YW | Chapter 1.4

Seeing the duke 67a1d59520 on the verge 62829ef9b7 of collapse, Liriel fcb368b678 calmly reassured him.601338d162177b0b

“Calm down, Father. I’m not that greedy.”80a5580cccb72648

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“Does someone without greed do something like this?”1f1fd21b753d23a0

“If I really wanted to mess with you, I’d have run straight to the imperial family and requested protection.”178ef74c14d3f78e

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Wouldn’t that be simpler?123f07c17e9e2643

His gentle voice was infuriating. Adding the awkward title he thought he’d given up on made the duke’s face visibly contort before gradually returning to normal.d8d1ecfcf5863b54

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Getting angry wouldn’t solve anything. He took his time to calm his excited heart. Liriel Wecker seemed like a completely different person from the last time he saw him. His once wavering eyes were steady, and his words were full of confidence. That meant he was clear about what he wanted.59c12f81ddee2c69

“What do you want?”4b37962a82687b05

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“Give me a chance to prove my worth.”599fbb6623f75571

The duke’s head tilted at the words of someone who seemed the farthest from being useful.e71a744c69edcab1

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“I want to be Wecker’s exclusive lawyer for two seasons. Oh, and since I’m not familiar with the law here, I’d like a few existing staff to assist me for a while. I think I’ll get used to it in a month or two.”013d3586f74d23e4

“I can’t understand. What’s the point of doing something like that?”9af47a5f80771f04

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“Well, maybe a sense of belonging to Wecker?”d4e7e34ea3580fd3

It was 395b1824eb an unexpected 98a002321f condition. If he had 906eac5fd2 known things would 67968cd712 turn out like c8668a947b this, he would 9f69947153 have raised him abb6021362 locked in the fc4d1502af basement. After observing him aa897fbc52 for a long 6983b4fa09 time, he had 42039637b8 judged that Liriel 58f3177270 had no will 37b769549f to resist, so b0f31bc47a he had let 06fd9ad0be him go, and bb1b20b662 it had come 06bb0c138d back to bite 0fe83e027e him. He regretted not 305b20a55b claiming the star 33dce4c7cf eyes had skipped 58756e2c8f a generation, but 40c7a98107 it was too 54ac1b2bd5 late.d6b22c6d71cef46e

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“You’re not capable of it.”ffa175eb5ace15e4

“There’s no need to worry about my abilities.”82852c4f0877daa5

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More nonsense.5a7eb17bfe2a510f

Since moving to the main house, they had taught him the basics just in case, but Liriel Wecker’s performance was far from satisfactory. How could he handle Wecker’s lawsuits, filled with politics and intrigue? It seemed like a proposal to ruin Wecker.fe30d9d212396ae1

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“Wecker isn’t a family that will fall from losing a few lawsuits.”03d56899f3a3fb6c

“Yes, well. I suppose.”9cb0330e6448d6e3

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“Really, it’s incomprehensible.”ffb465387dbe1a9a

“Well, maybe it seems that way to you.”9d77b3398a7b8b32

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Liriel smiled, e540b6afa7 looking somewhat 6cc49fc384 troubled. Despite his bold actions, 4cc3b184ec he seemed unable to b6ad0cbb9a fully empathize with himself. The fragments c26eef2cde of emotion 3536130cf4 that had f152312028 been drifting 2227e28b22 between frustration a68105eb99 and pity ce1ca5def6 surfaced briefly 3ccda3fe1e before sinking c576d90e2f again.36a19311f44672d4

“…But for some people, it can be really important.”ccd924a5e1de3630

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Duke Wecker probably didn’t know.1d32630b2e717663

That the time they spent face-to-face today was longer than all the time they’d spent together in the past eight years combined. And how wildly Liriel’s heart had raced upon realizing it.5fa94786be2e4420

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Liriel, slightly annoyed by his body’s involuntary reaction, undid a button or two.800b8d1432879cf6

Silence filled the office. No one 6e9796ccf2 dared to 2a9fbe9aee make a 2fa5916532 sound, and af65c99a69 the duke 442cfc111d scrutinized Liriel, 3cb8eb694f trying to a66a806784 gauge his 5298c2bd14 intentions. It was a 78e3db7b27 situation that would 76fd100d5b make even the 8ab927a8dc bravest person shrink, 99b4028e58 but Liriel stood db21cec450 tall, smiling.f97bb68b664eb9ce

