How to Replace Your Dad - Chapter 74

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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 74

 

I hid Onel behind my back and shouted.

 

“Yuise!”

 

Yuise hurriedly cast her spell.

 

Black characters spread like a net.

 

The speed, size, and power were unimaginable compared to the underground maze last time.

 

The mages of Andres who were still preparing to cast flinched.

 

The wild boars caught in Yuise’s spell formation thrashed about violently.

 

But it was useless.

 

Yuise’s spell formation flashed, and the wild boars trembled as if they had been electrocuted.

 

They collapsed limply.

 

“Wow, roasted whole.”

 

Just as I muttered that.

 

Smack!

 

Onel slapped my hand away.

 

I had momentarily forgotten that I was holding Onel—the essence of joy… no, Onel—while watching Yuise.

 

Onel glared at me fiercely.

 

“What are you doing.”

 

“Protecting.”

 

“You’re protecting me?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

Onel let out a hollow laugh.

 

“Why would you. Didn’t you say you hated even breathing in the same space as me.”

 

“Just because I feel that way, does that mean the other person should die?”

 

“…What?”

 

“Disliking is disliking, but if I can save someone, I’ll save them first.”

 

“Don’t talk nonsense. Since when have you been such a virtuous person.”

 

Not only his tone but even his voice was incredibly cold.

 

Cold enough that the people who had been marveling at Yuise’s amazing spell were all watching nervously.

 

I sighed.

 

“Fine. I just won’t save you anymore. You’re really picky. What are you, a cat or something.”

 

“A cat…!”

 

Onel flared up.

 

Though he couldn’t bring himself to finish and closed his mouth.

 

I threw a handkerchief at him.

 

Onel, with his excellent reflexes, unconsciously caught it.

 

“If you hate it that much, wipe it off. There, satisfied?”

 

“…Ha.”

 

He let out a hollow laugh as if it was absurd, but I didn’t care and headed toward Yuise.

 

“Are all the wild boars unconscious?”

 

“Yes.”

 

Yuise withdrew her spell, so I examined the wild boars.

 

Not only their skin but even the inside of their mouths were black as if burned.

 

Moreover, even though I had activated purification, their skin color didn’t return to normal.

 

Even the ground around where the wild boars were.

 

It was certain.

 

The contamination started from the animals, not the land.

 

I examined the contamination from various angles and came to a conclusion.

 

“Things just got complicated.”

 

“Pardon?”

 

The vassals asked as if wondering what I meant.

 

“Purifying the place where the source of contamination—the animals, that is, the source entities—are located isn’t easy.”

 

I could only purify by directly pouring mana into it.

 

“Then…”

 

“It means we need to start by gathering all the source entities and dealing with them.”

 

The vassals grabbed their foreheads and groaned.

 

* * *

 

The barracks.

 

A vassal hurried into the barracks and handed documents to Onel.

 

“Priests from the temples in the east and south will be deployed.”

 

The other vassals frowned at this.

 

“That’s not the problem. How do we catch all the source entities?”

 

“We have no choice but to kill every single animal we can find…”

 

“Does that make sense? The farmland is already in this state, which will cause food problems, and what if we kill all the animals?”

 

“But we can’t just leave the source entities alone.”

 

Only Yustea could purify the source entities.

 

If we missed even one source entity like this, it would be a disaster.

 

“Only Lady Yustea can purify the source entities.”

 

“Yes, even if priests swarm together, purifying a single one isn’t easy. If Lady Yustea returns to Esgaroth like this, the same problem will reoccur.”

 

Yustea’s purification was truly amazing.

 

The priests’ eyes nearly rolled back watching Yustea purify an entire wild boar.

 

The vassals clicked their tongues.

 

‘Incredible.’

 

Marquis Yopis looked at Yustea, who was stretching her shoulders outside the barracks door.

 

There was a reason the Emperor and the Temple had been desperately searching for her with their eyes rolled back.

 

Marquis Rochette looked at him and laughed heartily.

 

“Why don’t you hide that look in your eyes.”

 

“…Pardon?”

 

“You look like you’re dying of greed.”

 

“…”

 

“Though it’s not incomprehensible.”

 

If Yustea were there, any enemy would surrender.

 

Just releasing a single contaminated wild boar would send enemies into complete panic.

 

Only Yustea could handle that contamination.

 

Marquis Rochette looked at Onel.

 

“The Marquis said he would leave the decision to the young master. What will you do?”

 

“…”

 

“Young master?”

 

Onel, who had been looking outside the barracks, finally answered.

 

“…We need to find out why they became contamination source entities first. The decision comes after that.”

 

Onel’s reaction was strange.

 

His instruction wasn’t wrong, but he kept looking outside the barracks while speaking.

 

To be precise, at Yustea who was outside the barracks.

