In This Life, I Will Be The Lord - Chapter 151

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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 151

First-class administrator Thomson and second-class administrator Ryan were among the 12 administrators dispatched from the Imperial Palace to the Northern Region, and they were the personnel who remained by the Second Prince’s side without transferring to other territories.

When the dispatch was first decided, their colleagues pitied them, but currently the two men felt very satisfied with coming to the Northern Region.

The reason was just one thing – because of Second Prince Peres.

His work processing was so efficient and accurate that his brilliant career of academy valedictorian and early graduation seemed natural.

Moreover, there wasn’t a single mistake.

Watching such a sight from the side, Thomson and Ryan, who were administrators to their very bones, felt completely refreshed.

Peres was working at tremendous speed today as well, having risen before dawn.

“Next.”

“Your Highness, how about taking a brief rest?”

“Thomson.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“Is work leisurely enough to spare time for rest?”

“N-no, it is not.”

It was when Thomson, sweating nervously, was handing over the approval documents he was holding to Peres.

“Wait.”

Peres suddenly raised his head and checked the time before speaking.

“Time has already gotten this late. Let’s take a brief rest before going out to the site.”

This was unusual.

Peres never made time for rest as he had just said moments before.

“It’s time for a guest to arrive.”

As soon as Peres finished speaking, the sound of knocking on the door was heard.

“Your Highness, the head of Aivan requests an audience…”

“May I have a moment to speak with you.”

Before Ryan, who had quickly gone outside, could finish announcing the visitor’s arrival, the head of Aivan pushed halfway in and spoke with a stern face.

Instead of answering, Peres briefly nodded once.

Thomson and Ryan vacated their seats, leaving only the two men in the room.

“Please speak, head of Aivan.”

As soon as Peres gave permission, the head of Aivan spoke in a voice clearly filled with anger.

His attitude suggested he had endured as much as he could.

“Please stop your abuse of authority immediately, Your Highness.”

In contrast, Peres’s voice was extremely calm.

“Abuse of authority?”

“I’m referring to the act of ignoring me, the head of Aivan, and unilaterally distributing relief funds to the Northern Region’s lords.”

However, instead of answering, Peres tilted his head slightly.

Seeing this, the head of Aivan frowned.

“Are you now making excuses that you didn’t do such a thing?”

“No, I don’t quite understand the word ‘unilaterally.'”

“If not unilaterally, then what!”

The head of Aivan raised his voice and walked toward Peres’s desk.

“I clearly stated it! The Northern Region will not accept the Imperial Court’s relief funds, we will handle our own affairs ourselves! Nevertheless, didn’t Your Highness unilaterally distribute relief funds to the Northern Region’s lords!”

“Then you mean your thoughts about still not accepting the Imperial Court’s relief funds remain unchanged.”

“Of course.”

“Then… it can’t be helped.”

Peres nodded and put down the quill pen he was holding.

Then he slowly stood up.

No matter how sturdy a build the head of Aivan had for his age, he was no match for Peres.

Before long, the head of Aivan was below the eye level of the standing Peres.

“Jerome Aivan.”

When Peres called his full name in a low voice, the head of Aivan flinched slightly.

He was overwhelmed by the presence.

“I gave you an opportunity. As the head of the Aivan family representing the Northern Region and one who bears significant responsibility for this landslide, an opportunity to fulfill that duty.”

Peres took out a bundle of documents from his drawer.

“But I’m beginning to think you weren’t qualified to receive such an opportunity.”

The bundle of documents Peres threw made a dull thud as it fell in front of the head of Aivan.

“These are reports on where the lords first used the relief funds I sent them.”

The eyes of the head of Aivan trembled as he quickly scanned through the document contents.

“Food and medicine, and personnel needed for reconstruction work – all urgent items that should have been provided without delay. Yet those lords and their people had to wait without receiving timely help. Because of you, head of Aivan.”

Peres’s red eyes glowed vividly as he glared at the head of Aivan.

“Nevertheless, they waited. Believing Aivan’s promise to take responsibility. Even as farmland was buried by landslides and food supplies dwindled, even as injured people died from lack of medicine, they waited. Not knowing that Aivan lacked the ability to take responsibility for everyone.”

Peres came around the desk and stood before the head of Aivan.

“So I moved directly, and so I gave you an opportunity. An opportunity to take responsibility for the landslide as you had promised everyone. But it seems you’re hopeless.”

The eyes looking down at the head of Aivan now held contempt.

“Jerome Aivan, once this matter is concluded, I will recommend to His Majesty the stripping of your position as family head. Jerome Aivan no longer has the qualifications to represent the Northern Region.”

“You cannot…”

“Think again about who I am.”

The head of Aivan closed his mouth that had been about to object.

A prince who came under imperial command has the duty to report the process and results of his mission to the Emperor in detail.

If that happens, it’s highly likely that not just Jerome Aivan alone, but the entire Aivan family will be held responsible.

One wrong move and Aivan could lose its qualification as the Northern Region’s representative.

“You must make the right choice, head of Aivan. Whether to step down from the family head position as Jerome Aivan’s personal mistake, or to have the entire Aivan family held responsible.”

