Chương 52: Father and Son

Breakfast was a dire affair, especially compared to last night's revelry. Jordan, despite initial fears of getting kicked out or possibly worse, nevertheless found himself back in the dining hall after a short sleep in the guest room. He'd since 'cured' his [Intoxication], only for it to be replaced by the all-too-familiar symptoms of a terrible hangover. No system penalties, but the effects on his body and mind were plenty punishing.

He was joined at the table, awkwardly enough, by just Terne Sapling the patriarch. From what Jordan could gather, the mother (understandably) wanted nothing to do with him, and Tombac was still sleeping off his own hangover. As for Nickel, the oldest brother had gone off on some urgent business while instructing his brood to stay far far away from the bad Westerner man. Silence stretched as the two men ate. Jordan was a little surprised to find how much he enjoyed the food.

As far as he could tell, the family hadn't skimped on the hospitality despite their (presumably) collective hatred for him. What he couldn't tell was whether he'd been poisoned or not… but if that were the case, he supposed the system would be the first to let him know. At this point, the easiest thing—not just for him, but for everyone involved—was to finish the breakfast in silence and make his exit. He had a mind to do just that… until the peanut gallery just had to butt in with their oh-so-divine thoughts.

Wisdom DC 15: success Shennong:"You do yourself a disservice, young one, by hiding behind convenience. Last night was a confronting event—not just for you, but also for the family you chose to antagonize. And if you believe in the righteousness of that choice, then methinks you owe both yourself and the family an explanation." The second easiest thing was to just ignore the God of Wisdom. But on this occasion, the second easiest thing proved a little too difficult for Jordan.

He sighed inwardly as he organized his thoughts to the backdrop of a raging headache. The funny thing is, this is almost the exact inverse of what I did for the Mallet family. There, I protected a treasured son from conscription. Here, I helped another son sneak his way back to the Army. And the only difference I can spot is that I liked one family more than the other. Does that make me a bad person? Or worse … a hypocrite?

Charisma DC 13: success N üwa: "Or worst of all: someone who thinks being a hypocrite is worse than being a bad person. Believe what you want about yourself, lordlet, but on this count, hypocrisy had precious little to do with your decision. You seem oddly focused on the families in this comparison, when the crux of the argument clearly lies elsewhere." That was definitely Nüwa at their most debate-club-y. Which, to be fair, made their cutting criticism more bearable than usual.

Criticism Jordan readily took on board, mainly because he'd already been scratching at the same thought. Terne Sapling sits in silence while his relationship with his youngest son hangs in the balance. Will you … 1) Eat your breakfast. Not only is it the most important meal of the day, it's also a great excuse for avoiding uncomfortable conversations. 2) [Wisdom and Charisma DC 20 (Hard)] You've already stuck your nose in the Sapling family's business; it's too late to pretend that you're not part of the drama.

Just be honest. Tell the father about his son, from someone who knows him outside the four walls of—" Tell me, Gatekeeper Yu." Jordan blinked. The text box, hitherto gearing up to present an ability check, faded to make way for an NPC exercising his agency. As such, Jordan found himself face to face with the stern yet earnest visage of a troubled father. Because this wasn't just a game. Because here was a man wrestling with the bumps along the long, long road that was fatherhood.

And for Terne Sapling, this uncomfortable conversation was to be a much-needed dose of reality." Tell me," Terne said again, "does Pewter… enjoy being in the Army?" Jordan blinked again. He kind of wished he'd had a chance to roll that ability check, after all, if only for a system-endorsed confidence boost. But reality waited for no one, and this was his cue to step up to the plate. Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator." There's…

a short answer and a long answer," he began, channeling his best debate-club persona.

"The short answer is yes. Pewter is really easy to get along with, so all the boys love him. We train hard and work hard, but Pewter always does it with a smile. So, yeah, I think he likes it in the Army, and we're all glad to have him." Terne nodded solemnly. So far, nothing of the guest's spiel had run counter to his own perception of his son. But…" And the long answer?" Jordan took a breath to steady himself. What he was about to say next could very well backfire…

especially if he had the wrong measure of this man who'd shared all of two meals with him. But he had to trust that a sweet apple like Pewter hadn't fallen too far from the tree." The long answer is some combination of'I don't know' and'who the hell can know?

