I Don’t Need a Dad Like This! - Chapter 105

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

<Chapter 105>

Countess Rioletta, or more precisely Serena who had stolen her body, exited the VIP room of the boutique.

“You purchased quite a few boxes of dresses.”

“Well, the Countess must have many gatherings to attend.”

The customers inside only thought that Serena had gone on a shopping spree in the VIP room.

That’s how it had to be.

She needed to imprint on people the ‘reason’ for frequently visiting this shop, so they couldn’t even imagine what was happening in the VIP room.

Getting into the carriage, she leaned back against the plush seat.

“Sigh. When I return to the castle, I’ll have to entertain Count Gilren again…”

Though Serena kept Gilren as her boyfriend, she felt not even an ounce of romantic emotion for him.

He had approached her right after she stole Evelyn’s body.

While it was convenient that he treated her well and could be used as a tool, he wasn’t her type at all.

When he saw her, he would make that sickening expression again and suggest having tea together.

“Until recently, I was with a man incomparable to someone like him… No, now isn’t the time to be picky about men.”

Serena sighed, then soon put on a determined expression and shook her head.

“This is such a hard-won opportunity. I can’t ruin it just because I don’t like the man. I’ve become stronger now.”

That’s right.

Before receiving that ridiculous punishment called temporal imprisonment from the Emperor.

After being barely rescued by Count Greenlenton, she had fallen to the status of a fugitive for a while.

She had to sleep on beds made of straw in rural inns, and some days filled her stomach with hard rye bread that she, as a noble, had never imagined eating.

Cedric and her mother, who had gone through this process with her, gave up halfway.

‘Serena. I still… don’t understand. How could you, who only knew how to laugh while drinking tea, get involved with dark magic! You did it without knowing anything, right? You’re regretting it now, aren’t you?’

‘Brother Cedric, I don’t regret it. As the mages claim, it’s unfair that only the Theodore Ducal House uses time abilities.’

‘But they’ve sacrificed so much because they’re time ability users. Don’t you know that this empire’s peace was built entirely on their sacrifices?’

‘If everyone had been time ability users from the beginning, everyone could have taken care of themselves well enough.’

‘Serena!’

And if everyone had been time ability users.

There would have been no discrimination for being a ‘time ability user.’

She wouldn’t have been so anxious trying to maintain her marriage with Duke Casselik.

She wouldn’t have gotten caught up between them in the first place. She would still be shining as the ‘flower of high society.’

Thinking that far, Serena said firmly.

‘Right now I bear the stigma of dark magic, but someday I’ll spread the name of magic widely. I’ll teach it to everyone, so anyone can use time abilities equally.’

‘You… really!’

Cedric’s mouth, which was about to say more, closed.

He turned away with their mother as if disgusted.

‘If that’s your will, then go with them. Mother and I would rather seek asylum in neighboring countries and live quietly.’

‘Brother!’

‘Serena, look at the consequences of your actions. The family has been torn apart. Do you still like dark magic? Don’t you really regret it?’

‘…When magic becomes legal, I’ll come to bring you and mother then.’

‘You…! Fine.’

In the end, Serena was left alone.

But that was only Cedric’s perspective.

She had never once thought she was lonely.

She was with Count Greenlenton, her lifesaver, and with those who shared the same beliefs.

“Madam, we have arrived.”

At the coachman’s call, Serena, who had been lost in thought, got out of the carriage.

Being able to possess Countess Rioletta’s body was thanks to her active participation in social gatherings.

When she commissioned a small mercenary group, they handed over bundles of the Countess’s hair collected from various places.

And right after parting with the mercenary group, she was unluckily discovered by the Imperial Knights.

She never intended to sacrifice her own body from the beginning.

She had planned to keep it safe and return to it later, but at that time, death was the only choice available.

‘Back then, just in case, I used another woman’s hair instead of Countess Rioletta’s. It’s fortunate that Countess Rioletta’s soul transferred to her properly.’

Though such a thing should never happen.

If by any chance her identity was discovered, the ‘real’ Countess’s soul would make a good hostage.

Anyway, after entering the Countess’s body, Serena was quite enjoying noble life for the first time in months.

She had bought several dresses under the pretext of entering the VIP room.

She should try them all on while listening to Count Gilren’s praise.

Since the Count’s stupid actions had nearly exposed her identity, she needed to stay quietly in the castle and lay low for a while.

When the castle doors opened, maids were waiting.

“Welcome back, Madam.”

“Yes. Since I shopped after a long time, organize all these clothes in the dressing room. Tell me when you’re finished organizing.”

“Yes, understood.”

“Evelyn, you’re back.”

Serena turned her head at the familiar voice.

As expected, Count Gilren was waiting like a dog greeting its master.

“Yes. I bought several outfits and want to try them on in the dressing room. Would you like to watch too?”

Gilren, who she expected to smile foolishly saying “Of course!”, shook his head.

“Let’s do that later… First, could we have a conversation in the reception room?”

“A conversation? Let’s look at the clothes first.”

“I’d love to admire your angelic appearance in those dresses too. But this is an important conversation.”

Gilren stepped closer and wrapped his arm around her waist.

‘…He’s refusing my words. What’s this?’

Though irritation flared for a moment, she maintained her expression like a porcelain doll.

“Well, let’s do that then.”

Gilren even warned the maids not to follow them any further.

It seemed like a conversation others shouldn’t hear.

“Please enter.”

Gilren, extending his arm as if serving a princess, opened the reception room door.

‘It’s probably just about Olivia. I’ll just play along appropriately and leave.’

Just as Serena was sighing imperceptibly.

“Hello, Countess. It’s Rie.”

Why. Why was Rie in Rioletta Castle’s reception room?

Her body stiffened at the unexpected situation, while Gilren smiled awkwardly as if the introduction was late.

“Olivia said she had something to tell you, but she was too embarrassed to say it herself, so Rie came instead.”

Right. That could be it.

But why are you telling me this important information secretly, even sending away the maids?

“…You should have told me earlier. You startled me.”

“I know there’s bad talk about me among the maids. But if Rie talks about Olivia to the maids, I was worried it might affect you…”

“Ah, so you were being considerate of me.”

“I’m always on your side.”

She wanted to slap Gilren’s shyly smiling face.

Damn Gilren!

‘Rie. The child who always blocked my path.’

Even after entering Countess Rioletta’s body, that child who had switched bonnets with Olivia and embarrassed Count Gilren.

“What does Olivia want to tell me that she came without even a letter?”

Rie answered.

“Well, Olivia wants to deliver a letter personally, but she’s a bit embarrassed. So Rie said she’d deliver it.”

“Really?”

Then she could just send it by mail, why come all the way here… Tsk.

She really was a strange child.

But unlike the old days, Serena now had a body that had been through all kinds of hardships while living as a fugitive.

She was confident she could block whatever tricks the child might try to pull.

She spread her fan and smiled leisurely.

“Anyway, come here quickly. Hurry up and sit in the chair.”

“Yees. Auntie.”

“Not auntie!”

Crack.

But Serena ended up breaking her fan in half just 0.1 seconds into her conversation with Rie.

Oops. My body isn’t in its early twenties anymore.

“…You should call me Marquis’s Wife. By the way, the fan seems to be broken. I’ll have to change it for another one.”

She hastily hid the fan, but it seemed like it was already too late.

“…Hooh?”

Those round eyes watching her began shooting intense light.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————