In This Life, I Will Be The Lord - Chapter 264

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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 7

 

His forehead, which had always been half-exposed since ascending to the throne, was today hidden behind calm, unadorned bangs.

 

His body bore no ornaments whatsoever, with only an ordinary iron sword hanging at his waist.

 

But even so.

 

“Wow. Peres, you are.”

 

I had been amazed every time I looked at him since morning.

 

“Even simple clothes can’t hide your beauty, can they?”

 

“…Tia.”

 

At my compliment, the tips of Peres’s ears turned red.

 

But I was confident.

 

I had only spoken the truth, so why.

 

Honestly, I wondered if this would even work as a disguise.

 

Even though he had chosen the most ordinary ready-made clothes, the outfit Peres wore somehow looked incredibly expensive.

 

“As expected of my fiancé.”

 

“Ahem.”

 

Seeing my proud smile, he finally turned his head slightly to the side and cleared his throat.

 

The red color had spread to his fully exposed, straight neck.

 

“…It might be better if you went alone.”

 

“Meylon.”

 

When Meylon, who had been watching us, muttered something, Giliou nudged his brother’s side.

 

“But I agree too.”

 

However, he didn’t forget to chime in as well.

 

“What are you two so dissatisfied about?”

 

At my question, the twins, standing side by side and glaring at Peres with identical sharp eyes, answered.

 

“Why are you suddenly rushing to leave a whole week early?”

 

Giliou’s mouth jutted out sulkily.

 

“I told you. I’m going to give Chanton Seosseou a taste of his own medicine. For that, there’s a place I need to stop by briefly.”

 

“So secretly that you need to disguise yourselves like this?”

 

“Yes. Secret from everyone except my people. And.”

 

I raised my fist and lightly tapped Meylon’s shoulder as I spoke.

 

“Getting hit when you’re off guard hurts the most, right?”

 

“Well, yeah….”

 

Meylon glanced down at his shoulder where I had hit him gently and sighed softly.

 

“If we, your guards, are away from our posts, Chanton Seosseou will be suspicious.”

 

“Right. Bears are smarter animals than I thought.”

 

This time I really got a good hit in.

 

I narrowed my eyes as I recalled the port of Tamal.

 

Moreover, with him ordering thorough inspections of even my trading companies to slow them down as much as possible, if I revealed my identity and traveled separately, there was no telling how delayed the journey would be.

 

Chanton Seosseou would be burning with curiosity to find out why I wasn’t moving together with my family.

 

“If you two stay at the manor, and Kaitlin and Kaileus are here too, Chanton Seosseou won’t be too suspicious.”

 

Just as the twins always accompanied me when I left the manor, Kaitlin and Kaileus were always with Peres.

 

Publicly, Peres would visit Lombardy Estate today to spend a week’s vacation with me, then begin the journey to the eastern region with the Lombardy people.

 

And by that time, Peres and I would already be on a cruise heading to the eastern region.

 

I was thinking about the upcoming schedule when.

 

“Are you all ready, Tia?”

 

“You don’t need to come out to see us off, Father.”

 

“Of course I have to see off my daughter when she’s all grown up and going on a trip like this.”

 

Father said warmly, wrapping his arm around my shoulder.

 

Though he was smiling, the weakness in his smile showed that Father was very worried too.

 

After patting my shoulder silently for a while, Father spoke in a somewhat heavy voice.

 

“Thank you, Tia.”

 

He must have noticed that my secret movements were related to Chesayu.

 

Understanding Father’s apologetic yet grateful heart, I deliberately smiled more cheerfully.

 

“What for? Protecting what belongs to Lombardy is my duty as the clan head.”

 

Although it was supposedly an independent territory from Lombardy, Chesayu and its people were very precious to Father.

 

That alone was reason enough to move to protect that land.

 

“I need to properly break the Sersheu Marquis’s spirit now so things will be easier later.”

 

Chanton Seosseou’s methods, different from the former Empress Lavinia, had properly stirred my competitive spirit.

 

“I think we should leave now, Tia.”

 

Peres approached and quietly informed me.

 

I hugged Father tightly one last time, waved to the twins, then got into the carriage.

 

Peres, who had said a few words to Kaitlin and Kaileus, also sat beside me.

 

When the coachman, specially chosen for his discretion, closed the passenger carriage door, the carriage slowly departed.

 

“I’m a bit excited.”

 

I said this with a lightly fluttering heart as I arranged my clothes.

 

When I casually glanced out the window, I saw Grandfather standing under a distant tree with his hands behind his back, watching the departing carriage.

 

His face didn’t show worry as openly as Father’s had.

 

But the sight of him standing alone, watching, somehow stuck in my mind.

 

I deliberately opened the carriage window and poked my head out slightly.

 

Then I saw Grandfather’s eyes widen a little.

 

“I’ll be back, Grandfather!”

 

I didn’t shout loudly, but it would have been loud enough for him to hear.

 

“See you in the eastern region!”

 

As proof, I could see a smile slowly spreading across Grandfather’s surprised face.

 

I waved and smiled like that until Grandfather’s figure became too distant to see.

 

* * *

 

After traveling for some time, familiar scenery passed by the window.

 

“Oh, this place…. This is where we dropped off Larane and Avinox.”

