In This Life, I Will Be The Lord - Chapter 157

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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 157

After the accident, I had to recuperate at Aivan for about another week to recover my strength.

I thought I might have to spend winter in Aivan where it snows heavily.

But thanks to Grandfather, who heard the news and sent a specially modified carriage to Aivan so I could travel lying down comfortably, I was able to return safely to Lombardy.

Several months passed after returning from Aivan to Lombardy.

While I was regaining my strength and returning to daily life, winter passed and spring came.

In other words, it was the beginning of the social season.

And as if she had been waiting, the Empress opened the new season with a splendid and grand banquet.

She invited everyone who wielded considerable power in the Empire and high society, including myself.

I took a wine glass from a passing servant.

“Both the alcohol and food are all of the highest quality.”

Even for an imperial banquet, they usually don’t go this far.

It showed how much attention the Empress had paid to this banquet.

Nominally, it was just ‘the first banquet of the season hosted by the Empress,’ but the purpose was obvious.

“She’s probably trying to promote tourism to the Western Region that’s been developed to some extent.”

Then she could just honestly promote it.

The fact that she still insists on the hollow title of ‘Imperial Banquet’ shows what the Empress thinks about ‘the act of making money.’

“She’s truly remarkable in many ways.”

Half of that is sincere.

The Empress had gradually pushed forward the development of the Western Region despite various adverse conditions.

Even when Triva wood, the main timber needed for construction, was severely lacking, the few that came to market were demanded at exorbitant prices by the Monark trading post, emptying her coffers, and relations with the Northern Region had soured.

Moreover, Angenas even sold their land due to fines for taking responsibility for the landslide.

But the Empress managed to develop the Western Region.

Enough to start a tourism business.

I took a sip of wine and looked at the people standing at the center of the banquet.

“It’s all thanks to Lombardi’s efforts.”

The Empress spoke in a slightly loud voice as if for those watching her to hear.

“Hahaha, it’s imperial business, so naturally I had to help!”

Biejie laughed even louder with a grin stretching from ear to ear.

“Of course, I haven’t forgotten Sercheu’s help either.”

“You flatter me, Empress.”

When the Empress looked across from Biejie and spoke, a somewhat unfamiliar-looking person slightly raised his glass and replied.

“That person is Chanton Seosseou.”

He was exactly as rumored.

They said he was originally the captain of the imperial knights.

Even from a distance, his aura felt quite different from other nobles.

With his shortly cropped hair for easy maintenance, sharp eyes, and sturdy build that felt ‘large,’ he seemed more like an active knight than the head of a family.

I wasn’t the only one who thought so, as even now people couldn’t easily approach the Sercheu Marquis, as if there was an invisible protective barrier around him.

“In the Imperial Capital, only Grandfather and Peres have that level of intimidating presence.”

“You mean me?”

“Ah, you startled me!”

At the sudden voice from my right, I stepped half a step to the side.

Seeing my reaction, Peres smiled with his eyes half-closed.

“Make some noise when you move around, Peres.”

“I wanted to startle you a little.”

When he says it so honestly like that, I can’t even get properly angry.

“Hello, Tia.”

“…Hello.”

Since the kissing incident at Aivan, I had been keeping my distance from Peres.

But as he had declared war, he didn’t care about such things and kept approaching me.

Of course, only in private settings.

Even now, seeing me bristle and show wariness, Peres stood with his hands behind his back, not coming any closer.

Though his eyes looking at me were still full of subtle amusement.

What made it even more frustrating was that my heart kept racing at Peres’s behavior.

I narrowed my eyes and glared at Peres.

“Again, that expression again!”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Somehow he’s becoming more cunning by the day, which is worrying.

After glaring at Peres’s face once more, I pointed with my chin toward the Empress, Biejie, and the Sercheu Marquis and asked.

“What do you think about that alliance?”

“Well.”

Though he spoke casually, Peres’s eyes looking at the Empress had already sharpened.

I lowered my voice even more and said.

“I heard that combination has been raising the popularity of the Empress and Crown Prince lately. Biejie too, as a bonus.”

People still don’t know well that Lombardi construction hasn’t been properly paid yet.

So in their eyes, the alliance between Lombardy and Angenas looked quite solid, which was causing this situation.

Moreover, Biejie had been openly bragging about investing his personal money in the Empress’s Western Region project.

Not knowing that he was foolishly putting his own foot into the trap I had beautifully laid out.

“What about you, Tia? Since Biejie Lombardi has played a part in the Western Region development project, isn’t your position becoming difficult?”

What does he take me for right now.

“Do you know how much money the courier business I made successful is bringing to the family now.”

Lombardi Courier had established itself very successfully and was steadily earning cash.

Clang Debon was screaming with joy at the courier business that was growing day by day.

In short, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that Lombardi Courier and the Lombardi Guild, whose sales had soared along with it, were making up for the money Biejie had poured into the Western Region project.

Lombardi Courier was already becoming a solid pillar supporting the family.

“The courier business hasn’t lost its effectiveness yet, it’s fine.”

I also have something loaded and ready to fire next.

I spoke leisurely and took another sip of wine.

