NOVEL NEXT Chapter 83: Milan Palace
The screen soon turned off, leaving Tramian Bellimore alone with his own thoughts.
Wind blew from the open garden on the left side, slowly calming his mind. But even then, his expression didn't change, turning even more serious as he thought about the incident that had just transpired at the Milan Palace.
With a stern expression, he slowly closed his eyes for a brief moment before speaking out," Sasha."
From the opposite side of the garden, the white door opened up as a white-haired aged woman in a white kimono appeared in sight. She walked gracefully towards Tramian before sitting on the tatami mat beside him, waiting for him to continue his words.
"Find out about everyone who had attended the 27th Grama Ball and Masquerade Party. I need information about each of the people, their families, their relatives and their histories from the time they were born. Remember, not even a single key detail is to be missed," he commanded in a somewhat stern, somewhat desperate voice.
While it may not have harmed his great-grandchildren, there was still a chance that they could have been harmed. It wasn't something Tramian was going to overlook for any reason.
"Is there anyone you are worried about?" Sasha touched Tramian's hand, calming him a bit, as she added,
"Do not worry. I will look into it."
"Sasha. Is it too much to ask for death before my children's lives?" Tramian asked with a slightly weak expression.
"No, it's not," Sasha answered with a calm smile.
Sasha then waited for a few minutes before slowly standing up and walking out of the room. She didn't say anything, letting Tramian enjoy the peace by himself.
As the door closed, Tramian slowly sighed. His mind went back to the boy he had just talked with.
The way he talked.
The way he spoke.
The way he smiled.
I couldn't read him at all. Not even a single thing.
Even the adults showed hints of greed or anxiety in front of him. Or perhaps their hidden agenda comes through the way they talk. It was a skill that Tramian had honed over the 70 years of his life.
Yet, he failed to read that crimson-suited guy. Unable to make out even the slightest hint of his intentions.
That boy… Alexandra. Just what kind of monster did you end up getting entangled with? He wondered if it was good news for his family, or an approaching disaster that he should take proper measures against.
Though before he could reach a conclusion, a holographic image appeared in front of him.
It was the image of an item that Tramian's men found during their gold mine. Since they could not figure out its purpose, Tramian had secretly transferred it along with Alexandra so that it might reach her maternal grandmother, from where it could go to the treasury to be stored.
A few months later, when Tramian would be visiting the treasury, he could ask one of the qualified appraisers to look into the artifact and find out its purpose.
Sadly, before that could happen, the assassins launched their attack midway, most probably stealing the artifact.
Perhaps there is a rat among our men. Tramian concluded as he recalled the names of the people who could betray the organization. He needed to weed them out soon before they could do more damage to the family.
Then, his eyes looked at the image of the artifact. Earlier he wasn't as interested in this, but now that the whole incident had transpired, his interest had piqued. There was no way he was going to let it all go.
"Just what exactly is this?" he questioned with deep thought.
If Mikael had seen this image, he would have been shocked beyond his wits. He would have done everything he could to chase those assassins to get this artifact back.
It was a green-white gun that seemed to be out of time for its design. It was the same gun that Charles had used to send Mikael back in time.
…
Location: Milan Palace
Unbeknownst of the events that had just transpired, Mikael soon returned to the party, leaving the twins and the butler back in their room.
Slowly walking as Alexandra put on another mask, and Morgan, who still decided to talk along despite his bones broken into pieces, the three of them reached back to the party and began stepping down one at a time.
The assassins were mostly taken care of, and those who were captured alive were already taken for interrogation. The guests, although reluctant to stay anymore, still decided to wait since leaving without saying anything could result in further banishment from any future parties.
While their lives were important, the connection with the party has often given them much more benefit than any other endeavours they had done in their own lives.