 

Marquis Rochette and Marquis Yopis exchanged glances.

 

‘The way he looks at Lady Yustea has changed, hasn’t it?’

 

‘Yes.’

 

Yustea used to silently bow her head no matter what Onel said.

 

But that same woman had talked back saying ‘A cat?’ even when Onel shouted fiercely.

 

Completely unexpected opponents tend to arouse curiosity.

 

‘It’s not a bad thing.’

 

Onel and Yustea getting along better would be beneficial for Andres.

 

Marquis Rochette smiled slightly and said.

 

“The wild boar herd has made their den in the nearby Newtree Mountain. If it’s there, wouldn’t we be able to find out why it became the epicenter?”

 

“That would be right.”

 

“Would you go together with Lady Yustea?”

 

“…What?”

 

Onel frowned.

 

“If soldiers get infected by the epicenter, the purification range will expand. It would be better to move in small numbers. Besides, since we might encounter the epicenter, Lady Yustea must definitely come along.”

 

“….”

 

Onel had a displeased expression.

 

But since it was sound logic, he couldn’t argue against it.

 

“Then let’s depart before sunset.”

 

Yustea couldn’t stay in Andres for long.

 

They needed to proceed as quickly as possible.

 

Onel clicked his tongue and stood up.

 

Marquis Rochette headed toward Yustea along with Onel.

 

“Young Lady.”

 

“Yeah.”

 

Yustea, who had been massaging her neck, looked up at them.

 

Marquis Rochette explained the situation.

 

“So we’d really like you to go to Newtree Mountain together with the young master.”

 

“Searching isn’t my job though.”

 

The Imperial Palace had requested two things.

 

Confirm if purification is possible.

 

If possible, perform the purification.

 

So finding the epicenter should be Andres’s job, right?

 

When Yustea looked at him with that expression, Marquis Rochette said.

 

“Andres will officially commission the search. We’ll pay a commission fee.”

 

“Hmm.”

 

“Is there something you want?”

 

“How about five hundred mana stones. And one more thing.”

 

The vassals gasped.

 

Fi, five hundred?!

 

And one more thing too?

 

Beudeungni’s vassal said with a bewildered expression.

 

“No, what kind of… Five hundred mana stones, do you know how much that is…?”

 

The other vassals were equally surprised but quickly glared at Beudeungni’s vassal.

 

Without Yustea, there was no answer.

 

Even if she asked for a thousand instead of five hundred, they had no choice but to give it.

 

Marquis Yopis chuckled and said.

 

“What’s the one more thing?”

 

Yustea pointed at Onel.

 

“What?! You want the young master?!”

 

Beudeungni’s vassal shouted as if jumping up.

 

Onel’s face crumpled.

 

“That’s ridiculous…”

 

“Would you?”

 

“What?”

 

“Oops. I was so dumbfounded. Not Onel, but the Essence of Joy that Onel has.”

 

Yustea stood up, cracking her neck this way and that.

 

And with a nonchalant expression, she said.

 

“I have no interest in Onel and wouldn’t want him anyway, so don’t worry about that.”

 

“….”

 

“So will you give it?”

 

“….”

 

Marquis Rochette glanced at Onel.

 

He knew that Onel possessed the Essence of Joy.

 

The Essence of Joy itself was an incredibly precious item, but there were other reasons why it couldn’t be given.

 

Marquis Rochette said.

 

“Young Lady, that’s…”

 

“It’s the only thing my birth mother left when she abandoned me in Andres.”

 

At Onel’s words, the vassals let out sighs.

 

‘Oh no…’

 

‘There’s no way he’d give something like that.’

 

Yustea glanced at Onel.

 

“I see. So what?”

 

“You still want it?”

 

“Is something from someone who abandoned you precious?”

 

“…!”

 

Onel flinched.

 

Yustea brushed the wrinkles of her skirt with her hands.

 

It was truly an attitude of not caring at all.

 

Then she said to Onel.

 

“You don’t need to cherish something given by someone who abandoned you. That person is a fool who doesn’t know truly important values.”

 

Then some of the vassals laughed awkwardly.

 

Onel’s complex about his mother who abandoned him was well known.

 

One of the vassals said.

 

“Yes, to leave behind such a capable son…”

 

Then Yustea said.

 

“Not capability.”

 

“…What?”

 

Onel asked back.

 

Then Yustea answered in a strange tone.

 

“When they said a guest came, you immediately turned around. Wondering if it might be your birth mother.”

 

“….”

 

“You were always holed up in the training ground, pretending to practice. Because you could see the road where carriages come.”

 

“….”

 

“When you had a fever and your mind was confused, you’d call for your mother when someone touched your forehead.”

 

“….”

 

“Your mother is someone who doesn’t know the value of that heart.”

 

Yustea said this and started walking.

