level_act38side_03_beg

Every hunter runs into a wolf before they go into the wastes.

The wolf says: Mulberry wood makes sturdy bows, and stones can be sharpened into deadly blades; but you must shed the clothes on you to survive, for it is the only thing that does not belong in the barrens.

No one would believe it.

So the hunter who kept his long coat on... was caught by tree roots protruding into the corner of the coat, ensnared by vines so tightly he could not move until he heard the beasts encircling him.

Another hunter covered himself head-to-toe in armor... was washed away by the river current when the water rushed into the tiny gaps between the metal plates, dragged down into the mud on the riverbed.

Only one hunter took the wolf's advice, and received a gift from it. The wolf tore off its own pelt, and placed it on the hunter.

The fur fit him so well, as if he was born with it. It helped the hunter survive countless dangers unscathed.

The pelt was so smooth and clean. When the hunter left the wilderness, not a speck of blood could be found on it.

And the hunter never took it off—

<p=2>November 1st, 1100 8:10 P.M.</>

Even the hunter's descendants had a custom of wearing clothing so fitting yet comfortable... and slowly, it evolved into the suit you commonly see on Siracusans today.

...Nonno, you've been telling me this story from when I was a baby, and I still don't get it. I've grown up and you're <i>still</i> telling it.

Luchino, I'm nearly done with these two suits. We just need to sew on these buttons.

You accepted this order on your own accord, so we must be meticulous in our work, no matter who the client is.

Go fetch the buttons from the back. You won't miss them, they have the Saluzzo's emblem.

Shouldn't I first bring them to Signorina Lappland for a fitting, and then we adjust the clothes afterward? As you taught me—

It's fine. That Saluzzo signorina doesn't need it, I'll decide if they need any alterations.

But she didn't request to skip the fitting...

I know what's on your mind, boy.

Sometimes our clients request complicated designs, sometimes they don't even have a picture of it in their head, but it's not our place to probe too much.

Remember, Luchino: Tailor de Montano did not gain our reputation purely from our precision tailoring.

People and materials are the same—know them before making any move.

Go get those buttons. It's time to finish this order.

Oh... okay.

Luchino looks at the two beautiful sets of attire. They are completely different to any suit his grandfather has ever made.

A magnum opus to be sure, worthy of the 'Made by de Montano' labels. He just wishes to be a part of that.

Luchino subconsciously pats his pocket. Inside are a few buttons he privately made himself, also engraved with the Saluzzo emblem.

I'll get them at once, Nonno.

...*sigh*

I kept you waiting outside for quite long, didn't I? Please come in.

You can't delay Signor Antonio's commission any longer, Umberto.

The old Don's about to arrive, if you start now you can still finish it in time before the Carnevale.

Push back your other commissions and come with me to Venezia Trucking. We won't take too much of your time.

My current commission is also one I can't disappoint.

Nonno! I heard someone come in!

Umberto, you don't actually have to make those measurements yourself.

Wanna go meet a real somebody, ragazzo?

Huh? A—A somebody? Nonno, I—

Luchino, give me the buttons.

Y—Yes!

Here.

The young tailor nervously looks at his nonno's face.

Not bad.

But not good enough for these two outfits, Luchino.

B—But I compared them so many times! They're practically the same!

Once you sew enough buttons, you'll be able to tell if they'll fit or not just by touching them. Go fetch mine.

Here, here! All here!

I—I just wanted to help you out!

Umberto, I think you're being too hard on the kid, personally.

Keep practicing, Luchino.

Yes, practice. I'll be good and get back to it once I bring back your medicine!

Signore, surely you can tell this boy is too reckless.

...You amuse me, Umberto.

Apologies, but my recent Carnevale commissions leave me no time at all to go with you.

I promise you, I'll personally go over to apologize once I'm done here.

Of course, I'll pay for any subsequent expenses as well.

You really think Signor Antonio cares about all that? All <i>I</i> care about, is that I can enjoy the Carnevale in peace, Umberto—

Umberto de Montano. Figured you'd be here.

(The Vulpo Returns Home)

You shouldn't be here, Zaaro.

You lost your Fang and this round, so you ought to return to the barrens and wait for the next round to begin.

Calm down, Caesar.

I know you have the best odds of being the alpha of this round, but there's no way I can just sit and wait.

I smell a strong human scent on you. Have you already picked up a new toy?

If you did, then why did you come find me? Were you hoping I console you, Zaaro?

I'm fed up with how you deceive and trick your little pup, <i>Grandma.</i>

I summoned you here to share an interesting secret—where the last unidentified Fang is hiding.

