How to Replace Your Dad - Chapter 8

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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 8

Count Sanmiguel’s expression froze.

Antonio’s unit excitedly embraced each other and cheered in triumph.

The unit member under the Clan Leader also asked with an excited expression.

“What happened?”

“Little Teacher was a disinformation tactic.”

When Antonio said this with a grin, the unit member under the Clan Leader gasped.

“That’s incredible… But how exactly did she stick to Marina?”

“She didn’t stick to her. She waited.”

The Clan Leader said.

While others were watching Marina, the Clan Leader was observing Yustea.

Because her movement route was suspicious.

‘She traveled by river.’

She got on a small boat upstream and moved downstream in one go.

The current was fast, so it was faster than traveling by horse.

But why would a search party looking for kidnapped girls travel by river?

While watching this suspicious behavior, Marina set off toward Beech Mountain.

Around that time, I realized.

That Yustea’s destination was the entrance to Beech Mountain located downstream.

And she had climbed a tree and was waiting before Marina arrived.

Marina seemed to think something had gone wrong and the Count had moved the girls elsewhere, so she moved frantically.

After they disappeared.

Yustea crawled down the tree and jumped to the ground.

Yustea’s unit members who had been hiding here and there holding their breath came running.

[How did you know to come here?]

[Right. When you got on that small boat, I thought Little Teacher had given up on the test.]

Yustea said with a nonchalant expression.

[If you’re going to frame someone for kidnapping, the slash-and-burn farmer village is perfect, isn’t it?]

[Huh?]

[What?]

Yustea said while folding her fingers one by one.

[You can’t bring in outside forces. That might lead to territorial war. And since Sanmiguel’s greatest asset is the mine, he wouldn’t want to touch the mining village. So what’s left is the slash-and-burn farmer village.]

“…!”

“…!!”

Antonio’s unit members’ jaws dropped.

The unit members under the Clan Leader also clicked their tongues in amazement.

One of the vassals had said.

“Looking at this, we can see that Lady Marina has a broad perspective on situations.”

—he had said.

But the person who truly had a broad perspective was someone else.

Count Sanmiguel’s face had turned pale.

The vassals also glanced at him nervously and let out sighs.

And the Clan Leader was…

“Clan Leader?”

He couldn’t take his eyes off Yustea in the magic mirror.

Antonio snorted.

“Are you starting to regret it now?”

“Who said I didn’t regret losing that kid?”

The one weighed against that kid on the scales was Antonio.

A comrade who had walked the thin line between life and death together.

It was natural to prioritize Antonio over that kid who was just an outsider.

So even if he could turn back time, he would have chosen Antonio.

But that didn’t mean he didn’t regret it.

[Then let’s go now.]

[To the slash-and-burn farmer village?]

[No. To the dry stream below it.]

[Why the dry stream?]

[If the slash-and-burn farmers discover girls who obviously look valuable, they’ll immediately kidnap them and demand money. Since we need to keep the girls safe until the test ends, the dry stream is good for hiding them.]

How could such a kid not be precious?

* * *

The search party and I headed toward the dry stream of Beech Mountain.

We had to hurry.

‘If Marina’s search party comes back this way, a battle might break out.’

Of course, we would win.

No matter how great the soldiers Count Sanmiguel assigned to Marina were, we were members of the Irregulars.

And Antonio’s unit, known as the roughest in the Irregulars at that.

‘But that’s only if it’s a 7-on-7 fight.’

The ones who originally kidnapped the girls would also be in the vicinity.

They couldn’t openly join forces, but there was a possibility they might secretly support Marina’s unit.

‘So we need to prevent the kidnappers and Marina’s search party from joining up.’

We climbed the mountain without resting for a moment.

And at the dry stream we arrived at…

“Little Teacher, over there!”

A large carriage was sitting there all alone.

It was truly all alone.

Not a single person guarding the surroundings could be seen.

‘They just left the carriage sitting there like that?’

Even though it was away from the slash-and-burn farmer village, what if someone accidentally discovered it?

‘Something’s fishy.’

It was the moment I hesitated and pondered.

The unit members started running toward the carriage.

At that moment, my mind flashed.

‘No way.’

“Wait a moment, everyone.”

It was the moment I pulled the search party members back.

KABOOM—!

The roar of an explosion erupted.

The search party members who had been caught by me and were looking puzzled flinched and stepped back.

Fortunately, thanks to stopping the search party members at the right timing, no one was caught in the explosion.

I pulled the search party members back and grabbed a stone nearby.

And when I threw it—

BANG!

“…!”

The search party members’ expressions hardened.

I glared with displeasure at the relay magic device hovering around our unit.

“How underhanded…”

Since it looked like I would reach the girls before Marina, Count Sanmiguel had made his move.

He had planted items around the carriage.

And having played this game before, I knew what those items were.

Eolgani Birds

Buried traps.

They explode at the slightest contact.

As an item used in the early stages of the game, their explosive power isn’t that strong.

But if handled carelessly, explosions could occur all at once in the section where the Eolgani Birds are clustered.

Then the carriage could be blown away.

“Damn it. What should we do?”

The search party members looked at me with tense expressions.

