How to Replace Your Dad - Chapter 11

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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 11

* * *

“What? Someone targeted Little Teacher?”

“She possessed an item that was like a bomb?”

“You’re saying Little Teacher almost exploded?”

“She’s not Little Teacher anymore, she’s Miss now.”

The clan members came rushing over in droves when they heard that Marina had targeted me from the castle.

And Charlie was…

“This XXX fucking XX XXX bastard who XX with X X to XX like XX. XXXX. What the XX is XXX?”

I didn’t know it, but Charlie was the owner of such colorful eloquence that not a single word could be shared with decent adults.

No one stopped her.

Marina, who had committed countless crimes, was said to be going to the mines.

They said it would be good to get used to it beforehand.

Just where exactly are these mines that getting your sideburns and crown completely torn out is part of the adjustment process?

I don’t know for sure, but Marina seems to be in big trouble.

‘The Marquis also finally admitted his crimes.’

I watched Marina leave, having handfuls of hair torn out by Charlie.

‘This is the second attempted murder, so there’s no hope for rehabilitation.’

And as I was about to return to my room…

“Where are you going?”

The Clan Leader, who had been discussing Marina’s punishment with his subordinate clan members, looked at me.

“I was going to my room.”

“The Clan Leader is waiting for you.”

“…!”

The Clan Leader.

I hadn’t met him since coming to Sanmiguel Castle.

According to Antonio, he was in the depths of Sanmiguel.

Except for a very few who were permitted, no one knew of that place or could approach it.

‘Finally meeting him.’

I followed behind the Clan Leader with a tense expression.

But it was strange.

The more I walked, the more puzzled I became.

The path the Clan Leader was taking was completely different from what I expected.

I thought the depths would be inside the castle, but it wasn’t.

We had to walk for quite a while even after passing the abandoned garden where I was attacked by Marina.

And we headed toward the watchtowers on the outskirts of the castle.

There were things like clock towers, guard towers, and beacon towers used in emergencies.

The place the Clan Leader headed to was the most secluded tower among them.

A tower without a single window, filled only with spiral-shaped stairs, a place that had no value beyond being decorative ornaments visible from the outside.

‘The Clan Leader is in a place like this? There are no rooms, so how…’

Just as I was thinking that.

Caaawk─!

A bird-type monster flew into the tower.

A massive monster that looked to be at least 3 meters tall.

Its beak was full of sharp teeth like a mane, and its claws were as thick as spears.

The monster flew straight toward me like an arrow.

‘I’m done for…!’

My eyes instinctively squeezed shut in terror.

But at that moment.

“There’s nothing to worry about.”

What fell over my head was the emotionless voice of the Clan Leader instead of pain.

I slowly opened my eyes.

“Ah…”

The massive monster that had been blocking my view just moments ago was scattering as powder from its feet up.

The Clan Leader, who turned to look at me, said.

“Within the Clan Leader’s sight, nothing can harm us.”

The Clan Leader’s sight?

I startled and looked up.

In the pitch-black night all around.

The silhouette of a man with his back to the full moon shattered in the moonlight.

The man froze everything as if he were darkness that had existed since ancient times.

Yes, that man.

Aslan.

The Clan Leader, with his hand on his chest, bowed at the waist.

“I greet the Clan Leader.”

It was finally a reunion.

* * *

‘I thought the interior was smaller than it looked from the outside, but there was a hidden room.’

When the Clan Leader felt around the wall, a passage revealed itself.

We entered the room following that passage.

It was a room where red curtains caught the eye.

When the Clan Leader took his seat, the Clan Leader reported on recent events.

“The lord has been sent to the mines along with his niece who attacked Miss. Therefore, we plan to request Esgaroth for the Clan Leader’s succession to the lordship within a few days.”

I, who had been quietly listening to the story, flinched.

‘The Clan Leader is directly ascending to the lordship?’

Isn’t there a status problem?

That’s why they brought in the Marquis to make him a puppet lord.