You're out of the game, yet you still try to interfere?

Outsiders make the most eager audience.

Caesar, the bloody stench beneath your merciful appearance and your thirst for victory... I've always been able to sniff them out despite your efforts.

Besides, I don't care if you're interested in my information or not. I'm merely relishing it.

Your pup has a keen sense of smell. A pity our unidentified Fang has spent decades cleaning the scent of wolf off himself.

Umberto de Montano. A pathetic tailor.

Zaaro, I guarantee you that when this round ends, you'll savor the pain of our bite.

Caesar, your anger is delicious as ever.

Unfortunately, I'm not even the first wolf to challenge our rules.

A Vulpo? You a tourist? Sorry, Tailor de Montano's all stuffed up with orders right now, so commissions are closed.

You're the boss here?

Who cares if I am or not—

He does not dare to finish his sentence.

Because he has just seen the blade in her hands.

Right. How long has it been since anyone in this city walked around freely with a weapon in their hand?

A smile remains on the woman's face, but he has a feeling: one more word from him and her blade will surely stab through his throat, even if they are in Nuova Volsinii right now.

*cough* Signora, this man is an employee of the Venezia Trucking.

<i>Trucking?</i> The famiglia sure has changed a lot since I left.

(A Vulpo... the scar on her face... this suit, and that blade—)

(The homicidal lunatic that defected and left the famiglia... but six years ago, didn't she already...?)

You should go, signore. Please send Signor Antonio my regards. Of course, my prior promise to you remains true.

Tch... You... I... cazzo.

(Grazie, Umberto.)

Signora Venezia, you don't seem to have changed much.

You know me?

Your photos were always on the newspapers. Dominated the headlines for a long time.

I thought you would have informed your family first about your return to Siracusa.

I left them many years ago—I came here looking for you.

Yet you're not here to kill me. There's a familiar scent on you.

Vargo?

Yes. He found me in Higashi through his connections, and we made a deal.

Are you sure you want to have our conversation while you bask in the sun and roll around the red leaves?

(Big yawn)

How else?

I wouldn't have bothered helping that wolf out if not for the tiny bit of friendship we have.

So you want me to return to Siracusa... and act as a bodyguard for someone?

To 'solve a problem'.

Do that, and you'll know the truth you've been chasing after.

Why you couldn't find the culprit who hurt your daughter despite all the heads you took, and who exactly that is.

Are you serious? You're not making up an excuse to chase me away from this place?

Hah. Your choice to believe it or not.

Other than him, I should be the only one in this entire shrine who doesn't hate you, Ingrid.

You raid the place whenever you come in here just to see him, and that makes me quite happy. Life at the shrine would be so dull otherwise.

To be honest, I kind of want to follow you back to Siracusa for a little walk.

You're talking about a deep swamp... Your stubbornness and hobby of rolling about in the grass won't like it there.

Tell him I'm going back.

Not telling him yourself?

It's for Lisa, he'll understand.

After I came back to Siracusa, I also met with the Signore dei Lupi. You, Umberto de Montano, I honestly could not have imagined he really chose someone like you if he hadn't stated your very name...

A humble tailor like myself?

Mhm.

I don't know how Vargo described me to you, but we do subtly differ in our views on some matters.

You don't look so good, Umberto.

Vargo told me the wolves always choose humans with some sort of impressive talent, but your health is quite poor.

That ragazzo who just left, he's your...

Luchino is a bright boy, but he just can't accept the fact that time is unbeatable.

I'm old, Ingrid. Simple as that.

Is Vargo well?

I can't tell with them... Did he not come to you?

We haven't seen each other for many years, I thought he'd long abandoned me.

Maybe he just didn't want to taint you with his scent and risk putting you in danger. That's my guess.

...Is that so?

To be honest, I've no interest in finding out what happened between you and Vargo.

I'm just here to solve a problem for you.

He told me how to distinguish the other Fangs. I was thinking, why not take the first move and give them hell instead?

What do you think?

It seems you can't refuse the conditions he gave you.

But this swamp is difficult to leave, once you make even just half a step into the mud.

<p=2>November 5th, 1100 11:00 P.M.</>

Uh... I'll meet Signor Alberto soon. Should I explain the suit design in detail?

—I can't, Nonno will get mad if he finds out.

But if Signor Alberto asks me about it, surely I can't refuse to answer.

Becoming acquaintances with the don of Famiglia Saluzzo could be good for us...

I might even manage to get better medicine for Nonno. Or maybe I could even bring him to Columbia to see even better doctors.

Huff. Stop spiraling, Luchino.

