How to Replace Your Dad - Chapter 226

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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 226
* * *
After that day, people flooded into Esgaroth like a tidal wave.
Naturally, it was to trade for Magical Stones.
Esgaroth Castle and the Archipelago Estate were packed to bursting with visitors.
Mana Stones were already scarce on the market.
The Magical Stone, an energy source far more powerful than Mana Stones, was coveted by countless people.
Even Marquis Nevarro, Guinevere’s grandfather, came directly to the Archipelago Estate.
“You’ll sell them to me, won’t you? Right?”
I flinched.
The Marquis was squinting his eyes so intensely—
they were nearly rippling.
“Um….”
When I laughed awkwardly, he grew more earnest.
“Aren’t your grandfather and I friends unlike any other in this world?”
From a mouth that had been claiming to be enemies “unlike any other,” the word “friends” had now emerged.
He spread three fingers on each hand, chuckling away.
“Just this much for now. Ah, you all won’t use that many anyway. Though three generations could go through them!”
“Grandfather will have to make the decision….”
“I met him. I met him, but that blasted old codger…!”
The way he choked up and let slip “old codger” suggested the conversation hadn’t gone well.
Yet Marquis Nevarro laughed awkwardly and suddenly produced the child he’d been hiding behind him.
Guinevere made a heart shape with her hands and blinked her eyes.
“Sister.”
Guinevere, who once asked to be called sister, now called me sister.
‘There’s nothing for it.’
I owed Nevarro a debt besides.
Duke and Duchess Nevarro get along wonderfully with Mother and Father.
Especially the Duke looked after Father before he became a minor prince, taking him to various places and laying the groundwork for his connections.
And I liked Guinevere too.
“Come inside for now….”
Then the merchants waiting outside since dawn shouted loudly.
“Sister—!”
Even the old Merchant with wrinkled features on his face shouted so, and I hesitated.
…The power of the Magical Stone was this strong.
The nobles couldn’t go quite that far for propriety’s sake, but they fidgeted restlessly.
“U-um, I….”
A noble youth my age spoke with his face bright red and trembling.
I spoke firmly.
“Enough.”
I sold an appropriate amount of Magical Stones to those who had come.
The current situation was essentially a drought of energy sources.
I needed to ease the tension somewhat.
Of course, it wasn’t because I was a warm and thoughtful person.
I was….
“Sell more to the Hermassi Trading Company. Ah, not because they’re pretty. That way they’ll have to abandon their fabric business and raise funds, and when they do, we’ll move into the fabric trade.”
—the daughter of my mother, who was over there tallying profits and gleaming with calculation.
This was for my benefit.
‘Public opinion matters right now.’
With two Saints, if one acts too miserly, expectations concentrate on the other.
I don’t know what tasks will come through the Channel next.
There might be situations where I need to mobilize the people, so I had to build a good image in advance.
I sold twice as much to the Nevarro Ducal House.
Marquis Nevarro even performed a samba dance as he left.
And there was one more person I sold to.
That was….
[You’re selling Magical Stones, are you. Just recently we were the ones wanting your Mana Stones.]
Terriars of Iparam laughed softly from within the Mirror World.
“You need it, don’t you?”
When I said that, Terriars’s mouth softened into a smile.
[If you’re selling them, I’d even offer myself.]
“I don’t want that.”
When I shook my head with a look of disbelief, Terriars bent at the waist and laughed.
[Even so, I’m a crown prince of a nation. And it’s rare for royalty to be this handsome.]
“My congratulations are late. I wish you well on your ascension to crown prince.”
At the subtle tone that was neither formal nor informal, Terriars laughed again.
I couldn’t figure out what was funny.
[So what do you want? If this is selling without the Emperor knowing, there must be a purpose, no?]
Trading Magical Stones with foreign nations is strictly forbidden.
If discovered, it’s all over.
Of course, I’ll move carefully enough not to be caught.
“I want to meet someone. They seem to be from Iparam. I wanted your help.”
[Someone you want to meet. Who?]
“A nun from Benessa.”
