The Conjecture She Arrived On
As her caretaker and personal attendant, Graziano remained by her side all the time. But his expression was full of dissatisfaction.
“Before you met him, wasn’t [I don’t want to get involved with the Underwordl!] your favourite phrase?………well, you did stick your neck into our matters anyway, and constantly helped trash like us but still. I don’t see why you have to go out of your way and put up with so much effort just for that guy’s sake?”
“I’m not ‘putting up’ with anything. In fact I was the one who asked Papa to let me do this.”
“But you don’t really need to defend him Young miss. In the first place, that guy’s probably really is the culprit. You should have just stuck with Serranova’s plan and cornered Aldini with that.”
“That plan also required me to stand by the side, as Ricardo would have to challenge and win against Leonardo in a Duel, and then become his fiancée instead you know?”
“……………….”
In that instant, Graziano became even more sullen and was pouting even more.
Even Francesca became a little worried seeing his mood worsen like that.
“Hey Graziano, aren’t you sulking a bit too much recently……..? You knew the details of the meeting and hid those from me as well. Wait, could it be? Have you finally entered your rebellious phase now!?”
“Really? Did I? I’m not though? I’m always super honest with the young miss though?”
“Okay, now you’re just being a bit too shameless now!!”
Seeing Graziano act like a rebellious boy, Francesca closed her book.
(As my guard, Graziano is required to stay by my side at all times except for when he’s out for family work or at school. I suppose it’s only natural that he’s get a bit bored of it all.)
And finally, she decided to drink the orange juice he had brought a while ago.
“mm…………This is really good, Graziano. Thanks.”
“……….”
When she said that, Graziano simply turned his face to look to the side.
“……..You should have taken a break a bit earlier. Young miss, you’ve always been the type to act in short energetic bursts. You’re not suited for working on something for long periods of time.”
“That’s true. Fufu, sorry for making you worry.”
When he gives a reaction like that, it’s usually when he’s a bit embarrassed.
(Thank god, I guess it wasn’t a rebellious phase after all!……..he’s right though. From his point of view, as someone that had so desperately tried to avoid the matters of the underworld for this long, right now I’m being very abnormal.)
She looked at the desk in front of her. On a paper that was kept on the table were written notes regarding any important detail that she found within the books she read.
(The distribution channels with the neighbouring country. The sales and manufacturing figures of tobacco. Gun trade routes………when I’m so neck deep into the matters regarding the great 5 families, it’s only natural that he’d get worried about me huh.)
Graziano brought his coffee cup to his lips, while his other hand remained in his pocket, as he came close to take a peek at Francesca’s notes.
“Wouldn’t the Boss already know everything that young miss could find from the books here? Is there even a point to look at this all in detail again?”
“of course there is. Because Papa and I look at things quite differently.”
“Hmmm. Is that so?”
His tone sounded doubtful of that but, she felt it was true. After all, Francesca had memories of her past life and the game her world was based on as well.
(Was the incident at the party really due to a skill someone used there? Among all the main characters that appeared in the game, the only one who I don’t know the full details on their skills are, ……at this point, just Leonardo.)
Turning over the page of her document, she continued to ponder while feeling anxious.
(Leonardo’s actions are definitely suspicious. I need to understand that as well, before I continue to hypothesize……..)
It was only natural that Ricardo’s father deemed Leonardo as the mastermind behind it all.
In her past life, Francesca, and all the other players of the game as well, continued to read the story with the assumption that Leonardo was the main villain.
(Rather than worry myself over who some random [mastermind] might exist, I should focus my thinking towards the Leonardo I know of, and the game world I know of! Let me sort the entire scenario inside my head.)
She continued to be optimistic, as she began to think.
(In the game as well, in the latter half of the first chapter, the meeting would take place and an alliance would be formed between the two families. There, the two heads of the families, as well as Ricardo and Francesca would be present……..and then Leonardo would appear. To crush the potential alliance, he would use a very forceful tactic, but everyone would work together to escape the critically dangerous situation……..)
Suddenly, she noticed a strange discrepancy.
(…….The climax of the first chapter is the incident that occurs in the mansion in the 17th district. And once that’s solved, the alliance between the two families is made. And in this world as well, Leonardo had called us to the same mansion, where Papa and others would have to declare whether they accept his conditions or not. And depending on the result, our families might tie into an alliance. The general framework of the incident is quite similar to the game but……)
Blinking fast, she reorganized her thoughts once again.
(——WHY, is the [general framework so similar] in the first place?)
That seemed too strange, and soon the realization of the reason hit her.
“Could it be……….!?”
Francesca shouted, and quickly ran to pick up the book she had returned to the shelf.
“Young miss?”
“Graziano, come and help me here! Now I know exactly what I need to look for, so now we can narrow down the books we need to go through!!”
“Just what are you……..”
The realization made Francesca’s face pale as he hung her head.
(The mastermind behind the drugs incident. That person is…..)
Her voice was trembling, as she muttered a certain person’s name slowly.
“……..Ricardo…….”