Chapter 28 - The Province of Vignoble

Angelina was pacing back and forth in what looked like a hotel lounge, her frustration growing with every passing moment. Matteo, on the other hand, is lounging on a comfy chair, engrossed in his phone, occasionally humming tunes and nodding half-heartedly to Angelina's lecture which had been going on for two hours now.

Angelina now had enough of Matteo "Matteo, this is important! This is a high-profile art gala. You need to be discreet and focused and you don't even know how to blend in. Please, pay attention."

Matteo looked up briefly "Huh? Oh, yeah, very important stuff. Got it, Angelina. I am just taking notes" he wasn't taking notes and Angelina knew it.

"Matteo put that phone down! This is not the time for games."

Matteo sighed not looking up from the game he was playing " C'mon, Angelina, do we really need to go through every little detail? I'm a natural. I'll improvise. Easy peasy." he said casually, snagging another apple in the snake game..

"Matteo! We wouldn't be in this situation if you hadn't spent the entire yesterday gallivanting around the city. This is a mission, not a vacation! What were you even doing outside? Sightseeing!?" ooooohhhhh, she snapped!

"I just...…..you know?...needed to get to know the lay of the land."

"Because that's so crucial for a covert mission, isn't it?" she said sarcastically "Now, focus. We start with the cocktail reception at 5:00 PM. You need to register discreetly, and we can't afford any slip-ups." 

Matteo reluctantly puts down his phone with a dramatic sigh, glancing at Angelina.

"Fine, fine. Let's get back to the thrilling world of event etiquette, Yay! So exciting!"

Angelina sighed tiredly. She remembered that this kind of situation was exactly why you don't follow Sophie's plans and suggestions. Matteo was not a secret agent nor he was a trained spy. He also didn't know anything about the etiquette of upper society except for some common manners he had seen in the movies.

That's why Angelina planned to train him a bit in upper-class affairs by going to Vignoble a day before, but as soon as they arrived, before Angelina could exit the station Matteo was gone with a single text message - "I will be meeting you directly at the hotel tomorrow morning." That's why they are having this conversation now.

Well, it's not like Matteo was sightseeing. Ok...…he was, but, he had a hidden agenda behind his tour of the city.

You see, if Matteo wanted to go forward with his plan of creating the framework and working of his organization like the 'Ndrangheta clans with secret underground networks and strongholds, Verbindung city was not suitable for it.

But as he arrived in the Vignoble province he noticed things were different. When Matteo was traveling here, he had surveyed the surroundings through the train window and he had only three words - 'This. Is. Perfect!'

Vignoble was a province with wide stretches of vineyards and rolling hills at the base of the Alps. 

In the hilly areas, small villages and towns nestled comfortably, blending into the landscape. The houses, with terracotta roofs, looked like they belonged there, part of the hills. As you moved towards the Alps, the land became more dramatic, with tall peaks in the background and streams running through fertile valleys.

These hills were not just for vineyards; they were also home to olive groves, fruit orchards, and fields of lavender. In this rural setting, life thrived, and the small streams provided water to the farmlands.

Amidst this rural beauty were small cities that buzzed with activity. They weren't huge cities, but they were important trade centers. Narrow streets in the historic parts of these cities were filled with cafes, markets, and little shops. The cities connected the agricultural communities with the rest of the world.

It was a perfect blend of agricultural and urban landscapes. A thriving province. Interestingly Vignoble was one of the two provinces that were not dominated by one of the 'Giants' of the Alpencian underworld besides the capital province of Novaria.

The Luminara province in the south fell under the sway of the Di Napoli Mafia, while the Cielmont Province in the southwest was under the rule of the Dubois Clan. Moving to the northern Grenzstadt province, where Verbindung City stood, the Moretti Syndicate wielded significant influence. Meanwhile, in the east, the Schwartzberg Consortium held a firm grip on the Tyrola province.

In the Novaria province, the underworld's influence paled in comparison to the other regions, largely due to the formidable presence of the government. Here, governmental authority held strong sway, acting as a significant deterrent to the expansion of underworld activities in the area.

The Vignoble province was different. Here, there were lots of small Grisvolk groups, kind of like medieval nobles. They had complicated relationships among themselves like noble families did. But when the big powers from the other provinces tried to interfere, these small groups joined forces. It's similar to how small noble lords would team up against a strong kingdom to keep their independence.

This was perfect for Matteo as he could slowly increase his power here without triggering the attention of the 'Giants'. By the time they notice his organization would be too deeply rooted to uproot.

So Matteo planned to survey the area and gather intel for his genesis in the Vignoble province. He had already decided to stay here for a few days after the mission was complete. While he was thinking all this Angelina had moved on to explaining the schedule of the gala.

Frankly, he was quite annoyed by now and couldn't resist sharing his 'thoughtful' remarks - "Ah, the exhibition," he said with a smirk, "the time we all pretend to get art we don't get. I've been practicing my 'thoughtful nod' for this." Matteo chuckled, but Angelina just kept going with her instructions, ignoring his comment.

When they talked about the Dinner Buffet, Matteo got excited again. "This is the only normal and good part of the evening," he said sincerely. "If it were up to me, I'd just go to this and skip the rest." Angelina raised an eyebrow and said, "Sadly, you don't have a choice. This is a mission, not a dinner party. Focus."

Even though Matteo tried to add some humor and talk about his 'personal preferences', Angelina stayed serious about getting him ready for the mission. She didn't pay much attention to his comments, making sure he understood how important it was. Matteo didn't let that stop him, though. He kept making his remarks.

"And for the love of god, please keep your mouth shut during the Invisible art appreciation." Angelina.

"Wait wait wait, hold up. What in the world is 'invisible art appreciation'?"

"Well it's a unique art gala tradition, artists create intricate paintings using water on canvas. The skill lies in the subtlety of wet areas, which require a keen eye to notice. As the artist applies water to the canvas, creating stunning visual effects, attendees are challenged to observe and appreciate the nuances of the artwork before it disappears."

Angelina had finally said something ridiculous. This was really a parallel world where humans are perhaps a bit too evolved

Matteo looked at her with a deadpan expression "Is this some kind of rich people joke I am too poor to get?" he said, his expression unchanging.

Angelina clutched her forehead and sighed, looking at the floor "Just...….keep your mouth shut. Okay?"

She looked at her wristwatch. - 3:30 pm - it was almost time to head to the Leroy Estate.