﹡ ⊹ ⊰ Chapter 236 ⊱ ⊹ ﹡
Office of the Head of Lombardy.
There was a brief silence between the two people, Shannanet and Rulhac.
Rulhac's face, rubbing his bearded chin like a habit, darkened with worries thinking about his granddaughter.
Shannanet smiled a little at the sight.
"Father."
When Shannanet grew up, Rulhac was very strict. Who knew that Rulhac would change like this?
"Don't worry too much."
"But..."
Despite Shannanet's soothing words, Rulhac's complexion doesn't seem to ease.
"Come to think of it, this is not a serious problem. Tia will be the Head of Lombardy, so wouldn't they still see each other regularly because she needs to talk with the Second Prince? However..."
The Crown Prince cannot leave the Crown Princess's seat vacant.
So the Second Prince would have someone to sit next to him, and Tia would just watch the situation unfold.
"Oh, God."
Thinking that his granddaughter's heart would be torn, Rulhac's insides seemed to go haywire.
"Don't be so upset." Shannanet said, warmly covering the back of Rulhac's hand.
"But even now, Tia will be clearing her mind little by little. The issues about Angenas were very complicated. She would have run into the Imperial Family frequently."
"Well, I don't know."
Shannanet once again put a soft smile on her lips and said.
"I think Tia and the Second Prince will solve the problem by themselves."
"Haha. Yes, maybe they will." Rulhac stared at Shannanet's smiling face and laughed.
"Tia would do that."
He had infinite trust in his granddaughter.
"Then it would be nice to help her out with what we can do right now." Rulhac said so and rose from his seat.
"On your way out, tell Vieze and Roulier to come, Shannanet."
***
Wetter, a second-rank administrator standing next to Perez, swallowed a gulp without knowing.
This was because it was the first time he had seen the Deputy Head Lady Lombardy in person.
Ryan, who was last sent to Ivan with the Second Prince and was promoted to a first-rank administrator for his excellent work, always mentioned a person named Firentia Lombardy.
He said, 'She's the only one who can handle the Second Prince at will.'
Doesn't matter if they're engaged or not, His Highness the Second Prince is still such a terrifying man who does what he wants.
But the moment he saw Lombardy's Deputy Head entering the office, he thought, 'It really might be so.'
Her doe-like green eyes were attractive, but she was emitting tremendous dark energy that her beauty could not be seen at the moment.
She even had the famous Clerivan Pellet in tow as if he were her personal secretary.
Looking around the office, all the other administrators, except himself, were bowing politely as if they were oppressed by the Deputy Head of Lombardy.
"Deputy Head Lombardy." Perez immediately rose from his seat and greeted Firentia.
"No need for pleasantries. I'm not here to say anything nice."
"....Okay."
Perez sat back in silence saying so, but Administrator Wetter clearly saw the corners of the Second Prince's mouth quietly turned upward but just for a split second.
Firentia took a seat on the opposite side of where Perez was sitting.
The heads of the administrators who were working together in the office rose and turned to watch as Clerivan Pellet carefully put the documents in front of her.
His Highness the Second Prince and the Deputy Head of Lombardy were so famous these days that whenever people gather, they were always the topic.
Not to mention the Second Prince, who defeated the Empress and Angenas, was eventually selected as the Crown Prince. But it was the Deputy Head of Lombardy who was actually receiving more attention.
'This woman would go down in history.'
A woman who transcends a generation and becomes the Lombardy successor.
She is the daughter and sole heir of Gallahan Lombardy, the owner of the Gallahan clothing store, and the Lord of Chesail, who became the center of Eastern trade.
And most of all, the recently revealed true owner of the Pellet Company.
When the last information was known, she literally turned the Empire upside down.
The story of the Braun family kicking the Angenas out and becoming the new representative of the West was pushed back and buried.
Though the rumors that have recently started to spread are about the Empress and Angenas, the Deputy Head of Lombardy played a big role in it.
If it's true, then the soon-to-be-crowned Second Prince, and the Deputy Head of Lombardy, were truly perfect political partners.
Wetter, the oldest of the executives gathering here, quickly settled behind Perez.
However, he wasn't too worried.
'They were even engaged so what's the problem?'
Although the angry face of the Deputy Head of Lombardy was lingering on his mind, Administrator Wetter took it easy thinking so.
But then.
"How on earth did the Imperial Family manage their assets?"
In a few words, Wetter's futile expectations were shattered.
Firentia glared at Perez, dissatisfied with the documents handed over by Clerivan.
"What is this?" Perez beckoned to Wetter, speaking in a calm voice.
It was meant that he needed to explain what the documents are about.
"One of the families where Angenas borrowed money included the Imperial Family."
Perez's red eyes briefly turned to the administrators. Seeing them sweating, it was obvious that they didn't have an answer.
"It's a little less than 2,000 gold in total."
Perez looked over the contents of the papers and said.
"What do you want me to do, Deputy Head Lombardy?"
Firentia answered in a commanding voice as if she had been waiting for his words.
"The Imperial Family should hand over the reserves."
This time the administrators were stunned and began to read the faces of both Firentia and Perez.
No matter how close they are, can she really say that to a member of an Imperial Family?
No, is it allowed because she's a Lombardy? Still, he will soon become the Crown Prince.
He hasn't been appointed yet, so does that mean Deputy Head Lombardy's position is higher?
