I Don’t Need a Dad Like This! - Chapter 10

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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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【Chapter 10】

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“Sister.”

Tap tap tap-

Rie, who had come to find the Librarian, quietly called out to her while running over.

Unfortunately, Serena had not been of any help to Rie.

Her effort in bringing several books was admirable, but the world doesn’t revolve around effort alone.

In the end, Rie abandoned Serena and decided to seek out the Library’s expert.

“Princess. Is there something you’re looking for?”

Rie clumsily made a square shape with her fingers in front of the Librarian.

“Hmm. I don’t know the book title. It’s really thick, and the cover is black…”

The Librarian automatically knelt down at that cute sight and asked kindly.

“Thick with a black cover?”

“Yes.”

“Hmm, there are quite a few books like that. Could it be a History Book?”

It wasn’t a History Book.

“No.”

“Hmm…”

Then the Librarian’s contemplation grew quite long.

Rie’s eyebrows drooped down sadly.

‘What if it’s not in this Library either?’

Would Rie have to tour the entire Empire looking for the book?

‘That would be hard because my legs would hurt…’

It was when Rie’s finger, which had been earnestly drawing squares, curled up weakly.

“Then… maybe it’s a book related to law.”

“Huh!”

An exclamation mark appeared above Rie’s head at the Librarian’s muttering.

Courtroom. Court. Law!

“That’s right-! Law, law!”

“Most books related to law are black and thick.”

It worked. Telepathy!

The Librarian giggled at Rie’s rambling response, bowed politely, and guided her to a corner.

But a problem arose.

“…Whoa.”

The moment she entered the Study Room, a black shadow covered Rie’s face.

Books stuck in like giant mountain ridges were waiting for Rie.

‘What should I do, it would take 4 hours to search through all of this…!’

Rie, whose mouth had fallen wide open, urgently grabbed the hem of the Librarian’s shirt.

“Unni. Then. Should Rie and unni split up and look separately?”

The librarian nodded as if anything was fine.

“That sounds good. I’ll search the left side, so please call me if any problems arise.”

“But we have to be quiet in the library…?”

“The most important person here is Princess Rie. If there’s any accident or a stranger approaches, shout ‘Fire!’ Got it?”

“Yees.”

Rie’s cheeks turned red at the librarian’s advice.

To think Rie was the most important person here.

At the Duke’s Castle, everyone whispered about Rie, calling her incompetent.

‘I really should escape from home and live with Mother!’

Rie once again deeply realized the importance of divorce.

As she carefully walked around examining the study room to avoid making noise.

“Hmm?”

Something was strange.

In the densely packed bookshelf, there was one particularly empty section.

Had someone taken it? Two books spread in a V-shape were filling the empty space.

However, that wasn’t what was strange.

It was because she suddenly met golden eyes through the V-shaped gap.

Moreover, the golden eyes that met Rie’s—

“Oh my, hello there?”

Greeted Rie and smiled prettily with their eyes.

‘…Who, who is that?’

When startled Rie stepped backward, the eyes that had been smiling at her disappeared into the darkness.

And from beyond the study room, the sound of shoe steps approaching Rie could be heard—thud, thud.

“?!”

A critical moment.

The golden eyes that came around the corner of the study room revealed themselves.

A handsome man with tall stature and a pretty smiling face appeared to be nobility judging by his attire.

But Rie only stiffened with wariness.

The librarian had told her. If a stranger approaches, shout fire.

Rie bravely raised her eyebrows, clenched her fists, and shouted.

“Fi, fire! Fire!”

People around looked toward Rie and the man.

However.

“False alarm. There’s no fire.”

When the man casually said this while putting his hands in his pants pockets, the relieved people nodded and turned their attention away.

Rie’s mouth fell wide open.

“Huh… The librarian unni definitely told me to say fire…”

What was going on?!

* * *

Flap flap.

Having encountered an unidentified man in the Library, Rie waved both arms while being on guard.

“Kyayak. Kyaaaak.”

“Are you hurt somewhere?”

Despite being on guard like a frightened beast, the man just tilted his head with an amused laugh.

‘Huh.’

I can’t look ridiculous. I need to look completely scary!

This won’t do. It was time for a change of strategy.

Rie recalled the conversation of the Maid Sisters who were always chattering.

‘Hey, but I’m not into the regret male lead keyword.’

‘Why?’

‘In the end, the female lead cleans up the shit carriage and keeps using it. But do you avoid shit because you’re scared of it? You avoid it because it’s dirty.’

That’s right.

You avoid shit because it’s dirty.

‘I’m, I’m definitely not avoiding that mister because I’m scared!’

Having rationalized it that way, Rie spun her body around and finished preparing to run away.

“Princess. What’s the matter… Oh, Marquis Philip?”

The Librarian appeared belatedly like a hero.

In Rie’s eyes, it seemed like a halo was shining behind the Librarian sister.

“Is there something you’re looking for?”

But the Librarian showed interest in the man, not Rie.

The man called Philip shook his head nonchalantly.

“No. She started making a fuss as soon as she saw me, so I told her it was a false alarm. She seems to have been well-educated, whatever it was.”

“Ah… I told her to scream like that when strangers approach.”

That’s right. So save me!

Rie glanced at the man nervously and hesitated before mustering the courage to speak.

“S, Sister.”

“Yes?”

“Let’s go look for books. Books!”

Though she said that, her inner thoughts were screaming ‘Sister, please get rid of this weird mister!’

The Librarian sister must have understood. We had Telepathy working earlier too!

But unfortunately, this Telepathy was an error.

“Ah! Princess. This is Marquis Philip. He works as an Imperial Lawyer, so he knows much more about law-related books than I do, so please have a conversation!”

The Librarian nodded as if it was a good idea, bowed her head, and scurried away.

“…Huh.”

‘Rie has been abandoned!’

Cold sweat ran down the flustered child’s forehead.

Then the man who had been chuckling softly bent his knees to meet Rie’s eyes.

“I seem to have scared you unintentionally. I’m sorry. I was looking at books and happened to notice you, and your eye color resembles someone I know.”

“Ah, someone you know?”

“Yes. It was a beautiful emerald color.”

“Ooh?”

“So I mistook you for them, I’m sorry.”

The man who had given both a compliment and an apology bowed his head while still kneeling.

Receiving a greeting from a noble adult was a novel experience for Rie.

‘And Rie, somehow you even got complimented!’

It felt like feathers tickling her heart.

Rie rubbed her eyes, feeling embarrassed for no reason.

Her wariness melted away completely with just one compliment.

“That’s right. My eyes are emerald colored… My name is Rie.”

“Rie? Your name is like an emerald too.”

“Huh?”

“I mean it’s a pretty name.”

Pretty?!

He was silent for a moment.

Then he spoke with a serious expression.

“There’s no such thing as a free lunch in this world.”

“Huh?”

Rie’s palm, which had been ready to receive the book, slowly dropped down.

“Since I helped you, you need to give me something in return.”

“Wh-what?!”

Thud-

In that moment, Rie heard the sound of her world collapsing.

“Fr-free…”

“Doesn’t exist.”

“That can’t be…”

“It can.”

‘…Oh no.’

It felt like she had let a fish she’d already caught slip away right before her eyes.

“Reality might be… harsher than Rie thinks…”

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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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