How to Replace Your Dad - Chapter 16

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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 16

Northern Mountain Slope.

This place called the station was literally like a train station, where transportation devices called portals were installed.

Near the station, the Imperial Army was busy preparing to camp.

And I, who arrived there during the height of the squire examination period…

“Oh, Yustea!”

Was receiving an enthusiastic welcome from Colonel Lagoni.

“Hello, Colonel. Thank you for calling me.”

“It’s my good fortune that you were in the north.”

Colonel Lagoni didn’t know I was in the north.

We exchanged letters through a certain trading company’s central district.

I received or sent letters when the trading company crossed beyond the north to other countries, and Colonel Lagoni sent me letters using messenger birds.

“I’m embarrassed to say this as soon as you arrive, but I have a favor to ask of you.”

“A favor?”

‘Come to think of it, that’s strange.’

Usually he didn’t seek me out this much, but this time he desperately begged me to come.

Even though he really likes my food, he’s not the type to call me out during a prince’s escort just to make food.

He was famous for being sharp when it came to work.

That’s probably how he managed to enter the elite course of the Imperial Guard.

Colonel Lagoni nodded with a serious expression.

“Yustea, could I ask you to handle His Highness’s meals?”

“His Highness?”

I had expected him to ask me to handle Colonel Lagoni’s or the soldiers’ meals.

But a prince?

Not just anyone could handle royal meals.

One had to be a chef selected through thorough verification by the Imperial Palace, and the menu had to be reviewed by the palace nutritionist.

When I made a bewildered expression, Colonel Lagoni looked around and whispered to me.

“The Fourth Prince has madness.”

Madness.

It was a term referring to mental illness.

When I widened my eyes, Colonel Lagoni nodded and continued.

“The Fourth Prince refuses to put any food in his mouth, saying someone will poison him.”

“That’s…”

“Please help. Haven’t you restored the strength of soldiers who suffered from mental ailments in the past?”

So that’s why the colonel sought me out so desperately.

If the prince collapsed during the escort, everything would become Colonel Lagoni’s responsibility.

“Hmm.”

I pondered for a moment.

‘It would be difficult, but it’s worth trying.’

Since I need to get close to the prince to become a squire anyway.

I soon nodded.

The colonel’s face brightened.

“Thank you so much. I’ll do my best to ensure the other princes don’t notice you’re here.”

“…Other princes?”

Of course, the Fourth Prince wouldn’t have come alone.

It was planned for multiple princes to come from the beginning.

But there shouldn’t be any princes on this northern trip whose identity I need to hide from…

‘No way.’

I looked at Colonel Lagoni with a start.

He said with an awkward expression.

“There are princes who might make you a bit uncomfortable.”

What is this supposed to mean?

Princes who were never involved with me in the original game came…!

* * *

The makeshift kitchen in the barracks.

Standing with an apron tied on, staring at the cutting board, I thought.

‘Should I run away even now?’

Reality is unfolding in a completely different direction from the game’s story.

There are three princes who came on this northern trip.

Second Prince Luciano.

Prince Ain.

Fifth Prince Gaspard.

‘What a lineup…’

Excluding Prince Ain, the Second Prince and Fifth Prince weren’t supposed to be here.

And both of them were very awkward for me.

Fifth Prince Gaspard is the full brother of the First Prince, who was my first love and fiancé.

And the Second Prince is…

‘Let’s not think about it. I can’t run away anyway.’

I shook my head vigorously.

If I run away from here, I can’t become a squire.

Then I can’t go to Esgalott Castle, and I won’t be able to arrange a meeting between the duke and the Clan Leader.

The better the Irregulars do, the safer my future becomes.

I let out a deep sigh and tied my apron strings tightly.

‘Becoming a squire comes first. As for the awkward princes… let’s avoid them as much as possible.’

After organizing my thoughts like that, I first washed my hands.

And when I was about to cook…

“So you’re the wench Colonel Lagoni brought from outside.”

A burly man who looked easily 2 meters tall approached me, leading people in cooking uniforms.

Judging by his chef’s hat, the 2-meter man seemed to be a cook too.

I bowed my head.

“Yes. My name is Yustea.”

The 2-meter man glared at me with his arms crossed.

“What trick did you use?”

“Pardon?”

“What scheme did you pull to bewitch Colonel Lagoni?”

“Ah… dumplings.”

“What?”

“The colonel likes my dumplings. I used to work in the mess hall, and he’s liked my food since then…”

It was while I was answering his question.

The 2-meter man swept away the bowl and cutting board in front of me.

Clang! Clang-clatter─!

The cooking utensils rolled around on the floor making sharp sounds.

“Did I look like I was joking?”

The 2-meter man glared fiercely.

Behind him, mocking smiles appeared on the lips of the cooks who were glaring at me.

