In This Life, I Will Be The Lord - Chapter 28

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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 28

No!

The door was roughly pushed by my hand, making a rattling sound.

“Young Lady Pirenthia?”

Doctor Omari looked at me questioningly as I still stood gripping the door handle.

“Is there somewhere you feel uncomfortable?”

Of course I’m uncomfortable!

Right now the doctor is throwing around the recommendation letter that should go to Estira like an empty promise to some guy I’ve never seen or heard of!

I wanted to grab Doctor Omari by the collar and shake him, but I forced my lips into a smile and asked innocently.

“Is there… some good news?”

At my question, the glossy man who had been excited next to Doctor Omari quickly approached and greeted me.

“Hello, Young Lady! I’m called Jason. I’ve received Doctor Omari’s recommendation to go to the Imperial Academy!”

His polite and friendly greeting had nothing particularly wrong with it except being burdensome, but I still disliked him.

Just the fact that he snatched the recommendation letter that our Estira should have received was enough to annoy me.

“Hmm. Are you the doctor’s student? I haven’t seen you before…”

I had been in and out of the research lab several times, but this was truly the first time seeing his face.

“Jason is a student I briefly taught a few years ago.”

A few years ago and briefly? Not even now?

“He said he wanted to try going to the Imperial Academy, so I wrote him a recommendation letter. Hehe!”

“It’s truly something to be grateful for. Doctor Omari’s recommendation letter! I’ll probably receive great attention at the Academy research lab too!”

Jason couldn’t hide his continuous laughter, as if just imagining it made him happy.

In contrast, Estira’s face was dark.

Though she was forcing a smile, I could tell she was quite dejected.

“Well then, I should slowly…”

Jason glanced at me and started speaking to Doctor Omari.

“Young Lady Pirenthia, you didn’t come because you’re feeling unwell, did you?”

It seemed Doctor Omari and Jason had somewhere else to go.

Probably some kind of repayment for writing the recommendation letter.

I nodded with a displeased expression.

“I came to see Estira. Don’t worry and go ahead.”

“Yes, then I’ll see you again next time.”

Doctor Omari left the research lab with the still beaming Jason.

In the quiet space, Estira was busily moving around again.

Clearing the teacups left on the table and organizing the refreshment dishes.

I carefully approached Estira and said.

“Estira, are you okay?”

At my question, Estira smiled faintly.

“Yes, Young Lady. I’m fine. Rather, I’m sorry to you.”

“Me? You’re sorry to me?”

I didn’t understand what Estira meant.

“There’s nothing to be sorry about. Although that Jason person beat us to it, if we talk to Doctor Omari properly, he’ll surely write you a recommendation letter too.”

But Estira’s bitter smile only deepened.

Something was strange.

This wasn’t something to be so discouraged about.

“Estira?”

“The recommendation letter…”

Estira, who had kept her mouth shut for a moment, spoke with difficulty.

“Academy recommendation letters are only valid one per person per year, Young Lady.”

“O-one letter?”

“Yes…”

Only then understanding the situation, Estira smiled as if to comfort me as I stood there dazed.

“Next year… Next year he’ll write one for me too.”

Seeing her smiling but not really smiling, I felt a deep sense of responsibility.

It was my fault for being complacent.

I had promised to send her to the Imperial Academy but hadn’t properly taken care of it.

By moving only when the application deadline was approaching, we missed Doctor Omari’s recommendation letter.

Looking at Estira’s drooping shoulders, I said.

“Don’t worry too much, Estira.”

I’ll use whatever means necessary to send you to the Academy.

If we couldn’t get Doctor Omari’s recommendation letter, we just needed to get someone else’s recommendation letter.

* * *

“Hmm…”

It was a breakfast with Father after a long time.

I was chewing fruit thoroughly and steeling myself for what was to come, when I turned my head at Father’s third sigh.

“Hmm…”

Father, who always wore a sunny smile when with me, had deep wrinkles between his brows.

“Dad, what’s wrong?”

When I tugged at his sleeve and asked, Father finally snapped to attention and looked at me.

“Ah. It’s nothing. I was just thinking about something for a moment.”

It seemed more like worrying than thinking.

“When you have difficult things, it’s good to talk to other people about them!”

At my words, Father patted my head as if I were precious.

“I’ve made Tia worry too. It’s nothing serious.”

If it’s nothing serious, he wouldn’t sigh so deeply.

I kept shooting bright-eyed looks at Father.

When his young daughter who knew nothing looked at him with eyes wanting him to tell her anything, Father sighed softly and smiled as he spoke.

“Dad is just trying to do another business like the textile business from before, but since I have no experience, I’m hesitating.”

“Business?”

Come to think of it, Father had said something like that at the Empress’s banquet.

That he was thinking of withdrawing from Koroy-Yung Textiles soon and doing other personal business.

Honestly, I thought Father was just firing back in anger in front of the Empress at the time.

But it seemed he was serious.

And to the point of having such deep concerns about it.

