In This Life, I Will Be The Lord - Chapter 21

—————
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 21

The manor was noisy from early morning.

The servants were moving busily from earlier than usual, and looking out the window, dozens of carriages that guests had arrived in were parked along the straight avenue connecting from the main gate to the main building.

As I was blankly staring at the scenery outside the window, someone called me.

“Lady Pirenthia.”

It was Cleribane, dressed in a particularly fine navy tunic today.

“Just now, Lady Larane said that the most valuable asset for a merchant is ‘trustworthy business partners.'”

“Ah.”

I had forgotten for a moment.

I was in the middle of receiving lessons right now.

Making me take lessons even on a day like today without exception – it was truly Cleribane’s way.

“What do you think?”

Seeing me staring at him blankly, Cleribane asked again.

What do I think about what.

“I think that’s correct.”

Trustworthy business partners are a lifeline for merchants.

And since it wasn’t something that could be easily obtained, it was certainly an important asset.

“Then do you also agree with Lady Larane’s opinion, Lady Pirenthia? That the most valuable asset for a merchant is trustworthy business partners?”

“Hmm. That’s not quite it. The answer I’ve been thinking about is similar but a little different.”

“Since it’s Lady Pirenthia’s turn, would you please tell us your answer to the assignment.”

I scratched my cheek, feeling embarrassed.

There’s no set answer to this kind of question.

Each person just has different values.

“I think the most valuable asset for a merchant is ‘people.'”

It might be a clichéd answer, but I believe this is correct.

“In the end, all work is done by people. Any important decision, any difficult choice – people make them all.”

I felt this anew while watching Father work this time.

Originally, the Coroi textile business was what would have failed miserably and dealt quite a big blow to Lombardy.

Of course, for Lombardy, that level of loss was something that could be quickly recovered, but there was a bigger damage elsewhere.

It was the trust of people who had bought the unfamiliar Coroi textiles believing in the name of the Lombardi Guild.

Grandfather compensated for all the losses from the unsold textiles under Lombardy’s name, which caused even greater damage to the family.

But this time, I intervened.

However, since I’m not an expert in textiles either, I changed just one thing.

I changed the person in charge of leading the business from Biejie to Father.

With just one change, tremendous changes occurred.

“And the more money a merchant makes, the more they can’t do everything alone. Then wouldn’t people you can trust and delegate to become more precious?”

Actually, it wasn’t just commerce.

The positions of emperor and clan head were the same.

The emperor creates the Academy even by borrowing money he doesn’t have, and marries imperial family members to influential nobles.

It’s all to create absolute allies.

The reason Grandfather is passionate about collecting talent is the same.

Moreover, Grandfather doesn’t stop at bringing excellent talents to Lombardy – he even operates a scholarship program that teaches promising people and creates talent.

All these investments are ultimately to obtain ‘people.’

So I was planning to walk a similar path.

However, the difference between Grandfather and me was in probability.

The probability that invested talents wouldn’t fulfill their roles, and the probability that they wouldn’t become Lombardy’s people.

Since the scholarship program wasn’t a slave contract, there were quite many people who worked for other families instead of Lombardy after finishing their studies.

Grandfather doesn’t say much about it, but it must sting quite a bit each time.

But I’m different.

The people I’ll build relationships with and invest in from now on are people who will have tremendous success in the future.

Moreover, since I know exactly what they want and what they need, when the time comes, they’ll become my people.

Not Lombardy’s people, not the Second Prince’s people, but my people.

The faces of people I would recruit in the future came to mind.

It was only regrettable that my range of action was still limited, so I couldn’t approach all of them yet.

I sighed inwardly and asked while looking at the first person I would make mine.

“What do you think, Teacher Cleribane?”

The commercial genius who created one of the Empire’s leading guilds starting from nothing in just a few years, Cleribane Pellet – there’s no way I’d let him rot right in front of me and get stolen by someone else.

I showed him a cute and clever child’s smile, which was a kind of recruitment appeal.

“…That’s a good thought.”

“Hehe. Thank you.”

Show me someone who can resist loving a child who’s smart and cute, well-mannered and even charming.

“Ahem.”

As expected.

The right corner of Cleribane’s mouth kept twitching as he covered his mouth with his fist and cleared his throat.

Cleribane, who had turned toward the chalkboard as if to focus on the lesson again, suddenly dusted off his hands and said.

“Well then, shall we stop here for today? Given what day it is, let’s end early.”

“Wow! It’s over!”

“Freedom!”

Giliou and Meylon jumped up from their seats and cheered.

Aren’t you guys a bit too happy about this.

But for some reason, Cleribane also organized his books without saying much.

“Then I’ll see you at the banquet hall in a moment.”

As soon as Cleribane finished speaking, the twins grabbed my arms from both sides and dragged me.

“Tia, let’s go! Let’s hurry!”

“I’m hungry! Let’s go quickly before all the delicious food is gone!”

As if food would run out at an event hosted by the Lombardi Family.

But the hungry 10-year-olds were like snorting bulls.

I told them both to whoa- calm down.

“The food won’t come out until I, the main character, arrive, you know?”

“Oh, is that so? Then we need to go even faster!”

“Right! Let’s go eat all the delicious food!”

“Oh my.”

I ended up being dragged by the two and started half-running.

As I began to get a little out of breath, my heart pounded and I felt increasingly happy.

Running through the corridors of Lombardy Estate, which felt even more massive because I was a child, I couldn’t help but laugh.

