In This Life I Will Be The Lord Novel - Episode 102

“Hmm. I think I’ve heard of it.”
At Father’s words, Shananet shook her head slightly.
Judging by her faint sigh, it seemed to imply, ‘As expected of Gallahan, I knew it.’
“The Imperial Debutante Ball is distinctly different from other debutante balls. Aside from being hosted by the Imperial Family, the number of participants is limited to less than ten, and participants are not selected on a first-come, first-served basis, but by invitation from the Imperial Family according to strict criteria.”
“Yes, Shananet, you made your debut there, didn’t you?”
As Grandfather spoke, Shananet’s face flushed slightly as she explained.
“However, as I mentioned earlier, it is a debutante ball that, despite its strictness, comes with honor. If Tia wishes to have the most splendid and notable debutante, there is no better opportunity than the Imperial Ball.”
Indeed, it was a piece of advice, truly invaluable, from someone who once dominated high society.
And Shananet was right.
There were several debutante balls hosted by prominent noblewomen in the Empire.
But the pinnacle of them all, without a doubt, was the Imperial Debutante Ball.
Girls who officially debuted in society there started on a different footing than others.
The selection process was also unique.
Anyone who wished to participate in the Imperial Debutante Ball that year had to write a self-introduction letter and send it to the host.
Aside from that, there was nothing else prospective participants or families could do.
They just had to wait to be chosen.
Often, girls from high-ranking noble families were selected, but that wasn’t always the case.
Sometimes, they were chosen for having a beautiful heart expressed in their letter, or for being a lady from an ancient family, even if not highly influential.
The number of participants also varied each time.
Sometimes, it would be a full ten people, and if there weren’t enough qualified applicants, the debutante ball wouldn’t even be held.
Given these circumstances, everyone was always on edge, wondering who would debut at the Imperial Ball each year.
“It’s the perfect debutante ball for our Tia. That’s the kind it should be, indeed.”
Grandfather said with a satisfied smile.
“I’ve never been to an Imperial Debutante Ball!”
“We definitely have to go on the day Tia has her debutante!”
The twins also started getting ahead of themselves next to him.
Hmm. I don’t want to be the one to burst their bubble, though.
But someone had to tell them the reality.
“I don’t think everyone knows.”
As I began, everyone sitting around the table looked at me.
“The Imperial Debutante Ball is happening two months from now, isn’t it? So wouldn’t the applications have closed a long time ago?”
I also wanted to make a proper impression with my debutante, since I was doing it anyway.
“The participants for this year haven’t been announced yet, but it’s probably too late. And even if there’s still time, I can’t guarantee I’ll be chosen.”
But people’s reactions were unexpected.
They all just stared at me in silence.
“Why are you all… looking at me like that?”
“She’ll probably get in,” Giliou said, tilting his head.
“Yeah, she will,” Mayron chimed in.
“Because,”
“It’s Tia.”
What, that’s all.
I had momentarily expected a proper reason from the twins, and now I feel foolish…
“She’ll probably get in.”
“Won’t they accept her?”
Grandfather and Father even joined in.
I looked at Shananet, implying, ‘Please explain to these people.’
“If you write a letter expressing your desire to participate and send it.”
No, even Shananet!
But even Shananet saying that made my ears perk up a little.
“…R-really?”
Then Shananet chuckled softly and replied.
“Because you’re a Lombardi.”
Ah, that’s right.
To my slightly dazed self, at such a simple and clear answer, Shananet gently explained.
“From the Imperial Family’s perspective, it would greatly wound their pride if a young Lombardi lady were to make her debut elsewhere. Don’t worry and send the letter.”
Shananet’s words somehow brought me infinite trust.
Still, I nodded, harboring a slight doubt.
“I shouldn’t have sent it. I shouldn’t have.
Oh, how embarrassing…”
Two weeks had passed since I sent the letter to the Imperial Debutante Ball organizers.
But there had been no contact from them.
Relying solely on Shananet’s words, I had painstakingly written every single character with such care!
“Don’t be too disappointed, and just wait a little longer.”
Lauriel said, comforting me as I lay sprawled across the table, flapping in embarrassment.
“No. I think it’s already over…”
But it’s too much.
Left on read, left on read!
Ugh, how miserable.
As I was soaking the table with my tears, there was a knock at the door.
“Lady Florentia, it’s the butler.”
“Ugh! Come in…”
The annex’s butler, who carefully opened the door and entered, bowed politely once, then held out what he was holding and said.
“A letter for Lady Florentia from the Imperial Palace…”
Whoosh!
I quickly rushed forward and took the letter.
The envelope containing the letter was not the gold color used by the Emperor, nor the purple used by the Empress, nor the pink used by Perez.
It was a neat, brown color I had never seen before.
On the back, “Lady Florentia Lombardi” was written in beautiful calligraphy.
I carefully opened the envelope and took out the paper inside.
