In This Life, I Will Be The Lord - Chapter 208

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

This Life, I Will Become the Clan Head Episode 208

A sharp silence that seemed ready to shatter filled the room.

Even before Lavinia’s increasingly cold expression, the Sersheu Marquis remained calm.

He even showed the leisure of picking up the teacup he had set down and sipping tea a few more times.

Though his large body filled the chair, his hands handling the teacup were quite delicate.

“What… do you mean by that?”

Lavinia’s voice trembled at the end.

It was anger.

Her face, which had been smiling beautifully like a smooth porcelain mask, was cracking with fury.

“Just as I said.”

The Sersheu Marquis answered, crossing one leg and slowly placing his clasped hands on his knee.

They were the hands of a knight, scarred from many battles.

“The deadline for the funds that Sersheu lent to Angenas has ended. So if you cannot return that money immediately, we must take possession of the collateral.”

“Listen here, Sersheu Marquis!”

Finally, a loud shout burst from the Empress.

The smile she had been wearing as a facade crumbled completely.

“To demand the money back immediately! Don’t you know well that this is an unreasonable request?”

“Have I said something wrong, Your Majesty the Empress?”

Chanton Seosseou made a strange expression.

His twisted lips looked as if he was both very angry and smiling at the same time.

Seeing that face, Lavinia burst out even more furiously.

“Are you trying to make an enemy of me now?”

“That’s not it.”

“If that’s not it, then what? What do you expect me to do if you suddenly demand repayment of such a large sum at a time like this!”

“That’s exactly the point. It’s quite strange that you’ve been so at ease all this time after borrowing such a large sum.”

The Sersheu Marquis finally let out a scoffing laugh.

But his eyes were as dry as the surface of ice.

“You borrowed money, so now you should repay it. That’s all.”

Empress Lavinia glared at Chanton.

She was so angry that her shoulders heaved with each breath.

But she couldn’t just scream as her nature would have her do.

It was true that Angenas had borrowed money from Sersheu using their territory as collateral, and accordingly, the Sersheu Marquis held the sword handle.

After glaring at Chanton Seosseou for a long while, the Empress spoke.

“Not content with the Southern Region, you’re now coveting the Western lands too. Since you can’t represent both regions, the Western Region will still remain under Angenas’s jurisdiction.”

“I’m aware of that.”

“And yet you’re being greedy for land. Don’t you think your ambition is excessive?”

“That may be so.”

The Sersheu Marquis spoke leisurely, as if stretching.

“But of course, while I am greedy, could I match Angenas, who has seized others’ lands?”

“Sersheu Marquis!”

Her body trembled with the insult delivered to her face.

As she clenched her fists, her nails dug painfully into her palms.

However, thanks to that pain, Lavinia regained her reason.

She then took a deep breath and coldly assessed the situation.

“Sersheu Marquis.”

“Yes, please speak.”

“You’ll regret making an enemy of me.”

“As I mentioned before, Your Majesty the Empress. Sersheu is not trying to make an enemy of Angenas. We’re simply demanding payment of the excessively accumulated debt.”

“…Then I’ll try to arrange the repayment within this month. If that doesn’t work, I’ll hand over the land documents.”

Empress Lavinia made the proposal, swallowing all her pride.

But the Sersheu Marquis shook his head.

“I’m sorry. The truth is, the contract deadline has already passed by three days. Since I’ve already waited three days, I must receive the land documents here today.”

“Where is there such a law…!”

“Or would you like to request mediation from His Majesty?”

The Sersheu Marquis cut off the Empress’s words and asked.

It was a method sometimes used when conflicts between nobles escalated.

Like what happened long ago between Angenas and Brown.

Normally, it would be a proposal she’d welcome with open arms.

But Empress Lavinia’s complexion remained dark.

Emperor Yobanes was fickle.

In a situation where he was already displeased because of Astana, there was no telling what judgment he might make if she brought this problem to him.

He might even demand that Angenas cough up additional things along with the territory held as collateral.

Gritting her teeth, Empress Lavinia stood up and opened the safe.

Inside were documents for various Angenas territories’ rights.

Lavinia’s fingertips trembled as she took out the documents for the location specified in the contract.

However, when she returned to her seat with the land documents, her face had already grown cold.

Before handing over the documents, Empress Lavinia said:

“You said you wouldn’t make an enemy of me.”

“That’s correct.”

“Then attend tomorrow’s Nobility Council. And don’t breathe a word about today’s events. Don’t tell anyone.”

Now more than ever, it was important for Angenas to show a solid front.

“Hmm.”

The Sersheu Marquis, who seemed to ponder for a moment, soon nodded.

“I’ll do that.”

“Also, if you repay the borrowed amount, you’ll return the land documents.”

“That’s a bit difficult. I already have plans for the Western lands.”

