How to Replace Your Dad - Chapter 134

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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 134

* * *

One month after the Emperor awakened.

During this time, the Empire was swept by tremendous storms.

Articles released yesterday would have different content tomorrow, constantly shocking the people.

First of all, the first thing.

“The Empress was dismissed?”

“Empress Regina, who was falsely accused and imprisoned, is taking over the Empress position.”

That was right.

The Emperor appointed Duke Navarro as the chief responsible party for the ‘Regina Palace contamination incident.’

Duke Navarro uncovered the connection between the Empress, Prince Ain’s mother, and Canaria.

The matter of involving Prince Ain to target Empress Regina was exposed to the world.

The contamination incident that Luciano, Ain, and I conspired together was completely pinned on the Empress.

‘Moreover…’

“They say it was also the Empress’s doing to send Prince Luciano to the experiment site during Prince Yohael’s acting regime.”

“My goodness, does she have no fear of heaven.”

“That’s not all. They say she brought a sorcerer into the Imperial Palace to orchestrate incidents because she was afraid the Saint and Prince Luciano might get engaged.”

“She received divine punishment.”

She took the blame for both crimes she didn’t commit and crimes she did commit.

‘Yohael cut off his tail.’

He escaped by using his mother.

He was truly a frightening person.

Well, still, Yohael’s gentle and wise image suffered greatly.

“I can’t believe the First Prince was manipulated by his own mother.”

“Of course. Even if he was manipulated, it’s absurd.”

“Would such a person be fit to rule the Empire.”

That was the current public opinion about Yohael.

The Empress barely avoided deposition.

Her family lost the Emperor’s trust due to the reconstruction committee affair.

Plus the cold public opinion.

Now no one believed Yohael was the prince closest to the throne.

‘On the other hand, Luciano is…’

“The Second Prince has recovered his health!”

“Didn’t he become a chimera? How is that recovery?”

“Surely the Saint’s help was involved.”

“Goddess Teretsa had the Saint protect the Empire’s successor.”

This was the situation.

Luciano’s stock was rising endlessly high.

Hearing people chattering on the streets, I smiled as I walked.

Then Yuise let out a hollow laugh.

“You seem to be in a good mood because your fiancé’s reception is good, Young Lady.”

“…He’s not my fiancé yet.”

“Once the Empress and First Prince’s affairs are settled, that’s what will happen.”

The Imperial Palace hadn’t yet firmly established my engagement with Luciano.

There were many things to sort out, like the Empress and First Prince incident, the reconstruction committee, and so on.

Thanks to that, Father and Grandfather were hardly home.

They would leave for the Imperial Palace or Privy Council at dawn and return late at night.

So I…

‘I should make nutritious food.’

That’s what I was thinking when I came to the market.

“What’s that black chicken? Isn’t it sick?”

Yuise looked disgusted at the black chicken hanging at the stall.

But my eyes sparkled.

“The quality is good. Give me four of these.”

“Would you like to know? I raised them from chicks and slaughtered them…”

The merchant who was speaking flinched when he saw me.

“Yu, Yustea Andres?”

I was still called Yustea ‘Andres’ by people.

Since that name was so famous, it probably stuck in their mouths.

Yuise’s eyes turned cold.

The merchant was greatly flustered by the intimidating presence unique to those who survived battlefields.

Startled, he quickly bowed his head.

“Yes… I’ll prepare it quickly.”

However, other people were different.

As soon as they heard ‘Yustea Andres,’ they glanced this way and whispered.

I felt no particular emotion.

This had always happened since I was expelled from Andres.

But Yuise seemed different.

He looked around with a stern face.

And when he made eye contact with those whispering, he glared at them fiercely.

I said while paying for the black-bone chicken.

“Don’t mind it.”

“You became a Saint and achieved all sorts of merits, so why is it still like this.”

“Images are easy to fall but hard to recover.”

A villainess who ordered the poisoning of her kind and gentle half-sister.

That was my image.

Some high nobles knew that Stella’s collapse during the reconstruction committee incident was related to the White Dragon.

But since the Emperor ordered silence about the reconstruction committee affair, no one spoke about it openly.

