Thursday, 08:23 AM
The streets of Valderano's city center were alive with the rumble of luxury cars, gliding in succession through the bustling roads.
Passersby paused briefly, their eyes caught by the spectacle.
It was no secret where these cars were headed — straight to the heart of the city, to one of the largest and most magnificent casinos in all of Siotto: Divino Rosso Casino.
The casino had been built shortly after the ruins of the old La Bellissima Hotel, once owned by the former governor, which had been destroyed in a massive fire ten years ago.
Unlike La Bellissima, Divino Rosso Casino was not a place for just anyone. Only the elite could enter — a gathering place for those devoted to worldly pleasures and eternal corruption.
Ordinary citizens could only stand in silence, understanding without daring to protest.
Under Dante Romano's rule for the past ten years, the people of Valderano had been largely silenced, left powerless under his iron grip.
Their daily activities continued as usual, but it was merely a facade, concealing the corruption and greed of their ruler.
Every year, Dante hosted a grand, private celebration for nobles and renowned mafia figures — a multi-day affair at the heart of the city.
When the time came, all security would be focused on the event, while the citizens turned a blind eye to foreign ships illegally hauling away half of their harvests and the finest black pearls from Monserrat, now increasingly rare due to relentless exploitation.
The people could not speak out.
Those who dared resist were whipped and exiled, disappearing without a trace.
They could only rely on one another for support, for there was no one left to stand by them…
----
Vroom!Click!
A black Rolls-Royce Phantom came to a perfect stop in front of the main building. Out stepped the city's top leader, Dante Romano — flanked by his two loyal lieutenants: second-in-command, Khanza, and third, Jean Dolorez, at his rightand left sides.
Both moved like predators, ready to strike anyone who dared disturb their master.
Tap! Tap! Tap!
"How's the preparation? I need a concise and clear report," Dante's voice was flat but sharp as he approached the man he trusted to handle the entire climax of today's event.
The tall man in a neatly rolled-up blue shirt nodded in understanding.
"All preparations have been completed, sir. Soon, representatives from Princess Isabella's side will also arrive," he replied confidently. His gaze was firm, showing his absolute dedication to his duties.
Dante nodded in approval. The middle-aged man gave a brief pat on his subordinate'sshoulder before walking inside. As his two lieutenants passed, one of them snorted harshly, deliberately jabbing the tall man's shoulder.
"Just wait… one slip-up and I'll be the one finishing you off," Jean whispered, a sneer in his tone before moving on.
The man whose shoulder had been struck didn't flinch. His expression remained flat, unreadable. He raised a hand, pressing a small earpiece into his left ear.
"Execute the mission. Everything is secure and under control," he murmured, barely audible to anyone around.
He then walked away, checking other preparations — ensuring the Bumi group had successfully infiltrated and was ready to carry out the sabotage during the event.
This man was Banyu Adyatama Atmadja — a spy who had been embedded within Dante's administration for nearly five years.
He was skilled at infiltrating and earning the governor's trust, playing the role of a loyal subordinate. Yet beneath that loyalty, Banyu was waiting for one thing: an opportunityto strike back and dismantle Dante Romano's power.
And today… together with his family, the Atmadjas, he would finally do it.
----
Meanwhile, at the Atmadja residence — Ravenwell Hill…
Angkasa adjusted the black jacket he was wearing, making sure his beloved pistol was safely tucked into the inner pocket.
"I don't think you need to get involved directly this time. Bumi and the others are already on standby — just waiting for Banyu's signal."
Adrian exhaled, trying to reason with his third son. He knew that in the past few days, Angkasa had insisted on taking matters into his own hands — all to ensure Banyu's safety.
Before stepping out of the room, Angkasa looked at his father — a middle-aged man who was almost a mirror image of himself — with the same piercing, cold gaze.
"This time, I'll be the one to bring my brother back alive," Angkasa said firmly, slamming the door behind him.
Adrian could only watch silently as his son departed. He knew all too well how deep the wounds and trauma of loss still ran in Angkasa's heart.