We need to rescue the girls, but we can’t approach as long as those Eolgani Birds are there.

At this rate, we’ll be disarming Eolgani Birds until Marina’s unit arrives.

I let out a deep sigh.

“There’s no choice.”

“Right, it’ll take a very long time, but we have no choice but to move while disarming the mines one by one─”

“We need to blow them all up.”

“Huh?”

“What?”

“Pardon?”

The search party members looked at me with expressions that said ‘Did we hear wrong?’

I cheerfully sat down and picked up stones.

“…?”

“…??”

The search party members just stared at me with bewildered expressions.

But I really did gather an armful of stones and stood up.

And threw the stones toward the carriage.

No, I tried to throw them.

…If the terrified masked individuals hadn’t jumped out from above Dry Stream.

“W-wait!”

“Hold on!”

The kidnappers appeared with faces pale as sheets.

They were afraid I would blow up all the Eolgani Birds and kill the girls.

‘They can’t kill them.’

Count Sanmiguel must have said they absolutely must not be killed.

What would happen if all those noble young ladies were killed?

The central government would step in to investigate the incident.

It would reach a point where Count Sanmiguel couldn’t handle it.

As I expected, the kidnappers appeared in a panic and shouted.

“Are you planning to kill the women!”

“You vicious bastards!”

The masked individuals were actually scolding us instead.

The search party members made incredulous expressions.

* * *

Yustea’s search party members in the magic mirror let out hollow laughs.

The people watching the broadcast felt the same absurdity.

A unit member under the Clan Leader said.

“The kidnappers are lecturing someone…”

But then.

Yustea shouted.

[If you don’t come down, I’ll blow them up!]

Then the kidnappers…

[C-calm down!]

“…”

“…”

The unit members under the Clan Leader looked at each other.

So… the masked individuals are the ones who did the kidnapping, right?

The masked individuals were in chaos.

Should they really go down?

Those who appeared to be subordinates looked at the leader in the center.

Just as they were about to ask what to do, Yustea was quick.

Bang!

She threw a stone and managed to set off one Eolgani Bird.

[I’m coming down now.]

Bang!

[I said I’m coming down!]

The Clan Leader’s unit members watching the broadcast continued their silence.

The vicious-looking side wasn’t the kidnappers, but the side that went to rescue the kidnapped girl.

How the positions had reversed was beyond comprehension.

The masked individuals jumped down the cliff.

With a thud, as they set foot on the ground of Dry Stream, each held weapons in their hands.

Pairs as big as their bodies.

Iron maces.

Crossbows loaded with long iron skewers rather than arrows.

A unit member of the Clan Leader’s group flinched upon seeing the weapons.

“Isn’t that Fog Fang?”

Antonio answered to that.

“Should have recognized them from their leap. Those dog eyes are still alive.”

The Clan Leader’s unit member stiffened.

Fog Fang.

A mercenary group that once had a notorious reputation.

Skilled individuals composed of criminals who escaped from the great prison in the north.

That Fog Fang appeared to number well over 30 at a glance.

Could 7 unit members win against them?

The Clan Leader’s unit member said.

“The girls aside, Lady Yustea will be in danger. Since she’s not nobility, the central government won’t step in either. Most importantly…”

The Clan Leader’s unit member glanced at Count Sanmiguel.

The Count’s expression watching the magic mirror was satisfied.

‘If she dies unfortunately during the test, it would naturally become Marina’s victory.’

Antonio stood up from his seat.

A sword was in his hand.

Then the Clan Leader asked.

“Are you planning to go to Beech Mountain?”

“Little Teacher entered the test for Charlie and me.”

“And so.”

“If Little Teacher is alive when I arrive, I’ll bring her back alive, and if she’s dead, I’ll slaughter those bastards and Count Sanmiguel to repay the debt.”

Antonio looked at the Clan Leader with a cold expression.

And said through gritted teeth.

“Unlike someone who only knows how to work an abacus, I’m someone who knows gratitude.”

“How foolish.”

“Keep it moderate.”

Killing intent flashed in Antonio’s eyes.

The Clan Leader’s unit members quickly placed their hands on the weapons at their waists.

Then this time, the members of Antonio’s unit shot up from their seats.

Those who had been watching the magic mirror together froze at the sudden commotion.

“What the…”

“What is it?”

As the atmosphere between the Clan Leader’s unit and Antonio’s unit grew tense, Count Sanmiguel let out a snicker.

If the relationship between the two units soured, he would be the one to benefit.

And if Fog Fang would just dispose of that damned wench, everything he desired would fall into his hands.

Then, the Clan Leader spoke again.

“I’m telling you there’s no need to go, so sit down.”

“…What?”

When Antonio frowned as if asking what he meant, the Clan Leader gestured toward the magic mirror.

People’s gazes turned back to the magic mirror.

And in the magic mirror…

[What, what’s happening?]

Kwaaaaang─!

[Aaaah!]

The Fog Fang members were falling helplessly.

[Over there. Push them.]

As soon as Yustea commanded, the large search party member pushed three or four Fog Fang members at once.

[Northwest, 2 meters. Throw it.]

