How to Replace Your Dad - Chapter 250

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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 a Father
250
Ain looked exhausted.
“…How much longer do I have to do this?”
He’d been moving without rest from dawn until nightfall.
Casting nets into the river, scouting the surrounds, digging up plant roots, climbing trees to hang water containers—the list went on.
Ain did have better stamina than Rudvico or the Princesses.
But that was only in comparison to them.
Having pretended to be mad for so long, he’d spent most of his time shut away in the Imperial Palace.
Unlike Yohaël and Luciano, who hungered for achievements to claim the throne, his position was different—he hadn’t devoted himself to daily training.
That meant he’d never learned how to ration his stamina wisely.
So the conclusion from all this was simple.
“I’m dying…”
Save me. Seriously.
He exhaled a heavy sigh, his face drawn with exhaustion.
Then he fixed Yustea with a look that said, ‘Look what you’ve done to a prince.’
But Yustea….
“…What’s with that look in your eyes?”
To have such pathetic stamina.
That was exactly the expression on her face.
Ain’s expression was one of disbelief.
“Don’t you think you’ve been working people too hard?”
“We need to keep moving diligently. We don’t know when the food will run out. Our provisions are far more scarce than the other princes and princesses’.”
Just then, Luciano returned with the water container he’d secured from the tree.
“Yustea isn’t wrong.”
Luciano chuckled as he spoke, and Ain exhaled deeply, looking thoroughly fed up.
“I’ll collapse from exhaustion before I starve to death.”
“Your stamina…”
Like recognizing like, Luciano too had that look—as though he were watching someone with pathetic stamina.
“I was raised gently in the Imperial Palace.”
“And I was not raised in the Imperial Palace?”
“You’re the anomaly, brother. You’ve trained constantly since childhood—your stamina is bound to be exceptional. Look around you. Which of the princes and princesses moves as vigorously as you do?”
Ain spoke with evident frustration.
Luciano glanced quickly around.
Everyone looked utterly spent.
Even those who hadn’t exerted themselves like Ain.
Their mental fortitude had been consumed by anxiety and fear.
With that depleted spirit, they’d found the knights’ service far more unforgiving than the Imperial Palace’s attendance—making their discomfort all the greater.
Luciano spoke with a mischievous tone.
“When I take the throne, I’ll have to devise measures to improve the imperial family’s stamina.”
“Pardon?”
“They should be capable of at least protecting themselves. I’d have everyone move roughly five kilometers daily.”
“That would be the beginning of the most outlandish rebellion in imperial history.”
Ain looked genuinely ready to stage a coup.
Luciano burst out laughing.
“Enough joking. We need to secure as much food as we can.”
Yustea nodded promptly at his words.
Ain truly wanted to rebel.
Rising stiffly to his feet, Ain spoke.
“How much food remains?”
“It’ll run out by tonight.”
“…Rudvico must be in excellent spirits.”
He was the only one here with adequate food supplies.
The other princes and princesses likely had very little left.
Some had already exhausted theirs entirely and were already clinging to Rudvico’s side.
After today passed, the rest of the princes and princesses would soon seek food from Rudvico as well.
And as a result….
“Oh my, how beautiful.”
“Surely this is the sacred object His Majesty bestowed upon sister at her coming-of-age ceremony. Ha, it will prove most beneficial for Ujina’s childbearing.”
Only Rudvico and his wife were in high spirits.
My eyes met Rudvico’s and his wife’s.
They wore arrogant smiles, their lips curled upward.
Their expressions seemed to say they were wondering when Luciano, Ain, and Yustea would come crawling to their barracks begging.
“Time appears to be on Rudvico’s side,” Ain said.
He clicked his tongue.
* * *
The next morning.
Ujina gazed out beyond the barracks with ease while a maidservant brushed her hair.
The maidservant held a jeweled comb that Ujina had received from Cheserin, the youngest princess.
Last night had been the breaking point.
Except for Ain and Luciano, everyone had come to borrow food supplies.
“It’s quite busy outside. I suppose Yustea is up to something strange again?”
At Ujina’s remark, Cheserin, the youngest princess, spoke.
“I’m not sure.”
Ujina glanced at Cheserin.
