Okumura Syndicate

Chapter 123: The Gruesome Truth

Aster had no words, knowing what Catoria could do to him if he did anything wrong haunted his mind. She was the bruglione of the syndicate, and the person with the second greatest connection to Edward, if she were to tell him, he could end up in another duel, or worse, dead. However, not telling the truth would also guarantee this, so the black haired boy let it all out, everything he'd been planning since he found out about the mission.

"I-I've been trying to find things out about Demitris…", he muttered. Upon hearing his name, Vladimir slammed his fist on the table before Catoria could even speak. "What did you hear about him?!", he yelled at the boy. Though slightly lost of words and worried about his fate, Aster gave more details, "In the basement, the decayed furniture, the paintings…", he was breathing heavily, clearly shocked by what he saw in there, as were Fleur and Craaq.

"Take your time, child, I can tell you can't handle the truth…", remarked Vladimir. Aster stared at the older man with rage and frustration in his eyes, he couldn't let Vladimir get away with this, so in one large breath, Aster expressed his true feelings, "I can damn well handle the truth, it's you who can't! You rid your mansion of all evidence of Demitris to hide the fact that you abused him!". 

Vladimir got up from the table and rushed toward Aster, with clear violent intentions, but Catoria stopped him in his tracks, toppling him over with her leg. "I don't know what to say Aster, it was foolish of you to look for information without permission, because I believe it's my job to tie up loose ends with this horrendous family. Get Maryanne, I have a little unfinished business with both of them…". Aster calmed down slightly to rationalise the situation before running to fetch Vladimir's wife, it seemed Catoria was on his side.

"You have a lot of nerve yelling at one of my subordinates when you ruined my kind!", exclaimed Catoria. Vladimir laughed off the woman's words, "The succubi...they're irrelevant to me now. I'm far more occupied with offering jobs to elves so they wouldn't have any more children!". Catoria was on the verge of attack, she couldn't allow him to get that far. 

"I remember back in your twenties, you were just as power hungry then, but it didn't stop me from having my way with you…". Fleur glanced at Craaq, still tearful, but well aware that a fight was going to occur, "Why can I never step in at the right time?", she muttered. Craaq offered his shoulder, "You've stepped in more times than I can remember at the nick of time, I don't think this is your fight, Fleur.", the anthro bunny informed her.

Eventually, Aster reentered the room with Maryanne, "Seems that I'm needed for some important business…", remarked the woman, who gave a menacing stare to Catoria. Vladimir creeped up to his wife, seemingly believing that the situation was under control. "The scummy child has something he needs to say.", he let her know before offering Maryanne a seat. 

Aster went up to the front of the table, informing Maryanne of what he saw in the basement just as he did her husband. Upon hearing so, Maryanne smirked at just how little he knew. "I will confirm, everything you saw was completely accurate. However, that's only half of the story. Right, Catoria?", she said in a conniving tone. Catoria and Vladimir knew what was going on and looked at each other with what seemed to the other like sheer culpability.

"I'm afraid the matriarch is right…", Catoria mumbled. The succubus stood up and cleared her throat, "I'm part of the reason why Demitris is the way he is…", she sighed. Finally, Aster was going to learn what really happened to Demitris, and how it linked to Catoria. In his mind he also prepared for betrayal and treachery, because when else would anyone end up in a crime syndicate?