How to Replace Your Dad - Chapter 156

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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 156

* * *

Late at night.

After washing up and finishing brushing her teeth, Yustea obediently covered herself with the blanket.

It seems no one is coming today.

Earlier, she saw the pretty older brother and the Irregulars deep in conversation with scary expressions.

Difficult words flew back and forth, like “absolutely oppose” and “make a rational decision.”

Yustea fidgeted as she hugged her doll.

“It’s okay, baby. It’s okay.”

Yustea whispered softly and buried her face in the blanket.

The pretty older sister who checked on her bedtime had turned on the light before leaving.

It’s not dark, so it’s not scary.

So she can sleep well by herself.

But even with her eyes closed, sleep didn’t come easily.

Yustea fidgeted with her hands with an anxious expression.

‘If I don’t sleep, Grandmother will scold me.’

Mother will get in trouble.

Just as she was thinking this, she heard the sound of the door opening.

Yustea was startled but quickly buried her face in the blanket.

She quickly closed her eyes, afraid of getting scolded for being awake at this hour.

But the person who entered only sat in the chair beside the bed and stroked her head.

“Shall I read you a book if you can’t sleep?”

“….”

Yustea carefully opened her eyes.

‘It’s the mister…’

The scary mister.

When Yustea blinked, Aslan hurriedly withdrew his hand.

“I didn’t mean to frighten you. I’ll call someone else.”

“….”

Yustea quietly looked at Aslan, then pulled the blanket up to her chest and looked up at the bed canopy.

It was the reaction of waiting for someone to read her a fairy tale.

Aslan was momentarily surprised, but soon smiled slightly and picked up the picture book on the nightstand.

“Once upon a time, a rabbit family lived in a small village.”

His voice was soft and pleasant to listen to.

Yustea soon turned over and looked at Aslan reading the book.

‘The mister comes every day.’

After the Unit Members read fairy tales and left, he would quietly come in to check on Yustea.

Whether the lights were on, whether the room temperature was appropriate for a child.

He would take care of such things and always stroke her head before leaving.

“Sweet dreams.”

He would whisper in a very, very gentle voice.

That’s why Yustea was afraid of the mister.

The mister had told her to call him Father.

But ‘Father’ doesn’t visit the room.

Unless he’s very, very angry.

And with a gentle smile, he says words that make her hands and feet go cold.

“Pathetic. I can’t believe you’re truly my seed.”

“Yustea, everyone has their role. Those who can’t fulfill their role are often discarded. Don’t make me discard you with my own hands.”

At such times, Mother would fight with Father, shouting at each other.

“The rabbit family worked together to build a bridge over the river—.”

“Yustea did something wrong…”

“…What?”

“Mister. You come every night. When you’re angry. You come at night. So Yustea did something wrong.”

Aslan stiffened.

Yustea pulled the blanket up to the top of her head and mumbled.

“Yustea will work hard. Please send me home. I did something wrong. I did something wrong…”

The sound of hands rubbing together came from under the blanket.

Aslan couldn’t say anything.

He forgot about turning the page and just stared blankly at the huddled form.

It felt like he had been hit somewhere.

It seemed like his head, and it seemed like his chest.

He had received worse attacks in countless battles.

But it had never hurt this much.

Aslan pulled back the blanket.

Yustea looked at Aslan with a tense expression.

‘The mister will make a scary face…’

Whenever she spoke her mind, Grandmother, Father, and her older brother all frowned.

Aslan raised his hand.

‘I’m getting hit…!’

She squeezed her eyes shut, but it didn’t hurt.

A large, cold hand simply touched her cheek.

“You wanted to go home.”

“….”

“You endured it without saying anything because you were worried the Unit Members would be sad.”

“….”

“I didn’t know your feelings, Yusi. I’m sorry.”

Why is the mister saying he’s sorry?

Here, she can eat very delicious food.

Even sweet snacks that would make Grandmother frown if she saw them.

Also, there’s no getting hit with a rod for making mistakes while studying day and night.

All she did was look around the garden or ride piggyback on the Unit Members and play happily.

The mister watched this with a gentle smile.

He gave her everything, so why is he saying sorry?

‘Maybe he’s not really a scary person.’

It was a night when Yustea’s heart opened a little.

* * *

The next morning, in the restaurant.

The Elite heard surprising news from Aslan.

Aslan, who had vehemently opposed sending Yustea to Andres, had changed his position.

