Chapter 177: The Weight of Blood

Alessandro stood before the enormous windows of his private study, watching the morning traffic moving through the streets of Zenith City.

His phone rested on the desk behind him, displaying several unanswered messages from Darkstar Guild’s senior management.

Since returning from O.R.D.O. headquarters, he’d received requests for meetings, reports concerning suspended employees, and inquiries from business partners worried about the growing investigation.

Ordinarily, Alessandro would have addressed these matters immediately, but today his attention remained fixed upon a different problem.

A knock sounded against the study door before Bernard entered carrying a sealed envelope and a tablet.

"Master Alessandro, the Guild’s legal department has sent the preliminary report you requested," Bernard announced, approaching the desk.

"They’ve also included a list of commercial agreements involving companies associated with Young Master Damian. Several partners are requesting clarification about whether Darkstar Guild intends to maintain those relationships."

Alessandro turned away from the window and accepted the documents. "Thank you, Bernard. Have the legal department suspend any agreements requiring further examination, but make sure legitimate employees aren’t dismissed simply because they worked with one of those companies. I want evidence before anyone loses their livelihood."

Bernard nodded, although he remained standing beside the desk. Alessandro noticed the hesitation and looked up from the tablet, recognizing that the elderly butler had something else on his mind.

"There’s another matter, sir," Bernard admitted, clasping his hands behind his back.

"Several members of the household have been approached by reporters asking about Young Master Damian. One even offered a substantial amount of money to a gardener in exchange for photographs and information about his childhood."

Alessandro’s expression hardened. "Tell the security team to prevent unauthorized visitors from approaching the residence. And inform the staff that nobody is obligated to speak with the press. If anyone receives threats or harassment, I want to know immediately."

Bernard acknowledged the instructions before quietly leaving. Alessandro returned to his desk, opened the preliminary report, and began reviewing the documents.

Most concerned the commercial consequences of Damian’s arrest, but one section caught his attention.

Several businesses had already begun terminating contracts with companies connected to Damian, leaving hundreds of employees uncertain about their future.

Alessandro frowned as he examined the figures. Whatever happened to Damian, innocent workers shouldn’t be made to suffer unnecessarily because of their employer’s actions.

He instructed the legal department to coordinate with O.R.D.O. and determine which businesses could continue operating under independent supervision while the investigation proceeded.

He had barely finished sending the instructions when another message appeared.

This one came from Damian’s legal representative.

The attorney requested a private meeting to discuss the possibility of arranging more favorable detention conditions, citing Damian’s medical condition and his relationship with Alessandro.

Attached was a proposed statement suggesting that the Guildmaster publicly express confidence in his nephew’s innocence until the investigation concluded.

Alessandro read the statement twice before contacting the attorney directly.

"Guildmaster Orsini, thank you for returning my call," the attorney greeted him, speaking with practiced politeness. "I understand this is a difficult situation, but a public statement from someone of your standing could significantly influence how the authorities approach Mr. Visconti’s case."

Alessandro leaned back in his chair, his expression becoming stern. "I reviewed your proposal. You may pursue every lawful avenue necessary to protect Damian’s rights, but I won’t issue a statement declaring him innocent when the investigation has already uncovered substantial evidence against him."

The attorney paused before responding. "I understand your position, Guildmaster. However, the public perception of your nephew could become extremely damaging. Even a carefully worded statement emphasizing your continued support might help prevent further reputational consequences."

Alessandro glanced toward the report on his desk. "You may tell the public that Damian is receiving legal representation and medical care. Nothing more. My relationship with him doesn’t entitle him to special treatment, and I won’t allow my position to be used to pressure investigators."

The attorney reluctantly acknowledged his decision, and the conversation ended shortly afterward. Alessandro set the device aside, feeling more irritated than he’d expected.

He understood the necessity of legal representation, but the suggestion that his influence should determine how Damian was treated only reinforced how easily powerful individuals could become accustomed to privileges unavailable to ordinary people.

Another knock interrupted his thoughts.

This time, Bernard entered with a young woman wearing the formal uniform of the household’s administrative staff.

She carried a small wooden box, which she placed carefully on the desk before stepping backward.

"Master Alessandro, this was discovered among several personal belongings Young Master Damian left here during his previous visits," Bernard explained. "The staff were organizing the guest rooms when they found it inside one of the cabinets. We thought you should decide what to do with it."

Alessandro examined the box with mild curiosity. It was made from dark polished wood, with a simple brass clasp securing the lid. He recognized it immediately, although he hadn’t seen it in years.

"Leave it here, please," Alessandro instructed, resting a hand against the lid. "I’ll take care of it."

Once they departed, he opened the box.

