Chapter 215

The announcement of the Lombardi family made a big repercussion.

Not just simply because of making Florentia Lombardi as the state's Deputy Patriarch but rather being the official successor of Lord Lombardi!

Excluding the eldest son, Viege, the granddaughter, Florentia, became the successor. Overtaking the children of the reigning Rulac, Shannanet and Gallahan.

If this continues, the first ever female householder will be born.

And the fact that the engagement of the Second Prince and Florentia was broken.

It was an announcement that surprised people in many ways.

"Nonsense!"

Viege, who had been drinking to death at a social club, hurries home after hearing the news.

His dull, dark skin, red blood-shot eyes, and a terrible smell of alcohol made the other people frown.

Serral returned home after a few days and watched Viege, who was changing clothes, saying, 'I have to go see my father!'

"To that lowly thing, by all means, an acting Patriarch....and successor! No!"

Viege quickly changed his clothes and vented his anger.

It was a mess because he was drunk and couldn't lock his button properly, but he wasn't even aware of that.

"My father must be senile. I, the eldest son,Should go and stop him....oh!"

Viege was under a foolish illusion even after he was kicked out of the main building of the mansion and moved to a separate house where guests stayed.

He thought that his father was only angry for a moment and threw him away, but he was mistaken that everything would go back to the way it was in time.

And after drinking his brain was cajoling Viege of what has happened today.

"You are making a big mistake. A big mistake...!"

Viege muttered the words over and over again with a blank eye.

"No matter how many times I told you to to go to your father and ask him to get Bellesac out of there, you are not listening and pretending not to hear it!"

Eventually, Serral, who couldn't stand it, shouted at Viege in a cold voice.

"Isn't it too much?! Are you not even worried about Bellesac?!"

Serral couldn't sleep at the thought of her son being locked up somewhere in the palace alone.

Although Viege was not good enough in many ways, she thought that at least he felt the same concern she felt for their son, Bellesac.

Larane, who had left for the East, did not even reply to the letter no matter how much she sent. And now Bellesac, the only child left with them, was detained in the Imperial palace for severe affairs.

So he thought that he should just look for alcohol everyday.

But that wasn't it.

Going to visit his father, whose relationship has been broken to ask for Bellesac's work, hurts his pride.

Serral trembled with anger and betrayal.

"What?"

Viege crumpled his face at Serral's cry.

"That's because he did something wrong, what can I do?!"

He even shouted.

"It's obvious! If I'd do something next to the First Prince with a dagger and get caught, I will get caught up and cannot get away because of how big of a deal it is!"

Then he looked up and down at Serral before spitting disapprovingly.

"Who do you think came up with such a stupid plan?!"

Viege, who left only that word, slammed out the door.

Left alone again, Serral stood there for a moment.

Then she went back to her room and picked up a letter on her desk.

'The Empress is accusing me as the culprit with the case. I took the medicine in the canteen of His Highness the Second Prince. Please get me out of here. I'm so scared, Mother.'

Serral's fingers trembled as she stroked the messed up handwriting.

"Bellesac...."

Serral blamed herself.

It was Serral, herself, who put the dagger in the hand of Bellesac and pushed the child, who did not want to go to the hunting competition.

'Go and throw your body in front of the Crown Prince if necessary' saying harsh words to the end.

Then Serral read one sentence in the letter again.

'The Empress is accusing me as the culprit in the case.'

When she first read the letter, Serral denied it.

The Empress can't do that.

However, as time went by, she was forced to admit it.

The easiest way to deal with the situation right now was to put everything on Bellesac.

And her cousin, Lavigne, she knew that she wouldn't hesitate to sacrifice Bellesac at all.

'I'm so scared, Mother.'

Serral closed her eyes tightly as if she could hear Bellesac's voice.

****

(Florentia's POV)

"What accessories would you like, my Lady?"

After changing my dress, finishing my hair and makeup.

Laurel asked as she opened the jewelry box in front of me.

"If you don't like any of these, I'll bring you another one."

"No, there is."

I said, reaching out to the necklace in the middle.

A necklace made by Perez himself with a red ruby the size of a thumbnail.

It caught my eye.

"Lady..."

Laurel, who knows what this necklace is, looked at me anxiously.