Shaking his head slightly, Adrian stepped out of the room. Just as he closed the door, hurried footsteps approached.
Tap… Tap… Tap…
"Adrian, the plan has changed! Have Squad B join Squad A, led by Bumi!" a firm voice commanded.
Adrian turned, his gaze flat, toward Elder Lisa. Darius, Angkasa's trusted subordinate, was there too… and wait—how was Nadia here?
"What happened?!" Adrian ignored Elder Lisa's words, rushing to Nadia, who was being supported by Darius. His eyes hardened, jaw tensing as his fingers gently touched Nadia's bruised cheek. He scanned the rest of her body—her left ankle was wrapped in a thick bandage.
Adrian's expression darkened with anger.
"Who?! Tell me who did this?!" His voice was sharp, not aimed at Nadia, but at whoever had harmed her.
"F…Father…" Nadia's voice trembled, nearly a whisper, startled by the stern expression before her.
"Control your emotions, Adrian! You're scaring Nadia!" Elder Lisa's voice cut through the tension as she lightly tapped Adrian's shoulder. She exhaled before continuing,
"Nadia was attacked by a group of bandits causing chaos in Eve yesterday evening. Her leg was struck by something hard, but what's remarkable—she managed to take them down one by one on her own before Darius arrived to save her." There was a hint of admiration in Elder Lisa's voice.
Adrian froze. He couldn't hide his shock, yet silently, he acknowledged his daughter's bravery.
Before he could speak, Elder Lisa spoke again, her tone flat and sharp as before.
"There's something important you need to know, Adrian. Banyu's personal data has been compromised. We need to change our strategy! Move all of Squad B to join Squad A, and contact Bumi immediately!"
Adrian nodded briefly, then quickly called his eldest son to relay the change of plan.
"Squad B will join you, Bumi. I've also ordered Roberto to follow Angkasa. Follow the commands exactly—no arguing!"
A faint sigh of discontent could be heard on the other end, but finally came a curt reply, "Understood," before the line went dead.
Adrian now stared at Elder Lisa, his gaze flat.
"I hope you have a solid reason for changing the plan at the last minute."
Elder Lisa didn't flinch before the Atmadja leader.
"Banyu's personal data has been leaked by one of Dante's subordinates. We don't know who did it, but they intend to use it to make Banyu the scapegoat for this sabotage."
She paused briefly, then turned to Nadia. A small smile appeared as she draped a hand over the girl's shoulder, who had been quietly listening to the conversation all this time.
"However, Nadia has altered all the information in Dante's database. She transferred the original files onto this flash drive."
Elder Lisa handed a small black flash drive to Adrian, who froze in shock.
"How… How is that possible? Nadia? How did you manage it?"
A gentle touch on her shoulder helped Nadia relax slightly. She knew Elder Lisa was signaling her to be brave and speak up.
"Mr. Macron… he's my superior at Solar Publishing. He asked me to audit the company's financial system. When I was given access to their special database, suddenly a file containing Banyu's personal data appeared. I didn't know why, but at that moment, there was only one thing I thought—copy the file and immediately replace it with a fake one."
Nadia's voice sounded sincere, though faint traces of fatigue and fear lingered beneath it. Her eyes shone with a firm determination that couldn't be hidden.
Adrian went silent. In an instant, he saw Aruna in Nadia—truly a reflection of his late friend's wife: brave and honest.
"I'm truly impressed, sweetheart. Thank you… honestly, I don't even know how to repay your courage."
He gently took Nadia's arm, holding it with deep affection.
Nadia's face flushed instantly. She rarely received praise, especially from someone like Adrian. All this time, she had felt unworthy of it.
"D…don't, Father. I… I only acted on impulse. I didn't want anything bad to happen to the Atmadja family…" Her voice dropped as she spoke Bumi's name at the end.
Adrian chuckled softly at her nervous reaction.
"Ehem."
