In This Life, I Will Be The Lord - Chapter 145
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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 145
The carriage that had departed from the Imperial Palace had already completely left the Imperial Domain and was racing toward the Northern Region.
Watching the scenery rapidly passing by outside the window, Peres fell into thought.
‘What was the reason Pellet Trading Company collected Triva wood?’
This question had been constantly on his mind lately.
Like me, were they targeting the Empress’s western development and collecting timber?
But for that to be the case, Pellet Trading Company had only bought timber and hadn’t sold even a single tree to Angenas.
Moreover, according to what Lignite had found out, Pellet Trading Company had started buying Triva timber in the Northern Region over a year ago.
At first, quietly and in very small amounts.
Even secretly, without revealing that it was Pellet Trading Company.
After filling several large storehouses like that, their attitude changed when rumors about Pellet Trading Company began to spread.
As if they had been waiting, they sent people from the capital and began aggressive purchasing.
And one week before the landslide occurred, they stopped all activities as if by magic.
They stopped trading and withdrew Pellet Trading Company’s personnel from logging sites scattered throughout the Northern Region.
‘As if they knew when, where, and in what form the landslide would occur.’
But the geologist’s report that the Lombardi patriarch had submitted at the Council Meeting alone couldn’t have made such precise predictions possible.
‘Cleribane Pellet.’
The owner of Pellet Trading Company.
Honestly, he wanted to ask everything openly.
What kind of eyes do you see the world with?
What plans are you making next?
And.
‘Won’t you become my person?’
He knew that Cleribane Pellet was someone close to Lombardi.
But since leaving the Lombardi Family and establishing Pellet Trading Company, his actions had been far from loyalty to Lombardi.
He had even taken things that belonged to Lombardi, like the diamond mine.
He didn’t seem to be particularly close with Gallahan Lombardi, who had once been his business partner.
Considering those points, he was walking an independent path.
To the extent that his years spent with Lombardi seemed meaningless, the connection remaining between Cleribane Pellet and Lombardi was.
“Achoo!”
Only her, who was Cleribane Pellet’s longtime disciple.
“How long has it been since we left the Directorate, and it’s already getting cold.”
At the sound of Pirenthia pouting and grumbling quietly, Peres immediately moved.
“Cover yourself with this.”
Peres took off his robe and placed it over Tia’s shoulders as he spoke.
“Thank you, Peres.”
She smiled while wrapped up in his clothes, with only her round face peeking out.
Thump.
At his heart that was helplessly stirred by just one smile, blue veins bulged on the hand that was carefully fastening the robe.
The matters of Pellet Trading Company that had filled his head just moments ago melted away like snow before her presence.
* * *
“Achoo!”
My nose had been tickling for a while, and finally a sneeze came out.
Or maybe it’s a cold?
A summer cold.
Isn’t that something even dogs don’t catch?
“Cover yourself with this.”
Peres took off the robe he was wearing and gave it to me.
“Thank you, Peres.”
I didn’t refuse and wrapped my slightly chilled body.
I was going to read a book, but I think I should just sleep soundly.
If the entire procession slows down because I caught a cold, there would be no greater inconvenience.
“I suggested we camp out tonight to get to the Northern Region quickly, and now I’m in this state.”
“If we change direction now, we might be able to reach Vogeli Estate by sunset.”
Peres said quickly.
“But then we’d have to take a detour of several days. I’m fine. I’ll be perfectly fine after sleeping soundly.”
“There should be cold medicine among the things we brought. Wait a moment.”
Peres took out and opened a large box placed in the corner of the carriage.
As soon as I thought it might be a cold, my head became foggy.
I leaned against the carriage wall and looked at Peres, who was searching for medicine with a serious expression.
“The Second Prince, that guy. He knows very well how not to go against Yobanes’s mood.”
After returning from the Council Meeting, Grandfather had evaluated Peres like that.
A fine of 10,000 gold.
And 5,000 gold of that would go to the Northern Region’s reconstruction fund.
Peres had soothed the Emperor’s heart, who didn’t want to punish Angenas, while simultaneously dealing Angenas a major blow of 10,000 gold.
