In This Life, I Will Be The Lord - Chapter 114

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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 114

“Fortunate… you say?”

“Yes.”

To Loril’s confused question, Cleribane answered briskly and concisely.

“I don’t quite understand what you mean, brother. How can you say that incident is fortunate…”

“Of course, it’s not a good thing that Biejie can exercise the same rights as the clan head, even temporarily.”

Cleribane frowned briefly, seemingly bothered by Loril calling him brother, then continued speaking.

“But the important thing is that Biejie will perform the acting clan head duties terribly. Probably to a degree that’s hard to watch.”

Cleribane said this while raising one corner of his mouth as if the mere thought was amusing.

“So there’s nothing to worry about.”

“If that’s the case, then it’s fortunate.”

Loril let out another deep sigh.

It wasn’t that she didn’t trust Cleribane’s words.

It was just that the fact that Biejie had become clan head, even temporarily, was that worrying to her.

In a way, it was quite remarkable.

To make all the people of the clan worry about Lombardy with one heart like this.

“I also agree with Cleribane’s words.”

At my words, Loril’s eyes widened as she looked at me.

Since I had subtly shown how much I really disliked Biejie, she seemed to think I would be grinding my teeth like her.

Of course, Loril’s thoughts were correct.

There probably wasn’t anyone in Lombardy who disliked Biejie as much as I did.

I could guarantee that.

But at the same time, like Cleribane, I trusted Grandfather’s judgment.

Though he had deep affection for blood relatives, he wasn’t someone who couldn’t distinguish between public and private matters.

Moreover.

“Perhaps it could be a good opportunity.”

“A good… opportunity?”

A big question mark appeared above Loril’s head.

It seemed the words Biejie and ‘good opportunity’ weren’t connecting in her mind at all.

“Because everyone will be able to see through this opportunity.”

I smiled and kindly explained to such a Loril.

“Everyone will come to know how inadequate Biejie is for the position of clan head.”

People would get to see a glimpse of the future that only I knew about now.

A kind of rehearsal, perhaps?

It was like everyone getting a preview of what would happen if Biejie became clan head like this.

“The timing is just right too.”

In my previous life, Grandfather had also fallen seriously ill around this time, and to make matters worse, ‘that incident’ had erupted.

Of course, Biejie had taken on the acting clan head role then as well.

But Biejie had failed to properly recognize the seriousness of ‘that incident’ happening right before his eyes.

Thanks to that, Lombardy, which missed the golden time to properly respond and handle the situation, had to bear great losses.

In the end, it even came to the point where Grandfather, who had barely pulled himself together, received reports from the bank president while bedridden and handled matters directly.

“What do you mean the timing is right?”

Then Cleribane tilted his head and asked.

“Just that. Since Grandfather isn’t seriously ill, I was just saying. I think Grandfather isn’t the type to just leave everything to Biejie and do nothing.”

“That’s right. You speak wisely. He’s not that type of person.”

Cleribane nodded at my evasive words.

I also smiled at Loril, telling her not to worry.

Certainly this life and the previous life had similar aspects.

First, in the previous life, around this time, there was no one left but Biejie who could serve as acting clan head.

Like with the clan head position, there had been no other choice.

Also, this time too, Grandfather couldn’t properly perform his duties, and Biejie had temporarily become clan head.

However, there was a major difference between the previous life and this life.

That was me.

In this life, there was me who knew the future.

* * *

Several days had passed since Biejie began working as acting clan head.

The position of clan head was just as Biejie had dreamed of all along.

He had gained authority and power that no one could envy.

Thanks to that, Biejie was very satisfied with each passing day.

The work processing that he had been secretly nervous about was becoming more skillful by the day, so it couldn’t be better.

Honestly, it was so easy that he kept thinking, ‘Has Father been struggling with just this kind of work all this time?’

“Well, this should be enough, right?”

Biejie asked while looking at the young head of the Debon Family standing before him.

“Why aren’t you answering?”

The Debon Family was one of Lombardy’s various vassal families, responsible for Lombardy’s transportation business.

Since Lombardy was a clan that had trading companies, banks, and agricultural cultivation sites across the entire continent, it was also an important family that played the role of bringing together the clan’s various businesses.

However, the previous head of the Debon Family’s health had deteriorated, and his son had just recently inherited the position of family head.

So even if he was young, it would be proper to respect him as a family head and use honorifics with each other.

But Biejie, who was still just the eldest son of the clan head and currently serving as acting clan head temporarily, was casually speaking informally to the young head of the Debon Family.

“…Yes, it’s all done.”

The head of the Debon Family, Clang, answered while firmly suppressing his rising anger.

Explaining further to Biejie, who couldn’t properly understand the report content, was a waste of time.

Rather, it would be better to report again later when the clan head returned, he judged.

Having watched Biejie all along as the successor of a vassal family, he knew he was stupid, but to think it was to this extent.

The heads of vassal families were very busy people.

They had numerous Lombardy businesses to manage and operate, and they also had to take care of their own family affairs.

Therefore, the family heads didn’t move directly for most matters.

Except for regular meetings that convened about once a month, they would send representatives or submit documents to receive Rulak’s approval.

