How to Replace Your Dad - Chapter 105

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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How to Replace Your Dad

Chapter 105

Anne’s eyes narrowed as she looked at me.

She twisted her lips and said.

“You think I’m a fool.”

Her voice was utterly sinister.

The tentacle-like black energy tightened around me even more strongly.

Anne’s pupils gleamed with malice.

“You want me to hand over information to the enemy with my own hands?”

“It’s… not information…”

“How dare you try to deceive me.”

“What information… could I possibly know?!”

I shouted as if bursting with emotion.

The force that was squeezing me tight hesitated for a moment.

“Think about it, Anne. I don’t know the location of this place, the number of enemies, or how to get here…!”

“….”

“I was locked in a prison cell the whole time, then just moved from room to room following Benjamin and Oscar.”

“….”

“What information could someone like me possibly have?”

Anne frowned and muttered.

“That’s true though…”

“See? I just want to let my people know that I’m alive so they don’t worry.”

Because of this thread bracelet, the transmission from my right eye must have been cut off.

Naturally, the outside world would be in chaos.

‘The Imperial Palace might make a move.’

If the Imperial Palace gets seriously involved, an all-out war would be unavoidable.

‘If that happens, the hostages would lose their value.’

In other words, my situation could become even more dangerous.

“Just deliver the handkerchief to the man with the inverted cross.”

“….”

The black energy lowered me to the ground.

Standing on the ground, I untied the handkerchief that was bound to my belt.

It was a handkerchief made by sewing together several fabric scraps.

Anne looked at me with a displeased expression.

But soon…

Snatch!

She roughly snatched the handkerchief from my hand.

“I’ll only deliver the handkerchief. I won’t say anything else.”

“Yes!”

I answered brightly.

Anne huffed and turned her head, then walked ahead.

“Follow me to Anne’s room.”

I quickly hurried after Anne.

* * *

Arahan, the mage of the Imperial Restoration Council, paced around the room irritably.

And for the sixth time in five minutes, he shouted the same question he’d been asking.

“What happened to the Saint?”

The soldiers bowed their heads with troubled expressions.

Anne had been too fast.

Even while carrying the Saint—that is, Yustea—she ran at a speed far beyond that of ordinary humans.

In an instant, she dashed to the corridor connecting to the North Tower and even lowered the blockade door.

As a result, the soldiers had to take a detour to get to the North Tower.

Thanks to this, the soldiers were giving Arahan the same answer for the sixth time.

“We have not yet confirmed whether she’s alive or dead.”

“Useless fools.”

Arahan ground his teeth.

Stella stood beside Yohael and glanced at Gaspard.

‘Will he be okay?’

When she asked, Gaspard shrugged his shoulders.

His expression said it wasn’t his concern.

Stella swallowed a sigh.

‘Gaspard doesn’t understand the situation.’

Among those captured, only Yustea could communicate with the Restoration Council.

These people who even used princes as test subjects.

Since Gaspard seemed to know something important, they probably wouldn’t use him as a test subject right away.

‘But I…’

I was used as a tool to threaten Gaspard.

I couldn’t be certain what would happen.

Stella clasped both hands on her knees.

And with her eyes tightly shut, she thought.

‘At times like this, what would Yustea do…’

She showed wit in moments of crisis.

What kind of wit was it again.

“I was wrong!”

“Give me food.”

‘Hmm… Is that really wit?’

She said things that left people bewildered.

But after that, she always…

Stella’s eyes widened.

‘She talked with the enemy.’

Ah, that’s right.

She explored her opponents through conversation.

That’s how she got hints and turned crisis situations around.

‘Right, I need to make it so the opponent has no choice but to talk with me.’

Stella opened her mouth.

“Yustea is weak when it comes to people she likes.”

Instantly, everyone’s gaze turned to Stella.

Arahan, the mage of the Restoration Council, narrowed his brow.

“Pardon?”

“To get Yustea’s help, her favor is important.”

“Well, that would be true for anyone.”

“You don’t understand what I’m saying. I don’t mean that you, Arahan, should gain her favor, but that you should get your hands on someone who has already gained her favor.”

Stella put strength into her clasped hands.

To hide her nervousness.

‘At times like this, Yustea never got nervous.’

She always had a calm or relaxed attitude.

When that happened, I would become even more anxious.

In my anxiety, I would make mistakes or get swept along.

Then surprisingly…

“Please tell me more.”

“…!”

