In This Life I Will Be The Lord Novel - Side Story, Chapter 29

Oops.
A look of undeniable dismay crossed the faces of the Three Musketeers.
The Lombardi Matriarch was the only raw nerve for Emperor Perez, who feared nothing.
And they had just touched it.
“Your Majesty, please disregard Tedro’s words.”
“That’s right. What does that guy know about marriage or dating?”
“The Lombardi Matriarch regretting the marriage? Your Majesty, you know best that it wouldn’t be like that.”
They tried to appease Perez, who seemed to be rapidly sinking into a swamp.
But it was already too late.
Perez, who had already had Tia’s sigh stuck in his heart, was turning paler and paler at the mention that she might be regretting the marriage itself.
This is a big problem.
His close associates, especially Tedro, who had brought up the marriage blues, felt like sewing their mouths shut.
“Regretting the marriage…”
Perez muttered again.
The shock must have been immense, as he remained motionless, as if he had forgotten to even blink.
‘That Tedro…’
Regnite Luman, grinding his teeth and glaring at Tedro, quietly swallowed a sigh.
To him, Perez was a lord he trusted and followed, and a close friend for a long time.
And he had realized it countless times since their Academy days.
Florentia Lombardi was not just a lover to Perez.
She was his everything.
‘Surely nothing is really wrong, is it?’
Just thinking about such a possibility made his lips dry.
If the Lombardi Matriarch was truly reconsidering the marriage itself.
If, with her unyielding personality, she were to suddenly suggest postponing the wedding.
Regnite Luman unconsciously shivered.
It was then.
Crack.
A tearing sound echoed in the quiet office.
“Gasp.”
“Th-the chair…”
It was the sound of the armrest of the chair Perez was gripping cracking.
All the chairs in the Emperor’s office were crafted by artisans from solid wood.
Especially the chair Perez was currently sitting on, he knew, was made from Triva wood from the North, famous for its hardness.
But now, it was crumbling in Perez’s grip like freshly baked bread.
Regnite Luman unconsciously swallowed dryly.
‘The Lombardi Matriarch is his leash.’
The only leash that could control the beast named Perez.
Honestly, Perez was not a kind person, even in the best sense of the word.
However, Florentia Lombardi had tamed him.
But what if she let go of that leash?
Regnite squeezed his eyes shut at the terrible thought.
“A solution.”
The words were not his own.
Regnite Luman opened his eyes wide in surprise.
Perez was slowly rising from his seat.
The armrest of the chair, completely torn from the main body and losing its original shape, lay scattered on the floor.
“We need to come up with a solution.”
At Perez’s resolute murmur, Regnite and the other two nodded fervently.
No matter what, this marriage must happen.
It was a moment when everyone’s hearts were united for the first time in a long time.
***
Perez was walking along a forest path.
A moist and refreshing forest, dewy with morning mist, stretched endlessly.
‘Where am I?’
As far as he knew, there was no vast forest with such ancient trees suddenly rising in the Imperial Palace.
It was strange.
He had clearly laid down in his bedroom in the Imperial Palace.
And he had been thinking of Tia until the moment he fell asleep.
Perez continued to walk, lost in thought.
How long had he walked?
In the distance, he saw light.
He had finally found a way out of the forest.
Perez’s steps quickened.
All he could think about was getting out of this forest and meeting Tia.
So he didn’t notice that he was out of breath.
This was something that could never happen in reality, given Perez’s superhuman abilities.
“Haa.”
Finally, he emerged from the forest.
The sunlight poured down, dazzling his eyes.
However, contrary to his initial resolve, Perez stopped abruptly.
It was because of something standing tall in the middle of the wide meadow that spread out as soon as the forest ended.
A tree so massive that it distorted perspective, its branches extending so far that one couldn’t even guess where they ended.
“…World Tree?”
Perez instinctively realized that he had encountered the tree that no one had ever seen, the one that only existed in stories.
His mind went blank.
In front of such a colossal entity, he was merely a human.
But Perez did not flee.
Instead, he slowly walked towards the World Tree.
Whoosh—!
As if a wind blew from somewhere, the branches of the World Tree swayed, making a thunderous sound.
As if warning him.
But even that could not stop Perez’s steps.
Instead, his steps quickened.
He had a conviction.
A conviction that the World Tree would not harm him.
He walked for a long time until his breath came in ragged gasps, and only then did he finally reach the World Tree.
And he was overwhelmed.
In front of the World Tree’s trunk, which resembled a roughly cracked cliff, and beneath the sacred crown of green foliage.
It was as if he had returned to his childhood.
To that day in the forest, where he had gone to escape his stomachache, and met his fairy, who seemed as if she would burst into laughter sitting on a branch of that World Tree.
Perez slowly raised his hand.
Whoosh—!
The World Tree trembled once more, as if in warning.
Can you handle it?
It seemed to ask.
Suddenly, a quiet smile touched his lips.
