In This Life, I Will Be The Lord - Chapter 112

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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This Life, I Will Become the Clan Head Episode 112

Peres had left for the Academy.

It was a story from a few days ago.

Except for no longer having a reason to go to the Imperial Palace, my daily routine hadn’t changed much.

It was a continuation of days where I would take care of Pellet Trading Company’s affairs and occasionally visit Grandfather’s study like this to check if he was taking his medicine properly and have meals together.

Father was away on a business trip to check on the additional clothing store branch that opened in the Southern Region.

Father wasn’t here, and the twins were busy with training too.

Having already visited Pellet Trading Company in the morning, I was on my way to the study to have lunch with Grandfather.

Larane, who had agreed to dine with us, was supposed to meet us in the dining hall.

It seemed a bit boring without Peres…

“Ugh!”

Suddenly, that morning came to mind.

“Just having a pretty face isn’t enough for a young fellow!”

Ah, that’s not right though.

Peres is smart, good with a sword, and has a kind personality too.

Anyway, I was so flustered that day that I couldn’t even scold him properly and just let him go.

“Next time I see him, I’ll have to spank his bottom.”

I really need to teach him a lesson.

If he develops bad habits with that pretty face of his, the Empire will probably be in chaos.

Thinking like that as I walked, I found myself in front of the study before I knew it.

Knock knock.

I knocked, but strangely there was no answer.

He should know I’m coming.

I knocked once more, but there was no response.

Could it be.

My heart suddenly sank.

“Grandfather?”

I knew it was rude, but I opened the study door.

And as soon as I stepped inside, I could see Grandfather reading something at his desk.

Ah, thank goodness.

I inwardly breathed a sigh of relief.

“Grandfather, are you busy?”

When I called out once more while standing in the doorway, Grandfather finally looked up from his documents in surprise.

“Oh, Tia’s here. What are you doing standing there instead of coming in? Come here.”

Fortunately, Grandfather didn’t seem to mind much that I had opened the door without permission.

“Are you very busy?”

“Hmm, a bit more so lately.”

Grandfather answered with a smile while continuously pressing around his eyes.

“Are your eyes bothering you?”

“Hm? Hehe, it’s nothing. When you reach this old man’s age, your eyes get dim and such. Young Tia wouldn’t understand yet.”

Grandfather said this while patting my head.

But I carefully examined Grandfather’s complexion.

It would be fortunate if it’s just presbyopia.

In my previous life, Grandfather lost his sight first as an aftereffect of his illness.

Knowing this, I couldn’t just laugh it off like Grandfather did.

“Grandfather, did you have breakfast?”

“Of course, I ate.”

“Not carelessly, but properly?”

“…”

Grandfather stroked his neatly trimmed beard and subtly avoided my gaze.

“Then you didn’t take the nutritional supplement Estira prepared for you either, did you?”

“I, I was thinking of taking it after having lunch.”

Oh my.

I felt like sighing.

At times like this, being the only one who knows the future is frustratingly helpless.

When I made a gloomy face, Grandfather started breaking into a cold sweat.

“I took it diligently without missing a single day until yesterday, Tia. So don’t be too upset…”

“I’m not upset because you didn’t take your nutritional supplement. Well, that’s part of it too…”

“Then what is it?”

Grandfather asked worriedly while peering at my face.

“I’m sad that Grandfather has to overwork himself like this. It would be nice if there was someone to help you so you could relax a bit more comfortably.”

There were many people who maintained the position of clan head until they reached Grandfather’s age.

But usually, they had the next generation’s successor beside them to help.

They would help with work while naturally learning how to lead the clan one by one.

But Grandfather still handled everything alone.

Biejie constantly offered to help, but Grandfather hadn’t allowed it yet.

So as each year passed, the burden on Grandfather kept growing.

Even in my previous life, it was much later when Grandfather reluctantly began teaching Biejie about clan affairs.

Perhaps until then, Grandfather had been waiting for someone other than Biejie, someone worthy of entrusting the clan to, to distinguish themselves.

But even after finally earning Grandfather’s trust, Biejie’s abilities were utterly insufficient.

That’s why I had to work beside Grandfather like a secretary, filling the gaps left by Biejie’s blunders.

“I didn’t know our Tia cared so much about this old man. Oh, what a precious child.”

Not knowing my inner thoughts, Grandfather just patted my head with a pleased expression.

Seeing that kindly smiling face overlap with the aged Grandfather I had seen in my previous life made me feel a bit choked up.

Don’t worry, Grandfather.

I’ll grow up quickly and help lighten that burden.

“Grandfather, let’s go have lunch!”

For now, protecting Grandfather’s health as much as possible until then was the priority.

“Hehehe, yes. Let’s do that.”

I took Grandfather’s hand and headed toward the dining hall.

“Larane said she’d join us for the meal too. She’s probably already at the dining hall waiting for us by now. Maybe Creny too.”

“I see. How has Creny been doing lately?”

“Since that Belesack brat… no, since Belesack stopped bothering him, he seems really happy. He comes to my study to borrow books almost every day.”

“Good, that’s fortunate. You take good care of Creny so he won’t be lonely…”

It happened in the blink of an eye.

Grandfather’s body, which had been going down the stairs with a gentle laugh, suddenly lost balance and swayed greatly.

Like someone whose knees had given out, he half-collapsed and then began to topple forward.

“N-no!”

We were on the stairs.

If left like this, Grandfather would inevitably tumble down the staircase.

