How to Replace Dad 17
Hearing the commotion, Luciarno came running and was shocked to see the barracks in disarray.
He grabbed the back of his neck after seeing the princes pulled out.
It was the story I heard too.
From his aides who fled from the highly strung Luciarno.
My aides and I sat side by side in the kitchen, looking exhausted.
And we chatted with distant expressions.
“I thought about resigning the moment I saw the barracks in disarray…”
“With the house loan still far from paid off. I have to think about the kids' education fees too. Resigning is something I, being unmarried, can do…”
“No, me…”
“I think I should do it…”
The last line was mine.
“You have a place to resign to…?”
“I did think so…”
“It makes sense…”
We soldiers and I looked up at the sky with sad eyes.
Still, it was fortunate that Prince 2 Luciarno was much more skilled than Prince 5 Gaspar.
Gaspar, who knew he couldn't win, eventually withdrew.
Thanks to that, Prince Ain who was suffering from madness was safe.
'Wait, but why is he acting mad?'
There was no mention of madness in the game.
Prince 2 who shouldn't have come, Prince 5 who wasn't supposed to come, and Prince 4 who was supposed to be there but isn't acting mad.
'What's going on here?'
It seemed I needed to gather information to figure out the situation.
Should I ask Luciarno?
But from his expression, he seemed not to know much either.
While I was pondering this, the page arrived.
“I am the page from Luciarno Palace. I have come to escort Lady Yustea.”
…The call of the ferryman has arrived.
The aides and I stared at each other, frozen, and at the expressionless page.
Then, without a word, they stood up and vacated the seats.
No, they fled.
It showed the essence of social life that never gets involved in the affairs of high nobles like princes.
The page waited silently for me.
“…”
I followed the page with a sad face.
Luciarno's barracks was in the deepest part of the military camp.
The page left me outside the barracks for a moment.
Probably to report that he had brought me and have some secret conversations.
I stood awkwardly, looking at the large ancient tree that blocked the view of Luciarno's barracks and other barracks.
To be precise, I was looking at the sword sheaths hanging from the branches of the ancient tree.
They looked like sword sheaths hanging from places like in the East.
“A magic tool to catch intruders…”
I muttered absentmindedly.
At that moment, Luciarno's voice suddenly came from outside the barracks.
“You know this magic tool that crossed over from the Eastern Continent only three days ago.”
It seemed he had heard my voice as he came out of the barracks.
I smiled awkwardly.
'I do. In the game, I used it often to prevent intruders from entering my base.'
It's something I could barely get my hands on after becoming super high level.
But I got it somehow.
Indeed, he was the prince called the greatest rival of the 1st prince.
Luciarno strode over.
I retreated even more awkwardly.
“There's no need to run away like that. I don't intend to eat you.”
“People who have sinned instinctively can't help but…”
“I know, but…”
“I'm truly sorry…”
“Then tell me.”
“Huh?”
“About this magic tool.”
I hesitated, looking back at the sword sheaths hanging from the branches.
The relic of the Capture Society Imperial Family.
It captures intruders who have not been permitted by the owner.
“It's the Capture Society. It's a relic stored by the Eastern Continent Imperial Family, and it seems it hasn't been used yet.”
“…”
Luciarno stared at me fixedly.
'Why is he looking at me like that?'
I muttered while watching Luciarno's cues.
“Th-this is why it's blue when it's the Capture Society. If it's in use, it turns red.”
“Lady Andres has quite a bit of information power even after being driven out from her family.”
“Huh?”
“That's right. I did take it from the Eastern Continent, but I couldn't find out how to use it.”
“Ah.”
“So? What's the exact usage?”
“You tie a part of the caster's body, like blood or hair, to the Capture Society. It captures those who don't have the caster's things.”
The page of Luciarno, who was listening to our conversation, had a pretend surprised expression.
Luciarno's expression didn't change much, but the way he looked at me became more probing.
Soon, he smiled and asked.
“Then you know about the Tracking Orb too.”
Hearing about the Tracking Orb, the words of Prince 5 Gaspar from inside Prince 4 Ain's barracks came to mind.
“So, where the hell is that damned Tracking Orb, brother.”
'Is Prince Luciarno also after the Tracking Orb.'
Contrary to that, Prince Luciarno added.
“I know that the Tracking Orb is in Ain's hands. But the ancient text about the Tracking Orb has been lost, so I can't know what it looks like or how to use it.”
“…”
“But you seem to know.”
“…”
“Won't you bring it to me?”
It wasn't a person who would believe a lie that I didn't know.
I looked for escape routes while muttering.
“I do know, but I don't want to get involved in the princes' conflicts anymore. As I said, I'm in the dust-covered potato status…”
Have mercy, really.
