S-stop! I'm one of the Russells!
Big talk. Everyone here's a Russell. Name your boss!
—R-Romulus!
GET HIM!
Dust and smoke drift between the towering factory buildings as the chaotic fighting continues.
For the Lord's sake, we're family! Stop fighting!
There he is! Romulus! Get him!
Stop.
Lucia descends from above and uses the blunt edge of her blade to knock down two family members, kicking up clouds of dust.
In an instant, stunned by Lucia's sudden intrusion onto the battlefield, both sides of the fierce gunfight stop cold.
What the... Where'd she come from? Did Michael the Archangel send her or what?
I swear, I have no idea who she is!
Messing with the Thirteen Families, huh? Big mistake! Get 'em!
...!!!
Lucia grips her Pyro Katana tightly. She spins through the air as she charges forward like a streak of light dashing among the crowd.
What—?
A split second later, every last person standing in her way falls to the ground and lets out cries of pain.
Damn it!
Dust permeates the air. The man finds Lucia's blade pressed against his neck even before he gets to draw his weapon out.
W-wait! We can talk this out!
Did you hear?! Drop your damn weapons!
Seeing their boss held at blade-point by Lucia, the several dozen men have no choice but to do as said and put away their weapons.
Holy hell, w-who even are you people?!
Looking around, all you see are people with menacing looks on their faces.
Uncertain of what they think of Babylonia, you decide to keep your identity a secret from them for the time being.
If it comes to it, don't hesitate to drop your title. Around here, "Lady Dawne's godchild" opens every door.
You figure that if the title of "Lady Dawne" truly carries as much weight as it does in Catania as Frank said...
Then telling these people that you're her "godchild" might do the trick most effectively now.
The battlefield instantly falls silent as everyone looks at you in utter disbelief.
What...?
Wait, you're Lady Dawne's...
So... that means you're, uh—
With words on the tip of his tongue, Lucia withdraws her katana from the man.
Perhaps overly nervous, the man clutches his neck and slumps to the ground in a daze.
Cough, cough... Damn, the daughters of the Savoys are terrifying...
...
Your Grace, look... it's a family squabble, that's all. My big brother's got a temper, and, yeah, things got way out of hand.
Y-you're the one who started it—
They say Lady Dawne is fair and just. Do you think... maybe you could ask her to help settle this mess between us?
Your presence seems to have reminded him that there exists another path to power in Catania other than brutal internal strife.
He seems confident that he would be the one to win Lady Dawne's favor in this fight.
They have their own agenda, but regardless, there's no reason to let them continue stirring up conflict and threatening the lives of innocent civilians.
Visiting Lady Dawne with these people would allow you to steer clear of their family affairs, while at the same time also allowing you to save the civilians in the factory, which aligns with Babylonia's interests.
No problem at all. If it's your order, Your Grace, it might as well come from Dawne herself.
You lot playing dead on the floor. Cut the act and open the damn door!
Savoy Family
Mansion
...Alright, I've got the gist of it now.
Olivia steeples her fingers. She leans back leisurely in her chair as she sizes up the leaders of the two families.
Old Russell was a man of integrity. Honest with friends, tough with enemies. Taught me a lot. May he rest easy with the Spirit.
Romulus, you've always been kind. The kids I took in like you, the beggars on every corner sing your name, because you actually remember theirs.
Remus, I'll never forget how you snuck into Canicatti by yourself and took out the Tijuana gang boss. You gave Catania justice that day. We'll always be proud of you for that.
You both took after your father. One got his heart, the other his fire. But sadly, the throne he built only has room for one Caesar.
In the dim light, she closes her eyes and falls silent for a moment.
Remus.
Yes, Lady Dawne!
The tall, thin man lowers his head in acknowledgment, his voice trembling with excitement.
I know you've always had your eyes on the horizon, always longing to see the world beyond Catania.
Solasso Industries will set you up with a well-paid management job. You'll be free to travel across all the conservation areas.
Or head into orbit and see for yourself if angels and God are really up there.
Upon hearing these words, Remus appears astonished.
Lady Dawne...
And as a housewarming gift, all of the Savoys' holdings in Ragusa are yours.
I...
Olivia raises her hand, leaving him no room for objection.
The Solassos are waiting. If we're done here, you can start signing the papers.
...Is this your personal decision, or do all Thirteen Families stand behind it?
There's no difference.
Tsk.
Remus furrows his brow as he tightens his grip around the Russell family's crest emblazoned around his shoulder.
The Russell family won't forget the justice you brought today, Lady Dawne.
With a grave look, he slams the door behind him and rejects all invitations from those waiting outside.
Thank you... thank you for standing up for what's right, Lady Dawne.
