Rola looked at Caesar. This guy, despite not having any special powers, was able to get out of dangerous situations without any problems. If it was him, he would have a way to deal with this situation, Rola thought.
But Rola was unsure whether she should trust Caesar or not. Right now, their contract was merely a temporary agreement. After she sold the Joy for a week, she can take the 1 million Parou reward and sever all relationships with Caesar.
Right now, Caesar was implying a new contract. It was like he had a way to make her powerful right here, right now. But she knew the implications. Once she accepted this new contract, she knew that she couldn't simply sever relationships with Caesar.
"What are you saying?" Rola asked.
"I'm saying I can give you what you want. I can give you power. No longer would you feel powerless whenever you want to save anyone."
Rola pursed her lips. She desperately wanted power. She wanted to save Vrija right now with her own power without relying on anyone, but she can't do that. She was only human.
"Even if you go there right now, do you think they will let her go? Do you think they will let anyone go?"
No, Rola thought. The Capo gang was a prideful group who would kill anyone that tried to disrespect their name. They don't worship anything, and would kill helpless civilians even if they were women and children.
"You won't be able to do anything, even if you go there or not. Not if you're still human," Caesar suggested.
Rola looked at Caesar and saw him take out a large pill from his pockets. She immediately recognized it. This was the same Miracle drug she saw him take out before. For some reason, she could not take her eyes off the pill.
"This is a Miracle drug. This will give you enough power to save anyone, and maybe even kill a few people doing so." Caesar saw her eyes glued to the drug and couldn't help but smile.
This was the best chance to persuade Rola to take the drug. This was a win-win situation, just ask anyone–Caesar will gain power and so will she. But of course, Rola would have to take the brunt of the curse.
But what she doesn't know won't kill her, Caesar thought.
"I was planning on consuming this for myself, but I can't bring out its full power. I can feel it–I know you do too, that this pill is begging for you to take it."
Rola was tempted, she was not going to lie. However, this would mean that she would be under Caesar's hands for her whole lifetime. She won't be able to repay this debt.
"I'll give you the whole day," Caesar said as he left her alone to her thoughts.
In truth, Caesar was lying about having more time. He was not sure whether or not the Capo gang would wait the whole day to kill Vrija. He even thought that it was probable that they would kill Vrija when no one showed up to the trap.
But Caesar didn't want Rola or her group to end up in the trap. They were far too valuable to die so easily, not when he had other plans for them.
So, the best decision in this case would be to not do anything and wait until Rola consumed the Miracle drug and got accustomed to her new powers.
It was a 50/50 chance that Vrija would die today, and Caesar was fine taking that bet. Making this decision was as easy as deciding whether to breathe or not.
It was one life in exchange for the lives of 20 or more people. This was simply the most efficient decision. Others like Rola would not have the hardened will to make this decision, but Caesar could, so he lied to her.
With a stone cold face, Caesar left Rola alone, who was still clinging to the hope that she would be able to save Vrija tomorrow.
Just as Caesar was leaving the room, he overheard the group talking about something.
"We have to save her," Mitre said.
"But we can't fight them. They're too strong." Ybarra uttered with his head down in shame.
"Even if we go there and succumb to them, they will still kill us all. This is not just retaliation, this is hatred. I saw them scaring off our customers, throwing pure Joy powder down the drain." Uver said.
As soon as he heard that, Caesar stopped in his tracks. He turned around and faced Uver. "What did you say?"
Uver was caught off guard with Caesar just appearing right next to him, but he still answered.
"I saw them destroying your joy powder. They forcefully took them from our customers and threw them down the sewage drain. They even threatened them with death if they tried to buy Joy from us again."
A smile crept up on Caesar's face. But this was not a smile of happiness, no. This was a smile filled with anger and hatred. A fuel burned up in Caesar's heart that he could not extinguish even if he wanted to.
He didn't know what was happening to him. He hated this feeling. It was a feeling from deep in his heart that had an urge to kill each and everyone who had thrown his pure Joy like it was garbage.
Mitre, Uver, and Ybarra all saw the change in expression in Caesar's face and they all felt fear and dread. It felt like they were looking directly at the devil who was out for revenge.
They dare do this to my product, Caesar thought. For the first time ever, Caesar felt vulnerable. It felt like he was exposed naked in front of the world, making him uncomfortable with an itch to do something.
He hated this feeling. He didn't want to feel a second of this feeling ever again. He needed to do something, anything that would relieve him of this shame.
It was all their fault, he thought. Those idiotic and incapable Capo gang who couldn't make a superior Joy and ended up being jealous of him who made a better and superior Joy. They must pay.
It was at this moment that Caesar decided. They had to die. All of them.
He scrapped all of his current plans and threw them all out of the window. He had no patience to wait a few more days until every condition was perfect. No, they had to die today.
Back then, Caesar was only planning on exacting his plan after everything was set up perfectly. This would not only increase his chances of success, but it would also make it more safe for him as every situation would be controlled by him.
But now, he had to make a move. He was forced to. They dare disrespect him this way? Then they shall pay for it with their own blood.
"Prepare yourselves," Caesar said to Ybarra, Mitre, and Uver who were still a little bit afraid of the scary expression written all over Caesar's face.
"What?" Mitre asked.
"We'll kill those Capo gang bastards." Caesar left those words with them as he immediately set forth for his preparations.
The three of them were left speechless as they watched Caesar leave the room. It was only after Mitre realized what was happening that he immediately ran towards Rola.
"Caesar that crazy bastard is going on a rampage!"
Rola was still busy trying to convince herself not to be impatient. But as soon as she heard Mitre's shout, she immediately ran after Caesar.
She ran as fast as she could, not even caring that she bumped her knee into a few doors and furniture. Thankfully, she was able to catch up to Caesar just as he was approaching his personal carriage. She forcefully caught his shoulder and pulled him back.
When she saw his face, she was taken aback. On his face was anger. Caesar tried to hide it, but she could see the redness in his forehead, the creases, and the permanently slanted eyebrows. She even expected to see smoke billowing out of his ears.
"What's wrong with you? I thought we have to wait till tomorrow?"
"Things changed. They are much more savage than I thought," Caesar said as he ignored Rola and walked away.
Rola had to use all her strength to stop Caesar and calm him down. "We can't do anything against them. You don't even have a plan. This is my fight, and I can handle—"
Caesar turned around and looked her straight in the eyes.
"This is not about you or your friend. This is personal. They have done something that they shouldn't have. I have to teach them what happens even if it's the last lesson they ever learn."
Rola looked at him directly and said, "We'll help you. You're not the only one who has a vendetta."