Viese went inside first with a thumping step.

  Dump.

  Then Shananet shook her head quietly as she sat in the chair in the middle, with a loud sound.

  A total of four chairs were placed, but only Shananet and Viese attended today’s meeting.

  Shananet asked quietly far away from Viese chair.

  "Is Laurels not coming today?”


  “Now that I don’t look good to my father, what is Laurel sitting here for?”


  “Not just to look good…… Phew, that’s enough. You can’t help it if you don’t like it."

  "Gallahan isn’t coming too, so why only Laurels?"

  Viese poured oil on the conversation that was about to be concluded.

  “Didn’t Gallahan go down to Chesire to take care of his estate? It’s definitely different from being in the same mansion and not attending the meeting, Viese."

  "If you have your own land, go down there and live there. Don’t waste any more Lombardy’s money. Isn’t that right?"

  It was time for Viese to forcefully raise his voice.

  "Lombardy’s money is not your concern."

  "Father."

  As Lulak entered the office, he looked at Viese with his eyes wide open.

  "You who abandoned Lombardy for more than a year for no reason, and went to Angenas, you were there didn’t you."

  Viese clenched his teeth, unable to answer Lulak’s word.

  Lulak looked at Viese with displeasure for once and started a meeting.

  It was a time to hear their opinions on the big and small things that happened in the family for a week.

  The meeting did not last long.

  And after a brief meeting, Lulak said.

  "You’ve both heard that Florentia is in business with Devon, right?."

  At the same time, Viese snorted dissatisfiedly.

  "……Is there anything you’d like to say, Viese."

  "What’s important about my opinion? My father always does that…… No, you’ve been generous to her, and you’ll turn a blind eye to me again."

  "I was generous. Yeah, it could have been."

  Lulak’s mouth smiled when talking about Florentia.

  Viese looked at it with frowning eyes and turned away.

  "Viese, your prediction is correct. I’m going to trust her again and watch her."

  I can’t believe it.

  Viese grumbled inside.

  His father had never trusted Viese for a single moment, he’s sure about it.

  But what’s wrong with that girl?

  I don’t know what they’re doing with the Devon, the poorest of the vassal families, but should I go ahead and disturb them?

  It was when Viese thought so and looked up casually.

  Lulak, who was already watching him, said a word in a low voice.

  "So leave Florentia alone."

  Viese flinched in surprise and hurriedly avoided eye contact.

  They were siblings, but there was no friendly conversation between the two.

  Too much has gone wrong to do that.

  But at the end of the long hallway, Viese called Shananet.

  "Are you going to leave Gallahan’s daughter alone, sister?"

  "What if I don’t let her? Didn’t you also listen to our father’s orders?"

  "But!"

  Viese unknowingly raised his voice, then sneaked a glance at the office on the other side of the hall and said.

  “This is no different than tarnishing the family’s name. People laugh at me! A Lombardy’s only believes in the power of his family!”


  "……What? Hahaha!"

  Shananet, who opened her eyes wide, suddenly burst into laughter.

  Not knowing what the hell she was laughing about, Viese was just frowning and gazing at it.

  "Haha, Viese! What a funny thing to say! You worry about the reputation ’only for believing in the power of Lombardy’s’. You!"

  "Are you saying that I only trust the power of the family?"

  Only then did Viese grit his teeth, when he realized why Shananet was laughing.

  But Shananet was still happy, wiping the tears from the corners of her eyes.

  "Thanks to you, I haven’t laughed in a long time. And it is Tia’s rights to be involved in the family business, Viese. There’s nothing we can do about it."

  At the easygoing words of Shananet, Viese shouted.

  "Don’t you get on your nerves? It’s not like you don’t know what it means to use your immediate authority! That’s a blue little girl!"

  "You’re quite afraid that she’ll be competing with us for the next Lord’s position?"

  "Afraid? Who’s afraid of who? Ha! Competition! I’m just talking about fractions. If this isn’t the half-blood who doesn’t know the subject, then what else!"

  "Sigh……"

  Shananet shook her head with a sigh at such a Viese.

  "Viese, I’ll give you my sincere advice. Don’t think about stopping her and focus on making your own progress. It’s the only way you’re gonna win."2

  Shananet, who left the words, turned around and walked first.

  Viese spat when she saw her back away in the middle of the hallway.

  "Being condescending alone."

  Then he turned to the other side and walked briskly.

  It took quite a while to go to his own house, but Viese’s anger had not abated at all.

  As soon as Viese opened the door, his wife, Seral, welcomed him with a big smile.

  "Are you home, honey?"

  Perhaps reading the letter, Seral held a purple envelope and letterhead in her hand.

  And Seral, as always, read Viese’s mood sensitively.

  "What happened out there?"

  Seral, who said so, gently guide Viese to the drawing-room sofa.

  “Whoa, that’s it.”


  Viese began to confide in every unpleasant thing that had just happened.

  Seral listened silently to Viese’s story without saying a word.

  "Really, your father is also strange. Now that you’re older, your judgment isn’t the same as before. It is not enough even if you call that lowly thing and scold her."