Elder Lisa cleared her throat, drawing their attention back.
"As I mentioned yesterday," she said, her voice mysterious, "Nadia, I still need your help to… play a part in the sabotage later."
Her gaze shifted to Adrian.
"Banyu's laptop is with you, right?" she asked. Adrian simply nodded.
"Good," Elder Lisa said, her smile thin and sharp. "Nadia, we're going to have a little fun with Dante's database."
Her tone was harsh, causing Nadia to recall their earlier conversation before coming to the house.
"Banyu's laptop is there. It's a special device he used to monitor Dante's administration for the past five years," Elder Lisa explained, her gaze sharp. Nadia, seated across from her, lifted her head slightly, hesitated, and then lowered it again, fingers entwined tightly in her lap.
"Unfortunately, Dante's database is extremely difficult to breach—except by Banyu himself."
Nadia raised her face slowly. Her eyes betrayed doubt, then fell again.
"So… what exactly do you want me to do?" she whispered, trying to steady the trembling in her voice.
Elder Lisa studied her carefully. She recognized the signs—a creeping wave of panic. She cleared her throat softly, then took Nadia's hands in hers, trying to convey calm and strength.
"I want you to hack into that database," she said, firm yet gentle. "You know, one of Dante's subordinates—Anima—hates Banyu with a passion. He's tried to eliminate him several times just because Dante trusts Banyu so much. We can use that. A little humiliation for Anima won't hurt, right? Besides, we need a window for the Bumi team to infiltrate the casino safely later."
Elder Lisa's words made Nadia tense. Fear crept over her. Hacking into the governor's database? This wasn't something trivial! Especially since Macron—her superior at Solar Publishing—had entrusted her with the system's full confidentiality. And now, she was asked to use it against Dante?
"Oh God…" she whispered, swallowing hard.
Yet, on the other hand, she had already promised to help. Taking a deep breath, Nadia closed her eyes, trying to calm her racing heartbeat.
When she opened them again, her resolve was firm.
"Alright… I'll do it," she said steadily, meeting Elder Lisa's gaze without wavering.
●●●●●
Valderano City, 09:25 AM
Main Hall — Casino
The ceiling of the hall soared high, crowned by a blood-red glass dome. Above it, the figure of Bacchus sat on his throne, surrounded by masked women who seemed almost alive under the swirling reflections of crystal lights.
A massive chandelier swung gently in the center, casting golden glimmers across the polished black marble floor, its grapevine motifs resembling frozen streams of blood.
To the left and right, rows of roulette and blackjack tables were lined up neatly. The laughter of elite nobles mixed with the clinking of glasses, wafts of tobacco smoke, and subtle classical music weaving through the murmurs of wagers.
On the back wall hung a grand painting of Bacchus holding a glass of wine. Below it, the logo of Divino Rosso gleamed in a deep red metal frame, accompanied by the motto:
SWEET AND DEADLY
A sip of pleasure. A taste of peril.
Indeed, the pleasures of this world felt like the embrace of an unseen devil—sweet, tempting, and slowly dragging anyone who got caught within its grasp.
----
Banyu POV
I glanced at my watch. The event would begin any moment now.
The opening would be handled by Dante, followed by the main ceremony—the official partnership between the Siotto Kingdom and Valderano City, where we would be the primary supplier of Vino Rosso wine across the entire country.
"Report, Boss. All preparations are complete. The event is ready to commence."
I had been lost in my own thoughts, so Maccio's voice jolted me slightly. I nodded faintly, giving a thin smile.
"Return to your position. If anything unusual happens, report to me immediately. Understood?"
I patted his shoulder firmly—a gesture for the young man, the same age as my fourth sister, who was already trained to handle pressure like this.
Maccio nodded quickly and walked away. As he disappeared into the crowd, my expression returned to its usual calm. My gaze fixed straight ahead.
"The show will go on..." I whispered, voice low and dangerous. I stepped toward the room behind the stage—where Dante Romano and his subordinates were preparing.
