How to Replace Your Dad - Chapter 119

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

How to Replace Your Dad

Chapter 119

I couldn’t take my eyes off Luciano like that.

‘So he had said such things.’

I learned things I never would have imagined.

That my meeting with Luciano had been much earlier than I knew.

And that I had heard words the past me could never have imagined.

‘Well… the young me couldn’t hear properly though.’

Young me went limp as soon as I was held by Luciano.

It seemed I had fainted.

It appeared that tension had been released once the pain from the Bongmaseok subsided.

Luciano glanced at the men while holding young me.

It was the moment the beating began.

* * *

Young me opened my eyes in the afternoon when the sunset was setting.

Young me, who woke up blinking, opened my eyes wide.

It was because it was an unexpected place.

“Huh…?”

Young me was lying on a bench in the gazebo.

When I turned my head, what I saw was the lake with the deity.

Young me, startled by the unfamiliar place, quickly sat up.

Then I groaned as if my body hurt.

“Stay lying down.”

Young me was startled by the sudden voice.

When I turned my head, I saw Luciano leaning against a gazebo pillar.

He had his eyes covered with cloth again.

“Sister…?”

“I told you not to move. Even the priests said they couldn’t heal wounds caused by Bongmaseok.”

Young me’s body was wrapped in bandages.

Even the parts not wrapped in bandages were covered with crushed herbs and ointments.

It was because my whole body was a mess of burns and scars.

Young me’s eyes became teary.

Then Luciano flinched.

As children usually do, he seemed to think I would burst into tears, shocked at being hurt rather than the pain itself.

But young me…

“What should I do. Grandmother will scold me.”

I said such words and didn’t know what to do.

Luciano became quiet.

“You’re more afraid of that than being hurt?”

“I can endure the pain, but when Grandmother gets angry, Mother becomes sad. And Bella too… Bella?”

Young me startled.

And I turned my head frantically looking for Bella.

When Bella was nowhere to be seen, I panicked greatly and floundered.

“What about Bella? Was Bella captured? Huh?”

That’s when it happened.

“Young Lady!”

Bella’s voice was heard.

Young me quickly turned around.

Bella was running over carrying water pouches and cloth.

She reached young me and hurriedly knelt down to examine me.

“How is your body? It doesn’t hurt too much, does it? Your head doesn’t hurt, and you can see fine, right?”

“Bella…”

“Are you in pain after all? Where and how does it feel uncomfortable?”

“Bella, your eye…”

Young me’s eyes filled with tears.

Bella said “Ah…” and touched her right eye.

The eye with a deep laceration was completely cloudy.

The cornea was damaged.

Young me also seemed to sense that her eye couldn’t return to normal.

Bella smiled bitterly and stroked my cheek.

“It’s okay.”

“It’s not okay. I’m bad.”

“Huh?”

“If I hadn’t come here, Bella wouldn’t have gotten hurt. Waaah…”

Young me covered my eyes with both hands and cried sorrowfully.

Bella’s face darkened.

“Don’t say such things. You got involved because of my blood relative.”

“…”

“I’m sorry, Young Lady.”

“…”

Bella’s hand fell limply.

She hung her head low as if ashamed.

Young me quietly looked at such Bella.

And I took Bella’s hand.

Squeeze—, with strength.

Bella flinched and raised her head.

“You know, Bella. I like Bella’s voice.”

“Huh?”

“I also like when you pat my back while reading fairy tales at night.”

“What…”

“I like it because it’s warm when Bella hugs me.”

“…”

“I have a hundred reasons for liking Bella, so it’s okay if one thing is bad.”

Bella’s eyes widened.

Young me giggled and said.

“Mother said so too. The Batula Clan Leader is so damn annoying that she often wants to rip his mouth apart, but his goods are top quality one hundred out of one hundred times, so when the Clan Leader comes, she immediately bows her head in greeting.”

“…”

“She does that when trading too, so what does it matter if Bella, who’s perfect to me, has one bad blood relative?”

