Help, I'm in Another World and All the Men Are Are So Dangerous! [BL]-Chapter 121: Georgio’s Fury

What he had assumed was a straightforward clash between Georgio and the Assassin Guild now seemed to involve discrepancies from the original story.

What had looked like a typical revenge story might actually be the opening act of a larger conspiracy.

With that in mind, the upcoming "meeting" Sylas referred to made perfect sense.

This meeting was a rare exception.

Normally, the two great families—Di Malvento and Del Fiore—would remain strictly uninvolved with one another.

However, the emergence of an unknown and powerful enemy had prompted them to come together to investigate the threat.

In other words, the meeting would bring together all the key figures from both Di Malvento and Del Fiore.

That included the two main protagonist Sylas and Laxus.

Both protagonists, as well as their close advisors, would be present.

Georgio and Vaan, the parties directly involved, were also expected to attend.

Which meant that Rocco—

"Let me be clear: you’re staying behind."

"Gaaahh!!"

The idea of all the characters from the novel gathering in one place made Rocco’s inner fan gleam with excitement, his eyes sparkling.

However, Sylas, perhaps noticing the glimmer of anticipation, furrowed his brows in mild concern and muttered in a low voice to emphasize his words.

"Why?! I want to go too! I have to go!"

Everyone else was attending the meeting, but for some reason, Rocco was being left behind.

It was unacceptable, and he leaped up and down in protest, puffing his cheeks and letting out indignant huffs.

Sylas sighed softly, then scooped Rocco up, effectively restraining his bouncing with a firm embrace.

With his movements completely stifled, Rocco could do nothing but pout and puff his cheeks in frustration.

"This isn’t me being mean," Sylas said. "I’m worried about you. I can’t throw my sweet Rocco into a den of lunatics."

"But I’m fine! I’m strong!"

Sylas patted Rocco’s head gently, and tears welled up reflexively.

Head pats hit right in the tear ducts—please don’t do that casually.

Sniffling, Rocco tried to hold back the tears but failed, his voice trembling.

"Yes, Rocco is a strong child," Sylas murmured. "Someone who puts himself on the line for his family. A very strong child."

"Then... then let me—!"

"No," Sylas interrupted firmly, his voice soft but resolute. "What if something happens? What if a conflict breaks out? What if people die? I don’t... I don’t want to see you exhausted and broken again."

Sylas’s expression twisted with pain, his words heavy with emotion.

Rocco froze, his breath catching in his throat.

Death was an everyday occurrence for people in the mafia.

However, the last time Rocco had witnessed it—a firsthand experience of someone’s life ending—he had been so overwhelmed that he fainted on the spot.

The aftermath, the visible toll it had taken on him, was something Sylas had seen with his own eyes.

Nobody who cared about their family would want to see them suffer like that again.

"I... I’m sorry," Rocco whispered, his voice shaky.

"Don’t apologize. You’ve done nothing wrong," Sylas replied softly. "It was us—your family—who kept you away from the main estate, far from the world of the mafia. Anyone would be shaken the first time they see someone die."

Sylas’s voice carried a hollow undertone as he spoke, a nuance that wasn’t typical of him.

Sensing something amiss, Rocco looked up, but Sylas’s expression was the same as ever—stoic and composed.

Yet, beneath that mask, Rocco caught a faint glimpse of something deeper, something unspoken.

"...Brother," Rocco said softly.

Without hesitation, he cupped Sylas’s cheeks between his small hands, the abrupt gesture causing Sylas, who had been staring off into some distant, unseen place, to snap back to reality.

Startled, his amethyst-colored eyes widened, locking with Rocco’s gaze.

Seeing Sylas’s attention fully return, Rocco felt a wave of relief.

"That’s why I’m coming! No matter what, I’m coming!" Rocco declared with conviction.

"...What?" frёeweɓηovel.coɱ

Sylas’s rare look of astonishment, complete with wide eyes and a slack jaw, only fueled Rocco’s determination.

Seizing the moment, Rocco puffed up his chest and continued confidently.

"Because I’m a Di Malvento! I want to stand next to Father and you without any shame!"

At Rocco’s passionate words, a flicker of light returned to Sylas’s hesitant gaze.

For a few moments, silence stretched between them, Rocco’s fierce resolve meeting Sylas’s stillness.

Finally, Sylas’s lips curved into a faint, almost defeated smile, his furrowed brows softening.

"...Fine. But don’t stray from my side."

This time, it was Rocco’s turn to freeze.

As the meaning behind Sylas’s words sank in, his face lit up with unrestrained joy, practically glowing as if a flower had just bloomed.

"Thank you, Brother! I promise I won’t leave your side!" he cried while nodding his head vigorously.

Rocco threw his arms around Sylas with unbridled enthusiasm and hugging him tightly as his voice rang out with gratitude.

A month had passed since the news of the upcoming meeting between the two major families had surfaced.

Despite the decision to hold the meeting, Rocco couldn’t help but wonder why so much time had passed without it taking place.

There was, however, a deeper reason behind the delay.

The root cause lay in the subtle fractures that had formed between the Di Malvento family and other neighboring mafia groups.

These fractures had quietly emerged following the revenge drama that was thought to have concluded neatly.

In truth, it hadn’t ended as cleanly as everyone had assumed.

Realistically speaking, this outcome seemed inevitable.

The Assassin Guild, which had acted as a vital hub connecting the various threads of the underworld, played a crucial role in the conflict.

However, without any prior warning or a convincing explanation, the Di Malvento family had abruptly obliterated the guild.

Naturally, this left other groups disgruntled, resulting in widespread discontent and criticism.

As a consequence, the Di Malvento family found themselves under scrutiny, facing cold, distrustful stares from other families.

Rocco felt an overwhelming sense of guilt, knowing that he was the direct cause of the situation.