I Don’t Need a Dad Like This! - Chapter 21

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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 21】

 

“I, I don’t know. For now, I’ll go catch Rie… I mean, go to the wedding ceremony!”

 

Emilia was just as flustered.

 

Mordic shouted after her as she ran away.

 

“Wait, the Marquis is here, so we should greet him too!”

 

“Oh, you’re right. Mary. Please pick up my walking stick. I need to go out quickly!”

 

“Y-yes!”

 

The Viscount couple and even Mary. The adults also hurriedly headed toward the manor’s entrance.

 

A moment later.

 

“Haha, I didn’t expect the people of House Birdwell to welcome me like this. I’m being welcomed right now, aren’t I?”

 

Philip laughed good-naturedly while looking at the pale-faced people.

 

In truth, it wasn’t really a welcoming atmosphere by anyone’s standards, but he didn’t sense any malice directed toward him either.

 

‘I came secretly to surprise Rie, but I ended up surprising her guardians too.’

 

Rie, the intended recipient of the surprise, was far from surprised and was busy chattering while clinging to his leg.

 

“Marquis, why did you come? Did you come to play with Rie?”

 

“Yes. That’s right.”

 

“But, you see. Rie has to go to the wedding venue with Mother. Can’t we play together after it’s over?”

 

“Uncle came to go to the wedding venue together too. I’m sorry if I came for nothing.”

 

“Huh…?”

 

The child who had been clinging like a cicada suddenly dropped down.

 

Then, she lifted both her eyelids with her hands and shouted.

 

“Whoa!”

 

“What does that mean?”

 

“Rie is so, so surprised that her eyes… Whoa!”

 

Her blue eyes opened toward him looked like they might spill over.

 

Philip, who had been watching that sight with a dumbfounded expression, burst into laughter.

 

“Hahahaha! Our Rie, how can you be so expressive?”

 

“Hehe…”

 

The Marquis laughed!

 

The child, who had been smiling quietly with pride, suddenly turned her head.

 

“Oh right, Mother! This is Marquis Philip. Mother likes Marquis Philip too, right?!”

 

“…Huh?”

 

Emilia, suddenly singled out, made a troubled expression.

 

The guardians, who had been watching the world of just the two of them, finally entered Philip’s field of vision.

 

It seemed he should first explain his relationship with Rie to them.

 

“I apologize for startling you. I happened to meet the child at the library recently and we became friends, but I only sent a letter saying I would visit soon without mentioning the schedule. I’m worried that you must have been very flustered by my unannounced visit.”

 

“That’s right! But it’s okay. The Marquis is a good person. Marquis Philip took Rie to the courtroom and even told Rie what to say!”

 

“…You’re saying it was the Marquis who helped with all of that?”

 

Emilia’s eyes widened as she belatedly learned the truth.

 

“Ah, yes. The child desperately wanted to live with her mother and asked for help.”

 

Seeing Philip smile gently, Emilia lowered her head in embarrassment, feeling as if all her personal affairs had been exposed.

 

Nevertheless, she opened her mouth to express her gratitude.

 

“If Rie hadn’t been able to come to the courtroom, we wouldn’t have gotten custody either. We owe you a debt, Marquis.”

 

“A debt? I didn’t do anything deserving of such words. I just gave a few words of advice, that’s all.”

 

“No, Marquis. If this child hadn’t been able to come with us, I can’t imagine what would have happened to our family… It’s all thanks to you.”

 

Mordic also bowed his head to Philip, who shrugged his shoulders.

 

Philip didn’t decline any further.

 

Instead, he smiled broadly and opened the carriage door wide, tilting his head.

 

“Then, do I now have sufficient qualifications to escort Rie and Miss Emilia?”

 

“Yes!”

 

Only Rie answered loudly and enthusiastically.

 

But seeing Emilia smile shyly, it seemed permission had already been granted.

 

* * *

 

Rie was pleased. It seemed like Mother was already becoming close with Marquis Philip.

 

Indeed, throughout the carriage ride, Emilia spoke to Philip with a flushed face.

 

“Thank you for giving advice to our Rie, for caring about her, encouraging her, helping her, and supporting her… I’ll repay you somehow.”

 

Philip, who had been waving his hands dismissively, suddenly spoke as if something had occurred to him.