Peres spoke coldly.

That’s when it happened.

Rumble. Thud.

Along with the subtle sensation of the ground trembling, the sound of something large settling down was heard.

Both Peres and the head of Aivan’s heads turned toward where the sound came from.

“…A landslide?”

Peres quietly frowned at the ominous feeling that crept over him.

* * *

The reason Migente Aivan asked to meet me at the bridge reconstruction site was simple.

He wanted to show me directly that the bridge was being restored with Lombardi’s help.

Migente Aivan and I looked around the site where people carrying timber on their shoulders were busily coming and going, having our conversation.

“I received a letter from my brother last night and heard the full story. When everyone turned their backs on our Aivan, you were the first to extend a helping hand, my lady.”

Certainly, Migente Aivan’s expression had improved much overnight.

He was originally someone who treated not only Peres but also me and Avinox with appropriate courtesy, but his attitude toward me now carried even politeness.

“I will not forget this kindness, Lady Lombardi.”

“Please don’t mention it, Lord Aivan.”

Thinking that I had succeeded in making a good impression on the future head of Aivan made me feel great.

But I answered with a humble smile until the end.

“As I told Lord Ronchent, isn’t it natural to help each other during difficult times?”

Though it was quite a conventional thing to say, Migente Aivan seemed very moved.

“You’re absolutely right!”

And he spoke in his characteristically cheerful voice.

“If there’s ever anything I can do to help you later, my lady, I’ll help you countless times.”

Oh my, of course.

The head of Aivan and the head of Lombardi should help each other and live well.

When we had made one round of the vicinity like that, someone came to the site looking for Migente Aivan.

It seemed like someone sent by the head of Aivan.

“The head is urgently looking for Lord Migente. You should return to the manor immediately.”

“…I understand.”

The expression of the person delivering the message was not ordinary.

Migente Aivan seemed to sense this too, as his complexion hardened similarly.

“Please go ahead. I’ll look around the site a bit more before leaving.”

“Yes, then I’ll see you at the manor.”

After that, I had conversations with the technicians from Lombardi Construction at the site.

It was to confirm if there was anything more needed for safe work.

After finishing those discussions, I also got into the carriage.

The cloudy sky was darkening faster than usual.

The bridge reconstruction site wasn’t very far from Aivan Castle.

It was just a distance of passing through a few passes carved from the winding slopes of the mountain.

Inside the swaying carriage, I had only one thought.

I need to hurry back to my room and take a warm bath.

Even though I walked carefully, my feet soaked in mud are terribly cold.

“Whoa, whoa-.”

But then I felt the carriage that had been running steadily begin to slow down.

“What’s the matter?”

“There’s an Aivan family carriage ahead with what looks like a stuck wheel. What should we do?”

The coachman asked me.

Somehow I felt like laughing.

I wonder why Migente Aivan keeps getting into situations where he owes me favors.

I opened the carriage door myself and looked outside.

At a point where only one more pass remained to Aivan Castle, I could see Migente Aivan and his coachman having a troubled conversation.

“Lord Aivan, are you alright?”

“Ah, Lady Lombardi. There are no injuries, but the carriage has broken down, haha. It seems it will take some time to fix.”

“I heard earlier that you need to return to the manor urgently. If it’s alright with you, how about riding together in my carriage?”

“Then I’ll shamelessly accept your help again, my lady.”

This isn’t free, you know.

I’m going to put it all on the ledger under the Aivan head’s name.

The carriage carrying Migente Aivan and me began moving again.

“Thank you so much, my lady. It’s rare for him to summon me so urgently. I really wonder what it could be about….”

Though he said that, Migente Aivan had a face that roughly understood what it might be about.

Now it was about time for rumors to spread about Peres distributing relief funds to the lords, and he had helped make that possible.

He must be even more anxious about the Aivan head’s urgent summons.

Then, we heard the coachman exclaim “Oh my!” from outside, and the carriage shook greatly with a thud.

“I’m sorry! The road is slippery!”

“It’s fine. It’s been raining since dawn without stopping, so the road is very slippery….”

I couldn’t finish my sentence.

Right, it rained all day yesterday and it’s been raining since dawn today too.

My heart began beating anxiously.

I hurriedly opened the carriage window to check outside.

Fortunately, the mountain was quiet.

No, it was excessively quiet.

As if all the mountain animals had already escaped from the mountain.

“Please speed up a bit. We need to return to the castle quickly….”

At that moment, I witnessed it.

The road the carriage was traveling on was collapsing from that point ahead.

It was like watching a crumbling sandcastle.

Rumble.

Soon, with a sound like the mountain stretching, the slope beside the road began sliding down.

“Uh, uhh!”

No matter how experienced the coachman was, what could he do when the road was collapsing?

In that brief moment, I made eye contact with Migente Aivan, who hadn’t yet grasped the situation.

I quickly closed the window and pulled Migente Aivan down to the deepest part between the carriage seats.

Crash-!

A tremendous impact struck the carriage.

And heavy darkness engulfed us.

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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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