For that reason, I was still ‘the villainess who ordered her half-sister’s poisoning’ to the people.

Yuise grumbled while receiving the black-bone chicken.

“Damn Emperor. Your wrongful situation would be known if the reconstruction committee was revealed.”

“Huh? That won’t do.”

“…What?”

“If the reconstruction committee becomes known, there will be people who side with them.”

“….”

“We can’t even confirm how far the reconstruction committee has infiltrated. It’s dangerous.”

“….”

“What?”

“…I’m dumbfounded when you’re so rational.”

Is that so.

Thinking about it, I think I often heard ‘Are you a T?’ in my previous life too.

Yuise said in a growling voice.

“It’s your matter, okay? Aren’t you frustrated?”

“I can’t ask the Emperor to reveal the reconstruction committee affair just because I’m frustrated… That’s the right political judgment, isn’t it…?”

“Let’s. Let’s try something called hypothetical. Wouldn’t it be good if your frustration was resolved right away?”

“Right now it’s realistically impossible…?”

Yuise shook his head as if fed up.

I tilted my head and followed him.

I tilted my head and followed him.

We were walking along like that.

In the distance, I could see people gathered together, chattering noisily.

“Is someone putting on a performance?”

Yuise was muttering like that.

From among the people, I heard a familiar voice.

“I’m sorry for not coming for so long.”

Yuise’s face hardened instantly.

Because that was Stella’s voice.

“That’s the downside of the archipelago. Having to witness something like that by chance.”

Yuise said through gritted teeth.

Come to think of it, the gathered people had familiar faces.

The commoner friends that Stella had brought to the manor.

They were the ones who had made the Marchioness faint.

“My goodness, why have you become so thin…”

“What hardships have you endured.”

“It’s obvious, isn’t it. That woman entered the archipelago.”

“Vicious girl. I absolutely cannot believe she’s a saint.”

The ‘that woman’ and ‘saint’ they were talking about must have been referring to me.

“Saint, my foot. A real saint is someone like our Young Lady.”

“She probably stole our Young Lady’s achievements again.”

“Exactly. How could someone like that be a saint?”

The people were indignant as they said such things.

Stella was among the people, so only her hair was slightly visible.

“Don’t be like that. I want to talk about good things. How has everyone been?”

“You’re always so kind…”

The people looked at Stella with pity.

It was at that moment that my eyes met Stella’s.

Stella, who was holding a young child, flinched when she saw me.

Following Stella’s gaze, the people’s eyes moved to me.

The expressions of those who saw me crumpled into something menacing.

Stella bit her lips tightly.

Then she quickly turned her gaze away.

She didn’t seem to want to talk with me at all.

‘Well, neither do I.’

I said to Yuise.

“Let’s go.”

“…Yes, Young Lady.”

Yuise glared at the people as she walked with me.

It was at that moment.

“Evil bitch.”

Yuise’s gaze whipped around.

Toward whoever had cursed at me from within the crowd.

It was a woman around my age.

She was wearing old clothes that came up to her ankles.

‘Ah, Sano from the fabric shop.’

When I was kicked out of Andres and doing all sorts of work, I often came to the market.

She was the one who tormented me every time.

Now she was just whispering curses, but before, it was really severe.

Tripping me and laughing with her companions was nothing.

She would throw things like tea dregs at me, or push my shoulders and cause trouble.

Yuise strode toward Sano.

Unlike before, Sano averted her gaze and shrank her neck.

“That nonsense, was it directed at the Young Lady.”

When Yuise asked, Sano only fidgeted with her fingertips.

Not only the people surrounding Stella, but also the gazes of those passing by on the street all gathered.

“I, I was… just…”

Sano slowly moved toward the people.

Yuise blocked her with the sword sheath.

When the sheath touched her body, Sano stiffened rigidly.

The people became flustered.

Then Stella stepped forward.

“Stop it.”

“I wasn’t asking you.”

“She’s a friend of my retinue.”

Stella said with a choked-up face.

Then she looked at me and said.

“Tell your guard to stop threatening my friend.”

Yuise let out a hollow laugh.

