In This Life I Will Be The Lord Novel - Episode 194

The annex of the Lombardi mansion.
Now the new home of the Viese couple and Bellezac, it was particularly quiet compared to other parts of the mansion.
“Let’s see, Bellezac.”
Selal, who had neatly buttoned Bellezac’s newly tailored hunting suit all the way up, stood her son in front of the mirror.
“Yes, you look very handsome.”
Brown hair and brown eyes.
While his appearance resembled his father, Viese, Selal believed Bellezac’s inner self was exactly like hers.
“Bellezac.”
“Yes, Mother.”
“You are a strong man. Aren’t you?”
Bellezac did not answer.
He understood the meaning of Selal’s words.
‘You are not a weak human like your father. Are you?’
Selal was saying that.
His father, born the eldest son, but who had fallen out of his grandfather’s favor and was now on the verge of losing the Lombardi name.
Yet, instead of fighting, he indulged in self-pity, living each day drunk.
Bellezac felt his stomach churn at the thought of that pathetic sight.
Selal gently stroked Bellezac’s shoulder, who was frowning.
“Yes, you are my son.”
Having said that, Selal turned around and opened a drawer.
Out of it came a wooden carved box.
Click.
With a small sound, the box opened in Selal’s hand.
“This is……”
What was revealed was a sharp dagger placed on a black cloth.
“It’s a gift, Bellezac.”
Having hunted since childhood, following Astana, Bellezac also had many hunting daggers.
But the dagger Selal handed him was so expensive that even Bellezac recognized it at a glance.
Selal carefully took out the dagger and handed it to Bellezac.
“Take it.”
Bellezac swallowed hard, looking at the particularly sharp blade, and accepted the dagger.
“Do you understand the meaning of why I’m giving you a dagger as a gift?”
Bellezac did not answer.
He only looked down at the dagger with complex eyes.
“This hunting competition is very different from what you’ve experienced before, Bellezac. Though it’s the entrance, Madman’s Forest is a very dangerous place.”
Bellezac frowned.
The annual Lombardi hunting competition was originally an event where they would at most catch foxes or deer.
It felt unsettling that it had suddenly changed to something so dangerous.
At that moment, Selal gripped Bellezac’s arm tightly.
It was a surprisingly strong grip, considering it came from slender fingers.
“Mother?”
To Bellezac, who widened his eyes in confusion, Selal said.
“As dangerous as it is, an opportunity might come your way. Do you understand, Bellezac?”
Her low whispering voice was so unfamiliar.
Would the eyes of the monsters in Madman’s Forest look like that?
Selal’s eyes gleamed strangely.
“If His Highness Astana faces danger, you must step forward.”
“But……”
“No buts!”
Selal raised her voice.
“Get a grip, Bellezac! This is not the time to be afraid!”
Selal’s fingertips, gripping Bellezac’s arm, dug painfully into his flesh.
“Since it’s a big event held in Lombardi, His Highness the First Prince won’t be able to keep you away this time. It’s your last chance to regain your position as his close aide!”
Selal was desperate.
She wanted to act herself, but Viese and Selal were not allowed to attend this hunting competition.
Unless they were members of Lombardi, they needed an invitation to attend the hunting competition and its eve.
Of course, Viese and the Selal couple did not receive invitations.
“Remember, Bellezac. You must not leave His Highness Astana’s side.”
Selal urged again.
“Always carry this dagger and use it without hesitation if he faces danger.”
“……Yes.”
In front of his mother, whom he had never seen like this, Bellezac could only nod.
***
I put on soft gloves and looked out the window.
A dense, lush forest began where the plains around the villa ended.
And a thick fog heavily covered it.
It was a very different landscape from around the Lombardi mansion.
“It’s a bit eerie.”
Lauriel approached and draped a thick fur cloak over my shoulders, saying.
It was as Lauriel had observed.
This villa, located in the northeast of the Lombardi territory, was situated at the entrance of Madman’s Forest, where monsters resided.
“They say Madman’s Forest, which is perpetually shrouded in thick fog, drives people who enter it insane.”
At my playful words, Lauriel looked at the dense forest with worried eyes, as if just hearing about it made her scared.
“Why did you suddenly move the hunting competition venue here?”
I smiled sweetly at Lauriel’s question and replied.
“Just because. Doesn’t it sound fun?”
I had been given full authority by my grandfather to prepare this hunting competition.
The reason was that it was essential for the successful reinstatement of the Brown family.
My grandfather, who had looked at me with strange eyes for a moment, simply said, ‘Do as you wish,’ and gave his permission.
“My preparations are all done, so Lauriel, go to Merilyn and Sir Flint now.”
“Yes, Lady. Call me if you need anything else!”
