In This Life I Will Be The Lord Novel - Episode 93

My daily routine was quite simple these days.
Coming to Pellet Corporation about three times a week to receive Clerivan’s reports was the entirety of my fixed schedule.
The rest of the time, I would go to the Imperial Palace to see Perez or spend time playing with my cousins.
Today, I had been leisurely strolling around the plaza before stopping by Pellet Corporation’s office.
Violet, who had been on a temporary assignment to help out at Gallahan’s clothing store due to a busy period, was also waiting for me in the office after a long time.
“Was the grain purchase in the south concluded successfully?”
“Yes. Fortunately, there was a bumper harvest in the Sheshou region and the southernmost parts of the Empire, so we were able to purchase it at a good price.”
I nodded without saying much.
The unprecedented bumper crop in the southern farmlands this year was just as I remembered.
Seeing my unperturbed reaction, Clerivan asked me with a half-believing, half-doubting tone.
“Surely, you knew?”
“Knew what?”
“That the south would have a bumper harvest this year.”
How quick-witted.
But I shrugged my shoulders, feigning ignorance.
“I’m not a prophet, how would I have known that?”
“But your reaction just now was…”
“That’s because I believed from the start that Clerivan, Violet, and the capable employees of Pellet Corporation would handle it well.”
“Ah…”
Clerivan, who had been momentarily stunned by my sudden shower of praise, unconsciously let his lips curl up slightly.
He hastily covered his twitching mouth a few times, but it was no use, as his usual sharp eyes were visibly softened.
Anyway, Clerivan was very susceptible to compliments.
I let Clerivan compose himself for a moment, then asked Violet.
“Did you find out anything about ‘Red Trading Company’ that I mentioned before, Violet?”
“Yes. But nothing much came up… I apologize.”
Violet offered a thin report, looking apologetic.
But I shook my head.
“It’s not your fault, Violet. This Red Trading Company hasn’t done much.”
It was an instruction given with little expectation from the beginning.
“Just finding out this much is more than enough, Violet. You’ve worked hard.”
It seemed Violet was also weak to compliments.
Judging by her neat, pale face flushing slightly.
So, since I had already started complimenting, I decided to do a little more.
“You do everything I ask so perfectly and well, that I’m almost bored because I have nothing to do.”
“Th-those words…”
“I will work even harder.”
Violet’s face turned even redder, and Clerivan responded with a meaningful look, as if he had made a resolution.
“And Clerivan.”
“Yes, Lady Florentia.”
“Lauriel brought a gift for Clerivan from her trip to the East. Send someone from the corporation to the mansion to pick it up.”
Over the past few months, Lauriel had been on a long journey to the East, to where her mother, Lady Dillard,’s family resided.
She had bought gifts for me, Father, and Clerivan, but due to watchful eyes, she couldn’t give the gift directly to Clerivan.
Although they were half-siblings, outwardly, Clerivan and the Dillard family had no relation.
“Yes, I understand.”
Clerivan paused for a moment, then nodded.
He claimed that they were ‘strangers with no relation whatsoever,’ but well.
The Clerivan I had observed cared much more for his younger sister, Lauriel, than he himself realized.
After bidding farewell to Clerivan and Violet, I returned to the mansion.
Instead of going straight home after getting out of the carriage, I walked a bit in the garden.
After the storm of Vestian’s betrayal and Shananet’s divorce had passed, the mansion had returned to its former peaceful state.
No, in fact, it was almost too peaceful, making me feel a little bored…
“Sob! Wahhh!”
I heard a child crying from the path leading to the pine garden.
This familiar voice was Craney’s.
Approaching the trees from where the sound of crying came, sure enough, Craney was crying while hugging something.
“Why are you crying again?”
At my voice, he lifted his head from where it was buried in his knees, and Craney’s face was a sight to behold.
It was smeared with tears and snot, and his hair was tangled with sweat.
Moreover, he was huffing and puffing, his face bright red, as if he was incredibly upset.
“Hmph! Ti-Tiaa…”
Discovering me, Craney scampered over and threw himself into my arms.
And then he started to cry even louder, more earnestly.
“Waaah! Ugh! Hmph!”
His cries were certainly varied.
I already knew from experience that Craney, like a crybaby, cried with various sounds and couldn’t be easily consoled.
So, with a half-resigned heart, I checked the object Craney was hugging.
“A book? The book I lent you yesterday?”
But the condition of the book was a little strange.
“Why is this… all torn up?”
Looking closely, it wasn’t just neatly torn.
The tattered pages were covered with black footprints, as if someone had stepped on them.
“S-sorry… I’m sorryyy…”
As I examined the book’s condition, Craney’s cries grew louder.
Actually, I had bought the book intending to give it to Craney from the beginning.
I didn’t particularly cherish it, so I didn’t care that the book was ruined.