 

Back then it was the middle of the night with no people around, but now in the morning, I could see carriages busily coming and going on the well-maintained main road.

 

“Do you remember, Peres?”

 

At my question, he nodded briefly.

 

His lips were slightly upturned and his eyes were narrowed in a pleased expression.

 

“You look really happy today.”

 

“I am happy.”

 

Peres admitted plainly.

 

“I never thought the day would come when we’d travel alone together like this. And most of all.”

 

Peres’s fingertips brushed against my loosely tied hair.

 

“You said you needed me.”

 

“Ah… I did.”

 

“That’s why I’m happy.”

 

Peres’s voice sounded languid as he said this.

 

Leaning back against the seat with his body stretched out, he looked like a well-fed feline.

 

“I really can’t move alone. And Peres, you said you traveled a lot with your classmates when you were at the Academy.”

 

“I did. I’ve been to the eastern region too. Though it wasn’t by ship like now, but overland.”

 

“Come to think of it, there’s nowhere in the Empire’s north, south, east, or west that you haven’t been to.”

 

“Yeah. During vacations… I was busy.”

 

At those words, I recalled Peres’s scar-covered body that I had glimpsed by chance.

 

I had never asked Peres in detail about his time at the Academy.

 

The same went for the travels he took during every vacation.

 

What he had been moving for while wandering to such distant places.

 

But there were things I could understand without having to ask.

 

“You went through a lot.”

 

I said, lightly placing my hand over the back of Peres’s hand.

 

Then his fingers slipped through and interlocked firmly with mine.

 

“I’m glad I gained that experience back then. Now I can help you like this.”

 

The wind that blew in through the window I had opened tousled Peres’s black hair.

 

His warm gaze toward me and his fluttering collar had something that made me stare blankly at the sight.

 

‘Ah, I want to tease him.’

 

Such a desire suddenly welled up without me realizing it.

 

I wanted to see that gentle and refreshing face turn red, probably wanting to confirm that helpless expression he only shows me in this world.

 

It was such a slightly mischievous feeling.

 

And something quite suitable came to mind.

 

I took out what looked like two small booklets from my handbag that was placed in one corner of the carriage.

 

“These are the identification papers we’ll use during our trip.”

 

After going through the trouble of disguising ourselves in ready-made clothes, we couldn’t use the names Pirenthia Lombardi and Peres Bribachau Durelli.

 

These were fake identification papers I had asked Violet to prepare along with various other things for this journey.

 

“Here, look at this. Our names.”

 

“Chaser Gloa, Larita Gloa.”

 

“And what’s written below that?”

 

“…Married couple.”

 

Just as I had expected.

 

I could see his handsome face gradually turning red.

 

The nobles who tremble at just one glance from Peres would faint if they saw this.

 

“There’s no better disguise for a young man and woman traveling alone together.”

 

I said with a shrug as if it couldn’t be helped.

 

“So, Peres.”

 

“…Yeah.”

 

I leaned slightly toward Peres, who still hadn’t recovered from the word ‘married couple.’

 

“Which do you prefer?”

 

I could feel him holding his breath as I moved closer.

 

“Think about it. We’re supposed to be newlyweds, and usually couples who just got married call each other pet names, right?”

 

His red eyes, viewed up close, were shaking as if an earthquake had struck.

 

Suppressing the laughter that seemed ready to burst out at any moment, I whispered in a somewhat secretive voice.

 

“Honey?”

 

Gulp.

 

The sound of Peres swallowing rang out loud enough for me to hear.

 

I opened my mouth once more.

 

“Darling?”

 

At that moment, like water spilling over the rim of a glass, Peres’s face turned bright red.

 

And he hunched his large body forward, slowly covering his face with both hands.

 

“…Tia.”

 

Peres called my name through his fingers as if in pain.

 

“What’s wrong? Which one do you like? You have to choose one of them to call me.”

 

I pushed my face even closer, acting innocent as if I knew nothing.

 

“Honey? Darling? Which one do you prefer?”

 

“Ah…”

 

Peres turned his body to the side as if he couldn’t endure it anymore, trying to get away from me.

 

Not a chance.

 

I lifted my hips slightly and sat right next to him.

 

“Darling is a bit cringey. Yeah, honey would be better.”

 

When did he try to run away?

 

I could see red eyes peeking at me through his fingers.

 

I looked straight into those eyes and said with a bright smile.

 

“Please take good care of me during our trip, honey.”

 

He showed no reaction.

 

He froze like a stone for several seconds.

 

Then the next moment, surrender came from beyond his large hands as he crouched with his elbows on his knees.

 

“…Please spare me, Tia.”

 

Ah, so this is why you used to tease me like that.

 

“Ahahaha!”

 

My laughter echoed loudly in the smoothly running carriage as I clutched my stomach.

 

* * *

 

I shouldn’t have laughed like that earlier.

 

I stared at the scene before me in dismay.

 

Ah, right.

 

We were supposed to be newlyweds.

 

I blinked several more times, but nothing changed.

 

I slowly turned around.

 

With one hand still unable to let go of the door handle.

 

And I opened my mouth that wouldn’t seem to move.

 

“There’s… only one bed?”

 

In Peres’s eyes as he stood with his arms crossed in the dim corridor, there was a faint hint of amusement.

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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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