vittorio drove a somewhat worn-out used car. They agreed to meet at a store under Clan Gelo. Nathan knew a spot where the surveillance cameras did not reach. He pretended to have Vittorio bring him some goods.

“Hey, so you’re the one?”

Vittorio poked his head out the window, laughing like a child with a mischievous idea.

He looked like the man in the photo, but his impression was quite different. He had a friendly smile.

“Seriously? Nathan, you’re the capos’ favorite right-hand man!”

“Vittorio. Sorry for the late introduction.”

“No worries. I’m just a guy who can’t get ahead. It can’t be helped if we can’t meet.”

“Your wife should be receiving treatment in Japan right now.”

“That’s good to hear.”

Nathan showed him the video of her sent by Shindo.

The blonde woman was quietly sleeping in a hospital bed. Vittorio squinted as he looked at it.

Seeing that, Nathan was convinced.

He could be trusted.

“I was surprised when that thin Japanese guy told me about you; I thought he was just a casino addict.”

“What did he say?”

“He said to swap out Augusto’s laptop, right?”

“Exactly.”

Shindo had set everything up. Although Vittorio was just a cleaner, he had been promoted to bodyguard.

They had deliberately started a fight at the casino bar, skillfully wrapping up his bodyguards and putting a little pressure on Augusto. That’s when Vittorio made his entrance. He performed a grand act with a mop in front of Augusto, catching his eye, and soon he was assigned bodyguard duties four times a week.

“But how will we do it? You sometimes get called to his VIP room, so you could manage without me…”

“Augusto is a cautious man. I can’t do it alone.”

“Is that so?”

“Yeah. We’ll exploit the blind spots created by advanced technology. That’s where you come in.”

“Got it.”

Nathan took the package from Vittorio and they dispersed.

Inside the box was a smartphone. It was new, and he slipped it into his chest pocket.

On the other hand, at the local Italian investigation bureau, Leonardo was glued to his computer.

He had three bullet wounds, but none were fatal. He had been found wrapped in plastic outside the police station, and a colleague noticed him at dawn and took him to the hospital.

Muscle relaxants were administered, and when their effects wore off, he was given sleeping pills. No wonder he had no memory of the shooting.

In his chest pocket was a USB memory stick, which he was currently checking. As he and his team reviewed the contents, the video showed a dimly lit establishment. It was decorated flamboyantly, with chandeliers and glass tables adorned with flowers, drinks, and snacks. It was clearly a nighttime venue.

The local power broker appeared on screen, bald with a gut that strained against his shirt buttons. He sat on a black leather sofa in front of the table and beckoned someone over.

High heels and fishnet stockings came into view. The camera didn’t change position, so the woman's face was obscured. It seemed to be a woman who, without hesitation, straddled him in a leather miniskirt, unbuttoning his shirt and beginning to caress him like a cat.

The power broker mixed laughter with moans of pleasure. Eventually, the woman unbuckled his belt, tied his wrists together, and took something from his slacks, inserting it into herself.

"Prostitution," Leonardo noted.

"Wait, wait, if it's a personal connection, we can't arrest them," someone replied.

"That looks unmistakably like prostitution, doesn't it?"

From the computer, the exaggerated moans of the woman and the broker's slovenly voice filled the room. It was unbearable—Leonardo attempted to lower the volume when he heard the broker say, "As expected from Livia's establishment."

Leonardo stepped outside for a smoke. He was aware of Livia's criminal history.

Once a model, she had engaged in prostitution but gradually shifted to facilitating it. She had many acquaintances in the entertainment industry and a broad clientele.

She had earned a significant income and gained status, ultimately getting arrested, but Augusto paid her bail, allowing her to escape to Monaco.

Beautiful Livia, with her straight black hair cut sharply at her forehead and shoulder blades, had a cool beauty that suited her bright eyes and red lipstick. Underneath her black suit, she wore a black lace teddy—or perhaps a bright red high-cut outfit. How many times had he yearned for her image on the screen?

However, judging by the broker's words, that establishment was undoubtedly what it appeared to be—a prostitution ring built under Augusto's auspices. If she was selling women, then that was indeed a crime.

"Ugh..."

He felt pathetic for thinking of her as a goddess. Her true nature hadn’t changed, nor had the direction of her gaze. And the one who handed him this USB memory stick was...

