In This Life I Will Be The Lord Novel - Episode 180

“What I want is…?” Perez focused on Tia’s fingertips as she reached for the two ring boxes placed side by side. It was as if she held his heart in her white fingertips.
He had boasted, ‘Do whatever you want,’ but in truth, Perez had forgotten to breathe.
Please.
Whether it was misfortune or fortune.
Her deliberation wasn’t long.
Tia chose the transparent diamond ring she had prepared.
Whew-.
Perez exhaled as if swallowing a long breath inwardly. He had already guessed what Tia would choose, but despite that, a wave of disappointment washed over him.
“You already know what I’ll choose, don’t you, Perez?”
Tia said that and tried to put the ring on herself.
“Wait.”
Perez took the diamond ring from her hand. And slowly, he slipped it onto her delicate finger.
The diamond, more solid and beautiful than anything, shone even brighter on her noble hand.
“It suits you well, Tia.”
At Perez’s words, her clear green eyes looked at him.
“I’ll keep this for a while. Until everything is ready.”
Thump-thump.
A heartbeat like a sweet song was heard. It wasn’t Perez’s own. This clearly audible heartbeat was Tia’s.
At this moment, he was rarely pleased with his body, which had surpassed human limits due to aura.
Thump-thump.
It was a warm and comforting sound. The sound, which sped up slightly as he drew closer, made Perez’s body even hotter.
He was simply happy that Tia’s heart was reacting to him, and it felt as if his mind was burning white.
Perez approached carefully. It was always like that when he dealt with Tia. As if he might harm a being more precious than his own life. Even breathing became cautious.
Finally, their distance was close enough for their breaths to mingle. He saw her eyes slowly close.
Blue veins stood out on the hand he had placed on the sofa, which now fully supported Perez’s weight.
And just as their lips were about to meet.
Knock, knock.
“Your Highness, your academy classmates have come to see you… My, my apologies!”
Catherine, discovering the two half-embracing on the sofa, turned away in shock.
“How rude, Catherine.”
Perez, his face hardened, slowly got up. It was the first time he had ever been angry with Catherine.
But Catherine didn’t take it personally. Instead, she just apologized repeatedly, her face pale.
“I’m sorry, it was my oversight.”
“It’s alright, Catherine.”
It was Tia, who had already risen from where she was lying. As if nothing had happened, there was no trace of the earlier heat about her. A few simple gestures to adjust her clothes made everything as if it had never happened.
“I’m leaving.”
With only those words, Tia left the reception room, showing Perez only her back.
And she ran into Perez’s academy classmates who were waiting outside the door.
“Ah…!”
“Greetings, Lady Lombardi!”
Regnite, Tedro, and Stilley recognized her and quickly bowed.
And one person who was laughing and talking with them.
The woman with red hair tied back tightly, Ramona, looked at Tia with a surprised expression. As if she hadn’t expected her to be the early guest. Ramona’s blue eyes were wide.
“Long time no see, Miss Ramona.”
“Oh, hello, Lady Lombardi. To think you remember me…”
Tia merely smiled faintly instead of giving a detailed answer.
“Tia, just a moment…!”
Perez, who had been chasing after her, spotted his classmates. But that wasn’t important to Perez.
“I’ll take you.”
However, Tia shook her head.
“Your guests are waiting, Perez. See you later.”
Tia, who refused firmly with a smile, turned to Kailus and said.
“Would you call my carriage, Kailus?”
“Yes, Lady Florentia.”
“Goodbye, Perez.”
Waving a small goodbye to Perez one last time, she walked away. Perez’s gaze did not leave her retreating back until she turned the corner and disappeared from view.
But Tia did not look back at him.
***
The day after returning from the Imperial Palace.
After having lunch with Lauriel, I went outside for a walk around the mansion, using digestion as an excuse.
Rustle, rustle.
Fallen leaves on the path made a sound with every step. The employees diligently swept the paths whenever they had time, but they couldn’t stop the leaves from falling and accumulating.
Walking aimlessly like that, I arrived at Lorraine’s greenhouse.
“It changes like this when there’s no owner.”
The greenhouse, which had always been full of vibrant flowers and overflowing with life, was now empty. A few of Lorraine’s particularly cherished ones had been moved to my room, and the rest had simply withered.
A few empty flowerpots were visible through the greenhouse glass, but I wasn’t sad. Lorraine was happily living with Avinox, after all.
As I walked past the greenhouse, I saw a familiar figure on the opposite side of the path. It was Bellezac.
After Viese and Selal were banished to the annex, Bellezac’s outings had significantly decreased. It wasn’t by his own will. Astana had simply stopped calling for Bellezac.
“There’s only a greenhouse on this side.”
