How to Replace Your Dad - Chapter 27
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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 27
Did saving his life make him like me?
The Clan Leader doesn’t seem to like this situation though.
He was glaring at the Marquis with a displeased face.
The Marquis opened his mouth.
“If what you want is the world’s recognition, then follow proper procedures and formalities. I’ll introduce you at the year-end ceremony.”
The year-end ceremony would be perfect timing.
An event where the Emperor and great nobles all gather together.
It would completely nail things down.
“You’ll need to prepare thoroughly if you don’t want to be pushed out.”
He was talking about preparing not to be defeated by the Marquis’s wife and her son after Aslan’s status was restored.
Yeah. That’s probably right.
Just because the Clan Leader becomes a son doesn’t mean it’s all over.
The final goal is the marquis title.
While I was thinking that, the Marquis approached me.
“How about my little puppy stays in this castle for the time being?”
“Me?”
“Following an adoptive father who’s entering the heart of political strife would be dangerous.”
“That’s…”
It would be nice to stay in the castle.
Andres wouldn’t be able to touch me here.
‘But thinking about the future, I should help the Clan Leader too.’
I was pondering this.
“No.”
The Clan Leader pulled me by the shoulder.
Startled, I looked up to see his displeased expression.
“I can’t leave her where that woman is.”
He seemed to be talking about the Marquis’s wife.
Well, he did lose his mother to the Marquis’s wife.
The Marquis let out a sneer.
“That’s not for you to choose.”
“Since I took her as my daughter, protecting her is my responsibility.”
“If we’re going by that logic, I’m her grandfather.”
“Have you gone senile?”
“What do you think, my little puppy? Wouldn’t Esgaroth Castle be better than shabby San Miguel?”
Both men looked at me simultaneously.
I rolled my eyes around.
“I… um…”
“So, little puppy?”
“What about you?”
After pondering, I grabbed an arm.
The Clan Leader’s arm, that is.
“I want to go with the Clan Leader.”
There absolutely cannot be any chance of losing the marquis title.
Only when he becomes the Marquis can I welcome a life of peace and safety.
I should stay by the Clan Leader’s side and help him prepare to become Aslan Esgaroth.
The Clan Leader smiled slightly.
The Marquis clicked his tongue, but.
I looked at the Clan Leader with a bright face.
“So are we going to San Miguel now?”
“Yes.”
His voice was gentle as he spoke.
* * *
After that harmonious evening conclusion.
…I still haven’t departed for San Miguel.
The first reason for this was that I became a witness in the investigation of the fire and poison incidents.
“So while I was working as a servant, I discovered the poison. Since I knew about the poison, I felt the situation was serious. That’s why I met the Marquis under the excuse of breaking the camellia.”
I told the investigator a mix of about 80 percent truth and 20 percent lies.
I couldn’t say I knew about the poison from playing a game, or that I detoxified it to bring the Clan Leader and Marquis together.
“How did you know about the poison?”
“I’m from Andres, so I know a lot of secret information. I also had information that House of Marquis Balboa had developed a special poison.”
“What about the antidote method?”
“Since I’m from Andres.”
“You also knew about the rare poison called Canaria?”
“Yes. In Andres…”
Whenever I was at a loss for words, I blamed everything on Andres.
At times like this, it’s convenient that Esgaroth and Andres are enemies.
They both keep such close watch on each other that it’s difficult to steal information.
Anyway, the investigation ended like that.
And the second reason for the delay was…
“So what you brought wasn’t poison but news of death.”
Because I was caught by Luciano.
I smiled awkwardly.
“Things got a bit twisted… Anyway, thank you so much for saving me.”
“I’m sure. So where’s the poison?”
“Ah, that’s…”
“Don’t tell me you’re planning to say you couldn’t bring it after making me save your life?”
Luciano’s eyes narrowed.
I quickly looked toward the door.
‘Not yet?’
Just as I was making an anxious expression.
Knock knock. The sound of knocking was heard.
At that moment, my face brightened and I rushed toward the door like an arrow.