Suddenly, my gaze fell on a document placed on the table.

When I saw it, I was startled.

…I bequeath the above recorded property and all rights to Aslan.

Augusto Calendar, March 25th

Stefan Sanmiguel

‘He completely cleaned out the Marquis!’

He thoroughly took both property and status.

Just as I was thinking how cleverly he got him to sign, I soon shook my head.

‘Something tremendous must have happened in the underground prison.’

Even in the game, the Irregulars often received sadistic judgments that required story modifications.

I didn’t feel particularly sorry for the Marquis.

What was there to feel sorry about for such scum who threatened children and ultimately tried to kill them with explosives?

‘More importantly, this shows that the Clan Leader is someone who’s definitive about rewards and punishments.’

Harsh to enemies, and gives opportunities for growth to allies.

He was the perfect boss who would protect my organs and give me a job.

‘So I need to make a good impression…’

The Clan Leader showed no interest in me whatsoever.

Even the Clan Leader, who had finished his report, looked at me with a troubled expression.

Since I had become an adopted daughter, he seemed to want to facilitate a proper introduction, but the Clan Leader was only looking at documents.

After quite some time passed like this, the Clan Leader had no choice but to step forward.

“…Clan Leader, don’t you have anything to say to Lady Yustea?”

The Clan Leader spoke while keeping his gaze fixed on the documents.

“Enter the imperial page selection and go to Esgaroth Mansion. If you can arrange a private meeting between the Duke and me, you will be rewarded.”

“….”

“….”

That was the end of it.

I had noticed since coming to Sanmiguel Castle, but the Clan Leader was truly someone who only said what was necessary.

The Clan Leader swallowed a sigh.

“That’s the gist of it.”

“…Yes.”

When I blinked and answered, the Clan Leader seemed a bit embarrassed.

“This is an important mission that the fate of the Irregulars depends on. If you succeed, you’ll be able to serve your mother without having to work anymore.”

“I’ll do my best.”

“Yes. Shall we go then.”

The Clan Leader looked at the Clan Leader with reproachful eyes and spoke to me.

‘Hmm, the Clan Leader is a poor middle manager caught between superiors and subordinates.’

The reason he seemed cold was because he had to keep a tight grip on his rationality.

I felt sorry for him and stood up.

‘It’s a shame, but if I cling unnecessarily, it’ll only create trouble.’

Thinking to make plans for next time, I bowed deeply toward the Clan Leader.

“I’ll work hard from now on… huh?”

As I raised my head after greeting, I paused.

I saw something strange above the Clan Leader’s wrist as he turned the documents.

The Clan Leader asked as if wondering what was wrong.

“Miss?”

“…Does the Clan Leader sleep well?”

“Pardon?”

“Don’t your limbs go numb? You’re not in pain even from a gentle breeze, are you? Your eyes. I’d like to look at your eyes more closely.”

When I reached out my hand, the Clan Leader quickly blocked me.

“It’s inappropriate to touch the Clan Leader’s body.”

“I’m sorry. But I need to check.”

“Why on earth are you acting like this!”

“You’ve been cursed!”

“…!”

The Clan Leader flinched.

Even the Clan Leader’s gaze, which had been fixed on the documents until then, turned toward me.

I spoke with a stern face.

“I know that mark. That’s a curse mark. It starts from the heart and spreads throughout the body. The fact that it’s spread to your wrist means it’s a very serious situation….”

I paused while speaking.

The Clan Leader had stiffened, but it wasn’t because he was surprised by the situation.

Rather, his expression was closer to asking how I knew that.

Moreover, the Clan Leader….

“You have useful perception.”

He knew about the curse.

But he was so calm about it?

No, with a body cursed like that, he devastated a family in the system and sent hawks to break through the Gold Prohibition Army?

People called the Irregulars’ Elite Squad monsters.

But I thought differently.

The person who truly transcended human limits was the Clan Leader.

“That’s the Curse of Dark Mirror, isn’t it? An ancient spell activated using a hundred demon corpses, a hundred human corpses, and the caster’s life as catalysts.”

