In This Life, I Will Be The Lord - Chapter 75

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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 75

Why is he acting like this?

“Peres, you know that people around us are paying attention to us right now, right?”

“I suppose so.”

‘I suppose so.’ How carefree of him to say that.

I decided to explain things to him one by one.

“You know the reason why Grandfather initially opposed you becoming my study partner, right? He said we might be misunderstood as being engaged if we weren’t careful.”

“Yeah, I know that.”

“And with rumors spreading that you practically saved Father’s life, you know there are still people constantly whispering about our future, right?”

“No, I didn’t know that.”

Of course he didn’t.

That’s just like Peres, who never pays attention to the gazes around him.

“But it doesn’t matter.”

“…What?”

“I said it doesn’t matter.”

Ah, so this is how frustrating it is to be the only one who knows the future.

He doesn’t know what kind of woman he’ll meet in the future or how he’ll fall in love with her.

So he can be indifferent to whatever rumors are circulating right now.

I let out a small sigh.

As far as I know, that woman is practically Peres’s soulmate.

In the rumors, those two were like a match made in heaven, and they really were a perfect pair.

Moreover, she was someone who helped Peres greatly in reclaiming the Crown Prince’s position.

If such a person hears unnecessary rumors and ends up not connecting with Peres, that would be a disaster.

Even if I can help him become Crown Prince, I cannot allow him to lose the chance to meet someone so precious to him.

I shook my head firmly.

“Such rumors won’t help you at all. Don’t regret it later, and it would be better to draw a clear line from now on.”

“Tia.”

Peres calls my name.

“I won’t regret it.”

“You will regret it.”

“I won’t regret it.”

This stubborn fool!

I’m doing all this thinking of you!

And you don’t even understand my feelings!

I felt like I was going to burst from frustration, but I soon accepted it.

Since he doesn’t know the future, he wouldn’t understand what I’m saying either.

Fine, I’ll just be careful enough for both of us.

But Peres is strangely quiet.

He’s standing there with his lower lip pressed tight and his head turned to the side.

“Are you sulking?”

“…”

No answer.

He just keeps pressing down on a fallen leaf on the ground with his toe, then lifting it up repeatedly.

“Hey, Peres.”

When I nudged him lightly with my shoulder, he looked at me once but immediately turned his head away.

He’s really sulking.

“Wait here for just a moment.”

I said that and went to search thoroughly around the table where food was laid out, looking for that thing.

Fortunately, what I was looking for was not far away.

“Eat this and cheer up.”

I handed a chocolate cookie to Peres, who was still standing there with a sullen face.

But it wasn’t just an ordinary cookie.

It was a giant chocolate cookie, bigger than my two palms put together.

He took it and broke it in half with a snap.

“You eat some too.”

I think the piece he gave me is bigger.

Caught off guard, I took the half of the giant cookie and bit into it with a big bite.

As I chewed and the chocolate melted, a sweetness that made my tongue tingle spread throughout my mouth.

Ugh, so sweet.

How strange that thinking sweets are bad for you makes them taste even better.

My body trembled with pleasure mixed with a sense of transgression.

Indeed, when things get complicated, sweets are the best.

I was absorbed in the cookie when I felt a gaze, and when I opened my eyes, I could see a subtle smile hanging on Peres’s lips.

“It’s good, right?”

“Yeah, it’s good.”

Peres nodded with a slight smile.

That kid, his sulking mood has lifted.

I patted Peres’s shoulder, which had now grown higher than my eye level.

Even though he’s gotten a bit bigger, looking at his behavior, he’s still young.

Well, of course, since he’s only thirteen years old.

“Time will tell everything, Peres.”

What my words meant.

“I think so too.”

Peres, seeming much more cheerful, agreed readily.

“Time will tell.”

He said that while taking another crunchy bite of the cookie.

Seeing his eyes sparkle, he must really like the chocolate cookie.

I should wrap some up for him to take home.

“Oh, come to think of it, I have to go to the Academy.”

“*Cough*, …what?”

“I received that notification a few days ago. It’s probably…”

“Empress Lavinia’s will.”

I spoke in as low a voice as possible.

While the Imperial Academy was a dream and object of admiration for commoners, it was a bit different for nobles and royalty.

Heirs who would inherit their clans were not sent to the Academy.

That was an unspoken rule that was maintained.

Heirs were taught directly by their clans.

However, those like second or third sons who had to establish their own titles took the path of going to the Imperial Academy to build connections and accumulate knowledge.

So the Empress wants to send Peres to the Academy to firmly establish that the Crown Prince’s position belongs to Astana.

“I don’t really want to go…”

Peres muttered.

I understand that feeling.

Looking at it right now, going to the Academy might seem like a major setback.

First, he’d have to live in the closed Academy for a long five years, except for very short vacations.