Still, Bellezac had acted like a brother to Lorraine. Perhaps he was walking this path because he missed Lorraine. Even so, what he did to Lorraine only made him seem more despicable.
“Hey! You!”
Just then, Bellezac, who was kicking at innocent fallen leaves to vent his frustration, spotted me. And he approached me with a menacing face and asked without preamble.
“Was it you?”
“What? If you’re going to ask a question, ask it properly, Bellezac?”
“Don’t act so smart!”
Bellezac fumed.
“You kidnapped my sister!”
“Kidnapped?”
“What else is it, taking someone who was locked in a room and sending her far away!”
His audacity in confronting me was laughable.
“Then why were you keeping Lorraine locked up?”
Bellezac couldn’t answer. He had nothing to say, of course. It was true that they had locked up a perfectly fine person and guarded her door like a prisoner.
“My sister was promised to the First Imperial Prince. And you made her elope with some country bumpkin?”
“Was that good for Lorraine?”
“It was better than becoming a woman who threw away the chance to marry into the Imperial Family and ran off with some strange guy!”
“The chance to marry into the Imperial Family?”
I laughed in disbelief.
“You call marrying someone like Astana an opportunity?”
There’s a limit to how stupid one can be.
“If it was such a good opportunity, why don’t you marry him yourself, Bellezac?”
They’re of similar species, they’d probably live happily ever after.
“And speak properly. You’re not angry because I ruined Lorraine’s honor. You’re just frustrated that you and your esteemed parents lost the opportunity to benefit by sacrificing Lorraine.”
“And you, you’re having a good time being called to the Empress’s dinner as a reward for hooking up with that lowly commoner, aren’t you?”
Hooking up. His language was as cheap as his character.
I scoffed and asked.
“You already know, so I guess your mother must have been quite envious?”
“What?”
Bellezac approached as if he was about to hit me. But he had to stop immediately. A few knights from the Lombardi Knights were watching Bellezac from a distance.
Their faces were familiar. They were close to the twins. They were all covered in dirt and sweat, perhaps on their way to rest after training, but they stood their ground without flinching, as if ready to intervene even as Bellezac glared at them.
“Snap out of it, Bellezac. Unless you want to be kicked out of the family like your father.”
Bellezac was furious at my words, but he couldn’t move easily, glancing at the knights.
“And you. You’re angry at the wrong person.”
I said, brushing past Bellezac.
“The reason you can’t see Lorraine anymore isn’t me, but your foolish parents who tried to sell their daughter to a scoundrel like Astana.”
I walked away, leaving Bellezac behind. Surprisingly, he was quiet. Usually, he would have cursed in his frustration.
“Ah, I feel so refreshed.”
I thought it was a bad day when I met Bellezac on my walk. But instead, my clogged feelings felt much clearer.
“I should send Lorraine a gift.”
I muttered that as I passed the mansion’s entrance.
I saw a familiar back figure just about to get into a carriage. Her neatly tied brown hair and impeccable, crisp attire. It was Catherine.
“Damn it.”
I wasn’t ready to see Catherine’s face again. I quietly turned to run away.
But.
“Lady Florentia?”
Our Catherine has good eyes too.
I had no choice but to smile brightly and greet Catherine.
“Hello, Catherine. What brings you to the mansion?”
“I’m on my way back after discussing something with the Patriarch regarding the Lombardi Scholarship Foundation next week.”
“Scholarship Foundation? It’s not time for the Scholarship Foundation yet…”
I stopped speaking as a memory came to mind. In my previous life, there was also a time when the Scholarship Foundation was held unusually early like this.
‘It’s because of that incident.’
I looked at Catherine for a moment and said.
“Yes. Then go back carefully…”
“I’m sorry about yesterday,… Lady Florentia.”
Catherine bowed her head and sincerely apologized to me.
“I will be careful, very careful, to ensure such a thing does not happen again.”
But I shook my head.
And I replied with a smile.
“No, Catherine. Such a thing won’t happen again, so you don’t need to worry too much.”
“…Pardon?”
Catherine hesitated for a moment, as if she didn’t understand my words. And then she nodded slightly.
It was such a Catherine-like reaction, not asking questions that crossed the line, even if she was curious.
“Then go back carefully, Catherine.”
I said goodbye and was about to walk towards the annex.
“Um, Lady Florentia.”
Until Catherine called out, her face full of hesitation.
“Do you have any prior engagements next week when the Scholarship Foundation is held?”
“No. I plan to be at the mansion.”
“In that case…”
Indeed, Catherine was hesitating. But then, as if she had made up her mind, she said with a firm expression.
“Would you spare some time that day? There’s someone I’d like to introduce you to.”
Someone Catherine wanted to introduce me to. I had a guess who it might be.
This time, I hesitated for a moment. But my answer was already decided.
“Yes, Catherine.”
I smiled and nodded.