In This Life, I Will Be The Lord - Chapter 69

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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 69

As if this entire situation was a play created for entertainment, Rulak’s face was full of smiles, but the scent of wind came from his collar.

He had rushed here from Lombardi without delaying even a moment.

“What insolent behavior is this!”

The head of Angenas, Perdic Angenas, pointed his finger at Rulak and shouted angrily.

“No matter if you are the head of Lombardi, barging into His Majesty’s study like this is clearly crossing the line!”

“Crossing the line? So are you here now begging His Majesty to take away Gallahan’s business and give it to you?”

“H-how did you…?”

“Angenas discovered my family’s secrets, so why wouldn’t I be able to read Angenas’s dirty schemes?”

Rulak strode forward and walked right up to Perdic Angenas’s face.

Rulak’s shadow fell over the short and slender Perdic.

“Did you just say I crossed the line?”

“Y-yes! How dare you enter His Majesty’s study…!”

Rulak threateningly raised one hand as if he would twist the neck of Perdic Angenas, who was repeating the same words like a parrot.

“Ugh!”

Overwhelmed by the intimidating presence, Perdic cowered, and the next moment he had to grit his teeth to avoid screaming from the strong grip that seemed ready to shatter his shoulder.

Rulak leaned toward Perdic’s ear and spoke quietly.

“Did you sell your conscience and your brain together, Perdic?”

So that only Perdic Angenas could hear.

“Just as barely managing not to scream is your best effort right now, when I make my move, Angenas will end up in the same state as you.”

“A-are you threatening me right now?”

“Yes, I’m threatening you. Listen well, Perdic Angenas.”

Rulak’s voice became even lower.

“From the moment you set foot in the Imperial Palace to steal the ready-made clothing business after hearing that my son fell ill, you crossed the line.”

His wrinkled brown eyes were glowing blue-green with anger.

“You crossed with your own feet the line that was protecting the great Angenas from me. Do you understand, Perdic?”

Perdic Angenas gulped.

He knew well that Rulak was merciless when it came to his blood relatives.

He had moved under thorough calculations that things might flow this way.

But somehow, just as Rulak said, he kept having the grim thought that he had crossed a line he shouldn’t have.

Regret was raising its head within Perdic.

And as if reading that feeling, Rulak smiled crookedly on his face full of traces of time and said.

“Yes, you’ll have that thought countless times from now on. You’ll regret, and regret again. ‘I shouldn’t have touched Gallahan back then.'”

Finally, Rulak gripped Perdic Angenas’s shoulder hard enough to make him gasp, then turned around.

“It’s been a while, Durak Caravan Leader.”

“I-I’m sorry…”

Croiton Angenas apologized without realizing it.

“No, no. Don’t apologize now. There will be many things to be sorry for in the future.”

Though Rulak spoke with a smile, the Durak Caravan Leader’s face grew even paler.

Perdic Angenas belatedly looked at Emperor Yobanes with a face pleading for help, but the Emperor was just sipping his drink with the face of a thorough observer.

“So is Gallahan really afflicted with Tlenbroo disease? Are the rumors true?”

The Emperor asked Rulak.

“That’s correct.”

“Hmm, then that’s troublesome.”

“There’s nothing to worry about, Your Majesty.”

“But if it’s Tlenbroo disease, by the next season…”

Yobanes also glanced at Rulak and cut his words short.

However, what he intended to mean was as good as already said.

“Gallahan is currently under treatment.”

“Treatment? But isn’t there no cure for Tlenbroo disease?”

“That has been the case until now.”

Rulak paused briefly before continuing.

“A new treatment has been developed. He’s recovering at a very fast pace. So Gallahan will be fine.”

“T-that’s!”

The flustered outcry burst from Perdic Angenas.

A cure for Tlenbroo? That’s ridiculous.

Gallahan Lombardi might recover?

He had moved knowing Rulak would be furious because he calculated that if he could get the ready-made clothing business, it would be worth taking that level of risk.

But if Gallahan really survives…

Cold sweat ran down his back.

“What if Gallahan doesn’t recover? What do you plan to do then?”

Yobanes looked at Rulak with snake-like eyes.

“Then the Lombardi family will take responsibility and continue that business, but that won’t happen. Gallahan will dust himself off and rise up.”

Rulak said those words and left the study.

Not forgetting to glare at Perdic Angenas one last time.

“Well, let’s just wait and see. I can’t kill a perfectly healthy Gallahan.”

Yobanes spoke leisurely while gently swirling his wine glass.

Perdic Angenas had to swallow the bitter taste rising from his stomach.

* * *

Mrs. Sersheu glared at Shannet sitting in front of her.

“To let me hear about Gallahan’s illness through rumors. Is this how the Lombardi family treats a family they want to do business with?”

“I’m sorry for not telling you in advance.”

Shannet bowed her head politely.

That sight made Mrs. Sersheu even angrier.

“Try making some excuse! How can I trust Gallahan and start a big business like this!”

“Aunt.”

Shannet called Mrs. Sersheu in a quiet voice, then took out a letter from her bosom.

It was Gallahan’s letter.

Mrs. Sersheu, who opened it, let out a low groan.

[To Aunt Beatrix.

By now, I imagine you must be very angry after hearing about my situation.

I would like to say that I intended to inform you when the time came, but that would be lying to you, Aunt.

