In This Life, I Will Be The Lord - Chapter 123

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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 123

“As the Housekeeper taught me, I have finished all preparations and returned.”

Peres’s quiet voice echoed low, almost buried by the wind.

“I apologize for not being able to escort you on your way.”

Housekeeper Impigra had led her aging body to visit the Academy once a year, around Peres’s birthday.

And on the last day she came to visit.

Housekeeper Impigra spoke as if she knew that day would be her last.

“When you return to the Imperial Palace, you must come thoroughly prepared. They too will have completed all their preparations.”

After giving various other pieces of advice, the Housekeeper finally bowed her head respectfully and said.

“Please become a wise ruler, Your Highness.”

To say such words when Emperor Yobanes was perfectly alive was tantamount to treason.

It was absolutely not something Housekeeper Impigra, who had devoted her entire life to the Imperial Court, should have said.

Nevertheless, she said it because those were the words she desperately wanted to convey one last time.

Peres caressed the tombstone with a bitter expression.

He remembered how, in his confusion at that time, he had failed to give any proper response.

Peres also had them.

Words he absolutely had to convey, but couldn’t.

His lips, which had trembled several times, finally managed to utter those words with difficulty.

“Thank you.”

Even though the sick old woman had rushed down that long road, burdensome even for young people, time and again.

Looking back, Peres had never properly expressed his gratitude.

And that remained as deep regret in his heart.

After quietly pressing his forehead against the tombstone one last time, Peres soon stood up from his spot.

And he briefly said to Lignite, who was waiting behind him.

“Now let’s return to the Imperial Palace.”

* * *

I decided to spend the evening of my last day as a seventeen-year-old with Father.

As Gallahan Clothing Store gradually entered stable territory, Father was handling the tasks he had postponed one by one.

The most urgent among them was managing the Chesayu Estate that he had received along with the Founding Day medal.

Father, who had been staying in the Chesayu Region throughout this year, came back up to Lombardy for my birthday.

Perhaps because he was tired from the long journey, his face looked a bit thinner, but Father was still handsome.

No, now that he was entering his forties, he was even exuding the charm of a distinguished middle-aged man.

As I was looking at him with a somewhat proud feeling, Father, who was cutting his steak, muttered absent-mindedly.

“Our Tia is already an adult.”

Oh, is he going to cry again?

I knew this would happen, so this time I brought a handkerchief.

It was to prevent the disaster of Father wiping his tears with the napkin he was using to wipe his mouth.

But Father was unexpectedly calm.

“Now it’s really time for you to leave this father’s embrace.”

Though he did smile somewhat bitterly.

“Tia.”

From across the table, Father looked at me with affectionate eyes.

“Thank you for growing up so wonderfully and strong under this inadequate father.”

“Father…”

“I was too clumsy and weak, making you, who was so young, suffer.”

He seemed to be talking about the things that happened before Father started his business.

“I should have protected you more reliably…”

“Don’t say such things, Father.”

I got up and sat next to Father.

“The Father in my memory is more wonderful than anyone else.”

“…Really?”

“Don’t you remember? When we went to the Imperial Palace together, you confronted even His Majesty the Emperor about the guards searching the Lombardi carriage, saying ‘my daughter was frightened’ and speaking your mind completely.”

“Ah, there was such an incident…”

Father scratched the back of his head as if embarrassed.

“And most importantly, Father overcame an incurable disease for my sake. What could be stronger than that?”

“Tia.”

Father gently stroked the back of my hand.

“How did such a pretty daughter come to me?”

“Hey, my prettiness all comes from resembling Father. Of course.”

“What? Haha!”

Father burst into loud laughter.

I laughed along with Father.

“Oh, right. I have something to give to Tia.”

Father took out a small box from his pocket and showed me what was inside.

“A ring?”

It was a thin gold ring made with a round, large purple gemstone.

“It’s a purple sapphire.”

Father said as he took out the ring himself.

“This is what I put on Shan’s finger when I proposed to her. She was so happy to receive this ring.”

Father’s eyes were full of longing as he looked at the sparkling ring.

“I’ll give this to you as your eighteenth birthday present, Tia.”

“But this is a precious item to you, Father.”

Father didn’t deny my words.

“Yes, but I want our Tia, who is now becoming an adult, to have what this ring means to Father.”

“What is that?”

Father, who had been choosing his words for a moment at my question, smiled gently and caressed the ring.

“Someone to love with all your heart.”

Father’s warm green eyes looked at me.

“Although many regrets remain, Father doesn’t regret meeting and loving your mother, Shan, for every moment. Because we were that happy.”

Father said as he placed the ring on my palm.

“So whenever you’re ready, Father hopes this ring will bring such a person to Tia. Just like how Mother came into Father’s life one day.”

Father speaking like that looked truly happy.

And he also looked somehow relieved.

I nodded while holding the ring in my hand.

And I carefully tried the ring on my finger.

“Oh, it fits perfectly.”

The ring fit perfectly as if it had been made for me.

“Thank you, Father.”

I hugged Father tightly.

Father, who seemed a bit surprised, also hugged me back and gently patted my back.

The ring is of course wonderful, but actually my greatest birthday gift is Father himself.

This eighteenth birthday spent with Father is my first time in this life too.

Each and every moment was so precious that I wanted to embrace it tightly and never let it go.