So those words weren’t actually questions from the start.

They came to take out their frustration on me since they couldn’t complain to the colonel.

They wanted to watch a girl suffer from hazing and not know what to do.

If I burst into tears and ran away, it could even damage the reputation of Colonel Lagoni who brought me.

I crouched down and silently picked up the cooking utensils.

The 2-meter tall man sneered and said.

“I’ll ask again. How did you bewitch the Colonel?”

“I told you he likes my cooking.”

I answered while placing the cooking utensils on the table.

The 2-meter giant frowned deeply.

The watching cooks burst into ridiculous laughter.

“Look at this?”

“She’s no ordinary woman. Look at those wide eyes.”

The cooks mocked me while egging on the 2-meter man.

The man stomped over and pushed me.

“I don’t know how well you manipulated Colonel Lagoni, but this isn’t a place someone like you can dare enter.”

“….”

“If it’s the Prince’s meal, it’s proper for us qualified ones to prepare it.”

“….”

“Don’t even think about sticking your nose into others’ opportunities and get lost.”

Sticking my nose into opportunities.

That seemed to be the point that angered him most.

The northern expedition was hard work. Any cook assigned such a task would probably be low-ranking in the Imperial Palace Kitchen.

So he rather wanted to make a good impression on the Princes with this opportunity, but suddenly I rolled in and he seemed furious.

When I stayed quiet, the 2-meter man raised his pot lid-sized hand.

“Can’t you hear what I’m saying!”

‘He’s even going to hit me?’

Then I have no choice.

The cooks thought I was scared and snickered, but I….

“Colonel! Colonel Lagoni!”

“…!”

“…!!”

I immediately called for the Colonel.

“There’s violence in the temporary kitchen! I’m scared to death! The cooks are… mmph!”

The cooks panicked and covered my mouth.

They seemed startled, not having expected this reaction.

“What, what are you doing!”

What am I doing? Tattling, of course.

The cooks seemed to think I’d be scared and not know what to do when they acted like this, but sorry, that’s not the case.

I’m someone who was kicked out of Andres and did all kinds of work.

There were plenty of situations worse than this.

And I realized.

If you endure and endure, you just become a good stress relief doll.

My principle was to use whatever I could to the fullest.

The cooks clung to me with pale faces, but it was already too late.

Colonel Lagoni, who had been eagerly waiting for dumplings, burst in like a bullet.

“What the hell are you all doing!”

“C-Colonel….”

The 2-meter giant shrank considerably.

* * *

What happened after was as expected.

Colonel Lagoni stormed in snorting, and the 2-meter giant and cooks got severely scolded by the Colonel.

“Those who received the Imperial Palace badge are blinded by personal greed and rebel against decisions made for the Prince’s safety?”

The 2-meter man couldn’t say a word.

‘He’d been making various excuses until now but only got yelled at.’

“A few words of advice that the child misunderstood….”

“Let me hear that advice too.”

“We admit the atmosphere was somewhat harsh out of concern for the Prince….”

“Let me see just how harsh that atmosphere was.”

“We are here together having received direct royal qualification, so even if you’re a Colonel, you cannot punish us as you please….”

“I’ll immediately inform the Imperial Palace that you’re the incompetent fools who made the Fourth Prince go without food for five days.”

K.O. to Colonel Lagoni who glared at every word they spoke.

In the end, they ended up clinging to the Colonel’s trouser legs begging for forgiveness.

With the cooks’ wailing as background music, I was working at the counter when I went “Hmm.” and looked up.

“Colonel.”

Colonel Lagoni, who had thoroughly crushed the cooks’ souls, looked at me with an affectionate expression.

“Yes, our Yustea. Do you need anything for cooking?”

“No. The cooking is already finished. Would you like to taste it?”

Then Colonel Lagoni and the adjutants who had been glaring behind the Colonel immediately rushed to me.

“I’ll do the tasting…!”

“It’s hot food. It would be terrible if the superior’s tongue got burned. I’ll handle the dangerous task….”

“Stop fooling around and get lost.”

Rank being a weapon, the Colonel ultimately claimed the tasting rights.

The Colonel ate the hot scorched rice soup as if his life depended on it, then writhed and groaned as his palate got completely burned.

Even so, he soon gave a thumbs up.

‘Good, tasting complete too.’

Then it was time to go meet the Fourth Prince who supposedly had madness.

I took the tray of food and headed to the barracks where Fourth Prince Ain was staying.

‘This is my first time seeing Fourth Prince Ain.’

Even when I was the daughter of Andres, I’d never seen a single hair of his.

Since there were quite a few royals who avoided public exposure, I’d never thought it particularly strange.

Moreover, he was a Prince without any particular rumors, so I didn’t know he was hiding due to madness.

