In This Life, I Will Be The Lord - Chapter 159

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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 159

I was surprised.

Yes, to be honest, I did think of Peres for a moment when I saw Larane and Abinox earlier.

But it was really just for a brief moment.

“Tia?”

When I stopped approaching and just stood still, Peres walked toward me.

After quietly studying my expression for a moment, he smiled slightly and asked.

“By any chance, were you just thinking about me?”

“N-no, I wasn’t!”

I’m doomed.

I denied it too loudly.

When did this guy, who used to be expressionless like a doll, learn to read people’s minds so well!

Peres widened his eyes slightly at my strong denial, then smiled again with his eyes curving gently.

“Why, why did you come?”

At my question, Peres held up the cake box in his hand and answered.

“I was on my way somewhere and thought of you, Tia.”

“You always tend to associate me with sweet food, Peres. Of course, I do like sweet food, but…”

As I was speaking, I suddenly became curious.

“But where are you going that you’d pass by the Lombardi estate?”

“To meet a classmate I was close with at the Academy.”

As far as I know, the person he was closest to at the Academy was Lignite Ruman, Abinox’s younger brother.

That means he’s on his way to the Monark trading post.

The Monark trading post’s branch is in the Imperial Capital.

Near the Imperial Palace, no less.

I narrowed my eyes and asked again.

“Are you really sure you were just passing by?”

When I asked pointedly, Peres just smiled with his lips pressed tightly together.

That’s the face he makes when he can’t bring himself to lie to me.

“Well, you must have something that’s awkward to tell others about too.”

I said with a shrug.

“Thank you, I’ll enjoy it.”

The cake box I received from Peres was quite heavy.

“Your hands are so big.”

There’s no way I can eat all this alone.

I pointed to the closed door and asked Peres.

“Want to have some tea before you go? With the cake.”

“…Is that okay?”

Peres raised his eyebrows as if surprised.

“What’s with that reaction, Peres?”

“Because I came without making an appointment first.”

It seemed to be because of what I had said long ago about being busy and asking him to contact me first before coming.

I sighed softly and gestured for him to come in as I opened the door.

“…Did you have a guest?”

Peres asked, looking at the tea set for two people still remaining on the table.

“Abinox Ruman came and left.”

“Abinox? Why?”

“It turns out the person Abinox is seeing is Larane. It’s a secret from others.”

Actually, I had called him to discuss the eastern business and happened to find out about it.

I left out the important parts when I told him.

“Ah…”

Peres nodded quickly as if surprised.

I selected appropriate tea leaves and brewed tea again.

“As expected, desserts from Caramel Avenue are the best.”

Taking a generous spoonful of sweet custard cream seemed to relieve my fatigue.

Peres also took a bite of the same cake I was eating and nodded in agreement.

Like that, we sat side by side and devoured the cakes one after another.

In the end, only one small cream pie was left forlornly on the plate.

I’m embarrassed that I complained about him buying so much.

As I was patting my stomach contentedly, Peres said.

“Tia, you have something on your mouth.”

“Oh, really?”

At those words, I looked around.

But I couldn’t see anything to wipe my mouth with.

I was thinking about wiping it roughly with my sleeve.

“I’ll wipe it for you.”

Peres reached out and brushed my lips with his finger.

It was such a natural and casual action that I missed the timing to stop him.

I was so surprised that I stared at Peres blankly.

I could feel Peres’s finger slowly touching my lips.

At that moment, what happened in Aivan flashed through my mind like a fire igniting.

That incident on the bed.

Obviously, my face must have turned bright red too.

When a woman has cream on her lips, wiping it away with a finger is common.

At least that’s how it was in books and shows about romance.

Right. It’s such a common scene that sometimes it’s even cheesy.

But my heart, facing Peres right now, was beating excessively fast.

The lips that Peres’s finger had brushed were hot as if burned, and I couldn’t take my eyes off Peres’s mouth as he licked the cream he had taken.

He must have noticed it too.

Judging by the slight smile hanging on his red lips.

“Ugh.”

I picked up the fork I had put down and stabbed at the remaining dessert repeatedly.

I could hear Peres chuckling softly beside me, but I focused only on the cake.

Of course, this time being careful not to get anything on my mouth.

* * *

Gallahan visited the Pellet Trading Company after a long time.

Although he still had some travel fatigue since he hadn’t been back from Chesayu for long, Gallahan’s face was overflowing with vitality.

It was because he had such good things ahead of him.

Arriving in front of Cleribane’s study, Gallahan knocked without hesitation.

“Please come in.”

As if he had been waiting, Cleribane’s voice was heard immediately.

“Lord Cleribane.”

“You’ve come.”

Cleribane offered Gallahan a seat with a smiling face and said.

“You look to be in a good mood.”

“Won’t the port be opening soon? The work we’ve been busily preparing since last year will soon become reality. My heart is pounding so much I can’t sleep.”

Gallahan’s green eyes sparkled.

