In This Life, I Will Be The Lord - Chapter 230
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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 230
The Lombardi carriage carrying Grandfather and me raced swiftly toward the Imperial Palace.
Though we were heading there after hearing news that the Emperor was critically ill, Grandfather didn’t seem particularly urgent.
“Today has been quite a long day.”
He was relaxed enough to say such things while comforting me, who must be tired.
“It really has been.”
I answered with a helpless shrug of my shoulders.
“But you’re not asking this old man why I’m bringing you along too.”
“I figured you must have something to show me.”
“Yes, you’re right.”
Grandfather nodded with a smile.
Then he asked me in a subtle voice.
“What kind of relationship do you think the Durellie Imperial Family and Lombardi have, Tia?”
“A kind of business partnership, perhaps?”
“Business partners?”
“Yes. From the very beginning when the Lambru Empire was established, the two families moved together, and even now, though they bicker with each other, they’re bound together by various relationships whether they like it or not.”
The answer becomes clear when you look at how emperors throughout generations have treated Lombardi.
Despite finding Lombardi’s existence so intolerable and detesting them.
There has never been an emperor who tried to eliminate the Lombardi family.
They only attempted to suppress the family head’s spirit.
“You’ve been observing things properly.”
Grandfather smiled with satisfaction at my answer.
“And when an emperor passes away, there’s one reason why the Lombardi family head goes to the Imperial Palace. To confirm the emperor’s death with his own eyes.”
This was somewhat unexpected.
I leaned forward from the chair’s backrest and asked.
“Confirm the death?”
“The Durellie Imperial Family has entrusted much money to Lombardi, aside from the assets that are publicly known and belong to the imperial court.”
“Like a kind of slush fund?”
“That’s right. Only the emperor knows of that asset’s existence and can use it. And when the emperor passes away, ownership of that money temporarily transfers to the Lombardi family head.”
“Ah, so that’s why…”
What tremendous trust.
To completely hand over money accumulated carefully over many years to the Lombardi family head.
“And the Lombardi family head is supposed to inform the legitimate successor who inherits the throne after the previous emperor of that asset’s existence and transfer it back.”
“Legitimate successor.”
The weight of those words was considerable.
As I quietly pondered those words, Grandfather added an explanation.
“For now, it means the Crown Prince who has gained the consent of regional representatives, especially Lombardi. Though there have been exceptions.”
Having said that, Grandfather let out a brief sigh mixed with dissatisfaction.
“This has become quite troublesome.”
The sound of Grandfather rubbing his bearded chin spread through the carriage.
“You’re saying there is no ‘legitimate successor,’ right?”
“That’s right. Yobanes usually hated even mentioning succession, so no one would be able to guess his true intentions.”
“Then. If His Majesty the Emperor has really passed away.”
I asked while desperately suppressing the urge to curse.
“Then the authority to decide the succession goes to…”
“The Empress.”
Damn it.
After going through all kinds of hardships to barely, barely change the Western representative from Angenas to Brown.
Now it’s the authority to directly decide the succession!
“To collapse at such a time of all times. Yobanes, that foolish man.”
Grandfather clicked his tongue and spoke.
“But Grandfather.”
“What is it, Tia.”
“Why aren’t you surprised?”
Grandfather tilted his head.
He looked as if he didn’t understand my question itself.
“When you received news that His Majesty was critically ill. You weren’t surprised at all.”
Grandfather had simply informed the family members of the letter’s contents matter-of-factly and risen from his seat.
“His Majesty was usually healthy. But news of him being critically ill is sudden.”
“Hmm.”
Grandfather seemed lost in thought for a moment.
Then after a brief silence, he called me in a quiet voice.
“Tia.”
“Yes, Grandfather.”
“Having reached this age, there’s one thing this old man has realized.”
“What’s that?”
“That people reap what they sow.”
It was something I agreed with.
Do good deeds and receive rewards, do bad things and receive punishment.
It was something everyone heard while growing up.
“And Yobanes poisoned his own father, the previous emperor.”
“Poisoned… you say?”
I’m learning many things I didn’t know today.
I was a bit surprised.
An emperor’s death is secretive.
Ordinary people wouldn’t even know what the emperor’s health condition was like.
They would simply hear news of the emperor’s death suddenly one day.
“Since Yobanes poisoned my father, I knew such a day would come eventually.”
“But when you say ‘reap what they sow,’ do you think someone fed poison to His Majesty, Grandfather?”
“…I told him to be so careful about what he ate and drank.”
Instead of answering, Grandfather clicked his tongue softly and muttered.
Then he looked at me.
“The Second Prince and the Empress. Which one do you think it is, Tia?”
Grandfather’s brown eyes glinted coldly in the moonlight streaming in from outside.
At the same time, I felt my somewhat confused mind becoming calmly organized.
“You’re saying that’s the only thing we Lombardi need to worry about right now?”
Grandfather smiled broadly.
I looked at Grandfather for a moment, then turned my gaze to the window.
Grandfather also didn’t seem to expect an immediate answer from me, appearing lost in thought again.
I recalled what happened in the carriage a few days ago when I was returning to Lombardi after handing Belesack over to Ceral.
“Estira told me to give this to you.”
I held out a small box to Peres.
“One bottle of Titi spider poison you requested, and one bottle of antidote.”
“Thank you.”
Peres answered as he closed the box lid again.
“I’ll put it to good use.”
I didn’t ask Peres how he planned to use it.
