After leaving the Gardes, Rei went straight to Fontaine's underground area, called the Fleuve Cendre, or Grey River.
When you enter this place, everything is dark and damp. Rusty iron pipes crisscrossed everywhere, lying still in the darkness.
Dirty water ran through the area, and a strong bad smell filled the air.
However, the sides of the waterways were extraordinarily lively.
General stores, bars, hospitals, and other places stood side by side. People walked back and forth all the time, and sometimes a few children could be seen running and playing among them.
They looked composed, completely unaffected by the stench.
Rei walked into a bar and found Callas in a quiet corner.
Sitting next to him was a young girl who looked a bit shy and unsure of herself.
The girl had long, wavy golden hair. In the dark room, her hair stood out.
Rei walked over to sit opposite Callas and spoke straight to the point. "President Callas, I hope you have good news for me."
Callas responded with a calm expression, "There is one piece of good news, but also one piece of bad news. Which one do you want to hear first?"
Rei waved his hand casually. "Then let's hear the bad news first. At least after hearing it, my mood won't be too terrible."
Callas said with a trace of regret on his face, "The Spina di Rosula did not find that outfit."
Hearing this, Rei felt very disappointed.
He continued to ask, "Then what about the good news?"
"The good news is that Olev's servant sold the outfit on the black market, and the buyer is a Snezhnayan merchant, but we don't know who it is," Callas said, looking a little embarrassed.
Rei extended his hand expressionlessly and spat out two words: "Refund money."
Callas didn't even think about it and rejected it directly. "No money!"
"You, the dignified President of the Spina di Rosula, how can you be so shameless?"
"You didn't say that if we couldn't find it, you wouldn't pay, right? Besides, our Spina di Rosula has already done its best."
"I don't care. If you didn't find it, you have to refund the money. If that really doesn't work, then giving half is fine too."
"I won't give even half. No money means no money."
"..."
The two argued for a long time about getting the money back.
Navia sat to the side, watching them argue like children. She thought it was funny and couldn't help but laugh.
Right away, Rei and Callas both looked at her.
Navia saw them looking at her and her face turned red. She felt so embarrassed she wished she could disappear.
Rei turned his line of sight back to Callas and glared at him. "Consider it my bad luck. The Spina di Rosula will continue to help me find that outfit, and I won't ask you for the money anymore."
"Hmph! I'm not someone who takes advantage of others either. If the Spina di Rosula ultimately still cannot find that outfit, I will send Navia to the Gardes." Callas said solemnly.
Rei agreed immediately. "Deal."
After saying that, he stood up and left.
"Father, I don't want to go to the Gardes."
As soon as Rei left, Navia spoke impatiently.
But Callas's attitude was unusually firm. "No, you must go."
"Why?" Navia's face was full of confusion, unable to understand why her father would arrange things this way.
Callas said with a serious expression, "I am preparing to have the Spina di Rosula seek refuge with him."
As soon as these words came out, Navia's eyes widened instantly, her face full of disbelief. "Father, he is currently just a Vice Captain of the Gardes who is about to be dismissed. How is he worthy of our Spina di Rosula seeking refuge with him?"
Callas smiled faintly. "Precisely because he is a Vice Captain of the Gardes who is about to be dismissed, he is worth seeking refuge with."
Navia listened in confusion, her mind full of questions, unable to follow what he was thinking.
Seeing his daughter so confused, Callas explained patiently, "Even though this kid is having a hard time right now, because of his great skill, he will definitely rise to a high position soon. Siding with him now will bring the biggest reward."
Hearing these words, Navia felt somewhat unconvinced in her heart.
That Rei looked to be only two or three years older than her; how could he be worthy of such high regard from her father?
Inside a fancy room, Olev looked very serious as he quietly listened to Ske's report.
After listening, he shifted his gaze to the servants standing to the side and questioned angrily, "Was it you lot who leaked the news to him?"
The servants turned very pale and said again and again that they did not tell anyone anything.
But Olev did not listen to their excuses at all. He hit and kicked the servants, letting out his anger on them.
Just then, Oldman walked in with steady steps and a solemn expression.
As soon as Olev saw his father, he immediately went up to him and had just opened his mouth to say, "Father, it must be..."
Before he could finish speaking, Oldman suddenly raised his hand, and a resounding slap landed heavily on Olev's face. The crisp sound of the slap echoed throughout the entire room.
Olev felt only a burning, sharp pain on his face. He reached out to cover his cheek, his eyes full of grievance. "Why did you hit me again?"
Seeing his son looking so useless, Oldman was extremely angry. "I told you not to go out right now. Why did you have to go out to find Rei?"
"I just..." Olev hemmed and hawed for a long time but couldn't come up with a decent reason.
Oldman scolded, "Do you think Rei is as useless as you? Just from a few things you said, he figured out our plan."
Hearing this, Olev froze in place for a moment. "How... how is that possible?"
"How is it impossible?" Oldman looked at him with a hard stare. "Rei, who started with nothing as a stranger, became Vice Captain of the Gardes in less than a year. That is not something a normal person can do."
"Didn't he become that by relying on sucking up to Furina?" A trace of disdain permeated Olev's voice.
Hearing this, Oldman was so angry he almost wanted to strike him again. He raised his volume and asked back, "Those who want to suck up to Furina number eight thousand if not ten thousand, but which one of them can do it like him?"
Olev was rendered speechless by the question.
Oldman suddenly reached out and grabbed Olev by the collar, saying coldly, "From today on, if you dare to take another step out of the villa, I will break your legs!"
Olev nodded frantically. "I understand, Father!"
Oldman released his hand, pushed him away with disgust, and immediately turned to leave.
After leaving the villa, he looked up at the setting sun and sighed.
If Rei truly found some key evidence, he could only abandon this disappointing son.
To protect his family's future, he did not have many choices.
----
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