  "I know what you’re talking about. Rumor has it that it’s some kind of delivery business."

  "De, delivery?"

  "Yes, the only thing she does is move things, but it’s Devon. It’s such a family that matches Florentia’s pranks."

  "Gallahan also embarrasses us by doing business with commoners."

  Viese grumbled with discontent.

  Trying to ignore that Gallahan has become one of the richest men on the continent in a short period of time as a ready-to-wear business.

  "What else will people say about Lombardy now?"

  Seral sighed with embarrassment.

  Then she held out a letter to Viese that had been set aside.

  "The Empress sent me a letter. Would you like to read it, honey?"

  Viese obediently read the letter.

  It contained a brief greeting and a message that the Western development plan would be moved forward several times.

  "As expected of the Empress! What a determination!"

  "The Royal Family is in a mess because of the Second Prince, who doesn’t know his place. I’m afraid she’s in a hurry to settle things quickly."

  "Yeah, it’s best to nip it in the bud before it comes out."

  Viese, who repeatedly raised his thumb by saying, ’As expected of the Empress!’ showed no sign of further thought.

  Seral, with her tongue glued to Viese’s stupidity, smiled as beautifully as she was annoyed and spoke in a husky voice.

  "So, honey, I have an idea."

  "Good idea?"

  "Perhaps the workers of Angenas alone will not be enough to carry out the construction in a hurry. So how about you join it?"

  "Me, me?"

  Viese opened his eyes wide in surprise.

  "Yes. To be precise, you are taking Lombardy Construction and participating in the development of Angenas."

  "If it’s construction…… I’d have to use my direct lineage authority, then."

  Viese did not have the courage.

  It was the ’direct lineage authority’ that could go beyond the authority of the vassal family and the person in charge at once, but when it failed, great responsibility followed.

  "What do you say? Even a child like Florentia wields direct lineage authority!."

  "Well, that"s true……"

  "And it’s Angenas. It’s the work of the Empress herself. Don’t tell me you’re going to fail."

  Viese was being persuaded by Seral before he knew it.

  "This is an opportunity, honey, think about it. How different the people of Lombardy will see you if you get big results like the development of the Angenas estate." (Wow! Stupid as always, all Lombardy’s know that Angenas is their enemy. You will fall even more in their sight.)11

  Viese was lost in thought, but Seral waited leisurely.

  It was because she was just taking the time, and she knew he’d already fallen for it.

  A little time goes by.

  Viese said as Seral expected.

  "Then can you send a letter to the Empress?" (Why don’t you understand that Lombardy and Angenas, especially the Empress can’t be together.)7

  * * *

  Craney drank tea for a while, and somehow he went away, saying he had something to do.1

  It was only me and Perez left in the parlor of my room.

  "I’m actually here to give you this."

  Perez pulled a small box out of his arms.

  Open it and show it to me.

  "Diamond?"

  It is not just a diamond either.

  "Did you carve this yourself again?"

  It was a diamond carved into a small chick shape.

  "Why……? Why, is it a chick?"

  With these expensive diamonds?

  "I was trying to cut this, and I happened to see some chicks passing by. Because it’s cute."1

  "Oh, that’s why a chick……"2

  Only for that reason did I take a somewhat despondent look at the thick diamond carved in the shape of a chick.

  "And your skills are good again."

  The round little chick was quite cute.

  "Thank you."

  Perez smiles with her eyebrows closed, saying that he likes my praise.

  "Come again…… Did you cut it?"

  "Yeah, obviously diamonds are hard. I had to use the Aura more."

  I don’t think that’s what Aura be used for.

  How the hell would Grandpa Crowley react if I showed this to him?

  Thinking so, I put the diamond chick back in the jewelry box.

  Then I stood up and told Perez.

  "Follow me."

  It was the room across from my bedroom that I took Perez with me.

  "Can you take a look in here?"

  I opened the door and told Perez.

  "Ah……"

  Perez looked in the room and was silent for a while.

  Yeah, you don’t have anything to say either, do you?

  I comforted Perez’s shoulder and said a little because I couldn’t offend him too much.

  "These are all the gifts and letters you sent me while you were at the Academy, Perez. Can you see it?"

  "Huh?"

  "There are wooden dolls and jewels that were carved and sent. This large box is a letter. That’s a book, and that big teddy bear you made yourself. You are good at sewing too."

  The room was already saturated.

  There’s no room for more presents.

  "So even if you don’t give me anymore……"

  "Thank you."

  "Yes?"

  "Thank you, Tia. For keeping them all like this."

  Perez was genuinely pleased.

  Just by the fact that I didn’t throw away the gifts he sent.

  I said in an embarrassment.

  "Oh, no, I should say thank you. You’re the one who sent me the gift."

  "Is that so? No, it’s not. As expected, I should be grateful."

  Perez’s eyes glistened brightly as he looked around the room.

  "I feel really good when I send Tia a present."

  "……Why?"

  "Because it means I can give you something."3

  Peres smiled faintly under his long eyelashes.

  The smiling face somehow overlapped with the young Perez sitting alone in the falling Palace.