judge

When I looked into your eyes, I just knew. You're truly one of us.

No, that's not it. Rather, is there anyone who <i>isn't</i> one of us?

Does that judge truly think she's any less base, less filthy than we are?

How much blood does she have on her hands?

And your father, what a beautiful speech he gave.

But how many deaths did he turn a blind eye to?

I don't believe it, ragazzina. What makes them think they can build a clean house with dirty hands?

Padre's hands are clean, and so are Lavinia's!

I won't let you insult them again!

Luna keeps her crossbow aimed at Teresa, but the clerk does not flinch one bit.

Insult?

I'm only stating the facts.

If you truly hate the famiglia that drove Rubio to his death...

Then this is your chance.

What's wrong, are you scared?

Is that all your feelings for your father amount to?

SHUT UP!!!

Luna, stop!

Ugh...

A sharp crossbow bolt pierces through Lavinia's shoulder.

La... vinia...?

Wh-Why...?

I... I’m sorry...

Lavinia?! What are those men doing—

Ugh...

Calm down, Luna. And put your weapon down too.

Lavinia covers her shoulder and slowly but surely approaches the girl.

Luna recoils in panic, but doesn't know where to run.

...No.

She insulted padre. She said he died for nothing.

She insulted you too. Said everything you do is meaningless.

She deserves to die, just like all the mafiosi!

People like her will be punished in the end.

But if you kill her now, everything will be over.

The books you borrowed from me, aren't you reading them because you wanted to be a person who can judge others fairly?

I know!

But, but—!

I dream of Papà every day, and I dream of that gunshot!

I don't know what to do!

I study so hard so I can forget, but I can't!

I CAN'T!!!

...Who could forget?

But the last thing your father would want is for you to act on impulse and forget what we should do, and where we should go.

He waited decades for his one and only chance.

He may not want you and I to walk the same path, but I can't just stand by and watch you stain your hands with blood.

But I can't help it. There's no way I can...

I can't wait that long...

I want everyone to know padre wasn't the kind of person they think he was...

That day will come, Luna. I promise you.

And until it does, I'll always be by your side.

Even if I'm the last person in this land to believe in your father's words. I'll keep the faith and fight for it.

Because I share the same dream.

Lavinia walks over to Luna and cradles the crying child in a tight embrace.

When you can't take it anymore, just come find me.

I'll listen to your complaints; I'll cry with you.

And when you're older, we can drink a little vino together as we complain to one another, and bear each other's troubles when we can't handle them alone.

I... Can I really?

Of course. But you must promise me you will learn patience.

You must try to hold it in against anything that angers you.

Alright?

I wanted to, I really, wanted to, but, but... I'm so..s-sorry—*sob* Waaaaah!!!!

I know, I know.

The crossbow drops to the floor, and the hands that were holding it grab onto Lavinia instead.

Tears well up once more, but this time they wash away the anger and hate.

After a long time, the crying finally stops.

Lavinia wipes away Luna's tears, and carries the unconscious Teresa out the door with the girl by her side.

As they walk, she suddenly seems to recall something, and says—

...I'm sorry, Luna.

Huh?

Whether it's me or your father, consciously or otherwise, we've been asking you to become what we want you to be.

I've met enough people to know that justice and righteousness... are not the only paths one can take.

But—

A long time ago, when I had just started working...

I was the same as you, hoping I could knock some sense into the famiglie. I wanted to let them know they can't do as they please.

Then one day, I found myself at the entrance of an alley.

If not for someone stopping me from going in, I may have died in that very alley.

That person presented me with a box containing the glove and hammer I wield now.

Back then, I thought that if I hid behind him... I might not be able to stand up for myself for the rest of my life.

So I took the weapon he gave me and walked ahead of him.

Now that I'm recalling all this, I think that's what he hoped I'd do. And he'd also hope I would do this today.

Mafiosi always treat death like it is inevitable, as merely the result of solving a problem.

This cycle of violence is how they live and survive.

Long, long ago, a bunch of people walked in the rain into an alley with no lights. They would either die in there, or come out with blood on their hands.

Then, they went further, deeper into the alley, and gradually forgot why they were there in the first place. And in the end, they saw that narrow alley as a full-width street.

Siracusa is a labyrinth of narrow alleys, even dead ends.

The people living inside the maze don't have many choices to make.

If the choice was between people like me or the famiglie, I'd rather insist on keeping you by my side.

But you don't have to become me, and I'm not hoping for that either.

I'd much rather be able to take you outside this labyrinth entirely.

What's outside of it?

Roads. Many wide open roads.