"Hello, please sign for this."
The Vulpo girl in front of him was sweet-looking, especially her eyes, which seemed to contain gems, sparkling brightly.
A high school student?
She didn't look very old, sixteen or seventeen at most, probably a bit younger than Jessica, although her features were considerably more mature than Jessica's.
Originally, Lucas Reeve thought that such 'special couriers' would need to be at least Elite Operator level, like Penguin Logistics' Texas—a formidable and mysterious Elite Operator.
But....
Through the Transparent World.
Lucas Reeve could easily see that this Miss Angelina's muscles were tense all over, like a little fox ready to flee at any moment.
Cautious?
It was understandable.
The cargo these 'special couriers' delivered was too mysterious, and they knew too many things. To be honest, if Lisa's mother were replaced by any other sufficiently cold-blooded assassin, they might have mercilessly ensured this young girl would remain here forever.
It's hard to survive without being cautious.
After Lucas Reeve signed for the package.
Angelina nodded to the handsome, though somewhat strange, young man. Then, with a light leap from the balls of her feet, she jumped high into the air right before Lucas Reeve's eyes, as light as a balloon, reaching a floor dozens of meters high in one go. After a couple more bounces, she disappeared between the gaps of the buildings.
"?????"
Lucas Reeve was a little dumbfounded down below.
She just went upstairs like that?
What kind of ninja was she.
However, Lucas Reeve didn't dwell on it for too long. He returned to the secret room and handed the package to Lisa's mother.
Seeing that no battle was imminent, Lucas Reeve also used his mental power to direct the transport drone hovering in the sky to find an empty place to land on its own; constantly flying also consumed energy.
The package contained first-aid supplies for stopping bleeding and preventing infection.
Lisa's mother's injuries weren't fatal, and with her strong constitution, as long as the bleeding was stopped and infection prevented, there wouldn't be much of a problem. Although... for an ordinary person from Earth, this amount of blood loss would have been fatal long ago.
After taking anti-infection medication, changing her own bandages in her room, and setting up an IV drip for herself, she seemed to relax at once, letting out a long sigh of relief as she lay on the bed.
"Mr. Shikigami...."
Lisa's mother expressed her heartfelt gratitude to Lucas Reeve. Although he was a Shikigami, which sounded like a subordinate to an Onmyōji, her husband had actually told her that Shikigami and Onmyōji have an equal relationship. The Shikigami helps the Onmyōji, and the Onmyōji helps the Shikigami; there is no superior-subordinate relationship, they are like comrades-in-arms.
"Thank you very much, Mr. Shikigami, for saving my daughter."
+5000
Tsk...
It seems that to a mother, her daughter is more important than life itself.
+5000
On the other side.
Although Lisa didn't say anything, the gratitude in her eyes was unconcealable.
Lucas Reeve accepted the thanks from the mother and daughter. After all, if it weren't for him, even if Lisa's mother had managed to rescue Lisa, she most likely wouldn't have escaped the aftermath.
Lisa was very sensible.
After arriving in the basement.
The twelve-year-old girl took the initiative to clean and care for her mother. In just a short while, the basement, which had been covered in dust and spiderwebs from long disuse, was sparkling clean again. Furthermore, she used her Originium Arts, foxfire, to boil a kettle of water, pouring a cup for her mother and one for Lucas Reeve.
Such a sensible little girl is rare.
At least Lucas Reeve hadn't seen many in his past life.
Even if there were, they were pitiful children from mountainous regions who grew up without parental care, propping up a household at a young age.
Although Lisa's mother's injuries were not life-threatening, it would be impossible for her to recover in a short time.
Lucas Reeve also asked some questions about Lisa's mother's work, like why she was being hunted, or... where were her reinforcements?
Where are your reinforcements?
Why, after all this commotion, were there only enemies and not a single friendly?
Madam, you, a top assassin in Siracusa, don't seem to be doing too well.
For a moment, Lisa's mother was at a loss for words.
As one of Siracusa's top assassins, her personality was a bit too straightforward. To put it bluntly, she wasn't very cunning.
According to her explanation.
There are a total of five Mafia families currently in power in Siracusa.
[Famiglia Venezia], [Wolf Fang], [Calabri], [Apulia], and [Sicily].
These five ruling Mafia families control over 90% of Siracusa's territory, each acting as a local tyrant in their respective domains.
For Siracusa.
The Mafia is like a local specialty.
Ursus is famous for vodka and large loaves of bread, Yan for its Terra Eastern culture, and Kazimierz for its knightly culture.
Siracusa, on the other hand, has nothing of the sort.
Instead, it's crawling with Mafia.
In Siracusa, even a group of just ten people can call themselves a gang. Especially with the weak Syracusan government and the five major Mafia families occupying the land, smaller and larger Mafia groups have popped up one after another, like little frogs after a spring rain.
Some foreign experts and scholars have even compiled statistics.
In Siracusa, one out of every ten families has someone involved in the underworld.
Among the five major Mafia families, the most powerful is currently [Sicily], which even shows signs of unifying all of Siracusa.
Lisa's mother belongs to [Famiglia Venezia].
She has always served under one of its candidates, and the reason she chose him was purely because his initial ideals were the same as hers.
To end the chaotic situation in Siracusa.
To unify the entire nation.
To let the people of Siracusa live days free from the oppression and bullying of the various Mafia families.
And because of this.
Lisa's mother killed many 'villains' for the cause she served.
However...
As time went on.