Lauriel saluted cheerfully and left the room.
And not long after, the door opened again.
Three familiar faces entered.
“Are all the preparations done?”
I asked Clerivan, looking at him.
“Yes. We’ve finished preparations so there will be no hindrance even if the hunting competition starts immediately.”
“And the eve?”
This time, Violet answered.
“The preparations for the eve banquet are also complete.”
“It must have been hard, with so much space to take care of, both inside and outside the banquet hall.”
“Not at all. Lord Bate helped us well, so we finished without much trouble.”
But knowing Violet’s hard work, having stayed up for several nights, I briefly patted her shoulder.
“Our landlord has unique tastes, indeed.”
Bate said, looking out the window from where I had just been standing.
“To hold a hunting competition in Lombardi’s name where people compete to kill the most monsters. And with a rule to collect parts of the carcass as proof, isn’t that too much?”
But for someone saying that, Bate’s face was full of amusement.
“Most nobles who eagerly signed up just because it was a Lombardi hunting competition are probably regretting it now.”
“Really? I thought everyone would welcome a new kind of hunting competition.”
“Ordinary nobles would collapse from fear just encountering a monster in that gloomy forest. Perhaps most will withdraw once the competition begins?”
“But I’ve put up a pretty hefty first-place prize.”
If you’re scared, then quit.
“Have all the invited guests arrived?”
Violet replied to my question.
“Yes. All invited nobles and Lombardi vassals have been assigned rooms without exception.”
As I was talking with Violet, Clerivan approached.
“Lady Florentia.”
But his expression seemed a little worried.
“Are you ready, Lady Florentia?”
“I am……”
I knew what Clerivan meant.
Once the hunting competition begins, there’s no stopping the flow.
From now on, everything would move breathlessly.
“I’ve been ready for a long time.”
How hard it had been to endure until now.
The long, winding road was now slowly showing its end.
I, who had run towards only that splendid ending, took a deep breath of the cold wind blowing from outside the window, cooling my body, which was flushed with anticipation and excitement.
Just then, a large procession slowly approaching in the distance came into view.
It was time to move.
“Alright, shall we go out now?”
At my words, the three people who had been scattered freely in the room stood up simultaneously.
We went down the stairs.
Clerivan, Violet, and Bate skillfully avoided people’s gazes and disappeared one by one.
And when I reached the first floor, I was suddenly alone.
The entrance area was already bustling with many people.
“Ah, the Lombardi lady has arrived.”
“Hey, clear the way for her.”
As I approached, the crowd naturally parted into two.
I gave them a slight nod of thanks and walked out.
Upon reaching the villa’s front door, I saw a familiar back already there.
“Grandfather.”
“Oh, Tia, you’re here.”
My grandfather, who had been watching the approaching procession with an expressionless face, greeted me with a wide smile, as if he had never been otherwise.
“Tia, Dad is here too.”
My father peeked his face out from beside my grandfather and said.
Laurels, with a nervous expression, was also beside him.
Needless to say, Viese was nowhere to be seen.
“Come, let’s go forward.”
Grandfather, father, Laurels, and I.
The four Lombardi stood at the very front of the crowd, where the carriage would stop.
“You’ve arrived.”
Shananet said, looking back at us.
“It’s been a long time, Tia.”
Her gentle smile remained unchanged.
“Where are the twins?”
“They’re over there.”
Where Shananet pointed, the Lombardi Knights, splendidly arrayed in shining armor, were visible.
And right behind the Knight Commander and Vice Commander, Giliou and Mayron were grinning at me.
I gave a small wave, only visible to the two of them, and looked forward again.
A splendid carriage was now stopping in front of us.
Similarly, imperial knights in full uniform surrounded the carriage as if guarding it, taking their positions.
A waiting attendant quickly placed a footrest in front of the carriage, and with a small click, the carriage door opened.
“We greet His Majesty the Emperor.”
The many people standing in front of the Lombardi villa’s entrance bowed their heads in unison.
“Hahaha!”
As if quite pleased with the sight, Emperor Jovanes burst into loud laughter as he stepped out of the carriage.
Empress Lavini followed him, stepping onto the ground.
She was as beautiful as ever, wearing a thick velvet dress of deep blue and a short shawl made of fine white fur.
And from the two carriages that stopped behind them, Astana and Perez also disembarked in turn.
Thus, the four imperial family members walked side by side towards us.
“Thank you for coming such a long way.”
My grandfather spoke first.
“Thank you for the invitation, Lord Lombardi.”
Emperor Jovanes also chuckled and replied to my grandfather.
Lombardi and the Durelli Imperial Family stood face to face.
It was the moment when the gaze of hundreds of people gathered for the hunting competition focused on this spot.