Now that there's no Andres shield, if I get involved in the princes' fight, it's going to be a shrimp fight.
At that, Prince Luciarno approached me.
“Isn't this a chance to settle our grudges?”
“I'd like to settle it in another way if possible…”
“While you're in the North, make sure Gaspar can't touch you. In addition, 1000 gold.”
“…!”
Controlling Gaspar, the biggest obstacle to meeting the Duke of Esgarott?
And giving a huge amount of 1000 gold?
'What is he trying to find with the Tracking Orb…'
When I froze, Prince Luciarno said.
“Well, if you don't want to, there's nothing I can do.”
Then he tried to turn his back to return to the barracks.
At that moment, I quickly shouted.
“And the position of steward too!”
“…”
“Is it difficult?”
Luciarno, staring at me fixedly, let out a soft laugh.
“I accept.”
“Thank you in advance.”
I bowed my head quickly.
It was the moment when a past enemy became an ally.
***
Night.
Instead of the messy dinner because of Gaspar, I prepared snacks and went to Prince Ain's barracks.
Pages were bustling in front of the barracks.
They looked pale, as if something had happened.
When I approached with a tray, they flinched and looked at me.
“What's going on?”
“I brought some snacks for the prince.”
“Go back.”
Did Prince Ain declare he wouldn't eat anything?
'Then it's troublesome.'
“Um… I prepared it with food that His Highness is particularly good at eating from the palace. How can it not be possible? He hasn't eaten for three days straight, so Lord Luciarno is very worried.”
When I asked, the page waved his hand as if annoyed.
“The prince's nerves are not normally sensitive. Especially because Prince Gaspar stepped on the snake…”
“A snake?”
“Yes. Prince Ain raised it with care.”
Then another page sighed deeply.
“If the snake dies, it's going to be a mess. What should we do? We should call a vet or something.”
“Is there a vet? Besides, how can we get a vet in the middle of the night.”
Since pet animals are not common in this world, there aren't many vets either.
Many villages have no one, so even if the palace pages are capable, they can't get a vet immediately at night.
“Can I take a look?”
“…”
“Can you see the snake?”
“Yes. I used to work at a wild animal breeding farm.”
There, I had taken care of snakes too.
Then the pages' eyes sparkled as they crowded around me.
“Why are you saying that now. What a pleasant fellow!”
“Let's go in. Quickly!”
“Prince, there's a kid who can see the snake!”
It was an unprecedented welcome compared to before.
So, I entered Prince Ain's barracks.
The prince who was in front of the cage with the snake quickly stood up.
The prince was a beautiful person.
A handsome young man with caramel-colored sweet hair and bewitching green eyes.
But my eyes went to the snake in the cage more than him.
'It's not a snake, it's a constrictor.'
It's very large for a snake.
It was a huge snake that I couldn't understand how Prince Gaspar stepped on it.
Was it not stepping but kicking?
Prince Ain looked at me with wide eyes.
“Are you going to save Yeppi?”
Is the snake's name Yeppi?
Although the name is cute unlike its fierce appearance, I was a bit surprised, but I soon answered.
“Although I've never seen such a huge snake, I'll examine it if you give me the chance.”
“Really!”
The prince vacated his seat with a bright face.
I squatted down and examined the drooping Yeppi.
Indeed, he had no energy.
The prince looked at me with a worried face.
“Gaspar stepped on and crushed Yeppi.”
Not something to be crushed.
It was thick enough for an adult man to hug.
“A weak child… too much.”
It wasn't a snake that the word "weak" suited.
Its fangs were like a leopard.
'More than that, does a snake have leopard-like fangs? Ah, no way…'
I asked the prince.
“Is Yeppi a Death Servant? A monster, right?”
“Yeppi is a friend.”
Prince Ain had an unpleasant expression.
It seemed the word "monster" was unpleasant.
But soon he told me about Yeppi in a stream.
“When you see me, open your mouth wide to greet. Yeppi is smart and knows that I like greetings, so he does it for a long time.”
I stayed silent.
…Death Servants measure their prey size by opening their mouths wide.
“When my shoulders droop, make a sad face. Or maybe get angry. Move around inside the cage.”
…Seeing that it's weakened, it comes to eat.
I couldn't open the cage and examine it.
I examined every corner with my eyes while staying as close as possible to Yeppi without getting too close.
I saw red spots here and there on the scales.
“Ah ha.”
When I let out a sigh, the prince came closer to me.
“Can you cure Yeppi?”
“No.”
Then the gentle eyes became sharp in an instant.
“Then you are an unnecessary person.”
Even the voice lowered.
The pages' faces stiffened.
It wasn't because they were surprised by the talk of not being able to treat the snake.