This candidate's ideals seemed to diverge from the original ones. He began instructing Lisa's mother to assassinate rivals, not just 'evildoers', which once caused a bit of a rift between them.
In the past six months, these candidates had stopped giving her any important orders.
Combined with the current kidnapping incident.
It was easy to guess that it was likely this candidate trying to use his rival's hands to eliminate his sharpest blade from the past, because... that blade was starting to disobey.
Lisa's mother said no more.
Her injuries were not light, and after speaking for a while, she slowly drifted off to sleep.
Lisa, standing on her tiptoes at the small stove in the room, was cooking porridge. Her hand paused slightly at her mother's words.
Silence.
Did she hate her mother who had killed so many people?
No!
Lisa didn't hate her.
Because her mother had said that all she killed were 'greatly evil people'. As for good people, she had never harmed one, not even when her superiors personally gave the order.
Lisa's hand holding the spoon trembled slightly.
She hated that she couldn't share her mother's burdens at this critical time.
She placed the heated porridge by her mother's bed. Seeing that her mother was asleep and her injuries had stabilized, Lisa carefully left the secret basement to avoid disturbing her. She went up to the first floor of the house and diligently picked up a bucket and towel to briskly clean the uninhabited ground floor.
"I have a way to get you out of Siracusa, how about it? Once you leave Siracusa, these Mafia families can't possibly be powerful enough to extend their reach into other countries, right?"
Lucas Reeve said slowly.
"....."
Lisa didn't speak, but continued to wipe the dusty tabletop with force.
"Mom won't leave... This is her root, and also her dream."
"Then...."
Lucas Reeve said with a smile: "Why not complete her dream in her place? What your mother couldn't finish, you will finish. Your mother's dream, you will fulfill. To be honest, although your mother's injuries aren't fatal, some of her bones are severely fractured, especially her thigh. It will be impossible for her to fully recover without several months."
Lucas Reeve's voice was incredibly deep and gentle. Lisa's hand, which was scrubbing the table, suddenly paused. She looked up, gazing at Lucas Reeve in disbelief. A unique light shone in her brilliant eyes—the light of hope. Lucas Reeve's words had struck a chord deep within her.
She wanted to help her mother share her difficulties, wanted to help her mother fulfill her dream....
But...
"Mr. Reeve... I'm not as strong as my mother. An ideal that even my mother couldn't achieve... my... my talent... is it very weak..."
"How could it be."
Lucas Reeve shook his head.
"Although... in terms of physical constitution, your talent is indeed average, in terms of Originium Arts, you are a genius. You have a powerful talent for Arts, and in the future, as you continue to grow, you will sooner or later become a more outstanding Caster or Onmyōji than your father."
"If you've made up your mind, I have a 'staff' for you. Don't worry about being weak now, and don't worry that you don't know anything. I will guide you until you become... Siracusa's greatest assassin and Caster."
"Are you willing to bear your mother's burdens?"
Lisa's eyes gradually brightened. After a moment of hesitation, Lisa nodded heavily.
"Yes!! Mr. Reeve! No! Teacher!"
"Come, I have a staff for you."
Lucas Reeve snapped his fingers. The transport drone that had landed not far away in the Syracusan wilderness sensed his command. Its bay doors opened automatically, and a small drone flew over, carrying a large, rectangular metal box that was even longer than Lisa. Under her watchful gaze, it landed in front of her.
"Teacher, this is!!!"
"It's the staff I'm giving you. As a future Caster, how can you not have a staff?"
Staff?
Lisa was stunned. Then she remembered her father seemed to have a staff, a long, beautiful one, a tool that could amplify a Caster's Arts ability. However, staffs were generally very expensive.
"Teacher... this is too precious... I..."
Lisa was a bit too embarrassed to accept it. As a good child, she was not comfortable with just taking things from others for free.
"It's fine, it's a greeting gift from your teacher. Anyway, I have a few more of these in my warehouse, also intended for others."
"Open it, open it and see."
After getting Lucas Reeve's affirmation.
Lisa's gaze gradually firmed. Taking a deep breath, she told herself that she would definitely become a powerful Caster, live up to her teacher's trust, and fulfill her mother's dream!! I will definitely surpass my father!!
Lisa slowly opened the latch on the box.
*Click.*
A very crisp sound.
Then, under Lucas Reeve's gratified gaze, she slowly opened the box.
Lisa's expression shifted from anticipation to shock, and then to confusion. All these emotions were reflected in Lucas Reeve's eyes.
"How is it, do you like it? This staff?"
Lucas Reeve asked.
But Lisa's expression was a little stiff at the moment. She carefully lifted the pitch-black 'iron rod' from the box, which was about as long as she was tall.
"Teacher... this doesn't look like a staff, does it?"
A small but hard long tube, hollow inside, connected to an even longer metal pipe. There was something like a lens on top, and then... a stock and a trigger below...
This is a staff!!!
Lisa had never seen such an abstract staff before.
"Do you like it?!!"
Lucas Reeve started to laugh.
"Let me introduce my latest patented weapon, a staff-style sniper rifle modeled after Laterano sniper firearms. You can act as an invisible assassin from two kilometers away. It uses 12.7mm Originium Rounds, and each bullet was personally crafted by me, your teacher. The bullets are rich in special explosive properties. One shot can easily penetrate a concrete wall, and the resulting explosion is no less powerful than a mini Originium bomb!"
"You can even stack your own Originium Arts on top of the gun."
"So, how do you like it, my apprentice Lisa?"
Lisa: "?????"