Surprised, my grandfather opened his eyes wide and stared at for a long ti.
"How did you know?"
Fortunately, it seed that he had no intention of hiding it until the end.
"If I tell you, will you be honest with ?"
"I will."
Grandfather grinned as he put down the teacup.
There is nothing I can do.
"The announcent of the succession was too fast."
I sighed softly and began to answer.
"It’s natural to help my grandfather as a Deputy Head and gradually learn things. It’s a procedure that usually takes several years. But my grandfather did it in just over a month."
"Isn’t it just because that I liked you to run things so much?"
"That’s possible. That’s what I thought, so I never questioned it. However..."
I shook my head.
"I noticed yesterday when you called to the place where you gathered the vassals. What happened yesterday wasn’t just to inform the vassals of my grandfather’s decision to take as his successor, am I right?"
At my words, a light smile passed over my grandfather’s face.
"Then what do you think it was?"
"....It’s an interview for a successor. In a short period, the lords had prepared to ask questions about that would convince them to approve of ."
Due to the nature of Lombardy’s vassals, who have very high loyalty to the Head of the family, the outstanding devotion of the old vassals to the Head sotis becos a problem.
The circumstance of not accepting and trusting a new Head sotis occurs.
Therefore, it is not only the current Head’s authority to decide the next Head, but the vassals must be fully convinced of the decision as well.
That way, when a change of Head occurs, the power gap can be minimized as much as possible without ending in an upheaval.
And this is sothing that happens naturally through a successor education curriculum that takes place over several years.
The Head entrusts big and small things to the Deputy Head or the successor, and this naturally creates opportunities to work and collide with the vassals.
Then, when the successor finally becos the Head, the vassals will already know what the new Head Lombardy is like, in what areas they can do well, and what they need their help with.
"Unless I have to make the vassals my own in a very short period, my grandfather is not the kind of person to make such a decision."
I could have even made a slip of the tongue in front of the lord vassals.
Or instead of capturing them, they could have been discouraged.
But my grandfather wanted to be recognized quickly by the lords, even at the risk of that.
"Am I right?"
"... I really can’t fool you."
My grandfather laughed. It was a very tired laugh.
"How much...is it that bad?" With a lump forming in my throat, my voice coming out sounded terrible.
"Haa...Tia worries a lot."
My grandfather laughed lightly, but I couldn’t laugh.
I thought I had changed the future enough by going back to the past, but there may be exceptions this ti.
There may exist a law of regression that I don’t know.
For example, a person’s lifespan is fixed and cannot be changed.
"Estira’s dicine is working well. Don’t worry too much." My grandfather said, stroking my head.
"I was just being impatient because if I had to overdo it or put my mind to it, my body wouldn’t listen like last ti."
I stared into my grandfather’s eyes. It was because I was afraid that it would co true.
"Ohh, no need to worry!"
Grandfather smiled a little awkwardly at my constant concern.
He keeps stroking my head.
I quietly raised my hand and pulled down the hand of my grandfather that was stroking my head.
"...Since when have you been like this?"
Grandfather’s hands were trembling slightly against his will.
"When I woke up today, it was already like this."
Grandfather spoke nonchalantly as if it were soone else’s business.
"I have already been examined by Dr. Estira. She said that there is no change in my body and it seems to be a temporary symptom. Look, I’m fine."
My grandfather laughed, clenching and unclenching his hands.
I was a little relieved by his appearance.
It’s a simple act, but I know it would cease to move if my grandfather’s illness gets worse.
"I’m like this because I am relaxed. It’s all because I feel at ease."
"Grandfather..."
"I’ve been running Lombardy on my own for decades, and now that I think I have a reliable granddaughter that will take over, my body seems to beco a bit lazy."
What do you an by lazy?
The Grandfather I know is the farthest person that you can call ’lazy’.
"Ti is catching up with lately."
"Then, shall I put off being a successor?"
"Hey now!"
My joke left a little bit of loneliness on my grandfather’s face.
He then looked out of the window and said, "I have no regrets about the years I lived for Lombardy. But looking back, I have lived my life only for Lombardy."
My grandfather’s face, bright in the sunlight, looked serious today.
"I thought I was doing my best. But I guess I still have regrets."
I followed my grandfather’s gaze and looked outside.
"Let go of ! I’m going to et my father! Let go!!"
Vieze was screaming as he was being dragged by the guards.
"I said it in passing, but it would be great if I could go back to the past and live again."
Mumbling in a low voice, my grandfather turned his head and looked at .
"I’m sorry, Tia."
"Why would you say that?"
"I let you carry a huge load on your shoulder because of the family’s matter."
It seed to be the situation about Vieze, who is staying in the Lombardy mansion with a modest status, and Bellesac, who was still held in the Imperial Palace.
