How to Replace Your Dad - Chapter 78
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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 78
Swoosh—, thud!
“7 points!”
Stella’s face hardened.
Of all times, she had to score 7 points right after Yustea scored 10.
Ignis quickly slipped his coin purse back into his jacket.
Acting as if he knew nothing.
But to Stella, it was laughable.
Stella had 80 points.
Yustea had 65 points.
The score difference was a full 15 points.
Stella’s average score was 8.1.
‘There’s absolutely no way she can turn this around.’
From the last three shots onward, they would shoot together.
Yustea and Stella drew their bowstrings and aimed their arrowheads at the target.
Everyone’s attention focused on them.
“Has Young Lady Stella always been this skilled with a bow?”
“Well, she practically lived at the hunting grounds with her friends.”
“So it wasn’t just playing around, but a form of training. Haha.”
“I’m seeing Young Lady Stella in a new light.”
The vassals laughed heartily as they spoke.
Onel, Benjamin, Ignis, and Hui in the training ground also focused on the match.
Just as Hui was watching with sparkling eyes.
Swoosh—, thud!
The arrows struck the targets simultaneously.
“Lady Stella, 8 points!”
Then what about Yustea?
Everyone’s gaze shifted to Yustea’s target.
The soldier who checked the score on Yustea’s target shouted.
“Lady Yustea, 10 points!”
“…!”
“…?!”
“…!!!”
10 points in a row?
A girl who hadn’t received formal training?
From such a distance?
Everyone’s eyes widened in amazement.
Marquis Rochette asked Baron Yopis.
“Have you ever taught her archery?”
“Not at all.”
“Remarkable….”
Even Onel looked at Yustea with surprise.
The 10-point target was 30 centimeters smaller in diameter than the 7 or 8-point zones.
Hitting it once might be luck, but twice was in the realm of talent.
As the atmosphere shifted toward Yustea, Stella swallowed dryly.
Her heart was racing.
‘Calm down. It’s fine.’
There was still a 13-point difference.
Yustea and Stella nocked arrows to their bowstrings again.
And the moment the soldier in front of the target waved the red flag.
Swoosh—, thud!
“Lady Stella, 4 points!”
“…!”
Why!
She had been scoring high consistently, so why suddenly?
She aimed at the same spot and drew the string with the same force.
She expected at least 8 points.
People made “Ooh…” sounds with surprised expressions.
Then what about Yustea this time….
“Lady Yustea, 10 points!”
“…!”
“…!!”
Hui, who had been resting his chin on his hand, lifted his head.
Benjamin, who had been sitting with crossed legs and folded arms, straightened his posture.
Onel and Ignis also watched Yustea as she checked her bowstring with one shot remaining.
The vassals were equally surprised.
Hui shouted.
“What the hell. What’s going on? Isn’t this cheating? That soldier isn’t lying, is he?”
“If you’re curious, go check for yourself. Though it’ll be stuck right in the center.”
Benjamin said that and looked at Onel.
“She seemed to check the wind carefully, didn’t she?”
“Yeah.”
“And she deliberately shot strongly.”
When shooting simultaneously, one archer’s shot affects the other.
So Stella’s mistake was natural.
She was affected by Yustea.
“She was targeting the last three shots from the beginning.”
Otherwise, she would have no choice but to lose to Stella.
Stella’s hobby was hunting.
She was much more familiar with handling a bow than Yustea.
If skill was lacking, she would turn variables to her advantage.
Variables, meaning the wind.
Stella gripped her bow tightly.
‘Still, there’s still a score difference.’
Even if Yustea shot a 10, as long as she scored at least 4 points, victory would be confirmed.
Yustea had done something foolish.
Shooting the bow strongly just now.
That was exposing her strategy because she was anxious.
If she was going to do that, she should have saved it for the very end.
Stella and Yustea nocked arrows to their bowstrings for the final shot.
And drew their strings toward the target.
The moment they released their taut bowstrings.
Swoosh—, thud!
Swish—, thud!
The final arrows struck the target.
…Only one.
Only one arrow was embedded in the target.
The other arrow had grazed past the target.
The soldier shouted.
“Lady Yustea, 10 points!”
Stella’s face turned pale.
* * *
I took off my hand guards and handed them to the maid.
I put down the bow, but it felt like arrows of glares were pouring down on my face.
Onel’s friends asked.
“You shoot really well.”
“Those last three shots… were you aiming for that…?”
“I didn’t know you had talent with archery, Yustea.”
Talent, my foot.
I practiced like crazy.
