How to Replace Your Dad - Chapter 117

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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 117

After that, I discovered several things.

1. Only my soul had come to this place.

It was different from the Dungeon Haunted Castle where consciousness had been materialized.

No one could perceive me.

2. Right now, my age was six years old.

To be precise, it was the year when I was six, on a day when there was an event at the Temple.

I was going there with the Head Maid to throw commemorative coins.

3. The Head Maid’s name was Bella.

Well, this was something I remembered.

Anyway, I ended up going out wearing a hat with a very wide brim together with Head Maid Bella.

Fortunately, the Marchioness didn’t view my outing unfavorably.

It was thanks to Mother’s lie that it was to choose a gift to send to a daughter of nobility my age.

However, even while heading outside, my younger self was restless.

“Are you feeling uncomfortable?”

Bella asked me as I fidgeted with my fingers, not knowing what to do.

“Mm-hmm, because I lied to Grandmother…”

“Do you know what this kind of lie is called?”

“What is it called?”

Bella winked one eye and said.

“It’s called flexibility.”

My younger self opened her eyes wide.

She blinked while looking into space, seemingly pondering Bella’s words.

And soon nodded her head.

“It’s like how Mother calls Grandmother ‘that cranky old woman’ behind her back but says ‘our mother~’ in front of people.”

“How clever you are.”

Chuckling softly, Bella gently stroked my cheek with the back of her hand.

Bella looked at me with an expression that found everything I did adorable.

At this age, I was a child full of curiosity.

Sticking to the carriage window, I asked incessantly.

“What’s that? And what about this? Why are people lining up to receive food?”

“That’s snake skin, this is an apothecary that sells things like snake skin. And that place is a famous restaurant. Shall we stop for a moment so you can try it?”

“Yes!”

My emotional expressions were also rich.

I ate street food for the first time in my life and froze stiff.

Then I looked at Bella with a serious expression.

“That chef should be invited to the Imperial Palace to be in charge of meals for foreign ambassadors. To elevate Avalon’s national prestige… Bella, what’s the name of this fantastic food?”

“Did you find the french fries that delicious?”

I had thought I was well-behaved from a young age, but apparently not.

That was how I had been educated in Andres.

‘She’s really enjoying this.’

It seemed she was having great fun sightseeing outside.

‘I suppose around this time I was mostly cooped up in the manor.’

I wasn’t attending academy yet, and social activities were still to come.

Because of the Marquis and Marchioness’s watchful eyes, it was difficult even to go on outings alone with Mother.

My younger self was excited the entire way to the Temple where the deity was enshrined.

Since carriages couldn’t enter inside the Temple, my younger self had to walk together with Bella.

Then we were blocked by a guard.

“Food cannot be brought inside. There’s a trash can on the left, please dispose of it before entering.”

My younger self flinched.

I had bought one more of that delicious food because I wanted Mother to try it too.

Holding it tightly against my chest in case it got cold.

Bella said.

“Wasn’t it possible to enter with food normally?”

“We’re restricting it due to an upcoming event.”

The carriage was too far away.

With a child’s steps, it would be difficult to return before the event.

Moreover, if there was an event, we would need to register and enter.

It meant the Marchioness would find out that I had lied and come to play at the Temple.

My younger self said dejectedly.

“Then I want to go back…”

“Young Lady…”

“It’s okay. I can throw the coins another time.”

“….”

Though I said that, both Bella and my younger self knew.

That if not today, going out would be difficult.

The Marchioness would never let me go.

Bella knelt down in front of me as if she had made up her mind.

“I’ll take it to the carriage. I’ll hurry back, so please wait a moment. And absolutely don’t leave the guards’ side.”

When Bella asked, the guard nodded.

After that, Bella hurriedly ran off carrying the french fries.

My younger self waited for Bella with an excited expression.

But it was strange.

No matter how long I waited, Bella didn’t return.

Not even until the event started.

My younger self pressed down the wide-brimmed hat with an anxious expression.

Afraid that someone I knew might catch me at the Temple.

Because then the Marchioness would find out that I had lied and come out today, which scared me.

I was fidgeting restlessly.

“There you are.”

Some neat-looking man approached.

He bowed to my younger self and said.

“I’m Bella’s brother. Something happened to Bella, so I came in her place.”

“You’re Bella’s sibling?”

“Yes.”

“What happened to Bella?”

“Family matters. She told me to escort you back to the manor, Young Lady.”

The man looked exactly like Bella to anyone who saw him.

Ivory-colored hair and green eyes.

Drooping eyes.

Upturned lips.

The guard didn’t suspect the man who was neatly dressed and knew Bella’s name.

