I Don’t Need a Dad Like This! - Chapter 9

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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 9】

* * *

Meanwhile, unaware that the misunderstanding Crown Prince was angry and having wasted her ability, Rie was deep in her afternoon nap.

However-

“Rie! Hello? Want to go on a date with Sister Serena today?”

Knock knock.

Before permission could even be granted, Serena opened the door and scooped Rie up.

“…Who, who are you?”

Rie, who had been sleeping peacefully, rubbed her puffy eyes and struggled to get up.

A little while later.

This place was the Fountain Plaza of Theodore Duchy.

“Haaaam.”

Serena held the hand of the yawning Rie and walked proudly for all to see.

“My goodness, isn’t that Lady Rie?”

“I saw in this newspaper that the Duke got divorced. They say Lady Serena is a strong candidate to be the next Duchess.”

“My goodness. But seeing her walking around with the young lady, they must have already become close…?”

“Then is it confirmed that she’ll become the next Duchess?”

Serena pretended not to notice the pouring gazes of people and smiled down at Rie.

She had known how to attract attention since she was young.

No, her very existence couldn’t help but draw attention.

Eyes as moist as a deer’s.

Wavy hair that wrapped around her slender waist.

Angelic beauty.

A novel’s female protagonist.

These were all nicknames she had heard to the point of boredom since childhood.

She who made everyone around her into supporting characters naturally began looking for a man who would suit her as the ‘protagonist.’

After all, a kind and gentle protagonist needed a male protagonist who would protect her.

The person she discovered was Duke Casselik.

‘A man of iron and ice. How thrilling would it be if such a man became devoted to me?’

She naturally approached him and took the position of his mistress, only awaiting the day she would become the new Duchess.

But then his ex-wife and daughter began acting completely unlike what she had originally known about them.

Especially daughter Rie, who had thrown a ‘divorce party’ and invited Casselik.

In that sense, Rie had become a person of interest to Serena.

Todot todot.

Just then, urgent footsteps could be heard trying to keep up with an adult’s quick pace.

Emerald eyes half the size of her face.

Short silver hair that swayed with each step and small twin braids.

Round, white cheeks as if she were sucking on candy.

Serena looked down at the peanut-sized child.

In truth, she had never been particularly interested in this child until now.

Originally, the child had been quiet, seemingly taking after her own mother.

‘How did such a child end up having a party with the Duke? I haven’t even had a tea party with the Duke…’

Her subtly revealed inner thoughts were filled with jealousy toward the child.

But Serena was the angel of high society.

The moment Rie looked up, she smiled brightly, emphasizing her harmlessness.

‘…That little Rie, being so rude to the Duke! When I become Rie’s stepmother, I’ll have to teach her proper manners again.’

Then as her gaze lowered, she burned with enthusiasm again.

If she became the mother, unlike Emilia, she would raise the child properly.

That’s when it happened.

“Yaaawn. Auntie. Where are we going…?”

The child asked while rubbing her sleepy eyes.

It was quite a cute sight, but Serena was too busy checking her beauty with her hand mirror to notice.

“We’re going on a library date. There we’ll read lots of books that Rie likes. Understand?”

“But Rie doesn’t like books…”

Right. That’s exactly why we’re going.

To make her become a quiet and well-mannered child again.

Reading difficult books would make her realize her own incompetence.

She planned to erase that innocence and make her into a child with low self-esteem who would obey her parents well.

She would grow up trapped in the library, not even knowing how to dress up.

She wouldn’t even get to see cafes or banquets, and naturally wouldn’t be able to form helpful relationships…

“Oh my. This is all for Rie’s sake. Why am I thinking it’s bad?”

Serena, surprised by her own thoughts, shook her head.

She was a master of self-rationalization without even knowing it.

Meanwhile.

“Library?”

The child’s eyes sparkled, but Serena was still lost in her own thoughts, shaking her head, and didn’t notice.

A date, she said. Though she didn’t know why she had to do such a thing with Aunt Serena.

“The thick black book… If it’s a big library, it might be there?”

A gleam flashed in Rie’s eyes as she muttered inaudibly.