“You’ve made this into a big issue.”

By declaring her ‘my retinue’ and protecting Sano, she was acknowledging that the insult also came from her retinue.

In other words, it had become a situation where Stella Andres’s retinue had insulted Yustea Esgaroth Quaron.

“This makes it a fight between families.”

At Yuise’s words, Stella flinched.

“I…”

Then, Stella’s guards who had been standing aside approached.

What knight could back down after hearing it was a fight between families?

The guards protected Stella while glaring at Yuise.

Yuise and the Andres knights faced off sharply.

Stella looked flustered.

She shouted at me.

“Why aren’t you stopping this?”

“…”

“Are you going to let them have a meaningless war of attrition?”

“…”

“Yustea!”

“You must be comfortable being able to interpret everything to your liking.”

“What?”

I sighed and looked at Stella.

“The one you should have stopped wasn’t my knight, but your friend Sano.”

“Sano…!”

“She insulted me.”

Stella swallowed dryly.

I approached Stella’s retinue.

“If you had made Sano apologize, it would have ended there. Without escalating into a fight between knights for their families.”

“That’s…”

“In this situation, if I make Yuise back down, that would be a disgrace to Yuise.”

“So, so what?”

I extended the back of my hand to Yuise.

Yuise flinched and looked at me.

A strange light appeared in Yuise’s eyes.

He took my hand and kissed the back of it.

“…!”

Stella’s face turned pale.

She wasn’t foolish enough not to recognize even a knight’s kiss on the back of his master’s hand.

It meant I trusted him and permitted the duel.

Yuise threw her glove at the face of Stella’s large guard.

“I’ll cut your throat.”

Hmm, that was too provocative for a knight.

* * *

Privy Council Chamber.

Nobles poured out like an ebbing tide after the meeting ended.

“I can’t remember how long it’s been since a meeting ended before sunset. Let’s have a drink and catch up.”

“Hey now. Are you trying to get another earful from the Countess?”

“We could drink at our manor.”

“Then you’ll get two earfuls instead of one.”

“Haha, she might actually be pleased if we bring Marquis Cuaron along. Will you join us?”

When the noble man asked, Aslan replied in an indifferent tone.

“My daughter is waiting.”

“Surely rare, fine vodka you see occasionally would be more welcome than a daughter you see every day.”

“My daughter is waiting.”

“Come now, don’t be like that….”

“My daughter is waiting.”

Aslan turned his head sharply toward the noble.

The startled noble made an awkward expression.

“Making those of us without daughters feel miserable….”

Then the other nobles burst into hearty laughter.

“Is that man’s daughter just any ordinary daughter?”

“Indeed. If I had such a daughter, I’d carry her on my back everywhere too.”

“A Saint, with all sorts of brilliant achievements. This is making me sick with envy.”

One of the nobles spoke teasingly.

Aslan wore an arrogant expression.

He accepted the praise readily without a hint of false modesty.

He wasn’t the only arrogant one.

Marquis Esgaroth smoothly interjected.

“Our Yustea is a child who takes after me perfectly.”

“Is that so?”

“Not just in talent. Her competitive spirit and persistence are especially like mine.”

The most annoying thing is parents bragging about their children.

Nobles with children Yustea’s age grumbled quietly.

“Anyone would think she’s Esgaroth’s biological child.”

“Why wouldn’t they? Only Count Andres, who had her as real blood, is pitiful. To have lost such a treasure.”

“In the end, the next Empress position will fall into Yustea’s hands too, won’t it? If she becomes Prince Luciano’s consort. Andres went through all that trouble aiming for the next Empress position, only to be disappointed.”

“Well, who knows. There are rumors that His Majesty keeps postponing the engagement because of Andres’ protests.”

“What?”

“They have a daughter too, don’t they?”

“But wasn’t Stella Andres deeply involved with Prince Yohael?”

“Well, if we’re talking about being involved with Prince Yohael, Yustea also has deep ties. She was his former fiancée.”

One of the whispering nobles let out a “Hooo….” groan.

He glanced at Count Andres and asked.

