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Who can say? It's too early to start moping.

Oh, someone's heading our way. Go get their attention!

Welcome, welcome! Try our special charcoal-grilled sandworm legs! The shop's about to relocate in a few days, and we might have to change to a completely different menu by then! Get them while you still can!

Wh-What is this?

Sandworm... legs?!

What are you freaking out over this time?

...I must say, the scenery isn't the only thing unique about Siesta.

Ah, during the last Obsidian Festival, there was a young lady who sold this sort of barbecue.

It became an instant hit, and now it's a popular local snack.

(Hold up, is that the mayor?)

(Why are you asking me? You think I've met the mayor? Am I not meeting the exact same people as you every day?)

(Should we...?)

(I think we just act normal.)

Hahaha, would our wonderful visitors like to give it a try?

Uh...

Uh...

I think we'll pass for now?

I am curious though. What is that facility over there that's been spinning around this whole time?

Oh, that? That's the burdenbeast carousel.

It's another attraction that popped up during the Obsidian Festival. For whatever reason, a large number of people kept going to ride it every day.

I see.

Are you all tourists?

Here, I'll give you a free sample. Give it a try! If you like the taste, take a few more with you!

Oh, thank you. I guess I'll take another one then. Here's your money.

So you're not just cute, but courteous too!

Oh, uh... thank you.

Huh?

You know I'm still here, right?

Haha!

Mr. Mayor, Mr. Eurill, this way please.

Enjoying a meal while overlooking the ocean is incredibly popular among tourists. The view here is simply unbeatable.

Even after the relocation, Siesta will continue to retain this aspect. Even as a nomadic city, she will not lose what was once hers.

Of course not. You've done your diligence to ensure that.

Your dishes are ready. Please enjoy.

Ahh, beautiful scenery and delicious food. Fresh fin sashimi truly is an altogether different experience. By the way, those two shopkeepers earlier mentioned changing their menu after relocating.

There's no shortage of things to take into account as a small businessman.

Some of the beachside recreational facilities have yet to be removed. You and your son are welcome to experience them for yourselves.

I appreciate the offer, but I think I'll be fine here.

Your son is incredibly well-behaved. Most children his age would've already dragged their parents off to buy tickets.

Hah. That's the heir of MountainDash Logistics you're looking at. Though I'm also fine with him walking his own path.

By the looks of things, you've been teaching him well from an early age.

It's good to have an eye out for the future.

Hah, as if. It's also apparent that he still has a long way to go.

He's a bit better-behaved these days, but you have no idea how much he worried me when he was younger.

You're being too modest, Mr. Eurill.

This isn't a matter of modesty. If you ask me, every father has gone through the same thing. Just don't laugh at what I'm about to tell you—

When he was around four years old, the school held a parent-child event, and I went to participate.

But when I got there, I realized it was actually a tug-of-war competition. His mother wasn't in good health at the time, so I had to join in.

I assume you've never lost a game of tug-of-war?

...Right, nobody can beat me in that, so it didn't take long for us to get first place.

But the problem was, the other little kids weren't going to take their loss lying down. After seeing us win, they all wanted in on it. They started running over and tugging at my legs, calling me 'dad' in the hopes that I'd help them win.

Pfft... *cough* *cough*...

What'd your wife say...?

She wasn't there at the time, because of her poor health.

Lucky man.

But my kid here sure was generous! He pushed me out there himself, saying that the teacher taught him that sharing is caring.

I didn't dare open my mouth.

Dad!

Hahaha!

I believe you mentioned before that you have two daughters?

Mhm.

Two daughters...

Herman leans lightly back in his seat.

One of them puts my mind at ease. The other, the furthest thing from it.

Heh. Although I suppose I could also say that I don't have to worry about either of them.

Haha. I never would've expected you to treat your children that way.

This was a few years back, but when the troublesome one was still going to university in Victoria, I almost never got invited to go see her.

Only once did I make the time to go over to her school to talk to her professor about how she was doing.

So imagine my surprise when I found out she'd gotten someone else to pretend to be her father for the parent-teacher conference.

Your daughter's got some serious guts.

That is one thing she'll never be short on.

I stayed there and listened in for a while. I was pretty angry at the time, but I had to admit...

That daughter of mine... The flowers grown in a greenhouse may be elegant and beautiful, but I'd rather she be the weeds that sprout up there instead.

To be able to do that proves that she indeed is my daughter. So I trust that when she's out there on her own in the world, she has the ability to overcome any obstacle.

What's more, she's a good judge of character.

You see, later on, I sent someone to contact the man she had impersonated me.

Oh? Do tell.

I ended up asking him to come work for me.

Ahahaha! As expected of you.

He must've been quite talented indeed.

...*cough* *cough*...

Oh, are you him?

You flatter me, sir.

Hahaha, what a story.

So, how are your daughters doing these days?

They're both working elsewhere now.

Mhm. Just a little longer, and I plan to kick this kid out too, so he can get a good, hard look at the real world.

I have a few old friends over in Lungmen. They're a bunch of knuckleheads, but I know that as long as they're around, nothing bad's going to happen to my boy.

It's no easy feat trying to make sure your kids turn out fine when they grow up.

I'm sure you're only here because you wanted the best for your son.

I fall far short of my wife in that respect.

A few years ago, between my young son and my sick wife, I was seriously considering scaling back the business.

She wrote dozens of letters interrogating me. Haha, if not for Rim Billiton and Great Yan being thousands of miles apart, I'm sure she would've given me an earful in person.

It's thanks to those letters that MountainDash is what it is today, and the kid and I turned out the way we are.

...You truly are a lucky man.

Herman falls silent while gazing at the waves crashing against the shore.

I hope your wife gets well soon.

Thank you, Mr. Mayor.

'Mr. Mayor,' hm.

Just call me Herman.