“Really? Why so suddenly? Huh? Did the sun rise from the west today?”

“Shut up.”

Aslan said quietly while sipping his soup.

At that moment, sounds came from outside the restaurant door.

Unit Members had brought Yustea with them.

Charlie, who came grinning widely while holding Yustea’s hand, said.

“Today you said it was okay to eat in the restaurant. Right, Young Lady?”

“Yes…”

The Elite’s eyes widened.

Yustea didn’t like meal times where Aslan, the ‘scary mister,’ was present.

They used to coax her gently to bring her along, but she would stiffen up, so at some point they started eating separately.

The unit members seated the child to Aslan’s right.

“…!”

Even though it was right next to Aslan, she showed no signs of hesitation.

Soon Yustea’s meal was brought out.

Today’s menu consisted of softly cooked butternut squash soup, soft bread, and finely cut beef.

This time too, Yustea didn’t tremble and ate well like a baby bird accepting what was given.

“Did the sun really rise from the west today?”

It was Antonio speaking with surprised eyes, resting his chin on his hand.

Cesar said without taking his eyes off Yustea.

“Still can’t tell directions?”

“That’s not what I mean. I’m just surprised. You know, that… that glow… glowing expression? Something like that.”

“Idiomatic expression.”

“I just forgot for a moment.”

“For the sun to rise from the west, where would it have to rise? Tell me.”

“…Should it rise from behind that mountain?”

“That’s north, you idiot.”

Antonio, who had been cursed at, was fuming.

“Norf-east. (Northeast.)”

The unit members froze.

Antonio and Cesar, who had been focused on their argument, and even the unit members who had been watching the fight, all turned to look at Yustea.

“What did you say?”

When Cesar asked, Yustea spoke up.

“Dat’s norf-east. East is dere. (That’s northeast. East is there.)”

“…You know directions?”

For the assassination squad, learning directions was natural.

For mission execution.

But for such a young child to know such things?

When Cesar looked surprised, Yuise said “Ah” and raised her head.

“Come to think of it, that scribbling on the biography before…”

Antonio responded to that.

“What’s so strange about kids scribbling?”

“I thought it was scribbling, but looking closely, it was strange. Charlie, bring me the book from my office desk.”

The unit member whose name was called hurriedly left the restaurant.

And shortly after, he brought the book.

Yuise opened the book and pointed to the scribbled part.

[Knight Lark led his soldiers and rode for four straight days to reach the Imperial Palace.]

Above the underlined “four days” was written “6 days” in crooked handwriting.

Cesar looked at the writing in the book and said.

“Why six days?”

“That’s what puzzled me too. Just in case, I checked the actual history books and six days was correct.”

“What?”

The unit members looked at Yustea in surprise once again.

Cesar asked Yustea.

“Did you remember it from other biographies?”

Yustea shook her head.

“Then?”

“Need rest. (Need to rest.)”

“In an urgent situation, they could have ridden without rest.”

“Only people urgent. Horses don’t know.”

“…!”

“Horses knights ride. Wearing heavy things. So need more rest. (Horses that knights ride are wearing heavy things. So they need more rest.)”

The elites exchanged surprised glances.

The knight in this biography had heard news of enemies invading the archipelago during battle and moved urgently.

In preparation for the battle that followed, they would have had to let the war horses rest and feed them plenty of fodder and water.

“To rest horses, go here. (To rest the horses, you have to go here.)”

Yustea pointed to a village on the map inserted in the biography.

“Then six days.”

“…!!!”

The restaurant was literally turned upside down.

“What, what, what? How does a tiny young lady know that?!”

Antonio shouted, and Yuise hurriedly examined the map.

Cesar also groaned.

He recalled the conversation he had with Prince Luciano yesterday.

“My Quest was ‘support’ for collecting bad relationships. Interpreted, it means Yustea must collect the bad relationships herself.”

“How can a young child do such things alone?”

“You still don’t know Yustea well.”

“What do you mean…”

“That child isn’t a chess piece. She’s a player. By nature.”

“That’s…”

“You can trust my words since I’ve watched that child from a young age.”

“A player…”

One who reads the board and makes moves.

Cesar groaned and rubbed his forehead.

Yuise asked him.

“Why?”

“It’s annoying.”

“That Yustea is excellent?”

No, that she resembles the Clan Leader too much.

‘The Clan Leader should be unique.’

