﹡ ⊹ ⊰ Chapter 210 ⊱ ⊹ ﹡
At Lombardy's mansion.
Rulhac quickly put candy into his mouth after taking the medicine Estira handed him.
"It's very sweet. Very sweet."
Rulhac would have been fed up with the bitter medicine by now and should be frowning, but it's quite the opposite.
"You're in a good mood today, my Lord."
Estira asked, tilting her head. "Are you feeling much better?"
"Yes, that's right." Rulhac smiled wryly. Then he said, checking the time. "Maybe the meeting has begun by now."
He rolled the candy in his mouth once again. Eventually, a burst of laughter flowed from Rulhac's mouth.
"...my Lord?"
"Hahaha! They must be so embarrassed right now seeing Tia suddenly showed up instead of me!"
Rulhac grabbed his stomach and laughed hard.
"It's too bad that I can't see those faces, it's regrettable! Hahaha!"
The loud laughter of Rulhac went on for quite a long time.
Estira, who was shaking her head while watching him from the side, said quietly.
"Will Miss Firentia be alright?"
"Yes." Rulhac stopped laughing and looked at Estira.
"Why do you think she won't be okay, Dr. Estira?"
"Because...she's still young and the fact that a woman is attending a nobles meeting as a Deputy Head..."
"She's not just any other kid, it's Tia who we've seen doing all sorts of things."
"That is so..."
"Of course, I had tried to discourage Tia at first, however..."
Rulhac's laughter, which had stopped, began again.
"Haa! They will definitely die in envy."
"Envy?"
"How many of those families do you think have a proper successor? They are all at their wits' end because of their stupid children. Seeing our Tia, how envious they would be, wouldn't they?"
Rulhac stretched out on the bed and threw another candy into his mouth.
"Yes, they must be envious, envious! Hoho."
Rulhac hummed, imagining the faces of the nobles filling the conference hall as Tia walked in and show how smart and stubborn she is.
Leaning against the bed, the tips of each foot bobbed to the cheerful hum.
***
"The first and only issue of today's meeting is the restoration of the Braun family's name in the Registry of Nobility." Chairman Killian said, looking left and right at the audience before continuing.
"His Majesty personally suggested the nobles meeting and he quoted, 'I will leave the judgment entirely to the result of the meeting.'"
Jovanes, that punk.
I can't believe he's passing all this important decision on to someone else.
The only thing he does, to say that he is the Emperor, is to open his reserves, which are not open to the aristocracy.
"Gillard Braun, come forward." Chairman Killian said, pointing to the low podium prepared in the middle of the seats spread out on both sides.
Soon, Braun, who was sitting in the conference hall, slowly approached the center.
He didn't look as intimidating as he did when I first saw him, and he looked nervous.
Although he might be nervous, Braun seemed confident.
Especially throughout his gait, he looked straight at the Angenas.
Standing on the podium, he showed courage for everyone to see, even for the side where the Empress was sitting.
He didn't even try to hide his right sleeve, which was empty of limb and swayed along with his steps.
'This is what your family did to us.' It was as if he was saying so.
"I'm Gillard Braun, Head of the Braun Family. First of all, I would like to thank Chairman Killian for giving me the opportunity to speak in front of everyone."
I thought a messy, trembling voice would come out. Unexpectedly, Braun's voice was calm.
It was as if he had dreamed dozens or even hundreds of times that this day would come.
"Our Braun family had lived for decades as a sword to protect the Imperial family until it was trampled by bandits 40 years ago,"
It was referring to Angenas, the bandits.
"Although for a while our rights as an aristocrat have been forfeited. The Brauns have lived up to their pride as one of the oldest and most prestigious families in the Empire."
The Head of Braun's firm eyes met mine.
"Gillard Braun is here to beg his fellow nobles. To please help the Braun family once again serve the great Lambrew Empire as an Imperial noble and Imperial sword."
It was a good speech. It was neither overly low-key nor arrogant.
The Braun family, once the main pillar of the Empire, was dignified but modest in asking for help.
As the aristocrats in the conference hall thought so, the atmosphere that had been hardened was softened a lot.
"Now, are there any families reapproving on this agenda?" Chairman Killian asked the nobles.
Anyone can freely present an agenda, but whether or not it is properly discussed at a nobles meeting must be approved by at least five noble families.
There was a low silence in the conference hall and most people were looking at each other.
Sitting in the audience, Perez and Empress Ravini read each other's minds.
Requesting the Brauns to be reinstated was a direct contradiction to the interest of the Empress and her forces.
So, no one easily wanted to reapprove the agenda. It was obvious in their heads that they were busy weighing the pros and cons.
'Is this really the end of the First Prince?'
'If so, will we no longer need to see Angenas and catch the Empress's attention?'
'Someone said that the First Prince was drugged, wouldn't there be room for consideration as per usual?'
And most crucially.
'Which side should we follow, the First Prince or the Second Prince?'
Just by looking at the people's concerned faces, you can see that the power of Angenas is still alive.
Becoming the great lord of the West just by having blood ties with the Empress and kicking out the Braun family.
It's a great deal of power.
But that too ends today.
"The Lombardy family makes a second reapproval."
In an instant, all eyes were on me. And a few seconds later.
