In This Life I Will Be The Lord Novel - Episode 22

“I came personally to celebrate your birthday.”
“Why suddenly…”
How friendly he’s acting. But I couldn’t say that, so I looked up at my grandfather. Did Grandfather invite him? But my grandfather seemed just as surprised.
“For the Prince to come here… it’s quite surprising.”
After the last incident, when Astanna left the mansion, he had caused all sorts of trouble, acting as if he would never set foot here again. But now he was here at my birthday party, smiling so sweetly. Considering that the First Prince was only twelve years old this year, he was no ordinary child. Perhaps Astanna was not as easy to deal with as I thought.
“I was severely scolded by Mother when I returned to the palace that day. Today, she told me to personally deliver a birthday gift to Florentia as an apology.”
I had expected it was the Empress’s doing, but it was still surprising. For the Empress, who was exceptionally fond of her son, to make him apologize publicly, even at the cost of his pride, especially in front of so many nobles. The Empress, who tightly controlled the social circles, couldn’t have been unaware that so many people would attend my birthday party.
“Is that so?”
Grandfather didn’t say much. But I could tell. The wary look in my grandfather’s eyes, who had previously viewed the Prince as merely a bothersome and ill-mannered puppy.
“Happy birthday, Florentia.”
Astanna said that and offered a small jewelry box. It was a black box about the size of my two palms put together.
Oh, I don’t want to receive it. What if there’s a bomb inside? I wish I could inspect it before opening it. Leaving all that aside, I simply didn’t want to receive anything from the Prince. But with everyone in the banquet hall staring intently, I had no choice but to accept it. When I hesitated, my grandfather nodded slightly, as if to say it was alright to accept.
Finally, I took the jewelry box from Astanna and opened it. Of course, I flinched a little as I opened it.
“Ohh!”
“As expected, the Imperial family’s wealth…”
As soon as the lid opened, explosive reactions erupted around me. The birthday gift from the Prince was a necklace. It was shaped like a ruby, easily the length of an adult’s finger, surrounded by small topazes.
“Mother prepared it for you. How is it? Pretty, isn’t it?”
Astanna said that, but the hidden meaning was closer to “How about it? Looks expensive, doesn’t it?” The nobles murmured among themselves, saying that the Empress had bestowed something precious upon me. But honestly, I didn’t like it. Showing off wealth in front of Lombardi. I wasn’t particularly impressed.
But the more annoyed I was, the brighter I smiled and said,
“Yes. Thank you, Your Highness.”
“Alright, alright.”
Astanna looked relieved, as if he thought he had completed his task.
“Young Lady, I’ll put the gift away.”
A waiting servant approached and carefully took the jewelry box. Ugh, I want to wash my hands. I wanted to scrub them clean with water right in front of the Prince, but instead, I subtly wiped them on the hem of my dress.
“It’s been delayed for a moment. Thank you all for coming such a long way to celebrate my granddaughter Florentia’s birthday.”
Grandfather raised his glass high again, trying to restore order to the chaotic hall.
“Now, let the banquet begin.”
The moment my grandfather finished speaking, several doors connecting the banquet hall and the kitchen opened simultaneously, and servants emerged, each carrying large silver platters. Tables were piled high with food, mostly dishes that people could easily carry and eat while mingling. Fortunately, people began to chat happily among themselves again, just as they had before Astanna arrived.
“I should get something to eat too.”
Seeing the appetizing food, I suddenly felt hungry. I was about to go to the nearest table where the twins had already started eating, if it weren’t for him following me naturally.
“Why are you following me, no. Why are you following me, Your Highness?”
At my question, the Prince glanced around and then answered, a smile gone from his face,
“I’m not doing this because I want to stick with you either.”
Then he looked around as if checking where my grandfather was. He was probably under orders from the Empress to come to my birthday party and appease the head of the Lombardi family.
“I’m just going to stay with you for a bit and then leave, so you just shut up and stay still.”
