How to Replace Your Dad - Chapter 118

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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 118

Luciano set young me down.

And while carrying me on his back, he dealt with the men…

‘Wow.’

In reality, the trash and kidnappers were thoroughly beaten in no time.

After gathering the sprawled men together, Luciano dusted off his hands.

“Do you have anything to write with?”

“Uh, I don’t…”

Luciano clicked his tongue.

Then, as if he had no choice, he aimed his fingertip at the floor…

Scrrratch!

He wrote letters on the temple floor using light magic.

Criminals.

To be collected.

“Hic…”

Young me was so shocked I froze with clenched fists.

Just drawing on the floor would get you scolded until tears came out, but he actually carved grooves into the floor.

And in a temple at that.

Luciano looked back at young me.

“Done?”

“Ah…”

Only then did young me come to my senses and bow deeply.

“Thank you!”

“Yeah.”

“Then farewell!”

“That’s it?”

“Oh right, please tell me your name. I need to repay you.”

“It’s fine.”

“No. Mother said. If you’re harmed, pay back ten times, and if you receive kindness, pay back one time.”

“One time is just breaking even.”

“Yes! Merchants have to live dirty to fill their bellies!”

“Unbelievable…”

Luciano let out a hollow laugh.

“Are you going to that merchant mother?”

“No. To our Bella. Bella’s been captured so I have to save her. I’m Bella’s Young Lady.”

Young me became anxious and stamped my feet.

Bella’s Brother had said so.

That he wouldn’t let her see sunlight anymore.

She might be badly hurt, so I had to hurry.

Luciano furrowed his brow.

“With soldiers?”

“No.”

“How do you plan to find her without soldiers?”

Then young me opened my eyes wide and said.

“Bella’s Brother came to me after hiding Bella. Considering the time it took, he couldn’t have put Bella far away. I think he probably left her in the carriage. And I saw where the carriage is.”

“….”

“I also saw three men come out of that carriage, you know? Including Bella’s Brother, that’s four. It was a small carriage, so it would be hard for more than four people to ride. Because they’d also have to carry Bella and me.”

“….”

“So there probably aren’t many more bad people in the carriage. So it’s okay.”

Chatter chatter chatter.

Watching young me talk nonstop, Luciano let out a hollow laugh.

He muttered, “How can you talk so much…”

Young me grinned broadly.

But Luciano soon crossed his arms.

“What about the driver’s seat?”

“Huh?”

“Did you account for the driver’s seat too?”

“Uh… that’s…”

“Then there’s at least one more person. And doesn’t the carriage have a cargo compartment?”

“Cargo compartment?”

Young me rolled my eyes as I spoke.

I was trying to recall the carriage I’d seen before.

“There was one.”

“Then they could have put the hostage there. That means there could be one more person inside the carriage.”

“…!”

Young me’s eyes and mouth both became round.

It felt like exclamation marks were sprouting above my head.

‘The me at this time was a child who couldn’t imagine putting people in cargo compartments.’

“Two adult men. Can you handle them?”

“….”

Young me became dejected.

“Take soldiers with you.”

“But then Grandmother will know I came to the temple… I can’t let that happen…”

As young me fidgeted anxiously, Luciano looked exasperated.

He seemed to find it absurd that I feared my grandmother more than the possibility of two more kidnappers.

Young me was thinking too hard to hear.

The sound coming from far away.

“Your Highness!”

“Prince Luciano!”

Well, it was coming from so far away that the pronunciation was muffled and hard to understand.

Luciano glanced back.

Looking at young me again, he said.

“Should I come with you?”

“Really?!”

“I’m bored anyway.”

Young me jumped up and grabbed Luciano’s hand.

Then Luciano flinched and pulled his hand away.

“What are you doing?”

“I like you, big sister.”

“…I told you I’m not a big sister.”

“I like you.”

“Aren’t you embarrassed?”

“I like you!”

“…This is driving me crazy.”

He sighed.

The voices looking for Luciano were getting closer.

“Where are you!”

Luciano clicked his tongue.

“Let’s go.”

“Yes!”

The two children hurriedly left the corridor.

Not long after, some shouting could be heard behind the running child.

“Kidnappers…? No, who carved these letters in the corridor!”

It was the sound of the priests clutching the backs of their necks.

* * *

Just as Luciano had said, there were two men in front of the carriage.

The children hid behind a statue and observed the men.