When I opened the door, what I saw was a man as beautiful as Luciano, whom the empire’s girls unanimously declare the most handsome.
It was the Clan Leader!
Luciano looked at him as if asking who he was.
‘Ah, the Clan Leader was wearing a hood at the military camp, so he couldn’t see his face.’
“Clan… He’s my one and only father.”
I almost said Clan Leader but quickly changed course to introduce him.
Luciano straightened up.
“Count Sanmiguel, you mean.”
“Yes. May I ask him to come in?”
“Sure.”
The Clan Leader strode inside.
In one hand, he held a box engraved with strange patterns.
‘It’s the box containing the poison.’
As soon as the Clan Leader and I were alone, I asked for help.
While talking about the deal with the prince, I asked him to bring unused poison from House of Marquis Balboa.
‘I know where it’s stored since I stole it often in the game.’
That’s how the Irregulars’ Elite Squad had swiftly retrieved the seal.
I quickly handed the box over to Luciano.
“You’ve been waiting. This is the seal… but why are you looking at my father like that…?”
Luciano and the Clan Leader were staring intently at each other.
The Clan Leader spoke without taking his eyes off Luciano.
“Let’s go now that the deal is done.”
“Ah, yes.”
I quickly bid farewell to Luciano.
Luciano turned his gaze to me.
“He’s your father, right?”
“Yes? That’s right.”
“Then that’s fine.”
That was the end of it.
And so I left the room with the Clan Leader.
Walking down the corridor with just the Clan Leader, I asked.
“Do you still dislike the Prince?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“I have a bad feeling. Like something’s going to be stolen from me.”
The Clan Leader’s intuition is incredible.
Even in the game, he was introduced as a man with beast-like instincts.
And he’s saying he has a bad feeling?
“But the Prince isn’t someone who would just steal things.”
“I suppose not.”
“And he’s a better person than I thought. He’s saved me many times. Even though I made mistakes in the past, he forgave me. Also, he protected me from Prince Gaspard.”
So if you’re thinking of taking a step toward the throne, I highly recommend this jackpot stock.
I was smiling with that expression when the Clan Leader paused.
“Gaspard?”
“Yes. He’s extremely violent, so it would be troublesome to encounter him. Even when I was Andres’s eldest daughter, he slapped me.”
I had no choice but to let it slide considering the First Prince and Empress’s faces.
Father wasn’t that angry about it either.
I just got what I could from the Empress and wrapped things up.
“Prince Gaspard’s complete failure to notice me isn’t just because of the saint search. Prince Luciano must have pulled some strings. Starting from the military camp.”
“…Right.”
“Then shall we depart now?”
Since I don’t need to finish my servant duties, we can leave right away.
It was settled that I was stepping down due to the fire incident.
I had already greeted the Marquis before meeting Luciano.
I walked along humming a tune.
* * *
That night.
Northwest of Esgaroth Manor.
Fifth Prince Gaspard let out a roar.
“You still haven’t found her!”
Gaspard’s soldiers bowed their heads with pale faces.
They had frantically searched the northwest area where the divine wave had occurred, but couldn’t find any trace of the saint.
Gaspard’s attendant spoke in a troubled tone.
“We’ve mobilized all the underground clergy, so there should be progress.”
“We have to leave Esgaroth tomorrow and you’re saying there will be progress now?”
Because of that damn fire, the Marquis had decided to send the princes back.
That bastard Luciano agreed with the Marquis’s words, so now they had to leave tomorrow.
Gaspard roughly kicked his attendant in the stomach.
Even after the attendant fell with a groan, he trampled him violently.
“Your, Your Highness… Your Highness, ugh!”
“Damn it. Damn it. Damn it all!”
Gaspard, who had beaten his attendant bloody, threw off his jacket.
“Search like you’re hunting lice. Find the saint by tonight!”
The soldiers left with tense faces.
Gaspard remained with his two guards.
‘Nothing’s going right.’
Just as he irritably ran his hand through his hair.
Thwack! Crack!
Strange striking sounds came from the guards’ direction.