I arrived at the barracks and opened my mouth.

No, I tried to.

“So where the hell is that damn tracking orb. Brother.”

If I hadn’t heard a fierce voice along with the sound of someone being thrown around.

I immediately recognized the voice.

‘It’s the scoundrel!’

Fifth Prince Gaspard, that is.

It was obvious who Gaspard would call brother.

Moreover, this was Prince Ain’s barracks.

‘The person being thrown around is Prince Ain.’

In other words, the Princes were in the middle of a physical fight.

Even knowing that Prince Ain was being beaten by Gaspard, I couldn’t readily enter.

Gaspard was notorious for his brutality.

I had actually seen a noble get stabbed in the eye with a dining knife right before my eyes.

He was that reckless.

Even if I went in to stop them, I’d just get beaten along with Prince Ain and wouldn’t be of any help.

‘I need to call someone else.’

But I couldn’t rely on Colonel Lagoni like with the cooks.

He wasn’t of a status that could stop Gaspard.

‘Then what’s left is….’

“Shall I help.”

At the voice from behind, I nearly jumped out of my skin.

I hurriedly turned my head.

A man in a hooded robe was looking at me.

Brilliant silver hair.

Red eyes quietly shining within sharp eye contours.

A perfectly balanced nose bridge.

Lips boasting graceful curves.

A body with proportions that seemed like a sculpture a genius had devoted their life to, as if not a being of reality.

Excluding Clan Leader Aslan, there would be no man as breathtakingly magnificent as this.

Nevertheless, I stiffened as if death was before my eyes.

“…Prince Luciano.”

Second Prince Luciano.

It was him.

I quickly bowed my head.

“I greet Your Highness.”

A low voice fell over the top of my head.

“Do you need help.”

“…The situation inside the barracks seems serious. Prince Ain might be waiting for his brother’s help…”

“I asked you.”

“I am…”

“The former sister-in-law who interfered with me at every turn.”

“…!”

I’m screwed.

Inside, the princes are fighting each other, and in front of me is the grim reaper.

Right, the person as troublesome as the vicious Gaspard was this Second Prince Luciano.

Luciano was the First Prince’s greatest political enemy.

Father told me to support my fiancé and assigned me to keep that Prince Luciano in check.

The foolish past Yustea, who thought she had to drink poison if it was Father’s command, diligently kept Luciano in check.

There were quite a few times it worked.

So to Luciano, I must be like an enemy.

I glanced toward the barracks and said.

“Um… if I emphasize that I’m now nothing more than a dust-covered potato kicked out of my family, might your resentment decrease a little…?”

“As if. The sister-in-law who packaged the barbarian subjugation I risked my life for as brother’s achievement.”

“Couldn’t you take into consideration that despite working so hard, I was ultimately thrown away like trash…?”

“I wonder. What about the sister-in-law who stole the founding emperor’s treasured sword that His Majesty was planning to bestow and brought it to brother.”

“If I say I very much want to hit my ignorant past self, and I’m prepared to be slapped if you wish…?”

“Did sister-in-law see me as a crazy bastard who hits women?”

“Of course not. But do you happen to know there’s an unfilial child inside who’s hitting not a woman but his brother…?”

Now I’m really getting anxious.

Another crashing sound was heard.

“I’m truly sorry, and I know I’ve committed mortal sins, but let’s settle our grudge later, no, I’ll come to you tonight and offer my neck…!”

If something happens to Prince Ain like this, it’ll be a disaster.

The northern expedition would end immediately, and then the opportunity for me to enter as an attendant and arrange a meeting between the Duke of Esgaroth and the Clan Leader would disappear.

Most importantly, I wouldn’t be able to sleep peacefully.

It was the moment I was speaking urgently.

Shing─.

From inside the barracks, the sound of drawing a sword from its sheath was heard.

If it escalated to bloodshed, I couldn’t delay even a moment longer.

It was when I was about to rush into the barracks.

“This is a debt. Yustea.”

Huh?

Luciano walking past me seemed to move slowly.

And when he reached the curtain hanging instead of a door at the barracks…

Crack─!

With the sound of planks splitting, the barracks half-collapsed.

The sword in Luciano’s hand had cut through the barracks’ support beams in one stroke.

A fierce wind blew.

The tent fabric fluttered from what had been the barracks, revealing the two princes inside.

The prince sitting collapsed on the floor was Fourth Prince Ain, who was said to suffer from madness.

And the prince pointing a sword at him was Fifth Prince Gaspard.

Gaspard, seeing Luciano standing crookedly in front of the barracks, let out a sneer.

“It’s not even summer, but the bugs are swarming, brother.”

“Don’t disparage yourself too much, Gaspard.”

Should I have run away earlier?

It was five minutes before complete chaos.

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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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