In This Life, I Will Be The Lord - Chapter 286

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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 28

What on earth is this smell?

I pretended to cough while covering my nose and mouth, first trying to assess the situation.

The council hall, which usually only had simple refreshments prepared, today had food that could substitute for a meal.

Sandwiches I liked, tea I liked, and cake I liked, among other things.

I could immediately tell who had prepared these foods.

Normally, I would have enjoyed them happily.

“…Let’s go to our seats first, Creny.”

As I led Creny to my seat, the smell of food grew stronger.

It was truly an ordeal.

And at my seat, even more food was ostentatiously laid out.

Creny whispered quietly so only I could hear.

“These are all foods that Sister especially likes, aren’t they? His Majesty’s consideration is extraordinary.”

“Yes, that’s right.”

The problem is the timing is really bad.

I tried to breathe as shallowly as possible while sitting down in the chair.

As I was catching my breath like that, I heard the conversation of nobles nearby who had completely misread the situation.

“Isn’t this meaningful? A meal instead of refreshments.”

“Indeed, His Majesty must be speaking indirectly.”

“Right. Today means don’t think about going home easily.”

That’s not it, you’ve got it wrong.

I thought about telling them that, but right now it was hard to even open my mouth.

“Sister, is your stomach still very upset?”

Creny asked worriedly.

Instead of answering, I just nodded and used my index finger to push the plate in front of me toward Creny.

“Still, you should eat something.”

“…I’m fine.”

I feel like I’m going to throw up.

Really, just not bending over and dry heaving in this place was displaying superhuman patience.

I looked down at what was giving off the most awful smell on the plate.

It was a sandwich with thinly sliced ham, cheese, and apple – my usual favorite snack.

But right now, I couldn’t stand the sight of it.

“Ahem.”

Looking at it was making me more nauseous, so I hastily picked up my teacup.

The fragrant and calm tea aroma came in, and fortunately my stomach seemed to settle a little.

As I continued pretending to drink tea while avoiding the smell, I felt someone’s gaze.

It was a very piercing gaze.

I had no choice but to lift my eyes from the red tea, only to find something even redder waiting for me.

It was Peres’s eyes.

‘What, what? When did he arrive?’

I must have been so focused on suppressing my nausea that I didn’t even notice when he arrived at the council hall.

“Why is he staring like that?”

He was always sensitive, but with an even more sensitive intuition when it came to me, so he seemed to quickly notice that something was strange.

Since I wasn’t even touching my favorite sandwich.

Eventually, his gaze began to sweep over me from head to toe.

And cracks slowly appeared on his seemingly expressionless face.

His straight brow furrowed slightly, and his painted-like eyes squinted a bit.

As if he had realized something.

I instinctively hurriedly averted my gaze.

I turned my head so quickly it made a whooshing sound and hid my expression with the teacup.

“Sigh.”

I couldn’t help but sigh.

Keeping the pregnancy a secret from Peres felt really uncomfortable.

But there was no choice.

He was already making that face just from me not touching the prepared food.

If he found out I was pregnant.

“Ugh.”

I sighed again and shook my head.

At the same time, I took another sip of tea.

“This tea is really good.”

Though it was something I drank often, today its aroma and taste were particularly sweet.

Moreover, when the warm tea went down, the nausea subsided and the queasiness improved considerably.

“Good.”

I should find foods that don’t upset my stomach like this, one by one.

Though it was just tea with little nutritional value, I felt the excitement of finding treasure at encountering the first non-nauseating food in recent days.

So I didn’t know.

The fact that Peres’s face, who was still looking this way, had completely hardened.

* * *

After the council meeting ended, in the Emperor’s office.

The atmosphere was serious.

In the heavy air that seemed like the ceiling of the Great Lambru Empire’s Imperial Palace would collapse at any moment, Peres’s aides and close associates who had gathered immediately after the meeting couldn’t even breathe properly.

They were all watching one person – Peres.

After a very long silence, he opened his mouth.

“Everyone leave except for three.”

The three here meant the Academy Trio.

The officials, who secretly breathed sighs of relief, all hurriedly left the office.

However, Peres remained silent for another long while.

He just sat with his long legs crossed, glaring into space with a cold face.

The trio hurriedly exchanged silent glances.

‘It seems like he’s really angry this time, doesn’t it?’

