In This Life, I Will Be The Lord - Chapter 29

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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 29

Lombardi Lord’s Office.

Heavy air that made it hard to breathe filled the office interior like a crushing weight.

It was such a bleak and intimidating atmosphere that any criminal would want to turn around and run back out the moment they set foot in this place.

The one creating this terrifying atmosphere was the family head Rulak Lombardi, sitting in front of the office desk.

The charisma that had earned him the nickname ‘Lion of Lombardy’ in his youth had only grown deeper and heavier with age.

Though he rarely flew into lightning-like rages as he once did, on days like today when he was deep in thought, that intimidating presence would slowly rear its head again.

Rulak was gazing at the sculpture of his wife Natalia placed by the window.

It was a bust that his granddaughter Pirenthia had given him as a gift not long ago.

He always admired it with longing and affection for his wife, but today was a little different.

“Natalia…”

Rulak called out his deceased wife’s name in a low voice.

“We should have been stricter parents.”

Biejie was the couple’s first son.

Though there was their eldest daughter Shannet above him, she had been such a mature child from an early age who never required much attention.

Because of this, Biejie, who acted like a child and had mischievous tendencies, monopolized the couple’s affection, especially Natalia’s attention.

And that was the problem.

By the time they realized something was wrong with Biejie as he grew up, it was already too late.

The Lambru Empire was fundamentally a society of primogeniture.

Biejie learned this at far too young an age.

However, the Lombardi family had traditionally prioritized individual ability over birth order when it came to inheriting the position of family head.

As Rulak aged and his children matured, his worries only deepened.

If only he had a suitable child, he would gladly pass on the position of family head tomorrow and finally rest.

He had recently hinted at these feelings to his eldest daughter Shannet, but her response was cold.

“I’ve watched the longest among my siblings to see how much you carry on your shoulders, Father. And I have no intention of living such a life, Father.”

Rulak could only nod with a bitter smile.

No matter how much was offered with a position, if the person didn’t want it, it would become a terrible chair covered in thorns.

And recently, Biejie had made another major mistake.

Biejie, who was in charge of managing the real estate owned by the Lombardi family in the central region of the Empire, had sold land to a nobleman he was close with at an excessively low price.

The problem was that this land had long been rumored to contain iron ore deposits.

Even knowing this, Biejie had sold the land for the sake of his external influence.

Fortunately, the amount of buried iron ore was expected to be small, so the financial damage wasn’t enormous.

But this incident finally made Rulak realize with certainty.

That Biejie could abandon Lombardy’s interests for his own personal gain.

Just as his thoughts reached that point and a deep sigh was about to escape Rulak’s lips.

Knock knock.

A small knocking sound tickled his ears.

“Who is it?”

Rulak asked at the unfamiliar knocking sound.

“Grandfather! It’s me, Tia!”

“…Tia?”

A cheerful, clear voice answered from outside the door.

Surprised, Rulak jumped up from his seat and opened the door himself.

“Grandfather!”

Pirenthia, with rosy cheeks as if flower petals had been pressed to them, smiled brightly at Rulak.

“Oh my, our Tia has come!”

And at the same time, the heavy air that had been weighing down the office and Rulak instantly disappeared.

Rulak chuckled warmly as he lifted up his small granddaughter who had rushed over to hug his legs.

“Kyaa!”

At Pirenthia’s giggling laughter, Rulak’s face couldn’t stop smiling either.

His face, wrinkled from smiling, was hard to believe belonged to the same serious person from moments before.

“Grandfather, are you busy?”

Pirenthia asked.

“Not particularly busy. Why, is there something you need?”

To Rulak’s question, Pirenthia answered spiritedly.

“Please write me a recommendation letter, Grandfather!”

“A recommendation letter?”

“Yes!”

Rulak tilted his head for a moment, then set Pirenthia down on the sofa.

It was the seat where Pirenthia always sat whenever she visited the office with Gallahan.

Shortly after, cookies and juice were placed on the table.

After looking at them briefly, Pirenthia soon took a bite of a large cookie.

She was far too calm for someone who had come to request a recommendation letter from the family head.

‘Well, what would a child who just turned eight know.’

Rulak chided himself with that thought and smiled at his granddaughter.

“Is it delicious?”

“Yes! It’s sweet!”

At her innocent appearance, Rulak patted Pirenthia’s head.

“So, you want me to write a recommendation letter?”

Pirenthia probably didn’t understand, but a family head’s recommendation letter wasn’t something simple that you could just ask for and receive.

Receiving a recommendation letter stamped with the family head’s seal meant, in short, receiving Lombardy’s full support.

It also meant that if anything happened to that person, Lombardy would intervene.

“It can’t be for you. Who is it for?”

“Estira! She’s Doctor Omari’s student and wants to go to the Imperial Academy to do research. In herbalism!”

“Then she should get a recommendation letter from Doctor Omari.”

“The doctor already gave his recommendation letter to another no— I mean, another person…”

Pirenthia had probably come to her grandfather with pure intentions of wanting to help that child.

Rulak felt his heart warming once again.

But a family head’s recommendation letter was an official matter.