Due to biological characteristics, I can’t withstand a man’s physical attacks at close range.
So my only option was archery.
‘Though this also requires tremendous strength.’
Still, since there’s no worry of being caught by the opponent, I dug deep into archery.
I still need to shoot a few arrows to check the wind though.
‘Actually, two or three shots would have been enough.’
But there was a reason I gave Stella many points in the beginning.
Stella had been holding her bow with a pale face until now.
I approached her.
“Are you okay?”
Stella’s eyes trembled.
At that moment.
GM: This match is just entertainment.
GM: No need to worry about it.
GM: More importantly, you need to secure the Ancien Empire Restoration Society.
‘Yes, this is what I was aiming for.’
Stella’s divine instability.
Then the conversation window with GM would appear.
And there are hints in this conversation window.
‘About who the members of the Ancien Empire Restoration Society are.’
Stella bit her lips tightly.
But she didn’t seem to calm down easily.
The window appeared once more.
GM: Stella, I’ve told you repeatedly not to waste your heart on trivial matters.
GM: What’s important is the Ancien Empire Restoration Society.
And.
GM: They’re here.
At that moment, Onel and his friends approached.
“Since you showed us a good match, let’s treat you to a meal. Ignis will.”
At the foreign prince Hui’s words, Ignis looked dumbfounded.
Benjamin chuckled.
Ignis said.
“If you want to treat… why don’t you do it yourself…”
“You’re the one who won money. You won big, so show some generosity, Priest.”
“Next time… it would be nice if you called me when this guy isn’t around…”
Ignis sighed.
When he’s with Hui, he seems to be sighing constantly.
Benjamin said.
“I won money too, so I’ll pay. I got quite a bit from the young ladies’ brothers.”
He shook his money pouch.
“Let’s go out.”
Then Stella flinched.
Of course she’d be troubled.
Right now Stella is under house arrest by the Marquis.
She can’t leave the castle.
“Um, I…!”
“Stella can’t.”
Onel said.
Then the men looked at Stella.
“Why not?”
“Well… there’s been some trouble so she can’t leave the castle…”
“Really? Then we’ll have to settle for the castle.”
When Benjamin said this, Hui looked displeased.
“You said we were going to the marketplace.”
“Since Stella has trouble going out, next time—.”
“How do you know when I’ll come to the Empire next?”
“That’s…”
Benjamin groaned.
Ignis didn’t seem to have any intention of persuading Hui either.
The window appeared quickly.
GM: No!
GM: You must persuade them!
GM: Don’t let them go like this!!
GM: Stella, hurry!
They must be in a tremendous hurry.
‘Come to think of it, Hui is a character I’m seeing for the first time.’
A character who’s neither a main character nor an NPC.
Is it impossible to grasp such characters’ tendencies?
‘Information. Let me remember this well.’
Stella hurriedly grabbed Onel.
“Brother, I want to go too.”
“If you disobey Father’s orders, you’ll receive an even greater punishment.”
“But…!”
“Stay quietly in the castle today.”
Benjamin said with a regretful expression.
“I’ll buy you a gift.”
Saying that, the men turned their backs.
Then another huge window appeared.
GM: Catch Benjamin—!
…What?
* * *
The marketplace.
I stood in front of a wall, lost in thought.
Benjamin.
They definitely said Benjamin.
‘Then that means Benjamin is a member of the Ancien Empire Restoration Society.’
I was thinking about this.
I heard someone approaching me.
When I turned my head, it was Ignis.
“We decided to explore the marketplace in pairs or groups of three… and meet at the restaurant around 5 o’clock…”
“Ah, I see.”
“Young Lady, who would you like to go with…?”
The men were waiting for me behind my back.
‘Of course it’s Benjamin.’
I smoothly stood beside Benjamin.
Then the men looked at me with surprised expressions.
Benjamin especially had his eyes wide open.
“You don’t really like me, do you?”
“Still, you’re the most familiar person to me.”
“I’ll be going around bookstores and antique shops, so it won’t be very fun. Hui is a genius at finding entertainment.”
“That’s why I’m going with Benjamin…”
When I deliberately made a tired face, Benjamin said “Ah” and laughed.
Onel glanced over, but didn’t seem to care much.
Benjamin said.
“Well then.”
With those words, we scattered.
I followed Benjamin around bookstores and antique shops.
Benjamin, who was carefully examining the displayed items, said.
“You can leave if you’re bored.”
“It’s interesting.”
“Watching other people browse? That’s an unusual hobby.”
Benjamin laughed heartily.
Then he glanced at me sideways.
