The Duke Dad I Chose Can’t (Really) See Well - Chapter 33

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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 33

 

“Max, you say? *Cough.* He’s the boy the Duke personally brought in.”

 

Caron said while suppressing his cough.

 

Paterre had already heard the story about Max.

 

That he nearly suffered great harm trying to recklessly use Northern Region minerals. But that no one was seriously injured.

 

The Northern Region minerals weren’t something just anyone could freely use in the first place. It was fortunate enough that no one was hurt.

 

But the stronger one’s obsession, the greater the self-loathing becomes.

 

‘So I thought he would give up. But he made something like this.’

 

Unaware that Paterre was lost in thought, Ralt continued his explanation.

 

“Mana originates from nature, doesn’t it? And nature follows the law of survival of the fittest completely.”

 

Mana is suppressed by greater mana.

 

But humans were different.

 

Though not now, all humans once received divine blessing.

 

And mana and divine blessing were conflicting forces that could never combine. This was why mages didn’t accept divine power and clerics didn’t accept mana.

 

“Therefore, while strong mana can be used to hunt Marsu, it cannot attack humans?”

 

“Yes. Of course, since it penetrates the body, there would be injuries, but this could also be controlled by adjusting the amount of mana in the bullets.”

 

“If we end it with appropriate injuries, the Temple’s complaints would decrease a bit too.”

 

He was already annoyed by those who copied his methods to make weapons. When they were excitedly copying and making weapons, they acted one way, but when criticism grew, they slipped away saying ‘this is all a disaster created by Stukkyia weapons.’

 

Since closing the castle gates, he hadn’t wanted to care about anything, so he left it alone, but now that he had decided to slowly get back up, it was different.

 

Rather, this would serve as good bait. ‘That person’ also hated the weapons he made, calling them ‘seeds of evil.’ Perhaps he could meet them again using this as an excuse.

 

Paterre chuckled.

 

“My son has achieved great results. I have nothing to give, what should I do…”

 

“Actually, I have something I wanted to tell you about that!”

 

*Ahem,* Ralt cleared his throat and said.

 

“Actually, there’s someone else who helped with this work!”

 

“Someone else?”

 

“Yes!”

 

Along with a loud voice came the sound of knocking. Caron, coughing as he opened the door, replied with an unusually bright “Oh.” Just from that voice, you could tell who it was.

 

The child he had most recently taken in, and his eye with a one-week expiration date.

 

“Hello, Duke!”

 

It was Hanisha.

 

She must have bowed while entering, as her voice got louder from the rebound when she added “Duke.”

 

“I came to greet you on Max’s behalf. Normally Max should be explaining, but he said he was too scared…”

 

“*Ahem, ahem.*”

 

“No, he was too busy washing socks to think straight, so I came instead!”

 

And then came Ralt’s deliberate coughing.

 

He instinctively realized it. Max, who created this, had escaped the situation using sock-washing as an excuse.

 

“Younger Boy provided tremendous help in the creation. Max was so grateful that his hands washing socks wouldn’t stop moving!”

 

However, Ralt’s heartbeat was only slightly fast from nervousness, with no hint of deception. It meant it was true that Hanisha had helped with the creation.

 

“So, Max said that if you were to give any reward, he would like you to give it to Hanisha instead of him! He shouted this through the soap bubbles!”

 

Ah, so that’s what it was.

 

Only then did Paterre’s lips curve upward.

 

‘I thought it was strange that she was barely visible despite saying she’d work as my eye.’

 

It seemed she had plotted some scheme with Max, who was in a similar situation.

 

Help him make what he wanted, and in return, let her receive the reward for that achievement.

 

‘I wondered why I hadn’t seen her these past few days, so she was doing this.’

 

It wasn’t that he was worried about Hanisha.

 

It was just that, as Hanisha had said, setting different weights for each bullet had been quite effective, and he was willing to give even a small compliment for that.

 

Something like extending her work as his eye by about a week?

 

“Alright. What do you want?”

 

Paterre asked, putting on a benevolent voice.

 

“Please sign this.”

