In This Life I Will Be The Lord Novel - Episode 23

“There, that’s right. Bend your knees there…”
My legs trembled as I tried to bend my knees, standing ramrod straight, just as Shananet instructed.
“A little more.”
But Shananet spoke sternly, without any leniency.
“…Good. Well done. That’s how you do it.”
“Whew! That’s so hard!”
Honestly, I was truly surprised.
I never imagined that bowing according to the imperial etiquette would be this difficult in a child’s body. Even though I’d been eating a lot without being picky these days, my young body was still much smaller and frailer than other children my age. Perhaps it was due to a lack of muscle, but even simple movements made my body constantly wobble.
“It’s harder now because you’re doing it slowly. Would you like to try it my way, Tia?”
Shananet rose from where she was sitting and stood before me. She bent her right arm, bringing her hand to her heart, and with her left, she lightly lifted the hem of her skirt. Then, with a nod of her head, she moved her right leg back and bent both knees. This was the imperial bow used by nobles when meeting members of the imperial family. Although it was the etiquette from the early days of the empire, nowadays, etiquette itself had become more flexible, so not all imperial family members received this kind of bow. Only the Emperor, Empress, Crown Prince, and Crown Princess were entitled to such a formal greeting.
“So elegant, and so cool…”
I clapped my hands as I watched Shananet straighten up after her bow. Without exaggeration, Shananet, bowing according to imperial etiquette, was like an elegant swan. The graceful curve, starting from her long neck slightly bowed downwards, extended to her fingertips as she lightly lifted the hem of her dress, resembling a swan unfurling its wings.
“How do you do that?”
I truly wanted to know the secret to Shananet’s incredible grace. Shananet chuckled, tapping my bright, inquisitive nose with her index finger.
“Practice.”
“Oh, come on…”
What’s the difference between that and saying you got into Seoul National University by just studying textbooks? I pouted my lips.
“I’m not joking. There truly is no other way but practice. Especially for someone like you, Tia, who is thin and still lacks strength, you just have to engrain it into your body.”
“Yes…”
Shananet was right. Perhaps because I inherited my slender father’s build, there wasn’t much change in my body even though I was diligently eating and sleeping well.
“Are we almost done?”
“Mommy, we want to play with Tia!”
The twins rolled around on the sofa, wailing. They had kept their promise to wait patiently while I learned imperial etiquette from Shananet.
“Do you understand the bowing now, Tia?”
“Yes. I’ll practice hard. Please check again tomorrow.”
At any rate, to avoid becoming a laughingstock in front of the Emperor and Empress, I had to perfectly master the bowing technique. Especially, I absolutely could not stand that First Prince laughing at me.
Shananet gently stroked my head as I clenched my fists.
“I just wished I had a daughter just like you.”
It didn’t seem like a casual remark; Shananet’s tone was dripping with regret.
“How did I end up becoming the mother of these mischievous twins…”
Shananet wrinkled her nose, chuckled, and gently pinched the chubby cheeks of Mayron and Giliou.
“Isn’t it still not too late?”
Seeing Shananet’s genuine desire for a daughter, I blurted out the words without thinking.
“…What?”
Ah, those words shouldn’t have come from the mouth of an eight-year-old who hadn’t had sex education and knew nothing yet. How could I gloss over it?
First, I laughed.
“Hehehe…”
Then I turned the arrow towards the twins.
“Don’t you two want a little sister too?”
I expected them to instantly say, ‘Yes!’ when asked this. They were always bored and I thought they would believe that if they had a younger sibling, they could play together.
But Giliou and Mayron’s reaction was rather lukewarm.
“Hmm. Not really.”
“Me neither.”
“Why, why not?”
At my question, Giliou rolled his big eyes once before answering.
“We like playing with Tia.”
“Yeah. We like playing just the three of us.”
“We don’t like other kids joining.”
These kids are saying something that could really get them into trouble.
“I have lots of people to play with besides you two.”
I’m going to have so many more in the future!
“Liar! You always read books alone if we don’t play with you, Tia!”
“…W-well, that’s true for now, but…”
They have a surprisingly sharp side, don’t they? I avoided the twins’ gaze. Then they grinned, each grabbing one of my arms, and started to whine.
“Let’s play! Let’s play!”
“Let’s play hide-and-seek again!”
Finally, the confined beagles escaped.
“Alright, then first…”
Let go of me and let’s talk, just talk. I was struggling to peel off their fingers, one by one, when the door to Shananet’s chambers opened and someone entered.
“Father!”
The twins, who were much taller and bigger than me but had been clinging to my arms, instantly let go. Then they rushed towards the handsome man who had just entered.
“Why are you home so early today?”
“Can we play with you until we go to bed now?”
The tall, robust man in his mid-thirties, with neatly combed dark blond hair, was Vestian Schulz, the twins’ father and Shananet’s husband. He had married into the family, but he hadn’t changed his surname to Lombardi, retaining his original one from before marriage.
