The Duke Dad I Chose Can’t (Really) See Well - Chapter 58

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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 58

 

He lightly nodded his head.

 

‘How utterly unpleasant. But….’

 

Even so, it was an arrogance he had no choice but to acknowledge.

 

Caron, who had quickly finished his assessment, continued speaking.

 

“It won’t be easy. Re-adopting a child who has already been processed as deceased means the Temple processed the child’s death without properly confirming whether the child was alive or dead. They won’t allow it no matter what happens.”

 

“I’ll have to make them allow it.”

 

Despite Caron’s rare concern, Paterre remained relaxed.

 

“I’m a father now, after all.”

 

“….”

 

“If I didn’t have at least that much confidence, I wouldn’t have started this.”

 

Caron unconsciously hesitated.

 

That confident appearance, filled with justified self-assurance, closely resembled the first image of the lord he had wanted to serve.

 

‘This too must be a change that Miss Hanisha brought about.’

 

As expected, he didn’t want to give up his position as Hanisha’s first older brother.

 

Since things had come to this, how about writing his name under Hanisha’s name while the Duke was distracted?

 

It was when he was seriously contemplating this while pushing up his non-prescription glasses.

 

Knock knock.

 

The sound of knocking was heard.

 

Paterre quietly calculated the date.

 

A week and half a day had passed by today.

 

Since she was a child who couldn’t stay still for even a moment, it was about time for her to start moving.

 

‘I should give her this as a get-well gift.’

 

Thinking of the child’s voice that would exclaim with joy, a smile naturally formed on his lips.

 

‘Is this what it feels like to be a father?’

 

Paterre, who had briefly recalled the heart of a parent, commanded entry.

 

Soon the door slowly opened.

 

He naturally thought it would be Hanisha.

 

However, the person who appeared with a tray was the Chef.

 

“Where did Miss Hanisha go?”

 

“Pardon? Wasn’t she here?”

 

To Caron’s question, the Chef answered as if he was curious instead.

 

“I haven’t seen Miss Hanisha. Not even until this evening.”

 

Paterre was flustered.

 

Hanisha’s daily routine was usually like this.

 

As soon as she opened her eyes, she would greet the maids and head to the kitchen. After telling the Chef about various foods, she would switch with Caron and come find me.

 

After eating, she would meet the blacksmiths, or meet Max and Ashirion.

 

After noisily bickering, she would again hold the maids’ hands and enter dreamland.

 

“Ha, ha, ha, Hanisha is no, nowhere to be seen. If, if she happens to be he, here…!”

 

“I apologize for the sudden intrusion, Your Grace. Hanisha is nowhere to be seen. Is she here by any chance?”

 

But then Max and Ashirion came asking about Hanisha’s whereabouts.

 

“The young miss…!”

 

“She’s nowhere to be seen…!”

 

Other servants also appeared one after another.

 

It was when everyone was asking about Hanisha’s whereabouts.

 

“Your, Your Grace…!”

 

With an urgent voice, Anna, Hanisha’s dedicated maid, approached.

 

“Miss Hanisha left this behind.”

 

Caron unfolded the note on behalf of the Duke.

 

Crooked handwriting.

 

Someone must have taught her, but it was a half-hearted format. Caron read the note in a rarely stiff voice.

 

“Annual leave… application form….”

 

“What?”

 

Annual Leave Application Form

 

-I hereby apply for annual leave for the above reason.-

 

Reason for application: I have something urgent to do

 

Applicant: Hanisha ♥Stukkyia♥ (Don’t erase this. It will be confirmed soon!)

 

Supervisor: Palren Arendla

 

As if she had hesitated to write it, there were marks where the pen had been tapped several times on Palren’s name.

 

“Lord Palren is certainly….”

 

“Wasn’t he someone who was active in the black market?”

 

“That means….”

 

No way?

 

The gazes of the servants, who had been muttering anxiously, all reached Paterre at once.

 

The hand holding the quill pen seemed to tremble, then with a crack, it completely broke.

 

“This, this troublemaker daughter…!”

 

The prodigal son of Stukkyia rose from his seat for the first time in a very long while.

 

* * *

 

The sun had already set, and in the darkened alley.

 

Two robed figures entered inside.

 

The people leaning against the wall quickly scanned those figures.

 

A man of moderate build, and a child who still looked quite young.

 

They clearly weren’t people from here.

 

“Wait, stop.”

 

Then, as if he had been waiting, a man of enormous build blocked their path.

 

“This isn’t a place just anyone can enter. Get lost….”

 

“It’s me.”

