How to Replace Your Dad - Chapter 14

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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 14

* * *

The Clan Leader’s office.

I tilted my head and looked at Antonio, who was holding a bunch of catalogs.

His eyes were full of anticipation.

“What are all those?”

“Dresses.”

Well, I could tell just from looking at the covers.

The dress shop names were printed in huge letters.

“They say fashion trends change within a month in the capital. Kids are sensitive to that stuff.”

“There are children like that.”

“The dress the Clan Leader gave me must be out of fashion too.”

“That’s also true.”

Marina’s dress had an exciting design that would make eyes sparkle, but it was starting to become outdated in the capital.

Antonio grinned and held out the catalog.

“So pick one.”

“A dress?”

“Yeah. I’ll buy you one.”

Ah.

He’s saying he’ll buy me clothes to wear to the heir selection.

‘But…’

I groaned softly and looked at the catalog cover.

These were catalogs from particularly popular shops in the capital.

“Antonio, you bought steamed potatoes at the market last time. You grumbled about how expensive they were.”

“Yeah.”

“How much were they?”

“4 copper.”

I took the catalog Antonio gave me and flipped to the back section.

Then I pointed at a small ribbon that could be selected as a dress accessory.

“This ribbon costs 2,200 potatoes.”

“What?!”

Antonio shrieked.

His eyes were so wide they looked like they might pop out.

Even on Earth, a t-shirt costs over a million won if it has a luxury brand logo.

How expensive would a dress be when it’s handcrafted by disciples personally trained by designers?

There was a reason for the saying about squandering family fortunes to debut children in high society.

In other words, it was ridiculously expensive for Antonio’s salary.

Antonio looked at the Clan Leader with a sad face.

“Please raise my salary.”

“Think about how much goes out every month cleaning up the accidents you cause.”

His expression said to shut up if he wanted to afford even one potato.

Come to think of it, he had recently destroyed the plaza and the repair costs were enormous.

Antonio was lucky to even receive a salary.

The Clan Leader sighed and looked at me.

“Please choose. I’ll purchase whatever suits your taste.”

“It’s really okay. The clothes I have now are comfortable and nice.”

When the former lord’s assets were confiscated, the clothes, accessories, and shoes that Marina owned became mine.

So I really wasn’t lacking in clothes.

“More importantly, about lifting the Myeongjeong Stone barrier.”

Human blood is used to lift the Myeongjeong Stone barrier.

I was in the process of lifting the barrier using my blood.

Of course I couldn’t do it while I was unconscious, and when I tried to attempt it again right after regaining consciousness…

‘The Clan Leader took it away.’

He said not to even think about seeing it until I recovered.

“It’s already been a week. My bones healed long ago since you called a healer. So couldn’t you return the Myeongjeong Stone?”

“About that matter. I was actually thinking of discussing it with you. Does it have to be one person’s blood?”

Then Antonio interrupted.

“Pure maiden’s blood. It’s not that kind of thing, right? If impure old man’s blood is okay, then the Clan Leader could… Ack!”

Antonio got kicked in the shin.

The Clan Leader glared at Antonio.

“I’m still in my twenties.”

“Why are you leaving out the late part? Ack! Where do you kick the same spot!”

Leaving Antonio grumbling, the Clan Leader approached me.

“If possible, I’d like to participate together.”

“The lifting should be complete by now, shouldn’t it?”

“…Excuse me?”

“I fed it blood for over two weeks, so the barrier should have completely dissolved. What I meant was, let’s quickly perform the liberation…?”

The Clan Leader had also been eating the bitter Myeongjeong herb for a week.

For the past few days, he’d been frowning in disgust, saying he hated the old man’s smell more than the blood smell.

His complexion had also improved a lot, and now it was time to move on to liberation.

I smiled brightly.

“It’s time for the Clan Leader to break free from the curse.”

“…!”

The faces of the Clan Leader and Antonio brightened.

* * *

Inside the abandoned building with no ceiling.

I glanced at the Clan Leader.

The curse markings were visible up to the Clan Leader’s collarbone.

‘If we had wasted even a few more days, it would have been a disaster.’

The Myeongjeong herb was suppressing the curse, but normally at that level, he shouldn’t have been able to move from the pain.

I checked my physical condition by clasping and unclasping my hands, sitting and standing.

‘Good. I’m ready too.’

At a point where every day was precious, I hadn’t waited quietly for a week for no reason.

The liberation caster—that is, I also needed sufficient preparation for this task.

And also…

“Is everyone ready to begin?”

“Yes. All the unit members in my group have finished preparations.”

“The unit members in my group too.”

It wasn’t a matter of needing just one or two people.

First, I positioned the Clan Leader at the center of the spell formation densely written on the floor.

Then I positioned the Clan Leader and Antonio to the east and west respectively.

Additionally, I had unit members densely surround this abandoned building.

Antonio asked.

