In This Life, I Will Be The Lord - Chapter 263

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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 6

 

“Hmm? Beit from Caramel Avenue…”

 

Father, who was sitting right next to me and could hear the butler’s words, tilted his head.

 

“Tia, wasn’t the dessert shop you often visit called Caramel Avenue?”

 

In an instant, the puzzled gazes of everyone sitting around the table turned toward me.

 

“That’s right. Beit is the manager there.”

 

I naturally pretended to wipe my mouth with a napkin, hiding my expression as I answered.

 

“But why would that person come at this hour… It can’t be for a delivery.”

 

People don’t know that Beit is an information broker working for me.

 

Whenever he came to see me, he always disguised it as if he was delivering desserts.

 

But at this table, only one person, Cleribane, who knew Beit’s true identity, was looking at me with a stern expression.

 

Something must have happened.

 

Cleribane was probably thinking the same thing.

 

Beit, who was supposed to meet me tomorrow morning, couldn’t wait until then and came to find me directly.

 

Even risking the danger of compromising his disguise.

 

I picked up the glass of water and lightly rinsed my mouth as I spoke.

 

“It seems like there were problems while expanding the business into a restaurant. So I told him to come visit even after business hours since it would be fine. He’s someone who personally delivered desserts to the manor several times since I was young.”

 

“Oh my. I hope it’s not something serious.”

 

“I hope so too.”

 

I nodded as if nothing was wrong, but immediately stood up from my seat.

 

Then I turned to Cleribane and said.

 

“He might need advice from a guild master. Won’t you come with me, Cleribane?”

 

“Since we’ve finished eating, let’s do that.”

 

Cleribane deliberately shrugged his shoulders once as if this was perfect timing since he was bored, and answered.

 

“Butler Yohan, where is Beit waiting for me?”

 

“I’ve guided him to the study.”

 

As expected of Yohan, who had decades of butler experience since Grandfather’s time.

 

Even without knowing the detailed situation, he seemed to have noticed that Beit wasn’t just a simple dessert shop owner.

 

“…Let’s go.”

 

As we left the bustling dining hall and entered the quiet corridor, my and Cleribane’s steps gradually quickened.

 

* * *

 

Beit stood in one corner of the Head Family’s Office, showing a courteous smile toward the Lombardi Knight who was watching him.

 

He was monitoring the outsider who had occupied the head’s work space alone.

 

“I suppose I came to visit at too late an hour.”

 

He tried to make conversation, but all that came back was the knight’s displeased expression that seemed to say ‘Are you asking because you don’t know?’

 

Beit smiled again at the knight and clenched his hand hidden in his sleeve once more.

 

Even his habitually smiling face felt awkward, but this was his limit for now.

 

His eyes, which kept glancing at the study door to see if there were any signs of people, revealed unavoidable anxiety.

 

After looking at the closed door about ten times like that.

 

Creak.

 

“It’s been a while, Beit.”

 

Pirenthia entered, her long dress hem fluttering.

 

“I have been waiting respectfully, Master.”

 

Beit immediately stood up and bowed deeply in greeting.

 

And behind her, as always, was the expressionless Cleribane.

 

Though it was a very brief moment, Cleribane and Beit exchanged stiff glances.

 

“You may leave now.”

 

Tia lightly gestured toward the knight who was still guarding one corner of the study.

 

“Yes, Master.”

 

The knight left the study with heavy footsteps, and as soon as the sound of his steps faded, she quickly turned her head and asked.

 

“What is it.”

 

“Chanton Seosseou has made his move.”

 

Beit handed Pirenthia the summary he had hidden in his coat.

 

“He released the guild that was being detained under His Majesty the Emperor’s orders, but now he’s threatening to conduct inspections again under the pretext of security. And this is the content of the telegram that Chanton Seosseou sent to his territory by urgent messenger bird today.”

 

Strengthen inspections of Lombardi Guild and Pellet Trading House. Do not let them pass easily.

 

Of course, there was no question about how he had managed to peek at Chanton Seosseou’s correspondence.

 

“And?”

 

This couldn’t be everything.

 

Pirenthia’s humorless green eyes looked at Beit as if urging him on.

 

“And this is information that came up today from the Tamal region, one of Sersheu’s territories.”

 

Harbor construction resumed.

 

Nokta River basin terrain maintenance construction secretly enforced.

 

“Isn’t the Tamal region the place where Sersheu failed to open a harbor last year?”

 

Cleribane hurriedly brought the map that was in the study onto the table and frowned.

 

Tamal was a city located further downstream of the Nokta River than Chesayu.

 

Pirenthia, who had been looking down at the map for a moment, asked Beit.