Cheserin met her gaze for a moment as if asking what was the matter, then let out an awkward laugh. “Ah.”
She hurried outside to look and returned.
“She’s collected night dew. She’s taking out water containers filled with it.”
“My goodness, how pitiable. Are they so short on drinking water now?”
Ujina laughed softly.
“How fortunate for us. We have plenty of drinking water here.”
“Yes, fortunate indeed—”
Ujina fixed Cheserin with a steady gaze once more.
Cheserin, catching the intent in her eyes, forced a smile.
“It’s all thanks to you and your brother. Really… I’m grateful… truly…”
A smile returned to Ujina’s face.
She instructed the maidservant to give Cheserin some bread and vegetables, then waved her hand dismissively.
It was a signal to leave.
Cheserin took what the maidservant had prepared and left the barracks.
Cheserin’s face was flushed as she made her way back to her own barracks.
“Infuriating girl!”
Cheserin burst out in frustration.
Another princess who witnessed this furrowed her brow.
“Did Ujina manipulate you again?”
“For a few pieces of bread and some vegetables. She even made the maidservant go outside and look around herself. How much longer must we endure this?!”
“…Perhaps forever.”
“F-forever?”
“I signed an oath document to receive food supplies. You did the same, didn’t you?”
“….”
Cheserin threw down the leather pouch containing bread and vegetables and cried out.
“Why must we princesses suffer such indignity!”
“We’re not the only ones. Gaspard will likely sign an oath document soon too.”
“Even brother Gaspard…?”
“He’s been starving since last night, so he’ll have no choice but to sign soon.”
Within this district, only Yustea and Ujina possessed food supplies.
But even Yustea had only tree roots and small fish.
All food fit for royalty belonged to Ujina.
“Yustea’s group won’t last long either.”
“That’s right…”
“It’s maddening. So fortune favors Ujina after all. The moment we were cornered, look at this—our enemies became our saviors!”
Cheserin vented her frustration.
The conversation of the princesses reached inside Rudvico’s barracks.
Ujina made a small dismissive sound and smoothed back her hair.
“I save their lives and they don’t even know gratitude.”
Rudvico chuckled and organized the oath documents the princesses had signed.
“Once he takes the Imperial Throne, not a word of complaint will escape their lips. Gaspard will be no different.”
The Imperial Throne drew near.
Rudvico’s eyebrow twitched slightly.
Ujina’s lips curved upward at last.
“Shall I make soup today? The smell of food will have the other princes running over like dogs.”
Pfft.
Rudvico burst out laughing.
No one made a move to stop him.
By noon, soup was simmering over the fire.
At the tantalizing aroma wafting from the pot, the princesses were the first to rub their palms together eagerly.
Watching Rudvico seated by the flames, eating with the others, Ain shook his head slowly.
“This is quite the display.”
“….”
“….”
Ain’s knights, who had subsisted on nothing but dried rations until now, swallowed hard.
Nor was it only Ain’s knights.
Luciano’s adjutant was stuffing dried rations into his pack with his eyes pressed shut.
The expression on his face screamed that he was dying to eat something.
Even Gaspard’s knights were licking their lips, gazing at the fire with aching eyes.
Ujina smiled sweetly.
“They do look pitiful. Why not share a bit, Rudvico?”
“Let them lick the pot clean, then.”
“That’s cruel.”
Ujina rested her chin on her hand and spoke to Luciano’s adjutant.
“Where is Yustea? If she would come and sing us a song, I’ll see that you all get a share.”
Her bright laughter rang out, and both Ain and Gaspard clenched their teeth.
The moment Ain rose to his feet with a rigid expression—
Boom—!
Boom!
Boom!
An enormous sound came crashing down.
It was the sound of something shattering.
And then.
Crash!
A massive condensed mana projectile fell from above.
Straight toward the pot where Ujina and Rudvico’s soup was simmering.
“Aaah! What—what is this!”
“…!”
“…?!!”
And then came a voice….
“The aim… was off….”
A lazy drawl, as though speaking itself were a chore beyond measure.
Yustea, who had been gathering her things, looked up with a start and cried out.
“You’ve come. …Abel!”
The arrival of the Irregular Elite.
