When Ye Wei'an went into the countryside to deliver compensation payments, he finally felt just how much prestige he had among the people of his territory.
As soon as they heard that Ye Wei'an's carriage had appeared at the village entrance, the farmers who had been hiding in their homes would pour out of them of their own accord. They no longer scattered and fled as if avoiding tax collectors. Instead, they bowed respectfully yet earnestly to the young wizard.
Of course, their respect for Ye Wei'an wasn't entirely without an ulterior motive.
"Lord Ye Wei'an, please settle this for me. That bully in the next village has taken over my family's canal..."
"My lord, that miller charged me twenty percent more for milling my grain. Please see that justice is done!"
Whenever he encountered people stopping his carriage to "petition the emperor," Ye Wei'an never showed any sign of irritation.
He would open the carriage door, patiently listen to their petty domestic disputes, and pass judgment.
During the proceedings, he never resorted to violence. Instead, he used the simplest logic and basic legal principles to make his rulings, leaving every party involved thoroughly convinced.
His blend of gentleness and authority left every subject who met him deeply satisfied.
Compared to the simple admiration he received in the countryside, the rumors circulating inside Firefall Fortress had an entirely different tone.
Although Lady Selina had strictly ordered everyone to keep quiet about the negotiations in the dining hall that night, and all those involved had been her confidants, there was no such thing as a wall without cracks.
Going by the commotion they had heard and the snippets of conversation from her confidants, the castle guards and maids had pieced together the truth: Lady Selina had suffered a major loss at the hands of her bastard son.
Young Master Lucas's sorry state was the best proof.
The usually overbearing second young master hadn't dared set foot outside his room for three whole days. Even his daily meals had to be carried in by his personal servants.
On the fourth day, Lady Selina had hurriedly sent him to a nearby temple of the Morninglord, under the pretext of "praying for his father." Everyone knew it wasn't for prayers at all. He was hiding from trouble—and getting treatment for his hair, which had been burned down to bare skin.
From then on, the entire castle's attitude toward Ye Wei'an changed.
Passing maids blushed and bowed deeply, not even daring to look him in the eye;
The guards' armor clinked in tighter unison than ever when he walked by;
The servants who had once gone out of their way to avoid him now wore obsequious smiles.
As the people closest to him, Ailian and Lina instantly became the most envied women in the whole castle.
Lina felt the change most keenly.
The maids who had once worked alongside her spoke to her differently now, their voices tinged with envy but unable to hide their longing:
"The goddess Waukeen must have blessed you, Lina. You spotted Young Master Ye's potential right away."
"You really have a sharp eye, Lina. Who would have thought that the quiet young master would come this far?"
"Exactly. When you go with Young Master Ye to become head maid, don't forget your sisters."
Ye Wei'an wasn't surprised. As far as he was concerned, the longer things stayed this way, the better. It would give him plenty of time to win over the people of his territory—and then he could bring more talented people with him when he recruited settlers.
Unfortunately, this period lasted only until the seventh day after his return home.
That morning, Ye Wei'an was reading the female Sorcerer's notes. Outside the window, birds occasionally chirped.
"Knock, knock, knock!"
The urgent knocking shattered the quiet of the study.
A servant pushed the door open, panting, and didn't even bother to bow. "Young Master Ye Wei'an! Hurry! The Baron is near death... He's specifically asked for all of you!"
Ye Wei'an closed the book, his fingertips trembling slightly.
Ever since the first time he had used [Lesser Restoration] on the Baron, he had known this moment would come sooner or later.
By the time he reached the Baron's bedroom, the entrance was already crowded. The air in the hallway felt so stifling it was hard to breathe, and sobs sounded now and then.
Lady Selina wore a dignified dark-purple gown, her hand gripping a lace handkerchief. Behind her stood Lucas, who had been absent for days.
The arrogant young master of old now wore a soft cap to cover his still-bare head. When he saw Ye Wei'an, he reacted as if he were looking at some terrifying monster, instinctively shrinking behind his mother's figure.
Two knights in full plate stood guard at the door. They were the same two who had carried the Baron before.
Ye Wei'an already knew their names: Morse and Hilt.
These veteran knights, who had followed the Baron through years of battles, stood solemnly guarding the door, keeping their final watch over their lord.
Ye Wei'an gave them a slight nod in greeting.
Then he stopped in front of Lady Selina.
Neither of them spoke.
The seconds ticked by, and the air grew as heavy as lead.
About five minutes later, the bedroom door slowly opened.
Bishop Orion of the Morninglord, clad in gold-and-red ceremonial robes, stepped out with a look of sorrow.
He glanced at everyone and let out a long sigh.
"The Baron's candle of life has nearly burned out... Go in and see him one last time. The Morninglord will guide his soul to rest."
Everyone filed into the room and gathered around the Baron's bed.
