How to Replace Your Dad - Chapter 22

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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 22

They laughed heartily and said.

“A wise choice. Ah, now that I look at you, you have a familiar face. Aren’t you Duke Balboa’s granddaughter?”

The platinum-haired girl answered with a shy expression.

“Yes. I am Ayabel of House of Marquis Balboa.”

“There was a reason why Duke Balboa cherishes his granddaughter so much.”

All the vassals guessed why Marquis Balboa had sent his precious granddaughter as a servant.

‘He’s aiming for the position of imperial consort.’

As evidence, Ayabel’s cheeks were flushed red as she kept glancing at Luciano.

When Ayabel gestured, the servants began moving the teacups.

Ain looked annoyed as he watched the servant girl who placed tea in front of him while sending him subtle glances.

‘Even acting mad is useless.’

Even if he was the mad prince, they were desperate to get involved with him somehow.

There were even those who would deliberately trip themselves several times a day when passing by.

Compared to them…

‘What on earth is she doing?’

Yustea.

That child who had helped the alliance between the two princes at the military camp.

Hadn’t she wanted to become a servant so badly that she made a dangerous deal with Brother Luciano?

I thought she wanted to catch the eye of Esgaroth’s powerful figures.

He thought this while drinking his tea.

But then…

“…!”

Ain looked down at his teacup in surprise.

It wasn’t just him.

The eyes of the vassals who had drunk the tea widened as if they were about to pop out.

The moment they tasted the tea, a rich aroma struck their nostrils.

Some teas with strong fragrances can become unpleasant, like drinking perfume, but this tea was not like that.

It was deep yet smooth.

The vassals almost forgot their manners and gaped.

‘Not only the aroma, but the taste…!’

Teas with strong fragrances are generally bitter.

But this wasn’t bitter at all, and instead had a subtle sweetness and even umami.

One of the vassals looked at Ayabel.

“Is this really Moonlight?”

“…Is there some problem?”

Ayabel asked with an anxious expression.

The vassal quickly waved his hand.

“There’s no problem. I’m just asking because I wonder if tea that commoners drink can be this excellent.”

“Is it a matter of quality? Or a matter of how the tea was prepared?”

The vassals looked at Ayabel with great interest.

Ayabel looked flustered and glanced at Yustea before saying.

“I suppose the quality was good, and we put our hearts into brewing the tea…”

“Really? What method did you use to brew the tea?”

“That’s…”

“This is one of the best teas I’ve had in my lifetime. I really want to hear the secret.”

Ayabel broke out in a cold sweat.

The servants also looked confused and fidgeted.

The vassals looked strangely at Ayabel, who couldn’t seem to open her mouth.

Then, Luciano spoke up.

“Someone else prepared the tea.”

“Pardon?”

The vassal asked back as if wondering what he meant.

Luciano put down his teacup and looked at Yustea.

“You’re the one who prepared the Moonlight, aren’t you.”

Everyone’s gaze turned to Yustea at once.

Yustea bowed her head lightly.

“That’s correct.”

The vassal asked with a puzzled expression.

“I haven’t seen your face before, who are you?”

“I am Yustea of Sanmiguel.”

Yustea?!

‘Then she’s the one who was expelled from Andres…?’

Another vassal poked the side of the vassal who was looking at Yustea with a surprised face.

Yustea becoming a servant was due to Luciano’s influence, who was present here.

They couldn’t mention that child’s flaws in front of Luciano.

The vassals returned to the original topic.

“If the tea is this excellent, it should have received a Royal Warrant and all nobles would already be enjoying it. But why wasn’t it known?”

“Because the processing method was incorrectly known.”

“Processing method. Please explain in detail.”

“Until now, Moonlight has been processed in the same way as other black teas. It goes through the stages of withering, rolling, fermentation, and drying.”

“And so?”

“But to properly enjoy Moonlight, the rolling process must be excluded.”

Rolling means rubbing tea leaves to oxidize them.

In that process, the tea leaves break and cells are destroyed.

“When rolling is omitted, it becomes like this.”

Yustea placed the teapot in the center of the table and opened the lid.

“Ooh…”

“Amazing…”

Round petals were spread out in the teapot as if the moon had risen.

It was a beautiful sight.

“Indeed, Moonlight. It lives up to its name.”

“It’s not just the appearance. The crescent moon flower, which is the raw material for Moonlight, spreads the bitter taste of its pistil to the surroundings the more it’s rubbed.”

“You mean it tastes like this with just that?”

“There’s another important part.”

“What important part?”

“To properly enjoy Moonlight, you must soak it in ice water for a long time and carefully massage it so the petal shape doesn’t get damaged.”

Luciano looked at Yustea’s hands.

Her hands were completely red.

She might have gotten frostbite.

Other vassals, and even Ain, were looking at Yustea’s hands.

