In This Life, I Will Be The Lord - Chapter 258

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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

 

Side Story Episode 1

 

One month ago, at the Lombardi Estate.

 

“This is so annoying…?”

 

The bundle of documents in my hand made a heavy thud as it was placed on the table.

 

The report I had just received was heating up my mind.

 

“It’s been a while since I felt like this.”

 

I quietly tapped the table with my fingertips, waiting for my mood to settle down, but.

 

“The more I think about it, the more annoying it gets.”

 

I expected some damage, but to this extent.

 

I narrowed my eyes and glared at the documents.

 

“He was always like that from the beginning. Completely untrustworthy.”

 

Cleribane also frowned with cold eyes behind his glasses and spoke in a low voice.

 

“I didn’t like him from the start.”

 

“Master Pellet. No, Cleribane.”

 

When I called him ‘Master Pellet’ out of habit from formal occasions, Cleribane looked at me with disappointment, but immediately nodded when I corrected myself.

 

“Yes, Master.”

 

“You have time today, right?”

 

Today happens to be the day of the council meeting where I personally set the agenda.

 

I pointed at the bundle of documents Cleribane brought and said.

 

“I’m planning to take this and properly confront him about it. Want to come with me?”

 

“I already told them on my way out that I’d be leaving right after today’s external work.”

 

That’s Cleribane for you.

 

Just as we were exchanging meaningful glances and nodding at each other.

 

“Tia, how about finishing your meal first.”

 

Father, who had been listening to our conversation, quietly spoke while tearing freshly baked bread with his hands.

 

Only then did I realize we were sitting at a lunch table with several people and felt a bit sorry.

 

“The same goes for you, Cleribane. The food is getting cold.”

 

“Ah, yes. I apologize.”

 

Cleribane answered as if he hadn’t just been glaring with fierce eyes, quickly picking up bread as well.

 

Even though everyone except me found Cleribane scary and difficult to approach.

 

He was particularly weak against Father, whom everyone felt comfortable around.

 

It seemed there was a rock-paper-scissors-like compatibility between people too.

 

After briefly watching Father and Cleribane, I shook my head and likewise picked up a piece of bread.

 

It looked soft and fluffy, appetizing at first glance.

 

Right, I need to eat well to fight properly later.

 

As I was thinking this and looking for butter to spread on the bread, something occurred to me.

 

“Wait. Come to think of it, this bread is also made with flour, isn’t it?”

 

At my words, Cleribane, who was about to put bread in his mouth, also hesitated.

 

I glared at the bread with suspicious eyes for a moment, then asked the butler who was waiting near our dining table.

 

“Butler Yohan, is this bread made with flour bought from ‘that’ region?”

 

“Since the wheat from that region is of good quality… Yes, that’s correct.”

 

“…Then I won’t eat bread today.”

 

My body won’t accept it.

 

I might get indigestion.

 

“Me too…”

 

After a moment of consideration, Cleribane also followed my lead and put down his bread.

 

“Oh my.”

 

Father shook his head and laughed at us as if we were hopeless, but.

 

“Is Grandfather having his meal in the study again today?”

 

“Yes, Master. He’s been doing that every day lately.”

 

While conversing with Yohan, I pushed the basket full of bread far away with my fingertips and was just turning my attention to the steak on my plate when.

 

“Master.”

 

An employee of the estate entered the dining hall with a letter in hand.

 

“Ah, it’s from Larane.”

 

The soft and pretty handwriting, just like the person who wrote it, filled the letter paper.

 

“Larane?”

 

“What does she say?”

 

The twins, who seemed to have already finished eating and were having fruit, leaned toward me and asked.

 

I quickly summarized the contents before the two could reach for the letter.

 

“Just that she’s busy preparing for the wedding. And…”

 

According to the original plan, following Eastern customs, Larane and Avinox should have already held their wedding last year after completing their one-year engagement period.

 

But they couldn’t do that, and the reason was.

 

“Rick is growing up well too.”

 

Full name Belik Ruman.

 

That’s the name of the son born between Larane and Avinox.

 

With the unexpected early gift, Larane found herself in a situation where the order was slightly changed – giving birth to Rick first, then having the wedding.

 

“Ah, I want to see Rick soon.”

 

“Me too. He’s cute even just in the portrait.”

 

“Though he looks so much like Avinox that it’s almost laughably identical.”

 

Ah, I agree with that too.

 

The portrait of Rick that Larane sent last month showed a mini Avinox.

 

Everyone who saw the picture laughed in amazement.

 

“They say children’s faces change every day, so I wonder if he looks very different from the portrait now, Mother?”

 

Giliou asked Shannet, who was dabbing the corners of her mouth with a napkin.

 

“Children at that age definitely grow overnight, but still. He’ll probably still be the spitting image of Rulak.”

 

“Ah, he should have resembled Larane!”

 

Meylon exclaimed regretfully, “He’s cute now, but he would have been even cuter then!”