Gaspard raised his head wondering what was happening.
The guards had collapsed.
‘What the…’
In an instant, something rushed toward Gaspard.
It was beast-like speed.
Only when it came right up to his face did he realize it was two hooded men.
The hooded men spoke.
“This is him, right, Vice Clan…”
“Quiet.”
“Oops.”
They were quite tall, and the slightly visible lips under their hoods suggested handsome faces.
The more robust man grabbed Gaspard by the throat.
“Ugh…! Do you know who I…”
“A bastard who uses his hands carelessly.”
“Let, let go of this…!”
Just as Gaspard was struggling, the other man approached.
And.
Smack─!
Gaspard’s cheek turned.
Along with searing pain.
“Grit your teeth. You’ll lose them.”
Slap! Smack! Slap! Smaaack─!
It was truly a thrashing.
* * *
Aslan got into the carriage heading to Sanmiguel first.
And only after ten minutes did Yustea enter the carriage, carrying various things in both hands.
“Sorry. Asta packed all sorts of things for me, so I was receiving them.”
“It’s fine.”
“But Asta says the castle is in an uproar again. Prince Gaspard apparently requested rescue from the castle.”
“….”
“They say bandits appeared, slapped him silly, and tied him to a tree.”
“….”
“Prince Gaspard is ranting that it must be assassins sent by another prince.”
“….”
The Clan Leader quietly turned his head.
* * *
We finally arrived at Sanmiguel.
Even though it was the same Esgaroth Estate, the air felt different.
I exchanged warm greetings with the clan members who had rushed to the carriage.
“I heard you went through tremendous hardships.”
“You can’t imagine how shocked we were when we heard you were thrown in jail.”
You even got caught up in a fire incident.”
The clan members fussed over me as they looked me over.
Meanwhile, the Clan Leader and Antonio pushed through the clan members and came over.
“You’ve been through so much.”
“Your fingers! Are all ten fingers still there?!”
“I’m really fine.”
Only then did the two of them let out sighs of relief.
“Thank goodness. Please don’t ever push yourself like that again. Everyone was worried.”
“Yes. But where are you all going?”
They were wearing Irregular hoods.
At that, the Clan Leader and Antonio flinched.
Antonio looked up at the air and mumbled.
“Well… a walk…?”
“Wearing Irregular hoods?”
The Clan Leader kicked Antonio’s shin and pushed him away.
“We had some light business to handle outside the castle.”
“I see. Ah, has everyone been well?”
I asked with a smile.
But this was strange.
At my question about whether they’d been well, everyone suddenly closed their mouths.
The Clan Leader and his unit members glared fiercely at Antonio’s unit.
Antonio’s unit was breaking out in cold sweat.
“…I’m sorry to have to tell you this when you’ve just returned from hardships, but you’ll need to move rooms for a few days.”
“My room? Why?”
Silence again.
I headed toward my room with an anxious expression.
Antonio’s unit followed with guilty faces, while the Clan Leader’s unit glared at Antonio’s unit as they followed me.
And then I saw it.
The castle wall that had been blown away along with my room…
“How did this… happen…?”
Charlie from Antonio’s unit burst into tears and fell to his knees.
“Miss, I’m sorry. We were scammed─!”
…What?
* * *
So the truth was this.
“You bought weapons and magical tools from traders, but they were all fake…?”
“Yes. The swords and spears would chip after one swing. And the magical tools…”
“The magical tools?”
“They said they would amplify mana, so everyone bought one each. But when we came to the castle and activated them…”
They exploded and caused this mess.
Antonio’s unit looked completely dejected.
It seemed they had already been thoroughly scolded by the Clan Leader’s unit before I arrived.
When I let out a thoughtful hum, Antonio’s unit clung to me.
“We’re sorry for making your room like this.”
“We’ll buy your things back for you!”
“Really. We’ve already pooled our salaries together…!”
So this was why they were so frightened.
My room was blown away and my belongings with it.
“It’s fine though?”
When I said that, the faces of Antonio’s unit members brightened.
“Really?”