Arahan showed interest.

‘Amazing….’

It had been like this since the Ghost Castle.

When she took the same approach as Yustea, people’s attitudes changed remarkably.

Even the Ghost Castle servants who originally ignored Stella had treated her kindly.

The same was true for someone as remarkable as Arahan.

‘I need to act more like Yustea. How did that girl do it?’

She recalled what happened before that girl was kicked out of Andres.

“Pull in your chin and straighten your chest and waist.”

“Huh?”

“You need to show a flawless attitude so others won’t look down on you.”

“That’s….”

“Also, the important thing in conversation is bait. You need to throw praise and topics that spark the other person’s interest to make them take the bait.”

“Hmm….”

“From the moment the other person enters the conversation, you need to control the amount of bait. Make the impatient opponent willingly do what you want.”

“Sorry, Yustea.”

“…What?”

“I don’t like that kind of thing. I want to treat people sincerely.”

“….”

They had had that conversation.

‘Make them take the bait so the opponent does what I want.’

“That child would do anything for her beloved family.”

“I know the story of Andres too.”

Arahan said while looking Stella up and down.

“Now they’re practically enemies, you said.”

“Yes. But Cuaron, who is family now, is different.”

“Cuaron….”

“She thinks very preciously of even a single soldier of Cuaron.”

“And so?”

“You didn’t just bring the princes, did you? Didn’t you also bring the pursuit team members?”

“That’s….”

Arahan and Hera’s gazes met.

Of course they did.

They couldn’t just leave alone those who knew how to end the dungeon.

“How about using Yustea’s pursuit team members?”

“…Threats would work very well indeed.”

“Yes.”

Arahan snapped his fingers.

Soldiers approached.

Arahan said with a sly smile.

“Bring the pursuit team members to the experimental lab.”

“One more thing. Please assign my pursuit team members to me.”

“Why?”

“I’m going to say this to Yustea.”

Stella approached Arahan.

And with a bright smile, she said in a subtle voice.

“…See, Yustea. When you behave well, your people stay safe like this.”

Arahan smiled brightly.

“Those are very pleasant words to hear.”

“How about it?”

“Good. I’ll return Miss Stella’s pursuit team members.”

Gaspard looked at Stella with surprised eyes.

She had gotten the pursuit team members back with just a few words.

‘Was Stella always this clever?’

[Haha….]

[….]

Yohaël burst into laughter.

Luciano let out a displeased grunt.

Stella cheered inwardly.

‘Right, Yustea was always good at this because she knew how to have conversations.’

Now I can do it too.

A satisfied smile appeared on Stella’s lips.

* * *

Anne’s room.

“People don’t understand Anne.”

Anne muttered while drinking rich milk tea with a rose fragrance that wafted all the way here.

“Only Benjamin understands me.”

“Yeah.”

“He saves pretty friends too. Want to see? This is the child Benjamin saved.”

Anne held out a rabbit doll covered in lace.

Her cheeks were flushed as if she was very excited.

I nodded.

“It’s pretty.”

“You understand Anne a little too.”

Anne said while filling my cup with milk tea.

“Then tell me now. How can I become closer to Benjamin?”

“….”

Actually, I don’t really know.

I’ve never wanted to win Benjamin’s favor, nor worried about trying to.

‘And besides, Benjamin isn’t a good target for showing affection in the first place.’

He’s a cunning viper.

He divides people into necessary and unnecessary.

‘So….’

“I don’t know how to win Benjamin’s favor.”

“You said you knew. You’re a liar!”

“Benjamin isn’t the type who treats you well because he has affection. And Anne, you don’t need his affection, you just want to have Benjamin.”

“…Hmm.”

Anne looked up at the air as if thinking.

“Right.”

“Benjamin’s weakness is here.”

I pointed to his ribs.

“This is his weak spot.”

He was badly injured there during the last Andres incident.

It would be difficult to recover without healing power at the Saint’s level.

“If you target this spot, I’ll quickly tie him up.”

“Then?”

“And let’s ask Arahan to put restraints on him.”

“Then I can make him Anne’s rabbit!”

“Yeah!”

Anne and I grinned widely as we conspired in crime.

Anne jumped up abruptly.

“I love it!”

“Yeah!”

“I’ll put a rabbit mask on him and dress him in butler clothes.”

“The golden restraints should be made so only you, Anne, can remove them. Then he’ll become very docile.”

“You’re really smart!”