“Aren’t you going to ask what I’m looking for?”
“I won’t ask.”
“I wonder why. Are you not that interested in me?”
Then he rested his chin on his hand and tilted his head slightly to look at me.
“I’m interested in you, Young Lady.”
“Didn’t you get slapped by Guinevere for doing that?”
“Twice.”
Good for you.
When I looked at him with such eyes, Benjamin shrugged his shoulders.
Then he examined the antiques again and said.
“I’m looking for the Goddess Statue of White Night.”
“Why the Goddess Statue of White Night?”
“….”
Benjamin’s hand, which had been examining the antiques, paused.
He raised his gaze.
After staring into space for a moment, he smoothly turned his gaze to me.
Benjamin’s and my gazes collided.
“You’re really an interesting young lady.”
He took a step closer to me.
The atmosphere was ominous.
I stepped back, but ended up trapped against the shop’s display case.
He approached me closely and asked.
“When I say I’m looking for the Goddess Statue of White Night, normally people would say this.”
“….”
“What is the Goddess Statue of White Night?”
“….”
“What are you?”
Benjamin’s expression was completely different from usual.
As if he had become a different person, he gave off a cold and sharp atmosphere.
I looked up at him with an expressionless face.
“Because I know what the Goddess Statue of White Night is.”
“How?”
“I was kicked out of Andres and worked all sorts of places. I even worked at an antique art dealer once.”
“So?”
“Someone came to the place where I worked looking for the Goddess Statue of White Night. Said it was a special treasure.”
“….”
Benjamin looked at me with a suspicious expression.
After staring intently into my eyes for a while, he soon shrugged his shoulders.
“You must have had a hard time.”
“Yeah.”
He stepped back.
He had cleared the way.
I quickly walked toward where there was a passage.
Benjamin was once again absorbed in checking the items.
After some time passed, the communication stone rang.
[This is Yuise, Young Lady.]
She had adopted a respectful attitude in case someone might be nearby.
“Yeah, I’m at Enoki Antique Shop. D55—12.”
When I gave the address, a reply came back.
[I’m nearby. I’ll be there soon.]
The communication ended.
And after about 5 minutes, I saw a familiar silhouette in front of the antique shop.
I quickly rushed out.
And swiftly dragged Yuise into the alley beside the shop.
“Cancel, cancel.”
“What?”
“Cancel what I said about taking over the reconstruction society.”
“Why suddenly?”
“They’re crazy bastards.”
The Goddess Statue of White Night.
At first glance, it’s just a beautiful goddess statue.
But I know its true identity.
The Goddess Statue of White Night
An artifact with ancient curses sealed within it.
If the seal is broken, curses comparable to disasters will be unleashed upon the world.
The artificial poison we made in Valboa was close to a disaster.
But the curses contained in the Goddess Statue of White Night were on a different level.
“The Curse of Dark Mirror. The ancient curse that the Clan Leader suffered.”
“Right.”
“That’s also a curse sealed in the Goddess Statue of White Night.”
“…!”
“Do you know where he got that curse?”
“He got it during a mission. So that was several years ago, in some village in the south…”
Yuise, who had been speaking, flinched.
Then she looked at me urgently.
“It was a battle that happened at an antique shop. Some people in white robes appeared and attacked.”
White robes.
I gasped and said.
“By any chance, were there sun emblems on the robes?”
“There were.”
I’m certain.
They are the Ancien Empire Restoration Society.
The Restoration Society was collecting the White Night Goddess statues.
They broke the seal and cursed the Clan Leader, fearing it would fall into the Irregulars’ hands.
The curse of dark vision was the lesser evil.
If the black plague were unleashed upon the world, this would be a matter of humanity’s survival.
We were having such a conversation when.
Yuise said with a start.
“Someone’s coming.”
I quickly slipped out of the alley.
Benjamin was emerging from the antique shop.
Benjamin said.
“I was wondering where you went.”
“I had something to discuss with my guard.”
“I see? Did you finish talking?”
“Yes.”
Benjamin smiled brightly and suddenly brought his face close to mine.
“Would you like to go somewhere more interesting, Young Lady?”
“What?”
“I have other friends I’d like to introduce you to.”
“Other friends?”
“They’re nearby.”
Benjamin’s eyes gleamed mysteriously.
“You see, I’ve really come to want to be close friends with you, Young Lady.”
“….”
“A Saint, intelligent, and even knowledgeable about the White Night Goddess statue.”
“….”
“I think we could become quite good friends, don’t you?”
No!
I don’t particularly want to become friends with you!
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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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