How to Replace Your Dad - Chapter 62
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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 62
I explained what happened at the Marquis’s castle to Aslan and the elites.
Yuise frowned when she heard about being appointed as an inspector to infiltrate and dismantle the heretical sect’s core.
“Isn’t it dangerous for just the two of you to go in?”
“If problems arise, I’ll join up with Antonio’s unit to solve them.”
“Considering the personnel, it’s an absurd plan.”
“I’ll take this too.”
What Yustea took out was a pair of glasses.
Since elderly people often wore reading glasses, it wasn’t a particularly rare item to see in this world either.
Yuise took the glasses and examined them.
“Why this?”
“It has a micro camera built in… uh, I mean, think of it as a device capable of mirror world transmission.”
“Something like that exists?”
“I just attached a small transmitter that Ros made to the glasses.”
It was indeed good that I brought Ros along.
When I looked at the things he made, there were many incredible items.
He was definitely a genius.
“It’ll be transmitted through the mirror world, so if it seems dangerous, please provide support.”
“I’ll deploy clan members in the vicinity.”
With those words, the discussion about subjugating the heretical sect came to an end.
Since Father would be busy with work, I said I’d depart tomorrow and left the room.
Yuise followed me out.
She still had a displeased expression.
“Isn’t the Clan Leader acting strange?”
“Father?”
“He’s not stopping you. Usually he’d say it’s dangerous and absolutely not allowed.”
“That’s because I was getting involved in Father’s work.”
He didn’t like me taking on dangerous tasks for his sake.
Though in truth, all of that was for my sake too.
“But this time, he’s holding back because you’re doing something for yourself?”
“Yeah.”
He knows what kind of person Mother is to me, how much I want to save her.
He’s respecting the values I prioritize together with me.
That was Father’s way of loving me.
And I really like Father’s way of doing things.
And so the next day.
I began the infiltration operation into the heretical sect Dawn Society together with Antonio.
* * *
Aslan’s study.
Yuise looked at Aslan with an incredulous expression.
“Please blink your eyes. You’ll go blind.”
She was about to ask if it wouldn’t be better not to send them at all if he was going to watch the mirror world like that, but held back.
Vice Clan Leader Lorenzo was also seriously concentrating even though they were just walking down the street.
Yuise had nothing to say either.
Before Yustea could even step forward, she had pressured Ros to connect the mirror world.
Yustea and Antonio in the mirror world were at a small carriage station within Esgaroth.
Antonio asked.
[Shouldn’t I be doing something?]
He was wondering if they could really infiltrate the heretical sect by just standing around blankly.
Those watching the mirror world had the same thought.
The Vice Clan Leader asked Yuise.
“Isn’t the Dawn Society a group that’s difficult to locate their headquarters?”
“Yes. They have many branches and move their locations irregularly.”
It had been 10 years since the Dawn Society began.
That was the reason why subjugation was difficult despite them being so rampant.
However, Yustea in the mirror world didn’t seem particularly worried.
[Then, could you go to that bulletin board and read the advertisement?]
[That’s all I need to do?]
[Yes.]
What advertisement?
Yuise, who had been watching the mirror world with her chin propped up, frowned.
Antonio headed toward the bulletin board.
And scratched his head in front of the advertisement.
[A showdown for the survival of each training ground? Survival? Does that mean they’re really going to beat the crap out of each other?]
“Shouldn’t we stop deploying that guy even now?”
“…He’s improved a lot from learning from the Young Lady. He’s learned to guess at words.”
“Where in ‘beat the crap out of each other’ is there any guessing?”
“….”
The two seriously pondered.
Should they retrieve Antonio?
Would he be able to help the Young Lady well?
Yuise frowned and said.
“Why did she take someone who doesn’t even know the basics of infiltration?”
Just as she was frowning, wondering what on earth she was thinking.
[Excuse me, may I ask you something?]
A woman with a backpack approached.
“…!”
“…?!”
Yuise and the Vice Clan Leader, who were watching the mirror world, flinched.
‘A missionary?’
After Antonio’s unit members disappeared, they searched everywhere for missionaries, who were practically the entrance to the heretical sect.
But they couldn’t find missionaries easily.
“How did the Young Lady so directly….”
Just as Lorenzo was muttering that, Aslan spoke.
“The search targets were wrong.”
“Pardon?”
Yustea had said.
“Missionaries would never approach Yuise’s team or the Vice Clan Leader’s team.”
“Why?”
“Because anyone can see they look smart. Proselytizing doesn’t work on people like that, right?”
A sturdy body.
Neat appearance.
Reading notices, albeit haltingly.
Anyone could see he was a country bumpkin who had suddenly risen in status.
What kind of talent would a heretical sect covet most?
Stupid people with a lot to squeeze out of them… no, naive people who seemed likely to donate well.
Lorenzo and Yuise simultaneously widened their eyes upon hearing Aslan’s explanation.
“Then he’s indeed an appropriate personnel choice.”
“He’s perfect bait.”
The missionary in the mirror world said.
