In This Life I Will Be The Lord Novel - Episode 233

“Hoo, hoo.”
After the Empress was dragged away, Jovanes began to breathe even more heavily.
With each breath, he strained his shoulders, clearly struggling, and it was evident at a glance that his condition had worsened significantly compared to a moment ago.
“Royal Physician.”
Florentia called out to the royal physician, who was quietly standing in the corner with a frightened expression.
“Ah, yes…”
Only then did the royal physician frantically approach Emperor Jovanes and hand him a bottle of medicine.
“To think such a person, sat on the throne, as Empress.”
Even after taking the medicine, his breathing was still ragged, but Jovanes was busy cursing Lavini.
To others, Jovanes and Lavini didn’t seem like very different types of people.
Jovanes, however, was busy glaring with contempt at the spot where the Empress had been dragged away.
Sitting on a chair near the bed, Rulac, who had been looking at Jovanes with a hint of disdain, spoke in a quiet voice.
“Tia, Second Prince. Please step outside for a moment.”
“…We’ll be nearby.”
Perez replied and went outside with Florentia.
“Your Majesty.”
As soon as the door closed, Rulac opened his mouth.
He had no intention of prolonging this conversation.
He only wanted to take his granddaughter back to the Lombardi mansion and rest.
“Do you wish to punish Angenas?”
“Why do you ask, the obvious?”
Jovanes answered, throwing the empty glass bottle at the royal physician after drinking all the medicine.
“I will erase Angenas, from the map of this empire.”
Rulac inwardly shook his head at the anger that was justified only to himself.
Even though the sins he had committed had come full circle, making even breathing painful, Jovanes had learned nothing.
“How dare they, bring troops, into the palace. They must, bear the responsibility, for that too.”
He didn’t consider why he had been poisoned, still fuming only about the fact that he had almost been poisoned.
However, Rulac had no affection to enlighten the foolish Emperor.
‘Perhaps that wolf cub would be better.’
At least the Second Prince was intelligent, unlike Jovanes.
Rulac made that judgment and began to speak.
“But wouldn’t it be difficult for Your Majesty to handle that directly now?”
“It’s fine. I just need, a few days of rest…”
However, Rulac did not give Jovanes a chance to properly reply, as he opened and closed his mouth with his breathing, and continued speaking.
“Appoint a Crown Prince.”
“Crown Prince?”
Jovanes frowned.
It was a typical reaction from Jovanes, who never wanted to share power with anyone.
“It’s time for you to change your mind, Your Majesty.”
But this time too, Rulac did not give the Emperor time to object.
“I too, but isn’t it time for Your Majesty to consider a successor? There is still no designated successor. What would have happened if Your Majesty had simply passed away?”
Rulac spoke in a tone as if scolding a child.
Jovanes was never a match for Rulac to begin with.
Now, when he couldn’t even breathe properly, it was even more so.
Rulac, who had been giving Jovanes a moment as if looking down on him from the palm of his hand, now spoke coaxingly.
“A successor is not someone who takes away the power of the predecessor. They are the one who inherits it.”
Jovanes no longer tried to argue with Rulac’s words.
Hiss, hiss.
He only breathed heavily, staring at Rulac with darkened eyes.
“I’m not saying you should abdicate immediately. Rather, appoint the Second Prince as Crown Prince and make him your proxy.”
“Proxy?”
“He will carry out the tasks Your Majesty has decided upon.”
A Crown Prince who moves as he is ordered.
Rulac clearly saw Jovanes’s eyes wavering.
Of course, Jovanes had no other choice besides Perez, but Rulac did not mention that.
And he urged him on.
“Have the Second Prince thoroughly dismantle Angenas and investigate the Empress’s remaining crimes. Show everyone, Your Majesty.”
Rulac’s voice deepened.
“What fate awaits a family that makes light of imperial authority.”
After saying that, Rulac added no further remarks.
There was no need to say more.
He just had to lean back comfortably in the chair and wait for Jovanes to nod.
A moment later.
“I will, do so. I like it.”
Jovanes said, smiling at Rulac as if it were a good idea.
Watching him, Rulac thought.
‘The first Emperor must have been quite brilliant.’
He knew that his descendants would all be lacking to continue the Lambru Empire, so he prepared a splendid support system in Lombardi.
He had arranged for power to pass from the foolish and ignorant Jovanes to the somewhat capable Second Prince.
As the Lord of Lombardi, he had done one good deed for the people of the Empire in the end.
Rulac smiled contentedly at Jovanes.
***
Emperor Jovanes called us back surprisingly quickly.
But the atmosphere in the room was quite different from when I had left.
Emperor Jovanes, sitting propped up in bed, had a noticeably brighter face.