“After carefully handling it so the fragrance doesn’t escape, and then drying it again, you can achieve the current taste.”

The vassals smiled gently.

“You worked hard.”

“How could this much effort be too much for the people of the manor who look after the people in the harsh North? So there’s no reason to receive praise.”

Satisfied smiles appeared on all the vassals’ faces.

“She has not only skill but also deep thoughts.”

“It’s fortunate to have such a clever child among the servants.”

The sound of their laughter was kind.

His eyes looking at Yustea were very affectionate.

“But why didn’t you, who prepared the tea, explain this?”

Ayabel’s hand flinched.

The servant girl opened her mouth in panic.

“I, that is…!”

“Did I ask you?”

When Ain glanced at the girl, her face turned pale.

The vassal nodded and asked Yustea.

“What happened?”

“The role distribution was such.”

“You must have felt wronged.”

“That is not the case. Each having their role is to minimize mistakes in serving the prince.”

“Haha, you’re magnanimous too.”

There was no one in this place who didn’t know the servants had ostracized Yustea.

The vassals found it admirable how she covered for the servants even after having her credit stolen.

Of course…

‘Adults give points for this kind of mature attitude.’

It was calculated.

“Compared to that, you are disappointing.”

One of the vassals looked at the servants with cold eyes.

The servants’ faces turned ashen.

Ain chuckled and looked at Luciano.

What an interesting child indeed.

Hadn’t she completely captivated the vassals in an instant?

* * *

Returning to the servant’s quarters, the servants were sniffling.

“Count Cubas said he was disappointed. I don’t know what to do…”

“What should we do…”

They looked like their world had collapsed.

But I wondered to myself.

‘It didn’t seem like they were scolded enough to cry like that.’

When doing labor work, there were many times you’d get scolded much more fiercely.

Getting yelled at, being called this bastard and that bastard.

When I was on the tuna fishing boat, I heard curses as a basic thing. I’d get beaten up about twelve times a day.

‘Though it’s uncommon for nobles to get scolded like this.’

It was the same even after everyone returned to the servant quarters.

The restaurant atmosphere was tense.

…With everyone glaring at me.

‘Hmm. Their stares are piercing.’

Just as I was thinking that.

Someone placed a plate of food on the table that had been completely empty except for me.

Right across from me, no less.

“You’re completely a public enemy.”

It was a girl with tall stature and wavy red hair.

“I’m Asta from Sintes Territory. Marquis Sintes is my father.”

“Ah, I’m…”

“Miss Odd Jobs, right?”

“I’m Yustea from Sanmiguel Territory?”

“You didn’t know. You’re being called Miss Odd Jobs.”

Saying that, Asta placed parchment on the table.

Looking closely, it was the servants’ work assignment chart.

My name was also in the chart.

And my work was…

Odd jobs, odd jobs, odd jobs, and odd jobs. More odd jobs.

I was perfectly assigned to odd jobs that would never bring me face-to-face with the princes.

They even assigned work that maids do to my share.

“This is the assignment chart rewritten right after returning from tea service. You seem to have earned tremendous hatred.”

“I guess so. But is it okay for you to be here?”

Sitting in front of me, who’s hated, to eat lunch?

When I looked at her with that expression, Asta said cheerfully.

“I’m also a loner.”

I tilted my head.

For that to be true, Asta’s name was definitely included in the ‘work that could involve the princes’ that the servants coveted.

“You don’t seem to be an involuntary loner.”

“You’re quick to notice.”

Hmm. Indeed, Asta was ostracizing the majority by herself.

I said while scooping potage with a spoon.

“Marquis Sintes is one of the Three Elders. There’s no way they’d ostracize the only daughter of such a person.”

Just looking at Ayabel, who shared a room with me, showed that.

Ayabel was also a granddaughter of the Three Elders.

Because of that, she had strong influence among the servants.

But there’s no way they could ostracize the daughter of Marquis Sintes, who was said to have the most trust from the duke among the Three Elders.

Asta glanced at me.

“Work assignments. I can change them for you.”

“…?”

“You don’t need to be so surprised. It’s not like I want anything. Since the work assignment turned out favorable to me, I benefited from the ostracism. I find that disgusting.”

“…?”

“I said I don’t want anything? Why are you making such a puzzled expression…”

“I actually like odd jobs though?”

It’s actually more advantageous for me.

If I stick to the princes, I can’t secretly approach the duke.

“…You like preparing places the princes will visit in advance?”

“I especially like that!”

Wandering around the castle interior like that, I might be able to see the duke.

Asta looked at me with an astounded expression.

I grinned sheepishly.

* * *

While I was at it, I started working right away.

My purpose was to explore the castle interior, but I also worked diligently on my assigned tasks.

Checking if there were any bumps on the roads where carriages would pass.

“It’s going to rain today, so it would be good to lay down sacks. If the ground gets muddy and dented, the carriage will bounce.”

