In Gotham's chilly late-autumn rain, yellowish mist rose beneath the streetlamps as they flickered on one by one. The cold beams of headlights gradually spread from around the corner, illuminating the end of a pitch-black alley.
The colorful glow of neon signs reflected off the black car. The door opened, and the driver stepped out beneath a black umbrella before opening the rear door.
The attendants at the mansion entrance wore white shirts and champagne-colored vests. They hurried over and laid a carpet beneath the car door. Leather shoes stepped onto it as Schiller braced himself on the door and emerged from the car.
The moment he straightened up, he saw a guest ahead of him throw an enormous umbrella into the arms of a scrawny umbrella boy. The water streaming from it soaked the boy from head to toe, and the attendants by the entrance snickered at him.
Schiller took the umbrella himself and walked to the entrance. A blond manager came out warmly and said, "You must be Professor Rodriguez? The Godfather has been waiting for you."
As soon as he finished speaking, Evans came down the stairs. He warmly embraced Schiller and said, "Thank you, Professor Schiller. My coming-of-age party really wasn't worth you making such a special trip."
"It's nothing. Happy birthday."
As the two spoke, Schiller caught sight of the umbrella boy clutching the huge umbrella from the corner of his eye. He looked about Evans's age, but he was thin and small, with a hooked nose and somewhat sinister eyes. He was not particularly likable. He was struggling to fold the enormous umbrella in his arms, but his frailty made the effort look rather comical.
Schiller noticed that the cufflinks at the boy's wrists were fastened with meticulous precision. Compared to the attendants, he