How to Replace Your Dad - Chapter 115

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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 115

Happy?

Why?

Interested?

It felt like tangled threads were wildly knotting together in my head.

He raised his head and snapped the notebook shut with one hand.

Then he released my face and turned away.

I shouted in confusion.

“Wait! What do you mean by that! Your Highness! Prince Luciano!”

But he only waved his hand.

I rubbed the spot where Luciano’s lips had touched and stared blankly at his retreating figure.

“This is driving me crazy…”

I muttered like that.

For a while, I couldn’t leave and just groaned in frustration.

‘So does that mean he liked me?’

Come to think of it…

“Yus… Thea… I’ll protect… you…”

“…The promise… in front of the deity… I’ll keep it…”

He had said that at the Reconstruction Society headquarters.

‘In front of a deity?’

Did we make some kind of promise there?

Which deity statue is he talking about?

There should only be one or two deity statues.

And I don’t remember making any significant promise in front of a deity statue.

I was struggling with these thoughts when.

“Saint.”

Someone addressed me.

I turned my head with a start.

An unfamiliar woman was looking at me with an anxious expression.

‘Maid’s uniform?’

A maid’s uniform with a pearl necklace.

This was the mark of a maid serving Empress Regina, Luciano’s mother.

“What’s the matter?”

“Could you come with me for a moment? Empress Regina is greatly agitated.”

Why is she asking me for this?

As I tilted my head in confusion, a sudden thought made me furrow my brow.

“Is this about Stella?”

“Yes, it is.”

Her only son had suffered such an ordeal, so she must be furious.

Since Stella seemed to have contributed to Luciano’s experiment somehow, the arrow would naturally point at Stella.

If Empress Regina caused some incident in her agitation, it wouldn’t benefit Luciano at all.

“Let’s go.”

“Thank you!”

The maid’s expression brightened considerably.

I followed her outside the castle.

I thought we’d go to Empress Regina’s palace, but we headed to an area near the carriage station outside.

‘She’s causing a commotion here?’

I thought it unlikely, but soon loud shouting could be heard.

“You did that to my son… to Luciano…!!”

Stella was being shaken like a piece of paper by Empress Regina’s grip.

Stella’s face was deathly pale.

As if she might collapse at any moment.

But what caught my eye more than that was Empress Regina’s expression.

A face as if the world had collapsed.

Like she was possessed by an evil spirit… no, an expression filled with such resentment that even evil spirits would fear her.

It resembled how Mother had screamed when I fell down the stairs due to Stella’s mistake.

“I… Your Majesty, that’s not what…”

“I’ll kill you! Ah, ahhh—!”

I often had occasions to meet Empress Regina regarding Empress matters.

But the Empress Regina I knew had never worn such an expression.

Luciano’s exceptional beauty came from resembling Empress Regina completely.

Brilliant silver hair that seemed untouched by even a single strand of damage.

Her violet eyes reminded one of violets glistening with moisture under pure white moonlight.

Despite having a grown son, her delicate features and spring flower-like smile made her age impossible to guess.

That Empress Regina was completely broken.

“Luciano… ah, my son… you…! You!”

“Please, Your Majesty, calm down! It’s a misunderstanding. I never did anything to Prince Luciano…!”

Just as Stella was speaking through tears.

Empress Regina staggered.

Stella hurriedly tried to catch her.

But I was faster.

I quickly supported the Empress.

“Are you alright?”

“…Noble Lady is…”

Empress Regina looked at me with reddened eyes.

The Empress, who had been looking at me with trembling eyes, suddenly turned her head and straightened her posture.

Thanks to that, I no longer needed to support her.

I spoke to her as she bit her lips tightly.

“I’ll escort you to the Empress’s palace.”

“Did the Empress send you to tell me not to cause a scene in front of others?”

“…”

“Then go and tell her this. Ask if she enjoys pretending to worry about my son while pushing all the blame onto that girl.”

“…”

“Also tell her it’s disgusting.”

The muscles in her neck bulged as if she was trying to hold back tears.

She probably thought I had sided with the Empress again.

‘Why?’

What reason would I have to side with the Empress?

I spoke carefully.