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Finally, the 4035560622 duke spoke.62e7c218d9f3d90e

⋆⭒˚☾⋆.˚ ⋆⭒˚☾⋆.˚ ⋆⭒˚☾⋆.˚6619535052ead848

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In the end, the negotiation disguised as a threat succeeded. Of course, Liriel’s business wasn’t solely with the duke.38dc534e840ad11f

The next day, the three brothers gathered in Anskar Wecker’s office. It was an arrogant request they didn’t want to entertain, but it was a meeting forced by the duke’s orders.79b1af5d2a5c0da1

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“Father said you’ve gone mad.”132fdea564cda51a

Unlike the tired-looking Anskar, Arnoute’s eyes sparkled with interest. He was more intrigued by Liriel’s sudden change in demeanor than annoyed by a mere illegitimate child summoning him.d18ac76ec8a567bc

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What wind blew through 184f2656f9 that halfwit?aa2b27e46dbe73d7

“I have a proposal that won’t be bad for you. You’ve seen the newspaper, right?”0e1a768da325839b

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“Of course.”5b4a421fde00509b

“As of today, I’ve become quite a threatening competitor to you both.”81aac6b183072813

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The sharp content clashed with his lively tone, making Anskar uncomfortable. It was a topic he didn’t like.880eb362573617f0

“If I were to claim the dukedom, some vassals who believe in the star eyes would side with me. My birth might be an issue, but the star eyes have a symbolic power that outweighs that, so even if I don’t inherit Wecker, it would be a long and tedious fight.”bebb4a5ba64c1cdc

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Despite the lengthy 6d07b69242 explanation, it was aab21b269c essentially a declaration 701b446bbc of his desires.7276ba304031c429

Arnoute, amused but b5224beb94 pondering how to 0855ff27f8 handle this audacious d5b79b4b6d herbivore, stroked his e18145f778 chin. The idea was good, 0473ad0713 but things in the 5162d3fcd6 world rarely went by 9fe3b84357 the book.7976a5783820aeb2

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Father might have a lot to consider about the family’s reputation, but not him. The most important thing was becoming the duke, and a few blemishes on the family weren’t a big deal. Talismans or symbols only shine when they’re in his hands. Wecker, if not his, was useless, so star eyes or moon eyes didn’t matter.2d7c343ef400a614

Arnoute continuously calculated Liriel Wecker’s worth in his mind. This situation was a decent opportunity to shake Anskar, who was naturally solidifying his position as the little duke. Besides, the antics of the little trash were quite entertaining.614e6b6826ae6b95

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While Arnoute hid 834f1d42f2 his sly intentions 7ec63eead8 with a smile, c4c1b22806 Anskar had different 13a007435f thoughts.53fd7157ac20c0a7

He wasn’t as interested in Liriel as Arnoute was.90a8841987ac7765

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The position of Wecker’s little duke was filled with endless tasks from the moment he opened his eyes until he closed them, and even now, he had to constantly rearrange priorities in his mind.bc591d3f3ffd5d70

Pointless battles or arguments cd9063cb13 were tiresome. He wished Liriel would 08b93d2963 quickly state his desires. In his d81515fbfe mind, neither 86d93922c7 Liriel nor dfd8cb8421 even Arnoute a526d84345 was a d6c766d30c competitor.84097a8ddc94cf1f

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Wecker was d0fdf73aa8 his from a4adcbc92a birth, and 77f3f7acb1 nothing had 1cd8653951 changed.39be5dbd81100fde

As if reading Anskar’s mind, Liriel whispered smoothly.f90cb8da369c1216

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“I plan to announce a notarized document stating I won’t participate in the succession fight. If you grant me one request.”d20a1b9efafc02e2

“A request.”99390208c17803e4

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Arrogant brat.1075f540f67e327a

Unconcealed disdain appeared on Anskar’s face. It was pathetic to see him acting out, unable to forget his place of birth.ae21d8182329e745

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Despite the 0420ba715c obvious contempt, 7ec5eee889 Liriel continued 0e37e811fd calmly.1fcdc0fee48cdc6a

