You don't even want to call me godfather

"I'll have one portion of sugar in my cup, thank you."

Vina stopped the waiter who was about to leave and added.

"Two cups of black coffee and one cup of black coffee with sugar, right?"

The waiter glanced at Koshei with a slightly nervous look, and when he saw that he was just looking out the window, he quickly walked away.

"So, can you explain to me what just happened, Miss Vina?"

After a moment of silence, Koshe turned around and fixed his gaze on Veena and Indra.

"Of course, Father Cascade," Vina nodded, her hands resting on the table, her fingers loosely clasped together, "but first, I want to apologize to you on behalf of Indra."

"It's okay, please tell me."

Koshe spread his palms forward to show that he did not care about Indra's previous actions.

He looked towards Indra, and after noticing his gaze, Indra turned his head away unhappily, refusing to meet his gaze.

If Vina had not been here, Koshe was almost certain that Indra would continue to cause trouble for him.

"It's about what happened half a month ago," Vina began to explain the cause and effect of the matter after getting Koshe's signal. "At that time, in the middle of the night, Syracuse was attacked by foreign enemies. Although the Glasgow Gang is not the people of Syracuse, Godfather Cascade has given us the qualifications to stay in this country, so we feel that, at least in this matter, we should do something."

"I heard from the family cadres that the Glasgow Gang lost two people while assisting in the operation to protect the citizens."

Koshe took over Vina's words and said.

"Yes," Vina agreed with Koshei's statement, and added, "I have wanted to talk to you about this matter many times, but I have never had the opportunity to meet with you. A cadre of the Cascade Family told us that you don't have the extra time to meet with us."

"Also let me apologize here to you, everyone in the Glasgow Gang. Since Syracuse was attacked, there have indeed been countless things that I need to deal with, and my time allocation is a bit tight, so I have not been able to arrange a time to meet with you." After hearing these words, Koshei had a general idea of ​​Vina's purpose in looking for him, "But now I have it."

Most of the time, sincere explanations can often gain others' forgiveness.

For some reasons, Vina could understand why Koshei didn't meet with them, but the people around her wouldn't think so much. Most of the members of the Glasgow Gang were people with strong tempers, and Indra was a very appropriate example.

But even Indra calmed down a little after learning about Kosh'e's difficulties.

But there was still a bit of resentment on his face.

"Two of our brothers died," Indra interrupted and expressed his thoughts to Koshei directly, "I don't care about the cause and effect, and I don't understand those complicated things. I only know that the Colombian people killed our brothers in the Glasgow Gang. This hatred cannot be left unrequited. Even if I have to walk to Colombia, I will--"

"Indra," Vina interrupted Indra who was becoming increasingly agitated. She sighed and told Koshei frankly, "This is basically what happened. We wanted to go to Colombia to seek an explanation ourselves, but we were short of funds and had no means or documents to enter or leave the country, so we could only ask for your help."

The members of the Glasgow Gang were undoubtedly a group of loyal people, which Koshe had already seen from Indra, and he did not dislike such people.

So he thought for a moment and came to a conclusion in his mind.

"Two cups of black coffee and one cup of black coffee with sugar." The waiter brought three cups of coffee to the table at this time. He held the tray and bowed slightly. "Have a pleasant meal, guests."

Koshe picked up a cup of smoking black coffee, took a sip, and placed the cup on the table.

The bitterness of the coffee stimulated his taste buds, and after savoring it for a few seconds, he spoke.

"People in Syracuse are still in a state of panic," Koshei said, tapping his fingers on the table. He looked at the pedestrians on the street outside the window and said, "As the monarch of this country, I must be responsible for the consequences of my negligence."

"What the Cascade Fathers mean is..."

Vina could tell there was something else behind Koshe's words and asked uncertainly.

"Those who died while protecting Syracuse were not only members of the Glasgow Gang, but also members of the Cascade Family and the people of Syracuse," Koshe took a deep breath, shook his head, and looked at Vina. "In a few days, when the public reaction is not so intense, I will go to Colombia in person to seek justice. Colombia's actions are tantamount to a declaration of war, so there is no need for me to show any mercy."