Moreover, he simultaneously showed care for the Northern Region, leaving a good impression before the nobles, and received an easy yet certainly effective mission of delivering the Imperial Palace’s relief supplies to the Northern Region.
He’s really smart.
Grandfather seemed quite displeased with Peres’s action of ending it with a fine, but I didn’t mind.
What I had wanted was to prevent the Empress from procuring Triva wood from the Northern Region and to completely twist the relationship with Aivan.
Then a sudden curiosity arose.
I asked Peres, who was now rummaging through the medicine box, as if casually throwing out the question.
“Why was it a fine, Peres?”
Clatter.
His movement stopped and the glass bottle containing medicine made a small noise.
“It seems the Empress has been spending a lot lately on western development. I did it to make her spend more money.”
“Mmm, so that’s what it was.”
And it’s precisely the Monark trading post that’s sucking up the Empress’s money.
“As expected, Peres, you’re smart.”
Becoming Crown Prince through one’s own power from the bottom isn’t something just anyone can do.
“…Thank you.”
Peres smiled shyly as he answered, then closed the medicine box and said.
“It seems the cold medicine is in another carriage. Wait a moment.”
Peres immediately opened the carriage window.
He was going to call a guard to stop the procession.
I hurriedly said.
“No. The medicine can be taken later….”
“No.”
Peres shook his head firmly, unlike himself.
“Medicine is better the sooner you take it.”
And Peres’s hand touched my forehead.
“You’re slightly hot.”
Having said that, Peres immediately called a guard.
“What is it, Your Highness?”
“Stop the procession.”
At Peres’s command, the carriage immediately came to a halt.
“It’s all because of me…”
“It was about time to take a break anyway. Don’t worry too much about it, Tia. I’ll go talk with the knights while we’re at it.”
“…Thank you.”
This time it was my turn to be grateful.
Peres smiled at me, opened the carriage door, and stepped outside.
With the fresh air coming in from outside, I also took off my robe for a moment and stepped onto the ground.
After stretching my legs and standing for the first time in hours, a bright voice called out to me.
“Lady Pirenthia.”
Dark skin, a tall handsome face, and bright platinum blonde hair.
“Lord Avinox.”
Avinox, the ruler of the east and heir to the Ruman family, had joined this relief convoy as the eastern representative.
Since the day we first met at my debutante ball, Avinox had remained in the imperial capital, consistently attending social gatherings of young nobles.
With his outstanding appearance matched by his good personality and excellent speaking skills, there wasn’t a noble in the capital who didn’t know Avinox.
He was especially popular with women to an incredible degree.
“You don’t look well. Are you alright?”
Avinox asked me with concern.
“Yes, I just have a slight cold. I’m also not used to traveling in a carriage for such long periods. But you look very cheerful, Lord Avinox.”
It wasn’t sarcasm – Avinox, who was wearing a fresh smile, really did look cheerful.
Like an idol advertising a refreshing drink.
“This is my first time going to the north as well.”
“I understand you were originally planning to return to the east for a while. Don’t you feel disappointed?”
Avinox pondered my question for a moment, then smiled and shook his head.
“There’s a time for everything. My homeland will be the same even after I return from the north. That’s the kind of place it is. But.”
Avinox’s bright, mysteriously colored eyes looked at me.
“Our Ruman family has been isolated for a long time without contact with other regions, and the north currently needs help. Could there be a better opportunity than now to extend a hand of friendship?”
Ah, right. The eastern region’s direct way of speaking.
It was such honest words that I was momentarily taken aback.
But that was also the charm of the east.
I laughed heartily with Avinox.
“Tia, I brought medicine.”
Just then Peres approached and spoke.
“Your Highness the Crown Prince.”
Avinox’s eyes sparkled, still being a fan of Peres.
“Duke Ruman, Lady Lombardi is not feeling well, so we’ll excuse ourselves.”
Peres left those brief words and led me to the carriage.
“Lord Avinox likes you very much. Even if it’s awkward, please greet him properly.”
At my words, Peres opened the carriage door and said.
