In This Life I Will Be The Lord Novel - Episode 71

I reached out to his face. The skin on his pale face was icy cold.

“Bring dry towels.”

“Ah, yes. Lady.”

The startled butler, equally surprised, fumbled and brought several dry towels. One he draped heavily over Perez’s soaked shoulders, and another over his head, wrapping him tightly.

“It’s so cold, why… did you get all soaked in this rain?”

“Because I thought the flowers would all wither in the rain.”

“Ah…”

“You said these flowers were necessary for your father to recover, didn’t you?”

“…You fool.”

I pulled Perez by the hand and went up the stairs. Yet, he didn’t even ask, “Where are we going?” He simply followed, matching my pace so I wouldn’t struggle.

I brought Perez back to my room. And I sat him in front of the fireplace.

“Please stoke the fireplace more.”

The butler quickly added a few more logs to the embers.

“Catherine? Does Kailus know you’re here?”

“…Probably not.”

“You didn’t really go out alone in the middle of the night to dig up Bomnia flowers as soon as you received my letter, did you?”

“And when it started raining, you didn’t even think of stopping and going inside, you just kept crouching there, digging the ground, thinking you had to dig them all up before the flowers withered, did you?”

“And you didn’t tell Catherine or Kailus after you dug up all the Bomnia and put them in a wooden box, and just woke up the coachman and came straight here… did you?”

Perez avoided my gaze, looking at the flickering fire in the fireplace.

“…First, I need to send someone to the imperial palace. Please, I beg you.”

“T-the imperial palace. I’ll send someone to Phorak Palace.”

By now, the palace must be in an uproar, knowing Perez had disappeared.

Perez was watching my reaction. Water was dripping from his black hair. I dried Perez’s hair with a towel and said, “I’ll apologize to Catherine and Kailus later.”

“Why, Tia…?”

“Because you did it to bring me Bomnia. You were trying to help me, weren’t you?”

“But…” Perez tried to say something, then closed his mouth like a clam again. He then picked up the box he had set aside and held it out to me.

But I shook my head. “I’m going to make sure your body is warm before I leave.”

Perez thought for a moment at my words, then went closer to the fireplace and started drying his hair himself. Meanwhile, the butler returned with warm tea and hot soup, and also prepared dry clothes for him to change into.

“There, now you’re warm.” Perez approached and placed his hand on my cheek.

He was right. His hands, which had been so cold that they felt bloodless just moments ago, had quickly regained their warmth.

“So go quickly.”

I didn’t refuse. Holding the box of Bomnia, I urged Perez, “Change your clothes quickly and eat something warm.”

“Okay.” Perez answered obediently like a well-behaved puppy.

I left the room. Only the sound of my footsteps and the rattling of the box echoed in the dark corridor. My steps quickened. At some point, I was running.

When I arrived at Estira’s laboratory, set up in a corner of the annex, I was so out of breath I felt like I would burst.

“Lady Florentia?”

Estira was still awake. Seeing the lights on and books scattered everywhere, she seemed to have been researching the medicine. I opened the box in front of Estira.

“I got the Bomnia flowers.”

“Th-this is…” Estira seemed unable to believe it, touching the red petals with her hand, unable to speak.

I hugged the box to Estira. And with the most desperate heart I had ever felt, I said, “Now, save my father, Estira.”

It took Estira only a few hours to create the new medicine. As the sun rose, Estira immediately took it to my father.

“A new… medicine.” My father, who had grown visibly thinner in the past few days, smiled bitterly as he looked at the new medicine Estira offered. He didn’t seem to have much hope.

“Thank you for keeping trying, Estira.” He repeated those words even as he drank the medicine using his left hand, the only limb he could move.

I could have approached my father and said a few words, but I stepped back. I didn’t want my already struggling father to pretend to be fine because of me. It would be better if he just cried and got angry. But my father smiled as always, even in the face of approaching death. Just like in my previous life.

However. This time, I knew what the sound of crying alone in my father’s room in the middle of the night meant. I also knew why my father’s eyes were swollen red the next day.