But then, I made eye contact with the Sercheu Marquis who had been looking at me from afar.

It was such an intense gaze that I couldn’t just pretend not to notice and brush it off.

“…He’s coming this way?”

The Sercheu Marquis was slowly walking toward Peres and me.

Naturally, many people’s gazes followed the Sercheu Marquis toward us.

I quickly moved another step to the side to widen the distance from Peres.

The Sercheu Marquis who approached with heavy steps first greeted Peres in a deep voice.

“Greetings, Second Prince. It’s been a long time.”

It was an ordinary greeting.

Since he was originally the captain of the imperial knights, it wasn’t strange that he was already acquainted with Peres.

However, the problem was the Sercheu Marquis’s attitude.

He was too confident and strangely irritating for someone addressing a prince.

There was nothing specifically wrong with etiquette, but it was clearly intentional.

“…It has been a long time. Sercheu Marquis.”

Peres answered in a stiff voice, looking straight at the Sercheu Marquis.

And at that moment, I began to feel as if the surrounding temperature had suddenly dropped several degrees.

The reason was Peres and the Sercheu Marquis standing face to face.

It was a battle of auras between Peres, an Aura Master, and Chanton Seosseou, the former imperial knight captain.

I looked around.

The nobles were murmuring.

Not a few people were watching Peres and the Sercheu Marquis with curious eyes.

I could already see that once today’s banquet ended, this incident would be the talk of aristocratic circles, causing quite a stir.

And I checked on the Empress.

“Hoot.”

The Empress was laughing triumphantly, watching Chanton Seosseou engage in a battle of wills with Peres with great satisfaction.

From this single action alone, I could clearly tell that the Sercheu Marquis’s stock had risen significantly in the Empress’s mind.

Just by approaching and greeting him in front of everyone, Chanton Seosseou had successfully planted the firm impression that he was someone who opposed Peres.

I quietly smiled to myself while watching Peres and Chanton Seosseou still engaged in their tense battle of wills.

‘Peres, you really are clever.’

I quietly slipped away from where everyone’s attention was focused and moved toward the leisurely second floor staircase.

“Hello, teacher.”

“You’ve arrived, Lady Pirenthia.”

As promised beforehand, Cleribane was waiting for me there.

Cleribane politely escorted me and we became an ordinary teacher and student strolling through the banquet hall.

Then the few nobles who had initially been watching us soon lost interest and returned to their own conversations.

After confirming this, I asked in a low voice.

“What are people saying?”

Cleribane had attended today’s banquet, conversing with many people and gathering various bits of information.

“Your guess was correct, Lady Pirenthia. Instead of the hard-to-obtain Triva wood, they used timber available from Sersheu’s southern forests to construct the building.”

“Then Angenas must owe Sersheu quite a debt.”

“This matches Beit’s information as well. The place where Angenas sold their western territory to pay the fine was the Sersheu family.”

“So Angenas is completely bound to Sersheu financially.”

To my question, Cleribane nodded with a smile to a passing noble and answered.

“They probably have the naive idea that they can repay it with money earned from the western tourism business.”

“Are the nobles showing interest in western tourism?”

“Most are favorable. After all, nobles have plenty of money and nothing to do. They welcome anything that can relieve their boredom.”

I looked at Cleribane and stopped walking.

Then I smiled wickedly and said.

“It seems like it’s about time now, don’t you think?”

Cleribane also smiled somewhat wickedly and replied.

“Yes, Lady Pirenthia.”

Cleribane, who had been directly pushing this matter forward, looked like he could barely contain his excitement.

I probably had a similar expression on my face.

Leaning against the second floor railing and looking down, I could see all the nobles crowded together on the first floor at a glance.

Those people looked like fish trapped in my fishing ground.

Very, very wealthy fish.

I nodded to Cleribane and said.

“Shall we start moving in earnest then, teacher?”

It was the final okay signal.

* * *

After attending the Empress’s banquet.

I also began to take action.

The first step was to summon Avinox to the Lombardi estate.

With the Lord of Ruman having returned to the eastern region, Avinox was officially serving as the deputy lord of Ruman.

However, formally it was merely an ordinary social invitation.

That’s why I chose the appointment time to be from morning into lunch, a leisurely time perfect for sharing tea together.

I had finished all preparations and was sitting in my drawing room, organizing in my mind the things I would ask Avinox today.

Knock knock.

Along with the knocking sound, I heard the annex butler’s voice.

“Lord Abinox Ruman has arrived, Young Lady.”

“Please come in.”

I said this and stood up from my seat to greet Avinox.

The door opened and Avinox walked in.

But then.

“Hello, Lady Pirenthia.”

Wow, so dazzling!

I almost covered my eyes with both hands without realizing it.

Every time I saw Avinox, I thought he was ‘like the sun’ because of his bright platinum blonde hair, mysterious eye color, and characteristic bright personality.

But today Avinox was shining even more brightly.

“Thank you for inviting me.”

I saw it.

The halo around perfectly groomed Avinox that you only see around celebrities.

And at the same time I realized.

That Avinox couldn’t have dressed up from head to toe like this for me.

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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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