How to Replace Your Dad - Chapter 197

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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How to Replace Father
Episode 197
I stood rigid, staring at the floating spear suspended in empty air.
Abel approached me with a drowsy expression.
“What is this now….”
It seemed the system window had guided him too into an episode called “Proposer’s Proposal.”
But I had no answer for him.
“…I have no idea. I’ve never seen an episode like this before.”
Not only had I never encountered it, but neither had any other player in their reviews.
There was something the title suggested, though.
The fact that an episode titled “Proposal” appeared while my father’s marriage was being discussed pointed to one conclusion….
“It must be related to Father, right?”
Abel nodded.
That meant something significant enough to warrant an episode was about to happen.
I groaned softly.
“I’ll need to examine my father’s future bride closely. Abel, can you get your unit members to help?”
A mark appeared on Abel’s forehead.
“Not the ghost you summon with the mark. I mean your actual unit members.”
I smiled gently and Abel clicked his tongue in annoyance.
Thanks to his exceptional skill and status as a Mark Manifestation user, Abel had become one of the Irregulars’ elite.
The elite were meant to form units and command their members.
Just as Yustea commanded the Intelligence Division and Antonio led the Assault Unit.
After Oscar departed, Abel had taken command of Oscar’s Unit, which had lost its leader.
‘But Abel is the type who prefers working alone, keeping everyone at arm’s length.’
Abel didn’t welcome company—he found operating solo far more convenient.
His unit members, for their part, found it inconvenient to serve under a commander who handled everything himself.
Especially since their original leader, Oscar, had been one of the elite best known for building cohesion with his members, making the contrast impossible to ignore.
‘Since it doesn’t seem like a particularly dangerous episode, I hope this chance will help Abel and his unit members grow closer.’
I smiled warmly, and Abel sighed with obvious reluctance.
* * *
It took a full two days to move everything and get it organized.
I brushed my shoulders and stood up.
“There was more luggage than I expected.”
Charlie, who’d been helping me, nodded in agreement.
“That’s right. When you first came to San Miguel, you were carrying just one large backpack.”
“True.”
“I was so shocked that you only had two outfits.”
“It was three. I had pajamas.”
Charlie looked at me with a somber expression.
“Miss, those weren’t pajamas. Those were rags.”
It was said with absolute conviction.
The other female unit members of Antonio’s Unit also nodded with their eyes narrowed.
They’d been shocked then too at the state of my clothes.
Charlie gazed at the last remaining dress with an enchanted expression.
“To think you’ve acquired so many belongings.”
The other female unit members nodded tearfully, murmuring their agreement.
“We’re happy. It seems you’ve truly made a home here.”
I looked at them and smiled.
Then it happened.
Knock, knock.
A knock sounded at the door.
The head butler of Esgaroth Mansion stood in the doorway, which had been left open due to our moving.
He bowed and spoke.
“I’ve prepared lunch at the location you specified.”
“Got it.”
I led my unit members out.
The meal was set up in the Barracks Backyard.
The Barracks Backyard was crowded with Irregulars.
“Miss—beef! Beef! Not chicken, not pork, but real beef!”
Antonio shouted with unbridled excitement upon seeing the table laden with food.
I chuckled and nodded.
“I told the kitchen to pay special attention to the menu. Come, everyone sit down.”
The Irregulars eagerly took their seats.
The head seat was mine.
“It’s a shame we can’t eat with Father today, but consider me standing in for him. He’s too busy with matters of succession to spare the time.”
The Irregulars quickly shook their heads.
I nodded gently.
Today’s meal was a small celebration of the Irregulars’ achievements.
Of course, the Clan Leader stationed at Cuaron Castle would hold a formal banquet for all the unit members.
But Father and I were too busy establishing ourselves at the Homeland to attend Cuaron’s celebration.
Instead, I wanted to commend their efforts here today.
“From now on, you’ll be traveling between Cuaron and the Homeland. But once Father takes his position as Marquis, the Homeland will become our base, so learn the rules and the people well.”
“As long as Antonio’s Unit does its job, we’ll be fine.”
The room burst into laughter.
Antonio’s Unit members wore expressions of displeasure.
“We don’t make mistakes like Cesar’s Unit does.”
“And what exactly did we do?”
As Antonio’s Unit and Cesar’s Unit bickered, Miliano’s Unit smiled wryly.
“One of Cesar’s Unit members asked a servant, ‘Begging your pardon, where might the privy be located?’ and the butler spent an entire lecture explaining hierarchy and protocol.”
Cesar’s face darkened at the story.
Cesar’s unit members shrank back at their commander’s menacing expression.