 

“Anyway, if you’re thinking of giving the Essence of Joy, come find me. I’ll go with you right away.”

 

With that, Yustea left.

 

The vassals glanced at Onel.

 

Onel walked with long strides, his face hardened.

 

And when he reached a deserted place, he grabbed Yustea’s wrist and pulled her sharply.

 

“What are you.”

 

“Why are you doing this. It hurts.”

 

“How do you know such things!”

 

“Because I was watching you!”

 

Yustea frowned and said.

 

“…What?”

 

“I said it hurts. Let go.”

 

“I asked how you knew.”

 

“When my respected brother makes that kind of face, it’s natural to be concerned.”

 

Onel stared at Yustea in bewilderment.

 

Come to think of it, at some point the employees had changed how they announced guests.

 

They didn’t just suddenly say a guest had arrived, but always made sure to announce who it was first.

 

‘If that child ordered them to do that….’

 

When he was in the training hall, snacks and drinks would arrive.

 

Always without fail, even when he went without notice.

 

‘If that was also because that child was watching me….’

 

Who was it that stroked his face when he was delirious with fever.

 

Whose were those cold hands.

 

It wasn’t grandmother.

 

An employee wouldn’t dare do such a thing.

 

“Pain go away. Pain go away….”

 

That whispering voice was….

 

“Was it you?”

 

“What was?”

 

“….”

 

“So are you going to give me the Essence of Joy?”

 

“….”

 

Onel turned his head with a confused expression, holding his forehead.

 

* * *

 

Entrance of Nettlewood Mountain.

 

Yuise whispered to me.

 

“Why is he acting like that?”

 

She was talking about Onel.

 

Onel was frowning and staring at me.

 

I glanced at Onel then looked at Yuise.

 

“I don’t know. Maybe he’s angry because I talked about his birth mother?”

 

“Birth mother story?”

 

“He really hates it originally.”

 

“…Those don’t look like angry eyes though.”

 

While we were whispering about that, Onel spoke.

 

“Let’s go up.”

 

“Okay.”

 

I answered and followed him.

 

Since he agreed to give me the Essence of Joy!

 

‘This worked out well.’

 

Now I can go from being mana-poor to mana-rich.

 

It might be lacking compared to Stella, but it’s enough for me.

 

As we climbed the mountain, Onel said.

 

“Why did you say such things in front of the vassals?”

 

“Huh?”

 

“About the birth mother, I mean.”

 

Because you asked?

 

To explain the context, that story had to come up.

 

Most importantly, it doesn’t matter anymore whether Onel cares about it or not.

 

I was about to say that when Onel spoke.

 

“Never mind. You must have been bothered that the vassals called me a cold person.”

 

‘…What is he talking about?’

 

I frowned and looked at Yuise.

 

Yuise shrugged her shoulders.

 

Onel said while keeping his gaze fixed on the path.

 

“Don’t say such things anymore. It’s annoying.”

 

“Of course I won’t.”

 

“Why are you answering so obediently all of a sudden?”

 

“Well, since we’ll never see each other again, there’s no way I could do it again anyway.”

 

When I said that with a bright smile, Onel stopped walking abruptly.

 

Regardless, I handed Yuise the snacks I had brought.

 

“Want some?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“I also have juice… oh my.”

 

I almost tripped.

 

“Please be careful.”

 

Yuise said with a growling tone, so I smiled awkwardly.

 

“Thanks.”

 

Onel was staring intently at us, who looked like harmonious siblings.

 

But then it happened.

 

Peep—!

 

A strange sound was heard.

 

And….

 

Thump! Thump! Thump thump thump!

 

The sound of beasts’ footsteps could be heard.

 

Yuise gripped her sword and stayed by my side.

 

Onel also looked around with a stern face.

 

‘That sounded like a whistle just now.’

 

Did someone control the beasts?

 

Just as I was thinking that.

 

“Well, these are welcome guests.”

 

Some burly men appeared driving the beasts.

 

They seemed to be bandits, all covering their noses and mouths with masks.

 

The bandit leader grinned and said.

 

“Look, there are two cute young ladies here.”

 

“There’s one. Damn it.”

 

Yuise said with an annoyed expression.

 

Hmm. This is a familiar situation somehow.

 

This time there’s no one to make them repeat after me while beating them up.

 

But the bandits burst into laughter.

 

“Did you think we had dead fish eyes? Of course we knew he was a man.”

 

Huh?

 

But they said there were two?

 

‘Did they capture another woman?’

 

Just as I was thinking that.

 

“B-brother…!”

 

A familiar voice was heard from among the bandits.

 

That person captured by the bandits is Stella.

 

“…!”

 

Onel’s expression hardened instantly.

 

“How…!”

 

“I, I really came because I wanted to help….”

 

It was the moment Stella was about to burst into tears.

 

An arrow came flying.

—————
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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