“I came because I was worried about you, Your Majesty.”

“Stop lying.”

“…”

“If you had, you would have said you wanted Luciano when His Majesty hinted he would give you a prince.”

“…”

“That was the only way… the only way for Luciano to make a comeback… ah…”

Empress Regina buried her face in both hands and staggered.

‘She thinks Luciano has lost his value after becoming like that.’

So she believes I won’t choose Luciano.

She had been hoping for the Emperor’s mention of marriage with royalty.

And she despaired at my rejection.

That was when it happened.

“Stop this.”

The Empress’s voice rang out.

People immediately stepped back.

Through the gap, the Empress walked forward with her ladies-in-waiting and Yohael.

The Empress’s expression was different from Empress Regina’s.

The Empress had the corners of her mouth turned up.

‘Well, she has nothing to lose.’

Gaspard had been rescued, and Yohael was unharmed.

Although it was revealed that Hera, her nephew from her family, was a member of the Reconstruction Council, she had gained more than she lost.

Luciano, who had been Yohael’s greatest enemy, had become a chimera.

With Luciano out of the way, Yohael had no rivals.

The throne would naturally roll into his hands.

In the end, the Empress and Yohael had gained the most from this situation.

“What is this disgraceful behavior in front of people?”

Empress Regina gritted her teeth.

The Empress gestured to her ladies-in-waiting.

“Take the Empress to the palace.”

Empress Regina shouted with a cold face.

“Do you think you’ve obtained everything?”

“Enough. This is not something to discuss in front of others.”

“His Majesty knows best how brilliant my son is. He’s not a child who will retreat like this.”

“Regina.”

“I know how kind and strong that child is! He’s absolutely not a child who will give up like this!”

Empress Regina screamed in fury.

Stella flinched at seeing her flushed red face.

Stella carefully approached Yohael.

“Yohael…”

But then.

Smack.

He struck away Stella’s outstretched hand.

“…!”

Stella’s face turned pale.

Of course, grabbing a prince in front of others was unthinkable.

However, Yohael had always tolerated such behavior from Stella with a troubled smile.

Today’s Yohael was different.

The smile he always wore was nowhere to be found.

And he was looking at me…

‘Why is he looking at me like that?’

He was completely stiff.

I furrowed my brow.

‘Why. What.’

Yohael didn’t avoid my gaze.

The Empress spoke to me.

“You must have been troubled by the Empress. Come to my palace. Tell me about what happened in detail.”

Then she looked at Yohael as well and continued.

“Yohael, you have time for tea, don’t you?”

“Yes, Mother.”

Her intention to arrange time with Yohael was obvious.

People passing through the palace looked at the commotion with interested expressions.

The whispers of nobles famous for gossip could be heard.

“Is Prince Yohael getting engaged to Yustea Andres again?”

“Isn’t she Yustea Cuaron now?”

“Anyway. If it’s the Saint and First Prince combination, the owner of the golden crown will be certain.”

…Well, everyone would think that.

The Empress extended her hand to me.

“Come, Yustea.”

“I’m sorry. I have a prior engagement with Empress Regina.”

“…What?”

The Empress’s face immediately hardened.

Empress Regina also looked at me in surprise.

I approached the Empress.

“Your Majesty, I earnestly request. Please give me the honor of escorting you to the palace.”

“…”

“If that’s difficult, please let me follow behind to see that you return safely.”

“…Why…”

“Because Prince Luciano would be worried.”

At that, the Empress clenched her fists tightly.

Yohael’s expression was as icy as the Empress’s.

The ladies-in-waiting of Empress Regina’s Palace brightened and said.

“Since the Saint requests it so earnestly, please grant her request.”

“Yes, Your Majesty. Please do so.”

When even the ladies-in-waiting stepped forward, Empress Regina was quiet for a moment before nodding.

“…Alright.”

I quickly supported her.

A persistent gaze clung to my back as I left supporting Empress Regina.

I didn’t care about it either way.

* * *

The Empress bit her lips tightly as she watched the retreating figure.

Then she looked at Yohael.

“What on earth was that?”

“…What are you referring to?”

“That attitude.”