The men were conversing in irritated tones.

“Did they really go to catch the kid? They didn’t just abandon us and leave, did they?”

“Well, they said they went to catch one.”

“Then why aren’t they coming out? The deal time is right around the corner.”

They looked very anxious.

Luciano whispered to young me.

“I’ll draw their attention, so you sneak into the carriage.”

“You’re not going to beat them up like before?”

“Beat… where did you learn to say such things…”

Luciano let out a sigh.

However, he soon explained the situation to young me.

“I can’t appear where people can see me.”

[Huh?]

I tilted my head.

Why not?

‘Of course, the princes can’t reveal themselves until they reach a certain age.’

But at Luciano’s current age, external activities should be possible.

Yohaël, who was only one year older than Luciano, had been going outside since three years ago.

‘Come to think of it, it was strange that he came to the lighting ceremony too.’

This was also why young me had no idea about Luciano’s identity.

No member of the royal family, especially a prince, had ever appeared at events like the lighting ceremony.

But since young me knew nothing, I just nodded eagerly.

“Yes!”

“Why are you answering so readily? What do you know?”

“Magical girls aren’t supposed to be discovered.”

Luciano muttered as if chewing the words, “I told you I’m not a girl.”

However, he soon gave up and let out a sigh.

“Think whatever you want. Just do as I instructed.”

“Yes.”

Young me clenched my fist with a determined expression.

Luciano placed his hand on the ground.

Then a faint red light spread along the ground.

The light moved quickly toward the men and reached a nearby streetlamp.

Then.

Crack—!

The streetlamp’s light burst with a sharp sound.

“Wh-what!”

The men, who were already tense, were startled.

The moment their gaze turned to the streetlamp.

Luciano’s magic burst another streetlamp’s light.

The men’s attention was completely drawn to the streetlamps.

One of them even walked toward the streetlamp, craning his neck back to examine the light.

“I’ll be back.”

Young me spoke with determined eyes and moved.

I crept stealthily toward the carriage.

I followed young me as well.

Young me quickly lifted the cover of the carriage’s cargo compartment.

“Ugh… sob…”

Young me’s eyes widened.

It was because Bella was crouched there, moaning as if in pain.

She was a complete mess from how badly she’d been beaten.

One eye was so swollen it wouldn’t open properly.

The other eye had a long diagonal cut.

The wound looked so deep that she might never be able to use that eye again.

“Bella…”

“…!”

When young me whispered, Bella flinched.

“Young Lady…!”

“Shh.”

Young me checked on the men and whispered to Bella.

“I came to rescue you. Let’s go.”

Bella spoke to me in a small voice.

“Why did you come? Please go back. I’m fine.”

“I won’t leave Bella alone. I’m Bella’s Young Lady.”

“Young Lady…!”

Bella spoke to young me as if scolding.

However, it had no effect on young me at all.

Young me struggled to pull Bella out.

Bella looked at me with a face about to cry, forcing her swollen eyes open.

Young me’s face was desperate.

I was completely drenched in sweat and trembling.

That was the moment.

“Something feels off about the atmosphere. We should leave now.”

One of the kidnappers could be heard saying that.

The other kidnapper said.

“If we leave now, we’ll be late for the deal. If we’re late, who knows what those guys will do.”

“But…!”

“Ah, seeing that the others aren’t coming either, they must have failed. They probably ran away because they were scared!”

“I-if they find out we went alone, the others will be angry.”

“Let them be. I’ll at least sell off that woman and wash my hands of this… What? Why is the cargo compartment open?”

“…!”

The kidnappers rushed over.

In the end, I was discovered.

The kidnappers who were staring at me grinned wickedly.

“A jackpot just rolled right into our hands.”

Through their grinning mouths, I could see dirty gold teeth.

It was a chilling smile.

Bella mustered her strength and pushed young me away.

“Go!”

However, the kidnappers were faster.

Just as they were about to rush toward me.

Grroooar…!

The red light that had been spread around the area condensed in an instant, creating a barrier.

In that gap, someone came running.

It was Luciano.

Luciano, who had hidden me behind his back, spoke.

“Stand back.”

“What the hell is this.”

The Short and Chubby Man looked at Luciano with an incredulous expression.

Well, it would be laughable since a young child had stepped forward.

It was the moment he reached his hand toward Luciano.

Crack!

His wrist twisted.

“Aaah!”