[You look quite energetic. But it’s unfortunate. It seems your luck won’t be good.]
[Luck?]
[Things not working out at work. Or not being recognized for your abilities.]
Though he spoke as if making great deductions, it was actually obvious talk since he was targeting naive people.
If you’re too naive, you’re bound to be ignored by your superiors.
Naturally, things can’t help but go wrong.
[This is all because of the karma left behind by your ancestors. But don’t worry too much. There’s a solution. It’s hard to discuss here, so if you could spare some time…]
He babbled without even taking a breath.
Though smiling, he was anxious about missing a perfect target for conversion.
That’s when it happened.
[Brother?]
Yustea approached.
Disheveled hair and glasses covering half her face.
With a backpack, she looked like a country girl who had just come to the big city.
When Antonio responded with [Huh?], the missionary quickly looked back and forth between the two.
[This person is…?]
[He’s my brother.]
The missionary was momentarily flustered.
Approaching someone in a group went against the sect’s missionary rules.
More importantly, even in that outfit, Yustea seemed to have considerable inner strength.
The missionary had a conflicted expression.
‘Then I need to make him more anxious.’
Yustea grabbed Antonio’s collar and whispered.
[I’m anxious, so don’t talk to strangers…]
[Huh?]
[Stop and let’s go.]
Antonio was bewildered, but he had been thoroughly educated by Yustea beforehand.
“When I speak, just answer with ‘yes’, ‘right’, or ‘should we’ and such.”
Thanks to the education that continued from last night, Antonio widened his eyes and answered.
[Yes. Right. Should we.]
The missionary quickly rolled his eyes left and right, observing Yustea and Antonio.
‘Anxious?’
Though Antonio was naive, he was obviously sturdy.
Just looking at the muscles visible through his clothes, you’d feel safe walking at night.
But she’s anxious with such a man beside her?
‘She must have something in that backpack.’
Such speculation wasn’t difficult.
Since Yustea deliberately clutched her bag strap and looked around.
[Seeing you at the carriage station, I suppose you’re looking for a carriage to ride.]
Horses were expensive animals. It was difficult for commoners to raise them.
So carriages were even more out of the question.
That’s why when traveling far, they had to catch rides at carriage stations like this.
Yustea hid behind Antonio with wary eyes.
She even hugged her backpack, lending weight to the missionary’s speculation.
The missionary spoke with an even kinder face.
[Since it’s past lunch, carriages will arrive around evening. It’s cold, so how about taking shelter somewhere? There happens to be a nice place nearby.]
Yustea shrank back and tugged at Antonio’s collar.
[Let’s just stay by ourselves. They say there are many scammers in big cities…]
When the opponent seemed formidable, one became even more anxious.
[I am one who follows God’s word. How could someone like me harm you?]
[Then are you a priest?]
[Well… something like that.]
Yustea’s face brightened considerably.
She looked up at Antonio and said.
[The Northern Temple is nearby. He must be taking us there.]
[Yes. Right. Should we—.]
[That’s great. If you’re a priest who serves God, you wouldn’t lie, so you’ll be a good counselor.]
Yustea said to the missionary with an excited face, [I’ll go. I really want to go.]
The missionary smiled and guided Yustea and Antonio.
Leaving the carriage station, the missionary asked.
[So you said you have something to discuss?]
Besides drawing people in, the missionary had another role.
Information gathering.
Finding out the other party’s personal details and passing them to the Yemyeongoe’s interior.
That way, Yemyeongoe executives they’d never met would suddenly say things like ‘Your parents are sick, aren’t they?’ or ‘You’re heartbroken from being dumped by your lover.’
Naive people would be fooled by this and come to believe firmly in Yemyeongoe’s miracles.
[Uh… well…]
[You can speak comfortably.]
[Right? Since you’re a priest.]
Yustea opened her backpack to show the inside.
Instantly, the missionary’s feet stopped dead.
[This is…!]
His eyes nearly popped out.
It was a luxurious rabbit statue made of gold.
[What is… this… how… what?]
The missionary who had seen something tremendous stammered like someone who had forgotten how to speak.
[Before my parents passed away, they told me where these things were located. But when I tried to sell it, I didn’t know if it was the right price. Each shop owner quotes such different prices…]
[Ah, I see… Yes. I understand.]
The missionary swallowed dry saliva.
‘A golden treasure. It’s a golden treasure.’
Incredible.
Living life, there comes a day when such a golden treasure walks right into your hands.
She internally offered a prayer of gratitude to the god she served.
But as she mulled over the other party’s words, something seemed strange.
[These ‘things’?]
[Ah, yes. There are twelve pieces total. Rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon… Anyway, I brought one of them. So if something goes wrong and I lose it, there are still eleven pieces left.]
[E-eleven more pieces…]
[Priest?]
[…Yes? Ah, yes!]
Oh, dear God.
Golden treasure? This was a gold mine!
[Then where are those…?]
[I absolutely cannot tell you that.]
Yustea immediately hardened her expression.
But soon she smiled awkwardly and hugged her backpack.
[Of course I trust you, priest, but I promised my parents. I swore never to reveal the location, even if I died.]
