"Dad is late."

  He’s not a person who will be late for an important event like my grandfather’s birthday.

  Don’t tell me something happened.

  "He must be avoiding the rain anywhere. Don’t worry too much, Tia."

  Larane patted me on the shoulder and said.

  "Rain?"

  I raised my head and looked out the window.

  It was raining quite a lot before I knew it.

  "Since Tia had an accident last time, there’s been order from grandfather."

  "People in Lombardy should stop their carriages and avoid heavy rain or snow."

  The twins pushed dessert and fruit in front of me and said so.

  How do you know my taste?

  Everything is my favorite.

  "Yeah, I guess so."

  I took a piece of fruit with a fork and mumbled and looked toward the top seat.

  There were a lot of people gathered next to my grandfather, but no one actually talked to him.

  Even though we gathered to celebrate my grandfather’s birthday.

  I feel sorry for the sight of the island floating alone in the noisy sea.

  "Where are you going, Tia?"

  When I woke up, Gilliu, who was putting honey and milk in my tea, asked with their eyes wide open.

  "I have something for my grandfather. I’ll be back."

  I approached my grandfather with the purse that I had already brought.

  "Grandpa."

  But grandfather couldn’t hear my voice because he was lost in thought.

  I spoke in a rather loud voice on purpose.

  "Happy birthday, Grandpa!"

  "Hmm? Ah, thanks, Tia."

  Only then do warm brown eyes look at me.

  I sat next to my grandfather and said while holding his hand.

  "Let’s have a healthy birthday feast a hundred more times, Grandpa."

  "Huh, kid."

  Grandfather smiled and patted my hair as if to make sure he didn’t hate my spoiled behavior.

  "I know I shouldn’t give you a birthday present, but this is a little different, so please accept it."

  I took a red envelope out of my purse and handed it to my grandfather.

  "What is this, Tia?"

  "Invitation to the Pellet Corporation banquet a week later that will be held at the riverside in the Capital, Grandpa."

  "Whoa, you mean having a banquet by the river?"

  Grandfather opened the envelope with curious eyes and checked the invitation.

  "The weather is so nice these days. It’s a bit of a waste to stay inside in this season, so I prepared something special."

  "Prepare? Are you saying that Tia prepared this banquet?"

  I already know that the Lords around us and the people of Lombardy are listening to our conversation.

  Everyone stopped talking one by one when they heard that I was directly involved in the Pellet business.

  I replied with a nod.

  "Yes, Grandpa. I even picked the envelope for the invitation myself. Look, it’s red."

  "Huh, I see."

  “Actually, it is not a general banquet, but a place to introduce the new business of the Pellet Company. And since I contributed a little to the business, I think it would be really nice if Grandpa can come.”


  "Oh, you did? Yes, then this grandfather should go!"

  "Wow, when Grandpa comes, everyone’s eyes will be round!"

  The value of a banquet depends on the guests who attend it.

  If the Lord of Lombardy attends in person, the weight and impact of the banquet will be even heavier.

  But then a shrill voice was heard.

  "Yes, you must have picked flowers for the banquet."

  His face was reddish from alcohol.

  What are you talking about? That drunkard.

  Viese, who glanced at me, said loudly to grandfather.

  "Father! Don’t you know how much the construction cost came from Angenas these days? You should have held this banquet for me, right? Haha!"

  These days, Seral was holding a leash and was a little quiet.

  In the end, her spoiled dog can’t give up his habit, get drunk, and making a mistake with his mouth.

  "Viese, I think you’re drinking too much."

  Even my grandfather who couldn’t see it, spoke low with an unpleasant face.

  I think I’d rather pick up one of the napkins rolling over on the table, squeeze it into that mouth, and tell the servants to drag him.2

  Thinking of the vassals who were watching, I took a small deep breath and calmed my heart.

  Even if I fight Viese in a place like this, I will just spit in my face, so I have to be patient……

  "But the Angenas are short of money, but I asked them to pay you well! A man should have a strong blow like me!"

  "However, Angenas family is short of funds, but when I asked them, they paid for it! A man should have a strong shoot like me!"

  You’re talking bullshit like a shoot.

  Viese’s words touched something inside me.

  I said with a smile on my face.

  “Whoever hears it would think that Angenas is giving our Lombardy a lot of money that we don’t have. It’s so late, and they only give half of it, but you show off like that."

  "Noisy! You don’t know the topic and you’re arrogant."

  Viese glared at me with an explicitly unpleasant look, but he cut his words when he noticed my grandfather’s hardened facial expression.

  And he spoke as if to teach me.

  "You know only one thing and not two. Western development is not the end. This is not the end of Western development. In other words, if this tourism project goes well, it is said they will lease the construction from Lombardy again. It’s better for us to cover half of the construction cost.”


  What should I do?

  There won’t be another construction.

  Viese continued to chatter, licking his tongue.