Inside lay a collection of ordinary objects: several old photographs, a small silver medal, a damaged wristwatch, and a folded document bearing the insignia of a children’s charitable organization.

Alessandro carefully unfolded the document, discovering that it was a certificate acknowledging a substantial donation Damian had made several years earlier.

The amount wasn’t particularly remarkable compared to his nephew’s present wealth, but the date caught Alessandro’s attention.

Damian had made the contribution before his businesses became successful, when he was still establishing himself independently.

Alessandro studied the certificate for several moments.

He remembered the charitable organization because it supported children displaced by Dungeon outbreaks and Dimensional Impacts.

Damian had never mentioned making the donation, and Alessandro had only discovered it when the organization’s director contacted him to express appreciation.

The memory brought an unexpected question.

When had Damian stopped caring about people who had nothing to offer him?

Alessandro examined the remaining contents of the box, eventually picking up the damaged wristwatch. Its glass was cracked, and the hands had stopped moving long ago.

The watch wasn’t particularly expensive, but Damian had kept it for years despite owning far more valuable accessories.

Alessandro recognized it as the first watch Damian had purchased with money he’d earned himself.

For a young man who eventually became obsessed with accumulating wealth, that modest possession had once represented something entirely different: the satisfaction of achieving a goal through his own efforts.

Alessandro placed the watch back inside the box and closed the lid.

He couldn’t determine precisely when Damian’s ambitions had changed, and perhaps there wasn’t a single moment responsible.

People rarely transformed overnight. Their decisions accumulated gradually, until actions they once considered unacceptable became easier to justify.

Nevertheless, understanding that possibility didn’t answer the question troubling him most.

Why had Damian continued down that path when he already possessed so much?

Alessandro was still considering the matter when his communication device rang again. The caller was Irene Castell, one of Darkstar Guild’s senior administrators responsible for personnel oversight.

"Guildmaster, we’ve completed the first stage of the internal review," Irene reported, her voice unusually tense. "Several employees have provided information about Roland Mercer’s activities, and we’ve identified irregularities involving transportation authorizations. However, there’s something else you should know."

Alessandro straightened in his chair. "Go ahead, Irene. What did you discover?"

Irene hesitated briefly. "Some employees raised concerns about Mercer months ago. They questioned why certain transportation records were being accessed outside normal working hours, but their supervisors dismissed the complaints because the requests appeared connected to companies associated with your nephew."

Alessandro’s expression darkened. "Were those supervisors aware that the information was being used for illegal purposes?"

Irene answered carefully. "We haven’t established that yet, Guildmaster. Some may have believed they were approving legitimate commercial arrangements. Others might have deliberately ignored procedures because of Damian’s connection to you."

Alessandro rose from his chair and approached the window. "Preserve every complaint and authorization record. I want to know who received those warnings, what explanations they provided, and why the concerns weren’t investigated. Don’t make assumptions about anyone’s guilt, but don’t overlook negligence either."

Irene confirmed the instructions before ending the call.

Alessandro remained beside the window, watching a group of pedestrians crossing the street below.

The investigation was already exposing weaknesses within Darkstar Guild that had existed independently of Damian’s criminal activities.

Employees had apparently become reluctant to question transactions associated with his family, and certain supervisors had treated his nephew’s name as sufficient justification to disregard established procedures.

That realization demanded more than disciplinary action against a handful of individuals.

Alessandro returned to his desk and began drafting new instructions for the Guild’s senior management.

Internal authorization procedures would undergo independent review, confidential complaints would be reassessed, and employees would receive explicit protection when reporting suspected misconduct involving influential individuals.

He couldn’t change what had already happened, but he could prevent the same failures from continuing.

By the time he finished, nearly an hour had passed.

Alessandro leaned backward and examined the completed instructions before sending them to his administrators.

For the first time since Damian’s arrest, he’d spent an entire morning making decisions that addressed the consequences rather than simply dwelling upon them.

His gaze eventually returned to the communication device resting beside the wooden box.

Jet Saint-Clair’s unanswered message remained there.

Alessandro opened it, reading the young Awakener’s request to speak. He knew Jet had already endured enough without being left wondering whether the Guildmaster blamed him for everything that had happened.

Avoiding the conversation wouldn’t make it easier.

Alessandro selected Jet’s contact information and considered what he wanted to say. There were matters they needed to discuss, including Damian’s arrest, the events at the industrial district, and what their relationship would look like moving forward.

But he had no intention of turning their meeting into another interrogation.

Jet deserved to be heard.

Alessandro finally pressed the call button, deciding that he would arrange a private conversation with the young Awakener before another day passed.

Whatever difficulties awaited them, he wasn’t going to allow silence to make the decision for both of them.