Antonio laughed.
I chuckled warmly.
“I’ll arrange for an etiquette instructor at Cuaron. All the unit members need formal training.”
That particular phrasing was certainly problematic.
Yustea’s Unit looked proud.
They were the Information Division, whose primary duty was approaching nobles and extracting information.
They were the unit most familiar with noble protocol.
Yustea flashed a smug grin and spread out the notes wedged between her fingers.
“I’ve collected contact information from maids, administrative officials, and even several vassals.”
“Well done.”
Yustea tossed bread to her unit members.
“Stop fooling around.”
“No, it’ll help with information gathering… Ow, it hit my eye!”
Laughter erupted again.
Another round of merriment filled the space.
The Clan Leader was at Cuaron Castle defending it, so he wasn’t present, but his adjutant and a few of his unit members were there.
The Clan Leader’s unit members gazed at their plates with wonder.
“Now… we don’t have to worry about feeding the unit members….”
“Those days of digging arrowroot in the mountains are finally gone….”
Even the Clan Leader’s adjutant lifted his plate with gratitude shining in his eyes.
He had been the one most burdened with managing the Irregulars’ household economy.
When I nodded at him, tears actually began to roll down his face.
“Then, let us begin our meal.”
The moment I spoke, the unit members buried their faces in their plates.
It was like a swarm of locusts descending on fields.
Seeing this, the elite—Cesar, Yustea, and Miliano—snickered.
Antonio was similarly burying his face in his plate like the others.
I was watching contentedly when I paused.
Abel and his unit members were eating quietly, their faces expressionless.
Unlike the others, they showed no signs of rushing forward or excitement.
“….”
“….”
It was a decidedly awkward atmosphere.
* * *
That night.
I called for Yustea.
Upon hearing me, Yustea’s eyes widened slightly.
“You mean Abel’s Unit?”
“Yes. The atmosphere seemed off.”
“Well… there’s been a lot of talk about Abel’s Unit among the members.”
“So their relationship really is that strained?”
Yustea shrugged.
“That unit followed their leader particularly devotedly. They probably haven’t healed from being betrayed by Oscar yet.”
“And then Abel suddenly takes the commander position on top of that, so the confusion must be worse….”
“Abel isn’t the sociable type anyway. He doesn’t know how to extend a hand first or offer comfort.”
“I gave them a task.”
“I heard. I understand the intention—improve your relationship by working together—but….”
Yustea looked troubled.
“It seems it created quite a commotion yesterday.”
I was startled and asked, “Why?”
“Why indeed?”
“The task Abel assigned his unit members was simply to collect and compile information relayed from other units.”
“Then who does the actual surveillance?”
“The unit members asked the same thing. Abel answered that his Barrier would be sufficient.”
“Then….”
“The unit members couldn’t help but be dissatisfied. That unit in particular has a combative nature—they want to contribute to actual combat. Being told to just support from behind would frustrate anyone.”
“Hmm….”
“Word about Abel’s Unit is spreading even within our own divisions.”
I couldn’t wait for time or circumstances to resolve this.
‘What should I do about this?’
I sighed.
* * *
The Homeland of Esgaroth, which bore the honored title of one of the Seven Families, was lavish.
Cuaron was comfortable enough, but it couldn’t match the splendor of the Homeland.
The Irregulars had been assigned an entire barracks within Esgaroth Castle’s military compound.
But the atmosphere in the barracks was far from good.
In the barracks’ dining hall.
Unit members with roasted potatoes and dried meat in their mouths were hunched over, grumbling.
“The mood in here is positively deadly. My digestion can’t handle it.”
“Then spit out that dried meat you’re chewing and talk.”
“This helps ease my anxiety.”
An Antonio’s Unit member who’d tapped Cesar’s Unit member’s hand to make him take the dried meat out of his mouth glanced back warily.
Abel’s Unit had monopolized an entire large table.
With Abel alone on one side and his unit members sitting opposite him in an awkward formation of open hostility.
“Please correct the management of this unit.”
It was Aragon, Oscar’s former adjutant, speaking.
Oscar’s Unit members supported Aragon.
“You act too unilaterally.”
“We’re not clerical staff. Receiving and compiling information from Yustea’s Unit cannot be the entirety of our role.”
Hearing this, a Cesar’s Unit member muttered.
“Finally blowing up.”
A Yustea’s Unit member replied while organizing notes from the maids.
“I always knew it would happen. Their temperaments just don’t align.”
Miliano’s Unit members wore worried expressions.
“Should we stop them?”
“We probably should….”
Meanwhile, Antonio’s Unit members were still cramming dried meat into their mouths with both hands.
