Every Mafia's Favorite Girl novel Chapter 172

Chapter 172: "Train You"

Accardi District.

7:00 PM.

The Cabrera Library was a two-story building of brick and weathered stone — an old-fashioned structure that seemed entirely out of place amid the gleaming skyscrapers surrounding it.

A fine spring drizzle had left the stone pavement wet and slick by the time Aren stepped out of the cab, an umbrella sheltering her from the rain.

She paused beneath the awning and looked up at the sign above the entrance.

"The Cabrera Library," she murmured to herself. "Yes... this has to be the place."

The main doors swung inward as she stepped inside.

She set her umbrella aside and carefully dabbed her boots against the carpet until they were dry, then looked around until she spotted the librarian seated behind the help desk.

The woman appeared to be in her late sixties. She was completely absorbed in whatever she was writing, her silver hair neatly arranged and her posture remarkably straight despite her age.

A small gold nameplate rested on the desk before her.

Mrs. Cabrera.

Aren’s eyes widened slightly.

’Ah... this must be a library that’s been owned and maintained by the Cabrera family for generations.’

"Excuse me, Mrs. Cabrera," Aren said politely as she approached with an eager smile. "I’m here to see Master Accardi. He told me to ask you when I arrived. May I know where he is?"

Mrs. Cabrera finally looked up.

A faint crease appeared between her brows as her gaze traveled over Aren from head to toe before settling on the cloth bundle hanging from one of Aren’s hands.

It looked unmistakably like a packed homemade meal.

Something in the older woman’s already reserved expression hardened.

"The Cabrera Library doesn’t allow food inside," she said flatly. "You’ll have to leave and eat outside before I let you in."

Aren looked down at the bundle in her hand, her expression turning troubled.

"Ah... this?" she asked awkwardly. "I’m very sorry, but this isn’t for me. It’s for Master Accardi. The last time we met, he didn’t have dinner at all, so I thought... maybe I could bring him something this time."

One of Mrs. Cabrera’s eyebrows rose.

Her expression conveyed such blatant skepticism that Aren almost felt it physically.

’You’re seriously giving Isidore Accardi a homemade dinner?’

’Good luck with that, young lady.’

Nevertheless, the librarian did not object again. She merely glanced down at her notebook and, after a moment, gave Aren her directions.

"First floor. Non-Fiction section. Row Twelve. Look near the large arched window at the back. The staircase is at the rear of this floor."

Aren’s face brightened immediately.

"Thank you, Mrs. Cabrera."

She dipped her head gratefully before hurrying deeper into the library, passing row after row of towering bookcases, until she reached the staircase at the back of the ground floor.

Behind her, Mrs. Cabrera lifted her gaze once more, watching the young woman disappear between the shelves with an expression of equal parts judgment and curiosity.

’A very interesting lady you’ve found, Isidore.’

Only when Aren vanished from sight did she lower her head and return to her notebook.

─ •✧• ─ ✿ ─ •✧• ─

The walk to the first floor was eerily quiet.

Soft golden lights illuminated the towering bookshelves, casting long shadows across the polished floor.

The library was enormous, and the faint sound of Aren’s footsteps seemed to travel endlessly through the empty space.

Yet she didn’t encounter a single person.

Not among the shelves.

Not at the reading tables.

It felt almost as though she had arrived after closing hours, despite the fact that the library was clearly still open.

When she finally found Row Twelve of the Non-Fiction section, however, she spotted Isidore immediately.

He was seated in an armchair directly in front of a large arched window, exactly where Mrs. Cabrera had described.

His gaze was lowered to the thick book resting in his hands, his expression as unreadable as ever.

A tall stack of equally thick books stood on the coffee table before him. Their titles looked incomprehensible enough to Aren that she gave them only a brief glance, before deciding that whatever they contained was probably far beyond her area of expertise.

She quickened her steps and stopped directly in front of him, before dipping her head in a formal greeting.

"Master Accardi. Report ready for the new mission."

Almost immediately, she looked around the vast library, clearly less enthusiastic about being there than she had been a moment ago.

"But... may I ask why we’ve come to the library instead of your office today for the briefing?"

Isidore remained as distant as ever, as though the kiss-training session they had shared the previous week had never happened. He didn’t even lift his gaze from the book as he answered.

"This place has the resources we need for today’s session."

Then, as though he’d noticed the faint disappointment in her voice, he added casually,

"If you’re worried about that plant, I already watered it."

Aren froze.

Her eyes widened.

’He... watered it?’

She blinked several times rapidly, before her entire face lit up with barely contained excitement.

’I knew he’d like the plant!’

"You did?" she asked, struggling to keep her voice composed when her thoughts were practically screaming. "Thank you very much, Master Accardi."

She stepped toward the coffee table and carefully placed her dinner bundle beside the tower of books, then retreated a polite step.

’There is no point.’

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