In This Life, I Will Be The Lord - Chapter 312

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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 54

Just by taking a few steps into the space.

Rulak’s presence filled the entire office.

It was an unapproachable aura that would naturally intimidate ordinary people.

“The Master has come?”

“Oh, it’s really him.”

The Lombardi Guild employees whispered to each other in hushed voices.

Although they worked for the Lombardi family’s guild, directly facing the family members was not a common occurrence.

What more of Rulak Lombardi, the head of the family.

While quickly stepping back to clear a path for the Master to reach Gallahan, the faces stealing glances at Rulak Lombardi showed undeniable tension and excitement.

“Father.”

Gallahan also bowed his head in greeting along with the others.

“What brings you all the way here?”

“I stopped by briefly on my way back from the Imperial Palace.”

Rulak Lombardi answered Gallahan’s question casually.

However, the head of Lombardi was far too busy to take such words at face value.

Even when the guild master needed the family head’s approval for guild matters and visited the Lombardy Estate, he had to wait several hours before being able to enter the study.

Moreover, cases where the family head personally visited the guild’s office were even rarer.

Even if the family head wanted to do so, his schedule was too busy to allow time for it.

Recalling this point, Romasie Dillard alternately glanced between Rulak and Gallahan standing beside him with subtle looks before naturally joining the father-son conversation.

“Welcome, Master. And your words are correct, Gallahan. We truly overcame a great crisis thanks to you.”

The employees also nodded their heads at the guild master’s words.

Unable to deny it any longer, Gallahan reluctantly nodded, his face turning slightly red.

But that was only momentary.

“Well done, Gallahan.”

At his father’s encouraging words, the pleasant flush disappeared completely, leaving only a face stiffly frozen in surprise.

He was more accustomed to scolding than praise, and more familiar with disappointed indifference than words like “well done” as he heard now.

Gallahan couldn’t respond and simply bowed his head once more.

“Since you’ve achieved results, I should give you a reward.”

Everyone’s ears perked up at Rulak’s muttered words.

What kind of reward would the head of the great Lombardi family bestow?

As everyone spread their wings of imagination, Rulak continued.

“Accompanying me to the Crown Prince’s wedding should suffice.”

Not gold bars or large sums of money, but accompanying him to a wedding as a reward?

Many tilted their heads in confusion.

However, those who understood its value, like Romasie Dillard, widened their eyes in surprise.

After the death of his spouse Natalia Lombardi, Rulak had never once officially brought family members to formal occasions.

This was different from the typical behavior of noble family heads who would bring their chosen successors along, naturally teaching them work and helping them build connections.

In other words, it was tantamount to expressing “I have not yet decided on a successor.”

Rulak and his children always entered separately.

Yet such a Rulak had told his youngest son Gallahan that he would take him to an official occasion.

And to Crown Prince Yobanes’ wedding, no less.

The implications of that brief proposal were beyond words.

“What will you do, Gallahan?”

It was a question that seemed to offer a choice.

Gallahan delayed his answer and slowly closed and opened his eyes.

He already knew this wasn’t simply a question about whether to accompany him to the wedding.

Despite already knowing about Shan, his father had not imposed any particular restrictions on him.

He had simply given him work and watched.

And when Gallahan began to show promise in guild affairs, he had Biejie make things difficult for Shan.

He had eliminated her place to stay and job, removing her reason to remain in Lombardy.

And now he was commanding his son.

To gratefully accept the hand extended to him like a literal reward.

Of course, to do so, he would first have to let go of Shan’s hand.

Between Gallahan and Rulak facing each other, several seconds stretched out as if time had been pulled taut.

“Thank you for giving me such a good opportunity, Father.”

At the end of the silence, Gallahan answered heavily.

“Yes. You made the right choice, Gallahan.”

“….”

Gallahan simply bowed his head silently.

Rulak looked down at him with satisfaction as if confirming the sight, then turned and left the office.

Just one person had entered and left again.

The guild employees finally felt they could breathe, opening windows and making a commotion.

As the surroundings became noisy again, Gallahan remained quiet in that spot.

Romasie Dillard approached him and beamed with joy.

“Congratulations, Gallahan. I knew this would happen from the moment the Master entrusted you with guild affairs!”

