In This Life, I Will Be The Lord - Chapter 129

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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 129

The office of Pellet Trading Company.

“…What did you just say?”

Cleribane, who had been busy with morning work, was so surprised that he nearly dropped his quill pen as he asked again.

I repeated it in as calm a voice as possible.

“Peres is the owner of Monark trading post.”

“…Really?”

Cleribane looked at Beit sitting next to me and asked.

“Yes, I’m certain. I was so surprised that I confirmed it several times before telling you.”

“No, no way… That can’t be…”

Cleribane rubbed his face with his hands and couldn’t continue speaking.

I understand that feeling.

I was quite shocked when I first heard it too.

I don’t know how many times I asked Beit if he was sure, just like Cleribane.

Feeling like I was seeing myself from last night, I poured Cleribane a glass of water and said.

“First, drink some water and calm down.”

“Yes…”

Even while drinking water, Cleribane still looked dumbfounded.

He blinked several times with a blank expression, then muttered as if he had just realized something.

“So that’s why he was so wary of me. Since he’s competing with Pellet Trading Company from the north…”

“Did something like that happen?”

“Yes, at the banquet just before Lady Pirenthia arrived…”

“Don’t worry too much about it. If Peres really wanted to be wary, he would have completely hidden his true feelings. To the point where no one would notice.”

“That’s true…”

Cleribane nodded while letting out a hollow laugh.

“I definitely thought he was an experienced merchant. This feels like being hit from behind…”

“Ah, that’s also correct.”

Beit picked up one of the chocolates placed on the table for guests, put it in his mouth, and spoke.

“He created the trading post using a middle-aged merchant named Noshier as a front. But the Second Prince is indeed the real owner.”

“Well, it’s like me and Cleribane.”

“Ah…”

Although I was speaking calmly, I was quite surprised too.

Because I had never heard the name Monark trading post in my previous life.

“By the way, the Second Prince is also quite something. Creating and running a trading post under someone else’s name. Of course, it’s not comparable to Lady Pirenthia.”

Cleribane, who had returned to his usual calm demeanor, put emphasis on his last words.

“But at this rate, the Crown Prince really won’t be a match for the Second Prince.”

“He wasn’t a suitable opponent from the beginning.”

How could someone like Astana compare?

“But the Crown Prince has the Empress behind him, so it won’t be an easy fight.”

“Because Empress Lavinia is definitely not an easy opponent.”

If nothing else, I acknowledge the Empress’s political ability to instantly grasp what the other party wants and what they’re weak against.

“The Empress has been particularly active lately.”

Beit also agreed with our words.

“Recently, she’s been getting close to Aivan from the north and frequently inviting him to the Imperial Palace.”

“She must be considering the Crown Prince investiture procedure.”

Choosing which prince to appoint as Crown Prince was entirely the Emperor’s prerogative.

However, there was a procedure to formally seek the consent of the Empire’s nobles.

When the Emperor invested a Crown Prince, the noble council had to agree to it first.

If a majority of the noble council agreed, then the consent of the representative families from the Empire’s east, west, south, north, and center was required.

Unanimous consent.

The representative family was simply the family with the largest territory in that region.

Ruman in the east, Seo-Seo-u in the south, Angenas in the west, Aivan in the north, and finally Lombardi in the center.

That’s how it currently stands.

And this procedure had quite important legal effect, so if these conditions weren’t met at the time of investiture, the qualification as a ‘legitimate’ Crown Prince wasn’t granted.

Of course, in most cases, the nobles would go along with whatever the Emperor wanted.

“First, the Second Prince will need to win over the noble council. Since the Emperor has decided to attend the council meeting, that problem should be easily resolved.”

Cleribane was right.

In my previous life too, the noble council wasn’t a big problem for Peres’s path.

The problem was.

“Getting the consent of the regional representative families will be the key issue.”

Cleribane adjusted his glasses and said.

“Even if we can persuade the other families well, what about Angenas in the west? We need unanimous consent.”

Beit tilted his head and asked.

In my previous life, Peres had to face opposition not only from Angenas in the west but also from Lombardi.

And he solved the west by pulling Angenas down from being the representative family, and he dealt with Lombardi in the center by entangling them in tax evasion and treason charges, shutting them down completely.

“Scary bastard.”

I shuddered as I recalled the venomous Peres from my previous life.

Then Cleribane looked at me with slightly worried eyes.

“Lady Pirenthia?”

“It’s nothing. Setting aside Peres and Monark trading post, how are we doing?”

“Monark trading post is still being troublesome, but fortunately the purchase of Triba wood is proceeding stably.”

“Violet seems to be working hard.”

“You know Violet’s personality – she never gives up and hates disappointing Lady Pirenthia more than death.”

I couldn’t help but smile at Cleribane’s words.

Because Violet is the most diligent and hardworking person I know.

“But she should also know how to rest a little. Since we’ve been steadily collecting Triba wood since last year, we don’t need to make aggressive purchases anymore.”

“Then what should I tell Violet?”

“Tell her to continue purchasing Triba wood, but reduce the frequency of competing with Monark trading post. It seems like they also have something to do with Triba wood.”

While I know what will happen in the future, I’m very curious to see what Peres is thinking.

“Then I’ll return to the shop.”

After greeting us like that, Beit left saying his work was done, and Cleribane and I continued our meeting.

I could see Cleribane hesitating for a moment after carefully writing down everything I had instructed in his notebook.

