In This Life I Will Be The Lord Novel - Episode 4

“She kicked me and knocked me down, and then she just kept hitting me with the book…”
This was absolutely infuriating.
Twisting the facts so cunningly to lie.
It was surprising that Astaliu even had the brainpower for such a thing.
I wanted to immediately yell that it was all lies, but I held myself back.
Instead, I just stared at Grandfather with wide eyes, conveying, ‘I have something to say!’
Grandfather glanced at me, then asked Astaliu again.
“Are you saying Florentia started hitting you and Bellesac for no reason?”
“Th-that’s…” Unfortunately, Astaliu wasn’t quick-witted enough to quickly fabricate a lie.
Among the Lombardi bloodline, he was particularly dull-witted; he might be capable of physical tasks, but anything requiring brains was beyond him.
“Florentia always hated us…”
Bellesac, sensing the danger, spoke loudly instead of the mumbling Astaliu.
I silently curled the corners of my lips upwards.
“Don’t interrupt other people’s conversations, Bellesac.”
Because that was what Grandfather disliked the most.
That was also why I had been holding back, not shouting that it was unfair.
“Where did you learn such ill manners?”
Tears welled up in Bellesac’s eyes again at the sharp reprimand.
But he was so afraid of Grandfather that he couldn’t even sniffle.
“Go on, Astaliu.”
Now, Astaliu was even more tense.
The boy, who couldn’t even come up with a proper excuse earlier, now buried his face in his father Laurels’ clothes and began to cry.
Well, indeed.
That was the typical reaction of children in front of Grandfather.
Rulac Lombardi’s immense charisma sometimes made even mature adults tremble.
It was only because the Lombardi children had grown up seeing Grandfather that they could even speak like this.
Most people didn’t even dare to meet his gaze.
“Florentia.”
When Grandfather called my name, I felt Father’s hand on my shoulder tighten.
“You tell me.”
But even as he asked the question, Grandfather didn’t seem to have high expectations.
It was natural.
The original me, Florentia, was an exceptionally timid and shy child.
That was the personality inherited from my father, and it was compounded by being tormented by those ill-behaved cousins.
But I looked straight into Grandfather’s eyes and said,
“I didn’t do anything wrong.”
“Even after making my son look like this…”
“Viese!”
Finally, a loud roar burst from Grandfather.
Viese’s aggressive demeanor, as if he would devour me any moment, instantly withered, and his shoulders hunched.
He had just witnessed his own son being scolded for doing the exact same thing, yet he couldn’t control his temper and interrupted.
Like father, like son.
“Continue,” Grandfather said to me sternly.
But I knew there was more to those seemingly cold eyes.
“I was waiting for my father here. But then Bellesac and Astaliu suddenly came and teased me, calling me ‘half-breed’, and when I told them to stop, they hit me.”
“Hit you? Who hit you?”
“Bellesac did.”
I didn’t forget to raise my index finger and point at Bellesac.
“And he called me lowly and told me to get out to the commoner’s village.”
I didn’t need to see Father’s expression to know what it was like as he listened to my words.
His hand on my shoulder was trembling with anger.
I could have just glossed over it, but now was clearly the time to state how I was being treated.
Father, I’m sorry. Just bear with it a little longer.
“So you hit Bellesac?”
“No.”
“Then why did you do it?”
“That’s because Bellesac…” I took a small breath and spoke clearly.
“That’s because Bellesac told me, ‘You’re not a Lombardi.'”
My brown eyes met Grandfather’s.
They were ordinary-looking brown eyes, but I knew they had seen far more than ordinary people could imagine.
“I am indeed a ‘half-breed.'”
My mother was never granted the Lombardi name until the end, so I was definitely a half-breed.
I had no intention of denying that.
“But even as a half-breed, I am definitely a Lombardi. A Lombardi acknowledged by you, Grandfather.”
In the past, I thought I was incomplete because my mother was a commoner.
So I always allowed myself to be ignored as a ‘half-breed’ and considered my cousins to be beings who possessed the half I could never have.
Because of that, I accepted being treated as merely an employee, not a member of the Lombardi family, as reasonable.
But as I practically managed the family, I realized something painfully.
That I was a hundred times more deserving of the name Lombardi than those fools who swaggered around calling themselves Lombardi.
That I was just as much a Lombardi as anyone else.
“Bellesac denied me, saying I wasn’t a Lombardi. And that, I cannot tolerate.”
“So you hit him not because he called you lowly, but because he said you weren’t a Lombardi?”
“Yes.”
I nodded in response, then intentionally added a remark.
“Grandfather.”
It meant, ‘I am your granddaughter too.’
I wanted to say that I had as much right as Bellesac to call him Grandfather.
