In This Life I Will Be The Lord Novel - Episode 14

A few days had passed since the project to build a solid foundation for my father successfully concluded.
Though Coroi grass always grew well, except in winter, the stems were strongest right after the rainy season, so Father had suddenly become incredibly busy.
He would leave early in the morning and return late at night, which meant I had much more time to myself.
Father worried a great deal about not being able to spend time with me, but I actually felt quite relieved to have more freedom of action.
Even today, I could do what I needed to do without having to painstakingly explain it to Father.
I was waiting for Alpheo on a quiet staircase in the main building, where people rarely passed.
“Alpheo! Over here!”
Alpheo, who had been looking around, spotted me at my voice and ran towards me.
“Young Lady!”
Alpheo approached with a welcoming smile, a cloth-wrapped object in his hand.
“This is it!”
The wooden sculpture I had commissioned Alpheo for was quite a bit larger than I’d expected.
Its volume had barely shrunk from the original log he was given as material.
That meant the carving had progressed smoothly, without much waste.
I hadn’t even seen the finished piece yet, but I was already struggling to suppress a smile.
“May I take a look?”
“O-of course!”
At my words, Alpheo carefully placed the sculpture down in a suitable spot and gently removed the cloth.
The rough fabric, perhaps something he had at home, similar to Coroi textiles, slid away, revealing the wooden sculpture.
“Wow…”
For a moment, I couldn’t tear my eyes away from the sculpture.
The material was merely Bibo wood.
That common, ordinary wood had been reborn as a work of art in Alpheo’s hands.
Indeed, I was right to entrust this to the future genius artist!
As I silently stared intently at the wooden sculpture, Alpheo became restless.
“Perhaps you don’t like it?”
“Huh? No! How could I not like it!
The carving is so beautiful I forgot to speak for a moment. Thank you, Alpheo!”
When I said this, holding both of Alpheo’s hands tightly, a broad smile finally spread across his freckled face.
“Thank you for giving me this opportunity, Young Lady. I really wanted to tell you that.”
“Thank me? I should be the one thanking you!”
If Alpheo hadn’t taken on the carving, I wouldn’t have been able to give Grandfather such a gift.
But Alpheo shook his head at my words.
“It’s hard for me to get such high-quality logs. Just the experience of carving with good materials was invaluable.”
Alpheo’s calloused hand stroked the sculpture.
As if recalling the enjoyable process of his work, a gentle smile spread across his lips.
“And you believed in me.”
Alpheo’s gaze met mine.
“You know whose likeness this sculpture is, don’t you?”
At my question, Alpheo flinched slightly as if a secret had been exposed, but he nodded readily.
“My father saw me carving it in my room. At first, he scolded me severely. Asking who this person was that I dared to make a sculpture of them.”
Ah, Alpheo’s father must have known Grandmother.
“He understood, though, when he found out that it was you, Young Lady, who asked me to make the wooden sculpture.”
Alpheo covered the sculpture again with the cloth he had removed, wrapping it carefully.
His touch was as if he was handling a treasure.
“That’s right. This sculpture is of my deceased Grandmother. And I’m going to give this wooden sculpture that Alpheo made to Grandfather as a gift.”
Alpheo’s fingertips, which were tying the end of the cloth, trembled.
“As I thought…”
Alpheo nodded a couple of times and then spoke to me again.
“Thank you, Young Lady. For believing that I could do it.”
And I could tell that Alpheo’s eyes had changed somehow.
They shone with brilliance, like someone who had found a clear goal.
“I’ve been helping my father with carpentry work occasionally, but now I’m at an age where I really need to start working as a profession. I’ve been having a lot of worry lately.”
Alpheo scratched the back of his head, smiling awkwardly.
“Both Father and Mother said to put hobbies like carving aside for now and seriously learn a trade…”
“So you’ve made a decision?”
I asked cautiously.
Originally, Alpheo would live as a carpenter for over fifteen years before belatedly being recognized as a sculptor.
What if, because I commissioned the sculpture, he were to say, “Now that I’ve carved enough, I should focus on making a living”?
A sudden fear gripped me.
But my worries vanished with Alpheo’s refreshing smile.
“I enjoy carving. For now, I’ll have to follow in my father’s footsteps and become a carpenter, but on my days off, like this time, I’ll continue to carve. So that one day I can truly become a sculptor.”