"Nathan Blackmore... no, it’s Ando Nate... I really have no discernment."

Nathan copied the contacts of people as private as possible from the new smartphone he received from Vittorio, including Shunka's. It would be good if he could cover up if Augusto pointed it out, but the chances were slim.

He entered the underground parking lot of the Hôtel Paradiso and contacted Shindo. He should have already arrived in Japan.

"Shindo? How's the situation?"

"I've returned safely. I'm about to meet with Takanashi."

He reported immediately.

"Got it. Contact with Vittorio was successful. How is his wife?"

"Well, she's doing okay. It's a rare illness, but it seems like she can manage with surgery and medication. However, she can't be in unsanitary places to avoid the drug's side effects, so she'll need to be monitored here for a while."

"…That's good. Once the operation is complete, we need to temporarily protect Vittorio and her."

"I'm currently selecting a location. I'll let you know once it's decided. Also, a status update: Miss. Aono is on leave visiting her family. It's a bit unfortunate timing with the Golden Week."

"What's going on?"

Shindo lowered his voice slightly.

"Actually… the painting is hard to find."

"It shouldn't be that difficult, right? The one painted in gold…"

"Yes, but the exhibition is being held simultaneously in three cities: Osaka, Tokyo, and Nagoya. The original is known by the client and Director Ohara, but the identification numbers for the paintings have been changed for the exhibition, and there are similar works…"

"So you can't identify it?"

"Yes…"

"Shunka… can't you ask Miss. Aono?"

"That's the issue; she's on vacation."

It's a result of her holiday during Golden Week and her time off after a business trip. Nathan pressed his fingers to his forehead and exhaled, shaking his head as he looked up.

"I see… and she has lost her smartphone."

"That's right. Apparently, the temporary titles were rewritten by the client. There’s no official name, which is necessary, of course. At that time, they also changed the name on the computer. They still have the temporary titles saved in the data, but it will take time to verify. Miss. Ohara is cooperative, so I can check after the exhibition, but he doesn't want to cause a fuss. Well, there is a catalog, so we can narrow it down. It might still be manageable."

"What about the delivery note sent by Aono Shunka…?"

"As you might expect, it belongs to the client. And there are privacy protection issues. I think Takanashi is good at persuasion, but he has other work as well. Given the time constraints, it would be quicker to comb through everything during the exhibition. I can't exactly ruin Miss. Ohara's reputation."

It became a complicated situation. In other words, a small group needs to verify each painting one by one.

"You're facing a similar problem on your end… I'm counting on you, Shindo."

"Understood. I'll take care of it. I'll start from Tokyo, which is the closest."

"Ah…"

Suddenly, Nathan thought of something and continued.

"Could we have Ohara Ayaka contact Aono Shunka?"

"Actually, I asked her to do that. But apparently, she can't be reached right now."

Nathan felt a sharp pain in his heart, as if a needle had been stabbed into it.

What do you mean?

"Her family is…"

"Nagano. According to her parents, she went to the hospital."

"The hospital…?"

"Yes. A friend of hers seems to have been hospitalized, and she was with them as a companion…"

"Is there something wrong with her…?"

"Nothing so far."

"I see… But if we could confirm the password here…"

It was something he couldn't help but regret. Was there really no good timing? No matter how much he thought about it, she had securely stored it away in a locked place. There was a locked locker in the room.

If he looked for it, he might have found the key. Then he could have opened the package and checked the painting… No, had he seen the key?

She was a professional. She wouldn't carelessly leave a valuable item from a client lying around. Besides, the Hôtel Paradiso has a storage area that guests can use.

In fact, Nathan hadn't seen anything like that in the room. Moreover,

"It can't be helped. In a situation where we don't know who is watching where, the risk is too high. Miss. Aono might be in danger as well."

Shindo's statement was the main reason.

"I understand. That's why I thought about sending it to Japan, but… I didn't expect this."

When the call ended, Nathan felt an overwhelming heaviness in his body.

But he had no time to collapse. He couldn't afford to miss this opportunity, and if there was a mistake, not only would he be in danger, but Shunka would be as well.

Augusto knows her.