"Today… is your destruction, Dante Romano."
Banyu END POV
----
"...Thank you all for coming. Please enjoy today's event—let's toast!"
Glasses clinked as applause echoed warmly throughout the hall in response to the Governor's greeting.
Soft classical music began to fill the air, blending with the laughter and the rustle of wagers from the elites scattered across the casino floor.
"Just as you wanted, right, Sir Dante?" A sultry voice cut through the noise. An emerald green, knee-length dress hugged the woman perfectly, its plunging neckline leaving little to the imagination. In her hand, a glass of Vino Rosso slowly swirled.
Dante's gaze flicked toward her—calm, yet clearly filled with interest.
"I hope this is enough to satisfy the Princess, and…" he let his eyes wander over her curves casually, but sharply.
"And… what?" the woman murmured softly, a sly smile hidden between her crimson lips. She understood the meaning behind that look—and had no intention of backing down from this game.
The Governor whistled lightly. His eagle eyes locked onto the emerald-eyed beauty, who met his stare with equal daring.
"And… perhaps our nights will be filled with long, intoxicating silences," he whispered, tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear.
"Luissa Made," he said softly, as if savoring each syllable.
Luissa giggled, a playful sound. She loved this symbiotic relationship—being Princess Isabella's favored handmaiden while acting as a liaison between the palace and the Governor. Perhaps one day, she could become the only woman by Dante Romano's side.
Confidently, Luissa pushed her glass of Vino Rosso to the table, her slender fingers tracing along the firm, warm chest beneath his black jacket.
"You know…" she whispered coquettishly, "we could step out for a moment, and—"
"THIS EVENT HAS BEEN SABOTAGED!!!"
Her words froze mid-sentence. A hoarse voice thundered through the hall, instantly stopping the music and conversations. Every eye turned to the stage, where a heavily tattooed and pierced man stood arrogantly, flanked by several subordinates.
"HE IS THE ONE WHO LEAKED SECURITY AND SABOTAGED THIS ENTIRE EVENT!"
His finger pointed sharply at a man in a blue shirt—none other than Banyu, standing a few steps behind Dante Romano.
The room erupted in whispers, the tense atmosphere suffocating.
"What the hell, Anima?! Explain yourself, you bastard!"
Jean stepped forward, anger on his face, but stopped when a hand was raised—cold, commanding—halting everything.
Dante Romano's hand trembled around his glass of wine, cracking slightly. Deep red liquid dripped between his fingers. He walked forward, each step heavy and oppressive.
"Don't toy with me," he said flatly, yet fiercely. "I hope you have valid proof for that accusation, Anima."
Dante's stare froze the air itself.
Anima, the youngest of the Scott family, swallowed hard. But he didn't back down. Confidently, he signaled to his subordinate carrying a laptop.
"All right, Master… see for yourself who you've been trusting all this time."
The large screen above the stage lit up, displaying streams of code and data rushing across the display—line by line—before stopping at a single file that was clicked and extracted.
Soon, an image appeared.
A man in a black suit, his expression calm and unreadable—there was no doubt. It was Banyu.
Another file appeared in the bottom-right corner of the screen. Anima's subordinate clicked it immediately.
"Master will believe me soon! I will never disappoint—"
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THAT, HUH?! ARE YOU PLAYING GAMES WITH ME?!"
Dante's voice exploded, shaking the hall. All eyes turned toward him.
Anima froze, confused. Why was his Master screaming at him? He glanced quickly at the screen and—gasped in shock!
"No… no! This… this is all a lie!" he panicked, shoving his subordinate away from the laptop. His fingers flew over the keyboard, trying to correct it.
Lines of data scrolled rapidly—yet the more he saw, the more frenzied he became!
"How is this possible—?! No way!"
CLACK!DUAR!!
A deafening explosion cut everything off. The hall plunged into darkness, chaos erupting everywhere. Screams pierced the air as visitors scrambled, shoving past each other, trying to escape the main hall of Divino Rosso.