In This Life, I Will Be The Lord - Chapter 150
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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 150
The next morning.
Avinox had a terrible hangover, and I left the manor early in the morning to meet with Violet again.
Walking along the road where light rain was drizzling, we arrived in front of the dilapidated castle wall.
“Here? This is where the imperial administrators are distributing food to the people?”
“Yes, over there.”
Looking in the direction Violet pointed, I could see people lined up in a long queue in front of a small tent.
Each of them held a small pouch in their hands.
“It’s not just Aivan. Administrators have been dispatched to directly distribute food to all the residents of territories affected by the landslide. And…”
“And what?”
“It seems relief funds have been distributed to the lords as well.”
“Relief funds?”
“Yes, didn’t I tell you yesterday that Jonic Estate brought in workers from outside and started reconstruction work? But when I looked into it more, it wasn’t just Jonic Estate.”
Violet glanced around and spoke in a low voice.
“Other territories are also simultaneously spending money to hire workers and buy timber from neighboring territories. As if someone had given them all large sums of money at the same time. And the only person capable of such a thing is…”
“Only Peres.”
Aivan, who stepped forward saying they would handle it themselves, is broke and has no money for such things.
And suddenly, a scene I saw yesterday came to mind.
The image of Migente Aivan going aside with Peres after the banquet and having a quiet conversation.
“There must have been someone helping from the inside.”
“I think so too. Otherwise, it would have been difficult to accurately assess which territories suffered how much damage.”
“Hmm.”
I watched the people receiving food for a moment and then said.
“Peres did well.”
It’s not that I don’t understand the Aivan family head’s feelings.
When things turned out this way because of the Imperial Court, especially the Empress, he wouldn’t want to accept their money for reconstruction too.
But if he truly felt responsible, he should have swallowed that much pride.
“Because it was the territory residents who were really suffering due to the Aivan family head’s stubbornness.”
“But won’t this incident create conflict between His Highness the Crown Prince and the Aivan family head?”
Violet asked worriedly.
“It will happen. Probably will. Tremendously so. But what can the Aivan family head do about it?”
I shrugged and said.
“Just accepting the tantrum the Aivan family head threw about not taking money in the first place was already Peres doing his duty.”
“That may be true, but… doesn’t His Highness the Crown Prince need the Northern Region’s votes too?”
Violet spoke in an even more cautious tone.
“That’s right. Considering the Crown Prince appointment voting rights held by each region’s representative families, Peres should try his best to look good to the Northern family heads.”
“Then why…”
“How long do you think the Aivan family head will hold out, Violet?”
“Ah… I see.”
Violet nodded.
“What’s important is who will be the head of Aivan when Peres’s Crown Prince appointment approaches, isn’t it?”
In my previous life, the Aivan family head’s chronic illness worsened and he couldn’t even finish the Northern reconstruction.
And the person who succeeded him as the Aivan family head was.
“It’s the second son, Migente Aivan, the next generation Aivan family head.”
One side caused the landslide, and the other rebuilt the collapsed North, so it might be natural.
“So that’s why you’re going to meet Migente Aivan today?”
Violet asked with wide eyes.
“There are exactly two reasons I came to the North, Violet.”
I showed Violet two fingers.
“One is to successfully help the Northern reconstruction by connecting Lombardi and Pellet Trading Company well. Fortunately, the Aivan family head accepted the timber prepared by the Lombardi family with gratitude on the spot, so unlike Peres, my work is going smoothly.”
I folded the remaining finger.
“The other was to build a relationship with the next generation Aivan family head in advance.”
“Ah, as expected of Lady Pirenthia…”
Violet said with sparkling eyes.
Somehow Violet’s reactions seem to be increasingly resembling Cleribane’s.
“Since it was Migente Aivan’s side that suggested meeting at the bridge reconstruction site today, it seems I’ve achieved all my reasons for coming to the North?”
“Yes, Lady Pirenthia!”
Violet and I looked at each other and smiled.
While Violet went to prepare a carriage for me, I was looking around the collapsed castle wall area a bit more.
Thud.
“Waaah!”
When I turned around, a young girl had fallen and was crying.
She seemed to have tripped over the debris from the castle wall.
I approached and helped the child up, saying.
“Up you go, get up. Crying will make it hurt more, so bravely brush it off.”
“Sniff. Brush brush…”
The child, even with tears welling up, got up and brushed off her clothes as I instructed.
“Oh my, it’s torn.”
The child’s knee was fortunately fine, but the clothes she was wearing were torn instead.
“Liji, are you okay!”
A woman who appeared to be her guardian came running late and checked on the child.
“Oh dear, your clothes are torn. I’ll sew it up for you later.”
“Mm-hmm. Okay, Sister Ramona.”
“…Ramona?”
I muttered without realizing it.
When her name was called, the woman looked up.
With that movement, her long, fine red hair flowed softly.
It was that woman.
As soon as I realized this, my stomach churned uncomfortably.
Ramona stood up with a kind smile and said.
“I’m sorry. Did your clothes get dirty or anything because of Liji?”
“No… nothing like that happened.”
“These are children whose homes were buried or whose families were injured in the landslide, and I’m watching them while their parents are at the reconstruction site, so I’m still inexperienced. I apologize for causing trouble to someone of high standing.”
She’s completely kind!
She’s such a good person that I feel sorry for feeling bad about her!
Well, where would that kind blood and genes go.
“You’re doing… good work.”
“I’m just doing what I can. Work isn’t that busy these days either… Oh, I’m Ramona, working at Monak Guild.”
Ramona spoke as if she just remembered, then looked around and sighed softly.
“Sigh, if I had been a bit more capable, I could have protected the children in better circumstances…”
Even her muttering to herself is kind.
