Chapter 335: This is Not Normal

[

Inside Armored Truck]

The lead truck was spacious, designed for VIPs. Damian sat near the window, Luna beside him and Alessio across.

The engine hummed as they pulled away, two trucks ahead and three behind.

Luna watched Alessio carefully, her Empath skill focusing.

Loyalty was still there, but now she saw more. Pride in what he’d accomplished, nervousness about approval and underneath, bone-deep contentment from having purpose and from mattering.

"How have things been?" Damian’s voice was casual, but Luna heard the real question underneath.

Alessio’s nervous energy settled slightly, his professional mask sliding into place.

"The city is stable... Inner, Core, and Outer Regions all under full control. We’ve had minor incidents, petty criminals trying to establish operations, external organizations testing our boundaries, but nothing we couldn’t handle."

He pulled out a tablet, began scrolling through reports with practiced efficiency.

But something was different about how he spoke.

Normally, Alessio kept reports clinical, emotionless and strictly professional. Today, he was adding details, explaining context and sharing observations he’d typically keep to himself.

After he was done, he looked up at Luna, almost seeking approval.

"Was that the right call? I wasn’t sure if I should have been more forceful or..."

Damian’s eyes flicked to Alessio, then to Luna, then back.

’Why is he asking her? And why is he opening up so much?’

Luna smiled warmly.

"That sounds like a good decision."

Alessio’s face brightened slightly, clearly relieved.

And Damian’s confusion deepened.

’Something is definitely affecting people around her. But what?’

The truck continued through the city, and Luna finally started paying attention to what was outside the window instead of just the conversation inside.

The transformation was staggering.

Buildings freshly built, streets clean and people walking without any fear.

And everywhere, absolutely everywhere, the crimson M symbol.

Painted on walls, hanging from banners and emblazoned on storefronts. The Mafia’s mark covered this city like a second government’s seal, visible every few meters.

As their convoy passed, people on the streets stopped and bowed.

Small nods of heads, slight bends at the waist and hands pressed together in gestures of respect. Children were waving excitedly when they saw the vehicles.

Luna’s Empath skill drank in the emotional truth of it.

There was genuine respect in their actions.

These people were grateful, they felt protected and safe. Like someone actually gave a damn whether they lived or died.

And from some, especially the older residents, she felt something deeper.

Hope.

The belief that maybe things could get better. That maybe the government’s decades of neglect didn’t have to be accepted as unchangeable reality.

’Damian did this... Built this... Created something that actually helps people.’

The thought settled in her chest with strange pride.

She turned to look at him, this person she’d loved since childhood, and realized she’d never fully understood the scope of what he was trying to achieve.

"Even though I knew about your organization," her voice came out softer than intended, "I never knew it was... so organized."

Damian glanced at her, his crimson eyes carrying calm mixed with lingering confusion about what he’d been observing.

"It’s not perfect... There are problems. Corruption tries to take root despite our best efforts, people join for the wrong reasons and we make mistakes."

He looked back out the window.

"But it’s better than what was here before. And it’ll keep getting better as long as people keep working toward that."

His certainty was absolute. Like he’d decided the outcome and reality would eventually agree.

Luna found herself smiling.

The trucks slowed as they approached their destination.

****

The convoy pulled into the courtyard of the largest orphanage in the city, armored vehicles parking in practiced formation.

Damian stepped out first, Luna following and Alessio immediately behind them.

And then the children noticed.

"GODFATHER!"

The word exploded from dozens of throats simultaneously, children abandoning their games to rush toward the vehicles, their faces showing joy that bordered on manic.

"Godfather came back!"

"He’s here! He’s really here!"

"GODFATHER!"

They swarmed around Damian like a small tide of enthusiasm, grabbing at his suit jacket, trying to hug his legs, all talking over each other in excited chaos.

Damian’s expression softened in ways Luna had never seen outside their own home.

He knelt down, bringing himself to eye level with the smaller children, and his intimidating presence evaporated like it had never existed.

"I’m back... Did you all behave while I was gone?"

"YES!"

"We were good!"

"Granny Helena said if we behaved you might visit!"

A small figure pushed through the crowd, a little girl, maybe five years old, with messy brown hair and big eyes.

She was the same girl who had made Damian adopt them all.

She stopped directly in front of Damian and raised her arms in the universal gesture of wanting to be picked up.

