Celinina

Although he wasn't expelled from the family, no one knew where this cunning and treacherous wolf had gone.

Maria wasn't surprised to hear this news. She nodded and then began to ask more questions.

"So, how does the family intend to deal with the Gray Hall now?"

"Ms. Maria ..." Salvadore with some helplessness, "I'm from the family side, do you think I would tell you our plans?"

"..."

Maria did not respond, but simply stared at the other person.

Salvadore, not to be outdone, was equally determined.

While I have some awe of Maria's abilities, there are times when challenging authority is necessary.

But... after just a few glances, he helplessly gave in.

"Okay... sometimes I really feel that if you can fight, there's no way to win."

"Just consider this a threat you've made."

With a sigh, he gathered his thoughts and then began to recount the family's arrangements.

"The family's arrangements are not going smoothly at the moment."

"They only reached one consensus: currently, in the Gray Hall, the source of Madam Sicily's power is the Sankta from Laterano."

"Once we can get rid of those Sankta, the so-called Gray Hall will really just be a negotiation venue between families."

"In order to achieve this goal, they have secretly sent people to Laterano to find the Pope, attempting to use diplomatic means to recall these Laterano."

"But the problem is that the Pope seems to approve of what the Sankta, led by Father Agniel, are doing, and therefore has no intention of interfering."

"This is causing the family a great deal of trouble."

"What troubled them even more was that, after realizing what their family had done, they began to consciously recruit and train people of other races. Over the years, many outstanding Inquisitors have emerged... The appearance of these people has further deepened the family's anxiety."

"Up to now, the military power wielded by Madam Sicily alone has surpassed that of those families."

Salvadore said, glancing to the side again.

Although in terms of size, the territory occupied by the family was significantly larger.

In reality, in order to ensure the continuation of the family line, they had to assign many of their key personnel to manage the expenses of other departments.

Especially after the establishment of the Gray Hall, they had to pay compensation for the damage they caused, and a significant portion of their profits had to be allocated to the repair and construction of buildings in Siracusa. What they could keep for themselves, while not a small amount, was definitely not as much as before.

The family's fighting strength is shrinking for various reasons, and Madam Sicily, relying on the church and the former Sicily Family's assets, has no problem supporting her Inquisitors.

This shift in power will push one side to the extreme.

On the family-based side, this problem is clearly present.

However, Salvadore declined to comment on how they planned to resolve the issue.

Maria didn't press further; she simply nodded and fell silent.

After a moment of silence, Salvadore walked to the side and gently nudged the little girl next to him.

"Speaking of which, I haven't had a chance to introduce them yet."

"Um?"

"Say hello to everyone, Celinina."

The old man looked at the little girl beside him with a kind expression, his eyes filled with doting affection.

Maria, the girl who was pushed out, was also very familiar with the girl.

Or perhaps, she was very familiar with the girl as she grew up.

"Hello..."

Somewhat timidly, the girl nodded to the woman in front of her.

"My name is Celinina, Celinina Texas."

After saying these words, she quieted down and turned to look at her grandfather.

Salvadore smiled.

"She's my granddaughter... a very good child, isn't she?"

"Um."

"By the way, Madam Maria, is this your child?"

Salvadore looked kindly at Lavinia beside him, but this made her extremely nervous.

After all, she didn't have the same confidence as Maria.

She could only stammer and lower her head.

"No... no."

"Um?"

"My relationship with her is rather complicated."

Maria didn't let the girl dwell on it any longer; she simply shook her head and spoke calmly.

"Is that so."

After a moment's thought, Salvadore looked at Celinina again.

"In that case, may I ask you for a favor?"

"Um?"

"I originally planned to leave this child in Siracusa for the time being, but I was really worried about leaving her here alone... I had entrusted her to some old friends, but now that you've appeared, I think this is a good opportunity."

Salvadore looked at the Maria he had ordered in front of him.

"Could you please look after her for me for the time being?"

"... Why?" Maria, somewhat puzzled.

She wasn't asking why she should take care of the girl, but rather she was curious why the other party would leave this girl, who looked to be under 10, in Siracusa.

He probably knew that this place wasn't safe, right?

"Because... she deserves better."

Salvadore remained silent for a moment, then shook his head again, his attitude resolute.

"My child, Celinina's father, is a failed successor."

"He's been in Columbia since birth, running the Texas Family business... Perhaps because he's my only child, my efforts to raise him have come close to failure."

