Chapter Sixteen: Ten Questions for the Soul’s Peace

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1:30 in the afternoon.
The funeral banquet had concluded.
After the final moments of mourning, the lying-in-state came to an end.
The next rites were the soul-soothing ceremony, followed by the burial of the coffin in the family crypt.
Originally, the soul-soothing ritual required a clergyman to officiate, but since the Poleta family was not religious, the ceremony was ultimately presided over by Lusso, the coffin maker who was also a Maplewood immigrant and the supplier of the coffin.
Another reason for selecting him was that he was an old friend of Alberto.
The funeral hall was now packed with attendees, all bearing witness to the soul-soothing moment.
Lusso stood solemnly by the coffin, holding a bottle of holy water meant for the rite. Ethan, as Alberto’s sole heir, stood before the coffin, awaiting the ten solemn questions of the ceremony.
Others were arranged by rank, from the inside outward.
At the innermost circle stood the representatives of the five great families.
Sandro took the lead, followed closely by George Evans and Danny Corleone.
Yet at this moment, both George and Danny looked less than pleased, their expressions darkened by the earlier discord.
Ethan had proven far more resolute than they had anticipated.
They had assumed that even if Ethan was ruthless enough to swiftly deal with Joan and Fred overnight, having just taken over the Poleta family, he would still require time to address numerous pressing issues and stabilize the situation.
Thus, he would need a peaceful external environment.
They were certain he would avoid antagonizing others, especially families of the caliber of the five great houses.
Their own position was justifiable, and they were prepared to pay whatever price necessary.
They had expected the negotiations to succeed.
Instead, Ethan had no intention of negotiating at all.
Truly a young man brimming with impetuous spirit.
The matter was temporarily settled by Sandro’s words:
“Today is the funeral. Let us not disturb Alberto’s peace.”
So George and Danny fell silent.
But their minds continued racing with strategies—whether to initiate conflict, or raise their demands.
Was Ethan truly unwavering, or merely seeking a more dignified posture?
As their thoughts churned, the soul-soothing ceremony commenced.
Lusso, clad in a pitch-black robe, his visage solemn and dignified, held the soul-soothing bottle aloft. His head held high, he bore more the aura of a priest than a coffin maker.

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Holding a willow branch in hand, he dipped it into the bottle of holy water and gently sprinkled it over the coffin as if reciting sacred scripture, his voice long and reverent:
“I have seen the place of the soul, I have seen the shadow of the departed. I am it—I am your father, Alberto. Ethan, my son, I shall ask you questions to ease my spirit. Can you answer me?”
“Yes.”
Ethan nodded.
The “Ten Questions of Soul-Soothing” bore strong religious undertones. Clearly, even without faith, the soul-soothing rites inherited from their Maplewood ancestors inevitably carried spiritual connotations.
“Can you lead the family down the golden path so my spirit in heaven can be illuminated?”
“I can.”
“Can you care for your siblings and kin, ensuring the bloodline continues?”
“I can.”
“Can you sacrifice everything for the family’s honor, even if your soul descends into hell?”
“I can.”
At that moment, a man wearing a bowler hat struggled through the crowd and finally reached George’s side.
He whispered something to George.
George’s eyes widened, and he involuntarily glanced toward a figure not far away—a slightly lean but resolutely upright silhouette.
At the same time, Lusso posed another question:
“Do you swear to dedicate your life unshakably to defending the family, so that its name never suffers disgrace?”
“I swear.”
“I swear.”
These words simultaneously reached Danny’s ears.
Beside him appeared an aide delivering the latest news.
Upon hearing it, Danny’s reaction mirrored George’s exactly.
He too was watching that figure.
They exchanged a glance.
In that single look, they understood why this young man dared so resolutely refuse them.
Tony was dead.
Francis was dead.
No one had expected this young man to be so ruthless, so absolute—at his father’s funeral, he had drained the traitors of the family dry.
His father’s spirit would finally find solace.
No wonder he had eliminated Joan and Fred overnight.
From start to finish, they had underestimated this young man.

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George and Danny no longer cared much for the family’s assets; what preoccupied them was how to face this new head of the Poleta family.
The Ten Questions of Soul-Soothing concluded.
With Lusso sprinkling the last of the holy water inside the coffin, Alberto’s spirit was finally at rest.
Whether it was a trick of the light or not, Ethan felt as if a faint smile lingered on Alberto’s face within the coffin.
Perhaps it was just a hallucination.
The coffin was sealed and then lifted onto a carriage by the bearers.
The family cemetery was not far from the estate, located in the eastern suburbs. The journey took less than twenty minutes by carriage—a prime location, what Ethan’s previous life would have called a site blessed by feng shui.
It was only fitting, considering the considerable sum Ethan had paid for it.
As the coffin was loaded, Ethan spotted Anya and Viren.
Both looked weary, still carrying the faint scent of smoke and bloodshed.
Yet they had arrived in time, not missing the ceremony.
Viren seemed eager to speak, but Ethan patted his shoulder, interrupting him, then glanced at Anya and said, “Let’s go. Let’s see my father off on his final journey.”
The carriage set off, followed by many guests.
In theory, they were to accompany the procession to the cemetery, witness Alberto’s burial, and then scatter roses over the grave to offer comfort to the departed—an enduring Maplewood tradition.
Yet some clearly had no intention of staying, or perhaps they were not Maplewooders and lacked such customs.
Thus, they departed—such as George and Danny.
The burial ceremony ended before sunset, with the grave already covered in fresh flowers.
The guests dispersed, leaving only Ethan and the Poleta family members at the gravesite.
The sun was setting—tomorrow would bring a new dawn.
Just as the Poleta family would have a new beginning.
Ethan removed the white rose from his chest, inhaled its fragrance, then gently laid it upon the grave.
He turned to face everyone and said, “Let us remember this day. This day is not an end, but a new beginning. Our Poleta family will rise like the morning sun, to the very pinnacle of Wenster.”
All bowed their heads.
In that instant, Ethan felt a strange stirring.
It was his ‘True God’s Name’ awakening, like a butterfly breaking free from its cocoon.