Chapter 120

"What?"

I'm only 12 years old.

Am I deaf already?

I asked Shananet back, while rubbed my ear with my fingers.

"I'll buy you time until you reach adulthood. So grow up and be the Matriarch."

Shananet was sincere.

That's what I could tell right away from those eyes.

"...Auntie, too. What are you saying?..."

It makes me feel guilty.

I tilted my head and said as if I didn't know what the hell she was talking about.

"You're such a smart kid."

But Shananet continued to speak regardless of my efforts.

"That's a story everyone in Lombardy family knows. My father even boasts of you to other nobles and His Majesty Jovanes whenever he has time."

No, and when did Grandpa get there?

"And you have an eye for talent. As the example is Dr. Estira."

There was a slight smile on Shananet's sharp eyes.

"You also know how to make people on your side. Isn't it?"

This time I winced without realizing it.

That true, there's one or two people on my side.

"My side...?"

Obviously, Shananet was paying attention to me to some extent.

However, it is not certain how far she knows, so it's better to figure out how much she knows, first.

"Yes, Gilliu and Mayron, also Larane, and not long ago, Craney. Aren't you getting your cousins on your side one by one?"

"That's it!. It's good to be close to each other."

I thought you were talking about Clerivan and Bate.

I was so surprised.

I secretly took a sip of the milk in front of me, sweeping my chest away.

"And Lord Pellet."1

"Cough!"

I almost sprayed milk through my nose.1

Shananet smiled gently as he looked at me and gently rubbed my back.

"I guess I was right."

"No, it's not like that... Clerivan, no, Sir Clerivan says so."

"It's okay. You don't have to tell me everything."

How do you know?

As if to answer my question, Shananet said.

"I don't know for sure what secrets you have. But I know you're a very special kid. And Tia, you're a child who loves Lombardy as much as I do."

Shananet stroked my head happily.

"So Tia. You will be the next great Matriarch."

"What about Auntie? Shouldn't the next Matriarch be Aunt Shananet, not me?"

When I asked, Shananet opened her eyes slightly and smiled low.

"Well, I don't know how to put it, it feels like telling me to be a householder is a bit..."

Shananet looked at the twins, who were fighting with wooden swords in the middle of the battle.

"Like my aunt?"

"It was a life that I had to be on guard against my sibling's desire to become a successor."

Shananet's face saying so looked very sad.

As if recalling a memory in the past, her eyes were blurred.

"Hahaha! I won!"

"Do it again! Again!"

Then I heard the laughter of the twins.

Only then did Shananet, who regained her smile, looked out at the twins.

"I wish they could always live brightly, honestly, and pursue what they want."3

Shananet said so and looked at me calmly.

"But Lombardy's Lord position can be a more fascinating goal for anyone who wants it. How about you, Tia?"

My biggest weakness is my age.

There's no one in the world who would entrust the whole family to a twelve-year-old.

And what I needed more than anything else now was time.

By the way, Shananet was offering to solve both of them now.

She was offering her hand to be the most powerful ally.

"Good."

I can't help but hold that hand.

Above all, Shananet is reliable.

Maybe I'm the only person in Lombardy that she can trust completely except my father.

I said, picking up a piece of cookie instead of milk.

"If you buy me time, I'll repay you by being the best Matriarch in Lombardy's history."

"The greatest Matriarch in history?"

"Yes, I will make this family great. More than now."

"Hahaha!"

Oh my.

Shananet suddenly burst into laughter.

I've never seen a person smile like that before.

"Yes, Tia, it will be possible for you. If it is you."

Shananet stroked my hair and said.

"Sure, Aunt."

"Hmm?"

"Since you promised to trust me, I'll give you a present, too."

Shananet tilted her head at my sudden word.

“Two-story building with an orange roof in the 8th district of Lombardy residential, Burgien.”

"If it's district 8... You mean the common residential area? What do you mean? Burgien lives there?"

"Yes, that's right. His personal information is a gift I give to you, aunt."

"Tia, a man can't be a gift..."

"He's a check counterfeiter."

Shananet's words were cut off.

"Auntie has a choice as a householder. We can catch Burgien and hand him over to the Guard to face justice, or..."

"Or what?"

"You could get him a job at Lombardy to make a non-forgery check."

"Ah..."

Shananet looked at me with a slightly dazed eye and admired.

"The fact that he has created such a good counterfeit check obviously means that there's a great mastery in printing. It's a bit of a shame for such a talent to just rot in a dungeon for years."

It's important to be legally punished, but if it's in Lombardy's interest, it's good to make the most of it.

"And I think if it improves the security of Lombardy, it will definitely raise my aunt's reputation as a Lord representative."

There was a counterfeit check once, and no one can guarantee that there will be no more again.