It seals the target’s magic power and causes excruciating pain just from breathing. They say at night, one can’t even sleep due to all kinds of evil spirits.

The Clan Leader closed his eyes tightly.

His expression showed that hiding it was impossible now that I had recognized the curse.

“The curse began three years ago. Since then, we’ve searched everywhere for a way to break it and finally found a clue to lifting the curse.”

The Clan Leader went to a drawer in one corner of the room and brought out something.

It was an object wrapped in cloth.

And I had seen that cloth before.

When I first joined the Irregulars, the Clan Leader, Antonio, and I headed to the marketplace.

The Clan Leader and Antonio found something there, and it was the object wrapped in that very cloth.

‘So what they found was a clue to breaking the curse.’

“It’s a Clarity Stone. According to ancient texts, it’s the only thing that can break the Curse of Dark Mirror, but we couldn’t figure out how to use it in the end. Damn it….”

“….”

“So we need to enter Esgaroth as soon as possible. If the people of Esgaroth are mages, they might know the method─”

“…I know how?”

The room suddenly became quiet.

And.

“Whaaaat─?!”

The Clan Leader looked at me with eyes that seemed ready to pop out.

He stammered before finally managing to speak.

“H-h-how…?”

But it wasn’t really proper speech.

The rational Clan Leader was acting just like Antonio.

He was that incredibly shocked.

‘Because I saw it in the game.’

But I couldn’t say that.

So I rolled my eyes around and said.

“I was the eldest daughter of the Andres Family, you know? I had access to the secret library… uh, Andres is a family that’s been with the Empire since its beginning, so there are various books…?”

“I see…!”

Whether my excuse worked, the Clan Leader was very pleased.

“How should we do it?”

“The reason you can’t use the Clarity Stone is because of a barrier. There’s a barrier on it. I know how to dispel it, so leave it to me. And….”

I looked at the Clan Leader.

“The Clan Leader needs to prepare for the curse-breaking.”

“What kind of preparation? Just tell me anything.”

I raised my index finger and answered.

“Sufficient rest, balanced meals. And the meals must include Clarity Grass.”

You need to build up your strength before the curse-breaking.

And you need to be prepared to accept the Clarity Stone with Clarity Grass….

The Clan Leader flinched.

“….”

“…?”

The Clan Leader frowned and looked at the Clan Leader.

The Clan Leader began turning documents again.

I tilted my head and asked.

“Why?”

“The Clan Leader is not a difficult person to serve. Having lived a life with death by his side, he learns everything quickly and doesn’t complain about food or sleeping arrangements.”

Why is he suddenly talking so much?

“However, there are things that anyone would find physiologically difficult to accept. Just as I have trouble with insects. Don’t you have something like that too, Miss?”

“I’m good at catching insects though.”

“For someone it might be heights, for another it could be being locked in a room, and for yet another it might be death.”

“…?”

“And for the Clan Leader… it’s Clarity Grass.”

It was saying he was a picky eater.

* * *

A few days later. I groaned as I looked at the tray Antonio brought from the tower.

‘He really won’t eat it.’

Only the Myeongjeongcho was left sitting there alone.

The Clan Leader really wouldn’t eat the Myeongjeongcho.

Even the Clan Leader who had spoken so long in the tower last time, taking the Clan Leader’s side, now looked like he might develop an illness from anger.

No, maybe the illness had already come.

His clean face, which everyone described as pure and ascetic-looking, was completely twisted.

“Did you try to persuade him?”

“I did.”

“What did you say?”

“I said, ‘The Clan Leader asked if you want to die doing this?'”

“…And then?”

“The Clan Leader told me to come to the tower.”

Antonio got kicked in the shin by the Clan Leader.

I groaned softly.

‘The process of adapting the body with Myeongjeongcho isn’t absolutely necessary.’

But without it, he would suffer tremendous pain during the detoxification process.

An ordinary person would surely die from shock.