The next day, Nathan headed to the church—a small church he had visited with Shunka. He sat in the third row of pews, adopting a pose of prayer to the Virgin Mary. From behind, a hand reached out and slipped a piece of paper into his jeans.

“Here’s the schedule you asked for,” came Vittorio's voice. He sat down behind Nathan, his slumped posture not fitting that of a devout believer.

“Ah, good job.”

“On top of that, you want me to watch the boss’s movements for a week? What kind of instructions are those?”

“With this, we can track when and where he’ll be at any given moment, right?”

“Ah—so that’s what you mean. From when he’s with a woman to when he goes to the bathroom.”

“I didn’t say that.”

“I’m just joking!”

Vittorio broke into a broad smile.

“That guy is only sleeping with a specific woman right now.”

Nathan didn’t want to discuss that, but it seemed Vittorio did. To enhance their cooperation, Nathan decided to nod without turning around. Besides, the content of their conversation could reveal Vittorio’s capabilities.

“It’s a woman named Caterina. She’s tall, blonde, and smart. And get this, she’s also sleeping with another woman—something like a three-way over video.”

“Yeah… the black-haired woman with green eyes?”

“Yeah, how do you know?”

“The woman on the screen is Livia. She and Augusto have hidden cameras set up in each other’s rooms.”

“Huh?”

Vittorio exclaimed in surprise, his eyes likely wide with shock.

“What a convoluted situation. Why not just bring Livia here?”

“Augusto displays his dominance by showing Livia’s debauchery to the higher-ups. He wants to flaunt that he has under his control a former high-class call girl, now the solitary queen of a brothel. Livia, out of vanity, can’t easily open her legs for Augusto. So, they’re both showing off to each other. Augusto is trying to tarnish her self-esteem by flaunting his affairs with other women… They’ve become entangled, each holding the other’s weaknesses.”

It was less about mutual affection and more about a desire for control, with a constant undercurrent of distrust.

“So neither of them trusts the other? What a nauseating relationship.”

“Yeah…”

But perhaps Augusto’s nature was fortuitous for Nathan. He hadn’t instructed Nathan to extract the password from Shunka.

What reason could there be for that? Did he think he could gain complete control by doing it himself, or was it to prevent Nathan from holding the password?

Vittorio stood up, and Nathan took out a piece of paper from his pocket. It contained Augusto’s upcoming schedule, an approximate week-long routine.

Also, he usually left that laptop in the large hall of the Rocca di Luce. There was a small shelf there.

That’s where the surveillance cameras, hidden cameras, and listening devices were located—a total of seven. Vittorio had discovered them while cleaning. He had even managed to observe the secret exchanges between Augusto and Livia.

It was a remarkable outcome. It seemed that Vittorio could perform at his best when given clear instructions.

Next, a man approached from the side. He whispered to Nathan while facing forward.

“You’ve done well. It hurts quite a bit.”

Nathan didn’t recognize him at first without his glasses. His hair was neatly cut, giving him the appearance of a capable banker - Leonardo.

“You’re alive”

“"You weren't planning to kill me from the start, were you?”

“Yeah.”

Nathan handed him a document containing information about Vittorio and his family.

“Protect him and his family. Also, create an alibi.”

“What’s the plan?”

“He’ll tamper with the cameras. While he’s doing that, we’ll switch out the laptop.”

“When will that be?”

“When he’s at the Rocca di Luce. In this setting, Vittorio will be next to Augusto, so he won’t raise suspicion. But I can’t guarantee Vittorio won’t get confused.”

“Since you’re asking him to betray Augusto.”

“Yeah… it’s a harsh way to put it, but his wife is kind of a hostage. I don’t think he’ll abandon her… but I need your support. Betraying his trust is not an option. He’s a man who can act for his family.”

“Understood. I’ll take his family to a safe place.”

Leonardo left.

Nathan bent forward and pressed his forehead against clasped hands.

His bracelet slid down his wrist, and the metal clasp struck against an old scar.

(Shunka…)

The time they spent together was brief.

Yet for Nathan, those days with her were vibrant.

He remembered the warmth of her skin.

As long as she was safe, that was enough.

"To be continued"→"Cocytus -Ballerina Under the Moonlight" Episode 12

Additionally, those who have obtained the password can also access the special page from here →Thank you! Please enjoy the special content.