However, the footprints stamped all over the pages, and the same footprints on Craney’s shirt, bothered me greatly.
I wondered if he had fought with someone, but judging by the size, it was definitely not a child Craney’s age.
They were clearly large footprints, like those of a grown adult.
“Who did this?”
I asked, pointing to the large footprints.
“Th-this… Bellezac brother…”
“Bellezac?”
I thought he had been quiet lately!
I subtly lifted his sleeve and saw a bruise on Craney’s arm.
“Tell me properly what happened, Craney.”
“Sob! Well… I-I was reading the book alone…”
“And then?”
“Hee hee, Belle-zac came… and asked what that book was, hmph! So… I-I said it was Tia’s!”
It was hard to understand due to his sobbing, but Craney’s explanation of the situation was this:
“So. You were reading a book alone. Bellezac came, and knowing it was my book, he just tore it up?”
“Mmm-hmm…”
“And you got like this trying to stop him?”
“Uh-huh…”
“Bellezac, that ant-butt!”
A surge of old emotions welled up.
“He has nothing better to do than beat up his younger cousin?!”
No, he was the one who used to beat me up in my previous life.
There’s no way he’d be gentle with an even younger Craney.
“What did your brother! Astaliu, what did he do?!”
“He-he just stood next to him…”
“You idiot! Your brother is getting beaten up!”
As I fumed with frustration, Craney started to sniffle again next to me.
This young child tried to protect the book and even got stepped on, while his own brother just stood there and watched.
He must have felt so sad.
But I spoke sternly on purpose.
“Stop. You’ve cried enough. Stop crying.”
“…Stop.” Craney whimpered at my words, pressing his lower lip tightly to hold back the bursting tears.
I calmly explained to the slightly calmer Craney.
“Craney, how much do you think this book is worth?”
“Hmm. I don’t know…”
He had never bought anything outside, so it was understandable that he had no concept of money.
“Okay, I bought this book for 4 silver.
How much allowance do you get each month?”
“1 gold.”
It seemed Lorels and Lady Lonette were only giving him a portion of the money allotted for Craney.
“Right. So, you can buy this book with your allowance and give me a new one. It would be even better if you added a word of apology.”
“B-but…”
“You don’t need to hurt yourself over something that can be bought with money. Do you understand what I’m saying?”
“Yes…”
“It’s important to protect what you cherish, but above all, the most important thing is yourself.”
His still moist eyes blinked a few times, looking at me, wondering what I was thinking.
Since Craney had recently turned eight, I gave him a bit more forceful advice.
“Listen carefully, Craney. You are a Lombardi. And a pretty good Lombardi at that. Lombardis don’t just sit and cry when they’re angry. We seek revenge.”
“Revenge…?”
“Yes, revenge. And a proper one at that.”
I had no intention of letting that Bellezac brat, who had made Craney like this, get away with it.
As an expert in cleaning up after Bellezac and Astaliu, I prided myself on knowing more about them than they knew about themselves.
Including their weaknesses, of course.
“But Craney, you’re still young, so this time, I’ll take revenge for you. But next time, you can’t just cry like this. Understand?”
“Yes, yes! I understand!”
I ruffled Craney’s hair and turned to the person who had been listening to our conversation.
“Grandfather.”
At my call, Grandfather, who had been half-hidden behind a thick pine tree, stepped out.
“Hahaha, did you know?”
Grandfather cleared his throat, embarrassed about being caught hiding.
But I didn’t laugh at him.
Grandfather, sensing that I was seriously angry, carefully scanned Craney’s condition and frowned.
“I have a favor to ask, Grandfather.”
“…Tell me.”
“Please allow me to take Craney out for a little while.”
“Hmm? Is that all?”
Perhaps he thought I would say, ‘Please scold Bellezac.’
Grandfather looked surprised.
But I had no intention of making such an easy wish.
The most Grandfather could do to Bellezac was to scold him sternly or ground him for about a week.
That was not nearly enough punishment for making Craney like this and daring to tear my book.
As I promised Craney, I intended to deal with Bellezac myself.
“Where are you going?”
Grandfather asked curiously.
“I’m going to give him some sweets,” I replied, pointing to Craney, who was wiping away tears with the back of his hand.
“A-alright, then…”
I immediately took Craney’s hand and got back into the carriage I had just ridden.
The place I brought Craney to, of course, was ‘Caramel Avenue.’
“Here, eat this. Eat a lot and grow up quickly so you can look down on someone like Bellezac.”
I said, pushing a glass of milk and chocolate cake towards Craney.
I said this because I knew Craney would grow to be the tallest among my cousins, unlike Bellezac, who was rather short for a boy.
“Hehe. Okay!”
Craney, with chocolate on his mouth, smiled brightly with still red eyes.
I tossed him a napkin to wipe his mouth when I overheard a somewhat special conversation.
“What do you mean you’re not extending the lease contract?”