In This Life I Will Be The Lord Novel - Episode 40

The Empress’s Palace in the Lambru Empire.
The most opulent space within the imperial palace was just slowly beginning its day around noon.
It was a daily routine as the Empress, who usually had difficulty falling asleep, would only doze off around dawn.
The Empress’s bedroom was dim, with curtains drawn to block out the bright sunlight from outside.
The Empress, with wet hair after just finishing her bath, sat regally before a mirror.
There were already dozens of people in the bedroom: a maid brushing and drying her hair hundreds of times, a maid preparing the dress the Empress would wear today, and another maid tidying up the bedding after she had woken up.
Yet, the room was as silent as a tomb.
Only the occasional exasperated sigh from the Empress could be heard.
The dozens of maids moved without making a single sound, not even the rustle of their skirts or the faint whisper of their footsteps.
However, no one frowned.
They knew that even breathing had to be done carefully in front of the Empress.
After a long time, the Empress’s adornment was finally complete.
Seeing a beautiful woman in the mirror, whose beauty was incomparable to anyone, the Empress smiled contentedly.
“Everyone leave except for you.”
The Empress pointed to a maid who was tidying up her discarded undergarments and said.
As if accustomed to it, everyone bowed respectfully and left the bedroom.
Only the designated maid stood frozen, her face pale.
She knew very well why Her Majesty the Empress wanted to see her.
“You.”
It had been five years since she had served the Empress closely, but she was always called ‘you.’
The black-haired maid named Bella bowed her head even lower.
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“Why is there no news?”
“Th-that is…”
Bella’s eyes trembled uneasily.
“I am certainly taking measures as you commanded, but…”
Empress Ravini’s order to Bella was simple: poison Prince Perez, the Second Prince.
Even if his mother was of humble origin, he was still the Emperor’s son.
To poison such a Second Prince.
It was an unforgivable act, but the Empress’s face when giving the command was as dry as if she were simply asking for a troublesome weed to be pulled out.
Bella was terrified.
She didn’t want to do such a horrible thing.
However, she had no right to refuse the Empress’s command.
Bella’s family, one of the Angenas family’s many vassal families, was a poor noble family with a tiny estate in the western part of the empire.
Bella, the eldest daughter of such a family, had been offered to the Empress by her father.
It was her father’s command that she, being the most presentable and intelligent among her siblings, should serve Her Majesty the Empress closely.
It also came with the instruction never to think of returning to the territory for any reason.
Most of the maids serving the Empress were in such a predicament, and their lives and the lives of their families depended on a single word from the Empress.
If she disobeyed the Empress’s order to poison the Second Prince’s food, not only she but her entire family would die.
They were blood relatives whose faces she barely remembered anymore, but to Bella, they were as precious as her own life.
So she closed her eyes and began to add poison.
Since the Second Prince’s mother died, she had been personally bringing food to the annex once a week.
This had been going on for several months now.
But the Second Prince was still not dead.
“Every time I go, he’s lying in bed, so it must be the poison, but…”
Why isn’t he dying?!
Bella’s face crumpled into a frown.
If that brat didn’t die, she would die.
Her innocent family would die.
Bella recalled the scrawny, pathetic appearance of the Second Prince.
Such a child.
It would be easier for everyone if he just died quickly.
“Next time, put in more poison.”
The Empress glanced at Bella’s trembling shoulders and said.
“Th-thank you!”
Bella’s voice was watery.
It was the relief of not dying, of being given another chance.
The Empress looked at Bella with annoyance and waved a hand.
It meant for her to disappear from her sight.
It was an action as if swatting an annoying fly, but Bella was simply overcome with emotion.
As she left the Empress’s bedroom, habitually muting her footsteps, she wiped away tears and smiled.
Thank goodness, truly thank goodness.
It was truly fortunate that it wasn’t her who would die, but the Second Prince, whom no one cared about.
***

“Here is the report on the clothing store’s sales status.”
Clerivan handed me a bundle of papers written in neat handwriting.
“And this is the age distribution of purchasing customers and the results of a simple survey, as you requested.”
It was something I had asked Clerivan to do last time.
It was an event where customers visiting the clothing store were asked for their understanding and offered ribbons or buttons to decorate their clothes if they participated in a simple survey.
People who were disappointed about buying the same ready-to-wear clothes as everyone else gladly participated, perhaps because they liked the small accessories they could decorate according to their preferences.
“Indeed, female customers are overwhelmingly numerous. And the age… mostly in their 30s and 40s.”
“I suppose it’s because women who used to make clothes at home prefer to buy ready-to-wear.”
“I suppose so. Hmm…”
While I was lost in thought for a moment, Clerivan waited patiently by my side.
No, not patiently.
Although he didn’t say anything, his sparkling eyes showed how excited and restless he was, anticipating what I would say.
“You said you’re opening a branch soon, right?”
“Yes. We’re looking for a suitable location within the same Heslot market.”
“What does Father say?”
“Lord Gallahan is quite busy, as he’s in charge of the practical operations…”
Indeed.
