The Duke of Whishipper

Chapter 4: The Will (1)

The words of the new comer sounded rediculous yet, they might be true.
Lady Rina had a dead child after all.

On a similar springy day, the Lady dried her tears, weeping for the loss of her diseased 4 years old only child.

The weak sick boy had spent his short life indoors, before passing away suffering the strangles of the disease. There was no cure to save him from the fangs of his brutal suffering.

And Thus Lady Rina went into a mental breakdown after she couldn't save him. She cried her heart out as the tender body of the fragile boy was within her arms.

On top of her first painful loss, one by one, the Lady's close relatives followed. Death found them in different ways. Not sparing any young or old.

It is only a miracle that Lady Rina have not went mad considering all this brutal losses. It could be with the support of her old friend and Head of butlers that she stood up again.

However, if the death of the Lady's family is mentioned, it is a must to remark that all of this terrible fortune and miserable life turned into the story of a curse that surrounded young master Eliot.
It's all for one reason.

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All guests took their seats at the sight of the lawyer. Despite the surprise of a person among them, they couldn't help but focus more about what they came for.

Larck had an iffy feeling glancing at the calm sitting "bomb" from afar. The young man with sharp yellowish green eyes have never looked at him once, yet Larck could still feel daggers pointed at his soul. The least to be said, that made him uncomfortable. He's already stiff face hardened.

The existence of this suspicious new comer was oddly fitting to a funeral. As if he belonged there.

It was different from the black clothes covering the whispering guests, or the condolence gentle flowers. It wasn't even similar to the somber atmosphere and grieving words.

His presence was like a calm wave heading steadily to wipe everything in its way. Much similar to the thing that always has been there and they can't do anything about it. Something that exists in every funeral.

'He's Similar to the death that took the Lady's breaths away...'

Larck gulped at the creepy realization. He had no idea why would a the sitting youth had given him such an impression, but Larck was certain he hadn't such a conclusion wrong.

The lawyer shook himself from his thoughts as he heard a maid speak.

"Young Master Eliot, please set here."

The guests' gazes shifted toward the young boy walking to a front couch. The boy aged 13 had an expressionless face, like a cold doll, not able to feel. His long bangs of ash-gray hair were covering his empty gaze as he walked with a lowered head.

No words was spoken, no moves were made, no eyes shifted away, until the young boy sat himself quietly.

"Ahem."

Ms. Dorben started with a fake cough, gaining the attention of ever attendance. As no sound could be heard in the hall, he spoke.

"We gather here at the loss of the diseased Lady Rina Whishipper. Although no words of condolence can shape the pain from her loss, "

Larck scanned all the listeners with his eyes before he completed calmly.

"We shall be reading her last Will."

The eyes of the vultures turned sharp at his statement and their anticipation could be felt in the air.
Larck held back a sigh at such a filthy reaction. No matter what the situation would be, greed would devour any moral integrity.

The lawyer pulled out a document from his bag and turned the pages calmly. He ignored the feeling of impatient stares coming from his surroundings. Just as he opened at the needed paper, he glanced one more time at the audience before starting to read.

"I quote: 'I, Rina Dan Lether, Lady of the Whishipper dukedom from the land of Matinor, revoke all former Wills and testamentary dispositions made by me, and declare this to be my last Will'."

Ms. Dorben gave the audience time to posses his words before going through the former procedures in the Will.
It didn't take him long to finish the charities and servants' share of the fortune, however the vultures were staring at him- no, at the file in his hands as if they wanted to snatch it.

Larck couldn't care less about what they desire. He despites their kind yet he had to deal with them. Nonetheless, Larck can't deny that he himself was curious about the content of this last Will.

The lawyer glanced one last time at both Eliot and "The Duke of Whishipper" before proceeding.

" 'I, Lady Rina, declare that as I write this last Will, I am in good health and posses a sound mind. Without any pressure and out of my own dependant decision only, I appoi-' huh!"

Mr. Dorben jerked his head with widened eyes. His clam attitude disappeared for a minute while looking at the pale young man in the back.
Seeing his reaction, Ms. June felt her throat go more and more dry. What on earth could make such a stiff lawyer stutter?!

'How could this be...?'

Larck restored his composer after the guests' whispers rose.

"Ahem, I'll proceed."

The hall was as silent as a grave waiting for him, once again.
The following words came out slowly, as if Larck wanted every hearing ear to understand it clearly almost to memorize it.

" 'I appoint my nephew Eliot Lether, to be the former owner of the Dukedom's lands and mansion. As well as I appoint my child, Rivan Whishipper, the hair to the Duke's title, to be the former responsible for the full household's wealth".

The lawyer couldn't believe what he read himself.
Cold air filled the hall as a chilly feeling warped all the guests into a deadly silence. All their moves were frozen as if sharp threads will snatch their soul from a wrong twitch.
The pressuring air suffocating them was coming from behind and thus, the guests slowly shitted their eyes to the source.

Sitting quietly with his hands joined under his chin, was the slightly smiling young Duke of Whishipper.

End of chapter 4