“But why did you call all the unit members in the castle?”

“Because we need an enormous amount of mana.”

“You said you’d use the Clan Leader’s mana too.”

“We need so much that even that won’t be enough.”

The Clan Leader had a worried expression.

“Other people’s mana shouldn’t mix in a person’s body. Mana poisoning could occur and everyone’s lives could be in danger.”

“I’ll send all the mana to the clarity stone. Don’t worry since it’s not a human body.”

Antonio and the Vice Clan Leader nodded.

The Clan Leader also quietly watched me from within the magic circle.

I sat down facing the Clan Leader and placed my hands on the magic circle.

‘I can’t use great magic, but this much should be…’

The circle drawn on the floor would substitute for a mage’s spell formation, and the Clan Leader and other clan members would support my pea-sized mana.

I just needed to play the role of an oar stirring their mana.

“I’ll begin.”

After saying that, I activated the magic circle.

Light gathered from where people stood, filling the magic circle inside the building.

Eventually it changed to an indescribable hue and rushed quickly toward the Clan Leader.

Then…

“Around the Clan Leader…!”

“What is all that?”

The Vice Clan Leader and Antonio shouted.

Of course they would, since countless red characters had appeared floating in the air.

‘It’s a curse spell.’

The curse of darkness, called ancient sorcery, was incomparably more advanced and precise than any spell I knew.

And those spells surrounding the Clan Leader soon began breaking one by one with crackling sounds.

‘This is actually working.’

I had expected it would work, but actually seeing it happen with my own eyes felt different.

This was my first time using magic… no, using Haejoo itself.

My mana was small and my outlet was like a grain of millet.

Simply put, I had no talent for magic whatsoever.

‘Still, I’m glad I didn’t give up and learned spell calculation methods… wait a minute.’

But something was strange.

The amount of mana was unusual.

The mana that initially moved as I guided it began growing at some point.

“What… huh?”

“Miss?”

“What’s wrong?”

I had no time to answer the Vice Clan Leader and Antonio’s words.

I panicked and searched for the point where the mana began rapidly increasing.

‘Where exactly did my calculations go wrong?’

As I hurriedly traced the formula with my eyes, I froze.

The Clan Leader.

Mana was spreading like crazy from Clan Leader Aslan.

‘As the curse of darkness gradually breaks, the Clan Leader’s suppressed mana is returning.’

It was an amount far exceeding my expectations.

Had I said I needed such an enormous amount that even the Clan Leader’s mana wouldn’t be enough?

‘No. The Clan Leader alone is more than enough!’

I pushed the mana that had been circulating clockwise in the opposite direction.

At this rate, the spell formation would break.

‘What should I do…!’

If the formula broke, it wouldn’t just be dangerous for the Clan Leader and me.

The clarity stone would shatter.

I couldn’t lose the precious clarity stone that we had barely obtained with even the Clan Leader’s help.

People can recover, but objects cannot.

‘If it comes to this, I have no choice. Here goes!’

With a do-or-die mentality, I let the wildly increased mana flow directly into my body.

As I said, I had an outlet smaller than a grain of millet, like an ordinary person.

The mana entering my body wouldn’t be properly expelled, and the magic circle would find stability.

‘I just need to endure until the Haejoo ends.’

However, before long, excruciating pain like my whole body swelling like a balloon struck me.

“Miss, is this working properly?!”

“Something’s wrong. We should stop the spell formation first…!”

Antonio and the Vice Clan Leader moved as if to approach me.

I shouted urgently.

“Don’t move!”

Judging by the curse spells spread around the Clan Leader, 3 more minutes.

It would end in just 3 minutes.

I endured the mana with desperate determination.

‘My head… feels like it’s going to split…!’

2 minutes left.

“Ah, ugh… aah…!”

1 minute.

‘I can’t breathe…’

“Miss!”

Just when I thought I’d truly reached my limit.

Antonio shouted.

“The curse spells have broken!”

I hurriedly raised my head.

The spells that had densely filled the area around the Clan Leader had vanished without a trace, and the Clan Leader was slowly opening his eyes.

Only then could I collapse with relief.

Drip.

Hot blood flowed down from under my nose.

‘Ah, still, this much is incredibly fortunate…’

Just as I was thinking that.

BOOOOOOM─!!

Heaven and earth shook like mad.

“What, what is it!”

“What’s happening!”

The clan members let out screams, and Antonio and the Vice Clan Leader inside the building also looked around with panicked expressions.

But I had no time for that.

Because…

2nd Class Change Successful!

[Purifier]

※This system has been reconstructed based on a familiar interface for user convenience.

What is this thing.

* * *

The earth wails.

Flocks of birds covered the sky and wind shook heaven and earth.

Stained glass shattered as everyone in the prayer hall screamed.

“Your Holiness!”

A man dressed in clergy robes rushed urgently into the prayer hall.