And during that time, Astana would be winning over the nobles.

With his competitor Peres locked away in the Academy.

That’s exactly what the Empress is aiming for.

Since she can no longer freely kill or harm Peres.

But this is only the result they want.

In his previous life, Peres met trustworthy allies at the Academy.

It’s true that many view the Academy as a reluctant second choice for those who couldn’t become heirs.

However, to put it another way, it also meant that capable individuals who were pushed to the Academy against their will, despite having ability, were gathered there in droves.

There, Peres planned to carefully select talented and excellent individuals who weren’t recognized, picking them to his liking.

Moreover, the Academy was a place beyond the Empress’s reach.

At least within those walls, strict school rules existed that superseded other imperial laws except for the Emperor’s direct commands, and students were protected by those laws.

Considering all these various reasons, Peres needed to enroll in the Academy.

“Is there perhaps a special reason? A reason you don’t want to go to the Academy, I mean.”

“Well, that’s…”

Peres started to say something, then stared directly into my eyes.

His ruby-like pupils sparkled as they caught the light.

“Just because.”

He seemed unwilling to state his reason.

It was an uncharacteristic response for someone usually so honest about everything, but everyone has those moments.

“Think about it slowly.”

I didn’t push him by saying ‘you absolutely must go to the Academy’ or anything like that.

“…Yeah.”

He just nodded with that unreadable expression again.

* * *

[…Ah, my beloved.

Ah, you whom I revere endlessly.

You who are my life, my light, my heart!

Thinking of you, my sun rises and stars set, beautiful one.

Do not forget this love.

Our joyful today together.

Do not forget.]

Clap clap clap-!

A birthday celebration performance by Julietta Abino, whose opera tickets were sold out night after night.

The nobles applauded while gaping in amazement at the extraordinary extravagance.

No matter that she was the granddaughter of the Lombardi family head, no matter that she was Gallahan Lombardi’s daughter, they had never heard of such a splendid and grand birthday for an eleven-year-old.

“I heard Julietta Abino receives sponsorship from Gallahan Clothing Store.”

Someone whispered while looking at Julietta’s stage costume, as gorgeous as any custom dress.

“I heard rumors that it’s not sponsorship from the clothing store, but from Gallahan Lombardi himself? That they have that kind of relationship…”

“Oh my, really?”

“Both Julietta and His Highness the Second Prince. The rumor that everything Gallahan Lombardi touches becomes successful must be true.”

“Well, didn’t the Seosoeu Estate’s tax revenue multiply several times over within just a month of establishing the clothing store?”

“Instead of predicting the imperial succession, shouldn’t we be predicting Lombardy’s next family head?”

“It’s a matter of whether it’s the first or third son.”

Everyone nodded in agreement at those words.

“It seems the Imperial Palace has already started walking the tightrope…”

The gazes of the conversing nobles fell upon Second Prince Peres.

“But even so, could he really beat Biejie Lombardi, who has the Angenas family as in-laws?”

“Well…”

Again, several people agreed.

While Gallahan was showing great prominence lately, the eldest son Biejie couldn’t be ignored either.

“Besides, doesn’t Gallahan Lombardi lack a son to carry on the family line? He’s still young so there’s possibility he could have one in the future, but…”

“But there are rumors that Gallahan’s daughter particularly receives the family head’s favor.”

“No matter how much favor she receives, there are limits for a girl.”

Unfortunately, that was true.

“But still…”

Then one of the group pointed somewhere and said.

“Has there ever been an heir that Rulak Lombardi doted on like that?”

There was Pirenthia running over with a smile shouting ‘Grandfather!’ and embracing him, and the Lombardi family head holding his granddaughter with a grin stretching from ear to ear, letting out a somewhat foolish ‘Aheheheheh!’ laugh.

“Good grief…”

They truly didn’t know which side to align with.

The nobles’ dilemma only deepened as they watched Rulak Lombardi, a doting grandfather who didn’t know what to do with how much he adored his granddaughter.

* * *

Flash.

My eyes opened naturally without anyone waking me.

Outside, I could hear birds chirping, along with a cool breeze and clear skies.

It was a perfect morning.

Washing, changing clothes, getting dressed up, having a simple breakfast.

This series of activities flowed like water without any hindrance.

Finally, as Loril adjusted my outfit in front of the mirror, she asked.

“It’s become the first day of the freedom you’ve been waiting for so much, so what will you do today?”

“Hmm, first.”

I walked over to the bedside and took out a pouch I had carefully stored in the drawer.

Jingle.

A sound that anyone would recognize immediately rang out.

I smiled contentedly at the satisfying weight of the money filling the pouch and said.

“I need to spend some of the allowance I’ve been saving up.”

The first day is for shopping.

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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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