In This Life, I Will Be The Lord - Chapter 18

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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 18

“That concludes today’s lesson.”

Cleribane said as he finished the class.

Even so, I was the only one who had been properly listening, but Cleribane didn’t seem to mind much.

“And there’s homework for today as well.”

“Haah…”

My cousins let out deep sighs upon hearing the word homework.

Kids hating homework is the same everywhere.

“Today’s assignment is relatively simple. Though of course, it’s not necessarily so.”

What kind of hot iced tea nonsense is that supposed to mean.

I looked at Cleribane, feeling my curiosity piqued.

“The homework is to think about the answer to this question: ‘What is the most valuable asset to a merchant?'”

“Obviously it’s money.”

Giliou answered immediately.

“Then that would be Master Giliou’s answer. Let’s discuss the homework more during the next lesson.”

Cleribane signaled that class was completely over as he cleaned the chalkboard.

I organized my seat where I had been sitting throughout the lesson and stood up.

Meylon, who was straightening his cushion following my lead, grumbled.

“I don’t understand how the teacher knows so much about commerce.”

I almost felt like laughing.

Others might not know, but I do.

I know just how legendary a person Cleribane Pellet is, and what a terrifyingly sharp intuition he possesses.

I nudged Meylon as I spoke.

“Of course! Teacher Cleribane is such a…!”

I was about to say ‘What kind of person he is!’ when I felt a piercing gaze on the back of my head and shut my mouth.

Cleribane never misses anything that happens in this classroom, and I should only know Cleribane as just a teacher.

“I’m really curious what kind of person he is? Hahaha…”

That was close.

I quickly changed the subject while rearranging a perfectly placed cushion, making Meylon tilt his head.

“Tia, you’re suddenly sweating. Are you sick?”

“Ah, sick my foot. This cushion is really pretty…”

I hastily made excuses and quickly changed the topic.

“But Belesack didn’t come today?”

Without the sound of his snoring, what a pleasant learning environment it was.

Today especially, the lesson content went into my ears so smoothly.

“Belesack went to a meeting with Father.”

A gentle voice answered for me.

“Hello, Larane.”

“Hello, Pirenthia.”

Pretty Larane was wearing a dress covered in pure white frills today as well.

We, who were originally very distant, had become acquaintances who occasionally had brief conversations and exchanged greetings while attending classes together.

But I was always the one to speak first, so this was the first time Larane had approached me like today.

“You know, Pirenthia.”

“Yeah, what?”

“Pirenthia… what color do you like?”

I was a bit flustered by the sudden question.

What color do I like.

I blinked a couple of times before answering.

“Red.”

“Ah, I see. Got it.”

As if that was really all she wanted, Larane turned around and left without any lingering after hearing my answer.

The twins approached me as I stood there dumbfounded.

“What’s wrong? What did Larane say?”

“She suddenly came over…”

“Suddenly came over?”

“And asked what color I like.”

I thought the twins would react with something like ‘Eh, what?’ or ‘What a trivial question.’

But the two of them widened their eyes and smiled brightly.

“Tia likes red!”

“Red, red…”

The twins’ reaction was strange too.

Meylon was delighted as if he had learned very valuable information, and Giliou kept muttering ‘red’ like someone trying not to forget.

Larane was strange and the twins were strange too.

No, the twins were always a bit strange kids, but today they were even stranger.

“I should go take a nap.”

I sighed and began finishing organizing the classroom.

* * *

In the Southern District of the Imperial Domain, there was a residential area where nobles’ townhouses were clustered together.

This place, commonly called ‘Noble Town,’ boasted a luxurious and beautiful appearance incomparable to other districts.

Among them, the Sedacuna Shopping District where high-end stores gathered was bustling with nobles and wealthy merchants today as well.

The restaurant ‘Victoria Place,’ which had been fully booked every day since its recent opening, refused other customers today to serve only one group of patrons.

