I Don’t Need a Dad Like This! - Chapter 13

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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 13】

“Neigh. Clippity-clop, clippity-clop.”

Rie suddenly made horse sounds and stomped her feet as if she would run to the courtroom right away.

“Oh, this horse is no ordinary one. Neigh!”

Philip laughed at her appearance and joined in imitating a horse.

Until now, only Mother had played along when I acted like this.

And seeing an adult man act this way was even more refreshing.

Rie’s excited steps quickened.

Round and round. After circling around Philip for a while, Rie’s pigtails suddenly drooped down.

“But you know. Father won’t let Rie go out.”

“…That’s probably true.”

Philip also let his shoulders droop.

“Hmm. What should we do. I think it would be too sad if our Rie is raised by such a scoundrel.”

“I told you it’s a poop carriage.”

“Ah, poop carriage.”

Just as Rie and Philip were wilting together.

‘Oh?’

A star suddenly popped up with a flash in Rie’s mind.

‘If Father won’t let me go out, I can just stop time and sneak out!’

The good thing about being a time ability user. Secret outings are possible!

‘You little brat! I told you to be careful because you fall asleep after using your time ability!’

She got goosebumps as she seemed to hear Kami’s nagging in her imagination.

But Rie was a bold child who didn’t think about the consequences.

“Mister, mister. I can go outside the castle by myself.”

“Is that possible? Rie is still young, so they won’t let you go out alone.”

“There’s a way for everything. But if I go outside the castle. I don’t know how to get to the courtroom by myself.”

“I’ll come pick you up.”

“Huh?!”

Step step.

Surprised Rie took two steps back.

This was also the first time in her life an adult man had shown such kindness.

“M, mister.”

“Yeah?”

“A, are you perhaps an angel? Why are you helping me so much?”

Philip scratched his chin.

“No. It’s because Rie can still be saved, so I want you to be happy.”

“Huh?”

“This isn’t because I’m kind… it’s just my small and humble wish, I guess?”

“…Uncle?”

He tilted his head and smiled, but somehow looked sad.

Rie waited for him to say something more, but he ended his words there.

Anyway, it was decided.

And so began Rie and Philip’s great escape operation from the Duke’s Castle.

* * *

‘After that, I took a nap in the carriage and when I woke up, we had arrived at the court!’

Thanks to Philip, she safely arrived at the courtroom, and after parting with him, Rie got pecked on the head by Kami.

‘Did you dunk my warning to be careful in soup and eat it?! It’s only because that guy was a good person, but you could have been kidnapped!’

He had pecked so fiercely that her round head was still throbbing.

“That child must be the Theodore Princess!”

“But why is the Princess’s hair like that? Didn’t the maids do her hair…?”

Sure enough, one of the nobles who had been gaping at Rie suddenly muttered.

“Hmm.”

Not knowing how to make excuses, Rie scratched her head vigorously and muttered.

“The culprit is… Aunt Serena…”

“What? What did I do, Rie!”

It was when startled Serena stood up from her seat.

“A, ahem.”

The Judge cleared his throat and continued speaking.

“Miss Rie is correct. As someone who can have a significant impact on the current trial results, the Judge will hear Miss Rie’s claims.”

“Judge!”

Bang!

At those words, Casselik slammed his fist on the desk and shouted loudly.

“Duke Casselik.”

But this was a court.

“This is a court where fair trials are conducted under the protection of the Imperial Family. Please keep in mind that Your Grace’s words and actions can have a significant impact on the trial results.”

No matter how high-ranking Duke Casselik was, before the court, everyone except royalty was equal.

Crackle.

While the power struggle between the Judge and the Duke continued for a moment, the child set down the bag she had been carrying on her shoulder.

“Heave.”

And with both hands, she struggled to pull out a book as big as her body.

“Judge. She’s only four years old at most. A child who doesn’t even know what she’s saying, her words affecting the trial results…”

“Imperial Law Article 84.”

That was when it happened.

At the child’s sudden words, all eyes turned to Rie.

The child’s eyes narrowed as she sat on the floor, glaring at something.

“What are you doing?”

“…When a child reaches an age where they can express their own opinion…”

Casselik frowned, but.

“The child’s wishes shall be given the highest priority in determining the guardian!”

Rie, who continued reading clumsily without stopping, let out a long breath and looked up at the Judge.

“Your Honor. This is right, isn’t it?”

Silence fell, and after a moment.

“That book, by any chance…”

“It’s a law book. Right?”

“What? How does that young child know about law books?”

Gasps of shock erupted from the people who realized that what the child had read was a law book.

The same was true for both Casselik and Emilia.

“Rie. How did you get here? Mother is worried about you!”

Emilia was especially worried about how this young child had managed to get here.

Why was her hair such a mess, and what did she mean about Aunt Serena being the culprit?

“Hmm. That’s correct. So what is Miss Rie’s wish?”

However, the Judge, whose glasses gleamed, was the only one in the courtroom who showed curiosity about Rie’s words.

When Rie met the gaze of the Judge looking at her, her heart began to pound.

Uncle Philip’s words had been true.

He had said that if she read this, anyone would listen to her words, and indeed, the highest-ranking person in this room was asking for her opinion.

Encouraged by this, Rie.

“Mother!”

She shouted with all her might the feelings she had wanted to express all this time.

“Rie doesn’t need that kind of father! Rie will live with Mother!”

* * *

“Lawyer Philip? I believe you don’t have any cases assigned today, so what brings you here?”

The court employee who had been walking hurriedly spotted Philip standing with his back against a carriage.

Philip waved at the employee.

“Me? I came to hang out.”

“What? You came to hang out at your workplace?”

“Yeah. The Imperial Palace has been quiet lately, so I don’t have any work and I’m bored to death.”

His leisurely stretching revealed a playful nature.

‘I figured as much. He came to mess with us since he has nothing to do.’

The employee’s eyes narrowed, having briefly felt curious.

“Yes, yes, I’m sure you are. Well, unlike you Marquis, I’m busy, so I’ll be going now.”

“It seems like the trial ended. Who was decided as the child’s guardian?”

The employee, who had been about to walk past, stopped again.

“The guardian? Ah, you mean the trial between Duke Casselik and his former wife Emilia?”

Even without Philip’s additional explanation, the staff member already knew.

Even in the court where various trials were proceeding simultaneously, the custody dispute of the Theodore Ducal House was the biggest topic of conversation.

“From what I heard from the gallery audience’s conversations, the former wife got custody. It was unexpected. Given Duke Casselik’s personality, he would have come out gritting his teeth if only for his pride.”

Snicker.

Watching the staff member nod, Philip couldn’t hold back the chuckle that was trying to escape and let it burst out.

Thank goodness.

“That means the court is fair.”

How delighted must the child who won in court have been, jumping up and down with joy.

Imagining that scene made him smile without realizing it.

The staff member who saw Philip like this was dumbfounded.

He always had a smiling face, but it was rare for him to laugh so genuinely like that.

“What’s this? Marquis, you look like you’re in a good mood?”

“Hm? Me?”

“Yes. Don’t tell me you were hoping the former wife would win? Why?”

At the staff member’s question, Philip furrowed one eyebrow.

Of course, it was because he wanted Rie to be happy.

But thinking about it, this wasn’t something he needed to help with so privately.

It was just the words of a four-year-old to begin with. He didn’t even know if it was true or not.

Yet he had taken the child’s side without even verifying the facts.

Why did I go this far for a child I barely know?

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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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