In This Life, I Will Be The Lord - Chapter 210

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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 210

Lombardy Estate.

Rulak, who had gulped down the medicine Estira handed him in one go, quickly popped a candy into his mouth.

“Very sweet, so sweet.”

Normally, Rulak would have grimaced and frowned, complaining about the bitter medicine.

“You seem to be in a good mood today, Master.”

Estira asked, tilting her head curiously.

“Has your physical condition improved significantly?”

“Ah, that’s part of it.”

Rulak smiled mischievously.

Then he checked the time and said.

“The nobility council must be starting about now.”

And he rolled the candy around in his mouth once.

“Hehe.”

Eventually, a somewhat frivolous laugh escaped from Rulak.

“…Master?”

“Hahaha! Tia suddenly appeared in my place, so how flustered must they be!”

Rulak held his belly and laughed.

“What a shame I can’t see those faces, such a shame! Uhahahaha!”

Rulak’s loud laughter continued for quite a while.

Estira, who was watching him from the side and shaking her head, said quietly.

“I wonder if Lady Pirenthia will be alright.”

“Hmm?”

Rulak stopped laughing and looked at Estira.

“What wouldn’t be alright, Dr. Estira?”

“Well… she’s still young, and for a woman to attend the nobility council as acting clan head…”

“It’s not just any child, it’s Tia, Tia. You worry about everything.”

“I suppose…”

“Of course, at first they’ll try to break Tia’s spirit.”

Rulak’s laughter, which had stopped, began again.

“Hehe. They’ll get a rude awakening. And I’ll be dying of envy.”

“Dying of envy?”

“How many of them do you think have proper heirs in their positions? They’re all people wracking their brains over their stupid children. How envious would I be seeing our Tia, don’t you think?”

Rulak stretched greatly and tossed another candy into his mouth.

“Yes. They’ll be envious, so envious. Hehe.”

Rulak hummed a tune while imagining the faces of the nobles filling the council chamber and Tia’s capable and sharp-witted appearance.

His feet, stretched out while leaning against the bed, swayed to the cheerful melody.

* * *

“The first and only agenda item for today’s meeting is ‘Restoration of the Brown Family’s Noble Authority.'”

Chairman Killian said, looking left, right, and toward the gallery.

“This is an agenda item directly referred to the nobility council by His Majesty, along with the message that ‘the judgment will be left entirely to the results of the nobility council.'”

That cunning Yobanes.

To push off the decision of such an important matter onto others.

For an emperor, all he does is line his own pockets that aren’t disclosed to the nobles.

“Since this concerns the Brown family, we’ll give the party involved an opportunity to state their opinion.”

Chairman Killian said.

“Gillard Brown, come forward.”

While pointing to the low platform prepared in the center between the widely spread seats.

Soon, Lord Brown, who had been sitting in the gallery, slowly walked out.

He didn’t look as intimidated as when I first saw him, but signs of nervousness were still evident.

However, despite being nervous, Lord Brown’s attitude was dignified.

Especially while walking out, he looked straight at the Angenas Patriarch.

And standing on the platform, he showed the courage to even look toward where the Empress was sitting.

He didn’t even try to hide his empty right sleeve that swayed with his steps.

‘This is what your family did to us.’

It seemed as if he was saying that.

“I am Gillard Brown, head of the Brown family. I first express my gratitude to Chairman Killian for giving me the opportunity to speak.”

I thought a terribly trembling voice would come out.

Unexpectedly, Lord Brown’s voice was calm.

He seemed like someone who had dreamed of this day dozens, hundreds of times.

“Our Brown family lived as a sword protecting the Imperial family for over ten generations, until we were trampled by ruffians about 40 years ago.”

Ruffians. It was a term referring to Angenas.

“Although our rights as nobles were temporarily taken away, we have lived while maintaining Brown’s pride, our self-respect as one of the oldest and most deeply rooted families in the Empire.”

Lord Brown’s kind eyes met mine.

“I, Gillard, head of the Brown family, plead with my fellow nobles in this place. Please help the Brown family contribute once again to the great Lambru Empire as nobles of the Empire and as the sword of the Imperial family. I beg you.”

It was a good speech.

It was neither too subservient nor arrogant.

It was dignified as befitting a family that was once one of the pillars supporting the Empire, yet humble as one asking for help.

The nobles in the council chamber seemed to think so too, as the rigidly stiff atmosphere had softened considerably.

“Now, are there any families that second this agenda item?”

Chairman Killian asked the nobles.

Anyone could freely propose agenda items, but for them to be properly discussed in the nobility council, at least five nobles had to agree.

“…”

A low silence flowed through the council chamber.

They were watching each other’s reactions.

Watching the reactions of Peres and Empress Lavinia, both sitting in the gallery.

Requesting the restoration of the Brown family was directly opposing the Empress’s faction.

So no one easily seconded the agenda item.

Their busy minds weighing options were obvious.

Is the Crown Prince really finished like this?

If so, would they no longer need to worry about Angenas and the Empress?

Someone had given the Crown Prince medicine, wasn’t there room for consideration?

And most decisively.

‘Which side should I align with, the Crown Prince or the Second Prince?’

Just seeing people agonize like this showed that Angenas’s power was still alive.

Angenas had built tremendous power by pushing out the Brown family and becoming a great lord of the west, as the Empress’s family.

But that too ends today.

“The Lombardy family seconds it.”

My voice echoed through the wide council chamber.

Instantly, all eyes focused on me.