That gathering was hosted once every season by Biejie Lombardi, the eldest son of the Lombardi clan head, and was very popular in high society.

“I heard the Lombardi Family and Angenas Family are starting a business together this time?”

“I heard that story too! I’m so excited!”

The first topic that came up when the nobles gathered today formed small groups was all the same.

The talk of high society these days was undoubtedly the cooperation between the two families.

Lombardi, called the nobles above nobles, and Angenas, which had already produced four empresses, joining hands to enter a business together.

Even though it hadn’t been properly announced yet, word of mouth was already spreading.

“I heard it’s a textile business. What could it be?”

“Wouldn’t they be buying and importing silk from some western region?”

“That could be it. Angenas is originally a family rooted in the west, and if it’s Lombardi’s merchant group, such long-distance trade would be possible.”

Among the people competing to make speculations, Biejie’s lips trembled as he struggled to maintain his smile.

It hadn’t been long since he returned to normal after losing sleep night after night from anger over Gallahan’s matter.

He consoled himself by thinking that he had just given Gallahan, who had never done anything until now, one business to handle.

However, seeing that business plan become a topic of conversation from other people’s mouths made his insides twist again.

“Biejie.”

There was a hand that touched Biejie’s stiff shoulders.

It was Ceral, Biejie’s wife.

“Other people are watching, dear.”

She spoke with a painted smile while whispering affectionate words, but Biejie snapped to attention at that sweet voice.

Sure enough, the other nobles who had been chattering about the textile business were glancing at Biejie sideways.

Those quick with rumors couldn’t not know that he was the one who initially promoted the cooperative business between Lombardi and Angenas.

Even while knowing how things had turned out, they were making a fuss talking about the textile business in front of Biejie.

This place was a battlefield.

Biejie quickly hid his expression with the glass in his hand.

The people who had been expecting Biejie, who usually liked to explode, to blow up couldn’t hide their disappointment when he regained his composure.

Their faces showed they had missed an interesting spectacle.

“Shall we get some fresh air for a moment?”

Ceral made Biejie get up from the table.

And with elegant steps, she headed toward a place where there were no people.

After confirming once more that there was no one around, Ceral spoke.

“Lord Gallahan should start earning his keep now, don’t you think?”

Ceral said while patting her husband’s shoulders.

“That’s right. And it’s just a business dealing with fabrics. How well could it possibly go.”

“Exactly. So don’t worry about it.”

Ceral understood Biejie’s anxiety.

Although he was Rulak’s eldest son, he was quite lacking, and she knew how to give very objective assessments of her husband.

So she spoke in an even warmer tone.

“Lord Gallahan is just the youngest who’s been unemployed until now. Look around you. In high society, Lombardy means your name.”

Though it wasn’t much, Biejie’s face brightened considerably as he looked around as his wife suggested.

These were words only Ceral could say, knowing what he was sensitive about and what he considered important.

“Belesack, come here.”

Ceral called to Belesack, who was tormenting butterflies in the distance.

“Which family’s children did you say you had to play with today?”

“Umm… The Maimberte and Beletiron families. But Mother.”

Belesack frowned and twisted his body as he spoke.

“But they’re really boring. Can’t I just play alone? That would be more fun.”

To Belesack, Maimberte’s second son and Beletiron’s third son were just cowards who didn’t know how to play properly.

“Belesack, what did I say was the most important thing for living like a noble?”

Belesack pouted as he recalled the words he’d heard so often during scoldings that his ears were sick of them.

“Connections. You said who you associate with is the most important thing.”

“That’s right, correct. So go and greet the Maimberte young master and the Beletiron young master. Don’t forget to smile as if you’re happy to see them. Understood?”

“Yes…”

Belesack eventually drooped his shoulders and walked away to pretend to be friendly as his mother ordered.

“You need to pull yourself together too. Lord Gallahan… won’t be busy for long anyway.”

Ceral didn’t think Gallahan, who was pursuing business for the first time, would achieve proper results.

