An Invitation / Only One Moon

Maria did not choose to continue wearing her distinctive tricorn hat; instead, she simply gathered her hem and sat quietly in front of the noblewoman.

"It's nothing, I just feel... your temperament is very unique."

"I don't often receive such praise, but thank you nonetheless."

Maria nodded silently, then slowly straightened her posture.

"In that case, shouldn't we talk about something?"

"What an anxious lady."

Seeing the beautiful girl in front of her instantly revert to her previous cold, warrior-like demeanor, the noblewoman hesitated for a few moments before shaking her head helplessly.

But she didn't dwell on her thoughts any longer. After taking a few deep breaths, she looked up at him seriously once more.

"But I don't dislike your attitude. I believe you've also realized that this invitation isn't just an expression of gratitude."

Maria nodded.

She is somewhat naive, but that doesn't mean she can't see anything.

At least, she could clearly sense that the other person's invitation to her home and their subsequent shower together was definitely not just a simple expression of gratitude.

To express gratitude, giving some money or a gift is actually enough.

At most, we offer some help and convenience.

Their current actions must be driven by ulterior motives.

Maria, however, didn't mind listening to what the other party needed.

But before that, there's one more thing she needs to know.

"Now, perhaps I should know how to address you, madam?"

Maria looked into the other person's emerald green eyes and slowly began to speak.

The other person, after taking a deep breath, silently raised their head.

You might call him...

"Madam Sicily..."

P. S. I think nobody would have guessed that the woman was Madam Sicily!

P. S. Regarding a small question about the timeline, don't worry, creating a well-developed storyline is a must-learn skill for authors! You can't miss it!

Chapter 100 Invitation

It's raining again in Columbia...

Although it is quite a distance from Siracusa, the climate here is almost identical to that of Siracusa.

The air is always filled with humid moisture, the sky is always gray, the sun is rarely seen, and the rain seems to never stop, coming from time to time.

This has led to the fact that people here rarely eat rice, noodles, or wheat. Most of the time, the table is set with vegetables and fruits, and a glass of warm wine is served as a garnish.

Maria sat at the family dining table, stroking the girl with the big tail that was making gurgling noises in her throat, and patiently tearing off vegetables to feed her.

Just moments ago, when Madam Sicily was about to discuss serious matters with Maria, this little girl, who had inherited Madam Sicily's light blonde hair and emerald green eyes, appeared out of nowhere.

Or perhaps it was the child's pursuit of fragrance, for she actually crawled right up to Maria's side, babbling away.

To be honest, this really surprised Maria.

But afterwards, she became curious and began to observe this tiny life.

Infants, or juvenile humans.

Her existence usually represents life and hope. No matter how cruel the world is or how bleak everyone is, everyone will share this consensus.

Having a baby means having hope for the future.

Maria hadn't seen a baby in many years... not counting the orphan from Yharnam.

That's why she felt a lot of curiosity and goodwill towards the child.

They even actively feed them.

It's just that the technique was a bit rough.

Meanwhile, Madam Sicily watched this scene helplessly from the side.

What's her name?

Maria suddenly spoke up and asked.

She doesn't have a name yet.

Madam Sicily shook her head and gently took the child from Maria's arms.

The babbling girl didn't cry; she simply instinctively clung to her mother.

"No name?"

Maria was somewhat puzzled.

She could understand that some cultures have customs of not naming children too early, but from what she observed, this child's teeth had already grown in, and it was time for the child to have a name of his own.

This is something very important.

But Madam Sicily clearly had a different view.

"I'm not qualified to name her yet. For now, I am still Madam Sicily..."

"A name is a code, a code that accompanies a person throughout their life, and a proof of identity."

"You're not Siracusa, nor are you Columbia, so you probably don't understand what family means here, in a place like this."

"I love my family, but I love my children even more."

"She shouldn't have a place like this where she deserves her identity..."

"She is the most precious treasure in my life. Even though I have no feelings for her deceased father, it doesn't stop me from loving her."

Madam Sicily gave her child a kiss.

Maria could clearly feel that the kiss was full of love.

It's like the Virgin Mary kissing the Christ Child.

But this kiss also carried a touch of melancholy.

Maria didn't know how she could sense such negative emotions from such a heartwarming scene, but she definitely felt it.

