In This Life, I Will Be The Lord - Chapter 71

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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 71

I reached out my hand to that face.

The skin of his pale face was ice cold.

“Bring me a dry towel.”

“Ah, yes, Young Lady.”

The equally startled butler hurriedly brought several dry towels.

One went over Peres’s heavily soaked shoulders, another over his head, wrapping him up tightly.

“It’s so cold, why… You got completely drenched in this rain.”

“I thought the rain would make all the flowers fall.”

“Ah…”

“You said these flowers were the only way Tia’s father could get better.”

“…You fool.”

I grabbed Peres’s hand and pulled him up the stairs.

Even so, he didn’t ask a single question like ‘Where are we going?’

He just followed behind, matching my pace so I wouldn’t struggle.

I brought Peres back to my room.

And sat him down in front of the fireplace.

“Please stoke the fireplace more.”

The butler quickly threw several more logs into the embers.

“Where’s Kaitlin? Does Kaileus know you came here?”

“…Probably not.”

“Don’t tell me you went out alone in the middle of the night to pick Bomnia flowers right after receiving my letter?”

“…”

“And when it started raining, you didn’t even think to stop and go inside, just kept crouching there digging up the ground thinking you had to pick all the flowers before they wilted?”

“…”

“And you put all the Bomnia you picked in a wooden box, didn’t tell Kaitlin or Kaileus, just woke up the coachman and came straight here… right?”

Peres averted his gaze to the flickering fireplace flames.

“…I need to send someone to the Imperial Palace first. Please take care of it.”

“Y-yes. I’ll send someone to Poirak Palace.”

By now, they must have discovered Peres was missing and the palace would be in chaos.

Peres was watching my expression.

Water was dripping down from his black hair.

I said while drying Peres’s hair with the towel.

“I’ll apologize to Kaitlin and Kaileus later.”

“Why would… Tia?”

“Because you did this to bring me Bomnia. You were trying to help me.”

“But…”

Peres started to say something, then closed his mouth like a clam again.

Then he picked up the box he had set aside and held it out to me.

But I shook my head.

“I’m going to make sure your body warms up first.”

At my words, Peres thought for a moment, then went closer to the fireplace and started drying his hair himself.

Meanwhile, the butler returned with warm tea and hot soup, and prepared dry clothes for him to change into.

“See, I’m warm now.”

Peres came over and pressed his hand to my cheek as he spoke.

He was right.

The hand that had seemed so cold just moments ago, as if no blood was flowing through it, had quickly regained its warmth.

“So hurry and go.”

I didn’t refuse.

I took the box containing the Bomnia and gave Peres instructions.

“Quickly change your clothes and eat something warm.”

“Okay.”

Peres answered promptly like an obedient puppy.

I left the room.

Only the sound of my footsteps and the rattling of the box echoed in the dark corridor.

My pace quickened.

At some point, I was running.

When I arrived at Estira’s research lab set up in one side of the annex, my breath was rising to my throat, ready to burst out.

“Lady Pirenthia?”

Estira was still awake.

Judging by the lit lamp and books spread everywhere, she seemed to have been researching medicine.

I opened the box in front of Estira.

“I got the Bomnia flowers.”

“Th-this is…”

Estira seemed unable to believe it, touching the red petals with her hand, unable to continue speaking.

I placed the box directly in Estira’s arms.

And with the most desperate heart I’d ever had in my life, I said.

“Now, please save my father, Estira.”

It took Estira only a few hours to create the new medicine.

Around sunrise, Estira took it directly to Father.

“A new… medicine.”

Father, who had become noticeably gaunt in recent days, smiled bitterly as he looked at the new medicine Estira offered.

He didn’t seem to have much expectation.

“Thank you for continuing to try, Estira.”

Even while drinking the medicine using his left hand, the only limb he could still move, he only repeated such words.

I could have approached Father and said a few words, but I stepped back.

I didn’t want Father, who was already struggling, to pretend he was fine because of me.

It would be better if he cried more, got angry instead.

Father smiled unchanged as before, even in the face of slowly approaching death.

Just like in my previous life.

But.

In this life, I know what kind of crying sounds flow from Father’s room in the middle of the night.

I also know what causes Father’s red, swollen eyes the next day.

I watched from afar, then quietly left Father’s room.

My destination was the room near our house where Peres was temporarily staying.