If there was anything I could help with, I wanted to help.

“Dad, that’s amazing! But what kind of work is it? Can’t you explain it to me too?”

I moved a little closer to sit next to Father and said.

“I’m so very curious!”

Father, who was always weak to me, thought for a moment then began explaining his business idea in simple words that a child could understand.

To be honest, the explanation was long and complicated.

Father himself didn’t seem to have a clear concept yet, as it was verbose and confusing in places.

But listening to Father’s explanation, I internally shouted ‘Jackpot!’

I could feel my face turning red with joy and excitement.

Father’s business plan was a new concept that didn’t exist here yet.

But it was something very familiar to me.

If this business properly established itself, Father would achieve tremendous success with this alone.

No, I was confident that the Empire’s commerce itself would develop in a completely different way than before.

“Dad, you’re the best!”

I shouted while hugging Father’s waist tightly.

Not thinking that I would understand everything he had just explained, Father chuckled and hugged me back.

“Seeing Tia so happy gives Daddy strength too.”

But it was Father who didn’t fully understand the impact this business would bring.

Because this was truly going to be a huge success.

And a person who would make a fantastic partner with Father flashed in my mind.

“Daddy, Daddy!”

“What is it, Tia?”

“When you have questions, ask Teacher Cleribane!”

“Cleribane?”

“Yes!”

Father would know since he had worked quite closely with Cleribane during this Koroi-Yung business.

How knowledgeable Cleribane was about trading company matters.

Being around Father’s age, he had an unusually vast knowledge about trading companies for his relatively young age.

But for some reason, Father seemed reluctant.

“Cleribane is… hmm…”

At Father’s ambiguous response, I got excited and shouted.

“When I ask him about things I don’t know, Teacher Cleribane always teaches me kindly!”

His first impression might be a bit cold, but he’s harmless!

“Alright. I’ll think about it.”

Father reluctantly answered due to my persistence, but he really seemed unwilling.

Anyone would think he was afraid of Cleribane.

* * *

After coaxing Father and sending him off to work, I was walking through the manor interior to take care of my own business.

Grandfather’s schedule never changed unless there was something special.

The schedule repeated weekly for decades remained the same even when I helped Grandfather with his work.

So today, the second day of the week, was a morning when he handled office work alone without meetings.

It meant a relatively leisurely schedule.

I was heading to the study with a relatively light heart.

Until I heard an extremely grating laugh from under the stairs.

“Haha! Estira, you want to go to the Academy?”

I stopped walking and looked down under the stairs.

It was Estira, who looked somewhat angry, and the man called Jason.

“Estira! Do you even know what kind of place the Imperial Academy is?”

“Of course I know it’s a difficult place to enter, senior. But I definitely want to someday… It’s too late this year, but someday…”

“Wait. You don’t think you couldn’t go because I received Doctor Omari’s recommendation letter, do you?”

This Jason fellow acted so politely in front of me, but his attitude toward Estira was completely different.

Right, I knew he’d show his true colors.

I sat down on the stairs and listened more intently to their conversation.

“Do you even know what kind of clan our family is?”

Jason asked Estira.

But before Estira could answer, he smugly answered himself.

“Flang Trading Company, Flang Trading Company that specializes in pharmaceuticals.”

Ah, that greasy face looked familiar for a reason.

The merchant who first incited Astaliou and dragged him into gambling was the second son of that Flang Trading Company.

Much younger Astaliou even followed him around calling him brother later on.

Later, when Astaliou accumulated gambling debts, we even had to hand over Lombardy-owned real estate to Flang Trading Company.

Their attitude of acting as if they were doing us a favor by accepting prime real estate that went for dirt cheap instead of debt made my blood boil.

Thinking about that time makes me angry again.

“The connections I’ll build at the Imperial Academy will become wings for my future. And you dare covet my recommendation letter?”

Jason looked Estira, who had her head hung low, up and down as if she were ridiculous and snickered.

“Know your place, Estira.”

At that moment, those words filled with mockery felt like they stabbed into my chest.

“You never learn your place until the end.”

What exactly was this “place” supposed to be?

Seeing Estira standing there blankly, unable to properly retort to Jason, overlapped with my past self.

The days when I had more outstanding abilities than anyone else in the clan but was always dismissed with those words “know your place” came flooding back like yesterday, filling me with rage.

What exactly had Estira done wrong that she had to endure such mockery just for saying she wanted to go to the Academy?

I shot up from the stairs where I had been sitting.

And I strode purposefully toward the Head Family’s Office.

Originally, I had planned to ask Grandfather for a recommendation letter for Estira.

And since I could cover the insufficient research funds with my allowance, I hadn’t worried much about it.

But the plan had changed.

Jason Flang was going to receive great attention at the Academy with Doctor Omari’s recommendation letter?

The thought of that guy who looked like he dumped a whole container of hair oil on his head strutting around in front of people with the Lombardy name made my stomach turn again.

“I need to change tactics.”

I clenched both fists tightly.

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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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