The deep-rooted Clan Leader worshipper grumbled.

Without even recognizing the smile that flashed for a moment.

Eventually, the Irregulars’ elites reached a conclusion.

That day, a letter from Esgaroth arrived saying they would send Yustea to Andres.

* * *

Time passed to the memorial day of the Marquis of Andres.

A carriage could be seen entering through the main gate of Andres.

The carriage’s flag was embroidered with Esgaroth’s emblem, a golden eagle.

Those who had escorted the carriage were people with sharp presence.

The guards who had reached the front of the Andres group lined up in perfect order before the carriage.

The carriage door opened and Aslan and Yustea stepped out.

“I didn’t expect you to come personally, Marquis of Cuaron.”

Aslan, who had gotten out holding Yustea’s hand, glanced at the marquis.

The faces of those waiting were not ordinary.

Marquis Yopis, who had been Yustea’s teacher.

Marquis Rochette, the head of Andres’ vassals.

The others were also high ministers who held positions in Andres.

No matter how much it was the marquis’s memorial day, they weren’t people who would come up to the archipelago.

Arrogant smiles hung on the faces of Andres’ vassals.

‘As expected, they knew about Yustea’s condition.’

Out of nowhere, after giving the Emperor such a huge sum, his one and only request was to send Yustea.

Not even a request with practical benefits, just that.

He must have thought it was an opportunity to get his hands on Yustea, the Saint.

“Even a crumbling family seems to have a useful intelligence department.”

No matter that he was the son of Marquis Esgaroth, Aslan was merely an administrator of a single jurisdiction.

He couldn’t dare speak informally to Count Andres.

One of Andres’ vassals, hearing the insolent tone, shouted angrily.

“Marquis of Cuaron, show some respect!”

Clang clang clang—!

Aslan’s guards drew their weapons all at once.

Andres’ knights also hurriedly blocked the path in front of their vassals, but they were all filled with tension.

A fierce sense of pressure emanated from Aslan’s guards.

It felt like facing wild beasts.

Even the four people surrounding Aslan and Yustea gave off a stronger presence than the guards.

‘Those are the ones I saw at the family tournament. They appeared as Yustea’s knights…!’

They were all beings who boasted inhuman martial prowess.

One of them had appeared for Andres, but those who watched the family tournament had noticed.

That he had been Aslan’s person from the beginning.

The flustered vassals of Andres stammered and shouted.

“A-are you planning to start a battle within Andres…!”

“H-His Majesty will not overlook this matter!”

Aslan held the startled Yustea and said.

“That useful intelligence department should have told you. Opening your mouth thoughtlessly in front of an Irregular isn’t a good idea.”

“…!”

“…!!”

The vassals’ faces turned pale.

Of course, Andres had already figured out that Aslan was the Clan Leader of the Irregulars.

But he hadn’t expected Aslan to reveal his identity with his own mouth.

Aslan maintained a leisurely attitude.

As if he didn’t mind at all.

His red eyes were like those of a well-fed predator, and his hand stroking Yustea’s back was calm.

Even the character hair tie binding his black hair seemed to prove his composure…

‘Wait, a character hair tie?’

Andres’ vassals, who hadn’t noticed the pink character hair tie due to the intimidating atmosphere, hesitated.

Since his hair was short, the hair tie was loose.

Yustea rustled and retied his hair.

Then she nodded quite contentedly, saying “Mm.”

“Pretty.”

Then Aslan…

“Thank you, Mother.”

“…!”

“…!!”

Andres’ vassals were more flustered than when Aslan revealed he was the Clan Leader of the Irregulars.

‘What, what is this.’

‘From the situation, it seems the young lady tied it from the beginning. Mother… he said?’

Yustea handed the toy bread she was holding to Aslan.

“Snack.”

“I’ll eat it well, Mother.”

One of Andres’ vassals muttered blankly.

“A tiny pink tea party set…?”

“What did you say?”

“No, well… my daughter often plays with it, so I suddenly…”

Only then did Andres’ vassals realize that Aslan was playing along with Yustea’s tea party.

And as the daughter role at that…

Aslan chuckled and looked at Count Andres.

“【Father is His Daughter’s Best Friend】.”

“What nonsense are you spouting?”

“How pathetic. To not know Professor Ronald’s work.”

Aslan’s eyes, having experienced a dramatic rise in status from scary uncle to best friend over the past few days, were incomparably arrogant.

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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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