In This Life I Will Be The Lord Novel - Episode 46

No further explanation was needed.
I stretched out both hands to Grandfather and exclaimed,
“W-Wait a moment! Just wait a moment, Grandfather!”
“Hmm?”
Leaving Grandfather, who was tilting his head, behind, I quickly ran back to my room.
“Dad! My bag! My bag!”
“Oh? Uh, yes…”
My father, who had been standing blankly, suddenly became busy because of me.
He found the square leather bag that had been shoved in a corner of the room and spread it out on the bed.
And meanwhile, I threw things into the bag that I thought Perez might need or find useful.
“This book and… Oh, that too! And cookies, candies, stationery…”
For a while, I ran around my room and throughout the house, diligently packing things.
It felt like I hadn’t packed much, but the bag quickly filled up.
“What are you doing, Florentia?”
Grandfather, who had been waiting in the drawing-room, eventually came into my room and asked.
“I’m packing some necessities! It won’t take long, Grandfather, just wait a moment!”
Soon, a small mountain of items had formed on the bed.
“You need those right now?”
Grandfather tilted his head, seemingly unable to understand.
I turned to him and replied brightly,
“I’m taking them to Perez!”
“…You’re giving them to him?”
For some reason, Grandfather’s eye twitched.
Is he perhaps being stingy?
“I haven’t packed many…”
But Grandfather’s furrowed brow showed no sign of clearing.
“When you meet Perez, Grandfather will understand how I feel!”
It would be natural human empathy to want to feed and take care of such a scrawny, small child.
I asserted with certainty.
“…Alright. Let’s see then.”
Grandfather’s tone felt a bit odd, but I shrugged.
Then I zipped up the leather bag and lifted it with one hand.
No, I tried to lift it.
“Ack!”
The bag was quite heavy, enough to make my body sway.
I guess I packed a lot.
My father sighed softly beside me and tried to take the bag instead.
But I shook my head slightly and said in a voice as energetic as Grandfather’s had been earlier,
“Let’s go meet Perez now, Grandfather!”

