The Quest for Normania #1: The Door of Andrios

37. Only When Tomorrow Comes Shall I Know

Chueng Yung did not expect to be raided in his own room.

But when it came to his sister, it didn't matter—she did exactly as she wished and, thanks to her father's love for her, even got away with it.

So, when, in the middle of his tea, he heard a great thundering of knocks on his chamber door and Chi's voice calling out to him, he merely sighed before saying, "Come in!"

The door swung open and there she stood with her army: her husband, Dai, and their father, Count Chueng. She had her tiny fists on her hips and her mouth was set in an angry line.

That was never good news.

He sighed and turned around completely to face them, standing up from the table he sat at. "Welcome, members of my family. How may I be of service to you?"

Yung had a great fondness for his twin sister and her husband, but not so much for his father, who had never had much of faith in him – for, Yung turned out to be rather, er, unconventional, as opposed to what his father would've liked. Their ideas always differed and different ideas always clashed.

Secretly, though, Count Chueng knew his son was a much better businessman than himself, something he wasn't willing to admit after his own reputation. What would happen to him if his son began to take all the credits and steal his reputation? What would his gravestone say?

Therefore, he refused to admit Yung was right; instead, when Chi got married, he forced Dai to take up the business in his son's place as the heir. Poor Yung was quite disappointed, but he never allowed himself to be envious of his brother-in-law. Rather, he sat mostly in his chamber drinking herbal tea.

Chi had always been Count Chueng's first choice to inherit the family business, but she was adamant about her twin brother taking it up instead. Here lay the tug of war between daughter and father, one that the former had just won.

And it was so simple, too, she couldn't believe she hadn't thought of it before: When she knew she was about to lose, a bright idea had flashed in her mind, and she said, "You want Dai to take on the family business after you retire? Have you been blind to how stupid he is with handling business?!" At this, her husband had flinched, but she went right on, "You know Yung could do a far better job! You trained him! You didn't train Dai and it's too late for you to! Yung already knows all that you know and more!"

That had been a hard pill to swallow, but being old and therefore wiser, Count Chueng had finally taken his daughter's threat – rather, suggestion.

And that was how all three ended up in Yung's room.

"Yung," began Chi in her clear voice, "our father has decided you did a much better job in your position in the business than Dai ever did. He would like you to take over again."

The younger man couldn't believe it and he refused to. With a scowl at his father he said, "And I suppose that'll start another round of insults. Chi, you know why I came out in the first place, right? I didn't mind Dai inheriting, but Father's insults were –"

The count raised his hand at this point and his son stopped speaking. "Rest assured, I shall consider everything you say. I..." Gosh, this was going to hard for an old man like him. He cleared his throat and began again: "I... I apologise for everything I did to you, for every wrong I did to you. You were right all along. If... if we'd done like you suggested last year, this year, we'd have better far better off."

Yung was taken aback, but he didn't show it. Instead, he put on a neutral expression and considered it.

Chi, however, in her usual manner, was impatient. "Oh come on, the old man has apologised—something he's never done even to me! Now, forgive and accept!"

Yung sighed, a small smile lighting up his face as he turned to her. "It's not that easy, Chi. How am I to know he won't go back on his word?"

Chi glared at their father as though in challenge.

The count sighed and turned to his son with as steady eyes as he could muster. "Son, Yung, I understand your concerns. I'm afraid I cannot make a promise now, for fear I shall slip back into my old ways and break my promise to you.

"Look—just give me a chance and I shall try my hardest to work with you as your – your –" He swallowed hard. "Your friend."

Yung still didn't look satisfied, but he no longer felt like being hostile either. He gave a nod.

"And if I may add."

Yung was going to speak himself, but he complied, "Yes?"

"Well, this is a little hard for me..." The count took a deep breath and let it out. "If... if I did – if I do go back on my word and start insulting you again, you... you may have all the rights to let me know and set me on the right track again."

This softened Yung's heart more than he thought it would. He nodded again. "All right. I accept." He exchanged a glance of acknowledgement with his sister, before she hugged her father, the hardness all gone from her face now. Taking her husband's hand, she turned around and walked away.

Yung and Count Chueng were left alone in the younger man's room.

Silence that stretched for a time began to echo in his mind, when his father cleared his throat again. "I... I should be going now. But I shall expect to see you tomorrow morning at the usual time." Almost as an afterthought, he added, "Er – is that – fine with you?"

"Why tomorrow morning?" asked Yung at once, his annoyance making a comeback. "The day is still young."

The count gave a small smile. "Well, I thought you might need the rest of the day to cool off and adjust to being with a father as his equal, and – and – work with him."

Yung's shoulders relaxed. "I see. All right then." As his father slowly turned around and walked back to the way he had come, he thought inwardly, 'I hope it's not a promise you kept to keep your daughter happy.' The count was known to be an honest person, despite all odds, but Yung felt he could never be sure. 'Only when tomorrow comes shall I know.'

With such thoughts, he finished his herbal tea and went back to prepare for a new day in the family business.

----------------------------------

In another part of Ahala, a black creature rose from the ground.

Its face came first—blistered and heavily scarred, thanks to a certain Ahalan sorcerer some decades ago, in a head shaped almost like a triangle—then, the long stick-like torso, and attached to it similar bony limbs. Six limbs, three on each side.

In its mind, the voice came, like it had the day before: "Go forth, mine servus!—seek thy enemy! Hunt him down and make your magister proud!"

And so, with this singular goal in mind, the monster walked slowly, one foot after another, humbling along eastwards.