 

These kids never mature no matter how old they get.

 

I said to the twins.

 

“We’ll see him in a few weeks anyway, so just wait until then.”

 

While we hurriedly evacuated Larane to the East and couldn’t attend the engagement ceremony due to unfavorable circumstances.

 

For the wedding at least, all family members are scheduled to head to the East in a week so we can attend together.

 

“But is His Majesty really accompanying us, Tia?”

 

“Ah, that’s…”

 

At Father’s question, I nodded awkwardly with a smile.

 

“He really! wants to go, so how can I stop him.”

 

Who’s going to stop the Emperor when he wants to do something.

 

No. I could stop him, but when he talked about it, his eyes sparkled so much.

 

I just couldn’t bring myself to say no.

 

“But wouldn’t it be dangerous?”

 

“…Peres?”

 

When I asked back, Father blinked and thought for a moment, then laughed saying “That’s true.”

 

“While it’s unusual for the Emperor to travel personally, it’s also a good way to manage public sentiment in the East.”

 

The East had only been incorporated into the Empire for a few decades, so it was still a region that needed careful management in many ways.

 

“But, Tia.”

 

Shannet called me.

 

“How are your wedding preparations coming along?”

 

“Ah… There’s still a lot of time left, so.”

 

The scheduled engagement period between Peres and me is two years, until Creny graduates from the Academy.

 

There was still a little less than half of that time remaining.

 

“Both Peres and I are busy, you know.”

 

I’m busy taking care of Lombardy, and Peres is busy taking care of the Empire.

 

“That’s true. Even right now…”

 

Shannet’s gaze briefly touched the pile of documents still lying on the table as she spoke.

 

Even if she didn’t show it outwardly, Shannet was just as sensitive as I was when it came to matters concerning Lombardy.

 

“Isn’t it about time we should be leaving?”

 

Giliou said, checking my nearly empty plate.

 

“If we leave now, we should be able to arrive just before the council meeting.”

 

“Even if we’re a little late, they won’t hold the meeting without Tia.”

 

Everyone present, including myself, nodded in agreement.

 

“Then shall we go?”

 

I said as I stood up from my seat.

 

I personally gathered the materials I had thrown on the table.

 

This would be my weapon today.

 

A while later.

 

The carriage carrying Cleribane and me arrived at the Imperial Palace.

 

The twins, who had escorted the carriage from outside along with the other guards, were constantly complaining about the heat and flapping their guard uniforms.

 

“Why don’t you come into the meeting room with us? It’ll be cool inside.”

 

“Hmm. No. We’ll stay outside.”

 

“Right. We’re more comfortable outside. Even if we go inside, there are just too many people…”

 

Giliou and Meylon answered while strangely avoiding my gaze.

 

It was obvious they were hiding something.

 

Come to think of it, hadn’t these two been the ones to suggest leaving early today too?

 

“Something’s strange about you two, isn’t it?”

 

My intuition was telling me something was up, but for now, the council meeting was about to start.

 

One thing at a time, one thing at a time.

 

“See you later. Let’s go, Cleribane.”

 

After confirming the twins’ awkwardly smiling faces as they waved at me, I entered the meeting room with Cleribane.

 

“Have you arrived, Lombardi Patriarch? Oh, the Pellet Trading Company head is with you today as well.”

 

“You’re early, Lord Bern.”

 

“When you get old, the only thing that disappears is morning sleep, you know.”

 

Lord Bern was the first to welcome me with hearty laughter.

 

This was someone who still often took first place in hunting competitions, beating all the young ones, yet he pretended to be weak.

 

But this was Lord Bern’s way of navigating politics.

 

Laughing carelessly while pretending to be weak, and pretending not to know even when he did.

 

Lord Bern’s method was to catch his opponents’ weaknesses when they let their guard down.

 

I took a look around the interior of the grand meeting hall filled with bustling nobles.

 

Among the central nobles here, there wasn’t a single one who didn’t have their own weapon like Lord Bern.

 

This was a battlefield where the war called politics took place.

 

“It seems the meeting is about to start now.”

 

“Indeed. Shall we go to our seats then?”

 

“I’ll clear the path. This way, Lord Lombardi.”

 

The so-called ‘pro-Lombardi faction’ nobles, who had somehow come to my side from the meeting room entrance, noisily welcomed me.

 

As I began to walk, the Empire’s renowned nobles parted like water and stepped back.

 

In that now-familiar scene, I slowly sat in the Lombardi Patriarch’s seat located to the left of where the Emperor would sit.

 

Then I slowly raised my head and looked straight ahead.

 

The seat directly facing me.

 

I looked at the person sitting in that seat where the Angenas Patriarch once sat.

 

A large man with unchangingly short-cut hair, a blunt face as if roughly carved, but with sharp sword-like eyes.

 

The center of the ‘pro-Sersheu faction’ opposing the ‘pro-Lombardi faction’ and the great landowner of the south, Chanton Seosseou.

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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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