"I just want to wear it. There is no other meaning."

I said so and hung the necklace myself.

And I put a shawl prepared next to it over my shoulders.

It was woven with thick fur and was tightly trimmed with a string from just below the collarbone.

When I wear this, you can't see what kind of necklace I am wearing anyway.

"Tie the string, Laurel."

"...Yes, my Lady."

Laurel nodded as if she could understand what I was thinking then.

She followed and smiled as she tied the shawl.

But I couldn't hide my sad expression well.

Knock! Knock!

A small knock was heard.

"Come in."

It was Claryvan who appeared in my reply.

"Welcome, brother."

Laurel greeted Claryvan happily.

"Long time no see, Laurel."

Claryvan, who was now accustomed to Laurel calling him 'Brother', greeted each other as if he could not help it.

"Did you bring it well?"

"Yes, here you are."

Claryvan gave me what he cherished in his bag.

It was a package of documents, well bound with thick leather in the front and back.

I got up and put it in the safe.

"There is nothing bad about acting carefully."

Not that I don't trust the people of Lombardi.

It's not something you can just put on a table and carry around.

"...Claryvan?"

"Hmm. Uh..."

He coughs and turn his head, but the sound is a little weird.

"Are you crying?!"

"Oh, no."

No way!

How is it not tears when you take off your glasses and stick them with your sleeves!

Then is it sweat flowing from your eyes?

I sighed a little and took a few steps to reach Claryvan.

And then.

I stopped and asked just in case.

"You will cry more if I soothe you, right?"

"....Yes. Hmmm..."

Claryvan replied, turning his head to the side and quietly grasping his eyebrows.

"I understand why you're crying."

"Hmm. I'm sorry. It seems that I became a little emotional for a moment."

Claryvan said, taking a deep breath.

His voice and facial expression.

He was back in his usual, calm appearance.

"When did Lady Florentia grow up to be the Deputy Patriarch and succeed....!"

Claryvan cut off himself.

He stopped talking and touch his eyebrow again.

It is unusual for his head to bow down and his shoulders to shake.

I sighed again and said to Laurel, "Give Claryvan a handkerchief....Laurel?"

"Haaa! Wahh!"

Laurel, you too.

Laurel, who stood next to Claryvan, looked the same as she bowed her head and was stamping her eyes shedding tears with a handkerchief.

"Oh, my little lady... You look so dignified today...!"

Laurel, who was crying thick tears, wiped all of her tears and handed the handkerchief to Claryvan.

"Here you go, Brother."

"....ahh thank you... haa..."

I can't believe them.

I shook my head and left the room with the two people who had burst into tears.

"Where are you going, my Lady?"

Laurel asked through the unlocked door.

"Imperial Palace. I have some business to attend to. Now that I'm officially the Deputy Patriarch, I have to see through all of the family members."

My first job as the Deputy Patriarch of Lombardi is 'this'.

I'm a bit dumbfounded myself.

"And there's a place I need to stop by before I leave for the Imperial palace."

I looked back at Claryvan and said, "Cry slowly, goodbye. I'll see you tomorrow at the Corporation, Claryvan."

"Yes, have a nice first day at work, Deputy Patriarch.....ugh!"

"Oh my god, please soothe me, Laurel!"

"...hmmp!"

I can't stop this siblings.

The last thing I saw was Laurel squeezing Claryvan's shoulder through the closing door before I started moving again.

The destination was my grandfather's bedroom.

"I'm here, Grandpa!"

My grandfather, dressed in comfortable clothes and drinking tea in the living room attached to his bedroom, smiled wide at me.

"Oh, our Tia is here!"

"Take a rest. Were you working again?"

"Haha! It's a habit, a habit."

Grandfather laughed as he swung the papers aside from the table.

"But where are you going? You probably didn't come here just to see Grandpa all dressed up like that?"

"I have to go to the Imperial Palace. Before that, I have things to report to my grandfather and I also want to ask questions."

"Yes, what is it?"

Grandfather smiled as he took the teacup to his mouth.

I looked at his figure and said.

"I think you lied to me."

Grandfather's movement stopped.

"How bad is your health?"

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A/N: Oh Grandpa, please be okay...