"Cocytus -Ballerina Under the Moonlight" Episode 13

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

At that time, Nathan was handling his consulting work. He was scheduled to make an appearance at Rocca di Luce by noon. Today's bodyguard for Augusto was Vittorio.

On his way back, Leonardo, disguised as a banker, took out his smartphone. At the same time, he placed a paper bag on the ground. Nathan waited for a full minute before answering the call.

"It's happening today, right?"
"Yeah. Everything's ready. We'll do it before they find out."
"What do you need from me?"
"Keep them distracted for five minutes."
"Got it."

The call ended, but Nathan waited another two minutes after Leonardo put away his phone before tucking his own into his jacket. As Leonardo walked away, Nathan retrieved the paper bag he had left behind. Inside was a laptop—an exact replica of Matteo's, right down to the scratches, meticulously recreated as a decoy. It had been made based on the images that Vittorio and Nathan had each taken with their miniature cameras.

Nathan then headed to Hotel Paradiso for a break. He was feeling a bit too tense. He knew he had to calm down—any haste could lead to mistakes.

"Coffee, please."

"This isn't a café, you know. If you want to be a customer, you'd better book a room."

The manager said with a look of exasperation. Nathan always managed to draw this expression out of him.

"My apologies."

"No worries. Have a seat."

He guided Nathan to the counter. As usual, it was the third seat from the end.

The café area was always sparse with customers, but it was a hidden gem. The coffee the manager brewed was refined, with a delicate yet robust flavor that mirrored his own personality.

"You're looking rather sharp today," the manager said, tracing his fingertip around Nathan's eyes.

"They say when the whites of your eyes turn blue, your intuition is at its peak."

"And you're saying that's me right now?"

"Yes. You've got the face of a man who's on top of things."

"…The manager has a keen eye. I used to think I had a good poker face."

Nathan relaxed a little, the aroma of the coffee helping to ease his tension. Perhaps the manager's presence played a part as well.

"How many years do you think I've been in the hospitality business? To me, you and Augusto are just like chicks."

Augusto.

Nathan hadn't expected to hear that name from his mouth. His eyes widened in surprise.

"Do you know why Augusto can act like a king in this town? A smart guy like you must already know."

"…Yeah."

His business was essential to the development of the town. That much was true.

He paved roads, built shops, and attracted customers.

It’s the same for all businesses—without customers, you can’t make a profit. Augusto exploited people's desires, lured in customers, and brought profit to his shops and the town. He also took on the dirty work that no one else wanted to handle. But his methods…

"But the sins that can't be overlooked are… many."

"Exactly. The righteous suffered, women were sold, and countless lives were taken without reason. His glory came at the cost of victims. While some may pity him, most are fed up with the undeniable fact that there's no saving him. Both he and those around him have simply thrown themselves into the antlion's pit."

"…"

"While you're in the midst of it, you can't see it. And people tend to justify their own suffering. What might be a small worry, they make it bigger and more complicated. That way, they can convince themselves they're some 'noble emperor suffering from profound troubles.'"

"Manager...?"

What is he trying to say? But suddenly, it felt like his perspective widened.

Yes, Nathan must not be trapped by Augusto. He must not be trapped by himself either.

"The goddess of fate favors the brave. Nathan, you should be fine. But remember one thing: you don't have to carry everything on your shoulders. Augusto has thrown himself into Inferno; there's no need for sympathy. Sympathy only demeans the other person. Right now, believe only in your own mission."

Nathan frowned slightly, still staring directly into the manager's eyes.

"Why...?"

"Do you think I don't know you? Don’t underestimate the service industry. Your scent, your eyes, your posture, your words—everything about you introduces who you are."

Nathan instinctively ran his hand through his hair. This unexpected deep understanding from such an unlikely source made him feel like he'd been outmaneuvered.

And yet, it was refreshing.

"...It's terrifying. If you were an investigator..."

"That's the thing about being an outsider. You can see clearly because you're not caught up in it."

Sympathy for Augusto.

That small fragment, buried somewhere deep inside him.

The manager's words touched that hidden feeling deep within his heart. The slight sympathy for Augusto, and the doubts about his own mission, all suddenly surfaced.

Perhaps he and Augusto were similar.

Both were suspicious, cautious, and not easy to open up.

But they weren't the same.

"Don't imitate him. Fulfill your own mission. That’s all."

Nathan has gone.

A face full of determination. Eyes burning with sparks.

"He's so young."

The manager murmured.

At Rocca di Luce, Augusto, his executives, close aides, and Nathan were gathered.