Like a hungry predator searching for prey.

* * *

Theodore Public Library, located in the duchy town square.

This place was smaller in scale than the library at Theodore Ducal Castle, but it had many popular books that commoners could easily approach.

When Serena and Rie entered the library, a visibly nervous librarian bowed his head.

“Hello, Miss Rie. Miss Serena. If there are any particular books you’re looking for, I’ll be happy to help you.”

“It’s fine. I’ll choose them myself.”

“Oh, yes, yes!”

The librarian’s face turned red at Serena’s gentle response.

Meanwhile.

Rie, who had arrived at the library, looked around like a meerkat.

Her firmly set lips showed her determination to find thick, black books no matter what.

‘But I should get permission from Auntie first, right?’

Though she wanted to explore the library right away, everything had its proper order.

Without anyone telling her to, Rie stood on her tiptoes and struggled to climb onto an adult-sized chair.

Watching this, Serena spoke to the child with a satisfied expression.

“Rie, sit here for a moment. I’ll bring you something to read.”

“But. Can I choose what I want to read myself?”

“Huh? Books?”

“Yes.”

Contrary to expectations, the child’s eyes sparkled.

‘Don’t four-year-olds usually dislike books…?’

Most children would.

Even Serena in her childhood, and the young children she’d seen recently, were more interested in parties and clothes than books.

But Rie seemed different.

‘…Is she the bookworm type?’

Still, she was only four years old. At most, she’d bring back picture books with lots of illustrations.

What Serena had planned to make her read were books too difficult for a child to handle.

Not to torment her, but because it would be helpful for her studies!

“Today is our day together, so how about reading some books I recommend?”

“Hmm. Okay.”

Fortunately, though the child seemed reluctant, she didn’t refuse.

So Serena headed to the history book section and randomly opened a book with a title starting with “For Youth.”

‘Even the title sounds educational. History of the Chronos Empire for Youth.’

After reading a bit, she unconsciously yawned and quickly covered her mouth.

She selected several books of similar type. Then she placed them with a loud thud in front of the child who was looking around like a meerkat.

Thump.

The small child’s shoulders trembled at the sudden noise.

“These are the books Rie will read today. Four-year-old noble young ladies can read this level easily. Our Rie can read them too, right?”

Serena smiled as if it were nothing special.

‘If she’s the bookworm type, maybe she’ll try to take on the challenge?’

But whatever reaction she showed, Serena was ready to humble the child’s self-esteem—no, to really teach her proper manners.

“Huh.”

Was she flustered because it was different from the books she usually read?

The child tilted her head and carefully examined the cover, then struggled to open the book with her small hands.

Then she furrowed her brows in displeasure and muttered.

“Auntie.”

At the word “auntie,” Serena’s eyebrows twitched slightly.

However, she didn’t show it and asked back.

“Yes?”

“Rie wants something much thicker than this. And for the book cover too. Not pictures, just plain black books are good.”

“Huh?”

Serena’s thoughts came to a halt.

“The book is too thin. I want to read a thick book.”

“….”

Her mouth, which had been smiling leisurely, closed shut.

In all her life, this was the first time she’d seen a four-year-old complain that a history book was too thin.

“…Oh my.”

The child even flipped through several other books a few times, then let out a deep sigh.

“Auntie.”

“Y-yes?”

“Rie is going to look at books with that lady over there. You can read these books, Auntie!”

While she was dazed from what felt like being hit on the back of the head—

“R-Rie?”

The child who had jumped down from the chair ran off toward the librarian in the distance.

“What? Did she really just leave?”

Serena was shocked as she looked around trying to find the child who had disappeared so quickly.

Then what about me?

‘Am I supposed to wait here?’

This was not a situation she had expected at all.

Worried that it might be misunderstood as trying to burden the child, she had deliberately made the servants wait outside the library.

‘Then… I guess I have to wait.’

Flustered, Serena sat down in the chair.

She had no intention of reading at all, but people around were looking at her with envious eyes.

“There was a book I wanted to see?”

In the end, conscious of their gazes, Serena opened an economics book that looked obviously difficult.

Of course, she didn’t actually read it.

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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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