swire

诗怀雅

Come in.

Hello, Master Wei.

Take a seat.

Officer Swire, there is something we must discuss.

Oh? Well, that's a new one. We've never had a discussion, just the two of us, have we?

You might want to get used to it, then.

So Officer Ch'en isn't coming back?

No, she isn't.

There are a lot of superintendents in the L.G.D. Why me? The things Officer Ch'en did, I might not...

You needn't do what 'Officer Ch'en did.' She was never the ideal choice to lead the Special Inspection Unit.

Master Wei? Just because Officer Ch'en is gone doesn't mean you're free to speak ill of her.

I don't mean to speak ill. However, Officer Ch'en's strongest merit is her sense of justice, and that is also her greatest weakness. Her position called for more than a sense of justice.

Did it? Hm... Let me think... What else could you expect from me?

Good relationships stakeholding factions? A talent for command? A new face from the next generation? A bad relationship with Officer Ch'en? You wouldn't be after my family, right?

You speak your mind, Swire.

I've never been one to beat around the bush. I'm not my grandfather, Master Wei.

And here I thought you'd avoid the word 'Grandfather.'

There was a time when I did, though I've since gotten used to it. He casts a long shadow in the L.G.D., and there's no running from the name 'Adams Schwire' as long as I live here.

Hah... I can't recall hearing an ordinary Lungmenite say his name. Perhaps it's not Lungmen that can't run from it, Officer Swire. It's you who can't escape the name.

Let's cut to the chase, Master Wei.

I know the current L.G.D. Commissioner is one of his lackeys, no matter how solid his relationship with you. I also know that the longer my grandfather stays in his sickbed, the more uncertain things get.

My family has had its differences with you, even before my grandfather got sick, but we always knew that the Corporate Union and Lungmen should and must coexist.

Now that my grandfather has been bedridden for fourteen years and counting, though, things have gotten far too chaotic and stupid with the men supposed to carry out his will.

If they continue this way, what will become of the relationship between the Schwires and Lungmen by the time he finally shuffles off his mortal coil? This is a problem you have to face, Master Wei, just as the L.G.D. must.

And maybe... It's one that I have to face too.

Am I right?

I think I just saw Adams in you, young lady.

That's a provocation, Master Wei. I resent the idea that anyone would see a single trace of him in me.

My apologies. It was not my intention to provoke.

Fair enough. It seems to me you might have a slight misunderstanding about the relationships in my family... I'm not sure exactly how you think we get along with each other.

If you don't want to go into the details, forget I ever said anything.

No... It's alright.

I've been thinking I might have to talk to you about this sooner or later, if I ended up taking over for Ch'en.

Waaaahhh...

Shh, shh... Beatrix, don't cry...

*Whimpers*... But Daddy... They were mean to me...

Shh... Grandpa is still home. Don't disturb him...

*Waaahhh... Uwargh-wah-hh!

I told you to stop crying! You don't want to disturb him!

A loud slap.

Is something the matter? Master Schwire said he heard a commotion.

No, not at all. I was just taking Beatrix! Awfully, terribly sorry, sir. She did not mean to disturb Father.

Childhood memories tend to be blurry, and they say that if you have one that's particularly clear, it must've had a profound impact on your personality.

So then, if I remember this so vividly even now, does that mean it was the first time I truly came to 'know' my grandfather?

If my memory serves me right, your father is Adams's oldest son, and your grandfather had high hopes for him in his younger years... Hoh... Indeed, that's just like Adams.

It doesn't seem like you grew up in the same kind of environment he did, though.

My parents moved out of the place many years ago, after all. I could count the number of times I've met my grandfather on one hand. When he wasn't around, my parents treated me well.

Though... in another sense... I have always lived in his shadow.

'Don't do that, Grandpa said.' 'Don't play with them. Grandpa wouldn't like it.' —All the things I wasn't allowed to do when I was little, they were all because of 'Grandpa's wishes.'

—Not that I ever listened to him much.

I cried, I got angry. I even asked, 'Why am I not allowed, just because Grandpa wouldn't be happy about it?' My parents were never able to give me a reason, but I could tell. They were much more afraid of him than I ever was.

They weren't even trying to get on my grandfather's good side. They were just afraid of making him angry.

In the end, my grandfather was the thing I feared most at the time. He was like... just like a monster that ends up killing the heroes in a B movie.

Who would show their child something like that?

I saw one once, and it kept me up all night. When I told my parents, '*Sobs* That ghost's scarier than Grandpa—' I got an earful from my father.

Then, I started to think: Oh, so Grandpa's actually scarier.

It doesn't sound so bad just listening to the story, does it? Believe me, though. It wasn't easy to live through. There was a time when I thought of 'angering Grandfather' as the red line that could never be crossed.

But some time after that...

Over here!

The hostage is safe! Move in!

Little girl, are you okay?

Contact! It's the kidnapper! Requesting backup!

10-4! I'll bring the girl out first!

Yes... I'm okay.

Master Wei, I'm sure you've figured out by now that it was then I decided to become a police officer. I'm sure you've also figured out that...

Another loud slap.

Daddy...?

Sorry, Beatrix, I should not have slapped you, but... How could you? You stand to inherit everything! How could you say you want to join the police?

Father... Father will be furious when he finds out about this! You must abandon this idea!

Hmm...

I was actually baffled. You see, my cousin had just told me a few months prior that he was the first in line to take over.

But when he said it, something felt off to me.

The heir to the Schwire family fortune... Shouldn't that be...?

Correct, neither me nor my cousin. It should have been my father.

This is one of those questions that I could never wrap my head around when I was a kid, and then one day, after I'd grown up, I suddenly realized that it couldn't have been any simpler.

—Of course, my father didn't want to take over, and my grandfather never thought of him as a successor.

He's always called me the heir to the Schwires. Maybe that's his honest belief, but looking back...

He was probably just thinking something like: 'As long it's not me, it doesn't matter who it is.'

At the time, I still trusted my father, though. Or maybe I should say... even if they have their doubts, there aren't a lot of kids out there who don't trust their parents.

I was scared. I kept hoping I could avoid becoming the heir.

So that's why...

I still remember the time we first met.

Ha... That's another one of my childhood traumas.

How's Father? Is he well?

I'm afraid... Mr. Schwire's outlook isn't very optimistic.

Master Wei, I didn't expect you to visit today... To what do we owe the pleasure?

My old friend is sick, so I'm here to visit. Doctor, please continue.

His current situation isn't life threatening, but I'm afraid it'll be difficult for him to ever leave his bed again.

Pfffheh.

Beatrix? What's so funny?!

This... This is unbelievable!

Sorry... Beatrix, apologize! I'm sorry, Master Wei for my daughter's behavior... Beatrix!

(Quietly) Hoh...

Father, you're awake?!

(Quietly) My unseemly granddaughter... She's a brave one, but she doesn't mince words.

Looking back, that was the only praise I ever got from my grandfather. At the time, I didn't even realize what he meant by it. I could only feel... chills, running down my spine.

I've heard your family still ostracizes you because of that.

Right, they always say I'm an ungrateful, unfilial daughter. Not that I can really disagree with them.

I guess Grandfather probably didn't mind that I was looking forward to his death, though. He just thought the way I couldn't hold back my laugh was unreasonable and could put him in a difficult position.