"Tia."
"Yes, Grandpa."
"Maybe I should have given you the position of the Head earlier than I thought."
"I understand." I imdiately replied with a nod.
In my previous life, my grandfather continued to work until the very end.
It was my role to assist in his work, so I know how hard and lonely he was at that ti.
"Please give all the hard tasks and just take a rest."
Then grandfather will live a much longer life than before.
I’ll make it that way.
"Aren’t you afraid?"
"No."
"You, aren’t you being bold?"
"I’m confident because I don’t have to do it alone anyway." I said as I shrugged my shoulders.
"There are vassal lords who can help and I also have Aunt Shannanet to ask for help if there is sothing I don’t know. And above all, I have my grandfather."
"...Yes, being the Head doesn’t an you have to do everything alone."
Grandfather’s warm brown eyes looked at .
"So Grandpa, please be honest with from now on. Especially when it cos to your health." I said, holding my grandfather’s hand tightly.
"...Yes, I will."
"Don’t hide it or anything in case you worry about . You have to be honest with so I will be able to help you easily." I said, deliberately, with a little brighter voice.
"If your eyes get dim, I’ll read all the docunts and books for you. If walking becos difficult, I will make you a wheelchair and take you anywhere you want. Let’s go for a walk in the garden where Grandmother loves to watch the sunset with you, Grandpa."
"Tia..."
Grandfather held my hand tightly together.
And he laughed with and said in a joking tone.
"Then will you tell if you can’t do it anymore if it’s becoming too hard?"
"No." I shook my head as I said with confidence.
"I can do it all."
I’ve been doing it all for years in my previous life.
"Yes, yes."
Grandpa didn’t seem to believe .
However, his heart seed to have gotten much better, and the trembling of his hand had subsided.
I talked to my Grandfather for a while. And cautiously brought up the second purpose of visiting my grandfather today.
"And there’s one thing I need permission for, Grandpa."
***
The Lombardy’s carriage I rode in reached the entrance to the Imperial Palace.
From a distance, I could see the soldiers of the Imperial Palace, who confird Lombardy’s family crest, were seen rushing to open the door.
Lombardy’s carriages are open to any palace without being checked.
Considering that the imperial force cannot enter the Lombardy mansion, it is an unfair treaty.
It just ant that if I wanted to, I could go to the palace where the Empress is located.
However, my destination today is not the Empress Palace.
"Will you take to the Knights building?"
The coachman drove my carriage to the headquarters of the Imperial Knights.
Soon after, I was standing in front of a large three-story building made of black bricks.
"What’s the matter...why is the young lady here?" The knight who was guarding the front approached and asked.
It seems he knows who I am, even though his face was expressionless, he still looked uneasy.
"I’ve co to et the officer in charge of the attempted murder case of His Majesty."
I raised my head confidently, feeling the countless gazes focused on , and asked, "Is His Highness the Second Prince here?"
"Well, yes, but he is currently interrogating—"
"Please call him."
"...Yes?" The knight got flustered and asked back.
"I told you to bring His Highness the Second Prince."
"How dare you co and demand for His Highness...Also, he’s officially on duty."
"If I were you, I wouldn’t be asking like that if you know who you are having a conversation with."
Only then did a certain expression pass on the face of the imperial knight.
I looked straight at the Knight and said word by word.
"Go and tell him ’the Deputy Head of Lombardy wants to see His Highness.’" Then, I smiled brightly.
"Can you do it?"
"Y, yes."
The Knight quickly disappeared into the building.
"I can’t believe you let your guest stand on the road." I mumbled to myself.
I felt unfairly treated, but I didn’t bla the Knight for his lack of front desk skills.
I won’t wait long anyway.
I thought so and watched the knight through the window.
He went up to the second floor, opened a door near the stairs, and went inside.
It’s probably the interrogation room.
And it wasn’t until a few seconds later.
Bam!
Imdiately, the door opened and Perez popped out.
I could see him running down the stairs, half flying.
When he looked at still standing on the road in front of the door, he ran faster.
Afterward, a series of Imperial Knights and the Knight Commander who we had t each other at the last hunting competition followed behind.
Perez quickly approached and asked, "How co you didn’t co in?"
"How can I get in when no one has invited in?"
At my words, Perez glared at the knight guard.
"I apologize!"
"It’s fine. I’m not here for an apology." I said so and told Perez.
"Today, I’m here to do my official duty as a Deputy Head of Lombardy."
"Official duty?"
Even at the mont, I can’t believe this is my first official job as a Deputy Head.
However, as Deputy Head, I can’t pretend not to know anymore.
"Please transfer Bellesac Lombardy’s case to the Lombardy family, Your Highness."
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