How to Replace Your Dad - Chapter 204

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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
Chapter 204
The figure emerging from the mist was a familiar face.
It was Clan Leader and Antonio, standing beside Miliano, who reacted first—even before me.
“What, what?”
“The Marquis’s niece….”
At that, the other Irregulars flinched and stared at Clan Leader.
“What did you say?”
“That’s the Marquis’s niece?”
“The one who targeted Yustea as an Explosive Trigger?”
Before I could even explain, a torrent of enemy intelligence spilled out.
Yes.
The enemy emerging from the mist was Marina.
San Miguel—the Estate that the Irregulars once ruled, before it became Cuaron.
Back then, Father couldn’t reveal his true identity as the Marquis’s hidden son.
So he’d put a nobleman in place to serve as the lord, and that nobleman was Count Sanmiguel.
Marina was that Count’s niece.
A candidate to be Father’s adopted daughter, and that same girl who’d tried to kill me as an Explosive Trigger.
Marina fixed me with a sharp gaze.
“What a beautiful dress.”
“…You really do love dresses, don’t you.”
I answered with exasperation.
Back in San Miguel, she’d tried to steal the clothes Clan Leader gave me too, and came away empty-handed.
‘But how did this happen?’
Marina had been sent to the Mines for the crime of trying to kill me as an Explosive Trigger.
I frowned and asked.
“How did you escape the Mines?”
“I met a noble personage.”
“A noble personage….”
As I murmured, Marina giggled.
“I’d like to tell you more details—”
“Ah, never mind.”
I raised a hand in a blocking gesture, and Marina’s eyes narrowed to slits.
She glared at me, teeth gritted.
“In that mine, I…!”
“You met the Reconstruction Council.”
“They…!”
“Recruited you because you had a narrative worth telling.”
“From them, I…!!”
“Gained the Power of the Pattern.”
Marina seemed eager to brag about her grand journey, but I cut her off coldly, again and again.
The Irregulars snickered.
Marina’s face flushed hot.
‘As if that’s something to boast about.’
The Twin Sword Pattern glowed on Marina’s cheek.
No one but me can manifest a Pattern—and now the Reconstruction Council.
Marina, teeth clenched as she glared at me, suddenly curled her lips upward.
“Let’s see how long you can keep playing the clever one.”
In that moment, a strange scent wafted past my nostrils.
Kiiieeeek—!
The monsters shrieked sharply.
Monsters swarmed in from all sides.
“Defensive formation…!”
It was then that I shouted.
Marina giggled.
“Did you think she could only charm monsters?”
In the next instant, a mace flew at me from behind.
A member of Antonio’s Unit had attacked me.
If Miliano, standing closest, hadn’t quickly pulled me back, my head would have shattered.
The Irregulars’ condition was strange.
Most of them had eyes devoid of focus.
Marina had charmed her allies.
She spoke.
“Enduring humiliation beyond measure—it was all for this day.”
“….”
“I’ll deliver a bitter end at the hands of one I trusted. To do that, I….”
“I already told you—I’m not interested in your story.”
Marina folded her arms and tilted her head.
“You still haven’t grasped the situation, have you?”
She looked as though she’d already won.
A sense of superiority rose in her.
Monsters surrounded us on all sides. Even my comrades had become enemies.
She must have believed there was no one to save me.
“Is that so?”
“What?”
“Miliano.”
At my call, Miliano deftly snatched the mask hanging at his waist.
The device fixed at the center of the mask was a loudspeaker.
In other words….
“You cannot sense the scent. You will not be charmed.”
It was a device that made Miliano’s words carry louder and more clearly to all ears.
The Irregulars stirred and came to their senses.
“…!!”
Marina’s face went rigid.
“How….”
“How is beside the point.”
“What?”
“If you fight with the Power of the Pattern, whoever is more skilled has the advantage—that’s obvious. Subdue her!”
Miliano kicked off the ground and rushed at Marina.
Marina hastily summoned monsters to intercept him, but it was useless.
