Comment by Introvert on I’Ll Be The Matriarch In This Life - Chapter 216

They eventually reached Tia’s first destination: the Pellet Company building. Upon seeing the company, Tia was filled with anger. The workers were in a poor state, with Imperial Knights overseeing them coldly while workers struggled to clean up the mess. One worker even hurt himself on broken glass, and Tia felt a strong urge to fight back against the Imperial Knights. She remembers the beginnings of the Pellet Company, remembering when she, Clerivan, and Violet worked together to build it. She vowed to take control of the company again and make sure those responsible would pay. Afterward, Tia ordered the coachman to head toward the Imperial Palace for the meeting. The conference hall at the palace was already crowded with nobles eager to see the results of the day's discussions. The outcome of this meeting would determine who would represent the West: Angenas or Braun. At the entrance to the palace, the Lombardi carriage is stopped by Imperial Knights led by Ethan Klaus. Lambert Lombardi, the commander, mocks them and shows no fear even though his group is outnumbered. The Lombardi Knights are clearly stronger, and the Imperial Knights feel intimidated. Ethan insists on checking the carriage, suspecting that Clerivan Pellet is hiding inside to secretly attend the meeting (Yes they double checked the carriage. Once outside Lombardi mansion and other st palace entrance) Despite the tension, Tia who is inside the carriage, calmly allows them to inspect it.

The luggage compartment is opened, it is completely empty. Ethan is shocked because he was certain Clerivan was inside. Tia remains composed and even slightly amused, making Ethan uneasy. Although he senses something is wrong, he cannot stop the carriage anymore, and Lombardi proceeds to the meeting.Tia arrives just in time for the meeting with the Emperor, the Empress, and Perez. She notices that they already seem aware of the earlier incident. Perez signals to her that his preparation went well. Meanwhile, the Empress feels confident because Tia arrived alone without Clerivan, believing she has the upper hand. However, Tia quietly smiles, knowing this confidence is misplaced and that her plan is already in motion. 

This shocks everyone, especially Empress Ravini, who tries to deny or downplay it. Tia also points out that the Empress accused Clerivan Pellet of being involved in an attempted murder without proof, suggesting the Empress only did this to seize the contract. The nobles begin to suspect the Empress’s actions. The Emperor checks the contract and confirms it is valid. Then Tia reveals that the Angenas family has not been paying interest on the loan. According to the contract, if they fail to pay interest three times, the lender has the right to take ownership of the collateral land. Since Angenas failed to pay multiple times, the Henforek estate now legally belongs to the Pellet Company.

Jovanes came back from meeting feeling very unwell. Even though he hadn’t been drinking, his face was red and his head hurt badly. He had planned to go hawk hunting afterward, but he had to return early because he felt sick. When he got back, he shouted for someone to call a doctor and lay down on his bed. The meeting had been stressful and tiring, and thinking about ongoing conflicts made his headache even worse.mAs he sat there, he noticed a bottle of alcohol near his bed and started talking about Tia's secret, how valuable and capable she is. His hands were shaking so much that he couldn’t pour the drink into a glass, so he drank straight from the bottle. Suddenly, he felt a sharp pain in his chest, cried out, and collapsed onto the floor with a loud thud.