That name was among those that appeared in the Common Channel.
Nun from Benessa: Would 2,000 be negotiable.. Can do immediately..^^
Nun from Benessa: Participating with Follower of Beauty..
I’d seen that name on the Channel when we first took on the “Goddess of Beauty” task in the Restoration Council.
There were other names too—Follower of the Masked Lord, Follower of Beauty, Bear Lover, and such—but none of those had caught my attention.
But the Nun from Benessa was different.
Benessa.
That was the capital of Iparam.
[It’s a name that appears frequently on the Common Channel.]
“Yes.”
[Isn’t it surprising that I know about the Common Channel?]

I blinked.
As if asking something obvious.
“It’s not surprising.”
If anything, Terriars seemed surprised.
His eyes widened slightly as he looked at me.
[Why?]
“If you hadn’t known, you should have contacted me the moment rumors of a Channel where gods gather in the Empire started circulating. News spreading within the Empire would have reached your ears. You’ve hidden Iparam’s agents everywhere, haven’t you?”
[….]
“So I’d have to conclude you already know about the Channel. You’ll probably be able to enter the Channel directly.”
That face, those abilities, that position.
Perfect for becoming a major character and receiving an access pass.
Terriars let out a small chuckle.
[Don’t you want to come to me? Your Bi.]
“Prince Luciano’s communication code….”
[Wait, wait.]
Terriars quickly changed the subject.
He and Luciano had become quite close.
He didn’t want to sever his ties with Luciano, who was a strong candidate to be the next Emperor of the Empire.
Above all, he seemed to genuinely consider Luciano a friend.
[You’ll be able to meet the Nun from Benessa soon. She’s on pilgrimage right now, perfect timing. I’ll tell her to stop by you.]
“Okay.”
[Thank you for the Magical Stones. And… welcome back.]
He smiled softly.
With that greeting, the communication ended.
I flinched.
“Wait, you should at least tell me your name!”
Did you think secret communications could be done anytime you wanted?
There’s so much preparation needed to establish a connection without the signal being detected!
Then Yuise and Cesar spoke crookedly from behind the sofa.
“On purpose, clearly.”
“Smug ones need a beating to be fixed.”
I said,
“Cut the Magical Stones going to Iparam by twenty percent.”
A letter arrived from Terriars begging earnestly shortly after.
* * *
Crash—!
A sharp sound echoed through the Imperial Palace.
The Empress gritted her teeth as she watched Duke Sanponce, who had hurled his teacup.
“Father.”
“Do you know how much was spent on the arrangement? Two billion. Two billion gold!”
“….”
“I’ve given everything I had. Now there’s nothing left.”
“The Tax Season will be here soon. Once Tax Season comes….”
“Don’t give me that!”
It was a roar that nearly shook the floor.
Duke Sanponce, enraged enough to make the maids cower in fear, clenched his fists.
“After the Seven Great Houses dissolved, even the faction barely holding on scattered. And losing all my wealth in the process—there’s no way left to secure the throne for Yohaël now.”
“That’s….”
“I’m withdrawing. If you want to preserve what little you have left, produce something to cover the losses. If not, I can’t answer for what comes out of my mouth.”
The Empress shot to her feet.
Her face went pale.
“What… what are you saying.”
“Shouldn’t you try to cover the losses by selling the weaknesses of you and your son?”
“Father—!”
The Empress shrieked, but Duke Sanponce didn’t look back.
Yohaël and Gaspard, just entering through the door, stared at the Duke.
Duke Sanponce didn’t even glance at his grandsons as he moved forward.
The Empress gasped, pressing her forehead.
“How… how could this happen….”
“….”
“What on earth has become of things. Why must I experience such humiliation….”
Gaspard looked bewildered, glancing between his older brother and his mother.
“No, wait, surely Grandfather wouldn’t actually do such a thing. So….”
“Do you still not know your grandfather’s nature!”
“Why, why are you angry with me.”
“I can’t stand the sight of you. Get out.”
The Empress glared at Gaspard menacingly.
Gaspard clenched his teeth.