[Lady Florentia Lombardi is invited to the Imperial Debutante Ball.
The first meeting for participants is scheduled to be held at the following date and time, please attend.]
A carriage bearing the Lombardi crest stopped in front of Phorak Palace.
And the person who alighted was not Florentia Lombardi, the Second Prince’s companion.
Catherine, who had been waiting in advance, bowed politely and greeted.
“Welcome, Patriarch.”
“Hmm. Have you been well?”
Rulac Lombardi patted Catherine’s shoulder a couple of times and said.
“His Royal Highness the Second Prince is waiting in the drawing-room. Please come this way.”
Rulac obediently followed him into Phorak Palace.
Then, he suddenly asked Catherine’s retreating back.
“How do you find looking after a child?”
“…Sometimes, I only wish His Royal Highness the Second Prince were a little more childlike.”
“Indeed, that was his personality. Still, if you ever tire of this work, you can always come to Lombardi. Your position will always be vacant.”
“Thank you, Patriarch.”
After a brief conversation, the two entered the drawing-room.
“It’s been a while.”
Perez merely gave a short bow at Rulac’s words.
He was on his way back after receiving a report on Perez’s recent condition from Catherine.
Because of that, he knew how many of the Empress’s maids had frequented Phorak Palace.
As if relentlessly nagging him to chase him away to the academy, the Empress would either visit herself or send someone to urge Perez to write an admission application almost every other day.
Until now, Perez had managed to resist the pressure well, but in Catherine’s view, simply ignoring it and pretending not to hear had reached its limit.
So, as a formality, he had requested Rulac, as his guardian, to intervene.
Rulac, who had been watching Perez with disapproval, got straight to the point.
“Why are you so insistent on not going to the academy?”
At the word ‘academy,’ Perez’s dark eyebrow twitched once.
Rulac, who had been about to scold him for still clinging to his habit of keeping his mouth shut like a seashell, made an even more displeased face at the low voice that finally emerged.
“I don’t want to go.”
If it were his grandson, he would have beaten him thoroughly.
But beating an imperial prince in the imperial palace would make the aftermath bothersome.
“What is your reason?”
At Rulac’s question, Perez raised his head.
And with red eyes, he looked directly at Rulac and replied.
“I will not be pushed out of this Imperial Palace.”
His words were quite resolute.
However, the reply he received was cynical.
“If you’re not pushed out, is that the best you can do?”
“At the very least, I can prevent the Empress from getting what she wants.”
“That’s not the answer to my question.”
Perez closed his mouth again out of habit.
However, his blood-red, venomous eyes were no different from when he was a child, and Rulac clicked his tongue.
His determination to thoroughly use him as a tool to provoke Empress Lavini now seemed meaningless.
Perhaps his heart had softened without his knowing, thanks to his beloved granddaughter, who, whenever she had a chance, praised him as her ‘best friend’?
Thinking that this would be his first and last piece of advice, Rulac opened his mouth.
“Do you think you can stay in the Imperial Palace and fight against the Empress and Angenas?”
“…I don’t think it’s impossible.”
That dream of his was truly ambitious.
Rulac did not hide the scoff that escaped him.
“You might hinder and annoy them. You might be a bothersome stumbling block in their every step towards the throne. But a mere stumbling block cannot prevent Astana from sitting on the throne. Do you want revenge?”
Instead of an answer, Perez’s red eyes glowed blood-red, like a heated sword.
“Then you must take away what they desire most. That is revenge.”
Rulac said only that and rose from his seat.
Perez, left alone, did not see him off and remained sitting in the large drawing-room, lost in deep thought.
***

The first meeting for the Imperial Debutante Ball participants was held in a small banquet hall in the Imperial Palace.
Mainly a venue for tea parties and such, seven girls besides me had already arrived.
“Oh, oh…?”
They seemed to already know among themselves who was participating in the Imperial Debutante, as many of them looked surprised when I appeared.
But even then, they didn’t approach me and immediately started whispering among themselves.
At that sight, my desire to go and greet them first completely vanished, so I took a seat on the opposite side of the round table.
I felt the gaze of a red-haired lady sitting alone near my seat.
However, before we could exchange introductions, a group of people entered the banquet hall.
And the white-haired old woman leading them looked at us one by one and said.
“Everyone has arrived.”
She was a small, frail old woman with a stooped back, but no one in the Imperial Palace dared to disrespect her.
Even Empress Lavini herself suppressed her temper in front of this person.
“This old woman is Fonta Impygra, the chief maid of the Imperial Palace. You may simply call me Fonta.”
She had managed the affairs of this Imperial Palace as chief maid for a remarkable 40 years, since the time of the previous Emperor, and had been a giant in high society, hosting the Imperial Debutante Ball for the same period. That was Fonta Impygra, the chief maid of the Imperial Palace.
And her gaze immediately turned to me.