“Sh-shut up… Ugh.”
This little brat already learned how to run his mouth wrong. I knew what the First Prince, Bellesac, and Astaliu had been up to in my previous life, but to think he was such a bad seed, a “dog,” even as a child. I truly didn’t want to be with him for even a second, as if I had encountered a cockroach.
“I need to play with my cousins. So, if you’ll excuse me.”
Later, when he grew older and had political value, reluctantly associating with him would be part of my plan to some extent. I was prepared to handle that much. But I was still a growing sprout, and I had absolutely no desire to be with this “dog” – a word that was an insult to actual dogs – right now.
“Ugh, seriously. Hey, just stay put.”
For a twelve-year-old to act like such a bully to an eight-year-old. Even though Lombardi was closed, perhaps it was a blessing for the Empire that the Second Prince became the Crown Prince instead of this fellow.
“First Prince.”
Just then, a familiar voice called Astanna.
“It was such a pity we couldn’t play together last time.”
It was Bellesac and Astaliu standing behind him.
“Last time? Oh. I wasn’t particularly disappointed.”
When the Prince answered indifferently, Bellesac’s face flushed with embarrassment. But that was all. The kind of guy who, if it were his usual personality, would be wrestling with the Prince right now, was instead fawningly grinning. He was a typical strong-weak type. Just like his father, Viese.
Astanna, looking at such a pathetic Bellesac, said to me,
“Hey, you’re better than him.”
I wasn’t happy at all. I sighed, wondering what kind of terrible thing this was on my birthday, which was supposed to be fun. Meanwhile, Bellesac’s face was a sight to behold. He could tolerate being ignored by the Prince, but comparing him to me was unbearable, it seemed, as he clenched both fists and glared at me.
At me? Why me? The one who said something wasn’t me, it was the Prince! But Bellesac seemed to feel his anger in a strong-weak way too, radiating a terrifying hostility.
“Florentia.”
Then, I heard a heavenly voice calling me.
“Come here.”
It was Shananet, calling me from a distance.
“Then, if you’ll excuse me.”
“Huh? Hey!”
“Your Highness! Let’s go together…” Astanna was about to follow me, but Bellesac, sensing his chance, grabbed him. Even a piece of dog shit has its uses. I quickly ran to Shananet, lest I be caught again.
“Were you alright?”
Shananet was worried that the First Prince might have done something to me. She didn’t believe it was sincere even if the Prince came with a gift and talked about apologizing.
“It was a little annoying, but I’m fine! But why did you call me?”
“All the gifts people brought have been arranged, so the birthday girl should show some effort by opening a few of them.”
“Ah, presents!”
My mood, which had soured with the First Prince’s appearance, instantly lifted again. Of course there would be presents at a birthday party! And most of the people who came to the banquet held important positions in the Empire, so how much money had been collected! Just thinking about it made me happy.
“I think I could spend the entire banquet just opening presents! Hehe.”
Shananet’s expression became subtle at my words.
“…Wouldn’t it be tiring?”
How tiring could it be to open just a few presents? I shook my head vigorously.
“Alright. Do as you wish.”
Shananet said that and led me to where the gifts people had brought were arranged. And then I understood the meaning of Shananet’s expression.
“A-are all these my presents?”
“The presents from me and the twins, and your great-uncles and great-aunts, have already been taken to your room. These are the ones brought by the people who attended the banquet.”
“Certainly… I won’t be able to open all of them.”
If I did, I’d undoubtedly be bedridden with body aches starting tomorrow. Because the piled-up presents literally formed a small hill. The larger ones were mostly at the bottom, with smaller ones neatly arranged on top. Well, it was natural for there to be so many gifts, since hundreds of people attended the banquet. Seeing my dismayed face, Shananet chuckled and said,
“There are eyes watching, so just open a few before you go.”
“…Yes.”