Ah. That’s how he must have felt for those fifteen years.
It truly wouldn’t have been easy.
To do strenuous carpentry work and then, on holidays, to not rest but pick up a carving knife again.
It would be impossible without truly loving carving.
To silently, for such a long time, await the day his work would shine.
The tall young man standing before me now, somewhere between a boy and a youth, would spectacularly blossom at the end of that arduous time.
He would even be granted the surname ‘Jhan’, meaning beauty, by the Emperor, finally becoming Alpheo Gian.
“You know, Alpheo.”
“Yes, Young Lady.”
“You don’t only want to carve on holidays, do you?”
“…Yes?”
“You can do it every day, right?”
Because you probably won’t have the leisure to learn carpentry.
I smiled, telling Alpheo, who had a big question mark over his head, unable to understand my words, that it was nothing.
***
Every day around sunset.
Grandfather would take a walk in the garden alone.
And the place he spent the longest time during that walk was a small evergreen forest.
Why he cherished that place so much, which had no special significance other than a few evergreen trees gifted by the first Emperor long ago, was a mystery.
During the last few years of Grandfather’s life, which I spent right by his side, I learned the reason.
It was because of Grandmother.
Grandmother, who disliked the pitiful falling leaves, always enjoyed walking with Grandfather through this evergreen forest.
And now, Grandfather, left alone, was repeating that routine by himself.
Even the day before he passed away, Grandfather walked among the evergreens.
I waited in front of Grandfather’s office, timing it for when he would return from his walk.
It wasn’t long before Grandfather’s figure appeared in the distance.
“Grandfather!”
I deliberately called out to Grandfather in a loud voice and ran towards him.
“Oh dear, I told you not to run, you rascal.”
“Hehe. I was waiting because I have something to give you, Grandfather!”
“Something to give me?”
I took Grandfather’s hand and pulled him inside the office.
Grandfather seemed surprised, but perhaps to play along with me, he opened the office door as I led him.
“What in the world is it that you…”
Grandfather stopped abruptly, unable to finish his sentence.
The perfectly polished sculpture, free of a single speck of dust, was placed on the desk most visible when the office door opened.
It was what I had asked Alpheo for.
“Natalia?”
Grandfather murmured Grandmother’s name blankly.
It was a wooden bust, uncolored, but catching the deep sunset light, it truly seemed to emanate warmth.
“It’s my gift for Grandfather!”
“Florentia, you prepared that sculpture?”
Grandfather looked at me once, then quickly approached the wooden sculpture.
“This is truly… It perfectly resembles Natalia’s younger self.”
Grandfather’s words were no exaggeration.
Alpheo’s carving skill was already tremendous; he had perfectly reproduced the drawing my father made.
“Dad drew a picture of Grandmother for me. So I took that and asked my friend to make a sculpture out of it!”
“A drawing by Gallahan, huh…”
Grandfather carefully reached out a hand and stroked the carved area around Grandmother’s eyes.
His touch seemed to tremble, but the cold sensation on his fingertips brought a bittersweet smile to Grandfather’s lips.
However, that was only for a moment; his face when he looked back at me was as usual.
“But this is my gift?”
“Yes! Do you like it?”
“I do like it, but…”
Grandfather smiled a little mischievously.
“A gift is something without a price, isn’t it?”
He knows about Clerivan’s homework.
Well, I somewhat expected it.
Given Clerivan’s personality, he would have reported the progress of the lessons immediately, without delay.
Thanks to having thought about it in advance, I fortunately didn’t get flustered and said,
“Did that sculpture make Grandfather happy?”
“Happy. Happiness, indeed. I have many happy memories with Natalia from that time, so this grandfather will be happy every time I see that sculpture.”
“Then it’s fine! If Grandfather is happy, I’m happy too!”
It’s definitely not a lie.
After he became unwell, Grandfather was very upset that his eyes weren’t good enough to properly see Grandmother’s portrait.
That was why I had Grandmother’s image carved into a sculpture.
Even if he lost his sight due to old age later, Grandfather could still trace Grandmother’s face with his fingertips.
“Clerivan’s homework can be done better later!”
This is also true.
Even if not now, I can stand out in Clerivan’s lessons anytime.
Besides, if I could directly earn points from Grandfather, that was the priority.
The purpose of the succession lessons itself was a continuous evaluation to choose the next head of the family.