Moreover, perhaps his excitement had subsided, as the Emperor’s breathing was much softer, and a strange smile even floated on his face.
What on earth did they talk about?
Perez and I looked at Grandfather with questioning eyes.
But Grandfather just smiled silently and got up to retrieve his discarded outer garment.
And the very next moment, my curiosity was satisfied.
“Second Prince, Perez Brivachau Durelli.”
Jovanes called Perez in an unusually solemn voice.
“Speak, Your Majesty.”
Perez replied, walking to the Emperor’s bedside as motioned.
Jovanes looked at Perez for a moment and then said.
“I shall appoint you, Crown Prince.”
The bedchamber fell silent.
For that moment, even the Emperor’s annoying breathing was not heard.
I checked Perez’s face.
He seemed quite surprised, standing there staring at Jovanes without even blinking.
He wasn’t happy, nor was he sad.
Perez was like someone lost, as if too many emotions had flooded him at once, and he didn’t know what to think.
He faced Jovanes with such an expressionless face.
Should I have told him beforehand?
Perez becoming Crown Prince was somewhat expected.
No, it was even a little later than in my previous life.
Back then, the Emperor had collapsed and become critically ill a few days after Perez was appointed Crown Prince.
Thanks to that, Perez was able to wield the power he finally held without caring about anyone else.
And the first target was the Lombardi family, including Viese.
Suddenly, I wondered.
In this life, the Empress used poison, but what was the reason the Emperor collapsed in the previous life?
I suppressed that curiosity and quietly looked back at Grandfather.
Perez being appointed Crown Prince was a predetermined event.
But when we left the room, the atmosphere was definitely not like this.
Grandfather, what kind of magic did you use?
It seemed Grandfather’s skill in handling Jovanes was far more adept than I had thought.
“Why do you not, answer?”
Jovanes urged Perez.
Then, as if waking from sleep, Perez slowly blinked once.
And he replied in a low, broken voice.
“I will, obey Your Majesty’s command.”
“Furthermore, thoroughly punish the Empress and Angenas for their remaining crimes.”
I like that part.
Now Perez had a proper justification for his revenge.
“Take this.”
Jovanes held out a few sheets of paper to Perez.
“What is this?”
“Letters to the lords of the East, West, North, and South, and the Central. Don’t you need, their consent?”
For an Emperor to appoint a Crown Prince, the consent of the heads of the representative families from each region is required.
And unanimous consent at that.
Also, the heads of each family must gather at the Imperial Palace on a designated day and time to stamp their seals on the consent form.
Currently residing in the capital were only the Brown family from the West, the Sheshou family from the South, and the Lombardi family from the Central.
These three families.
“It will take at least three weeks for Ivan of the North or Ruman of the East to come to the capital.”
Grandfather said to Perez.
Then, buttoning his outer garment, he said to me.
“Let’s go now, Tia.”
Since the situation had calmed down, there was no need for us to remain in the Imperial Palace.
“Yes, Grandfather.”
I replied and was about to put on the outer garment I was holding.
“Wait.”
Jovanes said.
“Florentia Lombardi, Acting Head.”
Why are you calling me?
And with the title ‘Acting Head’?
A bad premonition ran down my spine.
A premonition that something very troublesome was about to happen.
Grandfather also slightly narrowed his brows and looked back at Jovanes.
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
I replied courteously for now.
“I will also give you, a task.”
A task?
You, to me?
I had to exert superhuman effort to avoid looking at Jovanes up and down with an extremely disdainful expression.
Grandfather also raised one eyebrow, showing his displeasure, and asked.
“What kind of task are you talking about?”
“As the representative of the Empire’s nobility, the Acting Head of Lombardi shall be the witness to ensure the Second Prince’s actions are just.”
I knew it.
Just hearing it sounds like an incredibly annoying task.
“I…”
I was about to refuse.
Until Jovanes said his next words.
“Furthermore, when the Second Prince confiscates Angenas’s funds, the Acting Head of Lombardi shall distribute them to the families who lent money to Angenas.”
Oh, if it’s that kind of task.
I quickly bowed my head, hiding the corners of my mouth that kept turning up.
“The nobles who were deceived by Angenas will also be relieved. I am simply amazed by Your Majesty’s wisdom.”
I added a little flattery to make him feel good.
They say when a person does something they don’t usually do, it means their time is near.
I guess I can give Jovanes this much praise, as his days are probably numbered.
How can I miss out on bothering Angenas?
The money lent, the losses of Pellet Corporation, the repair costs for Clerivan’s mansion.
How much money do I need to extract?
I’m worried if there’s anything left in Angenas, which has long run out of cash and is just an empty shell.
“I will gladly obey Your Majesty’s command.”
As the wise old saying goes, you can squeeze water even from a dried squid.