“…”

Tears welled up in Bella’s eyes.

Then young me crossed my arms.

My arms were so short that I didn’t look prim at all.

“It’s not Bella’s fault that your blood relative is bad. When I cried because Grandmother whipped me, Bella said ‘It’s not Young Lady’s fault.'”

Bella chuckled.

Knowing that young me was trying not to make her feel more guilty, she decided to change the subject.

“Shall we throw a coin before we go?”

“A coin…?”

“There’s a deity over there.”

Bella pointed to the statue in the center of the small lake.

A sculpture of a man wearing a veil and holding a sword.

It was a statue of Teretsa, the mother goddess of the Empire.

“Is this a temple?”

“Yes.”

Young me took out a coin from my pocket.

Young me, who had been excitedly heading to the lakeside, hesitated.

And glanced back at the gazebo.

More precisely, at Luciano who was leaning against a pillar of the gazebo.

Luciano raised an eyebrow slightly.

His eyes were covered with cloth so I couldn’t see his expression clearly, but it seemed to mean something like ‘What. Why.’

Young me ran over to Luciano with a patter.

And held out the coin.

“I’ll give it to you.”

Bella looked surprised.

She said.

“That’s a coin made by the first Pope, isn’t it? You’re going to give away something that grants wishes?”

“Yeah. My wish already came true.”

Then Luciano asked me.

“What do you mean?”

“I was going to ask to meet a hero.”

Young me fidgeted with my hands.

“A hero is someone who overcomes hardships and protects everyone.”

“….”

“But me… I feel like I might not be able to overcome difficult times… Ah, sometimes. Just sometimes!”

“….”

“So I was going to meet a hero and ask them to teach me how to overcome things, but I met you, sister.”

“…Me?”

“Yes! You’re my hero, sister.”

Luciano slowly accepted the coin that young me held out.

And caressed the coin for a long while.

He muttered.

“But I… couldn’t overcome adversity.”

‘Ah…’

I stared blankly at Luciano whose voice had grown quiet.

He must be talking about his red eyes.

The situation of being born with red eyes and called a child of misfortune.

He didn’t show it, but he was actually suffering.

Then, young me said.

“Then tell me when you overcome it.”

“…What?”

“Right now you’re in the process of fighting the demon king. Since you’ll definitely overcome it, hero, please tell me the method when you do.”

“….”

He looked at young me.

Though I couldn’t see his eyes due to the blindfold, somehow I felt like his eyes were shining quietly.

“Then I’ll have to protect you.”

“Huh?”

“Because heroes are people who protect others.”

Young me’s eyes widened.

But soon I smiled brightly.

“Yes!”

The sunset illuminated the two children.

Their faces dyed in the evening glow were purely clear.

Bella watched us with a gentle expression.

After a while, young me took Bella’s hand and left the temple.

Even while leaving, young me turned back and waved at Luciano.

Luciano quietly watched young me.

Until young me completely disappeared.

I approached Luciano who had placed his hand over his chest where the coin was.

He couldn’t see me, but I stood in front of him and said.

[You protected me.]

Hero.

At that moment, the sunset ended and night fell.

[Ending cinematic video.]

[Moving 【Player】’s location.]

* * *

When I opened my eyes, I was on a bed.

“Yusi?”

“Yustea!”

Familiar voices came from beside my pillow.

It was Father and Grandfather.

Both of them were looking at me with worried faces.

Father especially looked visibly thinner.

‘…Looks thinner?’

It wasn’t that he looked haggard from worrying too much.

Anyone could see that was weight loss.

Suddenly, I felt uneasy.

“…How long was I unconscious?”

“Two weeks.”

“What?!”

I sat up quickly in surprise.

Grandfather said “Oh my” and caught me.

“You can’t move like that. Your muscles must be all stiff.”

Ah, right.

‘Of course they would be… but they’re not?’

I felt around my body.

“My condition is too good though?”

“That can’t be. You collapsed after causing a divine wave.”

“There was a divine wave?”

