How to Replace Your Dad - Chapter 81

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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 81

 

It’s absolutely absurd.

 

To waste such a precious divination on content like this—what a shame.

 

It would have been nice if a fortune had come out saying Onel had two Essence of Ecstasy or something.

 

As I was thinking disappointedly, my head tilted to the side at a sudden thought.

 

‘Wait, first love?’

 

I groaned softly.

 

Originally, it was known like this.

 

Count Andres divorced his first marriage partner and fell in love with Emma, who was a maid.

 

That was supposed to be his first love.

 

But when Emma came to see me, she told me the actual progression was like this.

 

Emma and Mother were milk siblings. It was Mother who sent Emma into Andres. When Mother was in her final month of pregnancy, Emma had relations with Count Andres.

 

‘Then it might not be first love after all.’

 

If it was just a night spent together by chance, unlike what was known.

 

“Hmm.”

 

I narrowed my eyes and stared into space.

 

Then Count Andres asked.

 

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

 

“Haven’t you had your first love yet?”

 

“….”

 

The Marquis looked at me with an incredulous expression.

 

“I have three children.”

 

“Spending the night together isn’t the same as love, is it?”

 

“Night… What on earth has that fellow from Cuaron been teaching you?”

 

Now he’s even frowning.

 

He sighed with a look of disbelief.

 

I hugged my knees while crouching on the flat rock, regardless of his reaction.

 

I was no longer the person who used to be scared of such expressions.

 

“That’s why it’s strange.”

 

“What is?”

 

“People around my dad said the same thing, and he agreed too. Ah, not you, but my dad. The dad who’s in Cuaron.”

 

The Marquis let out a hollow laugh.

 

His expression showed disbelief.

 

“My dad seems like he’s never experienced love either. Ah, I mean romantic love.”

 

“Are you beating around the bush to call him a eunuch?”

 

“My dad is so wonderful though. He was just busy, that’s all.”

 

“I’m sure he was.”

 

“But he knows about love. There are people who know even if they haven’t experienced it.”

 

“….”

 

“So you probably weren’t completely ignorant about love either, Marquis.”

 

“….”

 

“Then why did you treat me that way?”

 

“….”

 

The Marquis stared at me intently.

 

I didn’t avoid his gaze.

 

I simply faced him with an expression that showed no laughter, tears, or anger—just looking at him as if viewing an inanimate object.

 

The Marquis remained silent for a long time.

 

I asked quietly.

 

“You didn’t treat Onel or Stella that way.”

 

“….”

 

“So why were you so cruel to me?”

 

“….”

 

“I was someone whose family was everything, someone who would do anything if Father said so. So why did you do that?”

 

“….”

 

He remained silent for a long time.

 

He seemed to have no intention of answering.

 

I shrugged and let out a breath.

 

I hadn’t expected him to tell me anyway.

 

I stood up from my spot.

 

Then I dusted off my riding pants and said.

 

“Shall we go to the contaminated area? After we resolve it—”

 

“Because you had no value.”

 

“….”

 

This time, it was I who couldn’t speak.

 

I looked at the Marquis.

 

The Marquis looked at me with an expressionless face.

 

“Onel is the maternal grandson of the head of the Seven Families. If Onel’s mother wins the power struggle within the family, he’ll become the only son of the Seven Families’ head.”

 

“….”

 

“Stella was a child with high potential to become a Saint.”

 

“…But I had nothing.”

 

Mother’s trading post wasn’t as powerful an advantage as what Onel or Stella had.

 

Rather, it was troublesome.

 

Since it was expanding its influence within Andres, it was a target to be kept in check.

 

The Marquis spoke once more.

 

“But now you have value.”

 

“Now you won’t abandon me, so come back? What disgusting words.”

 

I massaged my shoulder with an expressionless face.

 

The Marquis watched me intently.

 

“I’ll do whatever you want.”

 

“How will you do that?”

 

“Anything.”

 

Staring intently into his eyes, I let out a big sigh.

 

“Fine. Let me see how well you treat me today.”

 

“…What?”

 

“I need to see that before I can decide whether to change my mind or not.”

 

Of course, even so, I had no intention of going back.

 

The words that he wouldn’t abandon me because I had value.

 

In other words, that meant he would abandon me again if my value disappeared.

 

Such truly infuriating words.

 

But I had a dad who had embraced me unconditionally, whether I had value or not.

