How to Replace Your Dad - Chapter 37

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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 37

A bitter wind swept through.

That man had a calm face as if he had melted into the blue night, but his presence was like that of a sharpened blade.

Knights wearing dark red capes emblazoned with Esgaroth’s emblem stepped forward.

Clang, clang, clang!

They drew their swords with sharp sounds.

Grandmother’s face, which was always expressionless, rarely contorted.

“I am the wife of the former Count Andres and the birth mother of the current Count Andres. Do you know what it means to point swords at me?”

“Meaning is something only lowly people concern themselves with.”

“Excuse me?”

“Do I look like someone who needs justification for my decisions?”

The Marquis slowly approached me.

And asked.

“Who made my child bow her head?”

I was so startled that my response was delayed.

Then Grandmother let out a scoff.

“Your choice of words is truly remarkable. Your child, indeed.”

“Ah. I’m grateful for that point.”

“What did you say?”

“Thanks to Andres being utterly foolish, a treasure of a child came into my arms, didn’t she?”

“Any further rudeness…!”

“So—!”

The Marquis’s voice grew louder.

Even the smile that had been on his lips vanished in an instant.

The fierce pressure made my mouth feel parched.

I wasn’t the only one who was tense.

Not only Grandmother and the knights, but even Yuise had stiffened completely.

The Marquis stared sharply at Grandmother.

“You must no longer threaten this child.”

Grandmother bit her lips tightly.

She exhaled a shallow breath and looked at me.

“Threaten? It’s guidance. Isn’t that right, Yustea?”

Her expression was confident.

In the past, I feared Grandmother as much as Father.

Whenever I made even the slightest mistake, Grandmother would always blame Mother.

Because she was from lowly merchant blood.

Because she was a vulgar creature with nothing but money in her head, unable to properly educate her child.

Because her devotion was lacking.

She would scratch at Mother with words like blades.

From childhood, I couldn’t breathe properly in front of Grandmother, and that remained like shackles even as I grew up.

Knowing me well, Grandmother thought I would never be able to go against her words.

I agree too.

That would be true.

…If I were still the me from my Andres days.

“The grandchild who should receive Grandmother’s teachings is now Stella, not me.”

“…What?”

“So I will learn about the world from the Marquis, not from Grandmother.”

I bowed my head and turned to follow the Marquis.

The Marquis’s eyes looking at me were gentle.

“It would be good to go to your room and rest, my puppy.”

“Yes!”

I smiled brightly.

Yuise subtly gave me a thumbs up.

* * *

Yustea’s grandmother Esmeralda had been invited to this Luna Hardin trip by the spouses of nobles called elders.

Since she had been in the noble spouses’ gathering since her youth, it wasn’t particularly special.

The unexpected incident occurred while she was enjoying the evening entertainment after arriving at Luna Hardin.

“Have you heard? Marquis Esgaroth has come. And he brought Yustea Andres with him.”

The husband of Marquise Albasal hurriedly entered the spouses’ room.

It was already surprising that Marquis Esgaroth had come, but when she heard the name of the child he brought, she nearly dropped her teacup.

“Yustea… that child?”

Since Yustea’s external activities were mainly social activities, the spouses knew her better.

The spouses all looked at Esmeralda, who was Yustea’s grandmother.

Only after Esmeralda’s eyebrows twitched did they awkwardly smile and turn their heads.

“What on earth could Marquis Esgaroth have brought that child for?”

“I don’t know the reason, but she’s definitely showing off her skills.”

“Excuse me?”

“Thanks to that child, Marquis Esgaroth swept the card games. Marquis Nevarro and his granddaughter couldn’t do anything and lost all their coins…”

“Ahem.”

Only after Marquis Nevarro’s wife showed her discomfort did the person delivering the news close their mouth.

But the news about Yustea didn’t end there.

“She completely captivated Count Geron, the former Matap master.”

“That child’s way with words was famous in social circles. The husbands who weren’t interested in socializing wouldn’t have known. Is she still like that?”

“Count Geron is even considering relocating the Matap.”

“My goodness. But how on earth did the Andres family educate that child? Please give us some tips.”

The spouses made a fuss asking Esmeralda.

It was the first time she felt such envious gazes since that child was kicked out.

Stella, who was conducting social activities in her place, repeatedly caused incidents that made Esmeralda’s face burn with shame.

“She waved her hand to greet when seeing off the Prince of Delphanium.”

“My goodness, who did such an uncultured thing?”

“Who else could it be.”