"Please allow us to accompany you, Father Cascade," Vina was not surprised by Koshe's decision. It can even be said that her expression showed that she expected it. "Of course, we will not cause you any inconvenience. Indra and I will be the only ones accompanying you on the trip to Columbia."

"I have no reason to refuse a friend's request," Koshei smiled, leaning back on the sofa as an idea suddenly occurred to him. "Similarly, I have a question that I would like to ask Miss Vina and Miss Indra as a friend."

"Hmm? Go ahead."

"It's a question...about women."

After getting Vina's consent, Koshe took advantage of the improved atmosphere to ask the two about women's daily necessities.

The existence of Elizaveta was not some hidden secret, and the marriage would sooner or later become known to the whole country, so there was no need for him to hide it from Vina and the others. Instead, he frankly raised the question that had been bothering him for several hours.

"laugh--"

He didn’t know if it was Koshe’s illusion, but after he finished explaining the whole story, he seemed to hear Vina chuckle.

“Hahahaha!” But then, Indra’s unbridled laughter completely proved that this was not an illusion. “I didn’t expect… I didn’t expect that as the king of a country, you can’t even handle such a small matter?”

Indra's laughter was so unbridled that it attracted the attention of other people in the store, but no one looked at her strangely. After they noticed Koshe's presence, a tense atmosphere spread in the store.

"Indra, you were a bit too rude today," Vina tried to hold back her laughter, but considering the status of Koshe who was sitting across from them and the bad atmosphere in the store, she stopped Indra and signaled to Koshe, "This is just a small matter, not worth mentioning. We are of course willing to help you."

"Master is right. This little thing won't bother us." Thanks to Vina's presence, Indra finally calmed down. She cleared her throat, picked up a cup of black coffee, and drank it without thinking. Then she coughed a few times because of the strong bitter taste. "Ahem - why is this coffee... so unpalatable..."

"Of course black coffee without sugar or milk is bitter," Koshe explained to Indra, noting that he saw some interesting scenes. "It's just that I need this taste to keep myself awake at all times, so I choose not to add anything."

"Ahem - ugh - why didn't you say so earlier..."

Indra kept coughing, trying to get rid of the taste in her mouth, but it was no use. This taste would probably make her suffer for a while.

However, after this incident, the tension and confrontation between the three of them disappeared completely.

After Indra recovered a little, they talked about the topic raised by Koshe. Veena and Indra continued to tutor Koshe on all aspects of women's daily needs, and Koshe remembered them all.

Indra got excited halfway through the meal and even called the waiter to ask if there was any wine in the store, but was stopped by Vina again.

In the blink of an eye, it was dusk.

Chapter 21: Every Move

Koshei humbly asked Vina and Indra for advice. He slowly drank the bitter coffee and kept the key points they said in mind.

If he had a pen and paper at hand, perhaps he would write down these words.

But it's no wonder, because no one has ever been able to teach Koshei this knowledge before.

It was especially the special nature of Elizaveta that made him take the matter so seriously.

As mentioned before, Elizaveta's nature is completely different from Destiny and Angelina. The latter is a younger sister and a first love with whom his relationship develops rapidly, while Elizaveta is a strange fiancée who will live with him. For the sake of the relationship between Syracuse and Ursus, he must take care of Elizaveta meticulously.

Moreover, his observation of Vina and Indra just now reminded him of two friends, a combination of stupidity and unhappiness, which he was very familiar with, so he had an inexplicable sense of closeness to them.

Similarly, Vina and Indra were also observing Koshei all the time. Even though they had heard his name from the people of Syracuse before, only when they actually communicated face to face could they figure out what kind of person he was.

Vina had met Koshei before. When the Glasgow gang first arrived in Syracuse, it was Koshei who helped them overcome the first difficulty.

There was no doubt that Vina owed him a favor, and the earlier meeting and the ongoing conversation had given her an appreciative attitude toward Koshei.

