In This Life, I Will Be The Lord - Chapter 229

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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 229

After the council meeting ended.

Duiji Angenas and Idan Clus followed behind Empress Lavinia back to the Empress’ Quarters.

Thud.

The loud sound of Duiji’s legs giving out as he collapsed into a chair echoed noisily.

“It’s… over.”

Duiji muttered while clutching his head.

Not only had they lost Angenas’ estates, but they had ultimately been stripped of the Western Region representative position as well.

“We were completely played.”

Duiji’s head was still in a daze.

“Pellet Trading House, Pellet Trading House…”

Should he be angry, or should he be afraid?

He couldn’t even get a sense of it.

“The Lombardi acting clan head is the owner of Pellet Trading House… Ha, really.”

Even a hollow laugh of despair came out.

“Then from when Cleribane Pellet first came offering to lend money, no wait, from the Sercheu Marquis… No, that’s not it either.”

Duiji shook his head.

The reason they needed the Sercheu Marquis was because the Western Region development project had failed, and the reason that project failed was…

Duiji Angenas covered his mouth with both hands.

“Just where exactly did it start from…”

“Duiji.”

Empress Lavinia, standing with her hands gripping the back of the sofa, coldly called her younger brother.

“Shut up.”

The empress who had pitifully shed tears while grabbing the Emperor’s sleeve in the meeting room was nowhere to be seen.

Her complexion was deathly pale, but a fierce blue flame still remained in her eyes.

Lavinia clenched her fists, wanting to tear apart the mouth of Duiji who was spouting weak words with dead fish eyes.

Creak.

The leather of the chair made a chilling noise as it was scratched by Lavinia’s nails.

“Yobanes, that cowardly apostate bastard.”

It didn’t matter when that lowly Second Prince and Pirenthia Lombardi had started plotting together.

In the end, it was Yobanes who had stabbed Angenas in the back at the last moment.

From the day he became engaged to Lavinia, Yobanes had never once been a proper spouse.

He constantly weighed his options regarding Angenas while only filling his own belly, and lusted after new women.

Peres was the one bastard child among countless seeds of adultery that Lavinia had failed to handle and missed.

And that mistake was now strangling Lavinia.

“I should have killed him along with his mother when he was still in her womb.”

Lavinia muttered coldly.

“Even now, shouldn’t we try speaking well to him?”

“…What?”

“I mean the Second Prince. Even now, if we apologize well for what happened, he might leave us alone.”

Duiji spoke with vacant eyes.

“Or, if we call Pirenthia Lombardi and coax her well…”

Then he nodded as if quite pleased with his own thoughts.

“Do you think the Second Prince would leave Angenas alone even if you knelt and begged for three days and nights?”

“We won’t know until we try!”

Duiji stood up from his seat, shouting at Lavinia desperately.

“This is a decision I will make as the head of Angenas. Even if you try to stop me, sister, it’s useless…”

“Idan.”

“Yes, Empress.”

“Cut out Duiji’s tongue.”

The moment that command was given, Idan Clus approached Duiji with large strides without a moment’s hesitation.

“Si-sister! Empress!”

Duiji fled in terror.

However, being caught by Idan Clus’s strong hands and having his jaw forcibly pried open happened in an instant.

“Ugh, ughhh…!”

It was just as the revealed blue dagger was about to plunge into Duiji’s mouth.

“Give it here.”

Lavinia’s white hand appeared and snatched the sword from Idan Clus’s hand.

And she pointed it at Duiji’s eyes, which were filled with terror.

“The head of Angenas?”

Lavinia mocked with a faintly trembling voice.

“You, who have done nothing for the family except being born as a son, dare to, in front of me.”

“Si-sister…”

Duiji could only tremble and shed tears, completely bound by Idan Clus’s terrifying strength.

“As the head of Angenas, you would apologize to that lowly thing?”

Lavinia’s blue eyes flashed fiercely.

“Then I’ll have to tear your mouth so you can’t do such a thing.”

“Ugh, ughhhhh!”

The blade of the dagger sliced long across one corner of Duiji’s mouth.

Red blood gushed out from the torn gap.

“Ughh, ughhh.”

Duiji couldn’t even scream.

He could only tremble violently while clutching his torn mouth with both hands.

“Now you’re a bit quieter.”

Lavinia tossed the dagger next to Idan Clus.

The blood-soaked blade rolled carelessly on the floor.

“How far have I come to get here.”

Lavinia spoke while recalling the days when she had to endure all kinds of humiliation while appeasing Yobanes.

And the only way to overcome this situation flashed through her mind.

“Yes, this actually worked out well.”

A smile that made observers’ spines tingle bloomed on her red lips.

“I am the Empress of this Lambru Empire.”

The authority that the Second Prince and that adorable little girl had not yet taken away from her.

That still remained.

Lavinia called in one of the maids who had been waiting outside.

The maid’s face turned pale as she saw the scattered blood and the bleeding Angenas patriarch as soon as she entered.

“Did, did you call for me, Empress?”

“Go and bring Head Maid Otuwa.”

Unlike the terrible scene inside the room, Lavinia’s voice was extremely calm.

“Yes, I understand.”

The maid quickly answered and fled from the room as if escaping.

‘Head Maid Otuwa?’

Duiji, who had been focused only on stopping the bleeding from his wound while shuddering in terrible pain, opened his eyes wide.

