Chapter 227

(Florentia's POV)

The sun was about to set.

I arrived at the Lombardi mansion.

The carriage door was already open, but I didn't get off right away.

AS I sat down for a while, two familiar faces popped into the carriage.

"Tia, aren't you getting off?"

"Let's go quickly and have dinner."

As promised before I left the mansion earlier, a dinner was scheduled for the whole family to gather.

"Yes, I will go."

I answered, but my body didn't move easily.

Then Mairon asked me, tilting his head.

"By any chance, even Uncle didn't know?"

"Is Tia really the owner of the Pellet?"

When I didn't answer and looked away, the twins exclaimed "Wow." with their eyes wide open.

"Even Grandpa didn't know?"

"Everyone would be very surprised."

"What if grandfather falls down again because of how surprised he is!?"

"Ah, really! Stop making fun of me, you two!"

I'm so nervous right now, I feel like dying!

When I shouted, the twins burst into laughter wearing the same faces.

Then they shrugged and said.

"Is there anything to be nervous about?"

"Right, it's Tia anyway."

"What do you mean, It's me anyway?"

Gillieu answered my question first.

"Grandfather or Uncle, everyone will be surprised at first, but in the end they will be happy."

"Because it's Tia! Who would think that you can do this?"

Mairon said tapping on my shoulder.

His warm hand wrapped around my shoulders.

"Because we did."

"Although it was a bit sad that you didn't tell us directly."

"But we understand. There must be a reason Tia hasn't told anyone in the meantime."

"You guys..."

When did you grow up like this?

It seems like yesterday that I ran away and make excuses to say I didn't want to play hide-and-seek because I want to read books.

But the playful comfort made me feel at ease.

"Thanks, Gillieu, Mairon."

When I spoke in a slightly weak voice, the twins grinned.

"If you're having a hard time, tell us anytime."

"We will be right next to you and we will protect you."

I grabbed both of their hands tightly and got off the carriage.

My legs feel numb as if I had been dragging my feet.

So one step at a time, I headed to my father's room.

Knock! Knock!

"Dad, I'm coming in."

As I carefully opened the door, I saw my father putting books in the bookshelf.

"Tia!"

Those are my favorite books.

My father almost threw the book away as soon as he saw me entering the room.

"How did the conference end?"

Thanks to the twins, my heart, which had subsided a little, started to beat again.

My mouth seemed to be drying out of tension.

When I didn't answer anything, my father looked at me anxiously.

"Tia?"

Dad, will you cry? I'm sure you'll cry.

Still, I couldn't let them hear this through other people.

I have to say it myself.

"If the change of the representative family didn't go well---."

"Dad, let's talk a little bit."

I led my father to the center of the drawing room.

But my father didn't sit on the chair.

He was just staring at me with green eyes full of worry.

I took a breath and clenched my fist.

"Dad."

"Yes, Tia."

"Actually, Claryvan and I, we're not in a mentor and student relationship."

"...what?"

There was a slight wrinkle in my father's forehead.

"What do you mean, Tia?"

Somehow, my father's voice lowered.

"Our relationship isn't between a mentor and a student but between an employer and employee...."

I was going in circles without realizing it.

No, it's much better to take off the band-aid at once.

I clenched my fist once again and said, "As a matter of fact, I'm the owner of the Pellet Corporation."

My father's eyes blinked slowly.

It seemed like he was trying to understand what I was saying....No, is it okay as it is?

I faltered and approached my father.

"Ah, Dad....?"

At that moment, my father staggered as if his legs had been loosened and sat down on the sofa.

I'm glad there's a chair nearby.

Otherwise, my dad would have collapsed on the ground.

"So....Tia, you..."

"I own the Pellet Corporation."

"Yes, the owner..."

My father talked to himself blankly and shook his head.

"But then, Tia was only eleven years old at that time...Did you take the transfer in the middle?"

My father's confused face immediately gave an expression who expected me to say, 'Yes, that's right.'

"No, from the beginning, Pellet was mine."

"Sigh...."

My father sighed heavily and washed his face dry.

I've been hiding it for more than a decade.

In order not to buy other people's suspicion, I sometimes act and lie.

So you must be disappointed...

"Ah, Dad?"

My father's arm hugged me strongly.

To the extent that we swayed and made a sound.

I carefully looked up at my father's face.

"Are you alright?"

Confusion remained on my father's face.

It seemed like he was trying to accept what I said.

But before that, my father seems to have something to say first.

"...You must have worked hard, Tia."

That encourages me.

My father's warm hands patted my back gently.

"From that young age to now, you've done a great job."

"Dad...."

"I guessed that the relationship between you and Sir Claryvan was not a common student and teacher, but I didn't guess that you were the owner of the Pellet...."

My father mumbled with a weak smile.

"I'm sorry for not telling you in advance."

I said, burying my face in my father's arms.

"It's alright, Tia. You must have had a reason for doing that."

Oh, really.

My father was also saying what the twins told me.

As I relaxed, my body became a little comfortable.

Even after releasing me from the hug, my dad kept on patting my head.

"For a while, every aristocrat that I will meet will only be talking about you..."

My father suddenly stopped talking and asked me.

"Tia?"

"Yeah?"

"Did your grandfather know?"

"....Ah."

I forgot for a moment.

The fact that there's still the final King left.

****

Before dinner at the Lombardi mansion begins.

Claryvan stopped by a restaurant and was packing up a small basket.

It contained simple food to eat, such as bread and fruit, that the restaurant's employees had prepared.

"It'll start soon."

Claryvan muttered as he looked over the long table.

The restaurant was already full of delicious dishes for dinner.

But the image didn't give him an appetite.

Although his house was attacked, it was not enough reason to intervene the dinner with immediate people, who is taking care of him at the Lombardi mansion.

Above all, it was because he knew that today's dinner was going to be an uncomfortable place.

"Ugh."

Suddenly reminded of himself in a muddled position, Claryvan was fed up.

Just imagining it was uncomfortable.

"I'm going back to my room as soon as possible."

Claryvan, out in the dark hallway, put a basket on his side and began to speed up his pace.

He was like that when he turned the corner.

"Sir Claryvan."

From the other side of the corridor, Gallahan walked over, calling for Claryvan.

With a fresh smile on his face that has not changed at all even in his middle-aged age.

"Ah, Sir Gallahan."

However, Claryvan also wasn't very happy to see Gallahan today.

"How... Did you finish the conversation with Lady Florentia?"

Claryvan asked carefully.

"Haha! Yeah, I was a little surprised, but it ended well."

"I see."

Claryvan said half relief, but he was still uncomfortable.

This was because all this time, he had been tricking Gallahan also, he was the same.

Claryvan, who made up his mind, opened his mouth.

"Well, Sir Gallahan, I..."

But Gallahan cut him off.

"Sir Claryvan."

"Yes?"

"Thank you."

Gallahan, who suddenly said so, bowed his head deeply.