In This Life I Will Be The Lord Novel - Side Story, Chapter 44

“Wait a minute. Lombardi, that’s the one you mentioned before…”
“Yes, that’s right. The family with power that even the Imperial Family can’t touch!”
Abane Rophili nodded, seeming even happier than Shan.
“Meeting a member of Lombardi is practically like reaching for the stars, but since Shan’s dream clearly showed you meeting him, it’s definitely possible!”
Shan unconsciously covered her mouth.
It felt like all the pieces were falling into place.
“Gallahan, Gallahan Lombardi.”
The thought that it might be a different person with the same name didn’t even cross her mind.
Her intuition told her.
That was his name.
“Um, Shan. I was going to tell you anyway.”
Abane Rophili cautiously spoke to Shan, who was silently savoring the name.
“I think I’ll be leaving the forest soon. I’m finishing up my research.”
“Ah…”
An undeniable sadness appeared on Shan’s face.
Their connection had started with simple curiosity about an outsider.
But through long conversations, the two naturally became friends.
The thought of her leaving the village.
She couldn’t hide the emptiness she already felt.
“Your research is almost done, so that’s something to celebrate, right?”
Still, not wanting to make the departing person uncomfortable, Shan forced a smile.
And Abane Rophili grabbed Shan’s hand and asked,
“Would you like to come out with me?”
“With Teacher Abane…?”
“It’ll be much safer than you going alone, Shan. And most importantly, if Gallahan Lombardi truly is your fated partner, shouldn’t you meet him at least once?”
Meeting that man, Gallahan Lombardi, in person.
Just imagining it made her heart pound rapidly.
His warm gaze and smile when he looked at the children came to mind.
Would he smile at me like that too?
A blush spread across Shan’s cheeks.
But an immediate answer didn’t come.
Realizing that something was making Shan hesitate, Abane Rophili quickly added,
“If I’ve made too much of a burdensome suggestion…”
“No! It’s not that! But there are some things I need to think about.”
Shan hesitated for a moment, then finally explained with a small sigh,
“There are two rules of the Chara tribe that Teacher Abane doesn’t know yet.”
“What are they?”
“Once someone leaves the forest, they cannot return.”
“…What did you say?”
“And those who go outside cannot speak of the Chara tribe’s special powers. If you leave this place, you have to bury everything in your heart.”
“Such rules…”
Abane Rophili, who had been speechless as if shocked, soon realized something was strange.
“But Soura-nim allowed me to research the Chara tribe and publish a book about it?”
“That’s right. Mother believes that the Chara tribe should now step out into the world.”
Shan smiled brightly, recalling how surprised the villagers were when Soura first expressed that intention by bringing Abane into the forest.
“Perhaps for Mother, Teacher Abane’s book is like the first step towards the outside world.”
Shan was very proud of her mother.
Until she suddenly forbade her from meeting Abane Rophili.
“That’s why I can’t understand it. How can someone like her be so angry about me, her own daughter, getting close to Teacher Abane?”
And what if her only daughter said she wanted to leave the forest?
“But perhaps it’s for the best.”
Shan then clenched her fists tightly.
“I could be the catalyst, couldn’t I?”
The first person to freely travel between the forest and the outside world.
As the current chieftain’s daughter, and practically designated as the next chieftain, there was no one more suitable than herself.
“If I explain what I saw in my dreams well, Mother will agree. She definitely will.”
Shan believed that.
“Moreover, if I’m not going alone but with Teacher Abane, even more so.”
Shan squeezed Abane’s hand tightly and promised,
“I’ll talk to Mother and bring you good news!”

The Elder Council meeting was set to end around sunset.
Shan wandered around the forest, looking for something Soura might like.
She needed to put her in a good mood before starting the serious conversation.
Then her footsteps led her to a meadow on the outskirts of the village.
“It’s a Bomnia flower field.”
The wide field was filled with red flowers.
“This will do.”
Tea made from Bomnia petals had a subtle sweetness, which was one of Soura’s favorites.
Shan hummed a tune and carefully began picking flowers.
Soon, a pile of Bomnia flowers accumulated on her outer garment, which she had taken off to use as a makeshift bag.
A moment later, Shan patted her waist and lay down on the field.
“Oh, I’m tired.”
She said that, but Shan was smiling.
In fact, she didn’t even feel tired.
All she wanted was to talk to her mother.
So falling asleep was completely unintentional.
***
“Shan, could you wake up for a moment?”
A gentle voice was heard.