The short man let out a scream.

“Ma, magic… That bastard’s using magic, Jose…!”

He shouted to his companion behind him.

It was the tall Freckled Man, the one who had been grumbling about wanting to go back immediately.

But something was strange.

Far from being nervous, the Freckled Man had curled up the corners of his mouth.

“We could make a fortune selling this too.”

Rather, it was Luciano who became tense.

“Hey.”

Luciano whispered to the young me.

“Yes?”

“Let’s run. Something’s definitely wrong with that guy.”

The young me made an expression asking what he meant.

However, I could soon understand Luciano’s words.

When the Freckled Man threw something at Luciano, Luciano became unable to move at all.

The young me was startled and tried to run to Luciano.

But Luciano shouted first.

“Don’t come, it’s Bongmaseok!”

‘Bongmaseok?’

I flinched.

Bongmaseok was that thing.

A mineral that seals mana.

Especially for divine-type users, it was no different from deadly poison.

Even the young me knew about it and froze in shock.

‘Where did those men get something like that?’

The Freckled Man provided the answer.

“If you want to resent someone, resent your father. He’s built up so much resentment that the dealer even gave us something like this.”

‘Count Andres, really.’

I frowned, but the young me bit my lips.

The Freckled Man approached Luciano, who had stiffened from the Bongmaseok.

The man pulled down the blindfold.

“What the hell, damn it.”

“Why?”

When his companion asked, the Freckled Man got angry.

“Red eyes. It’s cheap stuff!”

Luciano’s expression hardened.

‘Ah…’

I had forgotten.

Red eyes were a symbol of misfortune.

Now, Luciano had achieved great merit and gained the Emperor’s recognition, changing the prejudice against red eyes.

But at this time, people with red eyes were still called ‘people of bad luck’ and were avoided.

‘That’s why the Emperor didn’t let him do external activities.’

Sending him as the igniter for the ignition ceremony must have also meant to purify the bad luck.

It must have been a big complex for young Luciano.

Luciano’s complexion was pale.

The man roughly grabbed Luciano’s face.

And while turning it this way and that, he said.

“Damn it, where should I sell this dirty thing.”

That’s when it happened.

“Hiyaah—!”

People were startled and looked at the young me.

Because the young me had shouted a loud battle cry and charged at the Freckled Man.

The young me jumped up and bit the freckled man’s forearm.

“Aaah!”

The other companion hurriedly pulled the young me off.

However, the young me was filled with rage and wildly scratched the Freckled Man’s face.

“Apologize. Apologize to big sister—!”

The young me was seething, having forgotten fear.

Luciano stared at me blankly.

“Big sister’s eyes are pretty. Big sister isn’t dirty!”

“….”

“I said apologize! You bad guy!”

I struggled so much that the Short Man let go of the young me.

The young me jumped straight into the Bongmaseok.

Sizzzzle—!

For me, a divine-type user, Bongmaseok was a tremendous weapon.

The young body trembled violently.

“What are you doing…!”

Luciano shouted in shock.

“Big sister, run away!”

It hurt so much that my face turned blue and I cried loudly.

‘At least I’m alive because Mother sealed the divine power.’

With my current power, I might have died from shock.

Luciano stared at the young me frantically.

The Freckled Man rubbed his face and frowned.

There was damage since I had scratched even his eyes with my nails.

The Freckled Man, who was furious, kicked the young me with his foot.

Even in that moment, the young me held onto the Bongmaseok tightly and absolutely wouldn’t let go.

“Big sister, run… away…”

The moment the young me was muttering.

Luciano’s eyes flashed.

Rumble—!

Heaven and earth shook.

His furious gaze fixed on the Freckled Man.

The young me had blocked the Bongmaseok with my whole body, allowing him to operate mana normally.

Crack…

Pieces of ground floated up into the air.

The men groaned and clutched their throats.

“Can’t… breathe… breath…”

“Ah, that… guh…”

Young me’s body also floated up.

The Bongmaseok fell with a thud from young me’s body and rolled on the ground.

Bella desperately crawled out of the cargo compartment.

Bella, who didn’t use mana, threw the Bongmaseok far away instead.

Young me floated up gently and was caught in Luciano’s arms.

Luciano brushed back young me’s hair and said.

“I’ve memorized it.”

“…What?”

“Your face.”

“…”

“I’ll never forget it for the rest of my life.”

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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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