Peres also didn’t explain it to me.
I also fell into thought like Grandfather.
Peres and the Empress.
Which of the two had poisoned Yobanes?
“We have arrived at the Imperial Palace.”
At the coachman’s announcement, both Grandfather and I snapped out of our reverie.
And as we opened the carriage door and stepped out, we both frowned simultaneously.
“It seems something has happened at the palace, Grandfather?”
The area around the Imperial Palace was in chaos.
We could see soldiers moving in groups, and Imperial Guards were hurriedly rushing into the Imperial Palace.
“…Let’s go to Yobanes’ bedchamber.”
Grandfather said to me as he hurriedly quickened his pace.
As soon as we entered the corridor where the Emperor’s chambers were located, we could see at a glance what was happening.
“Stand aside, Second Prince!”
The Empress’s highly agitated shout echoed through the corridor filled with guards.
“How interesting.”
Grandfather said in a low voice.
“To think they’re facing off with rows of armed guards lined up in front of the Emperor’s chambers.”
The Empress and Peres stood glaring at each other.
* * *
“What did you just say?”
The Empress asked the court physician in a trembling voice.
“His Majesty has… passed the crisis?”
“Yes, that is correct.”
The court physician bowed his head at the ominous atmosphere.
Then, the tightly closed bedroom door opened and Peres appeared.
“Second Prince?”
“…It seems the news has already reached the Empress’ Quarters.”
There was a tone of displeasure in Peres’ words.
“…So the Crown Prince was already here?”
“I was the one who discovered His Majesty when he collapsed.”
Peres said in a calm voice.
“How…”
Empress Lavinia was just opening her mouth to probe the situation.
The bedroom door opened again and two soldiers escorted someone out.
It was Head Maid Otuwa.
“We will take her to the Knight Order.”
“Don’t let anyone approach her until I arrive.”
“Yes, Crown Prince.”
Head Maid Otuwa, who was being half-dragged away with both arms held by soldiers, looked at the Empress.
‘Foolish thing!’
The Empress bit her lip.
Head Maid Otuwa must have foolishly given herself away.
Titi spider poison was known by few people and had symptoms similar to common sudden death, making it a deadly poison with little risk of detection.
But something was strange.
She thought she would be dragged away immediately, but Peres was only continuing to glare at Empress Lavinia.
The moment she realized this, the Empress couldn’t help but smile.
‘There’s no evidence!’
And there was one more lightning-like realization.
“Step aside, Crown Prince.”
Peres was standing guard in front of the bedroom door.
“I must personally check His Majesty’s condition.”
The Empress said, clenching her fist in elation.
“…You cannot do that.”
The Emperor is dead!
The Second Prince is now trying to hide the Emperor’s death by any means!
“I am the Empress of this Empire!”
Though the dragged-away Head Maid Otuwa was troublesome, she wasn’t someone who would easily talk.
As long as the family she cherished was in Angenas’s hands, Head Maid Otuwa would never betray the Empress.
So Lavinia’s voice grew louder and louder.
“His Majesty is safe. However, it is an imperial command that no one be allowed in.”
“Ha!”
What command!
A dead emperor couldn’t possibly speak!
The Empress unconsciously snorted.
“His Majesty is resting now.”
“So I have the right to confirm that for myself!”
Finally, her loud shouting voice echoed resoundingly through the empty corridor.
Peres, who had been staring at such Lavinia, asked.
“Why are you acting like this?”
“What…?”
“His Majesty, who is unwell, says he doesn’t want to see anyone, yet why are you being so unreasonable?”
“Unreasonable!”
“Do you not believe my words that His Majesty is safe, or are you certain that cannot be the case?”
Peres’s red eyes gazed coldly at the Empress.
“I think it’s the latter. I’m curious about the reason.”
“…Stand aside.”
Instead of answering, the Empress took a step forward.
Step.
“You cannot.”
Peres moved one step to the side to block the Empress’s path.
“Please step back.”
The moment he said that and grabbed the Empress’s shoulder.
“How dare you filthy thing lay hands on me!”
Slap!
The Empress struck Peres’s cheek.
“Do you think I’ll back down just because something like you blocks my way?”
The Empress said this and called for her attendant.
“Go and inform them immediately!”
The attendant, who hesitated briefly after receiving the Empress’s command, quickly ran down the corridor.
And shortly after.
“Your Highness, please step aside!”
“How dare you disobey an imperial command, come to your senses!”
Imperial Guards who had rushed to answer the calls of the Empress and Peres respectively growled at each other.
Those who received word late also joined their respective factions, and the corridor in front of the bedroom gradually filled until there was no room to step.
“Know shame as Imperial Guards!”
“Who’s talking to whom!”
A tense atmosphere flowed between the two divided knight orders as if they would draw their swords at any moment.
“Stand aside, Second Prince!”
The Empress shouted loudly once more.
Her face was devoid of any trace of laughter.
Despite such a great commotion, there was no response from inside the bedroom.
If the Emperor were alive, this would be absolutely impossible.
The Empress was certain of victory.
The Emperor’s absolute power seemed so close before her eyes that she felt she could grasp it if she just reached out.
That was when it happened.
“What in the world are you all doing!”
With a great roar, the guards parted like a receding tide.
“Empress! Crown Prince! Both of you come to your senses!”
At the end of the corridor stood Rulak Lombardi with his hands clasped behind his back, his eyes filled with fury.
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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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