He spread his hand wide and reached out towards the World Tree.
And finally, he touched it.
“Gasp!”
He jolted violently and sat up.
Looking around, he saw his familiar imperial bedroom.
“Haa.”
His entire body was drenched in sweat.
Perez raised a hand and wiped his face.
His breath, touching his palm, was as ragged as it had been in his dream.
His throat was parched.
He frantically gulped down the water placed by his bed.
And for a long time, his red eyes stared at his palm.
It was the same hand that had touched the World Tree in his dream.
How much time had passed?
“Ugh.”
Perez let out a low groan.
His stomach felt nauseous, unlike ever before.
Had the water he drank too quickly upset his stomach?
He was a body that had never even caught a light cold, except when poisoned.
Perhaps there was something in the water.
Perez glared at the clear, transparent water in the crystal carafe for a moment, then pulled the cord by the bed.
It was to summon a physician.
During the short time he waited for the attendant to enter the bedroom, Perez closed his dizzy eyes tightly and muttered lowly,
“What on earth was that dream?”
***
“Perez is coming here?”
“Yes, Sister. A message arrived saying he will have dinner with us and stay at the Lombardi mansion tonight.”
“Hmm, alright, I understand.”
I nodded lightly.
Originally, he was supposed to spend the night at the Imperial Palace today.
But for him to come all the way here himself…
Changing a scheduled event was unlike him, but…
‘Maybe he just changed his mind, I guess.’
It was a good thing for me, as it meant more time to attend to the matriarch’s duties that I had postponed.
I lightly dismissed it and reached for the refreshments beside me.
“Is Estira’s medicine finally working?”
My condition had been excellent since I woke up this morning.
Perhaps because I had slept soundly, I felt very refreshed and energetic.
And the most surprising thing was that I was starting to feel hungry.
It felt like all the time I had barely managed to swallow water due to morning sickness was a lie.
I had eaten a full breakfast and lunch for the first time in a long while, and now I was even eating snacks.
“It’s really strange.”
Is the morning sickness already ending?
I rubbed my lower abdomen, as had quickly become a habit, and tilted my head.
“That would be a relief, though.”
It was a very short period compared to other pregnant women, but even that had been such torture.
Honestly, I was worried if I could keep enduring it.
“Are you already worrying about Mom?”
I chuckled at my own unconscious remark.
What power could a baby, still just a tiny jelly, have?
“Ah, this is good.”
This comfortable time, which I hadn’t felt in a very long time, was as sweet as honey.
As I ate snacks one by one and worked, the sky outside the window gradually darkened.
It was when I suddenly realized this.
Knock, knock.
As if on cue, a soft knock echoed through the matriarch’s office.
At the same time, an uncontrollable smile escaped me.
Because I already guessed who was outside the door.
“Come in, Perez.”
“Hello, Tia.”
Ah, he’s handsome.
My heart thumped as Perez approached with a bright smile.
My fiancé, no, my husband in a few days, but he’s really handsome every time I see him.
“But what’s all that?”
Perez was carrying a large armful of something.
“I brought some gifts.”
“Gifts?”
I sat on the office sofa as Perez led me, and received the items he handed me one by one.
“This is the completed wedding seating chart.”
“Wow, you finished all this by yourself?”
The large seating chart, enough to fill the table, had the names of all the guests meticulously written without a single omission.
“There’s nothing left for me to do.”
It was the seating chart I hadn’t been able to finish a few days ago because I had collapsed.
I didn’t know what Catherine had said to cover for me, but the seating chart completed by Perez’s hand was flawless.
“And this is a summary of the agenda items for the grand conferences over the next few months.”
A thick file was placed on top of the seating chart.
“You organized all of this?”
“Yes.”
“That must have taken a lot of time?”
“Anything for you.”
Perez replied with his characteristic, almost painted, smile.
“What, I’m touched.”
“And this.”
No sooner had he put down the file than a small box was presented to me.
“What is this?”
“Open it.”
Without hesitation, I untied the neatly tied ribbon and opened the box.
“Chocolate… cookies?”
The box was filled with heavy cookies, studded with large chunks of chocolate.
Just like the ones we had shared in the shabby detached palace a long, long time ago.
Surely, this…
“Did you make these yourself, Perez?”
“…Yes.”
He nodded slightly.
But for some reason, his complexion didn’t look very good.
He seemed to be subtly sweating.
“Are you okay?”
Instead of answering, Perez curled up the corners of his trembling lips and smiled.
“I once promised to bake you cookies… Ugh.”
“Perez?”
I was startled and moved closer to him.
However, Perez’s complexion only worsened.
“Are you sick somewhere?”
“Sorry.”
“No, it’s not about being sorry.”
Should I call Estira?
It was then, as I watched Perez barely maintain a smiling face, looking so pitiful to anyone who saw him.
“My stomach hasn’t been feeling well since this morning… Ugh!”