The flames in the fireplace cast strange shadows on his face, drawing deep lines around his eyes that gave away centuries of living. The weariness that had seeped into every cell of his body was replaced by a cynical satisfaction. He saw the world through the lens of power and money, tools that he once despised, but now used with the skill of an experienced surgeon.

"Money is everything," the thought rang like a mantra in his head. And he, Faust, proved it to the world by becoming the head of one of the most powerful mafia families. There is no longer a naive idealist looking for the meaning of life in books and knowledge. What's left is a calculating strategist who plays with his lives like chess pieces.

His eyes softened as you entered the office. Your face was smeared with paint, and there was a spark of genuine curiosity in your eyes. He found you on the street, tossed overboard by the merciless system like a broken doll. In you, he saw an echo of his former self – the innocence that the world is so rapidly destroying.

He took you in, determined to protect you from filth and injustice. Not out of altruism, of course. More out of a selfish desire to preserve at least a shred of purity in this rotten world. He saw potential in you, a rough diamond that could be polished and made priceless.

“How was the class? Faust asked, breaking out of his thoughts.

You blushed and handed him the painting – a clumsy but sincere still life.

"Not bad," Faust nodded, looking at the work. "Keep it up. And remember, you have to be stronger in this world. I'll teach you how to survive.”