In This Life, I Will Be The Lord - Chapter 55

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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 55

“Perfect.”

When I inserted a hairpin made of bright red rubies into the half-up hairstyle that Loril had carefully braided for me, my reflection in the mirror looked adorable even to myself.

It was truly a perfect dress for a banquet, combining the ready-made clothes from Father’s Gallahan Clothing Store with the financial power of Lombardy.

“How is it, Loril? Do I look expensive?”

“Young Lady, do you know how much just this one emerald attached here costs? I’m sure no one at today’s banquet will be wearing clothes as fine as yours.”

“Then that’s settled.”

I deliberately dressed more lavishly to change the perception that ready-made clothes are cheap.

“Ah, I could die happy now.”

Loril said in rapture as she touched my hair that she had worked so hard on with even more care.

“To see our Young Lady grown up like this and going to a banquet.”

Anyone watching would think you raised me yourself.

But knowing Loril’s caring heart for me, I couldn’t help but smile.

“Young Lady, you’re so beautiful today. There’s going to be quite a commotion at the banquet, isn’t there?”

“It won’t be that much. Don’t exaggerate.”

“No! Young Lady, you have no idea how pretty you are! Though that makes you even more adorable…”

Loril looked at me with a ‘grr’ sound as if she wanted to bite me.

“Besides, today is in a way the first day Young Lady is showing yourself to the outside world, isn’t it?”

“Is that so…?”

Come to think of it, Loril was right.

Unlike my cousins who diligently attend banquets here and there even before making their official social debut, I had never attended such occasions.

Father wasn’t particularly interested in such things, and recently he had been so busy that I could barely see his face.

Shannet had invited me to go together, but I declined every time.

“Ever since Lady Larane made her social debut recently, there was such a commotion for a while! They said a Lombardy young lady possessed beauty as well! But truly, not because I’m serving Young Lady, but our Young Lady is much prettier and more adorable than Lady Larane…”

Loril sighed deeply, saying ‘It’s such a shame I can’t see it myself.’

“Later I’ll have to attend banquets with you until I’m sick of them anyway.”

At my casual remark, a bright smile bloomed on Loril’s face.

“That’s right. We will.”

After taking one last look in the mirror and checking again, I left the room.

In the drawing room, Father and Grandfather were waiting for me while drinking tea.

“Young Lady is all ready.”

At Loril’s voice, both of them looked up.

And.

“Gasp.”

Father looked at me and covered his mouth.

Grandfather, sitting beside him, frowned.

The deep wrinkles between his brows seemed quite serious.

What’s this? Loril definitely said I looked pretty.

I suddenly felt anxious.

“Papa? Grandfather?”

At my voice, the two men started moving as if they had been playing freeze tag.

“Tia…”

Father rushed over and hugged me tightly.

His face was mysterious, as if he might cry or burst into laughter at any moment.

“Our daughter, you’re so beautiful.”

It wasn’t my imagination.

“When did you grow up so much.”

Father’s voice was definitely tinged with moisture.

I pulled away and looked at Father’s face.

Father’s eyes were definitely looking at me, but.

From his gaze tracing the outline of my face, and from his gaze looking deeply into my eyes, I could feel it.

Right now, Father was seeing Mother’s image in my face.

Though I have no memory of her, to Father it would be a face as vivid as yesterday’s memory.

“If she’s like this now, it’ll be quite something to see when the child makes her social debut later.”

Grandfather approached with his hands behind his back and spoke jokingly while looking at Father.

“S-social debut… Gasp.”

As if just thinking about it overwhelmed him with emotion, Father, who had barely been calming down, suddenly stood up and turned his back, eventually holding his forehead.

“Pirenthia.”

Grandfather approached where Father had left.

And with his brow still furrowed, he said.

“When you go to the banquet today, stick close to this grandfather or Gallahan.”

“Yes, Grandfather.”

“If any strange fellows come and try to talk to you, just ignore them.”

“Yes, Grandfath… Yes?”

As I was habitually nodding and answering, something seemed a bit strange.

“If they still bother you, just kick them away. Leave the aftermath to this grandfather.”

And he added in a small mutter.

“That child, why did she have to grow up so adorably.”

Both Father and Grandfather.

I think both of them have a severe case of doting parent syndrome.

* * *

At the same time, at Poirak Palace.

Kaitlin and Kaileus, who were attending to Peres, silently exchanged glances.

The time after lunch when everyone becomes drowsy.

Peres was holding a book open as always, but the atmosphere was different.

Kaileus looked at Peres, who had been tense since morning, with worried eyes.

Others might ask where they could see tension in Peres’s usual expressionless face, but Kaileus had noticed the book page that hadn’t moved for an hour now.

Kaitlin also watched that scene before quietly approaching and speaking.