Miliano’s charge toward Marina wasn’t meant for physical combat.
“You will lose consciousness.”
Marina’s eyes lost their light in an instant.
Her body swayed violently and collapsed.
Miliano caught her as she fell.
‘So that was why.’
“Hold her tight. We need to uncover the Reconstruction Council’s tracks.”
“Yes, Young Lady.”
Miliano removed his mask and smiled gently.
I picked up the Communication Stone.
The recipient was Father.
“The monsters’ charm has been broken. Please take care of them.”
[Understood.]
A brief reply came back.
And some moments later.
Boom-boom-boom….
The earth shook with a tremendous roar.
I deployed my Nullification Field and shouted quickly.
“Get inside!”
I spread the field as wide as possible.
The Irregulars, who had been facing off against the monsters, quickly rushed into my field.
Cracks of light spread rapidly across the ground—like the roots of a massive tree.
Crash—!!
Thunder roared from within the light spreading across the earth.
The monsters, startled by the shock, scrambled backward in panic.
The flying monsters took off to the distant sky, and the ground-based ones fled just as quickly.
I spoke.
“Inform Security: the Barrier must be reactivated.”
“Yes.”
“And have all Jurisdictions strengthen their defenses to keep monsters away from civilian areas.”
“I’ll move immediately.”
“As for the remaining personnel….”
“Yes, Young Lady!”
The Irregulars looked at me with bright, eager eyes.
I nodded and ordered with authority.
“We need to get to the Ceremonial Hall~!”
The Succession Ceremony and the Betrothal Ceremony were about to begin.
* * *
I hurried into the Ceremonial Hall.
It had taken time to sort through the day’s incident.
In the end, I could only enter the Hall in the middle of the Succession Ceremony.
The Hall was packed with people.
Thanks to checking on the guests immediately when the emergency erupted, not a single person was injured.
The Irregulars inside the Hall gestured at me.
I crept quietly toward them.
Yuise lowered her voice and spoke.
“Why are you so late?”
“I was checking on the civilian areas….”
I laughed awkwardly and took my seat.
Fortunately, I hadn’t missed the crucial moment.
All of us Irregulars focused on the ceremony.
Grandfather, bowing low, placed the Golden Crown on Father’s head.
Clan Leader Lorenzo clenched his fists tight.
His throat was taut with the overwhelming emotion he was swallowing back.
“He’s going to cry. He’s definitely going to cry.”
As Antonio chuckled, Lorenzo spoke in a choked voice.
“You’ve all worked hard. Thank you.”
“….”
“….”
The Irregulars stared at Lorenzo.
Lorenzo continued.
“Crossing the line of death, we lost many comrades. There were moments when you wanted to flee—I know that.”
“….”
“Yet in the end, we succeeded.”
“….”
“It is because of you.”
“….”
The Irregulars’ eyes widened.
Even Antonio’s unit, who had been chuckling at the idea of teasing Clan Leader, found themselves scratching their heads or biting their lips.
Even the Elite’s normally carefree expressions changed.
I smiled gently.
“It is our accomplishment.”
Lorenzo looked at me with a start.
The Elite let out soft laughter.
Antonio draped his arms across Cesar’s and Yuise’s shoulders.
“That’s right. Us.”
“Get your hand off.”
“Whatever.”
Cesar and Yuise spoke in their usual blunt manner.
But they didn’t shake off Antonio’s arm.
Miliano held a soft smile.
Abel looked annoyed, yet didn’t leave his place—a camaraderie in his own way.
Clan Leader looked at me.
“Young Lady, I know how hard you’ve worked. Thank you.”
“Please, it was for comrades I wished to stand with.”
Lorenzo’s eyes widened sharply.
I remembered what he’d said when he accepted me as an Irregular back in San Miguel.
“Should anything trouble you in the future, call upon us.”
“We shall be at your side, always.”
“We came to serve you, Young Lady.”
“I have never forgotten those words. Not for a single moment.”
The Irregulars stared at me.
Their pupils were trembling greatly.
Yuise swallowed hard and spoke.