“Ah… Stella is a rather unique child. The imperial and royal families seem to find it charming though…”

“Yes. It looks somewhat…”

She frequently made mistakes even with basic greetings.

Even the angle of her knees still didn’t please her.

This never happened when teaching Yustea.

Even at just 6 years old, she showed perfect posture.

Though awkward at first, when pointed out that her devotion was lacking, she spent five straight days with her young body to master it perfectly.

“But were Yustea’s grades really that good?”

“My goodness. You must have been living in some remote place. She was always first at the Academy. Wasn’t she the child who received her diploma at the youngest age? All sorts of noble ladies lined up at the Andres estate wanting to learn how you educated her…”

The noble ladies’ admiration grew deeper.

Our grandchild will have to go to the Academy soon too.

Could you give us a hint about how you made her study?

Is there something special in the blood of the Marquis family?

They made a fuss talking about such things.

Whenever Esmeralda heard such talk, she covered her mouth with her teacup as she always did.

That sight seemed to upset Marquis Nevarro’s wife even more.

“What good are those skills anyway? Well, they might be useful for doing lowly work. Isn’t that right, former Marquise Andres?”

No matter how well you teach them, what’s the use.

After all, she was someone who had committed sins and been cast out.

It was a remark pointing out the family that had fallen apart.

The spouses glanced sideways at Esmeralda.

Esmeralda’s expression was cold.

She couldn’t make any retort to those words.

Furious from this, Esmeralda went to find Yustea.

She naturally thought the girl would be at a loss and beg for forgiveness.

That child had always been like that.

‘But…’

Returning to her room, she slammed both hands down on the table.

Bang!

With a loud friction sound, the objects on the table shook violently.

‘How… how could that child…!’

She couldn’t believe it.

Even at Andres, she was a child who never went against her words.

To the point where she wondered if she was really born from someone as brazen as Dia.

If it weren’t for that face that looked exactly like her son, she would have thought they picked up someone else’s child from somewhere.

As Esmeralda trembled with rage, the head maid she had brought from Andres hurried in with quick steps.

“The fireworks on the ship will begin soon.”p>

Esmeralda gritted her teeth.

The purpose of this outing was precisely to enjoy the fireworks on the ship.

‘If I don’t go out, they’ll think I’m avoiding them.’

They would surely gossip, linking her with Stella who never left the house whenever trouble arose, using health as an excuse.

They would say that Yustea was the only special one in that family.

Look how Stella and Esmeralda are exactly the same.

It wasn’t that the education method was special, but that Dia gave birth to a good daughter.

Esmeralda swept the objects off the table.

Crash! Clang─! Clatter!

Sharp shattering sounds filled the room.

The head maid cautiously picked up the fragments while reading the mood.

“Shall I convey your inability to attend to the ladies?”

“Bring my coat. I will go out.”

“Yes…”

The head maid hurriedly brought the coat.

‘I hope nothing happens.’

Even so, ever since Yustea was cast out, Esmeralda’s mood would be low whenever she returned from social gatherings.

Because she would come back having suffered all kinds of humiliation.

She couldn’t say much to Stella, who was the cause of the shame.

Because with just one word, Stella would shed tears like chicken droppings.

Then Count Andres and the Count’s eldest son Onel would look at her with sharp, fierce gazes.

But contrary to the head maid’s hopes, an incident occurred as soon as they stepped onto the ship.

“Really? Sunlight isn’t good for age spots? I used to take walks when the sun was highest because they say it’s important for old people to see sunlight.”

“It’s not good for the skin. Shall I recommend some good medicine?”

“How do you know so much?”

“I’m very interested in elderly people. I must… no, I must serve the Marquis comfortably.”

“How admirable.”

Yustea was surrounded by old men.

There’s no adult who dislikes a polite, caring child.

The old men glanced at Marquis Esgaroth with envious eyes.

“Where on earth did you find such a child?”

Marquis Esgaroth was looking at Yustea with a smile.

“There’s no need to worry about it. It’s an adult’s role to look after children.”

“It would be even better if you looked after adults and children too.”

“Haha, that’s certainly right.”

The Marquis looked at Yustea with an expression of finding her adorable to death.

Esmeralda twisted and gripped her skirt hem.

“Acting pretentious with someone else’s bloodline.”

“Madam…”

“If he were alive, his stomach would have turned inside out.”

“…”

The boat carrying people sailed across the lake.

Fireworks shot up into the dark blue sky.