‘It does seem that way. This is on a different level from last time.’

‘Someone say something.’

At the poking in his ribs, Lignite Ruman finally spoke up cautiously.

“Your Majesty, although it wasn’t the bill we originally proposed, didn’t we succeed in revitalizing the Academy anyway?”

Then the dark ruby-like eyes slowly slid toward Lignite.

Flinch.

Though he was a close friend and closest aide who had stuck by his side since their teens, he couldn’t help but tense up at Peres’s eyes like that.

“These were nobles who had been completely opposed to mandatory Academy education from the beginning. Starting to impose the obligation of Academy education for six months, one person per generation, on such people is certainly an encouraging achievement.”

“That’s certainly true.”

Peres answered surprisingly readily.

“The beginning is important. The Academy will soon become a social venue for young nobles. Then, regardless of obligation, those who naturally complete Academy education will gradually increase. I’m quite satisfied with today’s council results.”

“Then, then…?”

Then why do you look like death?

Large question marks that couldn’t be spoken aloud appeared above the heads of the trio, including Lignite.

“Something’s strange.”

“So, Your Majesty. If you could tell us what’s strange…”

“Tia didn’t eat her sandwich.”

“…Pardon?”

What, as expected.

I knew it.

Such expressions roughly crossed the three men’s faces.

“A sandwich… you say.”

Is this really such a serious matter?

That the head of House Lombardi didn’t eat a sandwich?

How deflating.

But since he said he was satisfied with the council meeting results, should I consider that fortunate?

“She didn’t touch it at all.”

That sandwich was something Peres had personally ordered from the Imperial Palace’s head chef.

Made exactly according to Tia’s favorite recipe, as always.

“And she avoided my gaze. Even turning her head away.”

“…The head of House Lombardi did?”

Tedro asked back in surprise without realizing it.

The head of House Lombardi always had a gaze that seemed to see right through people.

It was so burdensome that even when there was business to discuss, one would avoid eye contact as much as possible.

It was a scene that was hard to imagine.

Then, Steeli pointed out a positive aspect.

“That much could just be something that happened by chance while looking around, couldn’t it?”

But Peres shook his head, saying that wasn’t it.

And with an utterly dejected expression, he said.

“She sighed while turning her head away.”

“Oh.”

“Twice, no less.”

“Gasp…”

This time, even the trio could only close their mouths and blink.

Not eating a sandwich, well, that could happen if one wasn’t hungry.

Avoiding one’s gaze, that could happen anytime.

But consecutive sighs…

Perhaps Peres had the same thought, as he let out a deep ‘hmm’ and pressed his forehead.

Though Emperor Peres boasted more powerful imperial authority than ever before, when it came to matters concerning the head of House Lombardi, he was thoroughly weak.

So for the trio who assisted such an emperor right by his side, this matter was definitely not something to take lightly.

“Your Majesty, did you do something wrong?”

It was quite an impertinent thing to say to an emperor, but no one reproached Lignite Ruman.

This was an emergency situation, after all.

Peres could no longer hide his anxiety and rubbed his face with dry hands.

“I don’t recall doing anything wrong. We’ve had little time together lately because I’ve been busy.”

“But if Your Majesty did nothing wrong, there’s no reason for the head of House Lombardi to act that way.”

“Think carefully, Your Majesty. You must have done something wrong.”

“Refusing food, avoiding eye contact, and then sighing. And this is just days before the wedding.”

It was when Tedro said that.

“Ah! Could that be the answer? The wedding, I mean.”

The wedding?

The faces of the three men who didn’t understand Tedro’s words tilted simultaneously.

“When my cousin got married. There was a period when she was very depressed before the wedding. What was it called? Marriage blues or something?”

“Marriage blues? Is there such a thing?”

Lignite asked back as if hearing it for the first time.

“I didn’t know either, but they said it happens commonly. When one feels anxious about the future before marriage, or regrets the decision to marry…”

“What did you just say.”

Peres slowly lifted his face that had been buried in both hands and cut off Tedro’s words.

His firm eyes, which had always been filled with strong conviction even if cold, were trembling like a rain-soaked bird.

“Ah, no, that is…”

Tedro belatedly closed his mouth, but it was already too late.

Peres muttered in a voice trembling as pitifully as his eyes.

“She regrets… the marriage?”

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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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