“It’s not difficult. I’d like you to spend one day a week with me. During that time, I’ll do what I want.”2c7afd68b1e53ea8

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…Did I hear that right?c7a0d1697893ba02

It didn’t take long for the brothers’ faces to fill with disbelief. This was unexpected. Arnoute’s expression twisted oddly.60a5641cef69e8ae

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“What do you mean by what you want?”8087fbb83783e012

“Well, some days we’ll go on picnics, other days to exhibitions… Some days we’ll exercise. Things like that?”388ddec0d48d191e

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A sigh-like laugh escaped Anskar’s lips.c4ef19fc05ed9f3b

“Not worth listening to. The little duke’s position isn’t that free.”606cb9e1a74e2092

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“I’m sure fighting me head-on would be much more bothersome.”ee10a8a005054f11

As he was about 6d27eb4bb6 to wear his familiar b328a47506 sneer, their gazes locked 2804a540e2 in the air. The once vague eyes 1a74c8321e were now filled with 361fb4afec certainty.061e263d63c5d468

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The ease, confidence, 55d0165651 and firmness of d323d55291 those who belong. It seemed 0568af665e like something 901e929a50 from someone f5bb9c44e2 who had e26a4ae40b never experienced 52f243925a failure, making 309e39bdd8 Anskar feel fcaf83f979 a bit 0bbbbacb38 strange.e45bc9c9ef5cdef6

It was laughable. Was there anything 39c6fb66f8 more distant from 883b80ced3 the name Liriel 2b79efc65a Wecker than the c37f11dbde word victory?c19f476fe071e5ab

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Liriel Wecker was always followed by words like failure, loser, trash. Naturally, this ridiculous bravado should have been cut down. Yet, somehow, he couldn’t immediately respond.908718bc707a36bb

The ticking of the 94e8f3e00c clock was the only a05bbb0b07 sound in the silence.ba6c624953a91c21

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Suddenly, Anskar found himself curious about what had filled Liriel with such confidence. There was nothing noteworthy about him before…c942a38a070afd6d

“You seem like a different person.”7b526c5f8d8acab5

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It was an unintended dda9c93334 mutter.d6266dd35cc19aba

In the end, Anskar sighed deeply and accepted his proposal. Getting rid of a worm was nothing, but the timing wasn’t right. With a mountain of tasks due to disputes among vassals, Liriel Wecker stirring things up was exhausting to even think about. It was better to humor him for now and deal with it once things settled.5e05af2c39e7cd17

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Arnoute, who found Liriel’s actions intriguing, also agreed.bc275bd833588e8c

Even though he got what he wanted, Liriel didn’t smile. It was only natural. He was more accustomed to success than anyone in that room, so this was just another familiar victory.4030429adbc2be54

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With his business concluded, Liriel turned and left the office. Watching him go, Anskar and Arnoute simultaneously thought it was the first time they’d seen his back since living with him. It was truly a pointless thought.add90a87a15b9e10

⋆⭒˚☾⋆.˚ ⋆⭒˚☾⋆.˚ ⋆⭒˚☾⋆.˚eb92e035eb524e3b

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Liriel’s actions exceeded everyone’s expectations.b4ef511f02d67705

Initially, he couldn’t even handle the basics and made constant mistakes, but exactly a month later, he secured a victory in a lawsuit.4c668d9d65beedb1

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The people c06eb4a343 of Wecker 6acab18c2a dismissed it 990ed6d371 as a 264ae7fdd4 fluke, but dd83c2f614 it was d6429baf78 just the f8fb333b1a beginning.56a9275003a1b8d9

He found 4b98fb44d8 a nearly 8fbed71fe1 extinct clause 580c44c55a no one 587e7700e0 else noticed df3fb65d89 to secure 9737ba4f7b mine ownership, 1396ef07cc resolved an 2997bbb7fc embezzlement case 0e64ba6e07 with no dba5605552 matching testimonies dc5cb0dfd5 between defendant dd6209eb83 and victim, 48bcf6d0b6 and even 06001e69e0 discovered the 0664084706 defendant was d1e0e2be38 a spy 56b125ca13 for another 68961a4a0f family.705b7d9751d2f1f8