 

There was someone who told me to become his daughter because he wanted to protect me.

 

When I had such a precious treasure in my hands, there was no way I would choose such disgusting trash.

 

The reason I said such things was merely to buy time.

 

‘To give Yuise enough time.’

 

Count Andres burst into a bitter laugh.

 

“It seems my talent for infuriating people has been passed down to you too. To dare say such things to me.”

 

“So what?”

 

“Well, fine.”

 

He tilted his head lightly and looked at me.

 

“Let’s see. Test.”

 

* * *

 

The place Count Andres took Yustea to was a garden.

 

Endless flowers filled the space.

 

Everything was made of gold, as if they were in waves of golden light.

 

“It’s pretty.”

 

“I’ll give it to you if you like it.”

 

“No thanks. Next.”

 

“….”

 

The next place they went was one of the treasure vaults the Marquis owned.

 

It was filled with all kinds of precious ancient books and magical tools.

 

Even what you’d step on was a precious item that would make the Emperor covet it.

 

“Is there anything you need.”

 

“Do you have Essence of Ecstasy?”

 

“No.”

 

“Then no thanks. Next.”

 

“….”

 

The next place they went was a shipbuilding site.

 

The ship was so massive that countless workers were clinging to it.

 

“It has a special structure so it won’t budge even in storms.”

 

“That means the center of gravity is heavy. Speed is what’s important in trade. Next.”

 

“….”

 

The next place they went was a crafting workshop.

 

It was where they crafted magic into mana stones to create special magical tools.

 

The craftsmen were famous people.

 

All of them were from the Matap and wielded surprisingly advanced magic.

 

Yustea received the magical tool the craftsman handed over and examined it from all angles.

 

It was indeed an amazing design.

 

With just mana injection, it could be used semi-permanently.

 

“It’s a heating magical tool about to be commercialized.”

 

“You’ll make a lot of money. Next.”

 

“….”

 

Next was the port.

 

The port was much more developed than before Yustea left.

 

Inside the port, people were chattering with lively expressions and voices.

 

“It’s become the center of the southern ports. There’s no ship that doesn’t stop at this port.”

 

“Hmm.”

 

“Currently it’s Onel’s property, but if you want it….”

 

“I don’t want it. Next.”

 

“….”

 

Count Andres finally furrowed his brow.

 

“What exactly do you want.”

 

“I already know all this stuff, so what’s the point of showing it to me?”

 

Yustea looked rather incredulous instead.

 

Count Andres frowned.

 

“So what is it that you want.”

 

“I don’t want this kind of thing… Oh, skewers.”

 

Since they could get all kinds of fresh goods, the port also had plenty of food stalls.

 

Yustea headed straight for a skewer stall.

 

Count Andres also approached with a frown.

 

“Are you planning to eat such filthy food.”

 

Yustea didn’t even pretend to listen.

 

If it were before, she would have flinched and….

 

“Oh, no. I’m sorry….”

 

She would have mumbled like that.

 

Yustea looked at Count Andres.

 

“Why.”

 

“Money.”

 

Her attitude was even brazen.

 

Count Andres sighed and held out a gold coin.

 

Then the merchant selling skewers furrowed his brow.

 

“That… um, a gold coin is….”

 

Yustea quickly snatched Count Andres’s gold coin.

 

Then she put it in her pocket and took out nine coppers to give to the merchant.

 

“Sorry. This guy has no sense.”

 

The Marquis frowned.

 

Regardless, Yustea received two skewers from the merchant and handed one to the Marquis.

 

Then she started walking ahead.

 

“Sense?”

 

When the Marquis asked, Yustea said while tearing into her skewer.

 

“If you give a gold coin, they can’t give you change even if they gave you the whole stall, right?”

 

“….”

 

The Marquis furrowed his brow.

 

“Fine, let’s say that’s true. But why did the gold coin go into your pocket?”

 

“I bought you a skewer.”

 

“Do I look like I’d eat this?”

 

“If you don’t like it, give it to me.”

 

“Then you’ll return the gold coin?”

 

“Someone who even has a golden flower garden is being petty.”

 

Yustea pouted and held out her empty hand.

 

“The skewer, you don’t want to hold it. Give it to me.”

 

“….”

 

Count Andres obediently handed over the skewer.

 

And Yustea said.

 

“Come out.”

 

It was a sudden statement.

 

It was when the Marquis furrowed his brow.

