In This Life I Will Be The Lord Novel - Episode 27

The afternoon stretched endlessly. I had eaten a hearty snack with the twins and was sprawled on the table. Judging by the soft snores coming from either side of me, Giliou and Mayron had fallen fast asleep. Resting one side of my face on the hard table, I looked up at the sky, which was clear with not a single cloud.
“I managed to put out the urgent fire.”
Somehow, by a stroke of luck, I had safely delivered the medicine to the Second Prince. In fact, when I couldn’t find Pere’s palace, I had prepared contingencies to deliver the antidote, but those unused cards would probably be more useful next time.
“Ugh, I’m stiff.”
I stretched widely and yawned, my mouth tearing open. Was this what they called a moment of leisure in a busy life? Clearly, plans to execute were floating around in my mind, but my body refused to do anything.
My father had been so busy lately that I saw him even less than before. At best, we sometimes had breakfast together, but even then, he was always deep in thought, making it difficult to talk to him. Thanks to my busy father, I was being “babysat” by the twins again today.
“Mmm…”
Giliou tossed and turned in his sleep, and the blanket covering him fell to the floor. I thought about picking it up for a moment, but even that felt like too much effort. I pretended not to notice and turned my head to look out the window. Then, with a half-asleep, muddled mind, I tried to figure out what I needed to do next.
“Hmm, so. Yawn. Now I need to solve Estira’s problem.” Estira herself could save money and enter the Imperial Academy when she had enough. But I was in a hurry. Helping her get into the academy a year earlier and focusing on her research would be helping myself.
“Let’s see. When was the application deadline for the academy this year…” I mumbled, picking my ear with my pinky finger. The rainy season had ended last month, and soon it would be proper spring. The moment that thought occurred, my mind jolted as if hit by a large hammer.
“The end of this month!” Thankfully, it was still early in the month, but this was no time to be lounging around. I shot up from the table and headed for the door.
“Mmm. Tia, where are you going?” Mayron asked, rubbing his sleepy eyes.
“…The bathroom.”
“Okay… Hurry back. Yawn.” If I had said something else, he probably would have followed me. Thankfully, Mayron succumbed to his overwhelming sleepiness and closed his eyes again. I watched him fall back asleep and quietly closed the door.
***
The head of the Dyurak Merchant Group furtively glanced at Gallahan, who was sitting across from him, absorbed in documents. Even setting aside the fact that he was Rulac Lombardi’s son, he was a remarkably handsome man. His appearance, in particular, stood out. It was said that women nowadays preferred delicate and pretty men over burly ones, and Gallahan fit that description perfectly. His tall, slender frame gave him a good clothes-fit, and above all, his occasionally gentle smile was universally appealing. As an example, Gallahan’s popularity among the female employees of the Dyurak Merchant Group was skyrocketing.
However, the reason the head of the merchant group was watching Gallahan was not for those reasons. The head of the Dyurak Merchant Group cleared his throat awkwardly and needlessly moistened his dry mouth.
‘Thoroughly find out what new business Gallahan Lombardi is planning.’ This was the new directive from the empress. The empress’s palace, which he had visited to pay his respects, had a truly icy atmosphere. He didn’t know all the reasons, but he surmised it was likely connected to Gallahan.
‘Why did he have to displease Her Majesty the Empress…’ The head of the merchant group, keenly aware of the empress’s formidable nature, inwardly clicked his tongue at Gallahan. Lavini Angenas was a tenacious woman who would stop at nothing to achieve her desires. Feeling a slight pang of conscience but justifying it as necessary for his own survival, the head of the merchant group opened his mouth.
“Gallahan, about your…”
“Yes?” Gallahan, who had been diligently examining the week’s sales figures for Coroi textiles, looked up at the merchant group head’s call.
“That personal business you’re considering, aren’t you going to tell me about it?” The merchant group head put on a friendly smile, trying to sound more intimate.
“Ah… It’s still in a preliminary stage; it’s hardly even a plan. I’m just thinking about it and trying to figure out how to execute it.” The merchant group head’s face brightened even more at Gallahan’s words that he was “thinking about it.” He had found an opening to dig into.
“Even though it doesn’t look like it, I have far more life experience than you, so why don’t you confide in me? Who knows, I might have a good idea?” His words sounded plausible, but they were actually nonsense. What businessman would carelessly share his ideas with others? Although he was an Angenas man and rather incompetent, Gallahan, who secretly considered the head of the Dyurak Merchant Group a ‘good person,’ blinked in surprise. Even if he was new to merchant work, he couldn’t be unaware of such basic business ethics. So why was he suddenly being so brazen?
“Ahem.” Gallahan deliberately did not hide his discomfort and cleared his throat. He didn’t need to think for long. The empress’s chilling gaze from the banquet table was still vivid in his mind. He didn’t know if she was trying to obstruct him with information gained through the Dyurak Merchant Group, or if she was trying to get a piece of the pie like with the Coroi business. Neither option was welcome. Gallahan shrugged his shoulders broadly and said,
“Well, I don’t think it’s the right time to consult anyone yet.”
“But, but…” Gallahan felt a slight amusement. It was clear the empress had ordered something, but unfortunately, the head of the merchant group was not skilled at probing people’s intentions. Even now, when Gallahan politely declined, he was almost on the verge of tears. It was proof that the empress didn’t have many good people by her side. Gallahan added a remark with the same smile that the merchant group head thought was “gentle.”
“But one thing is for sure: if it succeeds, it will be a business that will overturn everything in the Empire.” The empress would probably be even more anxious to hear this news. Gallahan smiled even more gently, feeling as if he had somewhat repaid her for scaring Tia that day.