And at that moment, I saw it.
A faint smile fleetingly crossed Grandfather’s face, which had been rigidly set in anger.
“Doesn’t your knee hurt?”
At Grandfather’s words, I finally looked down at my knee.
Blood was flowing from the scraped area where I had fallen.
“Of course it hurts.”
“But you’re not crying. You, who used to be such a crybaby.”
I suddenly realized my mistake.
Is he thinking it’s strange that I’ve suddenly changed, when I was such a timid crybaby until yesterday?
Slightly flustered, I quickly replied,
“I will cry. I’ll say everything I want to say and then go to my room and cry.”
I heard Father’s faint chuckle above my head.
At the same time, the tense atmosphere gently eased.
What a relief.
I secretly let out a sigh of relief.
The first thing I needed to do to become the patriarch was to gain Grandfather’s trust.
Grandfather was the king of Lombardi.
From the family’s major and minor affairs to the succession, everything proceeded according to Grandfather’s will.
In short, it meant that being favored by Grandfather was the ultimate win.
Although Viese and the other family members might not like me, as long as I had Grandfather’s favor, there was little they could do.
Being out of Grandfather’s favor in Lombardi was akin to social death.
The fight with Bellesac was an unexpected accident, but it was a blessing in disguise.
I had been wondering how to catch Grandfather’s attention, and it seemed I had certainly made an impression this time.
“Um, Father. Tia’s injuries need to be treated, I think.”
Father, who had been watching cautiously, spoke to Grandfather carefully.
“Hmm. Yes, that’s right. Take her away.”
Since permission had been granted, I had to make my escape quickly.
Just as I was about to take Father’s hand.
“Wait.”
Grandfather called out to me.
Oh, what now?
“Florentia. Is this book yours?”
It was Grandfather, picking up the fallen book and handing it to me as he asked.
The thick book titled “People of the South” was clearly not a children’s fairy tale at first glance.
Meaning, it was very expensive and rare.
I flinched for a moment.
Because I had completely forgotten about the book, and because I knew what Grandfather thought of people who treated books carelessly.
I decided to confess.
Grandfather had seen everything, even me beating that Bellesac brat with the book, so there was no escaping it.
“Yes. It’s my book…”
I accepted the book with both hands and replied.
“I’m sorry.”
“Hmm?” Grandfather looked at me quizzically.
What? Wasn’t he angry?
“What are you apologizing for?”
“Well, that is. For treating the book roughly. Books are meant to convey knowledge, not to hit, no, to harm people.”
“Didn’t you just say you did nothing wrong?”
You have a good memory, Grandfather.
I pretended ignorance and said,
“I think it’s also a good idea to admit your mistakes quickly when you realize them.”
“Hah…”
Grandfather made a sound that might have been a laugh for a moment, then spoke to Father.
“Take Florentia to the doctor at once.”
There was a resident doctor within Lombardi.
It was a small hospital of sorts, where he taught students, conducted research, and treated people, all under the family’s patronage.
“Yes, Father.”
Father saw my bleeding knee and promptly picked me up.
Since I was only seven, it was natural for a father to carry his daughter, but with the mind of a perfectly sound adult woman.
Being picked up like this felt truly awkward.
Especially by my father, who had died long ago and whom I would never see again.
“But Father! Are you going to just gloss over this? Florentia has made Bellesac a mess like this!”
Viese, who had been cowering, yelped indignantly.
“Florentia must take responsibility for this!”
Oh, this fool.
I resisted the urge to bury my face in Father’s shoulder.
He still couldn’t read the room, whether it was in the future or now.
“Are you questioning my decision now?”
Grandfather’s voice turned chilling again.
“No, that’s not…”
“Viese.”
“…Yes, Father.”
“Be ashamed.”
Leaving only those words, Grandfather returned to his office.
Viese, left behind, ground his teeth but could do nothing.
“Then, we will take our leave.”
Father, holding me, bade farewell to the others.
I thought he would leave immediately, but he paused briefly as he passed Viese and said a word.
“Brother. Aren’t you making too much of a fuss over a children’s fight?”
“Pfft!” I had to quickly cover my mouth with one hand.
He had simply returned the exact words my uncle had used whenever Bellesac tormented me.
“You, you…!”
Viese was beside himself with anger, but our father simply walked away with an unconcerned expression.
I hugged Father’s neck and looked back, searching for Bellesac with my eyes.
He flinched when our eyes met.
I completely wiped the smile from my face and mouthed the words.
‘See. You. Later.’
The quiet boy suddenly burst into tears, “Waaaaah!”
But I paid no mind, rubbing my face into my beloved father’s chest, savoring the moment.
Ah, Dad’s smell is nice.