And a few seconds later.

“We second it.”

“Our Bullin family also seconds it.”

“We will second it.”

From the side where I was sitting, seconding declarations eventually followed in succession.

“Ahem. Since the families seconding far exceed five, we will adopt ‘Restoration of the Brown Family’ as an official agenda item. From now on, you may freely express your opinions on this agenda item.”

As soon as Chairman Killian finished speaking, Duiji Angenas rose from his seat.

“The Angenas family believes this agenda item itself makes no sense.”

The Angenas Patriarch looked at Lord Brown with blue eyes that resembled Empress Lavinia.

“According to Imperial Noble Law, one must possess estates to maintain noble rights. Even if it’s just a manor the size of a palm.”

I knew that argument would come up.

There weren’t many points Angenas could raise to block the Brown family’s restoration.

Duiji Angenas continued speaking.

“Because it is our duty as nobles to protect the estate residents who have taken root in the land granted by His Imperial Majesty and to collect taxes.”

The people around Angenas nodded in unison.

“Furthermore, the statute clearly states: ‘If a family loses their estates and more than 20 years pass, that family shall be demoted to ‘fallen nobility.’ After becoming fallen nobility, if they continue without estates for another 20 years, they may be removed from the Noble Registry through proper procedures in the Nobility Council.'”

That’s why just a few years ago, led by the Angenas family, the Brown family completely disappeared from the Noble Registry.

It was exactly the 40th year.

“This is a strict standard that distinguishes between nobles, fallen nobles, and clans that have become commoners—no one present here can deny this.”

Oh, he speaks well.

Despite supposedly coming in after drinking, the Angenas Patriarch spoke loudly without showing much nervousness.

For a moment, even I almost thought ‘Is that so?’

The atmosphere inside the council chamber subtly changed.

I slightly turned my head to check the gallery.

Lord Brown’s complexion had hardened.

And the Empress.

‘What’s the point of saying it.’

Quite beautiful, but quite unlikeable—a triumphant smile was slowly spreading across her face.

“But what is the current situation of the Brown clan?”

Finally, Duiji Angenas pointed his finger at Lord Brown and spoke loudly.

No, perhaps he wanted to point at Peres sitting beside him.

“For the past 40-odd years they’ve had no estates, and their name disappeared from the Noble Registry long ago! How can such a clan now claim the right to enjoy noble privileges again!”

Then, perhaps carried away by his own excitement, he even slammed down on the armrest in front of his seat with a ‘bang!’

“Exactly!”

“Well said!”

The nobles of the Angenas faction raised their voices together as if they’d been waiting.

The quiet council chamber became a marketplace floor in an instant.

“Moreover, what about the noble taxes they haven’t paid a single coin for the past 40-odd years! Every family here pays enormous taxes to the Imperial Court annually!”

“By rough calculation, it’s 4,000 gold, 4,000 gold!”

“I say, Gillard Brown! Since you have a mouth, speak for yourself!”

Having seized the opportunity, Angenas pushed aggressively as if to uproot them completely.

“Hmm. That’s correct. Such statutes do exist.”

Chairman Killian muttered this while glancing at me.

Though the Killian family was pro-Lombardi by nature, as chairman he had to maintain neutrality.

But when I remained seated quietly, disappointment appeared on the chairman’s face.

He clearly thought I wasn’t fulfilling my role as Lombardi’s acting family head.

“Hah.”

Duiji Angenas was openly sneering at me.

While whispering something with the nobles sitting around him.

I turned my head to look at the Empress.

The Empress was no different.

She was just maintaining a faint smile to preserve her dignity.

Her inner thoughts of ‘That’s what I thought, someone like you’ were clearly visible.

Looking at that face, I slowly opened my mouth.

“The Brown family’s overdue noble taxes are exactly 4,320 gold.”

The council chamber gradually grew quiet.

“Adding a bit more as a donation to make it 5,000 gold, Lombardi will pay it.”

Long ago, the Lira Mine I bought cost 2,050 gold.

5,000 gold was an enormous amount for any noble family.

‘But not for Lombardi.’

5,000 gold?

Even if ten times that amount disappeared, it wouldn’t make a dent in Lombardi’s finances.

“Now, only the matter of estates remains, doesn’t it, Angenas Patriarch?”

I asked Duiji Angenas with a gradually forming smile.

“Th-that’s right!”

“Then the Brown family’s restoration shouldn’t be a big problem.”

“Nonsense!”

Duiji Angenas snorted loudly.

Uncle, you’ll get snot if you keep doing that.

“What, are you planning to give them one of Lombardi’s estates?”

His words are a bit short?

I’m sitting here as Lombardi’s acting family head.

Yet he uses such a tone.

It was utterly rude.

Sure enough, people from the Lombardi faction pointed accusingly.

“I say!”

“Where did you sell your manners!”

“When you seized the Brown family’s land, did you sell your conscience along with it!”

I smiled at the nobles who were angry on my behalf to show it was okay, then spoke to Duiji again.

“That’s quite a good idea.”

“Wh-what did you say…”

Duiji Angenas flinched greatly.

His face showed he was startled that I might immediately give away some corner estate of Lombardi right here.

“But that won’t be necessary, Angenas Patriarch.”

“Then are you saying land will just fall from the sky!”

Whatever Duiji Angenas was shouting about.

I completely ignored him.

And looked at Chanton Seosseou, who had been sitting in silence.

“Isn’t that right, Sercheu Marquis?”

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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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