The man took my hand and led me.

I frantically hovered in front of my younger self.

[You can’t go!]

I said, but it didn’t reach my younger self.

I felt so frustrated I wanted to beat my chest.

I remember this day.

‘Because it’s the day when a tremendous incident occurs!’

That man is definitely Bella’s brother.

Otherwise, it would have been difficult for him to look so exactly alike that even I, who had high wariness even as a child, would follow him completely.

So I only learned later.

Just because someone is the blood relative of a good person doesn’t mean they’re equally good.

He was trash who exploited Bella by threatening to abandon their sick grandmother.

And after grandmother died and Bella firmly cut ties with her brother, he became an irredeemable piece of trash who made a living as a human trafficker.

[He followed Bella and found out she was alone with me, so he’s trying to kidnap me!]

That trash is the one who assaulted and imprisoned Bella!

I know that whatever I do here is useless.

But with my frustrated heart, I even gestured wildly while chasing after young me.

‘What happened after this?’

It was from when I was too young, so I only remember that there was a kidnapping incident.

I couldn’t remember the process well.

I groaned in frustration.

‘So at this time I…’

“Hey, Bella’s brother.”

“Yes, Young Lady.”

“How did you know I was a young lady?”

“…Pardon?”

Young me looked up at the trash.

“I’ve never seen Bella’s brother before. But how does Bella’s brother know me?”

“My sister told me. She said you were a cute young lady with ash-colored hair and golden eyes.”

“…”

As young me stared intently at his face, the trash smiled awkwardly.

“Shall we go then? My carriage is over there.”

At that time, we were just leaving the temple entrance.

The moment the trash tried to pull me, young me let go of his hand.

“Bella’s brother is a liar.”

“What… do you mean by that?”

“I’m wearing such a big hat. So you couldn’t have recognized my face.”

“That’s…”

“I won’t go with a liar.”

“…!”

The trash flinched.

Young me had suddenly started running.

I was startled and opened my eyes wide.

[Well done!]

I clapped my hands excitedly.

Right, wearing such a big-brimmed hat, there’s no way he could have recognized me at once.

He had followed Bella and memorized young me’s appearance.

And after dealing with Bella, he came for young me.

“Damn it, catch her!”

The trash shouted.

Then three men came rushing out of the carriage.

Four men including the trash.

Young me ran into the temple.

Since the ceremony had already started, there was no one at the entrance.

I tried to run to the guards, but it was impossible.

I almost got caught by the men, so I turned and ran in the other direction.

“This is bad. This is really bad.”

Young me ran frantically with both hands near my mouth.

[Ask for help. Scream!]

But young me couldn’t bring myself to scream.

“If Grandmother finds out I went out, Mother and Bella will get in trouble. Bella will be whipped. This time she might die…”

I had a memory of Bella being whipped once because of my mistake.

Bella, who became a bloody mess, remained as trauma for me.

I was too afraid of that to scream.

‘A six-year-old who’s more afraid of family reproach than kidnapping.’

I silently watched young me turn pale with fear and hide.

Young me hid in a corner of the temple and crouched down as much as possible.

Cold sweat was dripping from young me.

My whole body trembled like an aspen leaf.

From outside came the sound of men cursing harshly while searching for young me.

Young me hugged my knees with trembling hands and whispered.

“It’s okay… it’s okay, baby…”

I couldn’t even call for Mother, Father, or even my siblings.

I could only repeat like a mantra the words Mother whispered while patting my back when putting me to sleep.

I carefully reached out my hand.

And I embraced young me, who was crouched like a potato and trembling.

Young me wouldn’t even know of my existence, but I wanted to hug this child.

[It’s okay.]

You did your best.

You worked hard and found them.

People you could call when you were afraid.

That’s when it happened.

“Ah…”

Young me suddenly lifted my head.

As if sensing something.

Young me blinked.

But not long after, my eyes widened and I froze in shock.

“Found you.”

It was because I saw sinister green eyes filled with madness along with an ominous voice.

Bella’s brother.

He grabbed young me’s arm and roughly dragged me out.

“No, let go!”

“This is why I hate brats.”

He spoke through gritted teeth while roughly grabbing young me’s shoulder.

“If you had just listened, you could have gone quietly. That girl Bella was the same way.”

“Bella…?”

“They don’t listen when you speak nicely. That girl ended up like that because of it too.”

“You hit Bella…?”

He smirked, lifting the corner of his mouth.

“I made sure she’ll never see the light of day again.”

“…!”

“If you don’t want to end up the same way, you’d better behave.”

Young me seemed shocked and opened and closed my mouth.

I had thought Bella would be safe since she was family.