However, in just a few days, the heads of the vassal families realized they couldn’t work with Biejie in this manner.

Whether he couldn’t properly understand the submitted documents, the returned approval documents had strange words written instead of stamps.

There were also cases where he would suddenly assign new work instead of work that had been prepared for a long time.

Though it was just an acting clan head position for merely a month while the clan head was recuperating, Biejie acted as if he was completely the next generation’s clan head.

“Phew…”

Sighing as he came out of the study, Clang Debon encountered Grodic Brey, the eldest son of the Breiga Family, who was waiting in front of the door just like he had been moments before.

He too, who managed and operated the Lombardi Bank on behalf of the older head of the Brey Family, seemed to have grasped the situation and rushed over to make a work report directly.

“How is it?”

“…Please go in and see for yourself. And prepare yourself mentally too.”

“Oh my…”

Seeing Clang Debon’s face with dark circles under his eyes, Grodic let out a groan and entered the study with a short cough.

Of all times, when he had urgent matters to discuss with the clan head, Biejie had to become acting clan head.

The timing was not good.

Instead of Biejie, who didn’t even greet properly, Butler Yohan approached.

Yohan was assisting Biejie’s work according to Rulak’s orders.

“What kind of tea would you like…”

However, before that question could even finish, Biejie suddenly asked Grodic.

“How is that loan matter I introduced last time going?”

A few weeks ago, Biejie had mediated loan applications for several of his acquaintances.

“Ah, that matter…”

“They trusted me and decided to get loans from Lombardi Bank, but they keep complaining that approvals are being delayed!”

To begin with, there was no bank in the Lambru Empire as trustworthy for transactions as Lombardi Bank.

So even if Biejie hadn’t acted as an intermediary, most people would have knocked on Lombardi Bank’s door first.

And it was natural for large loans to go through several months of screening process.

Moreover, after Grodic’s examination, several of them had insufficient credit and poor business plans, making them unsuitable for loans.

Rather than helping, Biejie was actually throwing troublesome trash at Lombardi Bank.

“…I’m personally reviewing the applications, so soon…”

“Wouldn’t I have naturally introduced only reliable people! You need to process them quickly so those people can pay interest for at least one more month.”

That’s how cases arise where loaned amounts get completely blown away and can’t be properly recovered, you fool!

Grodic wanted to shout that right to Biejie’s face.

“…Yes, I understand.”

Just endure for one month.

Grodic suppressed his resentment with that thought.

And for a while, reports about Lombardi Bank’s overall operations continued.

A process that normally wouldn’t take long dragged on endlessly.

It wasn’t enough that Biejie made him explain things repeatedly when he couldn’t understand at once, but he also stubbornly insisted on nonsensical things.

“Ah, and one more thing…”

“What else is there now?”

Biejie, who had been yawning, snapped irritably as if tired.

“A forged check was discovered yesterday.”

“Forged?”

“Yes, specifically a cashier’s check.”

When individuals or businesses had to pay for something, they would use checks they had previously obtained from the bank instead of cash.

Then the person who received that check would come to Lombardi Bank and take the amount of money written on the check.

“Why were we fooled by this?”

“It’s identical enough that you can’t notice any difference with the naked eye. It’s so meticulous that they even used paper of the same material.”

Grodic explained calmly.

“When checks come in, we first pay out the money and once a week collect all checks from across the territory to cross-reference with our ledgers, so if something looks identical, it’s difficult to catch forgeries on the spot.”

Even while speaking, Grodic doubted whether Biejie understood everything he was saying.

“Ahem… How many of those forged checks are there?”

“One.”

“What? One? Making such a fuss over just one! I thought there were about ten!”

“Lord Biejie, this is not a matter to take lightly. Once they confirm that the forged checks they made work…”

“Ah, enough!”

Biejie waved his hand dismissively and cut off Grodic’s words.

“Tell me when about ten of those forged checks come in!”

“…”

Grodic was at a loss for words.

He thought about going straight to the Lord’s bedroom right now, but he held back.

It was because he felt guilty about Rulak’s collapse.

It wasn’t just Grodic.

All the heads of the vassal families felt the same way.

They thought they hadn’t properly assisted him.

Grodic, having swallowed about a bundle’s worth of words, simply bowed and left the study.

“If you have time to leisurely worry about one check, hurry up and resolve the loan matters!”

Biejie shouted that at his back.

Click.

The door closed and Biejie, left alone, continued grumbling.

Then Butler Yohan quietly approached and said.

“Then I’ll go down to the dining hall briefly to prepare dinner.”

“Hm? Yes, go ahead.”

Yohan, who left the study that way, didn’t head to the dining hall.

With neat and quiet steps, he leisurely headed to the Lord’s bedroom.

Knock knock.

“Come in.”

Rulak answered from inside the bedroom as if he had been waiting.

Rulak, who had been obediently sitting on the bed reading a book as Estira had instructed, welcomed Yohan.

“How was it?”

“It was difficult.”

“Haha, for you to say it was difficult – that’s quite something.”

Rulak chuckled.

“So please recover quickly and return to the study.”

“Yes, I should.”

Now the leisurely chat was over.

Rulak asked Butler Yohan with a serious expression.

“So, what did Biejie do today and what decisions did he make?”

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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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