How to Replace Your Dad - Chapter 123

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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 123

The Empress flinched.

‘If it’s a Death Servant…’

Bringing monsters into the Imperial Palace was strictly forbidden.

Raising them was even more unacceptable.

So the Death Servant that swallowed the Saint must surely belong to Ain.

The Empress knew that Ain was raising a Death Servant.

She had kept quiet about it to use later when the time came to deal with Ain and his mother.

‘So Ain attacked Yustea?’

Hadn’t he joined hands with Luciano?

Why would he attack Yustea then?

Had problems arisen between Ain and Luciano?

Or perhaps Yustea had done something to provoke Ain.

The Empress, who had been assessing the situation while holding her chin, soon curled up the corners of her mouth.

“…Whatever happened, this will be delightful for me.”

Ain was staying at Regina Palace.

Then the Death Servant must also be at Regina Palace.

If she was raising a monster in her palace, and that monster attacked the Saint?

‘Regina won’t be able to escape responsibility.’

Moreover, it must have been Luciano who helped move the Death Servant to Regina Palace.

“That cunning one has finally given me justification.”

Now I can expel her.

The Empress’s eyes gleamed with joy.

The Empress left the palace.

To create as many witnesses as possible, she brought not only the palace servants from the Empress’s quarters, but also people from various departments.

But what she encountered at Regina Palace was…

“Grrrr…”

“Keu, geu, geut…”

“Kaaak—!”

Humans howling like beasts.

“…!”

“…?!!”

The Empress, of course, and those she had brought.

Even the imperial family members who came out to see the commotion all screamed in shock.

“Wh, what…!”

“The maids. They’re Regina Palace’s maids…!!”

It was the palace servants who were corrupted.

The palace servants were bound in chains, baring their fangs.

As if they had lost their reason…!

The Empress shouted.

“What is happening!”

“The palace servants have been corrupted. Prince Luciano quickly subdued them, but the corruption is spreading, so please evacuate, Your Majesty!”

“What?!”

The imperial family members stepped back in alarm.

The Empress asked.

“Then what about the Saint? What happened to Yustea?”

That’s when that voice was heard.

A clear voice like rolling jade beads could be heard.

“To protect the Saint from the attacks of the corrupted ones, I had the Death Servant swallow her to keep her safe.”

It was Regina.

As if she had hurriedly left the palace, she was wearing a robe over thin clothes.

Regina shouted.

“Send word to the Emperor’s palace. We must thoroughly investigate the palace to find the source of the corruption. …Of course.”

Regina glanced at the Empress and continued.

“The investigation should include the imperial family as well.”

“…!”

The Empress’s face hardened.

‘I’ve been had.’

The Empress quickly looked toward one place.

That prince behind Luciano.

Ain…!

‘Ain has a curse placed on his body.’

If they investigate all the imperial family without exception, Ain’s curse will be revealed.

The Empress bit her lips.

Regina couldn’t have set up such a trap.

‘Who on earth did this…!’

That was the moment.

“Bi, you can spit her out now.”

When Ain spoke, the Death Servant opened its mouth wide.

From inside, Yustea groaned and appeared.

It was Luciano who took Yustea’s hand and pulled her out.

The three people looked at the Empress.

The Empress gripped her skirt tightly.

‘It was you three…!’

A magnificent smile spread across Luciano’s lips.

* * *

It goes without saying that the Imperial Palace was turned upside down.

The Emperor quickly issued an investigation order.

Not only the mages belonging to the Imperial Palace, but also experienced mages from Matap entered the palace.

This meant that even those beyond the Empress’s reach were included in the investigation team.

In other words…

“The Empress is cornered, right?”

Empress Regina, who said that, laughed cheerfully.

Mm.

That’s right.

Empress Regina sparkled her eyes with me and Luciano in front of her.

“So what happens from now on?”

The object that corrupted the palace servants will be found in Ain’s room.

“Ain?”

Yes.

That way Ain will be identified as the culprit.

It will be concluded that the Empress targeted mother’s palace and threatened Ain by placing a curse on him.

That’s right.

This was exactly our plan.

The Empress was an experienced person.

She seemed to catch on to our plan immediately.

Her complexion was deathly pale.

Empress Regina said “Hmm.”

“There really won’t be any problems for my children, right?”

“Yes. My mage is proficient in gold magic.”