‘It was my brother who ruined things.’
Yet he became the target of her fury.
It had always been this way since childhood.
Always compared to First Prince Yohaël.
Yohaël could make mistakes and be forgiven, but I always received cold reproach.
Gaspard, fists clenched tight, abruptly left the Imperial Palace.
Beyond the Imperial Palace, he went all the way outside and made his way to the Temple, grinding his teeth.
The priests rushed to him.
“You’ve come.”
“Just get lost.”
“….”
The priests exchanged glances and withdrew.
Gaspard’s temperament was famous—sensitive and violent.
With him angry on top of that, he was like a bomb about to explode.
As the priests left his side, they whispered.
“‘She’ is here. If he happens to run into her and something goes wrong….”
“We’ll notify the Senior Priests from the Terretsa Church.”
“Yes.”
The priests dispersed with troubled expressions.
Gaspard settled into the Rear Garden of the Temple and furrowed his brow.
This was the place where he always met Stella.
Now a place where Stella no longer came.
“This is all because of that girl.”
He muttered, grinding his teeth.
‘Yustea, that damned girl.’
Insufferably arrogant and always in the way.
I hadn’t liked her from the start.
Her unbending posture had looked high-handed, and she’d dared to lecture me despite not knowing her place.
When Yohaël’s engagement was cancelled, I thought it served her right.
Tsk.
It was as he clicked his tongue.
A slender woman appeared.
Judging by the veil covering her face entirely, she seemed to be a novice nun.
“You there.”
The woman’s shoulders twitched.
The woman approached quietly.
“Bring me something to eat.”
“….”
“Are your legs stuck?”
“….”
The woman, with a small bow of her head, hurried away.
As Gaspard watched the fountain for a moment, the woman returned with a tray.
It held a Raspberry Jam Egg Sandwich and warm White Tea.
White Tea.
It was a tea rarely seen in the Empire, where black tea was the norm.
“What is this.”
“You seemed out of sorts. I brought it without the caffeine and tannins of black tea.”
“….”
Gaspard glanced at her.
“You’re not stupid.”
The Raspberry Jam Egg Sandwich was his favorite snack.
It seemed her sense wasn’t poor.
Gaspard ate the snack with the tea and spoke.
“Stay for a moment.”
The woman twitched again, but soon placed her hands over her belly and bowed her head quietly.
“Everything about this world is tedious. You couldn’t possibly understand the pain of such a noble life.”
“….”
“Damn it. You have no idea what kind of treatment I face for not being born first.”
“….”
“Could you even understand? Someone like you.”
“….”
“I asked. Do you understand.”
“How could I presume to….”
Gaspard chuckled.
It was a satisfying answer.
He also liked the White Tea and the Raspberry Jam Egg Sandwich.
They were excellent flavors he’d never even tasted in the Imperial Palace.
No matter how much Gaspard grumbled, it brought him ease that she never showed discomfort like others would.
Having finished the sandwich entirely, he dusted off his hands and rose.
“Will you have it tomorrow?”
“…Yes?”
“Make snacks tomorrow too. I’ll come.”
“….”
“You should feel honored.”
He left the Temple with a smirk.
After that, Gaspard truly did visit the Temple, demanding snacks and tea from the novice nun.
He grumbled the whole time he ate, but the nun never slouched and listened quietly to his words.
“…It’s comfortable.”
Gaspard glanced at her.
Then he cleared his throat loudly and continued.
“Don’t get your hopes up. Don’t even think I’m showing interest, a man like me. But….”
He grinned.
“Tomorrow I’ll ask for your name. Prepare that soft, fluffy Cookie you made the other day.”
Gaspard rose with a suggestive look, brushing back his hair.
As he left, he looked back at her several times.
* * *
After Gaspard left.
The woman removed her veil and spoke.
“He really does come every day.”
Hair the color of pale honey fluttered in the breeze, revealing eyes that gleamed like jewels—golden eyes.
The woman who had come seeking the Nun from Benessa but had been held captive by Gaspard these several days.
…It was Yustea.

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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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