"I will reapprove."
"My family would also like to re-appoint them too so I reapprove."
"I will also reapprove."
From the side where I was sitting, there was a line of declarations of reapprovals.
"Well, since there are far more than five families calling for the re-appointment of the Braun Family, I will approve the "Braun Family Reinstatement" as an official agenda. From now on, you may feel free to express your opinion on this agenda."
As soon as Chairman Killian reached the end of his words, Duigi Angenas rose from his feet.
"The Angenas family thinks this issue doesn't make sense at all."
The Head of Angenas looked at the Head of Braun with blue eyes resembling Empress Ravini.
"According to the Imperial Nobility Act, in order to maintain the rights of aristocrats, there must be a territory, even if it is a palm-sized one."
I knew it would come out like this.
There wasn't much that Angenas could claim to prevent the Brauns from being reinstated.
Duigi Angenas continued his words.
"Because it is the duty of the nobles to pay taxes and protect the other noble families living in the lands given by His Majesty the Emperor."
People around Angenas nodded in unison.
"In addition, the family law states, 'If more than 20 years have passed since the estate was lost, the family would be relegated to a 'fallen nobility'.' It is precisely stated that after 10 years of not owning a territory after becoming a fallen noble, they shall be removed from the Registry of Nobility through the due process at the nobles meeting."
So just a few years ago, by the instigation of the Angenas, the Braun family disappeared completely from the Registry of Nobility.
It was for 40 years.
"No one in this position will be able to deny that this is the strict criteria that separate the nobility, the fallen nobility, and the commoners."
Oh, you're good at talking.
He comes in like this with the help of alcohol. Duigi, the Head of Angenas, spoke in a loud voice without signs of great nervousness.
For a second, I almost felt like saying, 'Is that so?'
The atmosphere inside the conference hall has changed subtly.
I turned my head slightly and checked the audience.
The expression of the Head of Braun has hardened.
And the Empress...
No need to say it. Albeit beautiful, a smug yet creepy smile slowly spread across her lips.
"But what's with the situation of the Brauns now?"
Eventually, Duigi Angenas said aloud, pointing his finger at the Head of Braun.
No, maybe he wants to point at Perez behind Gillard Braun.
"There has been no territory for the past 40 years and its name has long since disappeared from the Registry of Nobility! How can such a family come out now and demands the rights of nobility again!"
And, as if showing everyone he was drunk whilst being such an enthusiast—"Bang!"
He even hits the armrest of the seat.
"True!"
"That's right!"
The nobles of the Angenas camp raised their voices together as if they had waited for this very moment.
It was in an instant that the quiet conference hall became a street market.
"In addition, what do you think of nobles who have not paid a penny in the last 40 years! Every family here pays huge taxes to the Imperial Family every year!"
"If you calculate it, it will be around four thousand! Four thousand gold!"
"Hey, Gillard Braun! You have a mouth, so why don't you speak up and tell us yourself!"
Taking the opportunity, Angenas pushed hard, trying to root him out.
"Well, you're right. There are laws like that." Chairman Killian muttered and sneaked a glance at me.
Although the Killian family was close to Lombardy in nature, he must remain neutral as the Chairman.
But as I sat still, the Chairman's face showed disappointment.
It was clear that he thought that I am not doing my part as a Deputy Head of Lombardy.
"Hah!"
Duigi Angenas was laughing while looking at me, whispering about something with the nobles sitting around him.
I turned my head and looked at the Empress.
The Empress was no different. She was smiling lightly just to maintain her dignity. But I clearly knew how she felt inside.
I slowly opened my mouth while looking at her face.
"The Braun Family's backlog in taxes is exactly 4,320 gold."
The conference hall slowly became quiet.
"I will give 5,000 gold, courtesy of Lombardy."
Long ago, the Lira coal mine I bought was 2,050 gold. Five thousand gold was a huge sum of money for any noble family.
But not for Lombardy.
5,000 gold? Even if tenfold of that is withdrawn, the bottom of Lombardy's finances won't show.
I smiled slowly and asked Duigi Angenas. "Then only the territory is left, right? Head Angenas?"
"Well, yes!"
"Then the Braun Family's reinstatement shouldn't be a big problem."
"What nonsense!" Duigi Angenas huffed loudly.
Mister, you're going to have a runny nose if you keep it up.
"Why? Do you intend to take one of Lombardy's estates for yourself?"
How crude.
I am sitting here as Deputy Head of Lombardy. But that's how you talk to me? So rude.
Not surprisingly, people from Lombardy's side started to point fingers and yell.
"Hey, you!"
"What in the hell are you saying?!"
"Did you sell the Braun Family off along with your conscience?!"
I smiled at the nobles who were angry in my stead but soon gestured that it was fine before speaking to Duigi again.
"That's a great idea."
"Well, that..." Duigi Angenas was greatly flustered.
He looked surprised that I would even be given away one of Lombardy's estates right now.
"But it won't be necessary, Head Angenas."
"A territory would not drop from the sky!"
No matter what else Duigi Angenas yells, I completely ignored it.
Then I looked at Chanton Sousseau, who was sitting silently in his seat.
"Isn't that right, Lord Sousseau?"
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December 02, 2021
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