So she planned to watch for an opportunity to speak to the Angenas family about starting a new business with Biejie.

A moment later, the couple returned to the table arm in arm affectionately.

Then, as if nothing had happened, they led the gathering with smiling faces.

* * *

“Hello, Grandfather!”

I entered the study and gave a deep bow.

“Pirenthia, you’re here. I had juice and cookies brought for you, so eat plenty.”

“Yes, Grandfather! Wow!”

Perfect timing since I was getting hungry.

I let out a childlike cheer and ran to the sofa in front of the table laden with food.

“Father, I’m here too.”

“I see.”

Goodness, Grandfather’s temperature difference is quite severe.

He smiled warmly when he saw me, but when Father greeted him, he returned to Grandfather’s characteristic stern expression.

I munched on cookies with the happiest expression in the world at getting to eat sweets, while listening to Grandfather and Father’s conversation.

“Since it’s a fabric we haven’t dealt with before, the order volume isn’t quite satisfactory.”

“How much have you produced in stock?”

“Enough to supply all the tailoring shops in the Sedacuna Shopping District immediately. We’re adjusting production little by little according to order status, but we can’t completely reduce the number of workers.”

“Then you wouldn’t have the capacity to produce if large orders came in.”

“Yes, so…”

Is it not going well?

Neither Father nor Grandfather looked very pleased.

I became anxious too.

This textile business needed to become Father’s solid stepping stone.

I focused on eavesdropping on their conversation, even suppressing the sound of crunching cookies.

“Have you consulted with Cleribane?”

Grandfather, who had been lost in thought while tapping the armrest of his chair, asked Father.

“I have consulted with him, but there doesn’t seem to be any particular breakthrough.”

“Then we have no choice but to wait and see.”

“Yes, Father.”

Though he seemed to be trying not to show it outwardly, Father looked like he was suffocating from worry and pressure.

I would probably feel the same way.

Even though it was Grandfather’s order, he had ended up taking on a business proposal that his older brother Biejie had brought in.

Moreover, the business proposal he became responsible for was a large-scale business involving the Imperial Court no less.

I sighed quietly.

“Let me see the fabric for a moment.”

“Here it is.”

At Grandfather’s words, Father held out a large piece of Koroi-wool fabric.

“It came out softer and lighter than expected. It’s easy to dye in various colors, and the breathability is good, so its utility should increase when summer comes.”

“But there are still several months left until summer.”

The problem seemed to be that there was no immediate outlet for selling the textiles currently being produced.

About a week remained before full-scale sales would begin.

It was time to establish trading partners who could stably receive deliveries.

Feeling frustrated, I put down my cookie and approached Father.

“Daddy! I want to see too! Me too!”

Father smiled as if he had no choice and gave me a piece of fabric the same size as what he’d given Grandfather.

“Wow…”

Father was right.

The Koroi-wool fabric was incomparably softer than fabric woven with Koroi alone.

The fabric’s thickness was slightly substantial, but it was so light that it barely felt like anything against the skin and wasn’t burdensome.

Touching it with my fingertips, I was convinced that it would have good absorbency along with breathability.

Moreover, perhaps because it contained wool, it had a subtle luster even without special dyeing that made it look luxurious.

“For now, it seems best to wait for reactions from the few tailoring shops in the Sedacuna Shopping District that we’ve arranged to supply.”

Father spoke as if he’d made up his mind.

“Since the product is good, there will surely be reactions if we wait.”

But Grandfather remained silent, still seeming to think of other methods.

I had the same thoughts as Grandfather.

Having made such a good product, just sitting back and waiting wasn’t the best approach.

If the problem was low recognition, it was important to spend some money to make it known to people.

Just being a collaboration between Lombardy and Angenas would generate some interest among nobles.

Father just needed a very small catalyst.

Something that didn’t need to be big, but was small and portable so it would naturally serve as advertisement.

‘What could there be.’

As I looked around, my eyes fell on the teacup placed in front of Father.

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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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