 

The answer came as if she had been waiting. Of course it would. Paterre quietly gestured to Caron.

 

With his eyes in this condition, he needed someone to read it for him. Naturally, Hanisha, who had presented this document, couldn’t do it.

 

“It’s a contract.”

 

“I know that. That it’s a contract.”

 

“Then you’ll agree to it. To taking Miss Hanisha as my successor.”

 

“But adoption consent for something like this is impossible… What?”

 

Paterre, who had been about to refuse with a light laugh, stopped short.

 

…Successor?

 

Not adoption consent papers?

 

Paterre’s expression became unusually dumbfounded.

 

* * *

 

After Max’s wedding ended, I couldn’t go to the Duke.

 

I had tried to observe and watch over ‘Mad Max’ on the Duke’s behalf, but since nothing happened in the end, I had nothing to say even if I met him.

 

‘He might even try to kick me out again, saying I have no value as an eye.’

 

So instead, I went to find Caron.

 

After all, thanks to him I was able to find Max, so I wanted to thank him for that.

 

“If you’re truly grateful, would you get me a signature too?”

 

But Caron said something I never expected.

 

“You’ll… sign for me?”

 

“Recently, ‘getting Baby Snowflake’s signature’ has become popular among the servants. If this Caron could get the chance to join that trend, it would truly be an honor.”

 

Caron was the Duke’s right hand. If he would sign, that would be great for me.

 

Still, I hadn’t thought to ask him because I thought he would never agree to my adoption.

 

As if reading my thoughts, Caron said.

 

“I can do anything as long as it opens the Duke’s eyes. And didn’t Miss Hanisha make the Duke’s bottom twitch?”

 

“That was because I carelessly touched the gun…”

 

“That alone is reason enough to sign. There hasn’t been a single person who could do that.”

 

My heart pounded excitedly.

 

“Then…”

 

I forced out my trembling voice.

 

“Will you take me as your successor?”

 

“Successor?”

 

“I’ll definitely make the Duke get up from his seat.”

 

It meant that if I couldn’t work as his eye, I would stay attached to Paterre Castle by other means.

 

At my words full of bravado, Caron grinned.

 

A bright smile I was seeing for the first time.

 

“In my 30 years as a butler, these are words I’ve been dying to hear.”

 

And so, a contract was made between Caron, who wasn’t even thirty yet, and me.

 

“The Duke said so himself. That I should try to prove myself so he could acknowledge me as his daughter directly.”

 

“…That’s right.”

 

“But as you know, I’m too young to prove anything. Since I’m not yet the Duke’s daughter, there are also problems with acting as an ‘eye.'”

 

“…So?”

 

Caron continued the next part for me.

 

“So, we’ve decided to bring in Miss Hanisha as my successor.”

 

“…”

 

“If she becomes Stukkyia’s aide, Miss Hanisha can stay by the Duke’s side continuously.”

 

Ta-da.

 

As if revealing a hidden plan, Caron spread both hands wide and answered cheerfully. (Of course, the Duke couldn’t see this.)

 

I quietly tugged at Caron’s sleeve.

 

Caron, who had tilted his head with a “Hm?”, added a cough along with an “Ah” of realization.

 

“I caught a cold, so an aide is absolutely necessary. *Cough, cough*.”

 

Then he looked at me again and winked with one eye.

 

“How about it? Isn’t this enough to make me your senior and first older brother?”

 

“You’re the best, Caron!”

 

I kept giving him enthusiastic thumbs up.

 

At the obvious scheming happening right before his eyes, the Duke could be heard letting out a hollow laugh.

 

The playacting ended there.

 

“I’m sorry, Duke. The truth is, I couldn’t find anything particularly noteworthy during the week.”

 

I spoke again in a calm voice.

 

“I know you don’t trust me. I also know that it’s honestly unreasonable for someone as young as me to replace Caron.”

 

“Then, are you leaving?”

 

“But!”

 

I quickly continued.

 

“That’s precisely why I think there are things only I can do.”

 

“Things only you can do?”

 

“Yes!”

 

I said in a cheerful voice.

 

After hearing my following answer, the Duke furrowed his brow deeply.

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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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