For my daughter Tia’s future, I tried to keep it secret from everyone for as long as possible.

However, in this situation where everything has been revealed against my intentions, I would like to make a shameless request of you, Aunt.

Please trust me and wait just a little longer.

If you cannot trust me, who tried to deceive you, then please trust the person I trust who brought this letter.

I will work hard so that the day comes when I can visit you personally and deliver good news.

From Gallahan.]

“Cunning fellow…”

I thought he was just gentle and soft.

He’s become quite the schemer like his father.

When he prostrates himself like this and calls me ‘Aunt,’ it pains my heart to be angry at my sick nephew.

Mrs. Sersheu, whose anger had faded from her face, asked Shannet.

“He says he’ll come visit you personally to deliver it. What does this mean?”

“That is…”

Shannet struggled to hide her confusion.

Though she wasn’t showing it outwardly, she was trying just as hard as Mrs. Sersheu to accept this entire situation.

She had been preparing to visit after hearing the news that Gallahan had contracted Tlenbroo disease when Pirenthia came to see her.

And she handed over Gallahan’s letter, suddenly asking her to go visit Mrs. Sersheu.

Along with the request: ‘Please go not as our father’s sister, but as Shannet Lombardi.’

“A researcher who happens to be a Lombardi scholarship recipient has invented a cure for Tlenbroo and brought it.”

“Then, does that mean Gallahan might recover?”

“He’s currently undergoing treatment.”

Both Gallahan and Shannet were equally unable to lie.

Mrs. Sersheu looked at Shannet with narrowed eyes.

“What will you do if I believe and wait, only to have that faith come back to bite me? Angenas came rushing over ready to grab Sersheu’s hand and jump in immediately.”

As expected.

Shannet confirmed what she had suspected and clenched her fists tightly.

“Aunt, Gallahan may be my younger brother, but he’s someone who’s foolishly unable to lie. It would be nice if he could act a bit more cunningly, but he’s too simple-minded for that.”

It hadn’t even been a few hours since she received news that such a brother had contracted an incurable disease.

However, Shannet didn’t have the luxury to grieve and feel confused right now.

Properly completing this task that Gallahan had requested was the best thing she could do for her brother who would be lying in his sickbed.

“I believe that Gallahan will do his utmost to overcome his illness even at this very moment. But if Gallahan fails to keep his promise…”

Shannet recalled her young niece’s words.

“Please go not as our father’s sister, but as Shannet Lombardi.”

Could that child have somehow anticipated that a situation would arise where such words would need to be said?

At this absurd thought, Shannet smiled faintly.

And she looked directly at Mrs. Sersheu as she spoke.

“Then please trust in Lombardi at that time. That child Gallahan may be the founder of ‘Gallahan Clothing Store,’ but he’s also the son of clan head Rulak Lombardi. And Lombardi never disappoints those who believe in and stand with Lombardi.”

A moment of silence passed.

And Mrs. Sersheu let out a sigh like a low lament.

“…Tell Gallahan not to worry about Sersheu’s concerns and to focus only on his treatment. And be sure to tell him I’ll stop by soon.”

“Yes, Aunt.”

Shannet rose from her seat, hiding her slightly trembling hands within the wide sleeves of her dress.

“And, Shannet.”

Mrs. Sersheu said while rubbing her forehead with a tired expression.

“Could you tell your husband that our Sersheu has no intention of selling the mine, so he should stop trying to persuade us?”

“…The mine?”

Shannet was momentarily flustered but soon hid her expression and nodded.

“Yes, Aunt. I’ll do that.”

* * *

Three weeks had already passed since the major commotion.

Fortunately, the issues that had all struck at once were temporarily resolved, but they were all just stopgap measures.

The only solution was to create a cure for Tlenbroo so that Father could recover.

Estira was doing her utmost in her research, but she hadn’t yet found any significant breakthrough.

Father’s illness was steadily worsening just like in my previous life.

“…I’ll be back.”

And in this situation, I had to enter the palace to serve as Peres’s companion.

I wanted to stay by his bedside, but Father pushed me away, telling me to go play with Peres and get some fresh air.

Since it was what Father wanted, I couldn’t refuse to go.

I boarded the carriage with a gloomy expression.

During the few hours it took to travel from the Lombardi estate to the Imperial Palace, all sorts of thoughts tore through my mind.

And finally, I arrived at Poirak Palace where Peres lived.

“Tia, hello.”

Peres greeted me with a barely visible smile.

“Hello.”

Honestly, I was irritated.

In this situation where I should be spending even one more hour with Father, the time spent with Peres felt like a waste.

Receiving my dry greeting, Peres stared intently at my face for a moment.

It was one of his habits.

“Let’s go.”

Then Peres’s hand took mine.

“What? Where are we going?”

“The place where we’ll spend today playing.”

“I’m not in the mood to play.”

“I know.”

What exactly do you know?

Just when my patience was reaching its limit.

Peres pushed open a large door with his other hand that wasn’t holding mine.

“This place is…”

“The library of Poirak Palace. I’ve gathered books about Tlenbroo disease and herbalism texts here. As many as I could possibly manage.”

Peres pulled out a chair at the table located in the center of the library as he spoke.

“Let’s search for information about Tlenbroo disease together. If we search, we might be able to find a way.”

“Peres…”

“This time, I’ll help you.”

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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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