The Beloved Daughter of the Crime Family, Even After Reincarnation Became the Young Lady of a Gangst

A Made-Up Excuse

(I guess she ended up getting suspicious of us after all. Seeing Sofia-san look at us like that makes me feel so nervous, like I’m at gunpoint.)

Francesca switched on instantly, but made sure to not show it on her face.

(First of all, I should act all nervous and confused.)

Making a intentionally nervous looking face, Francesca timidly opened her mouth to speak.

“ummm…..I-it’s all like we already told you. Since it was our summer vacation, I wanted to hang out with Leonardo and my other schoolmates. I had heard a lot about this beautiful forest that the Ranieris own so, I selfishly made a request to Luka-sama.”

“My bad. I wasn’t trying to scold you or anything missy.”

Sofia’s tone was quite soft, but the atmosphere around her was still frozen. So much so that it made her skin prickle from the pressure.

“Aldini. Were you really the kind of careless guy who’d bring the fiancée who you’re so head over heels with to such a risky place?”

“Haha, what are you even saying? This forest is run by your Ranieris. It’s a place where you invite your most esteemed guests to. Surely the place is well guarded and quite safe even for people like us no?”

“Even so, my family members still roam around the area with concealed guns on them. And there’s even customers hanging about with their prostitutes, and above all..”

Sofia crossed her legs, and then spoke the next words nonchalantly.

“There’s no way you don’t already know that Lord Savini is being targeted by an assassin.”

(………Obviously, Sofia-san also knew about it already huh……..)

Luka must have sent out the message to all the family heads about this matter. If there are criminals inside the capital, the 5 great families that run the underworld and protect the country from the shadows obviously must be informed about it.

“Even if the missy was unaware, there’s no way you didn’t know anything either. And I’m sure you also had an idea that Lord Savini was inside this forest to complete a really big deal that he had been working on for quite some time, right?”

But Francesca and others had already predicted that Sofia might point this stuff out as well. But on the way to this mansion, Leonardo said this to her.

[It’ll be fine. I have already prepared a great excuse as well.]

(I have decided to trust Leonardo’s plan but, what exactly is he going to say?)

Francesca continued to act like she was in a panic as she sent a quick glance towards Leonardo.

And casually laughing as always, Leonardo simply replied like this.

“I came with her because I wanted to keep her safe myself, of course.”

“You, of all people, coming here by yourself? That doesn’t sound like something you’d do. Normally you’re the type who’d skilfully use others for tasks like these no?”

(It’s true. Even when he tried to kidnap me all the way back then at first, he had sent out his family members to do so.)

But as a result of that, after they failed, Leonardo had to show up himself, although, that was probably only a way to make sure that he did get Francesca.

In the game, the members themselves accomplished the kidnapping and even when Francesca would get rescued by the playable characters, Leonardo still didn’t show up.

“Even if it was your cute fiancée’s pleading, not only did you not change the location of the trip you even brought yourself to such a dangerous location where an assassin may be lurking? Surely you understand why I find this all so suspicious?”

“Oh? Do you perhaps think that I’m not actually in love with Francesca?”

“Fufu, I didn’t say that, did I?”

(As expected, Sofia-san really is very suspicious of us!!)

She was sweating inside her mind but Leonardo continued to look relaxed still.

“As expected of the head of the Ranieri family, you are quite observant. Even if it was a request from my betrothed, I wouldn’t normally let her get close to a man like that ever. After all, I’m a coward at heart.”

(Now that’s a barefaced lie…….!)

Seeing him laugh without a shred of fear in sight, that could only sound like a horrible joke.

“And yet, here I am, personally overseeing Francesca’s safety rather than hand that duty to one of my members. And the reason for that is…….”

(What is it?)

Leonardo narrowed his golden eyes, and then spoke with a teasing smile.

“——I don’t want to lose to Francesca’s [caretaker], that’s all.”

“………..”

Sofia simply widened her eyes in surprise, but it was Francesca who was even more shocked.

“Le-Leonardo!?!”

“Quite the simple reason, no? I don’t want to let some other man protect her. My adorable fiancée is quite thick in the head though, so I doubt she ever even realized just how jealous I get sometimes.”

With a light hearted tone, Leonardo spoke all that very clearly.

“There’s no ‘self-interest’ or ‘calculations’ happening here. No matter what the danger, no matter how absurd or inconvenient the situation may be to me, I will do anything to make sure someone else doesn’t steal her away from me.”

If Graziano was here right now, he would have definitely antagonized him even more. She was unable to hide her own shock and turmoil, but, even strategically speaking, her reaction was the right reaction for their plan.

“I simply want to stay by Francesca’s side as much as possible.”

Leonardo looked down towards Francesca, and then showed an incredibly gentle smile.

“To me, Francesca is the single most important thing in the whole world, that’s why.”

“……..!”

His way of speaking was so frank and honest, that her cheeks flushed red.

Seeing Leonardo’s expression, Sofia could only blink for a moment before smiling again.

“………..Now that really is a surprise. The little young master who only saw people as pawns to use has finally grown to be a proper gentleman at last.”

“Even I am shocked by myself to be honest. I never thought I’d get so obsessed with someone ever in my life, yet here I am.”

“Ahaha! Not bad. I am a big fan of love stories like these!”

While Francesca stood there completely dumbfounded, Leonardo and Sofia continued to their conversation.