I pulled Grandfather’s hand that I was holding with all my strength.

Giving up on maintaining my own balance, I pulled my head back and dragged Grandfather’s body toward me.

Fortunately, it worked.

Grandfather’s body, which had been falling forward, changed direction toward me instead.

However, my twelve-year-old body didn’t have the strength to handle that much weight.

Naturally, as Grandfather’s body collapsed on top of me, I was pinned underneath.

“Ugh!”

I felt my arm and shoulder, which I had instinctively used to brace myself, hit the sharp edge of the stairs, and piercing pain washed over me.

Thud!

With a heavy sound, I embraced Grandfather’s fallen body and was pushed down two more steps before I could finally stop.

After confirming that we were no longer sliding down, I hurriedly examined Grandfather.

“Grandfather! Grandfather!”

However, Grandfather, with his eyes tightly shut, gave no response.

I wanted to shake his shoulders to check his consciousness, but my arm trapped beneath Grandfather’s body wasn’t free to move.

“Help me!”

I cried out desperately.

My screams echoed off the walls throughout the manor.

“Someone, please help me!”

* * *

The Lombardi estate was in a state of emergency.

This was because the family head, Rulak Lombardi, had collapsed.

Since it happened on the staircase of all places, the employees trembled with anxiety, wondering if something terrible had occurred.

And in front of the Lord’s bedroom.

Many people, including the guards protecting the entrance, had gathered and were waiting for the doctor to bring good news.

Then a loud voice burst out from inside.

“Good heavens! I told you to examine Tia first, not me!”

Rulak, sitting with his back against the bed, shouted angrily.

“Look at all that blood! The child should come before me when I’m perfectly fine! I merely missed my footing!”

Estira, standing beside Rulak’s bed, tried to persuade him with a calm voice.

“Pirenthia is being treated by Ollier…”

Ollier was Estira’s disciple and colleague whom she had brought from the Academy.

“Aren’t you more skilled! I’m fine, so you should examine Tia, Dr. Estira!”

Shannet shook her head at Rulak’s stubborn attitude while looking at Tia with concern.

When they were found, the child had been completely pinned under Rulak’s body, and with her small frame having absorbed the impact for two people, her shoulder was dislocated and the flesh on her arm was torn, staining her dress red.

But even in that condition, Tia had been screaming that Grandfather was unconscious.

Then Biejie, who had been standing with his arms crossed, shot back bluntly.

“Father, the family head, is what’s important, not some child like that! Please stop being stubborn and…”

“Biejie!”

Rulak shouted furiously.

He looked so enraged that one might worry he would collapse again.

But then a small, calm voice was heard.

“No, he’s right.”

It was Tia, sitting in a chair across from the bed.

She sat with her back straight, not even looking toward Ollier who was examining her injured shoulder.

“Grandfather didn’t miss his footing. I saw it. Though it was brief, he completely lost consciousness and collapsed.”

“Ahem…”

Rulak cleared his throat with an uncomfortable expression.

“So Estira, please examine Grandfather quickly.”

While Estira thoroughly examined Grandfather with items from her medical bag, the emergency treatment on my shoulder was also completed.

She said the rest would need to be done at the clinic, where they would administer anesthesia and stitch up the torn area.

And finally, Estira spoke with a dark expression.

“I’ll need more time for detailed examination to be certain, but Young Lady Pirenthia seems to be right. This wasn’t a simple accident.”

As expected.

Ominous premonitions were never wrong.

In my previous life, Grandfather’s health had also severely deteriorated around this time.

Grandfather, who had been found collapsed in his room one morning, remained unconscious for a week and then had to stay bedridden for several months.

Fortunately, this time it wasn’t as serious as back then, but a similar incident had still occurred.

“As the Lombardi family’s personal physician, I recommend that the family head receive treatment and recuperation for about a month to recover his strength.”

“So you’re telling me not to handle any business?”

Grandfather questioned Estira’s words.

“…To recover your strength, you must rest.”

“That’s nonsense.”

“But family head…”

“Then who will look after this family, Lombardi, in the meantime?”

Everyone remained silent.

There was no one who could immediately replace Grandfather.

The names of several heads of vassal families flashed through my mind before quickly disappearing.

Those people were already suffering from heavy workloads in their own positions.

That’s when it happened.

“Am I not here?”

Biejie stepped closer to the bed as he spoke.

“I will lead Lombardi in Father’s place. Just while you’re recuperating, of course.”

Despite his father being ill, it was quite a sight to see Biejie’s face brighten with color.

“Father.”

Finally, Shannet urgently called out to Grandfather.

This wasn’t right.

And that was the common thought of everyone in the room.

Even Yohan, the butler, had turned pale.

“What is it, sister? Are you saying I’m inadequate?”

Though Biejie asked in a displeased voice, Shannet remained silent for a moment before speaking to Grandfather again.

“Perhaps it would be better to seek help from the vassal families, Father.”

“Sister!”

Biejie rarely raised his voice at Shannet.

“I am the eldest son of this family! If I don’t step forward when Father has collapsed, then who will!”

Though lacking, Biejie was indeed the eldest son of Lombardi.

But there were degrees to being lacking.

This was Biejie, after all.

As silence briefly filled the bedroom, everyone seemed to gradually regain their senses.

Surely Grandfather wouldn’t allow Biejie to become the acting family head.

But then Grandfather, who had seemed to be contemplating something, said something like a bolt from the blue.

“Do that, Biejie.”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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