As instructed, Vittorio stood behind Augusto, not even glancing at Nathan. There were six bodyguards.

Nothing out of the ordinary—the cameras had already been tampered with. Vittorio, who also served as a cleaner, had discreetly attached a tiny, tiny photo in front of the cameras while pretending to do his job.

Now, all that was left was to swap out the laptop at the right moment. That would be the end of it.

Across the marble table, Augusto spoke.

"Is the work going well?"

The executives each gave their reports.

Nathan pulled out a document from his business bag. It was a list of new clients. Inside the bag, there was something covered with black cloth—a dummy laptop.

Nathan placed the bag on the chair in the back.

"Not bad," Augusto said, but then cast a cold gaze at one of the executives.

"Your sales have dropped significantly."

"Sorry, Capo. Car accidents have decreased."

"Then make them happen. What do you think the repair shop is for?"

Augusto continued his reprimand, and the tension in the room grew with his quiet anger.

Just then, Nathan’s personal phone—the one Vittorio had brought for him—rang.

Nathan shot a brief glance at Vittorio.

"What is it?" Augusto asked, his irritation evident as he looked at Nathan.

"Sorry, it’s a date invitation."

"Shunka Aono?"

"No…"

Nathan smiled at Augusto, and the executives twisted their lips, mocking Nathan’s misstep—when it happened.

A loud boom echoed, followed by a pressure wave that made it seem as if Rocca di Luce itself was shaking.

(Quite the show.)

Nathan and the others rushed to the window.

All they could see was a cloud of dust from the explosion, obscuring the details.

"What the hell is going on?"

The hall fell into chaos.

Then, the power went out—just as planned.

Nathan turned around, and Vittorio moved silently, like a cat.

The power outage lasted only about ten seconds. Once it was restored, everyone started talking at once.

"A fireworks factory?"

"No, wait, a police car’s coming!"

"Shit, Capo, we need to get out of here!"

One of the bodyguards tried to pull Augusto to his feet, but he remained still.

"If we move, they’ll spot us."

"Augusto’s right. They can’t get in here," Nathan said calmly. Rocca di Luce was a fortress, with winding corridors.

There were traps set all over the place. Without a map, it would be impossible to infiltrate in such a short time.

"What was that?"

"Judging by the direction, it was the fireworks factory."

"An accident?"

"I'll investigate it later, but since we didn’t plan any incidents, it’s likely to be an accident," one of the executives calmly explained, and Augusto nodded.

"Fireworks, huh? They were used in the hotel party too. They’re beautiful when launched into the night sky, but in this form, they’re just a pitiful sight."

Seeing Augusto’s continued calm demeanor, the executives gradually regained their composure as well. Some even let out sighs of admiration at his poise.

Nathan glanced briefly at Vittorio. Instead of looking back at Nathan, Vittorio rubbed his nose twice. It was the signal for success.

That seemed rather quick, though.

"Augusto... By the way, is the password still good?"

"There’s something that concerns me more," Augusto’s voice rang out, so strong that it left no room for disagreement.

As everyone turned their attention to him, he finally continued.

"A petty betrayal. Just when I thought things had settled down after the Leonardo incident, signs of it have appeared again. I don’t know who it is, but remember this—this is what happens to traitors."

Augusto pulled out some photos. They were pictures of the traitors he had killed in the past.

"Keep your subordinates under control," he said, then stood up from his seat.

The next day, Vittorio traveled to Japan.

His blood relatives were in Italy, but under police protection, they had relocated, and his wife was now waiting for him in Japan. It was safe.

What Vittorio handed over to Nathan was the laptop Matteo had left behind. With this, the case would start to unravel.

Nathan’s phone rang. It was Leonardo.

"How did it go?"

"The fireworks factory was an unexpected blind spot. It made for a good distraction."

The phone call during that moment had been Leonardo's warning about the detonation.

"I have the laptop... Now it’s just a matter of the password..."

"Yeah, we’re waiting for a message from Arata Shindo in Japan."

"Pick up the laptop. My house is being watched. I’ll leave it in a room at Hotel Paradiso..."

"Got it."

Nathan was surprised at how quickly Vittorio had completed the job, but there hadn’t been a lock on the shelf.

Even Vittorio had excitedly mentioned, "I got lucky. I thought it would take longer."

Nathan retrieved the now-useless lock pick.

Augusto—cautious, skeptical, never showing any weaknesses.

But finally, Augusto had revealed a small opening.

"…Lucky indeed. Truly."

"To be continued"→ "Cocytus -Ballerina Under the Moonlight" Episode 14

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