The feeling of warm, sunny bedding was so good that she rubbed her face against it.
Then a pleasant, low laugh echoed above her head.
She slowly opened her eyes and met warm, green eyes.
“Mmm, Gally.”
When she playfully called him by his nickname, a shy expression crossed his pale face.
“I wanted to let you sleep a little longer, but Tia kept looking for you.”
Shan’s gaze shifted at Gallahan’s words.
What he held carefully in his arms was a very small baby, seemingly only a few days old.
The moment she saw the baby’s pale face, Shan knew.
This child was the fruit of love created by Gallahan and herself.
“Hello, Tia.”
Shan quickly took the baby.
The baby was still so small that she felt like she might hurt it with just a little pressure.
Yet, it breathed diligently and wiggled its arms and legs, which was both amazing and admirable.
The baby’s brow was furrowed, its eyes tightly closed, as if something displeased it.
“Our Tia missed her mommy.”
Shan whispered softly so as not to startle the child.
Then, as if by magic, a soft smile bloomed on the small face.
Shan felt as if someone had stolen her breath.
Otherwise, her heart couldn’t be this full.
Unaware of her mother’s happiness, the baby simply smiled, opening its red mouth, its face resembling both Shan and Gallahan a little.
Shan carefully raised her index finger and stroked the child’s cheek.
And the moment she touched the tiny fingernails, shaped like crescent moons, out of curiosity.
“Ah…”
The baby’s small hand tightly gripped Shan’s finger.
As if to say, don’t go anywhere.
Her vision shimmered warmly with tears.
Slowly, she raised her head, and Gallahan kissed her forehead.
It was a very careful kiss, like a falling petal.
Something tickled her forehead, and Shan opened her eyes.
Startled, she reached out her hand, and a red Bomnia flower came along with it.
Only then realizing she had fallen asleep, Shan sat up abruptly and murmured,
“A-a baby…”
Her face flushed red like Bomnia tea.
“I, with that person…”
The baby, still making newborn gestures, came to mind.
The tip of her finger, where the small hand had gripped, throbbed with a dull ache.
As if that warmth had been stolen from her.
Shan sprang to her feet.
She hastily gathered the Bomnia flowers.
After arriving home, she was even busier.
She spread the pile of Bomnia flowers in a sunny spot, swept and wiped the house.
She watered the vegetable garden in the backyard and prepared dinner with fresh ingredients she had gathered.
But she didn’t feel tired.
Even a little sweat felt refreshing.
Yet, she didn’t know how many times she had looked out the window.
She just wanted to share the dream she had just had with her mother.
“She’ll be so happy.”
Her father had passed away early, and it had always been just Soura and Shan as a family.
Although she wasn’t finding a partner within the forest, she knew her mother would cherish a granddaughter more than anyone.
“Tia. So you were Florentia.”
Shan nodded and smiled shyly.
Just then.
Soura’s figure appeared on the path in front of the house.
Shan rushed to the door, quickly opened it wide, and greeted her.
“Welcome home!”
“…It seems something good happened.”
Soura’s lips, which had been tightly set throughout the long meeting, relaxed.
Even Soura couldn’t help but soften at her daughter’s bright face, which she hadn’t seen in a long time.
“I’ve prepared everything, Mother. Please sit here. Would you like to eat first?”
“I don’t want to choke on my food because of your impatience. Just tell me what you want to say first.”
“Hmm, well…”
She had originally planned to bring it up during dinner in a good atmosphere.
No choice then.
Shan cleared her throat once and opened her mouth.
“Teacher Abane’s research is almost finished, Mother.”
“It seems to be progressing much faster than she first said. That’s good.”
“Right? So, I was thinking. When Teacher Abane leaves the forest, what if I go with her?”
“…What?”
Although she flinched at the colder reaction than expected, Shan bravely continued.
“You always said that the isolation from the outside world should end now, Mother. So I thought I could be the one to start it. Actually, I’ve been having dreams lately…”
“No.”
Creak.
Soura stood up, and her chair scraped roughly against the floor.
“Just listen a little more, Mother. There’s good news that you’ll like.”
“Stop! If I say no, then know that it’s no!”
Finally, Soura shouted.
“You must never leave this forest!”
“…Why?”
It was a question she didn’t expect an answer to.
She had asked many times before, but it was useless.
“You won’t tell me this time either, will you? You’ll just tell me to accept it as it is…”
“If you leave this forest, you will die, Shan.”
“…What did you say?”
“That’s why you can’t leave.”