"There's nothing about him that's Siracusa; he's a pure Columbia businessman."

"I don't mean to belittle him. In fact, as a businessman, his talent is unparalleled, and I'm still proud of him for that!"

"But someone like him is only suitable for the business department within the family... No matter how far the Texas Family is from Siracusa, it is still a family. A businessman cannot control an entire family. He is too weak when necessary, and when unnecessary, his greedy opportunism will plunge him into the abyss!"

"The Texas Family was built on Siracusa, which means the Texas Family will always bear the mark of Siracusa... Betrayal would mean the Texas Family would become enemies of the entire Siracusa!"

"I've told him this more than once, but each time he just pays lip service to me. Behind the scenes, he has no respect for Siracusa whatsoever... I can tell."

"Once he inherits the family, the first thing he will do is declare Texas seceded from Siracusa."

"At that time, he will leave Siracusa without hesitation... I will not judge the right or wrong of such a choice, but the Texas Family clearly does not have that kind of power now."

"His cruel and violent methods were incomprehensible to someone who hadn't experienced the initial hardships; he lacked the Siracusa people's madness!"

"The Texas Family cannot be allowed to inherit the family business!"

Salvadore spoke, revealing his true feelings for the first time.

To outsiders, the Texas Family was his personal fiefdom, and it was because of him that Texas had never achieved a greater leap forward, but instead continued to advance at the slow pace of Siracusa.

Many people are dissatisfied with him.

And the one leading them was his child.

In fact, Salvadore has noticed more than once that his children have begun to form their own teams and rebel against him.

Salvadore typically suppresses and acquiesces to such choices.

He truly loved his children, and he also loved the vast family that he and his old friends had built up through blood and rain.

He hoped his child would inherit his business, and he knew the child had the ability... yet he chose to rush headlong into a direction destined for failure.

Now that the other person is in their thirties, their way of thinking is already fixed... Salvadore understands that even if he wanted to intervene in the other person's thoughts at this point, and try to help them understand the horrors of Siracusa, it would be too late.

The prosperity of Columbia led them to believe that Siracusa was just a backward and old place, forgetting that this ancient land had given birth to many awe-inspiring families.

Even if he saw it, he would stubbornly believe it was a one-sided sign, and that the storms in Siracusa would not affect Columbia.

From this perspective, this is indeed his biological child.

Both of them are equally stubborn and inflexible; once they've set their sights on a goal, they won't let go.

The difference is that he can listen to his companions and overcome difficulties together with the brothers who have been with him all the way.

But the other party was only accompanied by other businessmen.

He had already planned to find the next head of the Texas family from somewhere else.

Celinina's appearance, however, rekindled a glimmer of hope in him.

This child perfectly inherited his sharp edge... Although he was still very young, he could see that this child had unlimited potential.

So he defied all opposition and brought her to Siracusa, so that she could receive an education and broaden her horizons there.

He had already informed his old friends.

But Maria's appearance gave him another option.

Clearly, following other families is a good option, but there are also many dangers... After all, even though the Siracusa families are suppressed by the Gray Hall, their true nature is still blood-red.

Maria, however, was a unique exception.

He believes that if his granddaughter learns from the other person, she can achieve better development!

"Celinina ..."

Maria paused for a moment.

She hesitated, glancing at the little girl who barely reached her thigh. Seeing the timidity in the girl's blue-gold eyes, she gradually fell silent again.

"Is this... fate?"

"Um?"

"No, it was just something I felt compelled to say."

Maria firmly believed that fate did not exist; it was merely a false concept in philosophical thought, a summary of all a person's choices in retrospect.

He realized he had interacted with the girl in the past because he had seen Texas in the future.

Ordinary people only eat apples after they've bought them.

Because of her special circumstances, she only started buying apples after she had already eaten them.

This results in a variety of choices.

But at least, Maria wasn't averse to contact with girls.

So...

Maria slowly knelt on one knee and gently took the small, calloused hand in hers.

"Celinina...?"

Chapter 219 Celinina

Who exactly is Salvadore?

Those who were close to him described him as a trustworthy friend, a powerful ally, and a tenacious genius.

Those who don't get along with him will see him as a greedy beast, a madman who knows no satisfaction, and a stray dog that won't give up until it gets what it wants.

But in young Celinina's eyes, her grandfather was just her grandfather, a stern yet kind old man.

Her father often argued with her grandfather... Although she couldn't figure out what they were arguing about, she didn't like the oppressive and gloomy atmosphere.