Chapter 9

『 Chapter 9 』

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While Firentia was happily looking out the window, Clarivan was in Rulac's office.

In addition to the job as the successor education officer, as someone taking care of the finances in the mansion he also had a lot to report to the owner of the house.

"...… That's all I'm going to tell you today."

"Good job. Let's just sit down and get the tea."

"Well, I won't."

When Rulac pulled the small bell, a servant waiting outside brought his tea in.

The sweet smell of the finest Lombardy's tea leaves made the Head's office smells pleasant.

"So, what do you think?"

Although the words were cut off, the relationship between Rulac and Clarivan was enough to understand the meaning.

"...I could understand what the Lord said."

"You're as critical as always."

However, as stingy as he was, Rulac smiled a few times because he knew Clarivan, who was more strict to himself.

"Not long ago, I thought she was just a normal seven-year-old.

It's amazing."

"Otherwise, I was going to ask you about that."

Clarivan put down the teacup and said,

"So far, I've called in Gallahan and the servants who take care of Lady Firentia, and no one knew about her intelligence."

"As expected."

"When I told him that Lady Firentia qualified for class, he was also very surprised."

"Hmm…."

Rulac rubbed his well-organized beard.

It was a habit that came out unconsciously whenever he thought deeply.

Clarivan, who was watching the scene, carefully put on his cup.

"Maybe Lady Firentia was hiding her abilities."

"Hide her ability…?"

"It's just one hypothesis...…."

"Explain."

Like the color of an old giant tree, Rulac's brown eyes, which became much thicker with time, contained the power to make the face-to-face bow to the temple.

Following the look of the Head, Clarivan's face became serious.

"She is a very bright lady. She must have seen things that ordinary children would never see because she's that kind of person. For example, the status of her father, Galahan, inside Lombardy."

"That's possible."

The atmosphere of Rulac became even heavier.

He led the Lombardy family more successfully than anyone else, but he did not do as well as in growing his children.

No, it was by far the most difficult thing in Rulac Lombardy's life.

One was too much, one was thoughtless, and the other was weak.

Shanannet, the eldest and only daughter, was the most appropriate, but as long as she married someone outside her family, her assets were at risk of flowing out.

To Rulac, who was concerned about it, his son-in-law, Vestian Schulz, came as Lombardy's son-in-law and made his two sons follow Lombardy's castle, but it was obvious that he was only looking for a chance to Hoshi Tam.

Even now, it has been more than once that Lombardy's small business rights have been taken to Shulz, which is not even qualified.

Rulac, who shook his head with a gloomy face, lamented with a sigh.

"If only Gallahan had been a little bolder...…."

However, the principle was not to intervene in the succession battle.

He's just watching it so it doesn't go to extremes.

"Is it a good thing that Firentia doesn't resemble her father?"

The stuffy heart, which seemed to be clogged, became clear and cool when I recalled Firentia.

"Hmn, Lady Firentia's brilliant mind could be attributed to Galahan's proper parenting. The environment is important."

"But it's too bad, it's too bad...Well, it's true that Gallahan's position was so weak that Firentia had to hide her abilities."

"Don't we have much time left? Don't be so impatient."

Rulac nodded heavily at the words of Clarivan.

"Let's see for now. I'll report directly to you after every class."

Clarivan took another sip of tea and answered instead.

knock, knock

It was then that the knock was heard.

It was Vieze who showed up with Rulac's permission to come in.

"Father, the people from the Dulac company are here."

"Then I'll get up now."

As soon as Vieze stepped into the office, Clarivan greeted Rulac and said.

Only then did Vieze realize the existence of Clarivan, frowned, expressing his displeasure.

"You are here, too."

"Long time no see, Vieze."

The relationship between the two could not be good because of Clarivan who said the right things to Vieze's face even though he was the employee of the Head.

"My father needs to meet someone important, so get out of the way...…."

"No. Let's sit down for a while, Clarivan."

"Father!"

Vieze expressed his dissatisfaction, but Rulac did not budge.

Being forced to follow the orders of the patriarch, Clarivan shrugged and sat down again.

"Tell the man from the Dulac company to come in."

"...yes."

He didn't like the situation, but Vieze moved smoothly while staring at Clarivan.

Soon after, a middle-aged man in colorful clothes who was waiting outside came in and greeted Rulac politely.

"I've never seen you before. Croiten Angenas of Durac Company."

Angenas.

Clarivan's forehead was wrinkled by the familiar family name.

Angenas was the family of Seral, the wife of Vieze, and the current empress.

Clarivan crossed his arms quietly.

"Rulac Lombardy. Let's sit down and talk."

Even in the short time Croiten sat down, Vieze couldn't hide his excited face and his hips moved up and down.