“Later. Your complexion looks even worse than before, Tia.”
“…Really?”
I did feel more dizzy.
Whether Peres had arranged it, the carriage seat had been transformed into a small bed, with fluffy blankets and pillows prepared.
Shortly after we got into the carriage, the convoy began moving again.
“Take this and sleep well.”
Fortunately, the medicine Peres brought wasn’t too bitter.
Rather, with its sweet aftertaste, I could swallow it without difficulty.
Whether it was the effect of the medicine, with the gentle swaying of the carriage and the warm blanket covering me, drowsiness came quickly.
“I’ll just sleep a little and wake up.”
As my eyes grew heavy, I barely managed to mumble those words before falling into a deep sleep.
* * *
When I opened my eyes, the first thing I saw was a small flame illuminating the dim interior of the carriage.
“Is it… already night?”
Just how many hours did I sleep?
Fortunately, the medicine seemed to have worked well, as my body felt much lighter when I got up.
When I opened the carriage door and stepped out, the guard who had been standing watch turned to look at me.
“Are you awake?”
“Yes, thank you for your hard work because of me. Have we set up camp now?”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
A little distance from the carriage where I had been sleeping, I could see knights and soldiers gathered around a fire, talking.
But I couldn’t see Peres anywhere.
“Where is His Highness the Crown Prince?”
“He stepped away for a moment.”
“I’d like to walk around a bit. Would that be alright?”
“Yes, this area is guarded by the security team, so you can rest assured. Just please don’t go too far.”
My body felt stiff, so this worked out well.
I thanked the guard and walked slowly.
I could see some young soldiers gathering firewood from inside the forest.
“I guess it’s safe to go in there too.”
A forest at midnight – this was a rare opportunity.
With my cold completely gone, I walked with light steps into where the trees grew dense.
The quiet sounds of insects and even a bright moon.
It wasn’t that scary.
“Still, they might worry. I should head back…”
Splash.
I heard the sound of water.
Splash, splash.
More precisely, it sounded like something moving in the water.
I walked toward where the sound was coming from.
Soon an open space appeared between the tall trees.
“Ah…”
It was a lakeside.
Under a large moon hanging high, there was a large lake with a dark blue surface.
And.
Splash-.
With another sound of water being cut, a person suddenly emerged from within.
It was a back view, but I could tell.
It was Peres.
Water droplets from his completely wet black hair flowed down his straight spine like sparkling jewels.
“Huu.”
With a low sigh, once again came the splash of water being cut.
Under the cold moonlight, his muscular naked body was gradually revealing the precarious line leading to his lower body as Peres moved out of the water.
“Hup!”
Without realizing it, I covered my mouth and stepped backward.
Crack.
A dry branch under my foot broke, making a small noise.
But even that sound was enough for Peres to notice someone’s presence.
Splash.
With the sound of waves hitting, Peres turned around.
“…Tia?”
With his low voice, I came to my senses and realized.
What kind of perverted thing am I doing right now!
“Ah! I, I mean! Sorry! I’m sorry!”
Though it was a bit late, I quickly squeezed my eyes shut and turned around from my spot.
“I wasn’t trying to peek! I heard some noise so I came to check! I was momentarily entranced…, I’m really sorry!”
“…Wait a moment.”
As I closed my eyes, sounds became much clearer to my now sensitive ears.
The sound of Peres getting out of the water, and the sound of him finding something to wrap around his body.
And even the sound of bare feet approaching me step by step.
“Sorry, Peres! I didn’t see anything important, no, I only saw your upper body! Really… Aaah!”
While rambling with my eyes closed, I stepped back half a step and my heel caught on something, making my body sway.
And the next moment, I felt a firm arm grabbing my waist.
“Tia.”
At the voice right by my ear, my eyes snapped open without realizing it.
Right in front of me, I could see black hair with water dripping from it and vivid red eyes.
Peres, with his brow slightly furrowed, spoke in a low voice.
“That’s dangerous. You need to be careful.”
Gulp.
I unconsciously swallowed and thought.
The most dangerous thing here right now seems to be your insane beauty.
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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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