How to Replace Your Dad - Chapter 116

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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 116

The maids glanced back and forth between the Empress and me with startled expressions.

Among them, some even covered their mouths with their fingertips, afraid they might let out a gasp of surprise.

If even the maids who had worked long in the Imperial Palace were this flustered, how much more so was I?

I just rolled my eyes around.

Trying my best to hide my confusion.

“That… is…”

But the confusion leaked out in my voice.

That’s when it happened.

Thud.

The door opened and a tall man appeared.

Excluding the Emperor, the only man who could freely come and go from this Empress’s Palace.

It was Luciano.

When I widened my eyes in surprise, Luciano grabbed my wrist.

And he looked at Empress Regina with narrowed eyes.

Empress Regina’s eyebrows drooped as if her heart ached again seeing her son’s face.

However, as if trying not to show it, she lifted her chin defiantly.

“What’s the matter?”

When she asked, Luciano pulled my arm behind him.

I was awkwardly dragged behind his back.

Only then did Luciano receive a notebook from his attendant and spoke.

Why are you calling the child?

The Empress raised an eyebrow and spoke arrogantly.

“I didn’t call her. The Noble Lady brought me to the palace. Isn’t that right, Noble Lady?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

When I quickly answered, the corners of the Empress’s mouth turned up.

“See, that’s what she says.”

Luciano looked at me and the Empress and let out a sigh.

And soon he wrote in his notebook.

After today, you two must not meet.

As soon as she saw the writing, the Empress looked upset.

Deep wrinkles formed between her brows as if she was quite displeased.

“I like the Noble Lady. And it doesn’t seem like the Noble Lady particularly dislikes me either.”

I dislike you.

“Why? Do you think I’m going to devour this child?”

You wouldn’t devour her.

You wouldn’t just stand by and watch me devour her.

“What if I don’t watch?”

First, I’ll sink all of Mother’s collection to the bottom of the North Sea.

“What—?!”

The excited Empress Regina shot up from her seat.

She had even forgotten her efforts not to show sadness to Luciano, and sparks flew from her eyes.

It was understandable.

The Empress was a famous gem collector.

She possessed gems more precious than those in the Imperial Palace Basement Storehouse.

Connoisseurs would jokingly say that what Empress Regina loved most wasn’t three meals a day, nor even her son, but sparkling stones.

“First? You mean there’s more after sinking those precious things?”

However, Luciano brazenly lifted his head.

Yes.

“What could be worse than that?”

I’ll tell His Majesty.

“…”

“…”

Upon seeing those words, the Empress, me, and even the maids were left speechless.

However, Luciano shamelessly pulled my wrist to completely hide me behind his back.

Empress Regina’s mouth gaped open and closed.

“They say there’s no use raising a son…!”

She’s not a child to be used as a tool in the succession struggle.

I peeked out and saw the sentence he wrote, my eyes widening.

Empress Regina also forgot her excitement and became quiet.

Biting her lips, she turned her head and muttered.

“I just want children who like each other to be together. Of course, I’d welcome the benefits that might come from it too.”

We don’t like each other.

“What?”

Empress Regina looked at me and Luciano in surprise.

“You mean you don’t have feelings for each other?”

Only I like her.

“…!”

I forgot my manners and gasped.

Empress Regina also looked back and forth between the notebook and me with a surprised face.

Even the maids widened their eyes and covered their mouths with their fingertips. Still, small sounds of “Oh my…” leaked out.

Flustered, I whispered to Luciano.

“What are you doing!”

However, Luciano showed no sign of embarrassment.

Instead, as if saying something obvious, he very calmly wrote again.

So don’t call her and waste her time.

I don’t have enough time to see her as it is.

With those words, Luciano dragged me out of the room.

I looked back as he pulled me along.

“Em-Empress, I’ll be going now.”

As I greeted her like that, the Empress looked at me and Luciano with wide eyes.

The maids fidgeted with completely flushed faces.

I felt like biting my tongue…

* * *

After coming out to the corridor, I pressed my palms firmly against my eyes.

It felt like the heat from my face had spread to my eyes.

I stayed quiet like that for a while, but I felt a gaze on me.

I narrowed my eyes and glared at Luciano.

“How could you say something like that?”

I was scolding him because I was embarrassed.