 

“You need to give your name properly, how would I know who you…, Pa, Pa, Lord Palren?”

 

The man’s eyes widened.

 

“What brings you here? Didn’t you say you had washed your hands of this?”

 

“…I came because of urgent business. Stop the chatter and just open the door.”

 

At the somewhat tired-sounding voice, the man stepped aside in bewilderment.

 

As the door opened, stairs stretching endlessly downward came into view.

 

The two continued down the narrow passage while wearing masks.

 

What eventually came into view was….

 

A massive colosseum.

 

Tiered seating was arranged in an oval shape around a stage so large that one would wonder how it could be hidden underground.

 

Those holding bidding rights glanced at them.

 

“Bringing a child to a place like this.”

 

“All sorts of strange people show up.”

 

It was muttering meant to be heard.

 

It was a natural reaction. This was an auction house and arena that only people from the underworld could enter. And they had come there with a young child.

 

And Palren, who had suddenly become trash, leaned forward and whispered to Hanisha.

 

“…Are you sure this is the right place?”

 

“Yes! I really wanted to come see this.”

 

“…You’re not hoping for something like Pink Pop or Tough Pop, are you?”

 

“Oh come on, Palren. How old do you think I am to want something like that?”

 

Hanisha waved her hand and laughed.

 

“These kinds of items would be more efficient than those things.”

 

As she waved her hand and laughed, Palren let out a hollow laugh and rubbed his face above his bear mask.

 

“She’s his daughter. No matter how I think about it, she’s definitely the Duke’s daughter…”

 

Leaving that muttering behind, Hanisha quickly pulled up her dog mask.

 

This Underground Colosseum opened randomly without set times.

 

Items were only called ‘unknown.’

 

Nameless objects.

 

Unspeakable objects.

 

Forbidden objects.

 

It was literally an Underworld transaction.

 

Neither the opening time nor the items that would appear were known.

 

Nevertheless, the seats were already packed with people.

 

That was because today was a week after the blue moon. Items that had passed through the time when incompatible magic and abilities surged strongly to become uniquely one were worth whatever price was called.

 

So people were busy glancing at each other as if keeping each other in check.

 

That’s when it happened.

 

Clang-!

 

With a sharp bell sound, an emcee wearing a bow tie appeared.

 

“Hello to all you people with plenty of time who came all the way down to this underground place today!”

 

People screamed at the cheerful sarcasm.

 

“Hearing those screams, it seems like today will be an interesting auction too!”

 

The emcee smiled with satisfaction and took a step back.

 

“Before starting this main game, you will first watch a performance to build excitement!”

 

* * *

 

Clang-!

 

With the bell sound, the bars at the back of the venue rose up.

 

Soon, people with restraints on their hands came forward with clanking sounds. They were the Chess Pieces of this arena.

 

The match before the auction started was a kind of purchase stimulant. The more dopamine burst before their eyes, the more easily the audience’s wallets would open.

 

“Now, let’s start the performance!”

 

With the emcee’s words announcing the start, the Chess Pieces charged toward each other. Soon, watching the scene unfolding before my eyes, I frowned slightly.

 

Since it was something happening underground, I had expected a certain level of brutality, but actually seeing it was on a different dimension.

 

‘It’s fortunate that Esther couldn’t come because she was sick.’

 

That’s when it happened. An employee wearing a white shirt and red vest with his face covered by a mask approached them.

 

“Excuse me. Did you happen to bring a coin?”

 

Coins were given to people who had sponsored this arena before, providing services like delivering auction items to their homes when they won a bid.

 

Palren waved his hand.

 

“We don’t have anything like that…”

 

“I have one!”

 

Raising my hand high, I took something out of my pocket and placed it firmly in the employee’s hand.

 

“Why do you have this… you…?”

 

“Still, since we’re spending money anyway, it’s good to receive even small treatment.”

 

“That’s not what I meant…”

 

“If I succeed in winning a bid, you’ll announce it grandly, right?”

 

When else would I get to visit an Underground Auction House if not now? Since I’m here, I should definitely enjoy it properly.

 

When I asked with sparkling eyes, the employee laughed and said he would convey that message.

 

I heard Palren saying “I can see the sprout. I can see the Underworld sprout…” from beside me, but I decided to just ignore it.

 

“Let me check the coin for a moment.”

 

“Yes!”

 

The employee touched the coin to the magic device in his hand. With a brief light, letters began appearing on the magic device.

 

“Ah, you’ve sponsored several times before. Thank you for visiting our auction house. The sponsor name is…?”

 

The employee who had been speaking up to that point suddenly closed his mouth.

 

“Is something wrong by any chance?”

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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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