I Don’t Need a Dad Like This! - Chapter 5

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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 5】

In her past life, Rie had lived only as a very good child.

She was afraid of Father and always answered “yes” to whatever he said.

But.

‘The good child Rie is gone now! I don’t need to look good to Father anymore!’

Father had left Rie only with Aunt Serena for a whole year, never showing her any interest.

In this life, she planned to pay back that resentment.

Fortunately, Rie knew exactly what Father hated.

It was ‘parties’ and ‘banquets.’

‘Banquets are just places to make connections anyway. Since you don’t need to go to such places, just attend as my partner when I go and stay quietly in the castle.’

Father especially hated it when Mother went to banquets alone.

‘What’s so good about chattering with people you won’t see once the money runs out? I don’t want my wife frivolously attending such places.’

He even said that people who enjoyed going to parties were foolish.

‘But Rie threw the party that Father hates most herself.’

How’s that for the wicked behavior of bad child Rie!

“Hmph.”

Rie twisted one corner of her mouth triumphantly as she watched Father, shocked by her masterpiece.

It was a villain’s smile.

But.

“Is divorce a festival to you? And knowing how much I hate noisy things, you had to ruin the atmosphere like this at the end.”

The effect was minimal.

Despite Rie’s villainous smile, he only blamed Mother with sharp eyes.

To begin with, Rie’s presence was too faint to Casselik.

Truly a villain among villains.

‘Don’t bully Mother!’

Rie, her brow deeply furrowed, decided to proceed with her second strategy.

Actually, throwing a party because he hated parties?

That was a strategy anyone could think of.

But Rie was different.

Though she had returned to being four years old now, just hours ago she had been a whole five years old!

So she had more depth of life experience than an ordinary four-year-old!

“I was just playing with Rie.”

“If it was just playing, why did you write things like ‘poop carriage’ and ‘congratulations on your new life’?”

“Father-!”

As Rie interrupted the increasingly heated conversation, both of them looked at her with surprised expressions.

‘Finally, I got his attention!’

Rie felt like an actor on stage as she fumbled around in her pocket and pulled something out.

“This is for you, Father.”

When Casselik saw what it was, he opened his mouth like he had become an idiot for a moment.

What the child had given him was an invitation.

To be precise, it was a piece of paper torn from a sketchbook with “invitation” crudely written on it.

“Divorce isn’t something you do alone. Mother and Father do it together!”

Rie confidently pressed the invitation into his hand.

“So, I’m inviting Father to the divorce party too!”

* * *

A little while later.

“What? We already delivered all the desserts for the young lady’s party earlier, so why the trolley?”

A maid passing by the kitchen asked her colleague who was just coming out of it.

For some reason, she was breathing heavily as if excited when she answered.

“There’s one more invited guest.”

“A guest? Who?”

“His Grace.”

“…What?”

“The three of them are having a divorce party together!”

The colleague pushing the trolley ran down the corridor like she was racing, with an expression full of excitement.

The maid who had been standing there dumbfounded also ran after her.

Today, the Duke’s Castle was having a dopamine party.

So, right now.

“Your Grace. Thank you for coming to my divorce party that I prepared. Please sit here.”

Somehow, Casselik ended up sitting in a children’s chair.

Watching his daughter greet him with clumsy etiquette, he couldn’t hide his bewildered expression.

Emilia, sitting across from him, saw him cramming his body into the tiny chair and her lips trembled.

Then she averted her gaze and only looked at Rie with a stiff expression.

The only one overcoming the awkward atmosphere and bouncing around energetically was Rie.

“Today’s cookies taste really good. Which kind would you like? The flavors are mint chocolate or strawberry?”

Awkwardly imitating the servants, Rie picked up a cookie with her crumb-covered hands.

When Casselik didn’t give any answer, Rie’s eyebrows rose fiercely.

“What would you like to have?!”

“…Mint.”

“Mint? Good choice!”

“…?”

Wasn’t mint a noble’s dessert?

And she was even telling him to choose?

But the child snorted and glared at him reproachfully with a sassy look.

It was an attitude that suggested she would cross her arms smugly no matter what choice he made.

Casselik narrowed his eyes as he watched the child standing on tiptoes, diligently carrying cookies from the trolley to the table.

“For Mommy, the usual?”

“…Yes.”

After taking Emilia’s order as well, the child rustled around, dipping cookies in chocolate.

In the process, cookie crumbs got all over her face and dress.