“I’ll arrange the money soon, so you’d better shelve those plans.”

At the Empress’s scoffing words, the Sersheu Marquis smiled rarely.

And as he received the bundle of documents the Empress held out, he said:

“Then you’ll need to hurry, Your Majesty the Empress.”

* * *

The day of the Nobility Council dawned.

The carriage I was riding had already reached the place where the Nobility Council was being held.

Of course, it was the Lombardi family head’s carriage that Grandfather used to ride.

I ran my hand over the interior of the carriage, beautifully decorated with gold like the black silk dress I was wearing.

“I missed this ride quality.”

This stable feeling without shaking, where you could embroider inside the moving carriage!

It was fitting for the Lombardi family head’s carriage.

Of course, I had ridden this carriage in my previous life too.

But I had only ridden along as Grandfather’s secretary and assistant.

“Now it’s mine.”

It was for none other than me, Pirenthia Lombardi, the deputy family head.

As I was communing with the carriage for a moment, we had already arrived in front of the venue for the Nobility Council.

I patted the World Tree decoration on the carriage and whispered:

“Wait here for a bit, okay? I’ll finish my business quickly and come back.”

I wasn’t saying this for no reason.

This Nobility Council wouldn’t last very long.

I walked with leisurely, light steps.

As I entered the council chamber, countless gazes fixed upon me.

“What’s this, young lady?”

An elderly nobleman who had been talking with another noble near the door asked me.

He was someone from the Angenas side.

“Haven’t you come to the wrong place, young lady?”

“Is there perhaps a book club meeting somewhere around here?”

I could hear several people murmuring.

I slowly looked at them while displaying each person’s information above their faces.

That chubby person was someone who had been rejected when trying to bribe Father.

That ill-tempered looking person was someone competing with Shannet in the mining business.

And that short person was someone who had sent me teddy bears every year without fail since my eighth birthday.

There was hardly anyone in here who was completely unfamiliar to me.

Then, someone approached.

“Why, isn’t this the Lombardi young lady?”

It was a nobleman I had seen several times at banquets.

He was from a family that always stayed close to Grandfather or Biejie, trying to maintain friendly relations with Lombardi.

“Hello.”

I couldn’t remember his name, so I’ll skip it.

Instead, I smiled brightly and asked.

“This is the council chamber where the nobility council is held, correct?”

“That’s right, but…”

“Could you show me where Grandfather sits when he attends meetings?”

“You mean where the Lombardi Master sits?”

The nobleman tilted his head for a moment, then told me to follow him for now.

As I began walking, countless gazes moved along with me.

Curiosity, displeasure, wariness.

All sorts of things made the back of my head sting.

The thought that I probably wouldn’t have been able to enter the inner part of the meeting room if I weren’t a Lombardi gradually turned into certainty.

“The Lombardi Master hasn’t arrived yet.”

“Yes, I know.”

Grandfather is currently recuperating in bed.

“Ah, then you’ve come to meet the Lombardi Master?”

“No, it’s not that.”

The nobleman guiding me to the seat chattered incessantly.

Fortunately, Grandfather’s seat wasn’t too far from the entrance.

To the right of the chairman’s seat.

The most central seat in the front row.

It was a chair with nothing special about it except that it looked sturdy.

But I knew well what this seat meant in this place.

“Here it is. But as you can see, the Lombardi Master hasn’t arrived yet…”

Thud.

Ignoring the nobleman who was babbling again, I placed my bottom on the empty chair and sat down.

The Angenas faction on the opposite side was visible at a glance.

“What a prime spot.”

I couldn’t help but smile as I pictured Grandfather sitting in this seat, glaring at the nobles over there.

“What… are you doing right now?”

The nobleman who had guided me to the seat had his eyes wide with shock.

The reactions of the other people in the meeting room weren’t much different.

“Ahem. Lombardi young lady.”

Then I heard a polite voice calling me.

It was the chairman.

“Yes, Chairman Killian. It’s been a while. You came to my coming-of-age ceremony.”

“That’s… right.”

I could see complex emotions flashing across the chairman’s face.

My current appearance sitting in the meeting room overlapping with my appearance at the coming-of-age ceremony just a few years ago would make this situation even more incomprehensible.

“Ahem, Lombardi young lady. That seat belongs to your grandfather, the Lombardi Master. If you wish to observe the nobility council, please go to the back over there…”

“I came to participate, not to observe.”

“Participate…?”

“Yes, Chairman.”

The chairman stared at me in bewilderment.

The nobles who had been waiting to participate in the meeting began murmuring.

But to my ears, it only sounded like cheerful music.

“If you mean participate…”

He must have understood what I meant.

To the chairman who was asking again for confirmation, I spoke each word clearly and distinctly.

“Pirenthia Lombardi. Deputy Lord of the Lombardi Family.”

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————