YW | Chapter 1.4

Seeing the duke on the verge of collapse, Liriel calmly reassured him.

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

“Does someone without greed do something like this?”

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

Wouldn’t that be simpler?

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.

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.

“What do you want?”

“Give me a chance to prove my worth.”

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

“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.”

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

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

It was an unexpected condition. If he had known things would turn out like this, he would have raised him locked in the basement. After observing him for a long time, he had judged that Liriel had no will to resist, so he had let him go, and it had come back to bite him. He regretted not claiming the star eyes had skipped a generation, but it was too late.

“You’re not capable of it.”

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

More nonsense.

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.

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

“Yes, well. I suppose.”

“Really, it’s incomprehensible.”

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

Liriel smiled, looking somewhat troubled. Despite his bold actions, he seemed unable to fully empathize with himself. The fragments of emotion that had been drifting between frustration and pity surfaced briefly before sinking again.

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

Duke Wecker probably didn’t know.

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.

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

Silence filled the office. No one dared to make a sound, and the duke scrutinized Liriel, trying to gauge his intentions. It was a situation that would make even the bravest person shrink, but Liriel stood tall, smiling.

Finally, the duke spoke.

⋆⭒˚☾⋆.˚ ⋆⭒˚☾⋆.˚ ⋆⭒˚☾⋆.˚

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

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.

“Father said you’ve gone mad.”

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.

What wind blew through that halfwit?

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

“Of course.”

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

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

“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.”

Despite the lengthy explanation, it was essentially a declaration of his desires.

Arnoute, amused but pondering how to handle this audacious herbivore, stroked his chin. The idea was good, but things in the world rarely went by the book.

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.

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.

While Arnoute hid his sly intentions with a smile, Anskar had different thoughts.

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

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.

Pointless battles or arguments were tiresome. He wished Liriel would quickly state his desires. In his mind, neither Liriel nor even Arnoute was a competitor.

Wecker was his from birth, and nothing had changed.

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

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

“A request.”

Arrogant brat.

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

Despite the obvious contempt, Liriel continued calmly.

“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.”

…Did I hear that right?

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

“What do you mean by what you want?”

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

A sigh-like laugh escaped Anskar’s lips.

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

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

As he was about to wear his familiar sneer, their gazes locked in the air. The once vague eyes were now filled with certainty.

The ease, confidence, and firmness of those who belong. It seemed like something from someone who had never experienced failure, making Anskar feel a bit strange.

It was laughable. Was there anything more distant from the name Liriel Wecker than the word victory?

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.

The ticking of the clock was the only sound in the silence.

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

“You seem like a different person.”

It was an unintended mutter.

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.

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

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.

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.

⋆⭒˚☾⋆.˚ ⋆⭒˚☾⋆.˚ ⋆⭒˚☾⋆.˚

Liriel’s actions exceeded everyone’s expectations.

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

The people of Wecker dismissed it as a fluke, but it was just the beginning.

He found a nearly extinct clause no one else noticed to secure mine ownership, resolved an embezzlement case with no matching testimonies between defendant and victim, and even discovered the defendant was a spy for another family.

His work was nearly flawless.

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.

Especially when he negotiated for exclusive steel distribution rights near Majeta instead of winning a trial, even the duke, who doubted his intentions, had to take notice. Liriel Wecker lost only 1,000 zendas of steel in that defeat. It was an impressive achievement.

It took only a few months for the name Wecker attached to Liriel to shine brilliantly.

Just a few months. In that time, Liriel became the most fitting person for the Wecker name.

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.

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.

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

The peculiar first meeting of the three brothers took place in the most secluded part of the garden.

Despite the grand proposal, on the first day of fulfilling the promise, Liriel sipped tea for only 10 minutes before abruptly leaving, citing busyness.

It was absurd.

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.

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

First an opera, then a play, and the next week an exhibition. After each event, Liriel would always share his thoughts over tea, but even that never exceeded 30 minutes. His intentions were entirely unclear. Eventually, Anskar, unable to contain his curiosity, asked.

“Is this really what you wanted?”

“Didn’t you find the exhibition interesting?”

Anskar pressed his lips together.

That was the problem.

Everything Liriel brought was perfectly suited to his taste.

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

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.

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.