Cleribane smiled slightly seeing Gallahan like that.

“…Then let’s go over the plan one last time.”

For quite a while, Cleribane and Gallahan put their heads together and reviewed the documents.

Finally confirming that all preparations were complete, Gallahan nodded with a satisfied expression and said.

“I never could have accomplished something like this on my own without the Pellet Trading Company. Even though I’m called the lord of Chesayu, well, you need to know something first. Thank you so much, Lord Cleribane.”

“In exchange for providing the investment funds, our Pellet Trading Company’s ships won’t have to pay docking fees at Chesayu port from now on. And since we’ll be sharing the port’s profits, it’s not something that deserves such gratitude, Lord Gallahan.”

“Haha, is that so.”

Gallahan smiled sheepishly as he carefully gathered the documents.

Watching him, Cleribane took off his glasses and set them down as he spoke.

“But sitting face to face and talking like this after so long does bring back old memories.”

“Old memories, you mean….”

Gallahan tilted his head, then clapped his hands with a ‘clap’ and asked.

“Ah, are you perhaps referring to when I came to ask about the ready-made clothing business?”

“Yes, that’s right. Back then you had trouble even having a proper conversation with me, but seeing how skilled you are now really makes me feel how much time has passed.”

Cleribane said with a small smile.

Perhaps thinking that smile was mocking him, Gallahan’s face turned slightly red.

“Back then I was scared of you, Lord Cleribane, so I couldn’t help it.”

Gallahan chuckled as if remembering that time and shook his head back and forth.

“…How about now.”

Cleribane asked in a low voice.

“Now there’s no reason to be scared. I know very well now how kind and gentle you are, Lord Cleribane.”

“I am… you say?”

“Yes, you take very good care of the people around you, don’t you, Lord Cleribane.”

Gallahan answered cheerfully.

“This port business is the same. When I was worried about Chesayu’s affairs, didn’t you readily extend your hand to help?”

“I didn’t do such a good deed….”

“I know. That it’s also a good business opportunity for the Pellet Trading Company.”

Gallahan said while looking directly at Cleribane.

“But while proceeding with this matter, I also know very well how much the Pellet Trading Company accommodated our Chesayu’s convenience. If it had truly been done only for profit, you wouldn’t have done so.”

“….”

Cleribane gave no answer.

Watching Cleribane sitting there with his mouth firmly shut, Gallahan smiled loosely and said.

“Thanks to this, the people of Chesayu will be able to live much better lives. A large commercial district will develop around the port, and now that there’s work besides farming, the territory’s people won’t have to starve during bad harvest years. It’s all thanks to the Pellet Trading Company.”

Gallahan bowed his head briefly.

It was a greeting filled with gratitude.

Cleribane, who had been silently watching this scene, somehow fidgeted with his slightly reddened earlobes and said quietly.

“…I’m glad if it was helpful.”

* * *

After leaving the Lombardi estate, Peres returned to the Imperial Capital.

As Tia had noticed, saying it was “on the way” had been a lie.

On his way to the Monak Guild, he saw Caramel Avenue and thought of Tia, so he bought cake and wanted to deliver it to her.

Of course, Caramel Avenue also provided delivery service, but Peres pretended not to know that.

Since he had already bought it, he thought he had to deliver the cake to Tia.

Because of that, the meeting was delayed, but Peres’s priorities were clear, so it didn’t matter much.

Lignite and Nosier, who had been waiting, greeted Peres.

“How is the Southern Region business going?”

“It’s proceeding without any setbacks. Perhaps because of the know-how gained from logging Triva trees in the Northern Region, it’s much easier too.”

“The payments?”

“Likewise being processed immediately. It’s the Seosseou Family, after all. Settlement is being done swiftly.”

At Nosier’s satisfactory report, Peres slowly nodded.

However, not everything was going smoothly.

“The investigation into the Pellet Trading Company yielded no significant results. There’s really nothing to find out.”

Lignite said, shaking his body as if fed up.

“Except for being frighteningly bold and having accurate judgment, Cleribane Pellet is clean.”

Though he said that, Lignite also felt something was off.

Merchants usually get their hands as dirty as the money they earn.

But Cleribane Pellet was not like that.

Nevertheless, the Pellet Trading Company was thriving more each day.

Rather, that point rang alarm bells in Lignite’s mind.

“How does every business he touches succeed like that? I heard he’s started another venture this time too.”

“The Pellet Trading Company?”

“The port being built in Chesayu received investment from the Pellet Trading Company. It seems they’re planning to distribute goods to the Eastern Region through there.”

“To the Eastern Region?”

“The roads are rough, but there’s no market as good as the Eastern Region. Goods coming from the center can practically name their price. The Pellet Trading Company will make enormous money.”

Even after hearing this, Peres had nothing particular to say.

“Peres?”

He called to Peres who was deep in thought, but there was still no answer.

“Eastern Region…. Avinox….”

Peres only muttered words whose meaning was unclear.

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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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