Alexandra, happy to find that the guests were still there, smiled as she reached down. In a voice loud enough to be heard by everyone, she spoke,
"Ladies and gentlemen. First of all, I would like to apologise for the disturbance. It was our mistake to overlook the foolish beings who tried to play this trick at the party. While I am glad that not a single person was harmed, I also understand that not everyone would be happy with their lives almost being put on the line."
She clicked her fingers, as men and women wearing black dresses and carrying small boxes in their hands began moving towards the guests one by one. Giving each of them the gift in their hands, Alexandra waited for a few minutes until all the guests had a gift in each of their hands.
"These were the items we had specially prepared to give you at the time you would have been leaving the party. But as we were deciding to end the party early, please accept this for now. Other than this, we will also be transferring 500,000$ as compensation to each guest that has appeared at the party. It may not be enough worth your life, but please accept this compensation we have provided."
She paused as she saw the glistening faces of the guests before she finally added,
"Hopefully, you can overlook this slight mistake of ours, and continue to attend this tradition of ours."
As Alexandra spoke, the main gate of the party slowly opened up, signalling the early end of the party. Some of the guests who were eager to leave moved towards Alexandra, bid their farewells, thanked for the money and the gift, before politely leaving the party.
Raven, along with two more guests, also appeared near Alexandra. Though Raven did not say anything, and only bowed while the man talked politely, she did look at me for a brief moment.
I pondered for a brief moment before asking,
"Miss. Black. Can I have a few moments of yours?"
Raven looked at the woman beside her, who nodded, making Raven reach me as we both went a few dozen meters away from the group.
Taking out one of the three white papers from the pocket, I wrote down a number, an untraceable number that I had created yesterday. Something similar to what I had done yesterday, and hoped to give it to someone whom I had met in the past. At least someone who had helped me out.
"I can't-" Raven was about to reject before I spoke,
"Miss Black. I am giving you in hopes that you do not need it. But if you were ever to find yourself in a position that you have no one to turn to, and nobody to lean on. Call this number."
She looked deep into my eyes. Her eyes narrowed for a brief moment before she sighed and nodded. Then, taking that phone number in her hand for a brief moment, she tore it into pieces before giving it back to me and speaking in an extremely low voice audible only to me,
"77*1*98**0. I have it memorised. If I need to call, I will do it."
A smile on her face as she walked away while I stored those pieces into my right pocket.
Circumstances, huh? I thought as I watched her leave with the other two people she had come along with. Then, moving towards Alexandra, I saw Aurora talking with her cheerfully before I joined in. Morgan was somewhere away for the moment, probably attending a few more guests that were leaving the party.
"Ah! Mr. Anthony. Are you okay?" She asked in a concerned tone, which I nodded before pondering and then speaking,
"Since we have just begun our friendship, here."
I then took out another paper from my pocket and wrote the same number as before. With a smile on my face, I spoke,
"You will have only one chance to call this number. Make sure it is worthwhile."
It simply meant that for once, I would help you out of your troubles.
Understanding my intentions, she nodded before she carefully placed the paper in her bag, thanking which she then bowed to Alexandra and then left from there as well.
"Not giving me any secret help number?" Alexandra teased before I gave a forced smile and answered,
"I wouldn't be surprised if I found you at my home tomorrow morning. Just make sure that no one else knows my identity."
She chuckled as she nodded before Silva finally joined us. Silva had gone to the washroom since she had been holding it for quite a while, and only returned right now. Looking at everyone leaving, she mumbled,
"Everyone is leaving, huh? Shall we, too?"
Looking at her half-sleepy state, I decided internally that I would be the one driving on our way back. I nodded at her, thinking it was about time we should leave as well.
"I will give you your gift tomorrow. And yours too. Will it be all right if I bring it to your home?" Alexandra first asked Silva and then to me, to which I pondered before asking,
"Is it flashy?"
"Nope."
"Then fine," I agreed, to which she nodded.
Seems like tomorrow is going to be long as well, huh? I thought as I kind of found it amusing how many things I had gained in just a single night.