The Clan Leader probably wasn’t eating it because he didn’t care about a little pain, but from the Clan Leader’s and my perspective, we couldn’t help but worry.

‘The taste of Myeongjeongcho must be terrible.’

Myeongjeongcho was a mysterious herb that grew on mana from the air.

And like rose thorns or the poison of monkshood, it had characteristics that protected itself.

That was producing the taste that the person consuming it would find most revolting.

“Still, we can’t let him not eat like this…”

As I muttered, the Clan Leader who had been twisting Antonio’s neck looked at me.

I said.

“How about if I take care of the Clan Leader’s meals by his side?”

“That would be troublesome for you, so Antonio should do it…”

The Clan Leader who was speaking hesitated.

I just smiled kindly.

Neither of us thought Antonio could tactfully figure out the Clan Leader’s food preferences while taking care of his meals.

Antonio usually said two things after eating food.

“Damn delicious!”

“Damn tasteless…”

And the Clan Leader was too busy to have the capacity to take care of the Clan Leader’s every meal.

Even now, he was working without time to sleep because of the Clan Leader’s succession to lordship.

“Hmm. Wouldn’t it be better if I did it?”

“…I’m sorry to burden you, but I must ask you to please do it.”

It wasn’t a bad thing for me either.

If I became close with the Clan Leader through this opportunity, I might be able to become the Clan Leader’s cooking staff even after my role as the young lady ended.

‘Let’s work hard.’

I clenched my fist tightly.

* * *

The heart of the Irregulars, called the Spiral Tower to outsiders.

Clan Leader Aslan, wearing a robe, sat in a chair with his eyes gently closed.

Through the robe whose front wasn’t tied, his muscular skin showed.

The curse markings that spread to his wrists looked like he was bearing chains.

Clan Leader Lorenzo spoke in a low voice.

“It’s no longer safe.”

Extreme pain must be racing through his body.

When he stepped his feet, it would feel like being cut by sharpened blades, and when he breathed, it would be like stabbing his lungs with heated iron skewers.

In fact, it was fortunate that he had managed to preserve his life until now.

“The medicinal incense no longer has any effect either. You can’t even sleep, so why are you being so stubborn?”

At his words, one figure in the four magic mirrors sneered.

[So you should receive treatment from that girl from Andres. Eating food with who knows what in it, and using Myeongjeongseok with unknown proper detoxification.]

“She’s not a child who would harm the Clan Leader.”

When the Clan Leader spoke coldly, the sneering figure chuckled.

[What an amazing girl. Just what method did she use to earn Lorenzo Wors’s trust to that extent?]

“Cesar!”

The Clan Leader shouted.

What appeared in the magic mirrors were the Irregulars’ Elite Squad, excluding Antonio.

Monsters gathered under Aslan who far transcended the category of humans.

Today was the usual regular meeting, and the main agenda was naturally Yustea.

Elite Squad member Cesar’s beautiful face twisted fiercely.

[If you don’t want to see more pathetic scenes, drop the useless thoughts.]

[It’s not wrong though. Since when have we trusted people?]

When one Elite Squad member agreed, the others added their words.

[The Clan Leader’s life is at stake. I also agree that we should be more cautious, haha…]

[The atmosphere is just great. So does anyone have other methods?]

The moment the last person finished speaking, the room became quiet.

For years, the Irregulars had turned this continent upside down like hunting lice.

But they hadn’t found any particularly good solutions.

That’s when it happened.

Knock knock. Along with the knocking sound, a small voice was heard.

“It’s Yustea. I’ve prepared a meal.”

One of the Elite Squad members spoke.

[If there’s an ancient book with detoxification methods written in it, we should get our hands on it… Clan Leader?]

The Elite Squad member who was speaking hesitated.

The Clan Leader had opened the door.

[…!]

[…?!]

Even the Clan Leader’s eyes widened at the casual attitude.

The Clan Leader asked.

“Is it braised ribs?”

“No, it’s not?”

“….”

He became quiet.

—————
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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