Leonardo (cont.)

Clearly, the other party had ill intentions at this moment.

This also made Celinina realize the seriousness of the situation.

"Grandpa, he's been recuperating for half a year, is he still not better?"

"Not done."

The driver shook his head.

He didn't really want to say much, but... that's just how it is.

Salvadore has been recuperating for another six months... Even considering his advanced age, six months of recuperation is still quite excessive.

But his rank wasn't high enough for him to see Salvadore's situation, so he could only worry and feel helpless.

"Is that so..."

Celinina pursed her lips, her eyes revealing anxiety.

Meanwhile, Lappland's gaze gradually turned cold...

It didn't take long for the two little ones to arrive at the Texas Mansion.

This land once belonged to Madam Sicily, but was later exchanged to the Texas Family during the banquet.

It was here that the Texas Family rose to prominence and grew step by step, and today they are a giant tree in Columbia.

As soon as I got out of the car, several Servants carefully came up to me.

They were all people who had received advance notice that Celinina was coming back, and they were all prepared for this.

But at that moment, Lappland suddenly spoke up.

"How about... we share a room?"

"Um?"

Upon hearing this, the maids standing nearby were stunned.

But Lappland continued to smile, "We've always lived together in Siracusa... we're best friends."

After saying that, she smiled and hooked her arm around Celinina's shoulder, bringing the two of them close together.

This left the maids standing nearby looking puzzled.

Seeing Celinina nod, they didn't say much, but quietly moved their suitcases together.

After they left, Lappland's eyes narrowed slightly.

What are your plans next?

"Next?" Celinina turned her head slightly, somewhat puzzled. "Next, we should go see Grandpa..."

"..."

Lappland didn't speak; she simply stared silently at the girl before her, her SilverAsh eyes fixed on Celinina.

Then, she let out a sneer.

Is it really okay to be so naive at a time like this?

"What do you mean?" Celinina frowned.

Lappland then picked up the gift box from the side and handed it to Celinina.

"You heard what the driver said on the way here... Do you really think the current situation is under our control?"

"But he is my father!"

"He was before, and he may be in the future, but now, he won't be your father, he'll be your competitor!"

Lappland gripped her friend's shoulder tightly, giving her a serious warning.

"Power can turn people into devils... Why do you think I like Ms. Maria? Because she has always been consistent."

"Although the Saluzzo Family isn't a very old or ancient family, we've still been around for over a dozen generations..." Lappland cupped Celinina's face in her hands and brought her face close to Cellina's.

Their faces were almost touching.

"Never, ever put emotions above power... Even I have witnessed fathers killing their own children!"

As Lappland spoke, he exhaled a rich, incense-like aroma.

Celinina, flustered by her impulsive actions, blushed slightly and stood frozen in place.

After a moment, her eyes narrowed slightly.

Have you been drinking?

"No!"

"Really?"

"Really, no!"

"I will speak with Ms. Maria!"

"... Okay, actually I did drink a little."

Upon hearing Celinina's threat, Lappland ultimately couldn't hold on.

She nodded with a subtle expression, but then tried to justify herself.

"I had no choice, after all, this is my first time traveling such a long distance... You have no idea how much I've been bouncing around in the car all week! I really can't sleep without a drink!"

Lappland argued her case forcefully, while Celinina remained silent, watching her.

After a moment, she sighed helplessly.

"I understand... I won't tell Ms. Maria about you drinking in the car, but right now, you absolutely cannot drink except in social situations!"

Lappland actually has a mild alcohol addiction.

Although it wasn't obvious on a daily basis, as her roommate and roommate, Celinina knew that Lappland would occasionally get her some drinks.

Maria did not support this, but she did not personally issue an order to stop it.

But this attitude also somewhat limited Lappland's drinking... at least it prevented her from becoming an alcoholic.

After all, Maria knew that under her high-pressure training, the two little ones had to find ways to release their stress... Just like Celinina's smoking, as long as Lappland didn't drink excessively, her Blood Ministration was enough to ensure her health.

Moderate consumption is not a problem.

Of course, if possible, she still hopes that the two little ones can stay healthy.

Don't worry.

Lappland's expression relaxed considerably after hearing that Celinina wouldn't tell Ms. Maria.

Celinina took this opportunity to ask a question.