* * *

Though I boldly slung the bag over my shoulder, it was some time later that we actually departed from the mansion.
“No matter how much you want to see that boy, trying to go to the Imperial Palace in your pajamas…” Grandfather said, shaking his head as if dumbfounded.
“I-I woke up from sleeping, so I was disoriented…”
Ah, how embarrassing.
To exclaim that I wanted to go to the Imperial Palace wearing pajamas with shiny lace.
If I had known, I would have smiled a little less confidently.
I tried to act nonchalant, as if nothing had happened, and looked out the window.
It was still dark, both the sky and the road the carriage was traveling on, as the sun hadn’t risen yet.
Our group was very modest for the Lombardi Patriarch’s movement.
It was just the carriage and two Lombardi knights following behind.
Other than the sound of horse hooves and the carriage wheels rolling on the road, there was complete silence.
As if the world was still asleep.
I looked at Grandfather, who was sitting next to me.
Perhaps because of the faint light in the carriage, the wrinkles on his forehead seemed deeper than usual today.
Last night, when we talked about Perez, he seemed lost in thought.
What made him change his mind to come to the palace with me before sunrise?
I couldn’t bring myself to ask Grandfather directly, but I vaguely sensed from his deeply etched wrinkles that the reason might not be a good one.
The carriage continued without stopping.
When we left Lombardi’s territory, and when we rode through the fields and passed through the imperial capital’s gate.
The soldiers, seeing the four-horse carriage, which only the Lombardi Patriarch could ride, approaching from afar, quickly moved.
The enormous castle gate, which would have been firmly closed until dawn and the lifting of curfew, easily opened a path at the sight of Lombardi’s crest.
Our carriage didn’t even need to slow down.
And finally, we arrived in front of the Imperial Palace.
I couldn’t help but feel a little nervous.
There was the incident last time, and after all, it was the Imperial Palace.
As the carriage slowly decelerated, I straightened my posture, thinking someone might open the carriage door any moment.
But Grandfather remained unchanged, resting his chin on his hand and looking out the window.
Then, as if he suddenly felt my gaze, he turned his head and our eyes met.
And at that moment, the carriage, as if by magic, started moving again.
Unimpeded, straight down the main road that stretched from the Imperial Palace’s main gate, whose master hadn’t even woken up yet.
Grandfather looked at me, slightly surprised, then reached out and stroked my head, saying,
“Did you think there’d be another inspection like last time?”
“Yeah… I know it’ll be fine with Grandfather. But still, it’s the Imperial Palace…”
I knew that the Lombardi Patriarch could walk into the Emperor’s office without anyone’s obstruction if he wished.
But knowing it in my head was a different matter.
Grandfather patted my head reassuringly and said,
“You are a Lombardi. A Lombardi does not fear the Imperial Family.”
“Hehe…”
So cool.
As I stared, amazed at how cool he was, Grandfather muttered in a low voice,
“Insolent ones. To my granddaughter… Don’t worry. Grandfather will give them a good scolding today.”
I wasn’t sure exactly who he was going to scold, but I nodded vigorously.
Meanwhile, the carriage entered the Empress’s Palace grounds.
Like other areas, the Empress’s Palace was quiet, save for the occasional lights along the paths.
“Where shall we go?”
The coachman asked, opening the small window.
“I only know the walking path from here…”
“Then there’s no choice.”
Grandfather, who seemed momentarily flustered, opened the carriage door and stepped out.
I also jumped down, holding Grandfather’s hand.
The coachman offered to carry the luggage, but Grandfather took the bag instead and shook his head.
He probably decided that Perez shouldn’t be seen by just anyone.
“Let’s go, Florentia.”
Grandfather extended his hand to me.
Holding his hand, which was different from Father’s, a little rougher and warmer, I walked down the barely visible forest path.
Fortunately, the eastern sky was gradually brightening.
Relying on my memory, we arrived at the spot where Perez had been eating herb leaves.
And then I realized.
I only knew he was in the west, but I didn’t truly know where Perez lived.
“Grandfather, that’s the thing.”
“What’s wrong?”
“I saw Perez here last time. And I only heard that he lives in the forest west of the Empress’s Palace…”
Contrary to my expectation that he would be troubled, Grandfather seemed to have a hunch.
“Could it be that place?”
Grandfather muttered something unintelligible and looked far into the distance, where only dense trees were visible.
“It’s even worse than I thought.”
Grandfather’s grip on my hand tightened.
“From here, your grandfather knows the way, so let’s go.”
Grandfather walked ahead with a hardened face.
And a moment later, we stood in front of a small annex.
It was an old building, unkempt and nearly a ruin.
The creaking of the windows echoed eerily with even the slightest breeze.
“This is crazy…”
A swear word slipped out unconsciously.
No matter what, how could they leave a child alone in such a dilapidated house?
Even the Empress’s Palace storage would be more comfortable than this.
Grandfather, looking at the annex with an expression as serious as mine, said,
“One of the former emperor’s concubines passed away here. By her own hand, along with her child…”
Grandfather didn’t finish the sentence, but I understood perfectly.
And the Empress’s wish for Perez and his mother to live in such a place.
“Perhaps, it might not be here. No matter what, this place is too…”
“Didn’t that boy say it was west of the Empress’s Palace? This is the only annex in the western forest, and it’s also where the Second Prince lived with his mother.”
“Th-Then, really…”
Honestly, the annex looked like a ghost could pop out at any moment.
To live alone here for several years.
I wouldn’t last a few days, let alone years.
I suddenly realized again how fiercely Perez had survived.
“Let’s go inside for now.”
Just as I was about to enter at Grandfather’s words.
Bang-!
With a loud noise, the heavily rusted door was flung open as if it would fall off.
And a small figure, pushing the door open, ran towards me.
With every step that kicked off the ground, black hair fluttered, and exceptionally fair skin shone like clean porcelain even in the dim pre-dawn light.
“Pe-Perez… Ack!”
Perez, who had arrived in front of me in an instant, threw himself into my arms with the force of his run.
Though the collision made me gasp and hurt, I couldn’t push him away.
His hands, clutching me tightly, resting his head on my shoulder, were so desperate.
“Florentia.”
His thin voice, calling my name, was trembling.
“Hey, let go. I can’t breathe.”
I said, deliberately in an indifferent voice.
Then, the boy who seemed like he would never let go, meekly withdrew at my words.
But it was only half a step.
He only moved back enough to barely detach his body, staring at me.
His right hand still gripped my sleeve.
His face was still expressionless, but his red eyes were solely fixed on me.
What’s wrong with him?
Well, anyone would be glad to see someone after being alone in a place like this.
“I said I’d come back. Why are you so flustered?”
“…Because I thought you’d forgotten me.”
I felt a slight prick of conscience, but I snorted and said,
“Did I look like someone who would break a promise?”
Hehehe.
Perez vigorously shook his head instead of answering.
It was then.
A large hand reached out and grabbed Perez by the scruff of his neck, easily setting him back down.
“Get away from my granddaughter.”
It was Grandfather, looking down at Perez disapprovingly.