A Real Man!

"President Callas, I have good news and bad news for you. Which do you want to hear?"

"Then let's hear the bad news first?"

"The bad news is that the Callas Line, which you painstakingly built, was destroyed by an explosion at the Academy of Sciences."

Callas frowned. Although he had been mentally prepared, he still couldn't help but sigh when he heard the news.

"... And the good news?"

"The good news is that the Spina di Rosula and Court of Fontaine will likely continue their cooperation in building the Aquabus route, specifically the Callas Line."

Callas's lips twitched. "..."

This kid wasn't like this before he left the house!

Navia, standing to the side, couldn't help but chuckle.

Xingsu turned her head to look at Navia, who was covering her mouth and chuckling, and said in a gentle tone, "Alright, Navia, I need to talk to President Callas about something first."

Navia immediately stopped smiling, pouted, and said with a hint of the Damselette coquettishness and grievance, "Okay, okay, really, you said you'd be back in a month at the latest, but it's almost been two months now. I'll be so sad if you miss my coming-of-age birthday party."

Xingsu scratched his head a little embarrassed upon hearing this, and laughed to smooth things over, "Ahaha, sorry... I was tied up with some trivial matters outside and was delayed for quite a while. I came back especially to celebrate your birthday."

Upon hearing this, Navia's brows instantly relaxed, a bright smile curving her face as she cheerfully remarked, "Hmph, you know what's good for you!"

Callas: "..."

Oh no, they're after my daughter.

It hardened; its fist hardened.

"So, in what capacity do you, Mr. Xingsu, stand before me now? A member of the Spina di Rosula? Fatui? Or simply a traveler from Sumeru?"

"Yes."

"What a bunch!"

"In addition, I am also an honorary researcher at the Fontaine Research Institute, a special instructor for the children of the House of the Hearth, Snezhnaya Science and Technology Cooperation Researcher."

"You've been through a lot in the past month or so."

"What I want to say is that the Spina di Rosula took me in back then and was willing to support me. No matter how many identities I have in the future, as long as I am still a member of the Spina di Rosula, I am willing to give the Spina di Rosula all the help I can."

After hearing these words, Callas was taken aback at first, then burst into laughter.

"Hehe, hahaha, good lad, not bad, not bad at all. I'm really growing to like you more and more. It seems you've grown a lot during this time." Callas patted Xingsu on the shoulder and said with satisfaction, "I'm relieved to hear you say that. Don't limit yourself to the Spina di Rosula. Your abilities can shine brightly on this land."

As soon as he finished speaking, Callas turned and walked to the bookshelf on the inside of the study. He reached out and pushed aside the stacked books, prying open a hidden compartment. After a slight rattling of the wooden hinges, he took out a bottle of fruit wine that had been sealed for many years, its surface gleaming with the warm luster of long storage.

Callas swirled the bottle, a smile playing on his lips. "Let's put aside the conflicts between the various factions for now and catch up on old times."

Xingsu:...?

Old Deng wasn't like this before he left the house!

Although it's unclear what Callas' current attitude is towards me, I'll just keep drinking for now.

"... L㏒s? Are these despicable L㏒s sellers now so brazen? They have absolutely no regard for Fontaine's laws..."

"... Daerdufu? Hahahaha, that guy deserved to die. I knew he was born a scoundrel, but I never imagined he was even more despicable than I thought..."

"... Fontaine Research Institute? Don't Neuvillette's boasts about top-notch experimental equipment and top-notch research talent. In reality, the management level of that lousy place is no different from Fleuve Cendre. If Neuvillette hadn't personally gone to find that place, your paper probably wouldn't have been published..."

After three rounds of drinks, three rounds of drinks, three rounds of drinks, and three rounds of drinks.

Xingsu shared some of her observations and experiences from this period with Callas.

Xingsu had never seen Callas like this before. Usually very serious, he seemed to be in a lot of interest today, chatting with Xingsu about all sorts of things, his insights on life, his dissatisfaction with Fontaine, and so on.

"Spina di Rosula Xingsu... you're a good child... I know I can't keep you here."

"President Callas, please don't say that."

"I'm glad you care about the Spina di Rosula... but I don't like your distant tone towards me."

"Ah... ah?"

"Child, to tell you the truth, I don't have many years left to live."