“Leave it, leave it.”
“Yeah. Once they blow off some steam like this, they’ll feel better. We also once rebelled against our commander being an idiot and got beaten half to death before we settled down.”
Cesar’s Unit members regarded Antonio’s Unit members like beasts and shot back.
“That’s just you lot.”
Antonio’s Unit members were vigorous and hot-blooded, but also pure-hearted and held no grudges.
But Oscar’s Unit—now called Abel’s Unit—was different.
They had inherited Oscar’s delicate sensibility.
Cesar’s Unit members muttered.
“At this rate, either the unit will fall apart or Abel will leave the Irregulars.”
“No! That can’t happen!”
“Right? Then who’ll smash the Barrier when we sneak into the kitchen for food? Abel’s really good at that!”
Yustea’s Unit, who maintained the Inner Palace Barrier, paused and looked at Antonio’s Unit members.
“The Barrier anomaly was because of you lot?”
“The commander chewed us out so much over that.”
Yustea’s Unit members’ eyes sharpened as they realized.
“This jelly… isn’t made by Yustea….”
Abel spoke in his drowsy voice.
He was completely ignoring what his unit members were saying.
He just complained that the jelly was nothing special.
Bang—!
Aragon from Abel’s Unit shot up from his chair, knocking the table.
“You don’t even want to have a conversation—!”
The thunderous shout made even other unit members flinch.
Aragon glared at Abel with a distorted expression.
“If you can’t fulfill a leader’s role, take off the armband.”
“Role….”
“If you’re going to keep us sidelined, we can’t follow you anymore.”
“Do as you wish.”
“…What did you say?”
Deep wrinkles formed between Aragon’s brows.
Abel toyed with his jelly using a spoon as he spoke.
“Do whatever you want. I’m not going to baby you like your traitorous former leader.”
“What kind of bullshit is that!”
Abel turned his expressionless gaze toward Aragon.
“Where did the anger come from anyway…. Traitorous leader? Mother hen?”
“How much more are you going to insult us?”
Any semblance of common ground evaporated.
Cesar’s Unit members muttered “A riot’s breaking out” and shook their heads.
Yustea’s Unit members continued organizing notes but their expressions had gone blank.
It was Miliano’s Unit members who stepped in.
They began trying to calm Abel’s Unit members.
“You’re getting too worked up, Aragon.”
“First, calm down….”
“Let go—!”
Aragon shook off their hands and glared at Abel.
The other members of Abel’s Unit had equally menacing expressions.
Abel’s Unit members spoke.
“We endured being left without guidance, without proper training, always watching you lounge around.”
“Is our request to be used properly nothing but stubbornness to you?”
Abel responded without emotion.
“The point is you just want to do what you feel like, right? The previous commander was shrewd at sweet-talking and cajoling, but don’t expect the same from me.”
Abel yawned widely as he stood and added.
“It’s too troublesome.”
That was when Aragon from Abel’s Unit drew his sword.
Just before mana poured out and a blue-gleaming blade reached Abel.
“Stop.”
A cold voice rang out from the doorway.
All the unit members in the dining hall rose to their feet.
The elite had arrived.
It was Miliano who’d issued the command.
Walking over to Abel’s table, he sighed and grabbed Aragon’s hand.
“Whatever the reason, drawing a weapon against a fellow member is unforgivable, Aragon.”
“Miliano….”
“Step aside and await your punishment. Abel’s Unit is suspended from all duties effective immediately.”
Aragon clenched his teeth.
Soon, with a metallic clang—, he hurled his sword away and spoke.
“It doesn’t matter. Suspension from duties has been our reality ever since our leader disappeared.”
Aragon and the rest of Abel’s Unit left the dining hall.
Silence engulfed the room.
Antonio folded his arms and groaned, “Uh.”
“How about they just trade blows? A man’s conversation comes with fists, you know.”
He suggested this as though it were a reasonable solution.
Soon after, he yelped when Yustea and Cesar hit him on the back of the head.
Yustea glanced at Abel.
Abel still wore no expression.
A sigh escaped involuntarily.
The next day, Yustea relayed the news to Yustea.
“Abel is the type who moves best solo anyway. Those unit members should be assigned a new commander. They haven’t forgotten Oscar.”
“Hmm.”
“So no matter how I think about it, Abel’s Unit members are….”
“Girls who can’t let go of their first love and are afraid to begin a new romance.”
…What?
“Then it’s simple. They don’t hate Abel—they just can’t let go of Oscar.”
Yustea clapped her hands together and smiled brightly.
“Let’s help them transfer their affections.”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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