I watched from a distance, then quietly left my father’s room. It was the room near our house where Perez was briefly staying. Perez, who had been out in the rain for a long time, had finally caught a cold. It wasn’t severe, but my grandfather, who found out why Perez had come to the mansion in the middle of the night, personally sent a letter to the Emperor, asking Perez to stay as a guest of the family.

“How is Perez?”

“He just took his medicine and fell asleep.” Kailus, who had come after being contacted by the palace, answered in a small voice.

I quietly approached the bed, and Perez was sound asleep, unaware of the world. I watched him for a moment, then pulled back the covers and snuggled into the spot beside him.

“Lady Florentia?” Kailus tilted his head and approached, his face asking why I was lying here instead of my perfectly good room.

“I don’t want to be alone right now.”

A very mischievous voice kept asking from a corner of my mind. ‘Are you sure Bomnia is the answer?’

I didn’t know either. But what if Bomnia truly wasn’t the last piece? What should I do then? Could I find another answer in time? Could I save my father?

My head spun once. My body, which hadn’t slept all night, had finally reached its limit. The subtle warmth from Perez, not far away, seemed to soothe my mind. I looked at his black hair scattered on the white pillow for the last time, then slowly fell asleep.
***

“Lady, Lady…”

Lauriel shook me awake. My eyes snapped open. The surroundings were dark. Perez, who had been sleeping beside me, was already awake and standing, wearing new clothes.

“What’s wrong?” Lauriel’s expression was strange.

I didn’t wait for an answer and quickly jumped out of bed. Something was wrong. I could feel the chaotic atmosphere around me. My heart pounded uneasily.

No way.

No way.

I quickly ran into my father’s room. Many people were already inside. Grandfather, Shananet, and even Viese and Laurels. All the Lombardi family members turned to look at me in unison.

“Why…” An incomplete word escaped my lips. I tried to read something from the faces of the people looking at me, but my mind felt frozen, unable to comply. I moved my heavy feet, as if something was pulling me to the ground. Slowly, towards the bedside. People silently made way for me.

And finally, I could see my father on the bed.

“Tia!”

“…D-Dad?” My legs gave way at my father’s bright voice, and I swayed.

“Oh!” Several people reached out to me, but it was my father who caught me. To be exact, it was my father’s right hand. The hand that Tlenbru’s disease had taken away.

“How…”

It was steady. Strong and not trembling. Though his bones were still thin, it held me up, preventing me from falling.

“The new medicine seems to be working, Tia.” My father said, smiling gently. “The sensation slowly started to return just a few hours after I drank it…” My father slowly flexed and unflexed his right hand. I watched his smooth movements blankly.

“Tia.” My father called me.

“I think Dad will be okay now.” His smile was one of relief, as if he had laid down all his burdens. “Dad will be okay now.”

Thump. Something seemed to burst inside me.

“Hmph, hmph…!” Unstoppable tears flowed.

“Dad, Dad…”

“Yes, my Tia. You worried a lot, didn’t you?”

“Daddyyy…”

“Dad’s okay now. Tia’s okay too.” I threw myself into my father’s arms. Gentle hands patted my back.

I don’t know how long I cried like that. All I remember is that I cried endlessly in my father’s arms that day, and each time, my father told me, “It’s okay now.” And that I heard Grandfather’s voice saying “Thank you” to Perez.

It was a perfectly clear day. A pleasant breeze blew, and the grass was fresh. Outside, I could hear the orchestra practicing, and the murmuring of guests who had already arrived, exchanging greetings. I was getting ready in front of the dressing table with Lauriel’s help.

“Are you that happy, Lady?”

“Hmm? About what?”

“Your face has been smiling nonstop since earlier.”

“Oh, really?” I looked at my reflection in the mirror and smiled contentedly.

“It’ll take a long time to do your hair today since it’s a special day. Just bear with it a little longer.”

“Okay. Do whatever you want, Lauriel. I’m fine.”

Lauriel chuckled, as if surprised by my relaxed response. “You used to dislike doing your hair so much. You must be in a very good mood.”

“Of course! I am!” I answered loudly. “Today is my eleventh birthday!”

Finally, the day arrived when I could freely go in and out of the mansion.