 

“What’s the exact location of the place where they’re doing the terrain maintenance?”

 

“Here and here. But they say they’re reinforcing it, not cutting it down.”

 

“Reinforcing it?”

 

Unable to understand at all, Cleribane let out a hollow laugh.

 

They’re building a harbor at a location on the route to the Eastern Region, but instead of widening it so ships can pass through more easily, they’re reinforcing it?

 

And with a thought that crossed his mind, he looked at the map more closely.

 

“Don’t tell me…”

 

“How petty of them, really.”

 

Pirenthia’s cold voice echoed through the study.

 

“Since they can’t block the supplies, they’re going to try blocking the downstream river?”

 

The two places Beit had pointed to on the map were points that protruded particularly in the wide downstream of the Nokta River.

 

And if they reinforced between those two places as the information suggested, though it would be a short section, the width of the river would become narrow.

 

Like a kind of checkpoint.

 

“So this is why they put up all that smokescreen.”

 

In case I would interfere with the construction.

 

At Pirenthia’s muttered words, both Cleribane and Beit’s faces hardened simultaneously.

 

Each was blaming themselves for what happened due to their own insufficient abilities.

 

“I’m ashamed, Master.”

 

Beit, who was in charge of being Pirenthia’s eyes and ears, bowed his head.

 

“I should have noticed much earlier…”

 

Even after Beit’s apology, Pirenthia remained silent for a moment, then shook her head.

 

“No. This time it’s not that Beit failed. Chanton Seosseou did well. Though it’s frustrating.”

 

With those words, she fell silent again.

 

She simply chose a nearby chair and sat down heavily, leaning her back against it.

 

And she tapped the armrest with her fingertips while lost in thought.

 

However, there was no sign of defeat on her face.

 

Moreover, it wasn’t the face of someone agonizing over how to break through a predicament.

 

Her appearance was closer to that of a gambler deciding whether or not to play the hand she held.

 

Beit, who had rushed over as soon as he obtained information about what Chanton Seosseou was up to, relaxed the tension in his tightly clenched hands.

 

‘If it’s the Master.’

 

It was because of that vague but deep faith he had.

 

After several small sounds, she suddenly asked Beit.

 

“How did ‘that matter’ turn out back then?”

 

“Ah, that…”

 

Beit glanced at Cleribane before answering.

 

“We confirmed it. Just as you said, Master, it’s in the southeastern region. Also, the scholars sent by the Hering Patriarch have completed their experiments.”

 

“The results?”

 

“They say it’s satisfactory.”

 

“As expected.”

 

Pirenthia nodded slightly as if confirming something.

 

Then she fell into thought again, and a strange smile crossed her face as she narrowed her eyes slightly.

 

Startled.

 

Seeing Pirenthia’s expression, Cleribane whispered in a low voice.

 

“Seeing that look on the Master’s face, I’m starting to feel a bit sorry for Chanton Seosseou.”

 

“You feel that way too, Cleribane? Actually, I also…”

 

Just as a deep bond was forming between the Lombardi Family Head’s left and right arms.

 

“Yohan.”

 

“Yes, Master.”

 

“Bring Violet from the dining hall—no, bring the head of the Pellet Caravan.”

 

* * *

 

“Tia, are you really sure this is okay?”

 

Giliou asked me with a displeased expression, frowning his straight eyebrows.

 

“I said it’s fine, how many times are you going to ask.”

 

“But suddenly saying you’ll depart a whole week early for the trip.”

 

A few days after Beit’s visit.

 

I was checking the luggage loaded onto the passenger carriage that would take me to the outskirts of Lombardy.

 

Though it was just a few modest ready-made clothes from Father’s clothing store and a few essential items for carriage travel.

 

“Wouldn’t it be better if Giliou and I went together?”

 

Meylon said with an anxious expression, shaking the wheels of the shabby carriage so hard that the tendons stood out on his strong arms.

 

“I’m worried about this.”

 

“Right. Disguise is good, but this is too dangerous. Going to the eastern region alone without us as your guards.”

 

The two people, casting shadows as large as their sturdy builds, were showing their cousin brother-like side for the first time in a while.

 

Those little ones who used to follow behind me, when did they grow so big.

 

Feeling proud, I grabbed Giliou and Meylon’s shoulders on each side and patted them while saying.

 

“Who’s going alone? I’m not going by myself.”

 

Just as I said that, someone who had finished inspecting the other side of the carriage approached and informed us.

 

“Tia, everything’s ready.”

 

The one casually brushing off the dust from his hands was Peres, dressed in ordinary ready-made clothes just like me.

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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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