All sorts of thoughts passed through the administrators' heads.
What is more, Firentia began to pressure Perez.
"The Empress and the Angenas owe this irresponsible debt because the Imperial Family did not stop them and overlooked the situation."
Although she was a little rough, there's nothing wrong with what she said.
"Under the Imperial law, the Imperial reserves take precedence over any circumstances, So, the Imperial Family should waive their rights over it. It means to take responsibility for your negligence."
No, he takes that back. She was very rough.
There was a heavy silence in the office, but Firentia showed no signs of retreat. Rather, she was looking at Perez without even blinking.
Whatever the case, the Empress was a member of the Imperial Family, and it was right for them to take responsibility for it.
Accepting Tia's words, Perez nodded and replied, "...I'll do it."
"But, Your Highness!"
That kid!
Wetter quickly gave a pointed look at the young administrator standing near the doorway.
It was Spio, a sixth-rank administrator who just started a few months ago, the person who voiced his dissatisfaction with Perez's decision.
The 20-year old Spio gets into a lot of trouble with his surroundings because of his hot-tempered personality.
That's how he ends up in trouble now.
Even His Highness the Second Prince had his face hardened and looked at Spio with cold eyes.
Even if he's Spio's senior administrator, Wetter just closed his eyes tightly. Bowing now and asking for forgiveness would not save his situation.
"What are you dissatisfied with?" Firentia asked Spio.
It was quite interesting to see even a smile hanging around her lips.
"That is..." Spio glanced at Perez and seemed to be asking for permission.
Seeing that, Firentia said to Spio. "I'm the one who asks you, but you're looking at the wrong person. Look at me and talk to me."
Wetter sighed inwardly as he watched the situation before him.
It was so sad that Spio did not understand the subtle power structure between the Imperial Family and Lombardy.
According to the law, the most superior figure in this place was, of course, the Prince.
However, the Deputy Head of Lombardy has more power than the Prince who has not yet been officially appointed as the Crown Prince.
That's what she meant by what she said.
'I have the highest position in this room.'
Administrator Wetter urgently blinked his eyes at Spio, urging him to quickly answer the Deputy Head of Lombardy.
"Then I will take the liberty of telling you what I thin—"
"What's your name?"
"Yes..?"
"I was suddenly curious about your name and position."
"It's Ricky Spio. I'm a sixth-rank administrator."
"Alright, Administrator Spio. Keep talking."
But Spio's face hardened. Just by saying his name, he felt a lot of pressure. It was as if he had a sense of responsibility that he never had before.
"Lo...Lombardy seems to be taking an unfair profit."
"Oh, unfair profit?"
"Yes... Empress's personal and arbitrary actions are indeed held accountable by the entire Imperial Family. However, the Pellet Company sizably securing the reserves....would be unfair."
Gradually, the voice became more like the sound of an ant, but Administrator Spio said what he wanted to say to the end.
"Then what if I penalize Administrator Spio instead?" At Firentia's words, Spio flinched his shoulder.
"Well... I... Uhm, wha—?" With a face that was about to cry, Spio looked at his boss, Wetter, to plead for help.
Wetter quietly avoided his gaze.
But soon after, Firentia smiled and said to Clerivan.
"Clerivan, give the Prince the proposal."
Soon a document with a few sheets of paper was handed over to Perez.
"The Pellet will receive only half of the refunded amount from Angenas. I'll replace the rest with something else."
"....Durac merchant guild?"
"Yes, he says he is willing to waive his authority under the condition that all business rights at the Durac merchant guild are transferred to the Pellet Company as shares, Prince."
The administrators nodded unconsciously.
At the time when the parent organization, Angenas, liquidated, Durac merchant guild got no immediate cash value, but it had one thing left that is useful.
"You are referring to the business, Coroy Textiles." Perez said in a low voice.
"It's Coroy Textiles of the Durac merchant guild that my people are using. Pellet Company will take over and continue the production. We have a history of being in the Coroy business from the beginning, so you don't have to worry about it."
"We will be able to pay the other noble families and they'll get all their money back."
"The Pellet Company will have the largest shares, so I'm sure they will get paid." Tia said it profoundly as if she's proud of her idea.
Perez smiled furtively at her wily attitude.
"Do as you please, Deputy Head Lombardy."
As Perez responded, Tia stood up from her seat. It means she is done with her business here.
As she left the office, she paused for a moment and looked at Administrator Spio, and said. "Be careful not to act too rashly. However, your courage to say the right thing was commendable."
"Oh, thank you." Administrator Spio quickly lowered his head, with his face turning red.
In the office, which became quiet after Firentia left, Administrator Wetter found himself smiling and wiping his forehead sweat in relief.
Also, seeing the cold-blooded Prince smiling softly, he realized that his senior administrator, Ryan, was right.
She really was the one holding the reins to this fearsome Prince. The way she resolved the conflict that could arise between the Imperial Family and the nobility was also very wise.
Administrator Wetter thought, 'It would be great if that person would become the Empress in the future.'
***
Vieze's head was throbbing from the alcohol he had drank all night. He gulped down the water in front of him, suppressing the vile that was about to come out. He shouldn't throw up at this moment in front of his father whom he hadn't met in a long while.
Looking at Vieze with complex eyes, Rulhac slowly opened his mouth.
"Get out of Lombardy, Vieze."
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March 06, 2022
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