When I asked, Grandfather nodded.

“The World Tree sang once more, they say.”

A wave as powerful as when I changed classes?

Come to think of it, the system said something strange.

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

‘What are the gears of the Holy Site…?’

It was information that didn’t appear in the game.

As I tilted my head in confusion, I flinched.

‘Don’t tell me.’

I immediately called up my status window.

What I saw was…

Name: Yustea Esgaroth

Class: Saint

Traits: Purification, Healing, Status Window (Active), Divine Prophecy (100% (More)), Crest Bestowal (1/1), Affection Reading

MP:1492/1500

.

.

‘What is this. My mana amount…!’

It had increased tremendously.

At this level, it would easily surpass Stella’s current mana amount.

Well, Stella does have an event that greatly increases her mana once the scenario passes Chapter 8.

At that point, she becomes a monster exceeding 5000.

But looking at just the present moment, it would be an amount that surpasses even Stella.

It wasn’t just Stella.

Even the senior priests wouldn’t be able to match my current mana.

‘Wait… when mana exceeds 1000, that event triggers.’

The event that becomes a branching point in the story.

That incredibly difficult one!

‘That’s why gamers would set their mana to exactly 1000 and prepare for that event…’

Father let out a sigh.

Seeing Father like that, Grandfather said,

“Your father hasn’t eaten or slept properly for two weeks.”

“…It’s fine that you’re awake.”

Father stroked my head.

I quietly grasped Father’s hand with both of mine.

“…?”

Father looked at me with a face asking why I was doing that.

“Are you still feeling unwell?”

“Um… Father…”

“What?”

I glanced at Grandfather.

Grandfather was a perceptive person.

Understanding that this was something I needed to say to Father alone, he shrugged his shoulders.

“I’ll give you some space.”

With that, Grandfather left the room.

Click.

As soon as the sound of the door closing rang out, I whispered while tightly grasping Father’s hand.

“His Majesty the Emperor is going to collapse.”

“…What?”

“In the game, when mana reaches 1001, a story branching point comes. Since the system considers me a player, it will surely happen.”

“What kind of story.”

Father’s face became serious.

I made a tearful expression and said,

“Choosing the male lead…”

“…What did you say?”

“I have to choose the male lead here…”

Father’s face crumpled like a demon’s.

* * *

Imperial Palace.

Luciano Palace was quiet.

Due to the crisis that had befallen Luciano, the palace’s master, even the palace servants were walking on thin ice.

A maid covered with cloth walked through the quiet corridor.

The place she reached was Luciano’s study.

When she knocked on the study, a voice permitting entry was heard.

The maid quietly entered the room.

Bowing behind Luciano who was looking out the window, she said,

“That person has awakened.”

“…”

Luciano glanced back at her.

Glowing letters appeared in the air.

Her physical condition.

“There seems to be no other discomfort.”

We must watch carefully.

“Yes.”

Luciano turned his back again.

The maid looked at his back and asked,

“Won’t you tell that person?”

“…”

“If she knew that the reason Stella Andres’s followers couldn’t target the young lady after being expelled from Andres was thanks to Your Highness, she would be very grateful.”

“…”

“…Such a tactless person.”

The maid let out a thin sigh.

Whether it was the first master or the second master, they were equally tactless.

The maid pulled down the cloth covering her head.

There was a deep scar on her right eye.

Her name was Bella.

Luciano had taken in Bella, who was expelled for the crime of putting Yustea in danger and causing her all sorts of wounds.

When Yustea was expelled and wandering the streets, it was she, Bella, who had been watching over her.

Luciano said,

“I couldn’t… protect her… perfectly…”

“I understand you were concerned that if Your Highness’s interest became known, political enemies would target the young lady who has no backing.”

“That’s… just… an excuse.”

Bella closed her eyes tightly.

There was another similarity between the first master and the second master.

That stubborn sense of responsibility.

* * *

I groaned, “Ugh.”

‘There should be at least four male lead candidates, but who could they be?’

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————