Luna watched as Damian’s entire demeanor transformed. He lifted the girl effortlessly, settling her on his hip like he’d done it a thousand times.

"Did you miss me?"

The girl nodded seriously, her small hands gripping his suit collar.

"You gone for so long... Granny said you fight bad things... Are you hurt?"

"Not anymore."

The girl studied his face carefully, her child’s intuition apparently satisfied by whatever she saw there.

"Okay... you come back more now... Promise?"

"I promise."

She smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck, content.

Luna felt something shift in her chest, seeing this.

Damian, who’d fought Giants and Demons, who’d built a criminal empire, who carried enough violence in his past to terrify hardened criminals, holding a five-year-old with infinite gentleness.

’This is who he really is underneath everything else... Maybe if his past life and current life was normal, he would have been just like this.’

Then something unusual happened.

A shy boy who’d been hiding behind the other children, the kind who normally took weeks to warm up to strangers, walked directly to Luna without hesitation.

There was no introduction, no coaxing from adults and no gradual approach.

Just walked up and grabbed her hand like they’d known each other forever.

"Are you the Godfather’s family?"

"Yes."

"You’re pretty... Like a princess."

Luna smiled, kneeling down to his level.

"Thank you... What’s your name?"

"Kai. Are you going to visit us too?"

"I’d like to, if that’s okay."

The boy’s face lit up, and suddenly she had three more children surrounding her, all talking at once, wanting to tell her about their day, show her their toys, ask her questions.

More children approached, none showing the typical wariness kids display around unfamiliar adults.

They treated her like she was already part of their world, already trusted and already safe.

Damian observed this while holding the little girl, his analytical mind working.

These children had been through hell before the Mafia took them in. Abuse, abandonment, starvation and worse.

They’d learned the hard way that adults couldn’t be trusted, that strangers meant danger and that opening up to new people was a risk.

Granny Helena had spent months earning their trust, showing consistent care before they accepted her.

Yet they were clustering around Luna like she was a beloved aunt they’d known their entire lives.

Within seconds.

’This isn’t normal... This can’t be just her personality or appearance.’

He set down the little girl, who immediately ran off to play with her friends, and turned his full attention to observing Luna’s interactions.

The children’s body language was completely open, no defensive postures, no hesitation, no fear.

Pure trust.

’Is this connected to her Empath skill? Some kind of passive effect that makes people feel safe around her? I need to ask her about this later.’

****

"Well, well... You finally decided to come back."

The voice was warm despite the mock-scolding tone.

Granny Helena approached slowly, her weathered face showing genuine happiness, her bent posture somehow still carrying dignity.

Damian gently motioned for Luna to stand, and turned to face the elderly woman.

"Granny Helena... You’re looking well."

"Flattery won’t save you from the lecture I’ve been preparing." But she was smiling as she said it. "Do you know how many times these children asked when the Godfather was coming back?"

"I’m sorry. Things were... complicated."

Helena’s expression softened, her sharp eyes seeing past the words to the truth underneath.

"I heard about the portal... Read the reports like everyone else. I’m glad you survived."

She reached up and patted his cheek gently.

"But... you’re not the same boy who left, are you?"

Damian said nothing, which was answer enough.

Helena sighed, shaking her head.

"Just promise me you’ll try to hold onto whatever pieces of yourself you can... This world has a way of grinding people down until nothing remains except the sharp edges. Don’t let that happen to you."

"...I’ll try."

"That’s all I ask."

Then Helena turned her attention to Luna, and something strange happened.

The elderly woman’s weathered face immediately brightened, her normally cautious demeanor vanishing.

She stepped forward and took Luna’s hands in hers without any of the careful distance she usually maintained with strangers.

"And who is this lovely girl?"

Her voice carried warmth that typically took weeks to develop.

"Luna Valcor. My family."

"The first-ranked student from the entrance exams." Helena’s eyes twinkled with recognition. "I saw the news. SS talent, they said. Quite impressive."

Luna felt the weight of that gaze, sensing this elderly woman saw far more than most people.

"Thank you for taking care of these children. From what I’ve seen, you do wonderful work."

Helena’s smile widened, and she squeezed Luna’s hands affectionately.

"Polite too. You could teach this one some manners." She jabbed a thumb toward Damian.

"Hey."

"Don’t ’hey’ me. I’m old enough to say whatever I want."

The easy banter made Luna smile.

Then she heard footsteps behind them, multiple people approaching with the confident stride of those who knew they belonged here.