Compared to seven days earlier, Baron Harandir looked much more haggard. He reminded Ye Wei'an of the undead he had seen at the Battlemage Academy.
The Baron struggled to open his eyes. His gaze moved slowly around the room, and his voice was so faint that Ye Wei'an had to lean close to hear him.
"I'm sorry I can't stay with you any longer... I haven't accomplished anything remarkable in my life. When I'm gone, hang my portrait in the hallway with those of our ancestors. From now on... Firefall Valley will be in your hands."
He turned to Selina, seated beside the bed, and laid his emaciated hand over hers. "Selina, take care of Lucas. Don't spoil him like that anymore. Raise him to be a true noble. I'm entrusting Firefall Territory... to you."
Selina had hated the Baron for twelve years and schemed against him for just as long, but twelve years of marriage had still been real.
In that moment, all her tangled feelings turned into genuine grief.
Her once-pristine makeup had long since been washed away by tears. As she listened to her husband's final charge, she nodded through her sobs. "I know, Harandir... I know. I'll protect Firefall Valley. By Sharess, I promise you."
The Baron looked toward the two knights standing by the door, Morse and Hilt.
"I'm sorry... I can't fight alongside you anymore." He smiled at them.
The eyes of the two iron-hard men immediately reddened. "It's all right, Lord Harandir. We'll fight alongside you again in Lathander's divine realm."
"Of course..." The Baron nodded with difficulty. "I have only one final order for you... Protect Lucas."
"We swear our lives to the Summerstar Family, my lord." The two bowed their heads, their voices hoarse.
At last, the Baron's gaze fell upon Ye Wei'an, standing at the edge of the group.
For a moment, a glimmer of light seemed to return to his dim eyes, a complex mixture of pride and regret.
"Ye Wei'an, come here..." the Baron called his name with difficulty.
The others stepped aside, making room for Ye Wei'an to kneel beside the bed.
"...Father." Ye Wei'an reached out and took the Baron's hand, which was little more than skin and bone.
"Ye Wei'an, you're the greatest source of pride in my life." As he looked at the increasingly handsome young man before him, the light in the Baron's eyes grew brighter. "It's a shame... I won't live to see the day you become a great mage. Tell me, son, what do you plan to do with your future? Return to Suzar... and become a respected War Wizard?"
Under that fervent gaze, Ye Wei'an shook his head.
"No, Father. Becoming a War Wizard isn't enough for me. I want to become a Pioneer Lord."
"A Pioneer Lord?" The Baron paused, then managed a smile. "That's a hard road, full of thorns. Many dangers will stand in your way... but a man of the Summerstar Family should have that kind of ambition."
He drew a deep breath, as if gathering every last bit of strength, and declared, "Since you have such ambition, I can't send you off empty-handed. As your father, I hereby grant you twenty thousand gold pieces from the territory's treasury to support your pioneering venture. It's also the inheritance you deserve."
Then he looked at his wife. "I'm sorry, Selina. I made this decision without consulting you. What do you think?"
The Baron had expected his words to spark a heated argument. He had even prepared himself to placate his wife and legitimate son.
Instead, an eerie silence settled over the room.
Lucas kept his head down, the bald head beneath his cap perfectly still. He didn't say a word.
Selina's eye twitched, but she soon lowered her gaze meekly, accepting the arrangement. As long as it was only twenty thousand gold pieces, she could live with it.
She understood that Ye Wei'an had insisted the compensation come only from her personal property because he had been thinking of this.
The Baron had no idea what had happened between his eldest son and his wife. But seeing them together in such a harmonious scene of "brotherly love and filial devotion," he smiled with relief.
"Good... good. If you can all get along like this... Sharess will smile too..."
The Baron turned his head with difficulty and looked toward Bishop Orion, standing solemnly beside the bed.
"Orion... my old friend, my last will..."
Bishop Orion nodded slightly and spoke in a solemn, unequivocal tone. "In the name of Lathander, the Morninglord, I bear witness that the will of Baron Harandir Summerstar is valid. His second son, Lucas, will inherit his title and territory, while his eldest son, Ye Wei'an, will receive twenty thousand gold pieces and the support required for his pioneering venture. May the Morninglord bless his final wishes."
At the bishop's confirmation, a childlike serenity appeared on the Baron's deathly face.
He clutched the Holy Symbol against his chest. His cracked lips moved, and he uttered a final, faint whisper. "Lathander... cleanse me of my sins and lead me to your eternal realm of dawn..."
Just before his consciousness faded completely, he looked at Ye Wei'an one last time, his gaze softer and more dazed than ever. "Wei'an... when you smile, you look just like your mother... She was the most beautiful spring in Suzar..."
Then he turned and spoke his final words to Selina, who was sobbing uncontrollably. "I'm sorry."
With his last breath, the Baron's chest stopped rising and falling.
The lord who had ruled Firefall Valley for more than twenty years, yet accomplished little, had finally left this world.
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