“If you have something to say, feel free to speak, Cleribane.”

“Ah, yes. The thing is…”

Perhaps embarrassed at being caught with his inner thoughts, Cleribane’s face turned slightly red as he carefully began.

“There’s something I need to get permission from Lady Pirenthia for.”

“Permission?”

I had left all Pellet Trading Company matters to Cleribane’s discretion except for the major ones.

Because he’s someone with much better commercial abilities than me.

But something that requires separate permission.

“At the birthday banquet, I consulted with Lord Gallahan about his concerns…”

Cleribane explained his plan to me in a calm voice.

“So, you’re saying that Father is building a port in the Chesayu region that connects to the Eastern Sea Route, and you’re suggesting that Pellet Trading Company invest in it?”

“…Yes, of course it would be the largest investment since Pellet Trading Company was established and there would be corresponding risks, so if Lady Pirenthia doesn’t approve, I understand…”

“Lord Cleribane.”

“Yes?”

“Are you a genius?”

How could you come up with such an idea?

After being momentarily flustered, Cleribane spoke to me in a cautious tone.

“I think the word ‘genius’ suits someone like Lady Pirenthia more than someone like me…”

“No, Lord Cleribane is a genius.”

A thrill ran through me, and goosebumps rose on my arms.

It’s as if Cleribane can see the big picture that I can only draw because I know the future!

This is why he was able to grow Pellet Trading Company so much on his own in my previous life.

Hearts are probably shooting out of my eyes as I look at Cleribane right now.

I can tell by looking at Cleribane’s face as he smiles with slight embarrassment.

I finished my brief thoughts and spoke.

“Then since we’re investing anyway, let’s do it boldly.”

“…Boldly, you say?”

“Move the Triba wood that’s been logged and dried to Chesayu.”

“Are we going to build a port with that?”

“No, Father, who is the lord of Chesayu, will take care of that. We’re going to build ships.”

“Ah, ships…!”

“The Nokta River and Elbi River are among the largest and widest rivers on the continent, so we’ll build ships to match their scale.”

“Then we can easily transport our Pellet Trading Company’s cargo to the eastern region!”

“That’s not all…”

Cleribane and I began an excited meeting for the first time in a while.

* * *

After the meeting at Pellet Trading Company ended, I headed straight to Loril’s house.

I had been invited for dinner.

Since I was hungry from the heated meeting, I ate frantically, then sat around in the drawing room with simple desserts.

I wasn’t the only guest at tonight’s dinner.

“Oh my, our Merillin! There, there!”

“Kyaa!”

The one showering his niece Merillin with kisses in front of me was Merillin’s uncle and head of the Debon Family, one of Lombardi’s vassal families, Clang Debon.

“Flint, treasure every day while Merillin is still young! Once she grows up a little, she won’t play with her father at all, and it’s so sad…”

“That’s because you’re too bothersome, brother…”

Flint said this and laughed quietly with Loril.

“You can laugh now! Just wait and see. When the time comes and you understand what this brother meant, I won’t comfort you even if you cry, Flint!”

Perhaps his tension had loosened slightly from the glass of wine he drank with dinner, as he was much more talkative than usual.

He’s weaker with alcohol than he looks.

I drank wine with him and I’m perfectly fine.

Just then, my eyes met directly with the laughing Clang Debon’s.

“Young Lady.”

Clang pressed his lower lip tightly as if he had much to say.

“Please speak, Family Head.”

“I, this Clang Debon, am someone whose loyalty to Lombardi is second to none!”

The sound of him pounding his chest rang out loudly.

“Of course. Without the Debon Family’s ‘transportation business,’ many of Lombardi’s businesses would be scattered and in chaos, wouldn’t they?”

I smiled and agreed with him.

But it wasn’t empty words.

In reality, Lombardi Transportation, which the Debon Family manages, is one of the core businesses among the Lombardi Family’s many enterprises, including the trading companies.

“Lombardi Transportation enables branches scattered across the Empire to communicate with headquarters, and it’s also Lombardi Transportation that ensures the trading company’s goods reach their proper destinations, right?”

“That’s right! Exactly!”

Clang Debon nodded enthusiastically.

“But why doesn’t anyone acknowledge our hard work! Why!”

“Something must have happened at the vassal family meeting?”

“Sigh… It’s inappropriate to tell a young lady like you, but our Debon Family is greatly looked down upon among the vassal families, yes…”

The sight of the large-framed Clang Debon’s shoulders drooping was pitiful beyond measure.

“It’s all because there are no visible results. Everyone else is building structures or making enormous amounts of money through trading companies or doing something.”

Clang Debon’s dejected voice grew quieter and quieter.

“At best, we’re just supporting other families, so it can’t be helped.”

Something must have happened at the vassal family meeting.

For me, who had something to say to Clang Debon anyway, this was perfect timing.

Clink.

I set down the wine glass I was holding onto the table.

“Family Head Debon.”

At my call, Clang Debon slowly raised his head.

Looking at his face, which was truly upset and completely tearful, I spoke.

“You said you dislike that the Debon Family’s Lombardi Transportation just does support work for other families, right?”

“Sigh, though that is the Debon Family’s work, honestly, yes.”

“Then how about we try changing that?”

“…Pardon?”

Clang Debon’s eyes wavered.

“Are you interested in starting a business with me that’s solely for the Debon Family, and that only the Debon Family can do?”

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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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