Meylon and Giliou shouted loudly to me.

“Happy birthday, Tia!”

That’s right.

Today is my eighth birthday.

* * *

Eleanor Hall, which is used when holding banquets at the manor, was bustling with people.

The band was already playing cheerful music, and the delicious smell of food being prepared diligently in the kitchen stimulated the sense of smell.

From the carpets laid on the floor and curtains hanging long from the windows to the centerpieces placed on each table.

There wasn’t a single item that wasn’t of the highest quality.

Among the people who attended my birthday party, those who had come to a Lombardi Family banquet for the first time were obvious.

It was because they couldn’t take their eyes off the splendid paintings and sculptures that filled the high hall ceiling.

As I entered the banquet hall with the twins and looked around briefly like someone who had come here for the first time, I unconsciously muttered.

“As expected, the Lombardi Family is the best…”

What other family in this world could host such a grand and magnificent banquet?

And all for an eight-year-old child at that.

My eighth birthday party in my previous life was extremely ordinary.

During the day, I played excitedly with Father, and in the evening, I had dinner with the rest of the family.

When I returned to my room, I found a few birthday presents waiting for me.

Of course, those gifts were much more expensive than what other families would give, but it passed by quietly in that manner anyway.

“Wahaha, this is exciting!”

“There are even clowns over there!”

Perhaps because this was a child’s birthday party rather than a typical banquet, I could see many children from other noble families, and just as the twins said, there were clowns to entertain the little ones.

“But why did so many people come?”

All these people couldn’t have come purely to celebrate my birthday.

Even though many people would want to participate in a banquet hosted by Lombardy, this wasn’t important enough for the lazy nobles to drag along even their young children.

As I was looking around the banquet hall trying to figure out the reason, someone tapped me on the shoulder.

“Tia, happy birthday.”

“Larane.”

Larane had even curled her hair beautifully, making her look even prettier today.

“The family is over there in front. Let’s go.”

Eleven-year-old Larane took my hand and started walking toward the direction she had just pointed to.

“We’re coming too!”

The twins, who had been frantically eating the fruit provided while waiting for the banquet to begin, quickly followed behind me.

But it didn’t look easy for four children to push through this bustling crowd of people to get all the way to the front.

“Huh?”

But something strange happened.

The people who had seemed completely absorbed in laughing and chatting among themselves began moving like the parting of the sea to clear a path as soon as we started moving.

In the end, everyone had been conscious of us all along.

Unlike me, who was a bit surprised, Larane and the twins seemed accustomed to this kind of situation.

Because Father rarely engages in external activities, I had almost never participated in banquets where nobles gathered.

But my other cousins were different.

They often attended such banquets following their parents.

Just like Belesack had done last time.

Walking forward while receiving everyone’s focused attention, I could see the Lombardi Family members just as Larane had said.

Shannet, Biejie, and even Lorels’s family were all gathered in one place.

Looking at them like this, they’re all quite impressive.

Whatever their inner thoughts, seeing the Lombardi people gathered together from this distance was certainly worthy of other nobles’ admiration.

Should I say there’s an indescribable aura that can be felt?

“Pirenthia, come here.”

And Grandfather, who was at the center of it all, spotted me and spoke with a smile.

Larane let go of my hand first, and I ran toward Grandfather with a bright smile.

“How is it? Do you like your birthday banquet?”

Should I be honest about this or not?

But since I’m a good granddaughter, I chose my words carefully.

“I was so surprised. I didn’t know so many people would come to my birthday banquet, Grandfather.”

“Hehe…”

Grandfather laughed and patted my head as he spoke.

“This grandfather invited some acquaintances. I told them to come and celebrate our Pirenthia’s birthday.”

“Wow, really!”

“Pirenthia is still young so you might not understand yet, but among adults, sometimes who came to celebrate is much more important than the joyful occasion itself.”

Why wouldn’t I understand, Grandfather?

I looked at the people filling the banquet hall with new eyes.

They’re definitely mostly high-ranking nobles with great influence.

The status of the people who came here meant my and Lombardy’s social standing.

“And also, as many people as this grandfather invited are guests of your father as well.”

Removing the parts that had been softened for a young child, many of these people were those who wanted to establish connections with Father.

I heard Father’s textile business was a huge success, so this must be the aftermath.

“But where is Dad, Grandfather?”

At my question, Grandfather looked slightly flustered before answering.

“Well… his work is running a bit late. He said he’d stop by the textile workshop and come right over, so he’ll be here soon.”

“Yes, I understand.”

Father’s business flourishing is a hundred times better than this kind of birthday party.

Grandfather smiled at me and then lifted the glass that had been placed in front of him.

The bustling banquet hall mysteriously became quiet.

“Now then, since the birthday star has arrived, let’s begin the banquet…”

It was when Grandfather was trying to draw everyone’s attention and announce the start of the banquet.

The banquet hall doors, which had been closed after I entered, opened and someone came in.

At first I thought it might be Father, but it wasn’t Father who was walking proudly across the carpet while receiving everyone’s attention.

“What the…”

I muttered in confusion.

As if he was very accustomed to having hundreds of eyes fixed on him, he slowly walked up to me and greeted me first.

“Hello, Pirenthia.”

Grandfather had said that who came to celebrate was more important than the joyful occasion itself.

I wanted to ask Grandfather.

Excuse me, Grandfather.

Then what happens when the Crown Prince, who wasn’t even invited, shows up as a guest?

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