That would be Ros.

Moreover, I immediately received permission from the Imperial Palace and purified the palace servants.

“Then what happens to Ain?”

“There shouldn’t be any other problems for Prince Ain.”

“Why?”

“The term ‘madness’ is helpful in times like this.”

Empress Regina chuckled softly.

She poked my cheek and said.

“My daughter-in-law is clever.”

“It was Prince Luciano’s plan.”

“Of course my son is clever.”

Her tone was utterly shameless.

Luciano wasn’t embarrassed in the slightest either.

He just shamelessly wore a matter-of-fact expression.

‘Looking at this, they’re incredibly alike.’

Perhaps that’s why I didn’t dislike Empress Regina.

In fact, it was the same in the past.

When I was doing all sorts of work as Yohael’s fiancée in place of the Empress, I had quite a few dealings with Empress Regina.

But she never took revenge on me.

In the past, I had overheard her having this conversation with her maids.

“That infuriating child. That sword belonged to my son.”

“Indeed it did, Your Majesty. Are you going to just leave that child be? If you keep letting her come and go from the palace, who knows what she’ll do next.”

“Yes. I’ll leave her be.”

“What? Why…?”

“I may be petty, but I’m not such a small-minded wretch as to wring a child’s neck.”

Those words were true.

When she saw me, she would narrow her eyes and turn her head away with a snort.

But she never caused me harm.

Empress Regina kneaded my cheeks like dough.

With a flush on her face as if she was enjoying herself.

“Your Majeshty… (Your Majesty…)”

Please stop.

Luciano said, but Empress Regina paid no attention.

“Youth really is wonderful. The elasticity is exceptional.”

The Empress said while rubbing my cheeks with both hands.

“I hope these cheeks stay the same even when you’re all grown up.”

“…”

“Just like your innocence.”

“…Huh? (…Yes?)”

“If I were the Empress, I would use Ain’s mother.”

I flinched.

Empress Regina smiled gently and let go of her hands.

Then she picked up her teacup and said.

“I would incite Ain’s mother to confess that this incident was her fault.”

“Prince Ain would…”

“Yes, he would insist to the end that it was the Empress’s doing. But madness is more often unhelpful than helpful.”

“…”

“In a trial, that child’s mother’s confession would carry more weight than the mad Ain.”

Even the maids who had been listening to our conversation with bright smiles flinched.

One of the maids said in a flustered tone.

“Ain’s mother won’t be able to avoid execution. Would she still side with the Empress?”

I was the one who answered that.

“She will.”

“What?”

“If Prince Yohael becomes Emperor, the Empress will become the Empress Dowager. The treatment of former imperial consorts is decided by the Empress Dowager. For the sake of her future, Prince Ain’s mother will side with the Empress.”

Empress Regina nodded.

And she looked at me with a bright smile.

“We can’t persuade Ain’s mother from our side. Since Luciano ended up in this state.”

That’s right.

The maids’ faces turned pale.

They looked like they were wondering what to do now.

Empress Regina looked at me.

“So what’s important here is…”

“The one who cast the gold magic.”

“…Did you know?”

“Yes.”

Of course I did.

I had expected that much.

What surprised me was…

‘Was Empress Regina such a clever person?’

She was someone who would say she was ‘thoughtless’ herself.

When I blinked, Empress Regina cupped her chin with both hands.

“I didn’t get the position of First Empress for free, you know.”

Then she poked my nose.

“Such a cute face.”

Luciano snorted.

There are three imperial consorts that Mother drove away with her own hands.

It was also Mother who pushed out Ain’s mother when she was receiving favor.

“That was because Canaria, that child, targeted my son’s life. Going after children is against the rules, isn’t it? So I had no choice but to be nasty too.”

“Empress Canaria, who is Prince Ain’s mother…”

“Lost her voice. Hmm, the medicine was hard to obtain.”

Wow.

I opened my mouth wide, then flinched and closed it.

Empress Regina chuckled and stroked my cheek.

“So if you become my daughter-in-law, nothing bad will happen. I’m a mother who knows how to protect my children.”

“…”

“So? Do you like me?”

“…”

I fell silent.

“Very much.”

My social instincts tell me.

She’s a natural predator.

If I bow down flat, there really won’t be anything bad about it.

Empress Regina laughed merrily once more.

Luciano let out a small chuckle.