Casselik still couldn’t bring himself to stop her and could only watch.

First of all, he was too bewildered.

The truth was, the daughter he knew wasn’t such a bold child.

Due to the strict education from an early age, she always spoke only necessary words after careful consideration, and never got her hands dirty.

She couldn’t even look him in the eyes.

He had thought it was because she was naturally timid.

‘Were her eyes always this big?’

Those two eyes he had looked into for the first time when she handed him the invitation.

Casselik couldn’t erase those eyes from his mind.

It was as if a deep and transparent ocean was contained within those pupils.

As if Amelia’s pale sky-blue eyes had been spread like watercolor over her own black pupils.

And another reason he was left speechless was.

‘Divorce isn’t something you do alone. Mommy and Daddy do it together!’

‘So, I’m inviting Daddy to the divorce party too!’

He had been congratulated on his divorce by his own child.

He had expected the child to be shocked, and thought Serena, who would become the new stepmother, would comfort her well.

‘But to think she would actually be happy about it…’

Casselik rubbed his chin.

He had prepared and carried out countless business ventures so far, and often used time reversal for success.

There were often times when he encountered completely unexpected situations.

But in his 32 years of life, this was the first time for a situation like this.

‘Should I reverse time?’

But then, what would he do after reversing it? The divorce was already decided anyway.

Clap-!

Casselik’s contemplation while rubbing his chin was broken by the child’s clapping sound.

“Now then- are you enjoying your meal?”

Dipping cookies in chocolate, pouring milk into cups.

The child who had been bustling around energetically for a while sparkled her eyes.

Emilia, who had been watching anxiously, opened her mouth.

“Host. Will it be over once we finish eating?”

“…Huh?”

The child who had been happily munching on cookies opened her mouth in a shocked triangle shape.

The cookie fell to the floor.

“Mother… not fun?”

Her eyes, which seemed to say “But we’re just getting started!”, quickly welled up with tears.

Of course it wouldn’t be fun.

“Haha, it’s not that…”

As Casselik thought coldly, that overly kind woman couldn’t even speak honestly.

“Really? That’s good! Then, since all the guests are gathered… let’s have a conversation!”

“A conversation?”

“What conversation.”

“When nobles invite people to a banquet, they greet people and talk with them. Right?”

The child who spoke confidently looked at both of them in turn and continued.

“Both of you should talk about how you’ll live after the divorce.”

She must have learned high society etiquette brilliantly from her tutor.

Casselik sighed.

He cracked his stiff neck and fell into thought. He had been caught up with the child’s words in his confusion, but he needed to escape this place soon.

“I think I’ve had enough fun, so I’ll be going now.”

Just as Casselik was about to get up, ignoring the child’s words.

“What kind of man will our mother meet after the divorce?”

He froze.

At the sudden question directed at Emilia, he unconsciously stiffened.

“…”

“…?”

Question marks appeared on Rie and Emilia’s faces as they looked at Casselik, who had awkwardly half-risen.

“What are you doing? Keep talking.”

He sat back down as if nothing had happened and asked indifferently.

“What… do you mean?”

“Future plans.”

Emilia looked bewildered for a moment, then thought carefully before opening her mouth with determination.

“Well. I haven’t made any specific future plans, but I’d like to meet a kind and gentle man.”

Rie smiled brightly, pleased with that refreshing answer.

“Rie agrees too!”

“What, what?”

The only one whose expression crumpled was Casselik.

* * *

After the party ended, Rie carefully closed the door and walked stealthily down the corridor.

She had been waiting for Mother, who said she was going to the bathroom for a moment, but Rie also felt the need to use the bathroom.

However.

“Emilia. Stop for a moment.”

“Yes?”

‘Huh?’

Hearing the familiar low voice from beyond the corridor corner, Rie stopped in her tracks.

The owner of the voice was none other than Casselik.

‘I have a feeling.’

And it feels like something really big is about to happen…!

The ominous premonition was so strong that even her urgent business seemed to disappear.

Rie quickly crouched down and covered her face with her small hands.

“…?”

The maids passing through the corridor looked at Rie with puzzled expressions.

However, Rie didn’t know this since she couldn’t see them.

Feeling reassured that others couldn’t see her either, she eavesdropped on their conversation.

“It’s not that I’m concerned about it.”

“About what?”

“No. I said I’m not concerned.”

Father cleared his throat unusually and asked with what seemed like displeasure.

“…It’s nothing serious, but did you happen to meet another man during our marriage?”

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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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