Someone who can become the king of a country at this age must have something special about him. This is what Vina thought at first, but now it seems that her idea has been a little wrong.

Indeed, on the surface, Koshe's reactions and responses to various situations can be considered safe. Even if there are still some shortcomings, he has done a very good job.

But this is not something a man of his age can do. It is a bit too steady for a teenager who has just reached adulthood.

Vina didn't know about his past and could only get a few words from others, but these alone were enough for her to speculate what made Koshei become like this.

Sense of responsibility...?

Vina didn't want to use such heavy words, but she really couldn't find any other way to describe it.

She admired Koshe's youth and ambition, and his efforts to assume his own identity. Even on small matters like women's products, he would listen and remember so carefully. This was a type of person she had never met before, and she was very interested.

Compared with Veena, Indra's ideas could not be simpler.

She didn't like Koshe's overly serious and formal attitude. Although she didn't feel that he was putting on airs, she had seen the expression Koshe showed when he was upset on Vina's face.

It’s not that she couldn’t accept Koshei’s existence. Rather, she quite liked his straightforward personality and his frankness towards them. However… she still felt a little uncomfortable, as if Koshei was hiding something.

It would be nice if there was some wine. Once people drink, they become frank, and once they become frank, they can no longer hide things, Indra thought.

She knew that her brain was not that flexible and that gang affairs were usually decided by Vina and Morgan. But even a person like her who could only swing her fists could see that Koshei's life was not easy, as if something was pressing on his shoulders. This was quite similar to Vina, who lived a free and easy life but was always unwilling to talk and did not laugh often.

She wanted to help many times, but there was nothing she could do, which often drove her crazy.

This kind of calm and aloof character already has Vina by her side, but now it seems that she may have to interact with Koshe for a long time to come.

Thinking of this, Indra suddenly became furious and finally vented his dissatisfaction on the coffee in the cup.

"Indra?"

Noticing that Indra suddenly swallowed the hard-to-swallow black coffee in one gulp, Vina stopped the topic and looked at her in confusion.

"Ahem - I'm fine, you guys continue."

Indra suppressed his nausea and motioned for Veena to continue.

But when Koshe looked at Indra, the two men looked into each other's eyes for the first time.

He saw the grief and anger in Indra's eyes, directed at him without any concealment.

He was confused and didn't know how he had offended her just now.

"Indra," Vina finally couldn't help but frowning after noticing that Indra's mood swings were particularly large today. She glanced at Indra and motioned her to step aside for a while. "Do you mind letting us talk alone for a while?"

"I just need to go to the bathroom, you two can chat, Master."

Indra understood and immediately stood up and walked towards the bathroom, glaring at Koshei before leaving.

"I'm sorry, Godfather Cascade," Vina apologized to Koshei on her behalf after Indra left. "Indra is just a straightforward person. Please don't take it as an offense if I've offended you."

"I understand. I had a similar friend before." Koshe waved his hand to show that he didn't care. However, he also noticed the eye contact between Vina and Indra, so he asked, "Then... Miss Vina, do you have anything to say that should not be heard by others?"

"You really can't let it escape my eyes. Sometimes I wonder where you learned your ability to read people's expressions," Vina joked, but then lowered her voice and got to the point. "Excuse me, has Syracuse encountered any problems in terms of national management recently?"

Koshei's body couldn't help but lean back.

Strangely enough, he discovered from the first time they met that Vina was obviously different from the other members of the Glasgow Gang. She was well-mannered and had a temperament that was completely inconsistent with that of a gang. Also, no matter how hard she disguised herself or hid, she would occasionally show some small habits in her gestures.

These small points added together are enough to prove that Vina's identity is not as simple as a gang leader.

Thinking of this, Koshe's gaze shifted from Vina's eyes to her ears, which were exactly the same as those of the Filin people, and then moved to her tail, which was much more obedient than that of ordinary Filin people and had a tuft of long hair at the end.

Ah, that's how it is... Combining the previous analysis, Koshe seemed to suddenly understand something.