Checking if there were any branches that might brush against clothes on the planned walking course.

“This part of the vine wall is protruding, so have it cut.”

Also checking if there were any problems with the monsters guarding the castle walls.

“That griffin’s chain should be inspected. The joints look unstable.”

I conveyed problems to each department like that.

…I only conveyed them.

No one moved obediently.

“That one from the Andres family…”

“Ah, you mean that witch who tried to poison her half-brother.”

“How shameless, showing your face around after being kicked out of your family…”

Those were the majority of reactions.

Well, it was a familiar reaction, so it wasn’t particularly damaging.

It just became a bit more annoying.

I crouched down in the Camellia Garden, which was scheduled as the princes’ walking course, and cleared away stones.

Even though I had told the gardeners, they didn’t even pretend to listen.

‘The walking time is approaching, but I can’t just leave it like this.’

If by any chance a stone got caught under a prince’s foot, it would definitely all be blamed on me.

The servants who already hated me would surely try to drive me out, thinking this was their chance.

That would be troublesome.

I crouched for quite a while, putting stones into a sack as soon as I spotted them.

I wandered around the garden like that for a while…

‘Huh?’

I stopped when I reached the camellia tree.

“Its condition looks strange.”

Both the flowers and leaves were all withered and scattered around the area.

Had it been affected by pests?

No, this looked more like symptoms of illness.

‘Esgaroth manages the garden like this?’

Small stones could be lying around.

Even though they were stones, they were smaller than fingernails, so even if cleaned up, they would quickly scatter here and there in strong winds.

But the garden tree itself being withered was a different matter.

A gardener would be fired for this.

…And I’d be in trouble too.

“The princes shouldn’t see a tree like this when they take their walk. Should I transplant it?”

“If you transplant a sick tree, it’ll die.”

“But if this tree stays here, I’ll di…”

I was muttering up to that point when I startled and looked behind me.

A group of people was approaching me.

The man at the front had a tall stature and upright posture despite his advanced age.

A sharply defined jawline.

Purple eyes of indescribable intensity set in horizontally long eye shape.

A high nose bridge and gracefully lined lips.

I’d never seen such a splendidly handsome man at that age.

Wondering who it could be, I looked at the people behind him.

The people following him were wearing Esgaroth’s black jacket uniforms… black jackets?!

That was the symbol of high-ranking officials.

‘Someone who can lead such people around…’

I immediately dropped to my knees.

“Yustea of Sanmiguel greets the Father of the manor.”

It was the Duke.

* * *

When I realized the elderly man was the Duke of Esgaroth, I had one thought.

‘The effort to become a servant was really worth it!’

To see the Duke right on the first day of entering as a servant.

I had even prepared to go through the butler-vassal-Marquise route to meet the Duke.

‘But he doesn’t look much like the Clan Leader, contrary to expectations.’

Aside from both father and son being remarkably handsome, they had nothing in common.

If the Clan Leader gave the impression that he would never let anyone close, the Duke gave the impression that he would manipulate those who came near with his fingertips.

While I was thinking such thoughts, I heard laughter from above my head.

“Your introduction was wrong.”

“Pardon?”

“Wouldn’t it be correct to say you’re the Andres rat that snuck into my manor?”

“…!”

For a moment, it felt like all the blood drained from my body.

I take back what I said about having nothing in common.

The overwhelming pressure that made my heart feel like it would drop with just one word.

That intimidating presence was exactly alike between them.

“Raise your head.”

I swallowed dry saliva and slowly raised my head.

The Duke looked me over intently with a smiling face.

“You look just like your father.”

Every time the Duke spoke, it felt like my throat was being choked.

It wasn’t just his authority, but the content as well.

The Esgaroth and Andres families had a long history of bad relations.

Especially my biological father had seriously kept Esgaroth in check.

I swallowed dry saliva and said,

“It’s true that I was abandoned by my biological father. I will never cause any trouble for Esgaroth.”

“How can I believe that?”

“If there’s any proof you desire, I’ll do anything.”

“Would you even tell me about the warehouse where the Andres viper hoards treasures? You’d have to stake your life on it…”

“Old address: Imperial District 51, Zone 19-23. New address system notation: Bataus District B7, Zone 2311. Belaus coordinates: BA37-2-1…!”

“Even knowing the coordinates, if the security is strong…”

“Eleven Elite Soldiers guard it, and even beyond the Elite Soldiers, they’ve built strong security consisting of Sacred Barrier, Demonic Barrier, and Sacred Barrier again. The security code for the first Sacred Barrier is RA21G1342…!”

“There must not be anything very important…”

“The treasures stored in the warehouse include Edel’s manifesto, Mawungap, Camora Diamond, and a total of 107 other sacred relic-grade magical tools…!”

Blabber blabber blabber.

I spoke with wide eyes, reciting information I’d seen in the game.

The Duke fell silent for a moment.

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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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