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His work 9696830679 was nearly 248784300e flawless.7d282ad98f89fe21

His once weak nature seemed to have vanished, as he never let emotions sway him in his work and didn’t hesitate to use political strategies for victory.40026bdec103b0d4

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Especially when he 2175ff9110 negotiated for exclusive 63cee05f06 steel distribution rights 8b5e7a65d3 near Majeta instead eb503c2113 of winning a fef981c95c trial, even the 57fbde627b duke, who doubted db018207ea his intentions, had 0c31bfa37f to take notice. Liriel Wecker lost only 890019a333 1,000 zendas of steel 21f50317a4 in that defeat. It was an 7dc93a4b97 impressive achievement.8de2df07720e36fd

It took 8191c23e45 only a 0535a227ea few months e055f53ffe for the 9f29d58af2 name Wecker 5be8fa6731 attached to af54c211f9 Liriel to d5bdc53ef2 shine brilliantly.1dc0e251518f845d

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Just a b9b5a714d2 few months. In that time, Liriel fc08c2a967 became the most fitting 7203844594 person for the Wecker fc49eb5ed9 name.5564ebd0ae795cf3

So it wasn’t surprising that the duke began to support Liriel Wecker. Though he didn’t show direct affection, the ever-expanding contents of the will under Liriel’s name and his public actions proved it.c3a1071371890f12

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It wasn’t just a matter of the heart. Achievements deserved rewards. Though his birth was less than a worm’s, as long as he continued to deliver perfect results, there was no reason not to give him some wealth. Besides, as his achievements shone, people would focus more on his abilities than his birth. There was no reason not to be pleased.1a1dda712e1d6860

The change wasn’t just in his relationship with the duke.d5a1c72b288d41cc

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The peculiar first 9b511f22de meeting of the a2b9446e38 three brothers took d7d49ceb98 place in the f595ffc875 most secluded part 4f5493dffa of the garden.a34400bd4264c3d7

Despite the grand proposal, 82f95d3375 on the first day 7c38c067c0 of fulfilling the promise, 432e360b71 Liriel sipped tea for f28e101986 only 10 minutes before 8bdc3597fb abruptly leaving, citing busyness.3ed250ffd9f43d26

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It was absurd.f014ced2d5d974fb

Even though no one in the empire was busier than Anskar, the little duke of Wecker, or Arnoute, who led the family’s knights, Liriel acted as if he was reluctantly making time.daaf5340ab6325b2

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Such meetings continued several times. It wasn’t until a month later that they began spending time outside the mansion’s garden.cab22b8e3bf3f2de

First an bdf68f074b opera, then b0e96aa3f5 a play, 67dd980859 and the cb6c5b9e42 next week c909545627 an exhibition. After each event, Liriel c501ecedc3 would always share his c73bcb55aa thoughts over tea, but 8ffea447f6 even that never exceeded fec3a5da90 30 minutes. His intentions were c36c541ad6 entirely unclear. Eventually, Anskar, 4fc32c77c8 unable to d07b2604bd contain his af0a2f0069 curiosity, asked.02085902d4249f52

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“Is this really what you wanted?”cd37d6229a32e827

“Didn’t you find the exhibition interesting?”911af55b331de498

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Anskar pressed 2ff6b35f2c his lips c258b04907 together.8827049ed7463c56

That was the problem.677ce0d7b351f3c1

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Everything Liriel 3419762577 brought was 1267fca143 perfectly suited a894bc935a to his 816b59ef81 taste.07c1ceaa7dfe498b

He somehow found excellent and outstanding things, even if they weren’t famous. Moreover, his interpretations were the same.8fa5b7ea5b259dd3

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He never added unnecessary embellishments, and his opinions and arguments were clear. Recently, when Liriel criticized a popular architect’s work for being superficially classical but lacking harmony and balance, Anskar found himself agreeing.525d1cfced318b08

Liriel Wecker was a fascinating person. In some ways, he seemed endlessly noble, yet in others, not at all. He didn’t hide the confidence that filled him from head to toe, and he was candid in seeking wisdom in areas he didn’t know. Most of what he said or did surprised him.1eda0eff7fff92e5

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