"I've heard from my eldest son, but will Owner talk about the plan again?"

Croiten cleared his throat at Rulac's words.

The explanation was lengthy.

After a long and long story, Clarivan asked to get to the point.

"So you're going to take textile from the east, process it, and sell it, but the Dulac company can't afford that long-distance transportation, so you want to ask Lombardy to take care of it?"

"Yes, I am."

"Also, the payment for the textile must be made by borrowing from Lombardy Bank."

"Yes, I'd appreciate it."

"Ha…."

What nonsense is this?

Clarivan rubbed his bloody forehead and shot Vieze across of him.

"Ahem"

Rulac was rubbing his beard as if he wasn't comfortable.

"Isn't that a very good way, Father?"

Clarivan felt like he was going to burst at the stupid Vieze's words.

It was clear that he didn't even know what the problem was now.

"I'd like a large sum, please."

In addition, Angenas's troublemaker, who may or may not be the Empress' cousin Orabi, was confident as if he was looking for the money I had entrusted.

Ha-ha-ha, they might think it's everything from their point of view.

It is Angenas, the maternal family of the first prince Astana.

The imperial family, and perhaps the empress, were involved.

Only the shell was of Dulac company, and if the project, which eventually rolls with Lombardy's money, was to say otherwise, Lombardy had to bear the failure.

If they didn't intend to completely pretend with the imperial family, they couldn't punish the Angenas as if they were chasing a debtor, and they knocked on Lombardy's door because they knew it.

I didn't know what kind of headwind every word would be later.

The only person that didn't know about this was Vieze who was smiling right now.

Rulac must know how ridiculous this is.

Clarivan tried to calm his anger.

It was because he believed that the Head would reject it moderately well.

"...I will leave this to you, Vieze. Go ahead without making a mistake."

"Lord!"

Surprised, Clarivan shouted, but Rulac did not reopen his tightly closed mouth.

"Yes! Trust me, Father!"

Vieze seemed to want to run away with the Dulac owner before they changed their words.

Clarivan, who had been looking at Rulac and Vieze alternately, jumped up from his seat and said firmly.

"Let's look at the goods and talk for now."

It was Vieze who was embarrassed by the sudden intervention.

He was so happy that it's done. What a surprise.

The Dulac company was the golden Dong-A line that would allow Vieze to get closer to central power.

Currently, the family of Angenas is experiencing some financial difficulties, and as long as the textile industry solves them, the royal family owes them a lot of money.

However, when I looked at my father's complexion, who didn't know how I felt, I was shaking my head.

Vieze shouted at the Clarivan who was spraying ashes on the rice.

"You're just in charge of cleaning up after the kids and now you're cutting in!"

However, Clarivan ignored Vieze and only looked at Rulac.

"...…that's not too much of a request. What do you say, Owner?"

Croiten, who had been rolling his eyes for a moment, nodded reluctantly.

"I'll do that. There's a pile of fabric I've already brought, so I'll bring it back."

Vieze's face turned red on his crumpled face in front of Dulac's owner.

And he couldn't raise my head as if he had done something wrong.

"I'm sorry, Sir. I'm ashamed."

That jerk!

Clarivan was heartbroken to hold back what he wanted to scream so much.

It's like begging for a visitor who comes to borrow Lombardy's hands and money.

Even the dumbest dog knew to whom it should show its belly.

He wanted to ask whether he was really Rulac's son of his late wife.

Clarivan watched Rulac, who saw his eldest son with unknown eyes, and eventually shook his head.

"Is this the right place?"

I was standing in front of a big door.

I had lived in Lombardy for more than 20 years, but it was a room I had never entered.

When I took the class, I used the laboratory of the education officer in the northern annex, not the place close to the house of the housekeeper.

"This is the right place, I guess."

I shrugged my shoulders and pushed the big door.

The door opened smoothly without any noise and could see the inside.

"Huh?"

I thought of a typical classroom with desks and chairs.

That's what the environment was like when I took the class.

However, the way I came inside was completely different from the typical classroom.

The large space was filled with warm sunlight, and the carpet felt under my feet was soft enough to lie down right away.

Large and small sofas, which looked comfortable at a glance, were located here and there, and instruments and cute dolls were placed in places in between.

The only items that could be seen at the corner of the classroom were large blackboards and books that filled one wall.

And there were small people who naturally took control of such spaces as if they were theirs.

Everyone was looking at me, seems they heard me coming in, but they were all different.

Bellezac, lying on the widest sofa, opened his mouth in shock.

Lara, Bellezac's sister, was reading a book with a big doll on one side.

And Aunt Shanannet's twin sons, Gilliu and Mayron, sitting by the sunny window and looking at me with gloomy faces.

They were Lombardy's bloodline, my cousins.