Peres, who had moved around in the rain for so long, ended up catching a cold after all.

It wasn’t severe, but when Grandfather learned why he had come to the manor in the middle of the night, he personally sent a letter to the Emperor to let Peres stay as a guest of the clan.

“How is Peres doing?”

“He just took his medicine and fell asleep.”

Kaileus, who had come after receiving word from the palace, answered in a quiet voice.

I quietly approached the bed to find Peres sleeping with an innocent expression.

I watched him for a moment, then lifted the blanket and slipped into the spot next to Peres.

“Young Lady Pirenthia?”

Kaileus tilted his head and approached.

His expression seemed to ask why I was lying here instead of in my perfectly good room.

“I don’t want to be alone right now.”

A very spiteful voice in a corner of my heart kept asking.

‘Are you sure Bomnia is the right answer?’

I don’t know either.

But if Bomnia really isn’t the final piece.

What should I do then?

Will I be able to find another answer in time?

Will I be able to save Father?

My head spun around once.

My body, which hadn’t slept a wink all night, had finally reached its limit.

Peres’s warmth, subtly transmitted from not far away, seemed to soothe my heart.

Looking one last time at his black hair scattered on the white pillow, I slowly drifted off to sleep.

* * *

“Young Lady, Young Lady…”

Loril shook me awake.

My eyes snapped open.

The surroundings had grown dim.

Peres, who had been sleeping beside me, was already up and standing there dressed in fresh clothes.

“What’s wrong?”

Loril’s expression was strange.

Without waiting for an answer, I jumped out of bed.

Something was happening.

I could feel with my skin that the atmosphere around was unsettled.

My heart pounded anxiously.

No way.

No way.

I quickly ran into Father’s room.

Many people were already inside.

Grandfather and Shannet, and even Biejie and Lorels.

All the people of the Lombardi family turned to look at me in unison.

“Why…”

Incomplete words spilled from my mouth.

I tried to read something from the faces of the people looking at me, but as if my mind had stopped, it wouldn’t work as I wanted.

I moved my heavy feet as if something was dragging them to the ground.

Little by little, I approached the bedside.

People silently made way for me.

And finally, I could see Father on the bed.

“Tia!”

“…D-Dad?”

Hearing Father’s bright voice, my legs gave out and I swayed.

“Whoa!”

Several people reached out to me, but it was Father who caught my body.

To be precise, it was Father’s right hand.

The hand that had been taken by Tlenbroo.

“How…”

It was stable.

Strong and not trembling.

Though the bones were gaunt, it was holding me so I wouldn’t fall.

“The new medicine seems to be working, Tia.”

Father said with a gentle smile.

“Just a few hours after taking it, sensation slowly started returning…”

Father slowly clenched and unclenched his right hand to show me.

I stared blankly at that smooth movement.

“Tia.”

Father called me.

“I think Dad will be okay now.”

It was a relieved smile, as if he had put down all his burdens.

“Dad will be okay now.”

Pop.

I heard a sound like something bursting inside me.

“Sob, hic…!”

Unstoppable tears flowed out.

“Dad, Dad…”

“Yes, my Tia. You worried a lot, didn’t you?”

“Daaaad…”

“Dad is okay now. Tia is okay too.”

I rushed into Father’s arms.

Gentle hands patted my back.

I don’t know how long I cried like that.

All I remember is that I cried endlessly in Father’s arms that day, and each time Father said “It’s okay now.”

And that I heard Grandfather’s voice saying “thank you” to Peres.

* * *

It was a perfectly sunny day.

A pleasant breeze was blowing, and the grass was fresh.

Outside, I could hear the band practicing, and the murmur of early-arriving guests exchanging greetings.

I was getting dressed up at the vanity with Loril’s help.

“Young Lady, are you that happy?”

“Hm? About what?”

“You haven’t stopped smiling since earlier.”

“Oh, really?”

I looked at myself in the mirror and smiled contentedly.

“Today is a special day, so your hair will take a long time. Please be patient.”

“Okay, do whatever you want, Loril. I’m fine.”

Loril laughed as if it were strange at my relaxed reaction.

“You used to find hair styling so bothersome. You must be in a very good mood.”

“Of course! I’m happy!”

I answered in a loud voice.

“Today is my eleventh birthday!”

The day when I could finally freely enter and leave the manor had come.

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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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