A Cup

Suye hadn't expected things to turn out this way. He smiled and said, "I'm very curious about your investment terms."

Harmon laughed heartily and said, "I am a man of great integrity, and also a man of great fairness. So, the choice is yours."

Suye looked at Harmon, picked up another fig, and placed it in his mouth, chewing slowly.

Harmon said, "I can give you two hundred Golden Eagles directly!"

"Father..." Horton exclaimed, but Harmon silenced him with a look.

Even Senit beside him showed a flicker of surprise, quickly masking it.

Suye remained unruffled, chuckling as he said, "You're the best-eyed merchant I've met so far."

Harmon nodded with satisfaction and said, "I like children who tell the truth. But you must understand, I am a merchant, yet I am more a father."

The smile faded from Harmon's face.

Suye still wore a faint smile.

Harmon continued, "I am driven by profit, I stoop to scheming, I cut corners, and my hands are stained with things they shouldn't be. But, after all, I am Horton's father. None of my investments should ever override my love for him."

Horton looked at his father, his nose tingling, his eyes filled with emotion and admiration.

Harmon patted Horton's shoulder and looked at Suye. "My investment condition is simple. You bow your head and admit fault to my son now, and agree to be his slightly lower friend, helping him when the time is right. Of course, if you build a deeper friendship and become true friends, as long as it's for his good, I wouldn't mind if you beat him three times a day. The prerequisite is that you genuinely want to help my son."

"A slightly lower friend, a servant?" A strange note crept into Suye's smile.

"Far above a servant. In my eyes, you are like my own nephew." Harmon's tone carried sincerity.

Suye looked at Harmon, sighed softly, then turned to Horton and said, "If you had even a tenth of your father's wisdom, no, even a hundredth, you wouldn't have gotten beaten so badly by me."

"You..." Rage flared in Horton's heart.

Harmon shot his son a helpless glance, then turned back to Suye. "This is a father's investment."

Suye sighed again. "Uncle Harmon, I call you uncle sincerely this time. I deeply admire your love for Horton. But you're still thinking like a merchant, not truly acting as a father."

"Oh?" Harmon looked at Suye.

Suye stared into Harmon's eyes and said slowly, "Every man is a father's son."

Harmon froze.

The warrior Senit also froze.

Horton sneered, "Your father is dead."

Harmon couldn't help but grip Horton's shoulder hard, making him wince.

Suye cast a cold glance at Horton. "Now do you two see why I beat this little brat?"

Harmon let out a long, helpless sigh, staring at the Black Pottery Wine Cup for a long time before asking, "Will you accept my investment?"

"Without the conditions, I'd be very willing," Suye said.

Harmon looked at Horton. "After all, I am this little brat's father."

"Then I'll have to pass on the two hundred Golden Eagles," Suye said.

Harmon pressed his left hand on Horton's shoulder, slowly rising, his expression growing colder.

He bent down, grabbed the Black Pottery Wine Cup with his right hand, and said, "I really hope you'll reconsider."

"No need." Suye looked up at the standing Harmon.

"A pity."

Harmon said this, pushed the Black Pottery Wine Cup in front of Suye, then straightened up, his left hand still on Horton's shoulder.

"I don't want to meddle too much in children's affairs, but after all, I am Horton's father. No one can hurt my son without paying a price," Harmon's voice became eerily calm. "Even if you are also a child. From today, I will do my utmost to stop my child from troubling you, but you must pay a price. Look at this cup."

Suye glanced at the large pottery cup that could hold two of his fists.

Harmon looked down at Suye, yet spoke with extreme gentleness. "Do to yourself what you did to my son, right here. Keep punching your own nose, over and over, until the blood you spill fills this cup."

Harmon's voice was so gentle, as if speaking to his own child.

Horton broke into a delighted grin, making no effort to hide his malice and glee.

The dagger reappeared in Senit's hand, flipping like a butterfly.

Harmon saw the smile fade from Suye's face and continued gently, "Otherwise, you won't leave this door."

Just then, a knock came, and a waiter pushed the door open.

The waiter first bowed, then handed over a Wax Tablet, smiling. "Honored guests, may I take your order?"

Harmon was about to dismiss the waiter, but then glanced at Suye and said, "You can make your final choice after the meal." With that, he reached out and took the Wax Tablet.

Suye looked at the Wax Tablet.

It was a rectangular wooden board, its four edges sealed with brown wooden strips, forming a groove filled with solidified black wax, on which dish names were carved with a sharp tool.

Harmon's gaze fell to the last line. "I specifically asked a friend to book this room last night, just to try the legendary Kelton Salad. Let's start with one..."

The waiter said politely, "Honored guest, I'm terribly sorry. The Kelton Salad is so popular that it's sold out for today. If you'd come half an hour earlier, you might have had a chance. When you arrived, you probably saw it on almost every table."

Harmon sneered, "What, taking us for country bumpkins?"

The waiter smiled wryly. "Honored guest, you misunderstand. The output of Kelton Salad Dressing is actually quite high, enough to meet the restaurant's normal supply, but today there are an unusually large number of guests. Most importantly, the great Pandion Family is hosting a grand banquet for guests from the Avilado Family of Rome, and they specially sent someone to take half of the salad dressing to entertain their distinguished visitors."

Suye paused for a moment. The name Avilado sounded somewhat familiar; he vaguely recalled hearing it on Blue Star as well, but he couldn't remember the details.

What he did remember was that in present-day Rome, the Avilado Family was one of the wealthiest Hero Families in Florence, truly as rich as a nation. The family's ancestor, Avilado, was once a hero who slew giants.

Suye noticed Harmon's expression shift slightly, realizing he was intimidated by the name of the Pandion Family.

The Pandion Family was one of the most powerful Demigod Families in Athens, with each family head honored as "King."

In Athens, and even throughout All of Greece, every Demigod royal family held the power of Life and Death over non-nobles.

In present-day Athens, only members of Demigod Families were qualified to serve as archons.