'. We're all fresh-faced recruits. None of us really understand what we've signed up for. Sure, maybe the tornado thing gave some of us a taste, but even that is just one building block in what might turn out to be a long and storied career. When all's said and done, who's to say if Pewter would look back on this chapter of his life with fondness or regrets or, more likely, some healthy combination of the two? What I'm saying is life isn't some blueprint to be faithfully and meticulously realized.

It's meant to be lived. One decision, one mistake, one action at a time." Even as Jordan uncoiled some of his most articulate arguments yet, he also couldn't help but sigh inwardly. Where was this speech when I needed some perspective on my life? Why is it so easy to vouch for Pewter when I couldn't do the same for myself? He pushed the thought away, the better to focus on the now—to be present for both father and son." And," Terne spoke slowly, searchingly, "should this indeed turn out to be a mistake?

A grave one, from which there's no coming back?" Jordan breathed in again, this time to steel himself against his own words. His own belief." It's Pewter's life. So it's his mistake to make." He left it at that. No qualifier, no empty platitude. The simple reality of a wayward son—and now, it was up to the father whether he accepted it or not. Terne sat in silence for some time, staring intently at his guest. His wrinkled yet dignified eyes betrayed nothing of his own decision either way.

Nor, as it turned out, did his next words." Are you in much of a hurry, Gatekeeper? If not, I should like you to delay your departure by a half-hour or so. You see, I'm in the midst of composing a letter to Pewter, and I should like you to deliver it to him." Jordan had no reason to refuse. He retired to the guest room to while away a half-hour or so, but not before letting out a massive sigh of relief. And as he walked back to the outer courtyard, he was hit with: Feat enhanced. [N üwa's Blessing (Lv. 1) -> (Lv. 2)]: In recognition of your speechcraft, you've gained a permanent [2]-point upgrade to Charisma. CHA: 16 -> 17 Passive spell slots: 0/9 -> 0/10 Jordan felt like he'd barely sat down before a servant came to fetch him again. Whatever letter Terne had been working on, the old man must've been further along than he'd let on. Another winding walk later, Jordan was ushered into a wing room in the main courtyard—one that clearly served a sole function as the patriarch's study.

Terne Sapling remained silent as he handed Jordan the letter. The document in question had been folded in on itself, letterlocked so as to keep it secure without the need for an envelope. Jordan placed it gingerly inside a fold of his sleeve—a Stormvaster technique that had taken some getting used to. Thinking his business was done, Jordan whipped out a quick palm-over-fist and turned to leave. But then…" A moment, Gatekeeper Yu.

Pewter wrote much about you in his letters, including—forgive me for saying—about your many deficiencies when it comes to Stormvaster customs. Please. Accept this as a small token of my appreciation. For your courageous service to our great province of Featherift… and for your continued friendship to my son." The token really was small, small enough to fit inside Terne's open palm. A rectangular prism made of waxy soapstone, with a fine separation on one end to indicate a lid of some sort.

Like a chapstick if it was fancier and boxier…" Oh!" Jordan exclaimed, genuinely caught off guard.

"Is that what I think it is?" Terne handed over the object wordlessly, upon which the system stepped in to fill in the blanks. New Item acquired. [Personal Seal]: A self-respecting man of the world never goes anywhere without it. Use the [Seal] to sign letters, official documents, and system-verified agreements. Weight: 0. 3 lbs." I… I don't know what to say," Jordan murmured, unexpectedly moved by the gesture." Then say nothing, Gatekeeper Yu. I've always taught my sons that words are like gifts.

If you give them out too freely, they tend to lose their value. Though whether the lesson has stuck or not… I'll let you be the judge."" Nothing wrong with giving lots of gifts," Jordan retorted with a smile, even as he held up his newly received [Seal] in thanks.

"They're gifts, after all."" And in exchange for said gift," Terne quipped without missing a beat, also smiling, "I should like to ask you another favor. If you happen to run into Nickel in your stroll about town today, kindly direct him back to the estate. For I could hardly bear to lose two sons in one day—one to the city guards to cool his head… and the other to the tumult of a life freely lived."