 

Children wearing rags came out hesitantly from the alley.

 

Yustea handed the skewers to the children.

 

The children’s faces brightened immediately.

 

And they devoured the skewers in the blink of an eye.

 

Among them was a child who didn’t even get to taste it.

 

The child looked at Yustea’s skewer with a sad face.

 

“But you were eating it….”

 

“It’s okay though….”

 

“Will you buy more?”

 

“She looks like she’ll say that and leave….”

 

“I won’t leave though.”

 

“There have been so many people who said that and left….”

 

The child and Yustea narrowed their eyes and stared at each other.

 

Yustea held out the skewer with a defeated expression.

 

The children devoured the skewers again like dogs that had starved for four days.

 

Only then did Yustea speak.

 

“Relief meals will come tomorrow at noon, so don’t target this man’s pocket. He’s really scary.”

 

“You knew we were targeting him?”

 

“You’ve been hovering around since the stall earlier, what do you think.”

 

“Since you gave us skewers, we won’t target him. This is our first time eating this. It’s delicious!”

 

Yustea chuckled and left a few coppers at a nearby stall.

 

“Give the children bread.”

 

“Oh my, yes! Thank you!”

 

Then she glanced at the Marquis.

 

“Let’s go. Don’t take out gold coins anymore.”

 

“….”

 

“Everyone from children to adults will target you.”

 

Yustea, who had been saying that, hesitated.

 

“Damn, they’re already on us.”

 

That was the moment.

 

Men holding swords or iron clubs approached from the front.

 

“So you’re the rich lord?”

 

The man grinned wickedly.

 

All his teeth were rotten inside his mouth.

 

Yustea slowly backed away.

 

And….

 

“Run!”

 

She grabbed the Marquis’s hand and started running frantically.

 

She ran with such skillful technique.

 

She knocked over passing boxes to block the thugs’ path.

 

She also hopped over the ship stalls.

 

Then she hid in a ship’s cabin and made the Marquis duck his head down.

 

Thus the two ended up crouching side by side in the narrow cabin.

 

“What are you doing.”

 

“I’m protecting your gold coin pouch, Marquis. So forget about the one gold coin I took from you.”

 

“I could just call my guards.”

 

“Then the port authorities would be startled. And they’d chase away not just the thugs, but also the illegally set up stalls and beggar children.”

 

“….”

 

“We just need to avoid them for a bit.”

 

“…Does avoiding solve anything?”

 

“Of course not!”

 

Yustea widened her eyes as if asking what nonsense he was talking about.

 

“Institutionalization is important for things like this.”

 

“But.”

 

“But you probably have no intention of doing that.”

 

“….”

 

“Those beggar children might be nothing to you, Marquis, but to them it’s their livelihood.”

 

“…Like it was for you?”

 

“Yes.”

 

At that moment the ship lurched.

 

Someone had boarded.

 

For it to lurch this much, it wasn’t just one person.

 

The Marquis narrowed his eyes and looked at Yustea.

 

‘Are they the thugs.’

 

In the end, he would have no choice but to call his guards.

 

He was curious how this would play out.

 

Because he couldn’t predict it at all.

 

So….

 

…it seemed somewhat interesting too.

 

But it was strange.

 

Yustea tilted her head and pressed her ear to the cabin door.

 

“Do you want to save the thugs too?”

 

“I think people who charge at you with metal weapons should pay the price.”

 

“Then what are you observing so carefully. I should call my guards now.”

 

“Well… hmm….”

 

Yustea frowned.

 

As if something was bothering her.

 

“The footsteps are too regular and familiar….”

 

The Marquis quietly watched Yustea muttering.

 

“How would you know such things. What, did you work in a search unit or something.”

 

“Huh? Yes.”

 

“Don’t lie. You might as well say you worked for an extortion gang.”

 

“Yes, I worked there.”

 

“…Why don’t you say you worked for an information disruption unit instead.”

 

“That’s right. For 3 months.”

 

“….”

 

The Marquis looked at Yustea with an incredulous expression.

 

But that was the moment.

 

“Ah, as I thought.”

 

Yustea’s face brightened.

 

Creak.

 

The door opened.

 

And the face that appeared was….

 

“What are you doing here.”

 

“We came in to avoid thugs. What about the thugs?”

 

“I beat them down.”

 

“I wanted to see you. …Father!”

 

…Aslan.

 

Yustea’s adoptive father.

—————
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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