Soon they burned their bodies to become beautiful flames that decorated the night.

Yustea quickly covered the Marquis’s ears.

“The sound is too loud. I’m not sure if your ears will be okay.”

“If you cover my ears and speak, will I be able to hear you?”

“Oh my.”

“Hahaha.”

The sight of the grandfather and granddaughter dripping with affection filled the old men’s eyes with envy.

“I should have brought my grandchild too.”

“Even if you brought them, would they cover your ears? Look. Among the grandchildren others brought, who is covering anyone’s ears?”

No matter how many hints they gave, none of their grandchildren moved.

The spouses who knew Yustea well said:

“Come to think of it, there was no child like Yustea when it came to taking good care of adults.”

“Wasn’t she the child who supported her grandmother because it was raining and she might slip, even when her own body was burning with fever?”

“Was that when she was 8 years old?”

“Yes. I remember Her Majesty the Empress Dowager being greatly pleased.”

Esmeralda stared at the scenery with a hardened face.

“Grandmother, I knitted you a hat. Since… the winter wind is cold…”

“Did your mother teach you to act so coquettish?”

“…”

“If you want to please me, memorize even one more line of poetry.”

Even when she said such things, the child would always follow behind her.

Then when she fell asleep in the carriage, she would always hold her hand.

Saying it would be terrible if an old body caught a cold.

‘Because those hands were warm…’

So.

Esmeralda strode across the boat.

And approached Yustea and the Marquis.

“The cold must have lifted. Isn’t that child’s hands warm? She always held my hand in winter too. Isn’t that right, Yustea?”

What are you doing when there’s blood relation here.

That was what it meant.

Yustea, familiar with social speech, couldn’t not understand.

After being quiet for a moment, Yustea carefully opened her mouth.

“…My hands tend to be cold.”

“But in the past…”

“I had been holding a hot water bottle for a long time. Long enough to get burned.”

“What?”

“Back then, I hated seeing the former Countess in pain more than being in pain myself.”

But you made me endlessly hurt.

Esmeralda closed her mouth after seeing Yustea’s eyes.

The Marquis draped his jacket over Yustea’s shoulders.

Yustea looked up at him in surprise.

“I’m fine though…!”

“Do it. I’m more worried about your cold than my own.”

Yustea smiled sheepishly with an embarrassed face.

Then she clasped both hands around the Marquis’s hand.

“Then I’ll warm your hands for you.”

“Warmth becomes warmer when shared. So you shouldn’t be holding that hot water bottle anymore.”

“Yes…”

Yustea smiled with her eyes crinkled.

Just like that child from long ago.

“Gwandma, let’s go togethew. Going togethew is good.”

“You really require a lot of attention. Your father was never like this even as a child.”

“I love Gwandma.”

“…Really.”

The Head Maid asked, seeing Esmeralda who had grown quiet.

“My Lady?”

“…Let’s go.”

“Pardon?”

“As soon as the ship reaches shore, prepare the carriage immediately. We need to return to the Archipelago.”

“…Yes.”

The Head Maid answered with a puzzled expression.

Considering the elderly passengers’ restroom needs, the ship was scheduled to briefly stop at land every hour.

When they reached the first stop, Esmeralda got off the ship and boarded the carriage as if fleeing.

Throughout the carriage ride, her chest felt tight.

When memories that had only seemed ridiculous came to mind, her chest felt stuffy somehow.

“You know what. Our gwandma is the pwettiest, wight?”

“Do you like your grandmother that much, Young Miss?”

“Gwandma is the pwettiest. The nicest.”

The memory of whispering softly as if sharing a secret with the servant…

“Knees at 60 degrees. Arms like this. Is this acceptable?”

“It’s passable.”

“Wow…”

“Is it proper for a lady to show such frivolous delight?”

“…I was happy about Grandmother’s praise. So very happy… I’m sorry.”

Even that face covering her mouth with both hands and secretly smiling…

Esmeralda squeezed her eyes shut and turned her head away.

Something seemed to be sending warning signals.

Her chest felt stuffy with impatience, unbearable.

She picked up the communication stone.

The recipient was Count Andres. Her son.

[What’s the matter?]

“Rohan, by any chance. Just maybe…”

Had she done something regrettable?

If she had truly missed a treasure… then…

“No. No.”

That couldn’t be.

She was just feeling wistful seeing what had once been hers in someone else’s hands.

Esmeralda ended the communication and looked out the window to steady her heart.

Hoping the night breeze would calm her mind.

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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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