The address from Signorina Lappland... it was this way, if I'm not wrong—

Uh... A truck?

Why is it so fast?! It'll hit the—

Hey!!

Luchino hugs the intricate box containing the suits as he stands on the street corner, and witnesses the accident happen.

A truck fully loaded with goods suddenly crashes into a car that was just about to turn at the intersection.

Glass shards scatter all over, the vehicle frames wrecked out of shape. A tire pops out from the truck.

...H—Help... Help them out!

Merda, everyone's gone to the main street for the show...

Hey, just hold on in there! I'll get you out—

Um, what are these... hidden inside the tires?

Here, Gambino! The car we had our sights on!

That was just a damn coffee break, what the... We're done for!

We were unlucky enough getting assigned the dirty work, with none of the credit...

And now something just had to happen to the goods under our eyes—

Much worse than that, I'm afraid. Look at the car that got hit. Look familiar to you?

Why do you even care who the hell got hit—

Wait. That's. Leontuzzo's...

I gotta say, what you said about going back to Lungmen wasn't so terrible after all.

Let's get outta here before the cops and boss find out. We'll slowly settle the accounts between us after we're back there.

We toiled to get a sliver of hope here. There's no way we can just throw in the towel now, don't forget why we came here to Nuova Volsinii, why we joined Venezia Trucking!

No Signora Sicilia, no Grey Hall, and no restrictions from the other famiglie.

Who knows, we might even manage to make up a famiglia of our own, Gambino.

See the kid across the street with the box? He's the only witness—maybe he caught a glimpse of the goods stashed inside the truck too?

...I got you. Up to us to decide if he saw anything. You're such a scumbag, Capone.

Just trying to keep myself alive, and leave a good impression on the boss at the same time.

Let's go. Take him, and tell them we got the sole witness with us.

And the goods...?

That's for the recipient to think about. Don't forget, the boss stressed again and again we're just cover.

As for Leontuzzo... Hmph, hope he's fine.

Andiamo. We gotta get that kid before someone else does.

Uh, you are here to help?

Over here, someone's still inside the car—

Lights out.

I'll carry him.

The box he was carrying...

Take it with us. Don't leave any clues behind.

You sure no one saw us?

Obviously. The first thing I did here was to survey the surrounding area.

Go.

'CLOSED'.

The cafe is quiet, save for the occasional electrical 'buzzing' from the shop sign at the entrance.

'Closed for three days. Customers new and old, do vote for my daughter Ophelia at the show contest—A week of free coffee for everyone if she wins the right to light up the parade cars on Carnevale!'

A smell. It's strong.

I know you ran in here.

Sparks fly when a passing arrow strikes the dagger in Projekt Red's hand, and the impact numbs her hand slightly.

Quick reflexes. No wonder I'm not done hunting yet!

But I've got you now—

Huh?

I caught you.

Ow! If you weren't a Fang, I wanted to invite you to the pack.

Too bad Agnese wouldn't agree.

Grandma is waiting for me. I must hunt you... and then the last one.

Huh? Having second thoughts?

...No. Not anymore. I don't want to let Kal'tsit down. Grandma even more.

Best not get too close to a hunter!

Lunacub turns around as she shoots an arrow, and quickly slams into a window, shattering it and escaping into the streets.

Don't move. I won't miss this time for sure.

I need to confirm one thing with you before I drag you back to Agnese—

I see Vargo was telling me the truth.

The wolf pack <i>is</i> restless.

I spent quite the effort to find you two.

Though the rest will be simple to do.

You have a smell that Agnese hates, but you're not a Fang.

You know her, Projekt Red? Just show yourself, I won't shoot on sight.

No.

But her blade. Sharper than mine.

...For real?

There's no telling who'll win like this.

I know.

I will reach her first.

The red figure dashes towards Ingrid, and Lunacub quickly turns to aim at the blade-wielding Vulpo.

Not before my arrow does.

Three shots, and I'll have her cornered.

Behind you.

Trying to distract me? Tsk.

I've handled tougher fights in Siracusa with many more people on the other end.

But I'm always the last one standing. No exceptions.

Three arrows lodge into her sword sheath.

Don't treat humans like beasts. Your hunting skills won't work on me.

You can certainly continue to try. Same goes for you, 'Projekt Red'.

This is not over yet.

My blade... not sharp enough...

Come.

You can't hide from me forever. I won't wait any longer for Vargo's answers.

Are the police here actually working? I should go.

The accident, the Fangs, and the Famiglia Venezia's shadow...

I see Siracusa is welcoming me back with even bigger surprises.