He looked as happy as if it were his own matter.

“If you attend the imperial wedding with the Master this time, and work just a little harder in the future….”

Though he didn’t voice it aloud for fear of jinxing it, if that happened, Gallahan’s selection as the next Lombardi family head would be a natural outcome.

From his children to their children.

From the position of a retainer who must serve the Lombardi family for generations to come, Romasie Dillard’s concerns were as great as Rulak’s own.

This was because no suitable successor candidate had been visible.

So Gallahan’s existence, trying to grow even if belatedly, seemed like a lifeline sent from heaven.

“Guild Master.”

“Yes, Gallahan!”

“If all the urgent matters are finished, may I return now? I’m tired and would like to rest.”

“Ah, I didn’t think that far ahead. It would have been better if you had returned home with the Master earlier.”

“No.”

Gallahan shook his head.

“I think walking slowly would be good. Then… I’ll see you later.”

“Yes. You’ve worked hard, Gallahan!”

After briefly staring at Romasie Dillard’s smiling face, Gallahan dismissed even the family carriage that had been waiting for him and began walking through Lombardi City.

Moving like someone who had lost their destination, he reached the residential area of commoners.

And he stopped walking near a house surrounded by a low fence.

Sadness filled his eyes as he stood with his hands clasped behind his back.

But that too was only momentary.

This time, Gallahan truly headed in the direction of the Lombardy Estate.

Uncharacteristically bold strides carried him forward, while behind him the roof of the modest house still showed off its redder hue in the midday sunlight.

* * *

The day of Crown Prince Yobanes’ wedding.

The estate was bustling with the Lombardi family members attending the wedding and the employees helping with their preparations.

The Master’s quarters were no different.

A soft knock sounded at the door of Rulak’s room as he was making final checks of his appearance with the butler’s help.

“Come in.”

As expected, the visitor was his youngest son, Gallahan.

“I’m almost finished preparing as well, so wait just a moment….”

Rulak stopped speaking.

His gaze was fixed on the bag that Gallahan was holding.

“Father.”

Gallahan, who was greeting him politely, was not wearing attire for a banquet.

His simple, unadorned clothes made him look like someone about to embark on a long journey.

“I came to pay my respects.”

Gallahan’s face as he spoke resembled that of someone departing on a distant journey.

He looked as light and resolute as the travel bag he held in one hand.

“Gallahan.”

Anger boiled within Rulak.

“What is this disgraceful behavior?”

His low voice was like frost.

“Do you dare to stage some belated rebellion?”

But Gallahan only answered calmly.

“It’s not rebellion. I’ve simply made a decision according to my own will.”

In truth, he had never agonized over it at all.

The answer had been there from the beginning, and it had only taken time for his courage to catch up with that answer.

“You’ve lost your mind.”

“Perhaps that’s true.”

Gallahan nodded.

“I’ve lived my entire life in fear of you, Father, but seeing how peaceful my heart is now.”

How easy this was.

It was so effortless it was almost anticlimactic.

Gallahan faced his father, who had always seemed ready to crush him whenever they met.

“I’m leaving everything that belongs to Lombardy behind, Father. All the money that was allocated to me over the years is in the bank safe as well.”

“Are you saying you’ll become a vagrant and beg for food?”

To Rulak’s angry voice, Gallahan responded with an even calmer tone.

“Fortunately, I have things I inherited from Mother, so I won’t be empty-handed. Please don’t worry.”

“…What?”

“Mother left me the largest inheritance among us four siblings. I suspect she did so with a day like today in mind.”

“Gallahan, you bastard, really…!”

“I thought I had to find my place within Lombardy. Fortunately, the Merchant Guild work was easier than I expected. I was even proud, thinking that I must indeed be Rulak Lombardi’s son after all. But.”

That was all there was to it.

“I wasn’t happy. It only became clearer that the place where my heart could rest was by that person’s side. Shan is that kind of person to me, Father.”

He could have slipped out of the manor silently.

But he didn’t do that.

Just as he had been given one, he thought his father should also be given a chance to choose.

“Please accept Shan as a member of the clan, Father. If you do, I will remain with the clan and live striving even harder so as not to shame the Lombardi name.”

The decision was entirely Rulak’s to make.

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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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