What remained now was how to persuade her gently without hurting his granddaughter’s feelings.

“But Pirenthia, this grandfather’s recommendation letter isn’t something I can give out so easily.”

Pirenthia sat quietly with her big eyes wide open, listening to his words.

Rulak was already breaking into a cold sweat thinking about what to do if his granddaughter started crying.

The corners of his smiling mouth trembled a few times.

His particularly weak nature when it came to family was manifesting here as well.

“That’s right! Rather than this grandfather’s recommendation letter, a recommendation from the librarian Broshul would be better!”

Broshul was a scholar who had even served as vice-chancellor of the Academy, and after retirement had joined the Lombardi family who had provided him with enormous support.

So while it wouldn’t be as powerful as the family head’s recommendation letter, it would still be of great help.

“If we send that child Estira to Broshul for a proper evaluation…”

“I need both!”

Rulak stopped speaking.

“Both, you say…”

“Grandfather’s recommendation letter and Master Broshul’s recommendation letter, both of them!”

Rulak was flustered and searching for words for a moment.

To such a Rulak, Pirenthia asked.

“You said a proper evaluation was needed, didn’t you?”

“Y-yes, I did…”

“What would I need to do to get recommendation letters from both of you?”

Pirenthia seemed sincere.

“Estira is really smart and good at making all sorts of things!”

“Good at making things?”

Rulak asked with apparent curiosity.

“Yes!”

Knowing about medicine well and applying that knowledge to develop and create new things were different matters.

There were many scholars who could do the former, but the latter was rare.

“Then I’ll bring some medicine that Estira made!”

Pirenthia asked, setting down the cookie she had been holding.

“It would be difficult to please both me and Broshul at the same time.”

“Estira can do it!”

“The little one seems quite confident.”

Rulak chuckled warmly, finding his young granddaughter endearing.

“Yes! So if you like the medicine Estira made, you’ll write the recommendation letter, Grandfather?”

At Pirenthia’s words, Rulak nodded with a smile.

“Alright, let’s do that. I’ll tell Broshul in advance.”

“Wow! Grandfather, you’re the best!”

Pirenthia ran over delightedly and hugged Rulak.

Rulak melted at this affection he had never received from his other grandchildren, who were always afraid of him.

“There, there.”

Rulak didn’t know as he patted the child’s small back and let out continuous hearty chuckles.

He didn’t realize that his granddaughter, who seemed to be burying her face in his lap and acting spoiled, was actually scheming intensely with gleaming eyes.

* * *

The West Wing, where the offices and meeting rooms of those who worked for Lombardy were gathered.

A figure who couldn’t often be seen here was pacing around the first floor of the West Wing.

“Isn’t that Lord Gallahan?”

“But why is he restlessly wandering around like that?”

Those who were going to report to their superiors each looked back at Gallahan with puzzlement.

“Sigh…”

The corridor where Gallahan was sighing deeply was none other than in front of Cleribane’s office.

The door with ‘Cleribane Pellet’ embossed in gold lettering looked enormous.

Though he had come this far thinking it was a good idea after hearing his daughter’s words, Gallahan hesitated.

It was because he was afraid of Cleribane.

“Should I just go back…”

It was true that he had received a great deal of help from Cleribane during the Koroi business.

However, that was a separate matter from whether Cleribane’s sharp eyes weren’t frightening.

Gallahan’s shoulders drooped.

He felt so pathetic.

Even before Pirenthia had suggested it, he had thought about asking for Cleribane’s help.

But he had given up on the idea because talking to Cleribane felt awkward.

But his daughter’s words were right.

Of course, when you don’t know something, you should ask.

Especially for someone like himself who was still inexperienced in business, it was right to accept all the help he could get.

Gallahan steeled his resolve while taking a small deep breath and knocked on the office door.

Knock knock.

Though his voice cracked once, it was quite loud.

However, no answer came from inside.

Once more, knock knock.

Gallahan knocked again, but still there was no answer from inside.

“Ah, he must not be in!”

Gallahan’s face brightened strangely.

Since there was no one inside, it couldn’t be helped.

It was when Gallahan turned around with light steps, making a resolution to come back later that he might not keep.

“Gasp!”

Not far away, Cleribane was standing there.

With his arms crossed, leaning diagonally against the window, looking at Gallahan.

“C-Cleribane!”

“I was wondering when you would knock.”

Cleribane said in a cold voice.

He had been watching the whole time.

Gallahan’s face reddened slightly with embarrassment.

“Though it didn’t take as long as I thought it would.”

Instead of answering, Gallahan scratched his head with an awkward smile.

“You must have come because you have something to say.”

Cleribane said as he walked over steadily.

Watching him, Gallahan thought.

Pirenthia had definitely said ‘Teacher Cleribane is always kind.’

He suddenly worried whether he treated his daughter this coldly too.

“Please come in.”

Cleribane, who had taken the lead, said as he opened his office door.

“Then, I’ll excuse myself for a moment.”

Gallahan greeted politely and entered inside.

His movements were stiff with tension, as if they might make creaking sounds.

At that sight, Cleribane smiled quietly where no one could see.

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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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