 

“You said you work at an embroidery shop, right? Then, could you embroider something on my handkerchief?”

 

“What? Just that? This kindness… I’ll definitely save up money later and…”

 

“I have more than enough money, but I don’t have an embroidered handkerchief. I really want to have one.”

 

“…I understand. I’ll give you one soon.”

 

Philip watched Emilia nod with a gentle smile.

 

That’s when it happened.

 

Thud. The carriage shook as if climbing over a large mound.

 

“Whoa!”

 

Rie, being light, floated up into the air and fortunately landed face-down on Emilia’s lap.

 

Soon the carriage came to an abrupt halt with a screeching sound.

 

“It’s a bandit group! Everyone prepare for attack!”

 

The sudden shouts from the knights completely shattered the harmonious atmosphere.

 

Philip slightly opened the window and conversed with the knights.

 

“Absolutely do not come out.”

 

After giving a stern warning to the two of them, he went outside.

 

While surprised by the sudden situation, it was also quite strange.

 

This route wasn’t a place where bandits commonly appeared. That was because it was the inner city center within the castle walls.

 

That’s right.

 

This was an incident someone had planned.

 

* * *

 

Time went back a few days, when Serena was having a conversation with the couple Cedric and Ella.

 

“…About Rie’s education. I want Rie to be more polite to adults. To teach her that, how about deliberately making Rie late to my wedding?”

 

“Late?”

 

The Chronos Empire was a country that worshipped the god of time.

 

Being ‘late’ to major events in high society was considered breaking the god’s rules.

 

When nobles were late to banquets, they were often excluded from high society afterward.

 

Ella clapped her hands as if she liked the idea.

 

“Good idea! Then how about commissioning mercenaries? Don’t touch Rie and Emilia, just delay the carriage speed a little? Then they won’t be able to make it on time.”

 

If they told them to be careful not to hurt them, they could get exactly the result they wanted.

 

Even if they blamed it on a carriage accident, the public wouldn’t be curious about the circumstances, so Rie’s reputation would suffer.

 

Then Marquis Philip wouldn’t bother being nice to the child and would naturally keep his distance.

 

“I’m a little worried, but then for Rie’s education…”

 

Serena, who had been drooping her eyes, wiggled her fingers and nodded with an innocent face.

 

“Let’s call the mercenaries…!”

 

* * *

 

Clang-! Claaang-!

 

“Behind! There’s one more behind!”

 

“Dealt with. Don’t slow down, keep pushing forward!”

 

The sharp sound of clashing blades. Even Philip’s shouting that she was hearing for the first time.

 

Rie, covering both ears, was huddled in Emilia’s arms.

 

“Mother. When will it end?”

 

“Don’t worry, Rie. It’ll be over soon.”

 

Unlike her warm voice, Rie could feel trembling in her mother’s hand covering the back of her head.

 

It was indeed a sensation she’d never felt before in her life, so Rie’s heart was pounding.

 

But.

 

‘…Rie is a time ability user. Don’t be scared, I have to help Marquis Philip.’

 

She had to be brave.

 

‘Courage. Come out!’

 

When she clenched her bean-sized fist, strength entered her trembling hands.

 

Gaining confidence, Rie peeked her face out from her mother’s arms.

 

She secretly reached out and succeeded in opening the window, but her mother gasped behind her.

 

“Rie. Close the window!”

 

She was already caught!

 

“But the Marquis is fighting for us. Rie has to help too!”

 

“A child like you helps by staying still. Hurry and close the window!”

 

Emilia tried to close the window in alarm.

 

This wasn’t the time for this.

 

I need to stop time quickly!

 

“Eek. Mother, wait!”

 

It was when Rie hurriedly pulled out her pocket watch.

 

“Rie? I told you not to come out! Hide!”

 

Along with a tense voice, the sound of Marquis Philip running toward this place could be heard.

 

“There are more people in the carriage!”

 

“Your Grace! It’s dangerous! Duck your head!”

 

The urgent sounds that followed.

 

What entered Rie’s field of vision as she raised her head was—

 

“Close the window, quickly!”

 

Philip reaching his hand toward this direction and a bandit pointing a sword at his back.

 

‘No way!’

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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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