Someone who always just read books would probably be overwhelmed suddenly managing such a busy business.
It would take some time to adapt.
I nodded and said to Clerivan,
“Even if it’s urgent, please make sure to decorate the interior and exterior of the branch as luxuriously as the main store. We must avoid the image that ready-to-wear is cheap just because the price is low.”
“Yes, I understand.”
“And if possible, it would be good to introduce other types of clothes along with the original women’s wear when opening the branch.”
“Other types of clothes?”
“This time, when Grandfather ordered uniforms for the Lombardi employees, the tailors gained experience with men’s clothing, didn’t they?”
Since it cost money to make new patterns and prototypes, we should extract everything we can.
“Men’s clothing, which is relatively simpler in design and less embellished, will bring a lot of profit to the clothing store.”
“But the main customer base is women, so will it be okay?”
“It’s precisely because the main customer base is women that I think men’s clothing will also do well.”
I said, tapping the report with my fingertips.
Clerivan thought for a moment at my words, then slapped his knee.
“Ah! Women in their 30s and 40s would also buy clothes for their spouses!”
“That’s right.”
“As expected, young lady…”
Clerivan was so overcome with emotion that he couldn’t even finish his sentence.
It’s probably because it’s his first time seeing a smart Lombardi.
I understand that feeling, Clerivan.
I extended my short arm and patted Clerivan’s shoulder.
And then I held out my other hand.
“You need to give me the purchase order too.”
“Oh, here it is.”
Clerivan carefully placed a bundle of papers, densely filled with numbers, into my hand.
Actually, I didn’t intend to meticulously worry about the money coming in and out.
I was only looking for one item in this complex purchase order.
“The profit margin is quite significant, isn’t it?”
“Yes. It’s because we’re dealing in large quantities through Lombardi’s trading posts and guilds.”
Clerivan said proudly.
It was obvious.
For a merchant, how much profit they make is the most accurate measure of their ability.
I flipped through a couple of pages of the report.
And finally, I found what I wanted.
As expected.
Some adjustments were needed, just as I thought.
“Increase the wages of the weavers and tailors a little more.”
“Excuse me? But then the clothing store’s profit margin will decrease.”
“That’s right. But these people, they’re Lombardi people, aren’t they?”
People who live on Lombardi land, work for Lombardi, and pay taxes to Lombardi.
Therefore, saving money on their wages to earn more doesn’t make much sense.
“And if you raise their wages, their work efficiency will naturally increase. We’ll need more and more hands in the future. It’ll also be much easier to find people then.”
Clerivan pushed up his glasses and nodded.
“That’s right. From a macro perspective, it’s a way to sacrifice a small profit margin now to strengthen Lombardi itself.”
As expected, Clerivan is quick to understand.
He accurately read between the lines without needing me to explain everything.
Leaving Clerivan, who was diligently poring over the report he had written as if studying again, I rose from my seat and walked to a nearby bookshelf.
I had worried that since it was my study, it might be filled only with children’s books.
Perhaps because he saw me reading ‘People of the South’ last time, the books were more suited for adults.
I looked through many interesting books that could be immediately helpful to me, then suddenly realized something and asked Clerivan,
“It’s almost time for the Lombardi scholarship students to gather, isn’t it?”
“Yes? Yes, that’s right. But how did the young lady know that…?”
How did I know?
I called the Lombardi scholarship students, who gathered once a quarter, the ‘Lombardi Kids.’
These were people who had grown up with Lombardi’s support—more precisely, my grandfather’s patronage—and had established themselves in various fields.
Clerivan was one of them.
There were nobles and commoners, but their commonalities included a strong sense of belonging and camaraderie as Lombardi scholarship students, and deep loyalty to my grandfather.
Because the Lombardi Kids were considered as powerful a weapon as the family’s assets, Viese always attended their gatherings, using the excuse of accompanying my grandfather.
“Where are they meeting this time?”
“The venue has been decided as this Lombardi mansion, but we received a message that the date might change.”
“Really?”
It was unusual.
Since they each held important positions, the date and venue were usually decided weeks in advance.
Is something happening to Grandfather?
Anyway, everything depended on my grandfather, so all I had to do was wait and see.
“Will that person come too?”
That person, small in stature, showing signs of age but simultaneously possessing an immense presence.
“It would be great if I could get to know her beforehand.”
I muttered, recalling the middle-aged woman with streaks of gray hair whom I had briefly seen in my previous life.
After my ‘advanced lesson’ with Clerivan, I left my study.
Not long ago, Giliou and Mayron had started taking swordsmanship lessons.
It was Shanannet’s decision to drain the twins’ boundless beagle-like energy, which was increasing by the day.
Since they had ranked high in the tournaments held every founding festival in my previous life, it would be a good choice.
“The weather’s nice. Shall I go for a walk?”
It was almost time for the twins’ swordsmanship lesson to end.
I slowly walked towards them to go to Shanannet together.
And it was when I entered a secluded path leading to the annex’s training ground.
Bang!
With a sound like something hitting the air, something flew forcefully and hit my face.