* * *
The barrier shattered, and Irregulars poured through.
“Young lady!”
It was Antonio, his red hair streaming behind him as he ran forward.
Yuise and Cesar appeared in his wake.
Yuise spoke first.
“You’re hurt. We couldn’t have healed it from where we were.”
Cesar added his voice.
“Miliano and Abel couldn’t access their Pattern Power. The Sealing Stones’ influence must be working within this zone.”
Yustea replied.
“I’m fine.”
Observing the exchange between them, Ain’s brow furrowed.
“What in the world is happening?”
How had they arrived here?
“Were you able to communicate?”
Yustea shook her head at Ain’s question.
The power of the Sealing Stones at work within the zone was immense.
It blocked not only the use of other abilities, but even the messaging function that would have been possible at other times.
There had been no means of contacting the outside.
Cesar spoke.
“You figured it out.”
“So how exactly—”
“Antonio came back alone.”
“Came back? There was no battle with the enemy?”
Antonio spoke.
“While we were checking the Sealing Stone, people dressed as princes and princesses appeared. The enemy probably used their abilities to transform them.”
“What?”
“The transformed ones were pretending to track the Reconstruction Council from the mines to fool the Imperial Palace’s eyes, but….”
“And you? Why were you sent back?”
Yuise and Cesar smiled wryly.
“They couldn’t… handle it.”
“He causes… so much trouble….”
That was true.
In a single day, Antonio had picked fights with knights, roasted a patrol monster without permission and faced complaints, and caused countless other incidents.
In the end, the transformed enemies couldn’t manage him, so they sent him back.
Ain’s eyes widened.
“I see. You realized the transformed person wasn’t Yustea and sent word to the Irregulars.”
The Irregulars answered.
“No.”
“There’s no way this fool could have figured that out.”
“That would be impossible… haha….”
At the blunt words of Yuise, Cesar, and Miliano, Ain’s brow furrowed.
“Then how did you realize what was happening?”
“Because he came back alone.”
“Alone.”
“The fact that he came back by himself is… well….”
As Yuise, Cesar, and Miliano continued, Ain muttered, “Huh?”
Yuise said it plainly.
“The young lady would never send that… fool on his own.”
“Never.”
Cesar added with conviction.
“…What?”
Knowing what trouble he’d cause, would she send Antonio alone?
She’d choose to keep him close and watch over him instead.
If she had to send him at all, she’d have assigned someone to look after him.
The moment the Irregulars saw Antonio return alone, they cried out without even catching their breath.
“Some damned impostor must be pretending to be the young lady!”
“Something’s happened to her!”
“Emergency! We move toward the mines!”
Even the members of Antonio’s Unit rushed to the Clan Leader, pleading.
“Our unit captain has returned alone!”
The Clan Leader slammed the table with a bang and rose to his feet.
“Someone’s either taken control of the young lady’s mind or transformed her!”
….
Ain fell silent.
Yustea smiled gently.
* * *
I spoke.
“More than that—we need to move fast. If the enemy noticed the Barrier is broken, they’ll attack.”
“Right.”
And I looked at Yuise.
“How many did you bring?”
“Twenty-one. I couldn’t bring more. If we moved in large numbers, the enemy would notice and who knows what they’d do to you.”
“Good. You did well.”
Still, the Elite had come.
With them, I feared nothing—not armies, not legions.
Just as I was about to gather my things.
[My, you’ve been quite clever.]
A strange voice echoed from above.
‘The Reconstruction Council’s voice.’
I shouted.
“Run!”
The Reconstruction Council’s soldiers would be upon us soon.
Attack formations were materializing overhead.
Every minute mattered.
We seized the food supplies we’d prepared in advance and bolted forward.
Rudvico’s group was fleeing just as desperately, moving on pure instinct.
Miliano spoke.
“I’ve secured an escape route. It’s a mountain path. Let’s go.”
We ran like madmen.
Holding back the Reconstruction Council’s assault with Abel’s barrier all the while.
Only when we’d turned onto the road toward the mines did the attacks cease.
I exhaled slowly.
Rudvico’s people had caught up to us.
…without the supply carriage.
‘So the food supplies are just ours, then?’
The situation had shifted.

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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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