Luciano shrugged his shoulders.

His face that said ‘What did I do?’ was annoying.

“That… about the Prince not having enough time to see me… that…”

Unable to say it with my own mouth, I fumbled with my words, and the Prince tilted his head slightly.

As if asking what I meant.

“I mean… that… the Prince not having enough time to see me…”

My voice trailed off.

Unable to say it with my own mouth, I held my head and groaned.

But then I heard a soft chuckle.

When I looked up, a wonderful smile was hanging on Luciano’s lips.

I said sulkily.

“You were teasing me.”

He lightly ruffled my hair.

When I flinched and grabbed my head, he muttered something.

I couldn’t hear the sound, but I could guess the meaning from the shape of his lips.

Soon he scribbled something in his notebook.

Don’t go to Mother. Same goes for calling her.

“…Why do you keep telling me not to meet her?”

Because you’ll become a target for the Empress.

“…”

Don’t let your good intentions become grounds for attacking you.

Don’t get swept up in it.

With those words, Luciano closed his notebook.

Watching him turn around and walk away, I made a confused expression.

Sure, I had received hints that she wanted to meet.

But no one had ever confronted me with their feelings like that.

And with those eyes… never with such affectionate eyes that said I was lovable…

Remembering the shape of Luciano’s lips when he was muttering, I covered my cheeks.

‘He said I was cute… geez…’

Not just my face, but even the back of my neck felt hot.

* * *

The place I headed to was Duke Esgaroth’s Second Residence.

Grandfather had recommended the First Residence used by direct family members.

Previously, since Father hadn’t been officially announced as Duke Esgaroth’s son yet, we used the Second Residence, but now it was different.

The Second Residence, which I had at least visited once before, felt more comfortable than a new space.

The First Residence would have many guests too.

‘And most importantly…’

I said to the butler of the Second Residence.

“Is ‘that place’ ready?”

“Yes, Young Lady.”

“Then, I’d like to go see it now.”

“Yes.”

I excitedly got into the carriage.

Titania A21-1 District.

The holy site I had taken from the Marchioness.

‘The Second Residence is close to the holy site.’

After taking it, I had been too busy to visit the holy site.

Since I came to the archipelago, I thought I’d check it out with my own eyes.

The place I arrived at by carriage had been transformed into an excellent training ground.

The holy site itself was about the size of a school playground, but they had bought all the surrounding land as well, perfectly establishing the appearance of a training facility.

I picked up the communication stone.

And when I connected the communication.

[What.]

A sulky voice came through.

It was Yuise.

“What’s wrong, did something happen?”

Her voice was colder than usual.

[Do you know how much our training intensity has increased thanks to the Young Lady kissing a man?]

“…I don’t want to talk about that anymore.”

[I bet you don’t. You’d want to keep such sweet stories to yourself.]

“…”

[You’re the one who kissed him, so why do we have to suffer? Huh?]

Yuise burst out in frustration.

Father pretends to be a thoughtful parent who respects his daughter’s love life in front of me, but that’s all an act.

After seeing me kiss Luciano, he couldn’t have been more terrifying.

The enemies crushed by Father’s hands were pitiful…

[My training load is double because I’m in charge of your escort.]

Yuise huffed angrily.

“I’ll… talk to Father about it…”

[You think only the Clan Leader is like that? If it were just the Clan Leader, I could at least understand—]

[Yuise, come in.]

[…]

[Yuise!]

[Is the Clan Leader perhaps your other father? Or your mother? Or at least your uncle…?]

The Clan Leader’s angry voice came through the communication stone.

‘Why is the Clan Leader…?’

Father might be upset seeing his daughter forget the proper conduct of a noble lady, but…

[Yuise!]

[I’m discussing divine power training with the Young Lady…]

[Come in when you’re done.]

Yuise let out a deep sigh.

Though there would never be another kissing incident, I resolved even more firmly to absolutely never do it again.

After that, training began.

[You brought the Botella, right?]

“Yeah.”

It would be terrible if my divine power was depleted during training.

I brought the improved Botella that Luciano had finally found with that body of his.

And I had asked Father, who has tremendous mana, to fill it up beforehand.

The improved Botella was amazing.

Enough to understand why Luciano had wanted to give it to me so badly.