Head Maid Otuwa was someone who served right beside the Emperor.

‘Surely not.’

And his eyes met with Lavinia’s, who had been looking at him.

“It seems you caught on this time.”

Lavinia threw a handkerchief to Duiji and smiled.

“You know what happens if His Majesty the Emperor passes away without a Crown Prince being appointed, don’t you, Duiji?”

“B-but sister…”

“That’s right. The authority to decide the next heir to the throne lies with me, the Empress.”

Gulp.

Duiji unconsciously swallowed his saliva.

The bitter taste of blood spread in his mouth, but he was too shocked to even notice it.

“If I cannot make my son the Crown Prince, then I simply need to place him on the throne.”

A moment later, Head Maid Otuwa stood before the Empress.

“Did you call for me, Your Majesty the Empress…”

Head Maid Otuwa spoke without being able to even look toward Duiji.

“Where is His Majesty right now, Head Maid Otuwa?”

“He has not yet returned from the falcon hunting grounds.”

“If he went hunting, he’ll be thirsty when he returns.”

The Empress placed a small bottle in front of Head Maid Otuwa.

Head Maid Otuwa bowed her head and squeezed her eyes shut.

This was not the first time the Empress had placed a ‘small glass bottle’ before her.

“What you gave me before… there’s still some left.”

“I told you to put it in diligently. You must have been lazy again.”

Empress Lavinia spoke in a tone as if scolding a child.

“That’s not it…”

“Take it. This is different from that one.”

At the Empress’s words, Head Maid Otuwa had no choice but to put the glass bottle in her bosom.

Her fingertips were trembling finely.

“It’s poison from a Titi spider. This time, pour the entire bottle in.”

Head Maid Otuwa knew well what those words meant.

From the moment she began adding small amounts of poison to the Emperor’s food by the Empress’s command, she had anticipated such a day would come.

“What will happen to my life?”

Head Maid Otuwa asked.

“What an interesting question.”

Then Empress Lavinia raised one corner of her mouth crookedly and said.

“Are you trying to make a deal with me?”

“I have no such insolent intention! I merely hoped that even if I put this poison in His Majesty’s wine, I could have my life guaranteed…!”

“Who was it that allowed you to rise to the position of head maid?”

Head Maid Otuwa closed her mouth.

Though she was called a maid, the fact that she, who came from a humble family and used to do menial work, had become the head maid serving the Emperor was certainly due to Empress Lavinia’s influence.

Toward the head maid who bit her lips and couldn’t say anything, Empress Lavinia said.

“Don’t forget that your blood relatives are still in Angenas.”

“…I understand.”

Head Maid Otuwa left only those words and returned to the Imperial Palace.

“Can we trust her?”

Idan Clus, who had been quietly watching, asked.

“What would you do if we can’t trust her?”

“I’ll follow her right now.”

He meant he would kill her to silence her.

“Idan, your loyalty is always pleasing, but we can trust her.”

Empress Lavinia said as she sat in a chair for the first time since entering the room.

“A maid who has been poisoning the Emperor’s wine with her own hands all this time – even if she were to report me now, what more could she face but death?”

Moreover, Head Maid Otuwa’s family was held hostage in the Angenas estate.

“The head maid cannot betray me.”

Having said that, Lavinia commanded Idan Clus.

“You return to the manor and prepare Angenas’s forces. And when I send a letter, bring them to the Imperial Palace.”

Empress Lavinia picked up another handkerchief and carefully wiped the blood from her hands as she spoke.

“When His Majesty passes away, who knows what dangerous acts some seditious forces might commit.”

“I shall obey your command, Your Majesty the Empress.”

Idan Clus answered solemnly.

However, Lavinia was not looking at him.

Her slightly frowning eyes were directed at the blood that had splattered on her dress.

Red bloodstains dotted the blue silk dress, looking as if they would never wash out.

* * *

The sun had set.

It was quite some time after the carriage carrying Emperor Yobanes had returned to the Imperial Palace.

Having discarded the bloodstained dress and changed into a new one, Lavinia sat alone.

As if time itself was passing her by, Lavinia didn’t move even a single eyelash.

How much time had passed like that?

“Your Majesty the Empress!”

Lavinia opened her downcast eyes straight at the urgent voice calling her.

“His Majesty! Emperor His Majesty has collapsed!”

“What do you mean!”

Lavinia shouted while taking one last look at herself in the mirror.

Along with the dress, she had also changed her jewelry to very small pieces.

An empress with lavish adornments beside a dead emperor would not look good.

“I-I don’t know either… The Imperial Palace just sent word… you should go see!”

“If this is a false rumor, I’ll have your head!”

The Empress shouted as she flung open the door.

Gone was her leisurely look in the mirror from moments before, leaving only a face shocked by the sudden news.

Lavinia clutched her dress hem and hurriedly made her way to the Imperial Palace.

The closer she got to the Emperor’s bedroom, the more the Empress smiled inwardly in triumph.

The chaotic atmosphere of the Imperial Palace was proof that everything had gone according to her plan.

But then.

“Have you arrived, Your Majesty the Empress?”

The court physician was coming out of the Emperor’s bedroom, wiping sweat.

Then he let out a sigh of relief and said.

“His Majesty the Emperor has safely overcome the crisis.”

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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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