“You’re making everyone feel weird….”
“Are you crying?”
“It feels like I might be.”
Antonio and Cesar snickered and looked at Yuise.
Yuise turned her head away, refusing to engage.
But everyone could see her eyes were redder than usual.
Yet no one teased her further.
They were all too overcome with emotion.
Father rose from his seat and looked out at the assembly.
Thunderous applause poured forth.
Both the Irregulars and I clapped our hands, welcoming Esgaroth’s new succession.
‘So what comes next….’
The announcement of Mother’s betrothal?
As my expression grew anxious, Antonio asked.
“What?”
“Mother might cause a scene.”
Even when Father approached, Mother’s face was lukewarm.
It remained so even as the ring was brought before them.
As Father slipped the ring onto Mother’s hand, whispers rippled through the guests.
“I’ve never seen such a shocking day in all my life. Esgaroth’s heir taking such a woman….”
“Perhaps he did it to prevent the Saint from outshining his consort.”
“You cannot expect her to fulfill the role of lady of the house.”
“Since the Saint is also adopted, the authorities of mother and daughter will face constant challenge within the family.”
Mother, with her sharp ears, had heard every word.
Her eyebrows twitched dangerously.
‘No, no, no!’
Hadn’t I foreseen remarks of this caliber?
Mother’s head turned abruptly.
Her gaze fixed on whoever had spoken of “mother and daughter’s authority facing constant challenge within the family.”
Her look remained sharp and murderous, even as the ring slid completely onto her ring finger.
I swallowed hard.
I wasn’t asking for a romantic betrothal ceremony.
Just please, don’t cause a commotion….
The moment I was clasping my hands together in fervent prayer.
Whoosh.
Father’s collar was grabbed by Mother.
And then… smack.
Their lips met.
“Waaaaaah—!”
Another roar of applause erupted.
“…?!”
“What, what, what?!”
Those who had been sneering at Mother and me, as well as all the guests who had been clapping quietly, wore shocked expressions.
Father was the most shocked of all.
He had gone rigid, his eyes wide open.
Mother looked triumphant.
“Looking forward to it, darling.”
“What are you—”
“Yustea~!”
Whether Father remained frozen or not, Mother waved her arm at me with a bright smile.
I pressed a hand to my forehead.
The Irregulars whispered.
“Young Lady, what exactly is your mother?”
I’d like to know too….
Though I suspect I’ll never understand, no matter how long I live.
But at least she hadn’t caused an unmanageable disaster.
“Yusi, my daughter~!”
“Our daughter.”
“What?”
“What.”
I found myself laughing as I watched Mother and Father bicker.
If this isn’t a happy ending, I don’t know what is.
* * *
Despite the commotion, the Succession Ceremony and the Betrothal were completed.
I stepped outside the Castle, my energy depleted.
I had come to greet Father as he returned from the procession.
“This is the path he’ll take, right?”
At my question, Yuise nodded.
“Why come outside instead of waiting in the Castle?”
“I want to greet him first. Father had a hard day.”
He really must have been exhausted.
Between driving back the monsters with wide-area magic….
“Will that really be their first kiss?”
I asked the Elite nervously.
“Well, to our knowledge, the Clan Leader has never had a lover….”
“Right, so….”
Yuise and Antonio giggled.
Cesar, devoted to the Clan Leader, had a thoroughly annoyed expression.
I swallowed dryly.
‘I need to apologize to Father….’
And I should definitely tell Mother to apologize too.
Lost in such thoughts, I was waiting for Father.
A rustling sound came from the grass.
I turned my head with a start.
The Elite quickly drew their weapons and shielded me.
But when we saw who appeared, we did not attack—instead, our eyes widened.
Cesar’s brow furrowed.
“You…!”
Just as he was about to shout, I quickly blocked him with one arm.
I passed through the Elite and approached the figure.
“You came.”
“….”
“But you’re too late.”
“….”
“I wanted to spend the happy day longer together. …Oscar.”
Oscar’s gaze and ours met.

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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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