“So, I was thinking since you’ve done so well, it might be time for you to finally receive Father’s Chalice,” Bruno said.
“Huh?!” Jörgen wasn’t expecting that. Seeing Jörgen’s surprise, Bruno grinned.
“That was the arrangement originally, wasn’t it?” he said.
“Well, yes, but...” Jörgen was at a loss for words. Truthfully, he’d been convinced that Bruno had only used the prospect of Fárbauti’s Chalice as bait, a promise that was never meant to be fulfilled. He’d been sure that the only way to actually receive the patriarch’s Chalice was to accomplish something great, and that as long as he was in Bruno’s family, he’d be stuck doing menial work anyone could do. So why was Bruno offering Fárbauti’s Chalice now?
“The last four years under me have been boring and miserable, haven’t they?” Bruno said knowingly.
“Of course not, Father, any time under you would never...” He quickly tried to deny it, but Bruno had hit the nail on the head. How many times had he longed to nullify his oath with Bruno and move to another family? He’d lost count.
“But no matter how mundane the task, you were always diligent and gave it your all. That’s not something just anyone can do.”
Jörgen blinked in surprise. He hadn’t imagined Bruno would ever say something so thoughtful. He’d been sure that Bruno was just a stubborn old man who cared about outward appearances and formalities more than what was actually inside, so his assessment came as a shock.
Bruno’s assessment continued. “Young folk tend to only be focused on accomplishing great things. However, in a clan like ours, there are inevitably times when you’ll be forced to do things you don’t necessarily want to—times when things don’t go the way you want them to, or when you’ll have to say something’s white when it’s clearly black. Such circumstances require the composure and wit to be able to keep your head down.”
“So, you’ve been testing me all this time? Is that what you’re telling me?” Jörgen asked.
“You catch on quick,” Bruno replied. “Not just a test, though. I wanted to give you some experience, so that even during the rough times, you’ll be able to hang in there a bit longer.”
“True. I’m pretty sure I could handle anything, especially after the hell you put me through.”
“I know, right?” Bruno let out a despicable chuckle. It had been a hellish environment—on top of being boring and restrictive, Bruno would deprive him of food and beat him if his speech and manners didn’t meet his exacting standards. But just as Bruno had said, that had toughened Jörgen up into someone who wouldn’t fold when faced with the average hardship.
“I said this to Skáviðr too,” Bruno went on, “but strength alone isn’t enough to make it in a clan like ours. It may seem like nothing more than formality at a glance, but etiquette and discipline prevent unnecessary conflicts from popping up, and they keep you from tripping up when it really counts.”
“I...see.” Jörgen had now matured enough to understand the significance behind Bruno’s lessons. At first, he’d been convinced that formalities and proper conduct were little more than pointless lip service, but now he realized that people were more receptive to him and kinder when he kept up those formalities.
“As you are now, I don’t have any qualms about letting you have Father’s Chalice,” Bruno said. “Diligence is key. Remember that.”
Suddenly, Jörgen felt tears welling up in his eyes. If he were being brutally honest, he despised Bruno. He’d lost count of the times the old bastard had yelled at him and beaten him. Jörgen thought he’d never be able to respect a man like that, and though he kept such thoughts very much to himself, he’d looked down on him as a stubborn old man stuck in his ways, someone every bit as narrow-minded as the rumors said.
Truthfully? The rumors had mostly been right. But now, he’d come to realize that there was more to Bruno than he’d thought. Given everything he’d seen and learned, Jörgen finally realized that Bruno’s lofty position as second-in-command of the Wolf Clan hadn’t been for show.
Jörgen bowed to Bruno’s back, deeply enough that his head reached his knees, and shouted his reply. “Yes, Father! From the bottom of my heart, thank you for your guidance, and for whipping me into shape these past few years!”
The years that followed flew by Jörgen in a flash. His workload became mountainous, and after clearing it all, his status within the clan rose. With that elevated status came further increased responsibility within the clan, which meant even more work. That cycle continued as he worked as hard as he could, and before he knew it, he was over thirty, he ranked sixth within the clan, he had started a family, and he had become the Wolf Clan’s permanent adviser. He had taken two women as his wives and had children with each. He couldn’t be more satisfied with his current life.
“In the end, without your instruction, I never would’ve gotten this far, second-in-command,” Jörgen admitted. Those were his true feelings. If he’d still been the cheeky upstart he used to be, he was sure he never would’ve risen to his current position. He had to admit that Bruno’s lessons in conduct and etiquette, and perhaps most importantly, those relating to improving his social skills, had been a huge boon for Jörgen when it had come to making a living within the clan.
“Heh, stop that. I’m not second-in-command anymore,” Bruno said with a wistful half-smile. Moments ago, there had been a ceremony to amend the Oath of the Chalice, and Bruno had stepped down from his position as the second-in-command of the Wolf Clan, becoming its leader of subordinates instead. As far as anyone was concerned, it was billed as a promotion, but under the Chalice system, a patriarch’s successor was chosen from among his sworn children—there was no precedent for a successor to be chosen from among a subordinate. In other words, Bruno had lost the qualifications to lead the Wolf Clan as Fárbauti’s successor.
As much as Fárbauti was fond of Bruno, the truth was that for the past ten years, Bruno hadn’t accomplished anything of merit, and he simply couldn’t compete with the rising stars of the clan. Jörgen owed a lot to Bruno, so he did find it a shame, but well, such was the passage of time. The strong rose to the top, and when they grew weak, they were demoted to the lower ranks and replaced by someone stronger. That was the way of the world in Yggdrasil.