I smiled awkwardly.

‘Good. Then next is it time to meet you?’

I looked out the window.

The morning star twinkled above the dark night sky.

‘Oscar.’

* * *

The Empress threw down her teacup.

“Damn it…!”

Even vulgar words spilled from her lips.

The maids flinched and hunched their shoulders.

It was when the youngest maid picked up the teacup fragments with trembling hands.

“That’s enough, leave us.”

It was Yohaël’s words.

The maids startled.

However, when the head maid gestured with her eyes, they reluctantly left the room.

Only Yohaël and the Empress remained in the room.

The Empress swept back her hair and spoke.

“When she was in my hands, I didn’t realize it, but now that she’s in someone else’s hands, there’s no blade sharper than her. Yustea, I mean.”

“It’s probably Luciano’s plan rather than Yustea’s. Well, some of it would include Yustea’s methods too.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean laying down escape routes.”

“…What?”

“And the place they flee to often becomes their execution ground. That child has been dealing with our enemies in such ways.”

At Yohaël’s words, the Empress bit her lips.

Her hand gripping her neck trembled.

“That child is still at Regina Palace.”

“I’ve heard.”

“Then what are you doing!”

The Empress let out a sharp scream.

She looked at her son with bloodshot eyes.

“Your words about obtaining her were mere arrogance.”

“Mother.”

“That child is still at Regina Palace, holding Luciano’s hand.”

“…”

“Are you inferior to Luciano?”

Yohaël’s gaze sharpened.

However, he soon let out a sigh.

Crossing his legs, he looked out the window.

“I admit it.”

“Yohaël!”

The Empress contorted her face.

Yohaël said.

“That Yustea has completely slipped from my grasp.”

“So what do you plan to do?”

“If she won’t return on her own, I’ll have to tie her up and make her return.”

“…What?”

A sinister smile appeared on Yohaël’s lips.

He stood up.

Yohaël, heading toward the door, said.

“Please temporarily lift the barrier on the place I mentioned.”

“…At a time like this?”

“Then you will gain a daughter-in-law who is a Saint.”

The Empress’s hand twitched.

After a moment of silence, she spoke.

“There must be no mistakes.”

“Of course.”

Yohaël walked out into the corridor.

The quiet corridor.

Reaching a place with no people around, he opened his mouth.

“I must have Yustea. …Oscar.”

A tall shadow appeared from a corner of the corridor.

Oscar.

It was him.

* * *

I yawned widely and rubbed my neck.

It’s dawn now.

Due to the commotion during the night, I was only able to leave the castle now.

‘Father will scold me.’

Since he said he’d escort me.

I looked back at Luciano who had followed me out.

“It’s fine. More importantly, you should meet Prince Ain.”

Luciano had a displeased expression.

“There’s a coachman, and I’m carrying a communication stone. Guards from the manor will join us as soon as we leave the palace.”

“…”

“Prince Ain’s mood won’t be good.”

Though he’s proceeding with work with a nonchalant expression, how could his insides not be churning?

He’ll be getting entangled with his mother.

‘That’s quite an unpleasant thing.’

Even I, who had completely erased Andres, felt that way.

Every time I got involved with Andres, my mood plummeted.

“Go.”

“…”

“Quickly.”

When I said that, Luciano sighed.

I watched him leave and then got into the carriage.

“We’ll depart now, Young Lady.”

The manor’s coachman spoke in a gentle voice.

He was mild-mannered and an employee I particularly liked.

“Yes.”

When I answered, the carriage began to move.

I leaned my head against the window and dozed off.

But how much time had passed?

Thud!

The carriage came to a violent stop.

The coachman’s voice could be heard from outside.

“What are you doing? This carriage belongs to Esgaroth First Estate…!”

Clang!

A sharp scraping sound was heard.

‘The sound of metal.’

It’s an attack.

I hurriedly looked out the window.

‘We’re still inside the palace.’

What kind of bold fool would attack a high noble’s carriage inside the Imperial Palace?

It was when I was thinking such thoughts.

The door burst open.

And the face that appeared was….

“Didn’t the Clan Leader tell you.”

“….”

“To be careful.”

“…Oscar.”

It was the moment I muttered his name.

[You have encountered all 5 candidates.]

[Starting scenario.]

…What?

Does this mean I’ve met all the male lead candidates?

‘Wait, 5 people?’

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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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