Demetri Certaldo
| NPC | Trivia |
Demetri Certaldo is an NPC in Arknights. He is a supporting character in Il Siracusano.
Background
Demetri is one of the member of Famiglia Bellone, acting as one of their consigliere and also carries out assassination missions sometimes. A staunch believer of Bernardo Bellone's ideal, he'll do what it takes to fulfill his ambition even if it means he'll become Leontuzzo's possible enemy in the future.[1] He also acts like a foster brother towards Leontuzzo, despite their opposite ideals as mafiosi. While he may act and sound ruthless doing his missions, he also hid a rather protective and caring nature towards Vigil. Even Leontuzzo noted that had he met and befriended Penance before he wouldn't be as ruthless as he is now.[2] He's later involved in the planning and execution of the assassination attempt on Giovanna Rossati in the Teater di Milano, which was foiled by Leontuzzo and Texas at the last minute. Demetri isn't fond of Lavinia and her ideals, noting that she and him cannot be on the same sides.
Demetri is also quite powerful; when Zaaro appeared and knocked everyone out with his overwhelming presence, he's one of the three people that didn't pass out along with Leontuzzo and Lavinia, and even survived the confrontation with the Signore del Lupi.
Story
Il Siracusano
Demetri was first mentioned when Lavinia called him to ask if he knew any of the mafia hitmen in the town lately when she was investigating possible hitmen murder victims. He rebuked her accusation, noting that Volsinii was currently under the Bellone famiglia control and no other famiglia members dared to cause scenes. He even noted that this action was akin to disrespecting them directly, which led Lavinia to conclude that it might be not even be a Siracusan citizen that did it. Later, it was revealed that he had been employing Capone and Gambino privately, unbeknownst to the Bellone famiglia members, in an assassination attempt on Rubio where Leontuzzo is also present. He's next seen taking care of Leontuzzo after he passed out from a combination of his fatigue and injuries. A conversation between him and Leontuzzo later revealed their differences in views regarding Lavinia's presence in the Bellone famiglia, in which he reaffirmed his differences to her. He also accepted Leontuzzo's request to lay low until the true culprit behind the assassination attempted to reveal themselves. He attempted to assassinate Lavinia later, but missed her and instead hit the hitman Lavinia arrested. He fled the scene with the others after a Bellone famiglia member warned him that Texas just blitzed through their ranks like it was nothing.
He later followed Leontuzzo secretly into a bar where he secretly met Wallach and divulged his whole plan. Demetri lamented his plan, wondering whether Lavinia had influenced him, and revealed the bigger picture of the Bellone famiglia's mission: to cause chaos in the city and provoke Signora Sicilia. However, Lappland surprised him and his men from out of nowhere with a cooperation plan which Bernardo agreed to. Afterwards, Demetri met Leontuzzo again in the Bellone Famiglia's estate, criticizing Lavinia's presence in his life for making him losing his ambition as the famiglia's heir.
Leontuzzo retaliated by revealing that he knows Demetri is the one behind all the chaos in the city lately, adding that Texas is willing to take blame for his actions. However, Demetri said he won't back off from the plan he had set, especially not after Lappland came with her own plan. Later, when Lavinia asked to meet Bernardo, he told her that he already left for the Saluzzo mansion, even imploring her not to involve herself further with them. He also asked Lavinia to stop "interfering" with Leontuzzo's life, emphasizing that he's still a Bellone famiglia member and that they have to stick together. Lavinia mocks him, saying that the said path they're treading is nothing but "craven ambition."
He was later seen in Teater di Milano in an assassination attempt towards Giovanna Rossati. He fought Wallach, but was defeated easily and saved by Leontuzzo at the last minute. In the aftermath, he was dragged by Leontuzzo out of the theater after negotiating with Wallach. When Leontuzzo revealed that, in the end, he still wanted him to be on his side, he laughed and said that this might have been all his plans all along to keep both him and Lavinia on his side.
After Rubio's radio broadcast incident in which he revealed their plans publicly,[3] Demetri frantically woke Leontuzzo up and told him that he couldn't find Bernardo anywhere. He was shocked to learn from Leontuzzo that Bernardo had been working with Zaaro for his grand plan of abolishing the famiglia system in Siracusa. He told Leontuzzo that, no matter what happens next, the Bellone famiglia still needs a de jure head and asked him to do things in his father's stead, which Leontuzzo accepts. When Leontuzzo's talk with Alberto Saluzzo was interrupted by the city core's separation, he came together with Wallach and told Leontuzzo to go to Bernardo's place, making his distrust towards the Saluzzo famiglia very clear in response to Alberto's attempt at Leontuzzo's life. After the fight ended in Alberto's escape, Demetri begrudgingly revealed his own dissatisfaction with Bernardo's grand scheme and told Wallach that there's no point for them fight anymore. While on the way to the core with Wallach, both of them realized that they were being delayed on purpose, noting that the road they'd taken was filled with blockades set up earlier.
After much delay, both of them finally arrived to the core area where they met Lavinia and Leontuzzo. Leontuzzo declared that he's siding with Lavinia, much to Demetri's dismay. When Zaaro made his appearance public and declared Bernardo's suicide, Demetri was left confused, asking why did he do all of this, when Lunacub snapped him back to reality to be aware of the dangerous situation they were in. He was last seen during Bernardo's burial ceremony, tossing away a pocket watch Bernardo gave him into the grave. In a private conversation between the two, Demetri revealed that while he personally has forgiven Leontuzzo's actions, the other members might not have, and warns him that eventually they might become enemies, telling him not to die easily.
Azione Solo
Demetri left the room where Bernardo and Leontuzzo are meeting. He wished Bernardo's "pep talk" would instill the old mafioso ideal in Leontuzzo again and replace Lavinia's ideals which he deemed "lame and weak." When Bernardo asked him what he thought of Leontuzzo lately, he answered it truthfully, stating that Leontuzzo doesn't have what it takes to be the next Don and even that he'd gone soft. Afterwards, he left for the Teater di Milano to set up the plans for Giovanna's assassination, then stepped out to rest for a bit in the park. He wondered whether he'll be able to tell Bernardo about what he actually thinks of Leontuzzo's plan, and if Leontuzzo is serious enough before going back to the theater to execute the plan. In the end, when a former Bellone famiglia mentioned Leontuzzo's departure to Nuovo Volsinii, he told them that they should leave him alone, warning them that Texas was still present and Leontuzzo was under Signora Sicilia's protection which could result in their annihilation as a whole. Demetri told the member to leave and said to himself that he shall be the only one to personally deliver the revenge.