Rocco’s Slum Adventure

That someone was Georgio, the infamous serial killer.

Sylas deemed Georgio expendable, a perfect pawn.

And Georgio, in turn, felt a strange sense of salvation.

For a man who had always seen himself as disposable, being "useful" to someone brought a twisted comfort.

Now, Rocco thought, he needed to say those very same words to Georgio.

If he could, Georgio wouldn't become Sylas's subordinate but his.

Georgio would protect Rocco, serve him faithfully, and become his pawn.

If that happened, Rocco's chances of survival would skyrocket.

"..."

A thought struck him.

What he had just recalled from the novel wasn't fiction in this world—it was reality.

Georgio wasn't merely a fictional character; he was a living, breathing person.

His horrific backstory, condensed into a few lines in the book, had been years of unrelenting hell here.

To use such a person as a pawn, just for his survival...?

"No… no. I have to live. I don't want to die…"

Rocco shook off the creeping doubts.

Resolving to silence the hesitation within him, he immediately began the preparations to claim Georgio as his own.

...

"Young Master Rocco!! Is it true that you are going out!?"

"Young Master Rocco! The world outside is a terrifying place! For the beloved Young Master Rocco to touch anything so vulgar... Ah! It's dreadful, dreadful!!"

"Young Master Rocco! Our angel, Young Master Rocco! If there is anything you want, we will stake our lives to obtain it for you! Please, please reconsider it again!"

Why was it so noisy this early in the morning?

Rocco found himself thinking about this for a moment.

He had just informed his staff and servants this morning that he wanted to leave the Di Malvento estate and head to the slums below the castle town.

Now, in front of the annex's gate, he was surrounded by the annex's servants and staff.

His path was completely blocked.

Perhaps because he had never stepped outside the Di Malvento estate since birth, their motherly instincts had exploded in full force.

Although, it should be noted that everyone who served in the annex was male.

Even so, these muscular men with motherly figures were the ones who had watched over and raised him since he was a baby.

Since he could no longer call his blood-related parents "parents" due to their neglect, if he had to choose someone to call father or mother, it would undoubtedly be them rather than his biological parents.

Even now, they were so worried about him.

His real parents, he was certain, had probably forgotten about him entirely until the talk of his sixth birthday party came up.

Still, or rather, because of that, the importance of these motherly figures in his life stood out even more.

"Thank you, everyone. But don't worry. It's time for me to start taking action to survive here, as a mafia member. You all understand, right...? Ahem, you understand, don't you?"

As soon as he said this, the muscular men surrounding him all stiffened, their shoulders jerking in surprise.