Chapter 209
"What do you mean by Deputy Head....?"
Chairman Killian said in bewilderment.
"Did something happen to the Head of Lombardy?"
I could feel a lot of people listening to the Chairman"s question.
I knew this question would come up.
It"s not good for them to know that Grandpa is sick in this situation.
As it looks like a confrontation between Lombardy and Angenas, I should avoid demoralizing our side before the chaotic aristocrats" meeting starts.
I spoke coldly with a smile on purpose.
"It seems you have a lot of questions for me, Chairman Killian."
I took a glance at the Chairman"s hardening expression and watched his face as I added a question.
"Will you ask my Grandfather so many questions as well?"
"No, I just didn"t get informed in advance...."
Ah really, does everyone really have to know this beforehand?
No matter how much I enjoyed this thrilling moment, I was increasingly annoyed by the unnecessary procedures and bureaucratic att.i.tudes of the aristocrats.
I looked straight at Chairman Killian and asked.
"What do you mean by that, Chairman? Does my Grandfather need your permission first to send in a Deputy Head?"
"Well, surely not, but..."
"Then there"s no problem at all, is there?"
"Ah, yes..."
Chairman Killian, who hesitated for a moment, changed his tone.
I attended as a Deputy Head, so he needs to treat me the same way as the Head of Lombardy.
"That"s great, then."
I smiled at Chairman Killian once and then turned away. It meant that I would no longer want to talk to him about this issue anymore.
Then a person came in through the door of the conference hall.
"The Empress..."
The old n.o.bleman, who had just stepped into the conference hall and was muttering to himself about me, saw Empress Ravini and quickly took a step back and bowed his head.
That man was always loyal to the Angenas even in his previous life without receiving anything in return and it seems the same this time.
I shook my head and looked at Empress Ravini.
She looked so confident that no one would think that her son was detained for the attempted murder of the Emperor.
The Empress, who stood upright and looked relaxed inside the conference hall, found me sitting in the designated Head"s seat.
She seemed a little surprised at first, then she soon began to glare at me. Even though it was quite far away, I could feel her death glare.
Unlike other n.o.bles, I didn"t stand up and greet her. But the Empress can"t do anything about it.
I"m the Deputy Head of Lombardy now.
Lombardy does not bow to anyone but the Emperor.
Instead, I smiled with one of the corners of my mouth raised as I looked at the Empress. Really looked straight at her.
Then I saw the Empress staring back at me with eyes ten times colder, before turning her head away and taking a seat in the audience.
Today, we are having the council meeting of the aristocrats.
Empress Ravini, who has already abandoned her status as a n.o.blewoman and became one of the imperial family members, has no say in it.
She has no choice but to sit in the audience and watch the meeting.
Nevertheless, for her to come all the way here was proof that today"s meeting is so important to the Empress and Angenas.
"There are a lot of spectators from the Imperial Palace today, aren"t there?"
I said to the person sitting next to me, deliberately a.s.suming a smug face.
"Uh—huh, that"s right."
As one of Lombardy"s closest va.s.sals, Head Bernese, who always sat next to my grandfather, nodded and responded instinctively to my sudden question.
"Ah, His Highness, the Second Prince is here now."
This time it was Perez who just arrived.
Not long before Perez found me in the Head"s seat, and when he did, he paused just as the Empress did a while ago.
I did not deliberately tell Perez anything. I wanted to surprise him.
Perez looked at me for a brief moment before nodding his head towards me. As if paying respects to my Grandfather.
In an instant, the attention of the whole conference hall was focused on us.
Although we are publicly engaged, we are now meeting as the Crown Prince and the Deputy Head of Lombardy.
It"s the kind of situation where you couldn"t help but be curious.
I likewise greeted Perez casually and started a conversation with the person next to me. Like it"s no big deal.
"Is it just me or is Head Angenas not here today?"
"Uhm, that person is always late."
Glancing sideways, Perez was greeted by several n.o.bles and took a seat in the conference hall opposite the Empress"s seat. And there was a man who came in after Perez.
"The Head of Braun Family is here."
At my words, the n.o.bles sitting around leisurely quickly turned their heads in the same direction as mine.
Head Braun, who entered the conference room with a complex expression, thought for a moment before sitting next to Perez.
"That person is the rumored..."
"He looks just like the former Head Braun that I met when I was young."
Head Braun, who quietly seated at his chosen seat in the conference hall, looked excellent.
The reactions of the n.o.bles who did not come to the hunting compet.i.tion were not so bad.
Had Head Braun tried to settle in a seat where only n.o.bles are seated, he would have greatly offended them.
It was important not to catch their attention and offended those who attended the conference as much as possible, as Braun was trying to reclaim their rights as a n.o.ble through this meeting.
"The faces of those Angenas and the people sticking to them don"t look so good."
"Maybe because he"s not sober right now."
This time the young n.o.bleman sitting behind me asked,
"What about him not being sober?"
"Duigi, the Head of Angenas Family, is weak, he can"t stay bare before this important meeting. I heard he was drinking strong alcohol before the meeting."
"Hmm."
There were quite a few people around me coughing a little.
This meant that the existence of the Head of Sousseau Family was uncomfortable for the people of the pro-Lombardy camp.
And at that moment I saw.
The silent encounter between the eyes of Head Sousseau and Perez.
It was just a brief second when our eyes met while they were turning their heads to look away.
I felt like I was going to laugh.
"If it wasn"t for Chanton Sousseau..."
Bernese muttered.
"Half the power of the Angenas family comes from Chanton Sousseau, right?
As I said, Bernese and the people surrounding us opened their eyes wide.
"Lady Lombardy... rather, I would like to know why you"ve come to be the Deputy Head?"
Ha...This old man is so...
You"re judging people quite openly.
However, the prejudice towards me being just a Young Miss is only the beginning.
In the future, I will face these curious gazes and prejudices countless times.
I can"t let myself get tired already.
I replied with a shrug.
"Should there be any reason why my Grandfather made me the Deputy Head, Lord Bernese?"
"Ah, no, there isn"t. It was careless of me to ask..." Fortunately, Bernese shook his head quickly and admitted.
And I was thinking of saying, "Don"t worry too much."
If it wasn"t for the stare that"s piercing my side.
I turned my head and looked at the person staring at me.
"Lord Bernese."
"Yes, Lady Lombardy?"
"Why is the Head of Sousseau looking at me like that?"
The people around me looked at Chanton Sousseau at my words.
However, Head Sousseau even drew a persistent gaze towards me.
"Shall I yell and tell him off so he"ll look away?" Head Bernese leaned closer and asked quietly.
"...What yell?"
The meeting hasn"t even started yet. It"s still early, but the atmosphere was already not good.
The people around me answered my question.
"No, well, what else can we do?"
"In the past, even before starting such important meetings, we were sometimes yelling at each other and we were always cheering for the ones on our side."
"That"s right. That"s how the atmosphere gets better."
...Is this a cheerleading event?
"No, it"s okay."
I refused, waving one hand, not wanting to see the old people screaming loudly with veins visible on their necks in front of my eyes.
But why does everyone looks disappointed?
"It"s past the start of the meeting and everyone seems to be present, so I will now close the door to the conference hall."
Chairman Killian stood up and coughed several times before declaring in a solemn voice.
"Now then, let"s start the council meeting."
Bam! Bam! Bam!
The gavel slammed three times.