Anne hugged me with a beaming smile.

‘Good. Just you wait, Benjamin.’

I could both infuriate Benjamin and send news to Father.

Anne planned excitedly with a thrilled expression.

“It would be bothersome if other people are around, so nighttime would be better.”

“I’ll handle calling him out.”

“Yustea, he’ll come out immediately if it’s your word.”

“Right.”

“I like you. I’ll invite you to tea parties often. Oh, you could become my rabbit too if you want.”

“…I’ll pass on being a rabbit.”

I smiled kindly.

Just then.

Knock knock.

A knocking sound was heard.

Anne frowned with irritation.

“Arahan must have already noticed you’re here.”

Anne clicked her tongue.

However, she soon swept her hand through the air.

Dark energy headed toward the door handle like tentacles.

And click.

The door opened.

But the person who entered through the door was…

“Stella?”

It was Stella.

She wasn’t wearing the knight’s uniform I first saw her in, but a dress.

Behind her were Stella’s pursuit team members.

‘As expected, she brought the pursuit team members too.’

I had anticipated this after seeing the princes being dragged here.

Suddenly, the pursuit team members parted like the Red Sea.

And what appeared between them was…

“…!”

It was Luciano.

“Your Highness.”

“…”

I called out, but he said nothing.

I couldn’t hear any telepathic communication directly in my mind either.

Stella took Luciano’s hand.

There was no change whatsoever on Luciano’s face.

I looked at Stella with a hardened expression.

“What happened.”

“It’s Arahan’s doing. According to him, it’s Level 2.”

‘Is his consciousness completely locked away?’

I narrowed my brow and said.

“But how are you here with the pursuit team members?”

“I became an honored guest of this castle.”

“…What?”

Stella smiled brightly.

“Arahan and Hera said so. That I’m a ‘helpful person.'”

“So.”

“Of course, they don’t seem to completely trust me. They’re keeping Yohaël captive. But Prince Luciano…”

Stella smiled sweetly and rested her chin on Luciano’s shoulder.

“They told me to make him mine.”

“You…”

“But they said if you help Arahan, they’ll return Prince Luciano to you.”

“…”

“That’s how I learned.”

Stella murmured while leaning against Luciano’s shoulder.

“That winning methods must be ruthless.”

“Stella.”

“I completely understood your way and made it my own.”

Stella smiled sweetly.

“So now you follow me.”

“…”

“Go to the experimental lab. Go and help Arahan.”

“…”

“Otherwise, your pursuit team members will lose their lives.”

I looked at Stella with a rigidly hardened face.

Stella gazed steadily into my eyes.

“You didn’t actually change your mind.”

“I was in the stage of learning your methods.”

“This fool…”

As I muttered, Stella giggled.

“Thank you, Yustea.”

I strode over and pulled Stella toward me.

“Stop this right now.”

“Are you upset because I’m winning?”

“What?”

“I always felt that way. I had to endure nights when my heart was so hurt I couldn’t bear it.”

“…”

“But what did you do?”

“…”

“You endlessly treated things precious to me as worthless and mocked me!”

Stella’s pupils narrowed.

I gritted my teeth and whispered.

“Shut up. I’m saying this for your sake.”

“It’s not for my sake but for yours. I won’t be fooled by such words anymore.”

Stella roughly pulled her hand away.

And glared at me with reddened eyes.

“I learned how to negotiate. It became very easy once I abandoned my conscience.”

“It’s not negotiation, you’re being used.”

Arahan was using Stella.

He must have recognized Stella’s impatient heart.

And put her on stage under the guise of providing a place for dialogue.

‘As a puppet to provoke me.’

So that I, filled with rage at seeing Stella, would fall into their hands.

It would have been an easy calculation.

Stella and I were only 15 years old.

It was the peak age for middle school syndrome.

They must have thought we’d fall for it if they stimulated our inferiority complex.

And Stella easily fell for it.

‘To a place where she could have the upper hand over me.’

Stella thrust her face toward me.

“Now it’s your turn to suffer.”

I let out a sigh.

My words telling you to shut up were really for your own good….

‘But now there’s no choice.’

My right eye glowed with a zing.

That’s right.

Right now, there’s no thread bracelet on my arm.

I had Anne’s curse remove it as soon as I entered this room.

* * *

[Now it’s your turn to suffer.]

Stella’s voice flowed out from within the Mirror World.

“That crazy bitch…!”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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