"Why did you say you didn't want to see Grandpa?"

When the topic was brought up, Lappland's eyes became serious.

"You cannot go see Salvadore yet..."

"Just as I said before, the internal strife among you is very serious now... At this point, you can no longer regard your father as a blood relative; you must regard him as an enemy, only this enemy is still your friend on the surface for the time being."

"What you should do now is go directly to him and tell him that you came back as soon as possible and went to see him, to show him that you are under his control... As long as he can still trust you, we will have more room to maneuver."

"On the contrary, if you go directly to see Salvadore... putting aside whether you can even get to see him, or whether you'll be stopped by his men, just that one action of yours will make him suspect that you really want to seize power from him..."

"The worst-case scenario might be that you and your daughter turn against each other with swords!"

Lappland carefully analyzed Celinina's current situation for her.

Although Celinina consistently achieved excellent grades in Maria's strategy classes, Lappland was clearly superior in this kind of power struggle.

The main reason is that she has more practical experience.

Celinina couldn't quite judge Lappland's assessment, but she trusted her companion wouldn't deceive her. After hesitating for a moment, she nodded and turned to walk towards her father's office.

Knock knock.

"Please come in..."

"Father..."

It didn't take long for Celinina to bring Lappland to her father's office.

He was a thin man who was at least 1.8 meters tall.

He wore gold-rimmed glasses, his expression was solemn, and although his clothes were just everyday wear, he still dressed them meticulously, making him look like an elite figure.

Celinina's expression remained as indifferent as ever, but the man's face lit up with obvious delight upon seeing the girl.

"Oh, look who's back? My lovely little wolf girl."

The man immediately stopped writing on the document, closed it, and set it aside. He then got up, went to the girl, and gave her a big hug.

The intense warmth left Celinina momentarily stunned.

What followed was a strong sense of self-blame.

Although she didn't say it aloud, she had to admit that when Lappland analyzed the situation for her, she genuinely treated men as imaginary enemies.

But at that moment, the warm, comforting feeling of being a father made her unable to stop herself from speaking.

This man... is my father...

Perhaps he and his grandfather had differing opinions, or perhaps everyone had different views on how to develop the Texas Family.

But... he is his own father.

How could he possibly attack himself?

After embracing Leonardo a while, Celinina took a slight step back.

The man, however, was smiling.

"You spent three years studying in Siracusa this time. Did you bring back any local specialties?"

"Yes, Father." Celinina did not doubt the man's words. She nodded and handed over the box she had hidden behind her back.

"This is a gift from Siracusa... I know you've never been a big fan of Siracusa, but the handicrafts there are truly excellent."

Celinina spoke, her expression still somewhat tense.

She knew that her father had never really liked Siracusa... a fact shared by everyone who grew up in Columbia.

They acknowledge that their ancestors came from Siracusa, but they also feel that they are not Siracusa; they are mature and noble Columbia, and Siracusa... is just a rural place.

"How could that be, girl? I'm overjoyed that you brought me a gift."

The man smiled and gently lifted the gift box.

He gestured to Celinina, and only after receiving her nod did he gently open the gift box.

Inside was a uniquely designed ring.

She and Lappland bought these when they were preparing supplies.

The jeweler recognized Lappland as the eldest daughter of the Saluzzo Family, so he enthusiastically promoted his wares.

The items were of sufficient value, so the girls bought them.

"It's such a fascinating thing... Perhaps Siracusa isn't what I imagined it to be."

The man picked up the ring, couldn't help but admire it a few times, then smiled and turned to look at Lappland beside him.

Even though he already knew who the recipient was from the envelope, he was still smiling.

"And this is...?"

"Hello, Mr. Texas ..." When facing a stranger, Lappland was no longer so aloof, but instead took a small step back very politely and lifted the hem of her skirt.

"I am a representative of the Saluzzo Family and also a friend of Celinina. I have returned this time to see the sights of Columbia ... I may be a bit long-winded in the next few days, so please accept this small gift."

"Oh, so you're the little princess of the Saluzzo Family. Welcome to Columbia."

The man continued to smile. After accepting the girl's gift, he didn't open it like Celinina did. Instead, he placed it aside and nodded slightly.

After casually asking the girl how she had been all these years, everyone gradually got down to business.