Looking at Uncle Callas in front of him, Yu Xie was thinking about many things.
If things had gone according to the original plan, Uncle Callas would one day fall into a trap carefully set by Marcel, be falsely accused of murdering his friend, and ultimately choose to initiate a duel in the court of judgment, dying on the dueling field, and bearing the title of "Callas the Unfaithful."
Uncle Callas would use his death to ensure Navia's safety.
Yu Xie didn't want to see such a thing happen, but as time passed, he had forgotten many of the details, and without those details to support him, changing the outcome was no easy task.
He also couldn't directly tell Callas that Marcel was the murderer. As someone from beyond this world, he could change the established facts with his own hands, but he could not directly inform others of the future.
Otherwise, it might trigger a butterfly effect, and even worse things could happen as a result.
This was something the system had warned him about.
"Uncle, until the real culprit is caught, everyone is a suspect. You mustn't trust anyone completely, especially those who seem 'clean' on the surface," Yu Xie said, standing up.
"I've said something like this to you before. Looks like you've kept it in mind," Callas chuckled.
"Don't forget those words yourself," Yu Xie turned to leave. "I'll be going now, Uncle."
"Leaving already? Aren't you staying here tonight? Don't you want to spend some time with Navia?"
"I'm going to see someone."
"A man or a woman?"
"A man... Uncle, you stay busy, but don't work too late. Navia will worry."
With that, Yu Xie left the study.
Left alone in the study, Callas looked at the door that had just closed behind Yu Xie, and suddenly began to cough violently.
The harsh coughing caused his body to tremble, and it took a while before the coughing subsided.
He adjusted his breathing and let out a self-deprecating smile.
"It seems that time is running out."
He suffers from a rare illness and doctors say he has less than five years left to live.
This was something he hadn't told Navia or Yu Xie.
In fact, through his investigation, he had already identified a preliminary suspect in the case of the missing girls and the drug "Sinthe."
Marcel was one of them.
He hadn't told Navia or Yu Xie about this yet, either.
Although Callas had gathered some evidence, it wasn't enough.
This was a tug-of-war, and with less than five years left, he couldn't be sure whether he could completely destroy the mastermind's plot in time.
As Navia's father and the president of the Spina di Rosula, there were many things he had to consider.
....
Yu Xie arrived at the entrance of the Confrerie of Cabriere.
The Confrerie of Cabriere was a local merchant group in Poisson Village, but with the passage of time and Callas' support, the business had grown larger and larger. Now, it had expanded into the city, and its scale was vastly different from what it used to be.
Standing at the door, Yu Xie paused for a moment, then walked inside.
The people at the entrance of the Confrerie of Cabriere recognized Yu Xie and knew about his relationship with Callas. Naturally, they didn't ask if he had an appointment or anything like that. They simply gave a slight bow and didn't stop him.
Upon entering the Confrerie of Cabriere, before Yu Xie could even speak, Marcel appeared quickly.
"Yu Xie? What brings you here? Come, come, come, have a cup of tea with me!" Marcel walked over to Yu Xie's side, greeting him with a wide smile.
Marcel naturally recognized Yu Xie.
Due to his knowledge of Marcel's character, Yu Xie had never interacted with him much, but Marcel always acted very friendly, perhaps because he had become too immersed in his role.
"No need for tea. I'm just here to talk to you about something," Yu Xie said.
"Why not sit down and have some tea while we talk?" Marcel smiled warmly.
"Still no need. I have to head back," Yu Xie replied.
"Alright then, what's so important that the 'Strongest Champion Duelist' himself had to make a trip?"
"Recently, there's been a crackdown on the sale of 'Sinthe' from above, and some members of the Marechaussee Phantom seem to be suspicious of the Confrerie of Cabriere. Of course, I believe the Cabriere Chamber would never be involved in the trade of 'Sinthe,' but if there are any leads, please report them promptly."
"Of course, you can count on that."
"Since we've finished talking, I'll be on my way."
"Leaving already? Not even going to sit down for a cup of tea?"
"No need," Yue Xie smiled and turned to leave.
Once outside, Yue Xie paused for a moment and glanced back at the Confrerie of Cabriere.
What had just been said was half true, half false.
The crackdown on the sale of "Sinthe" was real, but the suspicion that the Marechaussee Phantom had on the Confrerie of Cabriere was just a smokescreen that Yue Xie had planted.
Although he didn't expect this to cause Marcel to completely fail, it might make him slip up and reveal something.
By the time Yue Xie returned to his residence in the Fontaine Court, it was already very late.
In the past, under Callas' care, Yue Xie had lived in Poisson Village, but ever since he became a Champion Duelist, he had moved to Fontaine Court.
After all, he needed to work, and if he still lived in Poisson Village, commuting every day would take up a lot of time.
He opened the door to his residence and walked over to the sofa, gradually relaxing.
At that moment, Yue Xie suddenly sensed another presence in his bedroom.
His instincts immediately sharpened, and he became alert.
He got up from the sofa, lowered his footsteps, and approached the bedroom door. Stretching out his hand, he gently turned the doorknob.
The door opened, and indeed, there was someone in the room. But it wasn't a thief, nor was it a suspicious person.
It was a girl, currently sleeping on Yue Xie's bed.
The girl had long, deep blue hair, an exquisite face that was stunning, and her figure could be described as flawless and perfect.
It was Clorinde.
But... how did Clorinde end up sleeping here?
As Yue Xie was puzzled and about to wake Clorinde up, she woke up on her own.
She slowly opened her eyes, and in her violet gaze, Yue Xie's face was reflected.
"You're back," she said as she sat up.
"How did you end up sleeping in my room?" Yue Xie couldn't help but ask.
"I don't know why, but I just feel at ease when I'm here with you," Clorinde replied. "I was planning to wait for you to come back in your room, but I ended up falling asleep while waiting."
"Did you need something from me?"
"Grumble—"
Just as Clorinde was about to answer, the sound of her stomach growling interrupted her.
She looked down at her stomach, seeming a little embarrassed.
"Haven't had dinner yet, right? Well, I haven't eaten either," Yue Xie said with a smile. "Just wait a moment, dinner will be ready soon."
With that, he turned and headed to the kitchen.
Soon, Yue Xie was busy in the kitchen, while Clorinde came in as well.
She stood to the side, her gaze unwavering, fixed entirely on Yue Xie.
"Do you need help?"
"No need, just rest over there," Yue Xie replied.
"I want to help," Clorinde said.
"Then... how about you just cheer me on?" Yue Xie suggested.
"How do I cheer you on?" Clorinde asked, slightly puzzled.
"Like a cheerleader," Yue Xie grinned.
"...Do I have to?"
End of chapter
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