A person... a woman who is a mother, feeling helpless about not being able to promise her child a future.

"I find this feeling a little hard to understand..."

"That's normal," the lady chuckled softly. "I couldn't understand it before either... until I discovered my own treasure."

"One day, when you have your own child, you will understand that she is like a treasure that suddenly appeared in your life, one that you can never forget."

The lady smiled, a smile full of charm.

Are you worried that giving her a name and officially making her your child will put her in danger?

Maria didn't dwell on it too much. After a moment of silence, she turned and asked about the other person's concerns.

Madam Sicily nodded silently.

"Just as you said, but there are also some differences."

"It's not that I'm worried she's in danger... it's that she's already in danger."

As the lady spoke, a hint of worry appeared on her face.

This was the first time she had shown negative emotions in front of Maria was also the only person in the city she could confide in.

She couldn't show her emotions to her subordinates or family, because that would make them realize that the woman in front of them was weak and unsuitable for her current position.

She couldn't show her emotions to her opponents, whose greedy Fang never hid or concealed themselves.

That is, one can lean on Maria, this uninhibited stranger, and share some of one's own concerns with her.

"You probably heard the conversation in the alley, about that Poporo Winery... It's a crucial piece in our family's expansion of influence over the next ten years. We spent countless manpower and resources to build connections and secure its existence."

"I have no interest in torturing each other with those maddening statistics, but this winery is very important, and now, its ownership has fallen into the hands of the Texas Family."

"The family won't wait for all of this to happen."

The woman said this, but couldn't help but sigh.

"So, you want me to help you get that contract back?"

Maria was somewhat puzzled.

But Madam Sicily shook her head.

"It's pointless to take it back... Families value contracts above all else. Faced with such a tempting prize, the newly formed Texas Family leader will definitely sign it immediately. From that moment on, that land will already bear the name of Texas."

"There are only two ways for us to get that land back."

"First, buy it from Texas. Second, let that land lose its owner and then wait for time to make it ownerless."

"But both of these will undoubtedly take some time, and the family won't give me that much time. Other families outside are also watching this situation, wanting to figure out what's going on."

So what are you planning to do?

Maria was somewhat puzzled... Although she had experienced a lot of scheming, she was clearly not good at such mentally taxing tasks.

After all, it had been a long time since anyone dared to plan anything for her.

This felt both familiar and strange to her.

But she'd also be happy to try such an activity.

"I plan to throw a banquet...right here, where I will invite all the families in Columbia, and then correct this mistake that should never have happened."

The woman sat still, raised her head, and looked intently at Maria.

"My family has been very good to me, but I really can't imagine what it would be like for my children to live in the same family... and I also know that such an action would be a betrayal of their trust."

"And other families will realize that I also have weaknesses, so there will definitely be no shortage of assassinations and conspiracies targeting her!"

"I have already witnessed your formidable strength, so I hope that you can protect her during that banquet, which is destined to be fraught with problems... My child, leave the positive issues to me."

"It won't take up too much of your time, just one week... only one week!"

Madam Sicily looked at Maria and made a request that was rare in her life.

Her response was only an unsettling silence.

Chapter 101 Only One Moon

"Can."

Maria finally granted Madam Sicily's request.

This is mainly because she genuinely had nothing to do during this period.

While helping her out, it would also help her learn more about the country, so it's not a bad idea.

After receiving Maria's consent, Madam Sicily breathed a long sigh of gratitude.

Clearly, the sudden discovery of her family's betrayal today is giving her a major headache.

Being able to recruit someone with such strong individual combat skills as Maria at this time certainly put her at ease.

Of course, they still had things to take care of before the banquet in a few days.

Soon, the real night began to fall.

The entire Columbia went dark, plunging the world into darkness, with only a few lights still flickering in the homes below...

After putting the baby to sleep, Maria and Madam Sicily secretly changed into more comfortable clothes and quietly left the family mansion.

Following the information she had received, Madam Sicily led Maria from the city center to the slums within the city.

Here, painful groans could be heard incessantly.

Maria saw destitute people lying on the streets everywhere... many of them were drunkards.

They didn't care whether the ground was clean or not, and just found a cool spot where they could shelter from the rain to lie down.