  “It’s good for a family to help each other.”


  I replied, tilting my head.

  "That’s weird. When did Angenas become Lombardi’s Vassal family? What do you mean by a family?”


  "Haha……"

  the few remaining people chuckled.

  It’s a very funny joke.

  Whether it’s the size of the family or the location or the extent of the property.

  Lombardy and Angenas, as Viese said, if they want to be a real family, it has no choice but to come under us.

  "What a vassal family!"

  But Viese was furious.

  "Angenas is my wife’s family! It’s like a family with Lombardy!"

  Then he said as if I deserved to know.

  "No wonder you lack affection for Lombardy because you will be someone from another family when you get married."

  Craps.

  I heard the sound of a string breaking in my head.

  "What did you just say?"

  I stared straight at Viese.

  "My affection for Lombardy…… not enough?"

  Me?

  Am I Florentia Lombardy?

  Compared to you, Viese?

  I sprang up from my seat.

  The chair fell and a loud noise rang out at the banquet hall, and many people were looking this way.

  I approached Viese one step at a time, who was sitting with a surprised face.

  It’s bearable that Viese’s stupidity caused Lombardy to suffer quite a bit of damage.

  It is also negligible when Viese says silly things.

  But.

  What’s wrong with my affection for Lombardy?

  I stood right in front of Viese.

  Looking down from above, Viese looked a hundred times more like an idiot than usual.

  I opened my purse with one corner of my mouth slightly raised.

  Then I put the thing I took out on the table in front of the Viese so that it slammed once again.

  "……Invitation?"

  It was a red invitation that I brought to give to other people who attended my grandfather’s birthday banquet.

  I kept looking down at Viese and said clearly, one word at a time.

  "Please. Make. Sure. You. Can. Come. To. See. It."

  I’ll have to see your face with my own eyes the moment Clerivan announces his new business.

  I slipped the last word to get Viese to come.

  "If you don’t come, you might have to sit still because you have nothing to say at the social gathering for a while. Don’t regret it later."

  At that moment, I could tell by the shaking of his stupid eyes.

  Viese will come to the banquet on his own with this invitation.

  * * *

  A week later.

  The Capital was in full swing this evening with a banquet held by the Pellet Corporation.

  But Lignite Luman was a little far from there.

  It was the southernmost rural town in Lombardy’s territory, Menri.

  The banquet held by Clerivan Pellet is a hot topic every time, so it’s a bit unfortunate.

  It was an inevitable choice to check the new information as soon as possible.

  "Are you here?"

  Lignite arrived in front of the largest mansion in Menri.

  Even though it was the largest mansion in a quiet rural village, it was smaller than the townhouse in the Capital.

  It was a place that was well organized and gave a neat and cozy feeling.

  "What should I do……"

  It’s already sunset.

  Though it’s a little late to knock on the door of a strange house.

  Lignite hesitated for a moment and got off the horse.

  After roughly brushing off the dirt off his clothes with his hands, he walked to the front door of the mansion.

  "Look again, focusing on when the Pellet Corporation was first established. Especially find out where the former owner of the Pellet Corporation building."

  Not long ago, Perez ordered it out of the blue.

  Lignite sighed softly, wondering if it was about Clerivan Pellet.

  ’What’s wrong with the former owner all of a sudden?’


  ’Check if it’s Clerivan Pellet himself who bought the building. The actual buyer, not the paper buyer.’


  At that moment, Lignite felt as if he had been beaten in the back of his head.

  Why didn’t I think of that before?

  From the beginning, Pellet was the only owner of the company, without any other investors.

  So he simply thought that Pellet was a great person and went over.

  But now that he thinks about it, it was a little weird.

  Before the establishment of the Pellet Corporation, Clerivan Pellet was just one of the many employees working for the Lombardy family.

  Of course, since he was in charge of housekeeping and the education of successors, he would have received a lot of salaries.

  It would not have been enough to buy a whole building in the city.

  But no bank in the Empire showed any sign of Clerivan Pellet taking out loans.

  That was guaranteed by Lignite, who investigated in person.

  Then, whose money was worth buying a building?

  Was the building where Pellet Corporation was built really owned by Clerivan Pellet?

  Amid various questions, Lignite knocked on the door of the mansion.

  "Excuse me. Are you there?"

  After a while, a middle-aged man in a butler’s uniform came out to greet Lignite.

  "Good afternoon. I came to visit Green Barrow, who lived in Lombardy estate. Can I see him?"

  The butler took a glance at Lignite’s entry, not to be rude.

  It’s to make sure it’s not a suspicious person.

  Although not named, polite speech and luxurious-looking clothes proved that the visitor was a nobleman.

  "My master is resting now. Come into the drawing-room first."

  "Thank you."

  Lignite followed the lead and had a strong hunch that he would find the right answer this time.

  At the same time, Perez, who was giving orders, came to mind.

  The eyes with strange conviction.