"President Callas, you..."

Callas waved his hand, interrupting Xingsu's attempt at comforting words, and continued, "Alright, don't try to persuade me. I know my illness best. It's terminal; I won't live more than five years."

"Sigh, you've been talking the whole time, and I've been listening. It's my turn to talk to you. Let me talk about myself."

"I've spent most of my life in Poisson and at the Spina di Rosula. I'm a native of Poisson, and I've lived my life around this body of water since I was a child."

"The Poisson was much more chaotic in its early days. The law didn't apply here, the nobles looked down on this remote water town, and bandits and speculators were everywhere. Ordinary people in the town had no way to seek help when they were bullied, and could only accept their bad luck." Callas tapped his wine glass lightly on the table, and his expression softened a bit.

"When I was young, I was much more impulsive than I am now, and I couldn't stand seeing the weak being oppressed. So I gathered a group of like-minded brothers and founded the Spina di Rosula. At first, I didn't think about building a large force; I only had one thought—to protect the people of Poisson and safeguard this small, neglected place."

The wine glass tapped lightly on the table, Callas' expression softened slightly.

"My wife, Clementine, you should know that the Aquabus route is named after our family. She's the person I've wronged the most in my life. She was a gentle yet resilient girl who stood by me as we built our business from scratch, enduring the hardest times. Sadly, she had a difficult childbirth with Navia and passed away. I raised Navia alone, single-handedly. From then on, my only purpose in life was for my daughter and the Spina di Rosula."

"Later, things gradually improved, Spina di Rosula gained a foothold in Poisson and Fleuve Cendre. But I knew that our foundation was too shallow, and the stability we built by fighting injustice wouldn't last long. Fontaine relies heavily on waterways and trade. The reason Poisson has always been weak is because it's isolated by waterways and marginalized by the main city of Court of Fontaine."

"So I did everything in my power to push forward the project of the Aquabus waterway, running around everywhere, connecting with Court of Fontaine and the Academy of Sciences, and talking myself hoarse to negotiate cooperation. In order to build these waterways, I offended many veterans. Some of them only wanted to maintain their current stability and were unwilling to take the risk of cooperation. In the end, some of them left the Spina di Rosula in a fit of pique and completely broke with me. Outsiders say that I am ambitious and love to cause trouble, but I know in my heart that I am not doing this for empty fame, but to leave a long-term way out for Navia and the entire Poisson."

"I want the people here to no longer have to live at the mercy of others, and for Poisson to stand proudly within the territory of Fontaine."

Another sip of wine went down his throat, a warm feeling spreading through his chest, but it couldn't suppress the melancholy in his eyes.

"Over the years, I've seen the glamour of being the president of the Spina di Rosula, able to converse with various powerful figures on the outside. But behind the scenes, I've been investigating the dirty secrets hidden beneath the surface of Fontaine —those missing the Damselette, the intricate web of dark deals... They... they actually... they actually wanted to reach out to Navia!"

"I've been working too hard all these years, which has worn down my health. I wasn't surprised when I was diagnosed with a terminal illness; I had a premonition. In my life, I've done everything I could to protect this peaceful place and safeguard my daughter for a while, but what I fear most is that after I'm gone, everything will be gone."

Callas looked up and gazed earnestly at Xingsu, his eyes filled with sincerity.

"I've spent my whole life struggling, not for power or profit, but for peace and stability. The Spina di Rosula isn't a top-tier power; it can't withstand any major storms. Navia is pure and kind-hearted, too innocent; she simply doesn't understand the treacherous Fontainian."

"So I'm not being sentimental by telling you this today. The world you've seen and the levels of people you've been exposed to far surpass what I and the Spina di Rosula at now. I trust your character and I trust your abilities."

He raised his wine glass, and Chao Xingsu gently lifted it as well.

"After I'm gone, please take good care of this child and the Spina di Rosula I've dedicated my life to."

Xingsu immediately raised her hand and gently but firmly pressed down on the wine glass that he was holding in mid-air.

Before Callas could react, Xingsu picked up the wine glass in front of him, tilted his head back, and gulped down the rich fruit wine in one go.

The liquor, once it enters the throat, leaves a warm, lingering aftertaste.

"This toast should be to you, man!"