When the Empress whispered coldly, Yohael glanced at Yustea.

Yustea’s expression as she looked at Empress Regina was gentle.

Just like when she used to treat the Empress during her engagement to Yohael.

The Empress narrowed her brow.

“Does that girl really have feelings for Luciano?”

“No.”

“…!”

The Empress looked at her son in surprise.

Yohael’s voice was utterly cold.

“You…”

But soon he let out a soft sigh and raised the corners of his mouth.

“She seems to be sulking at me.”

“If that girl sides with Luciano, we’ll miss this opportunity.”

“Don’t worry too much.”

“But…”

“If I appease her, she’ll come back quickly. Hasn’t it always been that way?”

Even when he did terrible things, he would smile and say sorry, and she would understand as if she had no choice.

Even when the woman he used as an informant truly fell for him and saw Yustea as an obstacle.

Even after being slapped by that woman.

“Don’t do that anymore…”

“Sorry. You must be upset.”

“More than being upset, it’s hard to deal with. Her Majesty the Empress will worry too.”

Even when he broke his promise on Yustea’s birthday to go out with Stella.

She understood with just a single sigh.

Things even parents couldn’t understand, she accepted so easily.

So for Yohaël, the easiest person was Yustea.

But…

“The Prince is my blood relative?”

“…”

“No, why are you doing something even blood relatives wouldn’t do? Why!”

“…”

“What am I that the person who should be most noble in the world does such things!”

Why are you shouting like that.

With a face frustrated beyond measure.

Why did you cry because of Luciano.

“You don’t know how noble a person Luciano is.”

“Ah, kugh… ahhh…!”

“You can’t even imagine how gentle and upright his heart is…”

“Sa, save me… ahhh… save me…!”

“I even thought someone like me wanted to protect him. That strength! That sublime beauty—!”

‘Why like that…’

His chest felt tight.

He couldn’t tell where this boiling feeling in his stomach came from.

Was it anger from having the rarest thing stolen by someone else.

He simply couldn’t smile.

The Empress clicked her tongue.

“You’ll handle it well on your own, but you’ll need to be more careful than usual.”

“Yes.”

The Empress turned her back.

As the commotion ended, even the onlookers began to disperse.

Yohaël also began to walk.

Stella followed behind Yohaël.

Yohaël, who had been heading to his palace, stopped walking when he reached a deserted place.

He turned to look at Stella.

“Did I give you permission to enter the palace?”

“…Are you angry?”

Stella bit her lip.

Her tearful face was no longer interesting at all.

Stella clasped her hands tightly and said.

“I did it to protect you.”

“I know.”

“Really? That’s a relief… I was worried that even Yohaël misunderstood me.”

“Misunderstood…”

As Yohaël muttered, Stella sniffled and said “Yeah.”

She said.

“I’m having such a hard time…”

“Stella.”

“Yeah?”

“You used to be interesting.”

“…What?”

She was a peculiar child.

Behavior unbefitting a noble.

A purely cheerful personality.

Yet luck was always on her side.

He wondered where such fortune came from and wanted to watch her closely.

But…

“Now you’re not interesting anymore.”

“What… Yohaël…?”

“Losing isn’t my type.”

Yohaël smiled coldly.

He turned his back without another word.

Stella stared at Yohaël’s back, frozen in place.

* * *

Regina Palace.

Empress Regina and I were quietly looking at each other.

In a rather… very awkward atmosphere.

Fortunately, tea was served soon.

Instead, the maids were trying to lighten the mood by making conversation.

“This is water flower tea. It’s a rare tea in the palace.”

“Will it suit the Saint’s taste?”

I lightly bowed my head while picking up the teacup.

“Yes. Thank you.”

Still, Empress Regina remained silent.

Just staring at me intently.

The maids looked at each other, not knowing what to do.

“Your, Your Majesty…”

It was just as the head maid, unable to bear it any longer, was about to speak.

“I’ll treat you well.”

What?

I froze while holding the teacup.

“…Pardon?”

“I like children who are on my son’s side. And you’re on my son’s side, right?”

“That’s…”

Empress Regina suddenly grabbed my hand.

“You won’t get a single drop of water on your hands.”

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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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