In This Life I Will Be The Lord Novel - Episode 90

A necklace?
Did someone lose Shananet’s necklace?
The head maid, who couldn’t lift her head right now, had worked at the Lombardi mansion for decades.
She was also quite stubborn, so she wouldn’t usually be so pale about something like this.
“Oh, this morning, if we find and narrow down the children who cleaned the bedroom…”
“That’s enough.”
Shananet, who had been standing still with her back turned, spoke.
Her voice was monotonous, without any rise or fall, as if she were talking about someone else’s business.
But even at that small voice, the head maid flinched and stiffened.
“No, Lady Shananet. I will find the culprit no matter what…”
“Nelly.”
Shananet called the head maid’s name.
“I think I lost the necklace myself.”
“…Yes?”
“Now that I think about it, I wore the necklace out a few days ago. I must have lost it outside.”
A lie.
Shananet cherished that necklace, a memento from her mother, immensely.
Everyone living in the mansion knew that she didn’t wear it unless it was a very special occasion.
The head maid seemed at a loss for words.
“Bu-but…”
“So don’t make trouble for innocent people.”
It wasn’t something to be easily covered up.
High-ranking nobles like the Lombardi family, where precious items that ordinary commoners would never see in their lives were scattered everywhere, dealt with such matters very strictly.
If an employee was caught touching their master’s belongings, the employees’ quarters would be thoroughly ransacked that very day.
If the lost item still wasn’t found, it was not uncommon for influential servants to be taken and tortured until they confessed.
The head maid was probably anticipating such a future, which was why she was so pale.
“Do you understand what I’m saying?”
Shananet, still not showing her face, asked in a stern voice.
“Yes, yes. Lady Shananet.”
“Tha-thank you…!”
The maid, who seemed to have cleaned the room, spoke, barely able to steady her trembling body.
“You may leave.”
At Shananet’s command, the head maid and the other employees all left.
I wondered if I should leave too.
But somehow, it felt wrong to leave Shananet alone right now.
With a click, the door closed.
And at that moment.
Shananet, who had been standing stiffly, collapsed.
“…Gasp!”
Her back, hunched over and covering her mouth, looked so small.
“Oh…”
Craney saw her and tried to approach, but I shook my head and held his hand firmly.
“Mother…”
It was because Giliou and Mayron, who had been watching the situation from the room, approached Shananet.
Hesitating for a moment, the twins cautiously placed their hands on Shananet’s shoulders.
Perhaps because of her sons, Shananet tried to compose herself, but it didn’t seem easy.
“Ugh…”
Young Craney’s eyes were already welling up with tears just from seeing Shananet and the twins.
“Let’s visit later.”
I gently pulled Craney’s hand and said in a small voice.
And then I turned around.
“Grandfather…?”
My grandfather, with sad eyes, was looking at Shananet.
After silently watching Shananet’s crumbled back for a moment, grandfather quietly turned away.
He said nothing, but it seemed to mean ‘follow me.’
I took Craney’s hand and began walking with grandfather into the garden outside.
Following grandfather, who walked the same path every day out of habit.
Grandfather’s footsteps were slower than usual, in consideration for Craney.
Craney also walked quietly, saying nothing, as if aware of grandfather’s mood.
And finally, we reached the evergreen forest.
It was a place where grandfather and grandmother’s memories remained.
Grandfather stopped and gently placed his hand on the largest tree, then spoke.
“Do you know why Shananet is so sad about losing just one necklace?”
“I heard it was Grandmother’s keepsake,” I answered carefully.
“It’s a precious item. If such a precious item were lost, I would also be truly sad.”
Grandfather, who had been caressing the pine tree as if in nostalgia, turned to me and smiled gently.
And he stroked my head.
It was a slightly weakened touch.
“Yes. To understand Shananet’s feelings like that. Our Tia is truly kind.”
And grandfather murmured, half to himself, “Shananet was particularly close to Natalia. She was the eldest and the only daughter among four siblings. That necklace was given directly to Shananet by Natalia just before she closed her eyes.”
The necklace was even more special than I had thought.
To lose such a keepsake, how great must the sense of loss be?
“If it’s such a precious item, why not just find it no matter what it takes…”
“Aunt Shananet loves the peace of Lombardi.”
“…What?”
“She just seems like that kind of person,” I said, smiling faintly at my grandfather, who looked at me with surprised eyes.
This was the conclusion I reached after thinking about why Shananet divorced, losing so much, in my previous life.
Shananet didn’t want to break the peace of the Lombardi family because of her own problems.
Unaware that Vestian had another woman, she bore everything herself for Lombardi and the twins.
It was a foolishly kind choice, typical of Shananet.
I thought for a moment, then cautiously tugged at my grandfather’s sleeve and asked, “Grandfather, by any chance.”
“Hmm?”
“Are there any other items Grandmother left behind? Something like a necklace, that can always be worn on the body.”
“Hmm. There are a few of Natalia’s rings left.”
“Then why don’t you give them to Aunt Shananet? It won’t be as good as the necklace, but it might fill the void a little.”
“Oh, that’s a very good idea!
Yes, I should do that!”
Grandfather’s face, which had been tinged with bitterness, brightened completely.
“Oh my, oh my! What a smart girl!”
Grandfather hugged me tightly, his rough beard pricking my face.
Craney, who seemed to be seeing his grandfather laugh loudly for the first time, looked up with a ‘Heh,’ then subtly offered his head for a pat too.
“Yes, yes. I must go find Natalia’s jewelry box right away.”
Grandfather continued to laugh so cheerfully while stroking Craney’s round head.