There’s no way to hate or feel uncomfortable about this.
I even felt somewhat deflated.
Because Ramona was a truly good person without any pretense.
At the same time, a strange feeling of “I don’t want to lose to that woman either” quietly raised its head.
With a peculiar impulse, I suddenly extended my hand and said.
“Nice to meet you, I’m Pirenthia Lombardi.”
“Lo, Lombardi….”
Ramona was so surprised that she even stuttered.
From her clothing and the atmosphere she exuded, she had guessed that she was high nobility, but to think that this person before her eyes was ‘that’ Pirenthia Lombardi.
These days, there was no one in Aivan who didn’t know her.
She was the representative of the Lombardi family who came to save the Northern Region, and the only daughter of Gallahan Lombardi who owned the Gallahan Clothing Store.
And she was Lord Peres’s childhood friend.
It was when Ramona couldn’t erase the dazed expression from her face.
“Are the relief supplies not being distributed sufficiently to the children? Earlier you said you had to mend clothes….”
“Ah…. The children here have each received one set of clothes. And we also received additional fabric to make clothes, but….”
For children whose homes, and perhaps even families, were buried under that pile of dirt, there was no way they could have an environment where they could make clothes with fabric.
“Which official handled the work like this?”
“Pardon?”
Pirenthia, who had been muttering incomprehensible words, asked Ramona.
“You said earlier that you work for Monak Guild, right? Doesn’t Monak Guild have the means to help these children?”
At Pirenthia’s rather direct question, Ramona felt a bit offended and answered defensively.
“I, I’m also using my own money to buy food for the children….”
“No, not you Miss Ramona, but Monak Guild. They should have that much to spare.”
“The guild’s profits are scheduled to be used for bigger matters.”
“Bigger matters….”
Pirenthia looked at Ramona with strange eyes.
She wasn’t exactly angry, nor was she glaring, but somehow under that gaze, Ramona felt incredibly small.
“Ask the guild master… once. He’s not the type of person who would be stingy with such money.”
“Do you know our guild master?”
Was Uncle Nosier acquainted with this person?
Ramona tilted her head.
“Ah, well…. A little. From my business presentation before.”
“I see….”
“Ahem. Well then, I should go, I have business to attend to. You’re working hard doing good deeds.”
“It was an honor to meet you, Lady Pirenthia.”
Ramona bowed politely.
It was the etiquette a commoner showed to nobility.
“Hmm.”
Pirenthia paused for a moment, stared at that sight, then said.
“See you again, Young Lady.”
“Yes, Lady Pirenthia.”
Ramona, who had been bowing without thinking, suddenly flinched.
“…Did you misspeak?”
When she said that and raised her head, she could see Pirenthia getting into a carriage in the distance and Violet from Pellet Trading Company standing guard beside her.
Violet was affectionately adjusting Pirenthia’s clothes, and Pirenthia seemed to be giving some instructions to Violet.
The sight looked like a servant and a high-born young lady, making Ramona open her mouth slightly.
To her, Violet was an unintentional competitor, but at the same time, she was a powerful figure who moved Pellet Trading Company.
“She really is an amazing person….”
Ramona felt like sighing somehow.
Well, since she was such a person, she must have been His Highness the Crown Prince’s childhood friend.
As Ramona was trying to calm her somewhat disturbed heart, Violet approached her.
“Miss Ramona?”
“Vi, Lady Violet?”
Violet, who was so wonderful that even another woman could see it, was smiling kindly at Ramona.
“There’s a building owned by our Pellet Trading Company nearby. I think the children could play a bit more safely there, what do you think?”
“Really? Thank you, Lady Violet!”
“Wait here for just a moment.”
A little later, Ramona immediately gathered the children and went to the place Violet led them to.
“Wow….”
The large two-story building appeared to be an unused building.
But it was neatly organized and warm with sunlight streaming in well through the large windows.
“Wow, this is exciting!”
“It’s not cold at all!”
The children were excited, giggling and running around.
“For now, if you stay here, I’ll bring comfortable chairs and soft blankets. And….”
When Violet gestured, several people carrying large bundles came in, put something down, and left.
“What is this, Lady Violet?”
“Children’s clothes. Ready-made clothes from Gallahan Clothing Store that can be worn immediately.”
“Ah….”
Ramona was surprised and covered her mouth with both hands.
“The children will be so happy!”
Tears had already welled up in Ramona’s eyes.
“Thank you! Thank you, Lady Violet!”
Ramona kept bowing repeatedly.
Violet, who smiled softly while watching her, shook her head and said.
“This isn’t something I’m giving, Miss Ramona.”
“Then….”
“Young Lady Pirenthia Lombardi said she wanted to help Miss Ramona who was doing good work, and asked me to prepare these things before leaving.”
“Both this building and those clothes?”
“Yes, Lady Pirenthia is the one and only disciple of Lord Cleribane Pellet, who owns Pellet Trading Company. Of course, she’s also the sole heir of Gallahan Clothing Store.”
“I, I see….”
Ramona alternately looked at the interior of the building where children were playing and the mountain of clothes piled up on one side.
A person who could make all of this possible with just a word.
That was the power of the person called Pirenthia Lombardi.
As Ramona was thinking that, Violet said with a smile.
“It seems Miss Ramona left a good impression on Lady Pirenthia. That’s not an easy thing to do, how amazing.”
Violet gave sincere praise, but Ramona’s expression wasn’t very bright.
‘This kind of person is His Highness the Crown Prince’s childhood friend….’
Dark clouds had somehow gathered heavily in Ramona’s heart, which had been as clear as a bright sky just moments before.
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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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