In This Life, I Will Be The Lord - Chapter 175

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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 175

One month later.

Larane opened her eyes to the warm breeze gently caressing her face.

The first thing to greet her upon waking was the sound of Eastern folk songs drifting from afar.

A smile spread across Larane’s face at the familiar yet cheerful melody.

“Are you awake, Lombardi young lady?”

The gentle voice belonged to Tokia, a maid assigned by the Ruman family.

She was a kind person with dark skin and impressive ruby-colored eyes that sparkled like jewels, helping Larane adapt to this place greatly.

Larane spoke while drinking the cool water Tokia handed her.

“We agreed you’d call me by name comfortably, Tokia.”

“Ah, right. I’m sorry, Lady Larane.”

“Hehe, it’s fine. We’re still getting used to each other. And, it’s today, right?”

Larane asked with a face full of anticipation as she got up from bed.

“Yes, that’s right. Ah! Look, it’s coming in right now!”

At Tokia’s words pointing toward the wide-open terrace, Larane’s steps quickened even more.

“Ahh.”

Larane let out an exclamation without realizing it.

In the distance, a large ship was crossing the blue horizon.

It was Pellet Trading Company’s Eastern cruise ship.

The white sails as white as clouds and the magnificent, large hull sailing proudly across the sea made one’s heart race just watching it.

“It’s a sight that never gets old no matter how many times you see it.”

Before she knew it, Tokia had also come beside her to admire the view together.

“Since the port was built in Chesayu and Pellet Trading Company began serving as a bridge between Ruman territory and the capital, many changes have been happening in the East as well.”

“Pellet Trading Company…”

Larane thought of her cousin Tia.

On the night she was rescued from her confinement, she had also learned of Tia’s incredible secret.

Though she hadn’t received a detailed explanation, Larane intuitively realized that Pellet Trading Company belonged to Tia.

But she wasn’t as surprised as she thought she’d be.

‘Somehow, it seemed like Tia would have one or two secrets like that.’

Larane smiled as she thought of her cousin who was always so sharp and spirited that she seemed more like an older sister.

“Lady Larane looks truly beautiful when you smile so brightly like that.”

Tokia said with admiration.

“Do I… really?”

Larane touched her face, feeling bewildered.

Certainly, she had been smiling much more since coming to the Ruman family.

Her personality had also become much more lively than before.

“In a little while, the goods from the ship will be transported to the castle. Shall we prepare briefly and go watch, Lady Larane?”

At Tokia’s suggestion, Larane nodded with a smile.

A short while later, Larane arrived at the largest hall in Ruman Castle.

It was at the summons of Lord of Ruman, Avinox’s father.

“Greetings, Lord of Ruman.”

Larane greeted him carefully with a slightly nervous expression.

Since Avinox happened to be out inspecting the territory, this was the first time for Larane to face Lord of Ruman alone like this.

“Oh, you’ve come!”

However, Lord Indit Ruman welcomed her with such a bright demeanor that it made Larane’s worries seem pointless.

“There are lots of items that arrived for Lombardi young lady, so I called you. Would you like to take a look?”

Larane, who had been hoping there might be a letter from Tia since Pellet Trading Company’s ship had arrived, widened her eyes.

Because where Lord of Ruman was pointing, there really were many items stacked neatly, forming a small hill.

“Who on earth…”

As Larane carefully approached to examine the boxes, she discovered two letter envelopes in a small basket.

The red envelope was a letter from Tia.

[To Larane.

I’m truly happy to hear you held your engagement ceremony safely.

I’ll send engagement congratulation gifts in the name of Pellet Trading Company.

The wedding is in a year, right?

Please be sure to invite me.

I’ll write occasionally.

Once again, congratulations on your engagement.

From Tia.

P.S. If you need anything else, just tell the Pellet Trading Company branch in Ruman territory. I’ll send you anything.]

After finishing the letter, Larane carefully looked over the stacked boxes.

She could see that most of them were items bearing Pellet Trading Company’s tags.

“Ah, these are…”

And she quickly realized they were products she had enjoyed using when she was in Lombardy.

Perhaps she had been worried about homesickness.

Though it seemed casual on the surface, the thoughtful care came through clearly.

And the second letter was.

“G-Grandfather…?”

On the surface of an ordinary beige envelope, the sender’s name ‘Rulak Lombardi’ was written.

Larane’s fingertips trembled finely as she took out the letter paper.

The content wasn’t very long.

[Congratulations on your engagement, Larane.

Never forget that you are always a Lombardi.

From afar, Grandfather.]

“Ahh…”

Larane shed tears along with her smile.

Then she approached a large box stamped with Lombardi’s emblem.

The quick-witted Ruman family servants carefully opened the cover for her.

“This is…”

Inside the box was a white porcelain set with the World Tree, symbol of the Lombardi family, beautifully carved in gold.

Everything was perfectly complete – dozens of large and small plates and silverware that would be suitable for hosting a formal dinner for guests right away.

Lord of Ruman, who had quietly approached to check it, nodded his head.

“I’ve heard that since ancient times, it’s been the Empire’s custom to gift porcelain stamped with the family seal like this for marriages formally approved by the family head.”

Then, looking at the tremendous number of porcelain dishes, he chuckled.

“Truly Lombardi-like in scale.”

At the same time, he let out a small sigh as if he couldn’t help it.

The golden World Tree, sparkling even more brilliantly under the intense Eastern sunlight, seemed to be speaking to Lord of Ruman.

‘You’d better be prepared if you dare mistreat my granddaughter.’

Larane held Tia and Grandfather’s letters to her chest like that and shed happy tears for a long while.

* * *

At the same time, at the Lombardi estate.