Hold on to the kindness you got from your father, Romulus. That's where the Russell family's strength truly lies.
Best of luck.
O-of course...
The dimly lit room falls silent again with the two family leaders gone.
Olivia leaves her chair and slowly rises from behind the beech wood table.
Thank you both for what you've done for Catania. I regret not greeting you properly earlier. Chalk it up to poor manners on the family's part.
I'm Olivia, head of the Savoy family. But around here, they call me Dawne—that's what the Thirteen Families know me as.
That title... it's just a role. I'm only its vessel, nothing more.
I don't particularly enjoy giving orders, but I hate seeing Catania ruled by snakes even more.
She leans against the table and sizes up the two of you with a piercing gaze.
Since you're here, I assume you already know what this wedding is really about.
By Catanian tradition, every family head must show up in person for the godchild's wedding.
And I plan to use that moment to dissolve the Thirteen Families and form a new council to govern Catania together with the World Government.
Olivia raises her hand, directing the two of you to look at the burgundy wall of the room.
Between an antique wall clock and candlesticks hangs a striking heraldic oil painting.
At the center of the painting is a great wolf that's surrounded by more than a dozen bold, vigorous calligraphic signatures.
Picture a broken-down ship lost in a sea of fog. As its captain, I have two options.
One, patch it up like rulers always do. Keep it limping forward, and pray it doesn't smash into something in the dark.
Or two, cut it loose and board a new ship bound for the future.
She gazes up at the faded great wolf, looking as calm as undisturbed water.
When the Punishing Virus broke out, the World Government panicked during the Great Evacuation, broke their promises, and left Catania to fend for itself.
So, in the ashes of the old world, Catania's warriors picked up guns and built something new—family rule.
According to the intelligence you have, Catania, located on the eastern edge of the Atlantic, was once a widely renowned tourist destination under the governance of the Transatlantic Economic Community.
After the Punishing Virus outbreak, some small islands deemed to be of "no strategic value" were dispensed with when military forces in some war zones across the Atlantic were channeled into combatting the virus.
And Catania was precisely one of those islands dispensed with.
For decades, the Thirteen Families carved up what was left of the government, banded together to fight the virus across the sea, and quietly built a shadow empire.
Catania's always had its share of blood and crime. But the Thirteen Families also gave people something they hadn't had in years—order, and a sense of safety.
The truth is, the Families rose from the World Government's downfall, and now they're dying with its return.
Thanks to people like you, the World Government's grip on Earth is tightening. And the Families' shady business won't last much longer.
At this point, the Families can't afford to prop up the defense zones or keep fighting the virus on their own dime.
So now I'm cutting them loose, and getting Catania a seat on your Eden-bound ship.
Some things time forgets. Others, we have to bury ourselves.
Alright, that's enough boring history for one day.
Your wedding is set for noon, two days from now. Tomorrow at sunset, I'll walk you through the venue and how it'll all play out.
By tradition, you'll need to visit the Dionysus Theatre the night before, <b>and bring back a bottle of wine</b> for the ceremonial toast.
Aside from that, your time is your own.
Customs, traditions, ceremonies... It seems like you've been hearing these words thrown around all the time since you took this assignment.
Catania, as it seems, is indeed every bit as conservative a society that values tradition as you learned at the briefing.
If you need anything, talk to Frank. He'll take care of it.
She turns her gaze toward the back of the room, where Frank, standing behind the couple, nods respectfully.
To outsiders, Catania can feel different. The customs here aren't quite like anywhere else.
So take this chance. Enjoy the peace while it lasts.
Lady Dawne's room is located at the far end of the second floor. One can enjoy a sweeping view of this magnificent mansion from right outside her room.
After the meeting, you and Lucia walk through the long corridor lined with red carpets as you carefully explore this palace-like mansion.
Commandant, look, there's a perfect view of the sea from this balcony.
Lucia rests both hands on the marble railing, gazing at the bustling shoreline in the distance.
The setting sun illuminates the sea and sandy shore, where people in thin clothes are setting up tents and grills in small groups in preparation for the events at night.
We've got a little over a day before the "wedding" starts...
Under the setting sun, the seawater is reminiscent of gray silk, rising and falling with the island's breath, as wave after wave surges with heavy ripples.
Aside from getting the wine, anything else on the mission list, Commandant?
She turns to look at you, her long hair swaying in the evening breeze.
You figured that you should probably take advantage of this time instead of filling your schedule with things to do...
And that, as per Lady Dawne's advice, you should simply take things as they come while experiencing everything Catania has to offer.
Hm...
She gazes at the sunset glow and the playful crowd, seeming to have already made up her mind.
The sun's almost down. Would you take a walk with me along the beach?