“Your Highness, if you’re truly that uncomfortable, how about going out for a walk? There’s still a long time until sunset when the banquet begins.”

Kaileus also chimed in.

“Or shall I bring some chocolate cookies that you like?”

Thud.

Finally, with a dull sound, the book Peres was holding closed.

“My nervousness… does it show?”

“Yes.”

“Sigh.”

Peres let out a small sigh while fingering the corner of the ‘Brown Swordsmanship’ book.

“It’s understandable that you’re nervous. This is your first time appearing at an official occasion…”

Kaileus comforted Peres.

Though he was someone who showed little emotional fluctuation unlike others his age of thirteen, today was a day that would make anyone nervous.

“Actually, though it’s called the Founding Day banquet, there’s nothing particularly special about it. You just need to enter with His Majesty the Emperor, show your face, and return.”

“Kaitlin and I will be right by Your Highness’s side.”

How burdensome it must be.

The feeling of standing for the first time before people as the Second Prince of the Lambru Empire, after even his existence had been forgotten.

It was too great a burden and weight on his heart for the still young prince to bear alone.

Peres, who had been quietly watching the two people’s pitying faces, spoke.

“It’s not worry about the banquet.”

“Th, then… Are you perhaps worried about Her Majesty the Empress?”

Kaileus asked cautiously.

Come to think of it, aside from the banquet, there was one other thing that could make His Highness the Prince nervous.

Now he knew too.

Why young Peres had been left alone in that crumbling pavilion, and why he had such a frail body when they first met.

Fortunately, after moving to Poirak Palace, Peres never had to encounter the Empress.

The Empress still treated Peres as if he didn’t exist, excluding him from all imperial events.

What had changed from the past was that Peres now lived in Poirak Palace instead of the pavilion, and that instead of a neglected life, he was living properly educated and cared for as a prince.

So for Peres, his only duty as royalty was dining with the Emperor once a month.

“Her Majesty the Empress probably doesn’t know that Your Highness is attending the banquet. But even so, she’s not reckless enough to do anything in front of everyone…”

“That’s not it either.”

Peres shook his head.

Kaitlin, unable to bear it any longer, spoke up.

“Your Highness, then if you could tell us what’s making you uncomfortable, we could…”

“Tia.”

“…Yes?”

“Tia is coming to the banquet.”

Having dropped that comment, Peres opened his book again and lowered his head.

His ear, slightly visible through his fine black hair, was turning red.

“So you mean…”

Kaileus asked back, not believing his own ears.

“It’s not about standing before hundreds of nobles at the banquet, nor about seeing Her Majesty the Empress again, but you’re nervous about meeting Young Lady Pirenthia?”

Peres’s head nodded once, slightly.

And he said in a small voice.

“…It’s been a long time since I’ve seen her.”

Having answered thus, Peres fled back into his book.

In the end, the page remained frozen in place until it was time to depart for the banquet hall.

* * *

We arrived at the Imperial Palace riding in Grandfather’s exclusive carriage as head of the Lombardi Family.

Emperor Yobanes seemed determined to show off the imperial splendor this time, as the scale of the Founding Day banquet was different.

Unlike previous years when they used the Grand Banquet Hall of the Imperial Palace or Empress’ Quarters, this year they had decorated an entire large pavilion just for the banquet.

The bright lights of the banquet hall were visible even from far away.

The sight of nobles’ carriages lined up in a long queue from the main gate of the Imperial Palace to the banquet hall was also spectacular.

However, the carriage bearing the Lombardi crest ignored that entire long line and stopped quickly in front of the banquet hall like traveling on a highway.

While the coachman prepared the carriage step, I looked out the window and realized one thing.

“As expected, Lombardi is the best…”

If they were invited to an imperial banquet, they must be noble families with considerable influence.

And how much preparation must they all have made to come to the Imperial Palace.

Yet when those families’ carriages stood next to the Lombardi carriage, they looked utterly shabby.

They seemed smaller somehow, and didn’t look sturdy either.

Just before the carriage door opened, Grandfather turned to look at me and said.

“Remember what Grandfather told you. Just kick them away.”

“That’s right, Tia. And call for Papa.”

Now even Father had joined in.

Fortunately, our conversation ended as the coachman opened the door.

Grandfather got out first, followed by Father.

And I got out last, escorted by Father.

As my feet touched the ground, the cool night air and the sweet melody of music flowing from inside the banquet hall reached me.

Actually, this was my first time attending such a grand banquet, counting both my previous and current life, so I was honestly a bit nervous.

I walked holding Father’s hand in one hand and Grandfather’s hand in the other.

That was all.

No one announced our arrival in a loud voice, we simply took a few steps toward the banquet hall.

But with each step we took, changes occurred.

One person, then two people.

As if rumors had spread, they turned to look at us.

And by the time we reached the entrance to the banquet hall, everyone’s gaze was focused on us.

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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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