That gaze was fear.
Instinctively, Prince Ain felt what kind of person I was.
Unlike the sweet impression, there was a fierce thorn at the bottom.
Before his thorn reached me, I quickly said.
“Yeppi doesn't need treatment. So, I can't cure it.”
“…”
“Then?”
“It's the mating season.”
“…”
It seemed like there was a whistling wind in the barracks.
I looked at the startled page and prince with a puzzled expression.
“Mating season. The time to mate and breed.”
“…”
“I know what that is too.”
Then, no need for long explanation.
“Is Yeppi female? Death Servant females don't move much during mating season because they stock up energy. You can find a male for me.”
At my words, the page coughed and said with an embarrassed expression.
“Death Servants are rare species. It seems hard to find a male.”
“In this season, they are quite visible in the North. I know how to find them.”
The prince's eyes sparkled with interest again.
“Can you find Yeppi's mate?”
“I can, but…”
At that moment, a good idea came to me.
If done well, I could use this.
“For that, I need Yeppi's shed. I can lure a male with the shed. Do you keep the shed?”
There was no way.
It would be shocking just to keep a monster in the palace, let alone keep the shed nicely.
“No… My mother doesn't like Yeppi. She made sure not to keep the shed.”
“Then, can I gently peel it off without making Yeppi hurt?”
“Will you do that? I'll pay you. A golden water drop that resembles Yeppi's eyes.”
“The reward is fine. How about giving him some food?”
The pages' eyes widened.
Recently, the prince had suddenly stopped eating, saying he was going to be poisoned.
The prince's fasting was also a hassle, so it would have been a happy thing for the pages.
The pages looked at the prince with expectant eyes.
The prince groaned “Hmm.”
“The kid who helps Yeppi is a good kid. Good kids don't poison the prince, right?”
The pages answered readily.
“Of course. Good kids never poison the prince.”
“That's right. That's right.”
The prince nodded his head.
“Good. Instead, make sure Yeppi recovers his energy.”
The pages put the snacks I brought on the table next to the prince.
The prince picked up the bowl.
The snack menu was beef stew that Prince Ain ate well.
The prince picked up the spoon.
And took a bite.
“…!”
His eyes widened as he looked at the bowl.
Beef stew.
Actually, it's a dish I'm confident in, as good as braised ribs.
***
Next day's lunch.
The cooks and odd jobs people went to eat, so the kitchen was quiet.
I yawned inside the kitchen and rubbed my eyes.
'I woke up early, so I'm a bit tired…'
Prince Ain ate the beef stew very well last night.
Then he sparkled his eyes and said he would eat breakfast too.
Luciarno, hearing that, was in a frenzy.
Since the prince was responsible if anything happened to him, he must have been very worried.
Even the soldiers and Prince Ain's pages stood up to chase me away, fleeing sneakily.
While other cooks added food in the gap, Prince Ain ate only my dish.
Thanks to that, I'm making Prince Ain's meal every meal.
To remove the blood of the beef, I took out a bowl from the drawer of the cooking table.
But there was a small note in the bowl.
'What is this?'
When I unfolded it, there were curly letters written as if someone had scribbled.
But I knew what this meant.
This cipher was the cipher written in the battle journal I stole from Luciarno's subordinates.
[3 PM. Food warehouse.]
'If he used this cipher, he knew I stole the battle journal.'
Then, perhaps he manipulated that battle journal and deliberately handed it over.
It was fortunate that I was driven out from the family and had no use for it, but if I had used it…
A chill ran through me.
'After all, he's a scary person.'
Anyway, it wasn't the time to think about that. Soon it was 3 PM.
I secretly went to the food warehouse.
As expected, Luciarno was there.
Luciarno, leaning against a pile of flour sacks, looked at me.
“It was delicious to Ain's heart. The cooking and the skill of peeling scales like a ghost.”
That's right.
I succeeded in peeling the scales yesterday.
I delivered it to the page, and the pages are probably running around the field now, carrying the scales to find the Death Servant male.
'Peeling scales is well done.'
I was praised for my work.
Expecting the peeling to end in an instant, he decided to feed beef stew.
That way, I could go to the barracks every meal time.
According to plan, it succeeded, and from last night, I had already entered Prince Ain's barracks three times.
Luciarno asked.
“So, the harvest?”
“It's nothing special.”
“The judgment is mine.”
“Really nothing special. I just found out that Prince Ain isn't actually acting mad…”
When I said it dejectedly, Luciarno hesitated.
“…”
“What?”
“…”
Luciarno narrowed his eyes and muttered again as if confirming.
“Ain… is not mad?”
“Yes. He really acts well.”
“…”
He had an incredulous expression.
“That's not a big deal?”