“Please take shelter. It’s an earthquake.”

He quickly ran to an elderly woman.

However, the elderly woman only stared with trembling eyes at the World Tree located in the vacuum chamber at the center of the prayer hall.

“Your Holiness!”

“An earthquake? No, this is a revelation.”

The clergy who had been in utter panic hesitated.

The woman exhaled a heated breath.

It was the first time seeing her, who was always calm, so excited.

The priests who had been quietly prostrating themselves amid the commotion spoke up.

“Bow your heads. The World Tree sings.”

Yes.

The branches and leaves of the World Tree, which had never wavered at any ominous sign in the vacuum chamber, were swaying.

This must be the moment of revelation recorded in the scriptures.

“Then…!”

Even the young clergy gazed at the World Tree with trembling eyes.

The elderly woman declared with an overwhelming voice.

“Deliver the news to His Majesty and the faithful. I declare in the name of God’s first servant. The Saint has descended.”

Waaaah─!

A great commotion arose at the holy site of Teretsa, the Empire’s state religion.

Shifting perspective to the Imperial Palace.

A white dove of Teretsa arrived at the Emperor carrying a branch of the World Tree in its beak.

It was the signal of the Saint’s descent.

Emperor Augusto, who read the Pope’s letter tied to the white dove’s ankle, supported his temple with his fingertips.

“Those who invoke God at every word are problematic for this reason.”

“What do you mean?”

The nobles of the seven families looked up at him.

The Emperor burned the Pope’s letter and spoke in a flat tone.

“They think everything God bestows exists for their sake.”

Rising to his feet, he looked out the window.

The sky that had been bright even during the earthquake was now covered with clouds, dark as night.

“The Saint is one who will protect the Empire. She is someone to be honored in my castle, so you lords must move quickly.”

The heads of the seven families bowed their heads.

Thus the heads of the seven families left the room.

One of the family heads said.

“The Pope and His Majesty will be burning with urgency. If the search is delayed, we won’t hear kind words from His Majesty.”

Then the elderly family head walking with his hands behind his back chuckled.

“Would the Pope and His Majesty be the only ones with eyes blazing for the search? To my eyes, your eyes are gleaming quite enough too.”

“The one who finds her will become her guardian, so it’s natural to be greedy. Though there might be someone who thinks differently.”

“….”

The family heads glanced back.

The face of the cunning power broker, always sweet, felt cold as ice today.

“Who knows.”

Though it was a gentle voice, the family heads suppressed their bitter smiles.

Rumors were rampant that the Saint was being raised in that man’s mansion.

Amazing divine affinity, even healing power that made small wounds disappear in the blink of an eye.

Thanks to that, hadn’t she received the full attention of the state religion Teretsa and the Imperial Palace?

And in the midst of all that, the real Saint had appeared.

‘That man who even cast out his own daughter for trying to harm that girl must be feeling quite bitter inside.’

That Marquis Andres, that is.

‘Well, this isn’t the time to worry about him.’

‘Finding her is the priority anyway.’

Just then, the family heads’ adjutants who had been waiting outside came running.

The family heads spoke to their respective adjutants.

“Move the Intelligence Department to its limits.”

“Go find the old man of the Four Saints. You can spend as much money as needed, just find the Saint first.”

It was the moment when the frenzied Saint hunt that would be recorded in history books began.

* * *

Sanmiguel Castle.

The Clan Leader, Antonio, and even the clan members filled the space in front of me densely.

“Are you okay?”

“Is there anywhere you feel uncomfortable?”

I shook my head.

I felt like I was dying earlier, but now there’s nothing wrong except for a bit of nosebleed.

Most importantly….

‘I can feel mana surging through my body.’

Maybe I was just severely lacking in mana, and my mana reservoir was larger than I thought.

Like a water purifier with just a little water pooled at the bottom, for example.

‘This is all the Clan Leader’s mana, right? Amazing.’

Thinking that, I suddenly came to my senses.

“Clan Leader!”

I got up hurriedly and pushed through the people to approach the Clan Leader.

The Clan Leader was staring blankly at his feet.

“Are you alright?”

When I asked, he slowly nodded his head.

I quickly rolled up his sleeve.

“Ah…!”

The pattern had disappeared.

What about other places?

The pattern starts from the heart.

“Excuse me for a moment.”

I hurriedly unbuttoned the Clan Leader’s shirt.

‘It’s not on his heart either.’

It had completely disappeared.

“The purification was successful!”

“Yes.”

The clan members who had been listening to our conversation shouted simultaneously.

“Waaaah─!”

I sat down slowly again.

It was different from when I had collapsed from shock.

My strength had left me from joy and relief.

‘I had no choice but to block it with my own body as a conduit for the mana… but how was that possible?’

Normally, it’s impossible to receive another person’s mana.

Could it be because of that?

[Purifier]

That thing I saw at the last moment of the purification.

—————
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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