“Oh, you rascals!”
Vestian laughed, lifting each twin into an arm.
“You’re here?”
Shananet stood up and greeted Vestian.
“I came home early today because there wasn’t much work. Were the children well, Shananet?”
Vestian smiled gently and kissed Shananet’s cheek. I blankly looked up at the seemingly happy couple, touched by the affectionate greeting. Was this what an ideal couple looked like? Tenderness overflowed in their glances.
“Oh? Florentia is here? Are you well?”
Such an ideal and normal greeting in our family! Vestian, with his strikingly handsome face, smiled kindly, making the surroundings seem to brighten.
“Hello.”
I put my hands together politely and bowed.
“I’m sorry I couldn’t make it to your birthday party last time. I was busy that day.”
Although Vestian wasn’t originally from Lombardi, he was very capable and managed several smaller businesses for the family. Lately, he was most enthusiastic about the business of bringing minerals mined from Lombardi-owned mines in the north to the central regions to sell. However, the ore veins discovered a few years ago had all dried up, and I thought he would be free until new veins were found next year. Was that not the case? Vestian was in charge of more than just that one business, so I didn’t think too deeply about it.
“Shananet, should we try for a pretty daughter like Florentia? Of course, boys are cute, but…”
Vestian said, looking at me with a wistful expression.
“…Don’t say such things in front of the children.”
Shananet, her face flushed, pushed away Vestian’s chest as he embraced her waist. Oh my, look at how harmonious these two are.
I intentionally stood up, picked up a few cookies from the table in front of me, and offered them to the twins, saying, “Shall we go outside and play?”
Fortunately, the twins nodded instantly and agreed, so we went outside. As I watched Giliou and Mayron run off into the distance, giggling—I was always the one to be “it” when we played hide-and-seek—a question suddenly popped into my mind. Why would such a loving couple get a divorce three years later? Moreover, the twins would go with their father, and Shananet would move to a Lombardi resort on the outskirts of the Empire to live alone. After that, the only time Shananet returned to the Lombardi mansion was for grandfather’s funeral. I tilted my head, recalling the couple who were holding hands and looking at each other.
***
I was enjoying my leisure, as always, sitting on the windowsill with the window slightly open. The breeze, carrying the warm midday sun, gently tickled my face. A few hours later, when my father returned from his morning duties, we would immediately depart for the Imperial Palace. It would take about an hour by carriage to the border of the Emperor’s direct territory, and then another half hour to reach the inside of the Imperial Palace. My father had also said he would allow extra time for us to depart, as he wanted to show me around the Imperial Palace, since it was my first time there. And then, as the sun set, the Empress’s banquet would begin. However, no matter how busy tonight was expected to be, the midday hours were flowing slowly.
Just as I was about to drift off to sleep, there was a knock at the door.
“Come in.”
When I answered, the door opened carefully and Estira entered.
“Hello, Estira!”
She was a welcome guest I had been waiting for. I quickly pulled a nearby chair over for Estira to sit on.
“I’ve brought what you asked for. The medicine was completed a few days ago, but you told me to bring it today, so…”
“Yes, yes. That’s right! Thank you!”
“Here it is.”
What Estira handed me was a small glass bottle, just big enough to fit snugly in my hand. The glass bottle was inside a thick cloth pouch, concealing its contents. Carefully untying the string, I found it filled with golden Melkon medicine.
“As expected, Estira. You’ve perfectly prepared everything just as I asked. Thank you!”
I carefully placed it in the small handbag I had set beside me. It was what I would take with me to the Imperial Palace.
“Um, Young Miss…”
“Yes? Why?”
Estira, who had been quietly watching my actions, called out to me with a worried expression.
“Are you planning to use the Melkon medicine as an antidote?”
I didn’t answer. I just stared into Estira’s eyes. They were truly clear eyes. Clear enough for me to know that the reason she was asking me this question was purely out of concern for me.
“It’s not for me, so don’t worry too much!”
I made sure to smile even brighter.
“In that case…”
“I’m sorry, but I can’t tell you that far. But you’re right, I am taking it to the Imperial Palace.”
At the mention of the Imperial Palace, Estira’s complexion grew even darker. For ordinary people, the Imperial Palace must seem like an infinitely difficult and frightening place.
“There’s someone there. Someone who needs this medicine. I’m going to give it to them.”
“…Please be careful, Young Miss. I’m worried that you, still so young, are trying to do something too big.”
“Thank you for worrying, Estira. Oh, and…”
I leaned in towards Estira and whispered.
“You know this is our secret, right?”
At my slightly mischievous whisper, Estira nodded with a determined expression. Though I said it out of caution, I didn’t doubt that Estira would tell anyone about me. Estira was a person who kept promises. I knew the almost blind loyalty she had shown her master in her previous life.
“Ah, I wish Father would come quickly.”
I mumbled, looking at the empty road where no carriages were passing.