Lucky Dog 1 translations 08 Giulio route 02 best

Part 3: Daivan

Chapter 8 Best

Lunch with Giulio

     

When the car we’re riding pulls off Main Street and turns into the road leading back to the hotel…

Giulio: Um, Signor Gian…

Gian: Oh.  Yeah?

Giulio: It is … still slightly early, but … shall we have lunch?  …Allow me to treat you today.

…Oh, right.  Now that I think about it, I feel like he’d said something of the sort when we’d left Bernardo’s room.  …Somehow, it feels like that happened a really, really long time ago.

Gian: Think you’re onto something there!  Guess I’ll be leeching off you today!

Giulio: Yes…!

Giulio: …Bank Street and Second Street.  Park when I give the order.

For a second, the thought ‘Does the driver even know Italian?’ crosses my mind, but Bernardo’s man returns a tiny nod before accelerating the sedan.

Bank Street?  Why?  I tilt my head in wonder … and then I remember that Giulio’d said we’d have lunch there.

Wiping the blood off his leather gloves with a handkerchief, Giulio asks,

Giulio: …Signor … Gian…  What … do you like?

Gian: Huh?  What?  Like what what?

The voice that asks me the question is kinda happy and kinda hesitant at the same time.  I return the question with another, not getting what he’s getting at.

Giulio: …U-Um, I mean, to eat…

Ooh, he’s talking about lunch.  And I here I thought it was something big…

Gian: I haven’t got any likes or dislikes.  Oh, naw, that’s not right.  I’ve got stuff I like.  Um … there’s too many I dunno what to say, though.

Giulio: I am glad…

Giulio smiles, his hair flying in the wind rushing in through the open window, before he tosses the handkerchief stained dark red out through the window and into the wind.  …The action sends a slight shiver down my spine.

Gian: Aahm…  Oh, right, there was one thing I hated.

Giulio: Eh?  What is it?

Gian: You remember when we broke out … and we had those mountain taters up by the cabin?  Those were reeeally awful.  Right?

Giulio: …Hahaha, yes.  It brings me back.

I feel like if I agree with a, “It brings me back, too,” Giulio’d order the driver to take us to that mountain so we could go tuber-digging.

     

     

The place Giulio ended up bringing us … far exceeded my wildest imaginations in more ways than one.

Giulio and I are taken down by the window.  …Despite the spot, it’s set up so we can see out but others can’t see in, so it’s probably the best table in the house.

The manager and other men who look like they’re in some top position in the restaurant gather around us.  The head chef, the sommelier, the head waiter, and I don’t know who else.

Manager: Welcome to our fine establishment, sig. Bondone.  It will be our utmost honor to be at the young master’s command.  What will you be having today?

Giulio doesn’t even glance towards the manager’s courteous voice and the others’ beaming grins as he says,

Giulio: Pranzo.  …This is my…

Giulio loses the cold edge in his voice as he looks towards me.  …Aah, I guess I am pretty hard to introduce.

Gian: …I’m a colleague of his.  Un amico.

I respond in Italian, too.  At my words…

Giulio: …Signor … Gian…!

Gian: Hm?

For some reason, Giulio suddenly looks really happy.  …Is it because I didn’t try to be all high and mighty about my position above him?

…Then came the food … which was more fit for dinner than lunch.

Gian: Whoo!  That was soooo good!  I ate too much.  I can feel it coming outta my nose.

Giulio: I am glad.  That you enjoyed the food.

Gian: But it was so gooood!  Well, I guess the cooking did get help from two of the best spices ever.

Giulio: Which are…?

Gian: An empty stomach and free food.

Giulio ducks his head in and laughs.  …No, I should say he makes a really happy expression.

Next up, into the bulging stomach flies the dolce and gelato.

It’s weird how no matter how full you are, the moment sweet stuff enters your mouth it just seems to melt away and disappear.  We pass the time with desserts and coffee into the afternoon.

Giulio doesn’t say anything, but it’s obvious from the way he shovels all the gelato into his mouth in the space of a few blinks that he’s in a good mood.

…Rather, you can’t tell just by looking at him, but he really eats a lot.  …Where’s it all go?  …Or maybe this is where he gets his energy for the fights?

Gian: …But I still don’t get it.

Giulio: …What is the problem?

Gian: Oh, no.  Sorry, it’s nothing.

…I’d accidentally voiced my thoughts.  But I really don’t get it … why does Giulio find treating someone like me fun?

If it were him … he’s got the money and the family name, and his face’s easy on the eyes.  If a girl were here, she’d melt into a puddle (and ruin the chair while she’s at it).

Why’s treating me to dinner making him so happy…?  Is it because I’m the next boss?  …No.  Right now, Giulio’s the one with a higher position in the CR:5.

You can’t just ignore that family status, and I think it’s even the top among all the captains.  I hear the Bondone family’s even one of the richest in the state.  And just earlier, I saw his strength as a mafioso.

…Crap.  The only conclusion I came to is, “Wow, I suck.”

Gian: Hey, now that I think about it…  Giulio, your knife’s kinda different.  D’you have it order-made or something?

Giulio: The knife was given to me by my Master, who taught me how to use it.

Gian: Hmm, so someone taught you.  …Guess he must be really strong, then.

Giulio: …died.

Gian: Come again?

It’s too sudden, and Giulio’s voice’s too robotic, forcing a pathetic sound out of my throat.

Giulio: Master was Father and Mother’s guard … and was killed together with them.

Wh-Whooaaaaa…  Somehow, I feel like the conversation took a swerve for the deep…  …But, I didn’t know…

So Giulio’s parents were killed…?  I knew that both of them were dead, but I didn’t think they’d been whacked…

Giulio: …Is something … the matter?

When I come to, Giulio’s staring intently at my face.  Maybe it’s because I’d suddenly gone quiet, but his eyes look like they’re anxiously scrutinizing me for something…

Yeah, he is kinda like a dog…

Gian: No!  Nothing really.  Just thought, ‘Wow, Giulio’s sure talkative today!’  That’s all.

Giulio: Is … that so?  I…

And then, once again, silence drapes over us.

Gian: I think it’s ’bout time we get going!  I’ll shoot Bernardo a call.

Giulio: …Yes.  The phone is inside in that direction.

When we stand from our seats, the manager comes flying over again.  I leave behind the scene of Giulio standing bombarded under a rapid-fire rain of flattery and gratitude and head for the seats with the phone…

I step into the confessional-looking booth and place a call to the hotel.

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