The trash was an even worse person than young me had thought.

The trash turned around and spoke to the men who came with him.

“Let’s withdraw.”

The men checked their pocket watches and grumbled.

“We’re going to be late for the deal. Those guys won’t cut the price just because we’re late, will they?”

“If they try to cut it, we can just deal directly with Andres ourselves.”

“Whatever we choose, all that’s left for us now is to sit on a pile of money. She’s the daughter of the Andres Marquis Family.”

Bella’s brother held onto me while chatting casually with the men.

“Don’t forget whose doing this all is. I get 50%. You guys split the remaining 50%.”

“We got it already.”

Young me’s eyes reddened as I bit my lips.

Not screaming out of fear that Bella might be whipped to death had been meaningless.

Just then.

Young me widened my eyes once more.

I had spotted the hem of a skirt passing by in the distance.

After glancing at the trash once, young me took a deep breath as if resolved.

And then…

“Help me! Sister, help me!”

“…!”

“…?!”

The trash and the men flinched.

The trash quickly covered my mouth.

“Sis… mmph, sister! Mmph!”

I bit down hard on the trash’s fingers and screamed until my throat was raw.

But it was useless.

No one came back.

Only then did the trash and the men click their tongues and sigh in relief.

Young me turned pale.

The trash picked up young me carelessly.

“If someone hears the noise and calls the guards, we’re done for. Let’s hurry and get out.”

“Right.”

Young me was dragged away with my mouth still covered.

Even then, I cried and screamed something.

“Sister, waah…”

It was just as they were about to exit the temple corridor.

“I didn’t know you were calling me sister.”

A beautiful voice was heard.

The person blocking the men tilted their head sideways.

That person was a beauty like a lily given form.

Brilliant silver hair flowing down their back.

A face smooth without a speck of dust.

Even their standing posture was straight and beautiful like that of a statue.

I thought they might be wearing a dress from the skirt hem, but it was a tunic.

They seemed to be a lighter participating in the temple’s candle lighting ceremony.

The attire of a lighter.

Both the tunic and having their eyes covered with cloth.

The cloth seemed to be loosely woven with thread, making it not difficult to secure vision.

But the problem was…

“It’s just a kid?”

“Ah, what a surprise.”

The men said this and laughed helplessly.

The person who appeared looked to be less than ten years old at most.

Young me sniffled and spoke with garbled pronunciation.

“Sister… (Sister…)”

“Who’s your sister.”

At that moment.

Whoosh—!

Wind blew fiercely.

The wind speed was tremendous, like a typhoon.

The men were pushed back by it.

In that wind, Bella’s brother lost his grip on young me.

However, young me didn’t fall to the ground.

I floated up gently and was directed toward the tunic-wearing child.

In the process, my hat fell off with a thud.

The child held me close and examined my face intently.

Then soon let out a hollow laugh.

“What’s this. It’s a miniature version of Count Andres.”

“Thank you… I hear that a lot…”

When young me spoke while sniffling, the child said in an indifferent tone.

“It’s not a compliment.”

“But Father is pretty… Ah!”

Young me couldn’t continue speaking.

“This damn girl!”

“You’re in for it now!”

Because the excited men came running with clenched fists.

The child lightly twisted their body to avoid the men.

There were places they couldn’t block in time, but when a man’s fist made contact…

Clang—!

A sharp sound was heard.

It was blocked by a small barrier that formed at that spot.

Young me had an extremely surprised expression.

My eyes sparkled with such admiration that respect was bubbling up.

However, the child seemed displeased at not being able to avoid the attack and spoke in an irritated voice.

“Damn blindfold. How long do I have to keep wearing this thing.”

“Should I untie it for you?”

“Never mind. It’ll just be troublesome.”

“Yes…”

“….”

The child was silent for a moment, then spoke.

“Actually, I could have avoided them all. I couldn’t avoid it because the blindfold narrowed my field of vision.”

“Yes!”

“Really.”

“Yes!”

“Don’t go telling people. Especially not Yohaël.”

“You know Yohael? What shouldn’t I tell him? That you’re stronger than Yohael too?”

“…You can tell him that part.”

The voice somehow sounded proud.

I quietly watched that scene.

‘It wasn’t a sister.’

I hadn’t recognized them because of the tunic and long hair, but this child wasn’t a girl.

It’s someone I know.

The child set young me down on the ground and asked indifferently.

“Are you hurt anywhere?”

“I don’t have any.”

“Then stay behind me.”

“Yes!”

Our first meeting wasn’t at the Imperial Palace.

He always saved me.

Even in that moment of our first meeting.

‘Luciano.’

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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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