But soon the Clan Leader’s unit members glared at them.
“Are you really going to say that.”
“Miss had a watch worth over 1,000 gold.”
“Jewelry too.”
Ah, so that’s why everyone was watching my reaction like this.
The things I’d received from Luciano at the military camp were incredibly expensive.
For ordinary people, it was enough money to live comfortably for 10 years.
“I’m really fine.”
The Clan Leader’s unit members sighed.
“Being this kind-hearted…”
“You should get angry when you need to. You lost that much money…”
Since they wouldn’t believe me, I decided to show them directly why I was fine.
I took out the watch and jewelry from the bag I was carrying and showed them.
“…!”
“…?!”
Their expressions asked why those things were there.
I smiled benevolently.
“I had a feeling Antonio’s unit would cause an accident someday.”
Then.
“Waaah!”
“Waaah!”
Antonio’s unit’s expressions brightened instantly.
“Thank goodness Miss didn’t trust us at all!”
“Thank you for being suspicious of us!”
Antonio’s unit, cheering like that, embraced me tightly.
Antonio also shouted with joy.
I nodded with a Buddha-like expression.
The Clan Leader and his unit members looked at us with incredulous faces.
I patted Charlie, who was sniffling and clinging to me.
“But did you catch those scammers?”
“Ah, the traders? Well…”
“Why?”
“We couldn’t catch them.”
“Didn’t you write a contract? I told you to always write one when buying anything.”
I had warned them because the Blacksmith had repeatedly scammed them.
Antonio’s unit looked dejected.
“We did write one. We even checked the clauses carefully. But…”
Then the Clan Leader spoke.
“The contract was so cleverly written that there was no way to punish them.”
A member of the Clan Leader’s unit handed me the contract.
When I checked it, it really was a cunning contract.
It said they would compensate for defective purchases, but considering the nature of traders who bring goods from distant lands, they couldn’t compensate with the same items.
“So what did you get as compensation?”
Then the Clan Leader glared at Antonio.
Antonio pointed sadly at a box in one corner of the corridor.
…it was potatoes.
* * *
A building in Sanmiguel.
The place temporarily rented by traders for selling goods was bustling with activity.
The traders dealt with customers with friendly faces.
“Oh my, sir. You have excellent taste. That’s a teacup from the Eastern Continent that’s hard to find in the Avalon Empire.”
“Welcome. You’re looking for perfume? I have some fine items here.”
The building was crowded with people.
The traders’ employees grinned at the sound of money piling up.
“As expected of our Clan Leader.”
“Yes. When you said we’d stop by this shabby place, I thought you were just planning to enjoy a vacation.”
The north, far from the center.
A backwater even within the north.
These backwater folks couldn’t recognize the cheap junk bought at bargain prices and purchased it eagerly.
Well, when would these people have ever seen traders before?
They had thoroughly fleeced even the soldiers from Count Sanmiguel’s estate.
Though they came back knowing it was fraud, they left dejected after being swayed by the Clan Leader’s eloquent words.
The Clan Leader chuckled.
“Think they’ll come again?”
“Hardly. Besides, even if they do come, all they’ll do is cause a ruckus.”
“A ruckus would be perfect. We can use that as an excuse to fleece them down to the last copper hidden in their socks.”
The merchants burst into hearty laughter.
It was at that moment.
Speak of the devil, the very people they’d been talking about entered the trading post.
It was those Sanmiguel soldiers who had returned with potatoes, scratching their heads.
The Clan Leader grinned and whispered to the merchants.
“Get ready to fleece them down to their socks.”
“Yes, sir.”
The Clan Leader rubbed his hands together and rushed toward them.
“My lords have arrived. What goods are you looking for today?”
“We’re not the ones looking.”
A young girl emerged from among the soldiers.
“Hello.”
“It’s my first time meeting you. But who might you be…?”
“This is Lady Yustea, daughter of Count Sanmiguel.”
The soldiers jutted their chins up proudly.
And Yustea said.
“So you’re the one who fleeced our boys.”
The guardian had appeared.
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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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