[I… see.]
[Oh, are we going this way?]
Yustea pointed to the right path at the fork in the road.
A place where many people come and go.
This is indeed the street where the Yemyeongoe branch that the missionary belongs to is located.
The missionary, who hesitated for a moment, said.
[No. You should go the opposite way.]
[Uh… but there doesn’t seem to be a path for people here…?]
[There’s a good path that others don’t know about.]
The headquarters of Yemyeongoe.
The center of the religious order where the cult leader resides.
[For such an important matter, you should consult with the most great one.]
[Would you do that for us? Oh, how wonderful.]
Success in entering the headquarters just by showing the golden statue without spending a single penny.
Yustea’s bright voice flowed out from outside the Mirror World.
Yuise, who was watching the Mirror World, said.
“…So we were the ones who were the scammers?”
Aslan and Lorenzo fell silent.
* * *
The headquarters of Yemyeongoe.
Seeing me look around with wide eyes, the missionary chuckled.
“You seem surprised by the majesty of our headquarters.”
“It’s amazing. I can’t believe such a wonderful place exists.”
I put on an excited expression like someone who had seen something wonderful, but inside I felt otherwise.
‘This is bad.’
I had come outside of Esgaroth.
The soldiers guarding the manor’s boundaries had been recruited.
‘Most importantly, the scale of the headquarters is enormous.’
I knew that Yemyeongoe had many believers.
But like most heretical sects, I expected them to live in different places normally and gather only for worship or events.
‘But the headquarters was a small jurisdiction itself?’
Just as the Clan Leader had swallowed up Sanmiguel entirely, Yemyeongoe had also made an entire estate their base.
It seemed they were using the castle as their church.
The missionary led us into the castle interior and gave us a small room.
“Please wait a moment. I’ll bring the priest.”
As soon as the missionary left, Antonio checked for signs outside the door.
“They’re guarding the front.”
“They’re probably watching to make sure their source of money doesn’t escape. Do you know how many there are?”
“Eight. …Someone’s coming.”
Antonio, who had his ear to the door, said.
We hurriedly sat down on the sofa.
Soon the door opened, and a man in black priest robes entered with the missionary.
“How delightful. I hear you’re guests from Tana?”
“Nice to meet you.”
“Your names?”
“I’m called Yusi, and my older brother is Anton.”
“I see. I heard you have something to consult about. Please speak comfortably.”
“Ah, yes.”
I took out the golden statue from my backpack and placed it on the sofa table.
“Ooh. Indeed…!”
Even though he had heard from the missionary, he seemed half-doubtful, and his eyes widened greatly seeing the golden statue directly.
‘It must be an incredible item.’
After all, I had borrowed it from what was displayed in Esgaroth Castle.
The highest grade purity, 900 don.
The rabbit statue even had high-saturation rubies embedded in the eye sockets.
‘He must be drooling.’
Sure enough, the priest’s Adam’s apple moved with a gulp.
After swallowing his saliva, he asked.
“You said there are eleven more pieces like this?”
“Yes.”
“My goodness… You must have been in trouble all this time.”
The priest deliberately sighed as if feeling sorry.
I pretended not to know and asked.
“Pardon?”
“Haven’t the people around you had their health deteriorate?”
“Well, that’s true…”
It’s coming out exactly as expected.
‘The next part is too obvious too.’
He’ll say this.
It’s a cursed object.
“It’s a cursed object.”
If you keep it, you’ll face great trouble.
“If you keep it, you’ll face great trouble.”
You must offer devotion to the gods to purify it.
“You must offer devotion to the gods to purify it.”
I pretended to be shocked and covered my mouth.
“What?”
“There’s no time. Let’s hurry and perform the ritual. There are many people waiting for rituals, but we cannot ignore the circumstances of young siblings who are alone in the world. I’ll move you up in the order.”
“Uh… Then will the problem disappear? Can we get the rabbit statue back?”
“Of course.”
He said with a benevolent smile.
That way he could hear the locations of the other golden statues from Antonio and me.
Also, there should be no suspicion for the conversion to succeed. That way Antonio and I would become labor force.
“Tana. I’ll prepare the ritual, so please guide these people to the chapel. They must purify their hearts before offering the ritual.”
“Yes, priest.”
With that, the priest left the room.
After that, the missionary took us to a place called the chapel.
The chapel was located in the basement of the castle.
But from the entrance of the stairs leading underground, tremendous sounds could be heard.
“Ah, I believe! I believe!”
“I believe—!!”
“I believe. I believe!”
“Oh! I believe!”
Antonio asked in a bewildered voice.
“What is this sound?”
“It’s the sound of offering devotion in worship.”
…If they offer devotion like this, wouldn’t the gods also dislike it for being noisy.
Antonio seemed to have the same thought as he frowned.
And at the chapel we arrived at, we discovered certain people.
Figures shaking enthusiastically with their hands clasped together.
“Ohhh! I believe!”
“I believe!”
“Oh! I believe!”
…they were Antonio’s Unit Members.
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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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