The original Botella could only receive a very small portion of Father’s mana.

But the improved version seemed to be a struggle even for Father to fully infuse with mana.

‘With this, I can feel at ease.’

[You know that divine power and curse power are different from magic, right.]

“Yeah. Magic is implemented by releasing mana, while divine power and curse power distort mana by mixing it with natural elements.”

[Right. My curse magic also uses shadows to distort them into a form that suits me.]

So the text strings that Yuise uses like whips use shadows.

I nodded and concentrated.

[So for divine power and curse power users, mana circulation is fundamental. Like when you enhanced your weapon, think of wind and earth as one body and circulate them.]

“…”

[Why?]

“How is that possible?”

[Why wouldn’t it be possible?]

I frowned.

This is why geniuses are…

Enhancing weapons wasn’t difficult.

I could flow mana along the contact points and quickly push the flowing mana to circulate it.

‘How do I circulate without contact?’

[Then sit on the ground first.]

“Sit down?”

[If it’s difficult, think of your legs as contact points and circulate it down to the ground. It’s the same technique as when you strengthened your sword, so you should be able to do that.]

That should be the case.

I immediately sat down on the floor and crossed my legs.

Then I let mana flow through the parts touching the ground and circulated it.

‘Ah… this is completely different from creating a nullification field.’

I had been expelling mana to create a field.

That was a magic technique.

‘If I master the divine technique, I might be able to make the field even wider…’

I was thinking that when it happened.

Thump.

‘Huh?’

My heartbeat grew louder.

It was a massive, dull resonance that struck through my head like a blow.

Thump… thump…

Thump.

But it was strange.

‘Is this really my heartbeat…?’

I was muttering that as I gently opened my eyes.

“Huh?”

Half the amount in the improved Botella hanging around my neck had disappeared.

Half of this enormous amount of mana?

Just from circulating it?

For a moment, my head spun.

I flinched and pressed my palm against my temple, groaning.

“Yuise… something’s wrong…”

[What?]

“This is… somehow…”

[Young Lady?]

He asked, but I couldn’t answer.

Because my body swayed and collapsed to the floor.

[You have moved the gears of the Holy Site.]

[Quest completed.]

[Playing cinematic video.]

[Moving 【Player】’s location.]

And light poured forth.

* * *

I groaned and opened my eyes.

I thought my whole body would ache, but surprisingly.

It felt incredibly light.

…Just like when I entered the Dungeon Ghost Castle.

I was startled.

‘Could this be a visualization?’

I hurriedly looked around.

This was the Andres Estate.

The curtain patterns, unfamiliar employees… and…

“Did you sleep well, my love?”

Mother, kneeling with her arms spread wide.

I stared at Mother, frozen in place.

[Mom…]

I was muttering when it happened.

Someone ran past me.

When I saw who had run over, I gasped loudly.

“Mother!”

…It was me.

Young Yustea, who appeared to be about seven years old.

Mother smiled brightly and kissed my cheek.

“Pretty thing, you pretty thing, you lovely little thing.”

Before I knew it, it had become not just kisses but an intense display of affection bordering on suction.

But my younger self laughed cheerfully.

“Were you well?”

“Yes! When did you arrive?”

“This morning. I got something my treasure would like. I paid extra for something that old yellow geezer said he wouldn’t sell.”

“You shouldn’t call Clan Leader Batura that…”

“Oh, my mistake. I paid extra for something that baldy said he wouldn’t give me!”

“…”

My younger self seemed to give up and smiled kindly.

Mother grinned and handed something to my younger self.

“What is this?”

“A coin.”

“A coin?”

“Yes. It’s a coin made by the first Pope. They say if you throw it into the Divine fountain, you can summon God’s familiars. It’s probably superstition, but it’s romantic, isn’t it?”

“Ah…”

“If you have a wish, go try it.”

“But I have a lot to study today.”

“Oh, really? Mother would really like our daughter to do this errand for her.”

Mother called out.

The Head Maid, who caught on, chuckled and bowed her head.

That Head Maid would be dismissed for some reason later, but she was a good person who treated us mother and daughter very well.

My younger self’s face brightened immediately.

“I’ll go to Divine Lake and come back!”

Divine…?

Could it be the deity that Luciano mentioned?

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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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