* * *

At the Imperial Palace, a grand council meeting was being held with high nobility and the Emperor in attendance.

During the break arranged in the middle of the meeting that had been going on for hours.

Emperor Yobanes sat alone in the rest area prepared next to the meeting room, dispelling his boredom.

There was nothing interesting.

Neither his beautiful lovers nor the hunting that once made his heart race wildly.

Nothing was fun anymore.

“Hmm.”

The Emperor was suddenly feeling the emptiness of life.

Then a servant who approached cautiously informed him in a small voice.

“Your Majesty.”

“What is it.”

“Second Prince requests to pay his respects.”

“Second Prince?”

Yobanes bolted upright.

“Tell him to come in.”

Shortly after, the door opened and Peres walked in, dressed as if he had just returned from a journey.

“Ha.”

Yobanes let out a hollow laugh at the sight.

Peres had truly grown to inherit the Previous Emperor’s appearance exactly.

Cold, sharp, and merciless even to his own children—Yobanes’s father.

“Second Prince Peres pays his respects to Your Majesty.”

Such Peres knelt on one knee and bowed his head respectfully.

A crooked smile appeared at the corner of Yobanes’s lips.

He was quite pleased to see the Second Prince, who looked exactly like his father who always looked down on him with cynical eyes, kneeling and paying respects.

Yobanes suddenly became curious.

What would the Previous Emperor, who used to mock him saying ‘You’re hopelessly inadequate to become emperor, but be grateful you’re lucky enough to be the eldest son,’ have said if he saw Peres, his own son?

The boredom that had made Yobanes feel powerless just moments ago disappeared as if it were a lie.

“I heard you graduated at the top of both civil and military tracks?”

“Yes.”

“And you graduated early in 5 years, shortening it by one year?”

“Yes.”

It was a completely different path from Astana, who only caused trouble.

This should be worth watching.

Yobanes thought while recalling Astana, who was currently in the grand council chamber.

Astana, who had shown no particular interest other than hunting and women, had been attending the monthly grand council meetings for some time now.

It was the result of Astana’s direct pleas several times.

And Yobanes couldn’t possibly not know his ulterior motive.

He wanted to show himself sitting next to the Emperor at the grand council where important imperial matters were discussed.

And he could easily guess that this came from the Empress’s mind.

Nevertheless, Yobanes had granted permission.

Because Angenas had decided to hand over the newly discovered emerald mine to the Red Guild.

However, Astana didn’t do anything separately.

Throughout the grand council, he just sat there keeping his seat, unable to offer any meaningful opinions among the experienced nobles.

And such appearance of the Crown Prince was enough to touch the unpleasant memories sleeping deep within Yobanes.

Enough to make him not want to just hand over what the Crown Prince and Angenas wanted.

“Get up and follow me, Peres.”

Yobanes said as he rose from his seat.

Taking Peres, who silently followed behind, Yobanes opened the door to the grand meeting hall.

“Huh?”

“That person is, Second Prince?”

The nobles who had been conversing quickly recognized Peres and fell quiet.

“Second Prince Peres has splendidly graduated from the Academy and returned to the Imperial Palace.”

Yobanes put on the mask of a proud father and spoke as if making a declaration with a bright smile.

“Congratulations, Your Majesty!”

“You have worked hard, Second Prince!”

The nobles competed to offer words of congratulation.

Peres stood with his hands behind his back, only occasionally nodding with an expressionless face, but Yobanes liked Peres’s such arrogance even more.

“You have grown so much in just a few years.”

“The aristocratic circle will be in an uproar soon, haha!”

There were quite a few who joked and made pleasantries.

And rightfully so, despite having just returned from a journey and still being in humble attire, Peres had presence.

The presence befitting a prince.

The nobles were instinctively feeling favorable toward him.

Peres, who had been silently receiving the favorable gazes directed at him, found Rulak Lombardi among the crowd.

For a moment, Peres’s red eyes sparkled without anyone knowing.

Peres, who had maintained a lofty attitude until then, showed a silent bow toward Rulak.

It was clearly different from the nods he had been giving to other nobles.

To others, this appeared as him politely greeting his patron, and their favorable impression of Peres rose even higher.

Yobanes slyly checked on Astana.

As expected.

Although he was trying to act nonchalant, Astana’s face was already bright red.

At twenty-three, he still couldn’t manage his expressions properly.

Yobanes clicked his tongue in displeasure.

And he spoke to Peres in a loud voice for everyone to hear.

“You must be tired today, so return to Poirak Palace to rest, and from next month, Second Prince shall also attend the grand council meetings.”

Thud.

It was as if a huge boulder had fallen into the grand meeting hall.

People glanced at Astana with surprised eyes without realizing it.

It was well known that Astana had struggled to earn the right to attend council meetings alongside Emperor Yobanes.

In that quiet chaos, Yobanes slyly added one more comment.

“Prepare your seat next to the Crown Prince.”

Peres quietly looked at Astana’s face, which was turning red and blue as he sat unable to say anything, then turned toward the Emperor.

Peres knelt on one knee and bowed his head.

The hem of his black cloak fluttered low.

And he spoke in a respectful voice.

“I shall follow Your Majesty’s command.”

It was the moment when the attendance rights that Astana and Angenas had struggled so hard to obtain flowed naturally to Peres as easily as breathing.

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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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