“Florentia.”
Grandfather stared at me intently, as if trying to read my mind.
But I wasn’t someone who would crumble that easily.
I met Grandfather’s gaze with an even purer expression.
“Still, I can’t simply accept such a good gift. Tell me if there’s anything you desire, Florentia.”
“Something I desire? Hmm.”
Just as I thought.
Given Grandfather’s personality, he wouldn’t accept a gift, no matter how from his young granddaughter, without any recompense.
But asking for money for homework right away would be a rookie mistake.
Besides the value of the sculpture, there was one more thing I wanted.
“Then, Grandfather.”
I pretended to think for a moment before speaking.
“There’s a friend who made that sculpture for me. His name is Alpheo. But…”
Each time I mentioned something about Alpheo, Grandfather’s lips twitched.
And finally.
“Hahahaha! To think such a talent was living within these Lombardy walls!”
Grandfather burst into hearty laughter, genuinely seeming to be in a good mood.
As expected, his serious obsession with collecting talent was the same then as it was now.
I stood there leisurely, enjoying Grandfather’s laughter like music.
Because, the happier Grandfather was, the larger the amount of money he would give me.
I was a commendable granddaughter who made Grandmother’s sculpture and gave it to Grandfather, and an even more commendable granddaughter who presented Grandfather with a genius who carved such a perfect wooden sculpture without proper training.
There was no way Grandfather would send such a commendable me away empty-handed.
And they said you should never refuse money given by an adult.

The day of the class where the results of the assignment would be announced arrived.
Having arrived early in the classroom, I observed the faces of the children as they entered, one by one.
The twins entered with their usual sullen expressions until they spotted me and ran over, and Bellezac looked noticeably very nervous.
What was surprising was Lorraine.
She came holding a small coin purse, her face flushed with excited anticipation.
“Hello, Lorraine.”
“Florentia. The brooch on your dress today is pretty.”
Lorraine pointed to the green brooch on my dress and said.
“Yes, I like it too. Thank you.”
As we exchanged greetings, Clerivan entered and the class began.
“Now, shall we look at the results of the assignment?”
Bellezac didn’t follow through on what he said he would do for the assignment.
He always insists on being true to his word in such useless situations.
And the twins, as expected, said they sold the logs directly to the servants as firewood.
They declared several times that the people genuinely needed firewood and that they absolutely did not coerce anyone.
And Lorraine.
“You made charcoal and sold it to the mansion’s blacksmith?”
“Yes. So I had to give a little money to the servants who helped me. This much is left.”
The pouch Lorraine held out contained 15 coppers (bronze coins).
Considering that one Bibo log was originally worth about 20 coppers, it was barely a break-even deal, but it was surprising that the usually timid Lorraine had acted so proactively.
Clerivan also seemed to share this surprise, nodding and not sparing any praise for Lorraine.
“Finally, Lady Florentia.”
“Yes, Teacher.”
“How much did you earn by selling the log?”
I shrugged my shoulders once.
“Surely, you didn’t complete the assignment?”
At Clerivan’s words, Bellezac, who had been slumped in the corner of the sofa, shot up.
“No. I worked hard, Teacher.”
“Then where is the money?”
“It’s right here.”
“Huh? Where…”
I pointed to the brooch pinned to my chest, showing Clerivan.
“I made a sculpture from the log and gave it to Grandfather, and in return, I received this brooch. It’s an emerald!”
And a really big and expensive one, too!
This time, even Clerivan’s face was dumbfounded.
I leaned back against the chair, momentarily basking in the triumph of victory.
Of course, I wasn’t the only one who benefited.
Grandfather gave Alpheo 10 silver as a reward for his work, and at the same time, granted him a family scholarship and the opportunity to study under a famous sculptor.
As I suppressed the urge to confidently smile and cross my legs, enjoying the stunned looks in the classroom, Bellezac, flaring his nostrils and fuming, caught my eye.
I deliberately curled one corner of my lip just enough for Bellezac to see.
He had called me half-blooded, inferior to my cousins.
He had sneered that I couldn’t even learn properly and had to live like a commoner, doing physical labor.
He had scoffed that I would eventually die like my lowly mother.
So, from now on, I would make sure he kept feeling what it was like to be pushed aside by that half-blooded girl.
What it felt like to have things he thought were his taken away one by one.
This was just the beginning, after all.