"Of course, instead of being punished, he had to endure the punishment that made him pay more."

We've freed him for almost going to the dungeon, and he will not going to complain about that.

"...Yes, I'll use your gift well. But Tia."

"What?"

"How do you know the identity of the forger?"

Shananet asked with a face of pure curiosity.

At times like this, the answers I can give are fixed.

"It's a trade secret."8

"..."

But Shananet covers her mouth and laughs.2

"Why are you laughing?"

You think I'm funny.

"It's nothing."

Shananet couldn't stop laughing while answering like that.

It was then.

"Tia! Tia!"

Someone was running across the middle, anxiously calling me.

Even the twins who were playing with swords were so surprised that they stopped.

"Dad?"

"Tia!"

I stood up in astonishment.

"Dad, why..."

Are you a beggar?

My father, who I had always thought would look neat and tidy, had not washed properly for several days.

With a scruffy face, wrinkled clothes, and a scruffy beard.13

But my father didn't care about it and ran over and hugged me.

Of course, avoided place where I'm hurt.

"I'm sorry your dad was late... I was late coming back from work. I'm sorry, Tia."

"It's okay, it's okay."

I patted my father on the back.

"Is my daughter all right? Doesn't it hurt a lot?"

My father asked, looking carefully at my face and whole body with crying eyes.

"Oh, my shoulders are okay now! I untied the stitches last week!"

"Sti, stitches..."

My father staggered for a while and soon said as if he had made up his mind.

"Yeah, it's okay now that dad here. I'll take care of what's good for you!"

"Yes, Dad!"

Perhaps he was very worried.

As soon as he was done in the South, he was not sleeping, not resting, and was riding the carriage back to the mansion.

Even my father can't handle it.

I grinned face to face with my father.

"Oh, my Tia's face has become half-faced while I haven't seen her." [1]

That's not about me, it's you father.

Then, Shananet, who was watching from the sidelines of the father and daughter's reunion, called my father.

"Gallahan."

"Yes, sister."

"Go wash up. Unless you really want to make Tia sick."

Shananet said so and gently dragged me away from my father.

"What? Oh, I see!"

My father quickly stepped back from me at Shananet's words.

"Let's have dinner together when you get back from the shower. Say hello to our father first... Perhaps, you ran right here without greeting first?."

"Haha. I'm in a hurry..."

"Then I'll call our father to join us for dinner."

"Yes, sister! Tia, I'm going to go wash up!"

We had lunch together after dad showered which I don't know how many days it's been since my dad last showered.

Shananet also invited Laurels' family, who remained at the mansion, for dinner.

It was regrettable that Larane was not with him, it's been a long time since Lombardy's been able to sit together without frowning, it's thanks to the non-existent of viese.

It's been such a rough day.

When I came back to my room after getting ready to sleep, I saw a letter envelope on my desk.

[Dear Tia]

It was a letter from Perez.

"You must have arrived safely at the Academy.”

He said he would send a letter as soon as he arrived.

The distance between the Academy and Lombardy was so far that it was inevitable.

[Dear Tia

It's my first night at the Academy.

We were assigned a room one by one, but everyone is shouting that the room is too small.

But I'm fine.

It's very satisfying compared to the Palace where I used to live alone.

Caitlyn and Kylus were assigned the rooms on both sides of me because the academy was so considerate.

(Skip) *from the RAW

Maybe because it's in the mountains, it's very cold here.

I can barely see my breath in the morning and at night.

Tia, I'm glad it won't be cold where you live.

(Skip)

I'm going to start the sword department class next week.

I'd like to take a political class if I can afford it, but I don't know what will happen.

(Skip)

There are so many different people here.

And I think there are many people who are surprisingly friendly to me.

Maybe I can make friends here, too?

(Skip)

It's already this time.

It's time to turn off the lights.

I'll shorten this letter.

Don't get sick.

Eat well.

I will wait for your reply.

I miss you.

From Perez ]

"What kind of letter did you send? It's so long."

One, two, three...?

Counting down, it was long, a long letter of six pages.

I could tell only one thing clearly in his trivial daily stories filled in the letters.

"Excited, right."

Perez is obviously adapting well to the Academy.

"If I don't write back immediately, he'll be upset again."

I picked up a pen right away and started writing back.

[Dear Perez

I'm glad you seem to be adapting well to the academy.

I live as usual every day.

Have you made many new friends?

Sometimes tell me about your new friend.

I wonder what kind of people you're going to get along with.

And...

...

...

]

Perez and I consistently exchanged letters.

I also had to prepare a large box to store my letters.

Later, even the small gifts that Perez sent gathered and quickly filled it up.

As time went by, letters began to pile up.

____________________________________________

Glossary

[1] 'Half-faced' - Showing only part of the face; wretched-looking; meager.