Rulak Lombardi was in a meeting with Romasie Dillard, the head of the Lombardi Guild, and his daughter Shannet.

“The time has finally come.”

Rulak said with a delighted and somewhat mischievous smile.

“I thought my neck would fall off from waiting for this day for a whole month.”

“Father.”

Shannet shook her head but didn’t stop her father.

She had been quite looking forward to this day as well.

“Tell me once more, Romashie.”

“Yes, Family Head.”

Romasie Dillard cleared his throat once and recited the contents of the documents in his hand again.

“According to our investigation, Red Guild’s iron ore will be released to the market starting tomorrow. The amount Red Guild has spent so far to mine iron ore is…”

As Romashie’s report continued, Rulak’s smile deepened.

“Foolish.”

He couldn’t shake the thought that he had been overestimating Yobanes all this time.

“He still hasn’t fixed that habit of becoming blind to everything else once he starts coveting one thing. Tsk tsk.”

“He was particularly greedy even as a child.”

Shannet said, soothing her unpleasant mood with warm tea as she recalled Emperor Yobanes from their childhood.

“Are the preparations complete, Shannet?”

“Yes, just give the word.”

Over the past month, relations between the Imperial Palace and Lombardi had normalized in many ways.

At least on the surface.

The Lombardi Guild had resumed business in the Imperial Capital, and Lombardi Transportation had restarted their commissioned trade operations.

Emperor Yobanes must have been feeling at ease.

Meanwhile, Angenas, whose plans had all been ruined by Tia and the Second Prince’s engagement, was keeping quiet.

Even the Empress, who loved to make her presence known, had been staying away from banquets and keeping quiet lately.

“He must be relieved thinking everything has returned to normal.”

The Emperor had already poured considerable money into the mining operation.

It was more than half of Yobanes’ personal wealth that he had created through Red Guild, not Imperial assets.

But thanks to the stabilized market, iron ore was a good resource for making steady money, so he was probably complacently thinking he could quickly recover the mining costs.

Rulak chuckled.

Then he commanded Shannet and Romasie Dillard.

“Release the iron ore.”

“Yes.”

“Understood, Family Head.”

With Rulak’s single word, starting tomorrow, an enormous quantity of iron ore would flood the market.

Naturally, the value of iron ore would also drop.

“Make sure he doesn’t earn a single penny from iron ore.”

He intended to turn all the money poured into mining costs into Yobanes’ pure loss.

Of course, it was an enormous sum for Red Guild, but for Lombardi, it was negligible damage.

Moreover, since Lombardi Mining planned to diligently purchase the cheapened iron ore at the lowest prices, by the time the market stabilized again, even Red Guild’s iron ore would all belong to Lombardi.

Rulak finally said to Shannet.

“Make sure it reaches Yobanes’ ears loud and clear that it’s our Lombardi family flooding the market with iron ore, Shannet.”

This should be quite cheap tuition for an Emperor who dared to oppose Lombardi.

Rulak glared in the direction of the Imperial Palace.

* * *

“Oh right, I heard iron ore became dirt cheap?”

“Cough!”

At my words, Cleribane, who had been drinking water, coughed for a while before finally answering.

“Cough, yes… Lady Pirenthia.”

“Grandfather is really something. He doesn’t even mind spending my money to ruin someone else.”

“He’s always had a nature that can’t stand losing, hasn’t he?”

“That’s true.”

I shrugged my shoulders.

I actually like that aspect of Grandfather’s personality.

“Speaking of which, how’s the response to the new Eastern cruise promotion we started?”

“Very good.”

Violet answered with a very satisfied smile.

“Thanks to the cruise promotional event we started with the theme of ‘elopement’ as Lady Pirenthia suggested, cruise cabins for the next year are already sold out.”

“The East seems to have firmly established itself as a honeymoon destination for newlyweds.”

“At this rate, no one will travel to the West anymore, right?”

Violet nodded at my question.

“Western travel has almost no reservations except for some elderly nobles.”

“I’d choose the fresh and romantic East over the hot and stuffy West where there’s nothing to do but hot springs too. Right?”

The matter of Angenas’ long-delayed payment to Lombardi Construction is also approaching soon.

I wonder what Empress Lavinia is planning to do.

Will she try to borrow money from Seo-Seo-u again?

I returned to the estate with such thoughts.

Naturally humming a tune as well.

But as soon as I got out of the carriage, a very interesting scene caught my eye.

All the well-built Lombardi employees were busily moving something.

They were furniture like tables and chairs.

“Is someone moving?”

Just as I muttered that, a loud shout erupted from the direction of the entrance.

“What is the meaning of this! How dare you move luggage without my permission! Yohan! Butler Yohan!”

I could see Biejie with veins bulging in his neck, looking for Yohan, Lombardi’s head butler.

Sure enough.

Before his name could be called a few more times, Yohan appeared and informed Biejie with a very calm face.

“There were orders from the Family Head to move Lord Biejie and Lord Ceral’s quarters from the main building to the annex in the back, effective today.”

“What, what?”

Biejie’s face turned pale.

The annex was the space where guests stayed when they visited Lombardi.

In other words, it meant Biejie and Ceral were being treated as outsiders.

“I, I want to see Father! Where is he right now!”

“Do you think something will change by meeting me?”

Grandfather, who had come down to the entrance, said while indifferently watching the servants move the luggage.

“It wouldn’t be bad to finish all the business while we’re at it.”

Grandfather approached Biejie and pronounced his sentence.

“Effective today, I will strip you, Biejie, of all rights as a Lombardi. The monthly dignity maintenance allowance will also be suspended. Of course, you no longer need to report to the Lombardi Real Estate Management Office.”

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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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