When another search party member threw a stone in the direction Yustea indicated.

Kwang─!

“This, this is…!”

“What on earth is this…!”

Yustea seemed to know exactly where the explosives were located.

The search party members would push them away, and Yustea would detonate the explosives.

The Fog Fang members fell several at a time in an instant.

She was even creating explosions at very precise locations so the carriage wouldn’t get caught up in them.

Antonio wore a bewildered expression.

“How is this happening?”

“Those explosive items are probably Ealgani Birds.”

“They’re like landmines. They would have been buried in the ground and covered with dirt, but how did she know the locations…”

“She must know the Ealgani Bird detection method.”

“Detection method…?”

The basics of Ealgani Bird detection involved using the internal magnetic force.

And the sand of Dry Stream contained large amounts of iron powder.

What happens when magnets meet sand containing iron powder?

The iron powder gets pulled along, causing the sand to dip slightly.

‘But it’s a subtle difference.’

Having the eye to see that is remarkable.

Plus the knowledge to recognize items like Ealgani Birds.

When I explained the details, Antonio and the other clan members let out hollow laughs.

“What exactly is Little Teacher?”

The Clan Leader chuckled and crossed his legs.

“Well. We’ll have to ask when she returns.”

Having that child step forward in this test was an unexpected stroke of luck.

Count Sanmiguel’s face was growing paler and paler.

* * *

I looked at the Fog Fang members sprawled on the ground and dusted off my hands.

‘Good. They’re all incapacitated.’

Now then…

I approached the one-eyed man who appeared to be the leader.

And I rummaged through his clothes haphazardly.

“What, what are you doing…!”

Even though he was down, as the leader he seemed to still have strength left to shout.

But I paid no attention and checked his inner pocket.

“Found it.”

The Ealgani Bird deactivation key.

Since they had laid out so many of these buried traps, I figured they would have prepared a key for deactivating them later.

I pressed the deactivation key.

Then I threw a stone toward a spot where the ground was slightly depressed.

‘Yeah, it’s quiet.’

All the Ealgani Birds had been deactivated.

A search party member who was tying up the Fog Fang gang with rope asked.

“Is it all done?”

“Yes. Let’s go to the carriage now.”

We left all the Fog Fang members subdued and headed toward the carriage.

When I nodded, one of the search party members opened the door.

And what we saw was…

“Mmph…”

“Mmph. Mmph.”

Girls with gags in their mouths.

The girls looked at us with tearful eyes.

These were the noble girls who were supposed to participate in the test.

I quickly removed their gags and said.

“Are you alright?”

The girls glanced at each other furtively.

The search party members spoke with pitying expressions.

“They probably suspect us too. It’s natural since they were kidnapped.”

“Don’t worry. We’re people from the castle. Look here. Sanmiguel’s crest.”

But the girls remained stiffly frozen, not knowing what to do.

I removed the gags from the other girls one by one, then knelt down.

“Hello, Miss Nicolle.”

The red-haired girl flinched.

I smiled brightly.

“You don’t know me, but I know you.”

Very well, in fact.

In the original game story, she was the person who would pass the test and become the Clan Leader’s adopted daughter.

I looked at the hands of the red-haired girl, Nicolle.

They were tightly clenched with tension.

“Why would someone like you…”

As I muttered, Nicolle turned her head sharply and said.

“Getting involved in crime is like a disaster. It’s stupid to interrogate victims about why they weren’t more careful.”

“You’re right. If you really are victims.”

At my words, the search party members looked puzzled.

“What?”

“What do you mean, Little Teacher?”

Unlike the bewildered search party members, the girls’ expressions were stiffly frozen.

I quietly recited.

“You weren’t kidnapped. You followed the kidnappers with your own feet.”

And he glared at the relay magical device floating in the air.

No, he was glaring at Count Sanmiguel who would be beyond it.

“Isn’t that right, Count?”

* * *

Count Sanmiguel’s Relay Station.

“What does this mean? Are you perhaps involved in this matter, my lord?”

The vassals looked at the Count with hardened faces.

The Count was terrified and drove out his vassals.

“Please excuse yourselves for a moment.”

“No, leaving isn’t the issue—you need to explain this situation…!”

“Later! I’ll explain later.”

“My lord!”

He even mobilized private soldiers hidden among the troops to chase out the vassals.

The Count looked at the Clan Leader with a face that had turned deathly pale.

“That wench who dared to slander a lord must pay the price.”

“You should think about excuses for the vassals you drove out.”

The Clan Leader wore a leisurely smile.

Antonio grinned along with him.

“Though I doubt excuses will work.”

Count Sanmiguel gritted his teeth.

At that moment, in a dark room where curtains blocked the light.

A man sitting alone inside, gazing at a magic mirror, picked up his glass.

In the glass held by his long, straight fingers, a dark red liquid swirled gently.

[Isn’t that right, Count?]

The man’s gaze lingered briefly on Yustea’s face in the magic mirror.

The man murmured.

“Not bad.”

Words of unexpected praise flowed from between his well-positioned lips.

It truly was unexpected.

For that man, Aslan, Clan Leader of the Irregulars.

—————
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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