"I don't deny your point of view. I can admit that Syracuse has been plagued by problems recently. But before I answer more of your questions, I am a little eager to know why you are so interested in Syracuse's politics." Koshe did not evade the question. Instead, he stared straight into Vina's eyes. "Ms. Aslan."

Chapter 22: Far-sightedness

"I don't deny your point. I can admit that Syracuse has been in trouble recently. But before I answer more of your questions, I am a little eager to know why you are so interested in Syracuse's politics, Miss Aslan."

Koshei rested his elbows on the table, lightly touching his fingers together, and then relaxed his fingers and looked at Vina.

Seeing Koshe's eyes and the way he addressed her suddenly became completely different from before, Vina narrowed her eyes slightly.

She knew that within the ten seconds after she asked the question, Koshe had roughly guessed her identity. Even if he didn't specify her name, he had at least gotten a rough idea of ​​it.

His reaction and analysis speeds are extremely fast, and his judgment is far beyond that of ordinary people. The only thing he lacks is experience and practical experience. This is how Vina evaluates him in her heart.

"Hmph...just pretend I didn't say anything." Vina laughed meaningfully, shook her head, and said to him, "You will be an excellent king, Godfather Cascade."

The two reached a consensus at the same time. Kehuai almost guessed Vina's original identity. Although he would not reveal it to others, since there was someone with more experience than him, he would spare no effort to ask for advice.

Similarly, Vina could do some favors for Koshei, and secondly, the Glasgow Gang would probably have to stay in Syracuse for a long time. She saw many shortcomings in Syracuse's policies from all parties. Even if it was just for the Glasgow Gang, she hoped to improve this crumbling country.

This was a situation that could barely be called a win-win for both parties, but Vina was now willing to suffer a little loss as a reward for Koshe's help in rescuing them from Solomons.

"…Do you want to talk?"

The two remained silent for a while. During this time, Koshe noticed that Vina's eyes never left him. After a long time, he couldn't help but ask.

"……Um."

Vina agreed with Koshe's idea and she agreed softly.

"I'm curious about your views on the mistakes and shortcomings you've made, Miss Vina." Having said that, Koshe couldn't think of anything to talk about, so he could only ask her from a personal standpoint, "Do you start over and make amends every time you make a mistake, or do you accept everything and look forward."

"I think... sometimes, mistakes accompany every choice we make. Pain is the inevitable price to pay. This is a real taste." Vina thought for a moment and gave an ambiguous answer. "Everyone wants to know what kind of future their choice will bring, but when they know it, they wish they had never asked the question."

"The price?" Koshe smiled helplessly, joking about himself casually, "Since I took this position, I have always encountered various obstacles. Without a doubt, I won in the end, even though the means were not kind. I just feel that every time I win, I lose something, whether it is the people around me or my original intention."

"If the ruler does not serve as a butcher, he will become a prey." Vina could feel Koshe's mood becoming low. Even though he hid it well on the surface, she could still understand his mood. "Many things are not always what they seem. Every time we encounter obstacles, we will be afraid. Fear sometimes tricks us and makes us afraid to make choices and changes. But usually hiding behind our fear are opportunities waiting for us to seize, opportunities about life, about honor..."

"About family, about love, about the future created by our decisions," Koshe took over Vina's words. He knew what she wanted to say. "Of course I understand the principles, but every time I need to face these things, I always fall into a state of helplessness, worry, doubt, and don't know what to do next."

"The coexistence of pain and happiness is a complete life," Vina said calmly, taking a sip of the slightly cold coffee in the cup. "It is always wise to look forward, but it is not easy to have a long-term vision."

"It is painful that every time I thought my actions were doing justice, I caused more injustice. I thought I should at least be aware of this, and then I found something even more painful, realizing that there is no complete justice. After the most intense resistance, I realized that the actions I advocated were actually nothing."

This is true whether it is the government officials who died in the fall of the Syracuse government or the notary executors who died in the Lateran Crowell incident.

Koshe kept these words to himself.