“So you’re saying Andres really intends to push Stella as Luciano’s consort?”

“According to my sources, Count Andres met privately with Count Gallagos (Luciano’s maternal grandfather). It seems he promised something big to the Emperor too.”

“That can’t be….”

“From Count Gallagos’ perspective, if Andres comes over, Prince Luciano becoming Emperor would be a certainty, wouldn’t it? His Majesty would prefer the more obedient Andres over Esgaroth.”

“So that’s why Count Andres didn’t abandon Stella despite all the major incidents she caused.”

The nobles looked intrigued.

Just a year ago, Andres was so powerful that even flying birds would fall at his command.

And Cuaron was the rising star, backed by Esgaroth and closely pursuing Andres.

The direction of power would be determined by whose hands the Empress position fell into.

Just then.

A Count famous for gossip came running in a fluster.

“Have you heard?”

“Fix your habit of dropping the subject.”

“Count Andres’ daughter and Marquis Cuaron’s daughter are going to have it out.”

“What?”

“Their knights threw down their gloves, claiming their masters were insulted.”

“…!”

People’s eyes widened.

Count Andres and Aslan also stopped walking and looked at the gossip-loving Count.

The nobles asked the gossip-loving Count.

“So who won?”

“A duel between knights of great houses isn’t settled immediately. They’ll set a date and do it under a judge’s supervision.”

“Really?”

“Yes! I wonder if someone will sell tickets. The losing house will be utterly humiliated… haha….”

The gossip-loving Count, who had been chattering cheerfully, flinched.

He had just now noticed that Count Andres and Aslan were among the crowd.

Count Andres and Aslan’s gazes clashed once more.

Some time later, at the Imperial Palace.

Empress Regina let out a “Hmm,” groan and tossed aside the letter bearing Andres’ seal.

The Emperor sighed as he watched Regina, who didn’t know how to show courtesy even before him.

“Don’t do that in front of others.”

“Don’t create situations where I have to be with Your Majesty in front of others.”

“You really are….”

The Emperor shook his head.

Regina crossed her arms and looked at the letter.

“So? What’s the reason you gave me the Marquise Andres’ letter?”

“It’s a request to take Stella as Luciano’s partner at this Sowing Festival.”

“That crazy old hag.”

“Watch your language.”

“She used to chase after Yohael’s coattails, but now that my son’s influence has grown, she’s finally talking about partners? I refuse.”

“Do it.”

When the Emperor spoke firmly, Regina’s eyebrows twitched.

“What are you thinking, Augusto?”

“You shouldn’t call me by my name anymore either.”

“I said I don’t want to. That position belongs to my Yustea.”

“…Do you like that child so much?”

“She’s the child who embraced even Luciano when he had nothing.”

“Show some consideration for my dignity. If I don’t take in the pro-Imperial Andres, who will follow me?”

Andres was the leader of the pro-Imperial faction.

They had promised 10,000 stones of magic stones.

It was all for the mere position of Luciano’s partner.

“Think of Your Majesty’s dignity as well. Consider Yustea’s contributions. If you don’t even give such a child a partner position, let alone proper recognition for her achievements, who will strive for Your Majesty in the future?”

That was a fair point.

The Emperor groaned.

“I wish there was a good justification to refuse one side….”

That’s when it happened.

Empress Lira entered.

“I’m late. I heard some interesting news.”

“Interesting news?”

When the Emperor asked, Empress Lira narrowed her eyes and chuckled softly.

“The knights of the Andres Marquis Family and the knights of the House of Cuaron are going to duel for the honor of their respective noble ladies.”

“What?”

“The entire archipelago is buzzing with that story.”

“Oh my….”

The Emperor’s eyes gleamed mischievously.

Empress Regina frowned.

‘What are you thinking, you cunning snake.’

The Emperor said.

“How about we make that duel this year’s Family Tournament?”

“Pardon?”

“What did you say?”

The Emperor grinned wickedly.

“Let’s give the winning side the Family Tournament prize along with the joint hosting rights for the Sowing Festival. Luciano will be the host from the Imperial Family.”

He meant to decide Luciano’s partner with that.

—————
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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