Right there, with Shananet’s help, I opened some gift boxes. Indeed, as they were from high-ranking nobles, none of the gifts were worthless. Most were accessories and jewelry suitable for a child, and I also received a few children’s picture books with beautiful illustrations, as if someone had heard that I liked books. And opening presents was more fun than I expected. I was gradually getting addicted to the thrilling sensation of opening them, like a random box.
As I opened gifts one by one, losing track of time, Lorraine, the twins, and Astaliu’s younger sibling, Craney, eventually came over to watch. Random boxes are always fun to watch someone else open.
“This one next! Open this one!”
Giliou brought a very large box that had been placed in a corner and set it down in front of me.
“Alright then.”
Honestly, I didn’t have high expectations. After all, the smaller the gift box, the better the item usually was.
“Ohh, it’s a doll!”
“A bear doll!”
As expected, the large box wasn’t very practical. Unlike me, who didn’t particularly like dolls, Lorraine and Viese’s eyes sparkled. Besides this bear doll, there was one other gift I had already opened. Since I wouldn’t use them anyway, should I give them to the two of them? I was thinking that when,
“Tia!”
“Huh? Dad!”
I abandoned the present I was opening and stretched out my arms towards my father, who was running towards me.
“Dad’s sorry I’m late for our daughter’s birthday! You waited a lot, didn’t you!”
My father choked up and lifted me into a hug.
“It’s okay! I was having fun with everyone else!”
“Yes, yes. You were all opening presents, weren’t you?”
My father asked, looking at the empty boxes piled up in the large space.
“I opened a ton, and there’s still that much left!”
Maylon said excitedly, snorting.
“…There certainly are a lot of presents.”
My father looked at the mountain of gifts in embarrassment.
“Yes! I love it! So many people came too!”
“Really? Tia’s like this is a little different from Dad.”
My father had a personality that absolutely detested noise and commotion.
“That’s something she inherited from me.”
My grandfather returned after scanning the banquet hall and the guests. Viese and Laurels were also visible behind him. Viese still seemed to hold a grudge, glaring at my father.
“Still, it’s nice to see everyone gathered in one place like this.”
My grandfather smiled contentedly, looking around at his family members. The Lombardi family and his four children, along with their families, were his achievements. Though not perfect, my grandfather’s smile, as he looked upon what he had accomplished, overflowed with proud satisfaction.
“Ahem.”
There was an uninvited guest interrupting the rare heartwarming scene.
“What is it, First Prince?”
My grandfather, displeased by Astanna’s intrusion, asked curtly.
“I have something to deliver.”
“To deliver?” My grandfather raised one eyebrow and looked at the First Prince.
“Didn’t you already give Florentia her gift a moment ago?”
“Ah, this is not for Florentia.”
My grandfather and the other family members gathered there tilted their heads in confusion. Astanna pulled something out of the inner pocket of his jacket. It was a deep purple envelope sealed with gold wax, bearing the Imperial crest.
“That’s…”
Viese was the first to recognize the envelope’s identity and muttered. My eyes widened too. It was an envelope I had opened several times in my previous life when I worked as my grandfather’s secretary.
“Her Majesty the Empress asked me to deliver an invitation to this evening’s Imperial Palace dinner.”
The First Prince said that and started walking steadily. I naturally thought he would go to my grandfather, but for once, my prediction was wrong. Astanna walked with the envelope in hand and stood in front of me and my father, who was holding me.
“I hope you will grace us with your presence, Sir Gallahan Lombardi.”
My father took the envelope with trembling hands. Until now, it had always been an invitation to the Empress’s dinner, addressed to “Rulac Lombardi,” with his eldest son Viese attending in his stead. But this time was different. On the luxurious purple envelope, the name “Gallahan Lombardi” was clearly written in ornate calligraphy.
And I had to bury my face in my father’s shoulder to keep myself from cheering. My heart was overflowing.
Now, it was my turn to go to the Imperial Palace to meet him.