How to Replace Dad
Mila grabbed a passing dealer.
“Watch my spot for me.”
“What are you doing.”
“I accidentally ran into my dad. Please, okay?”
“Ah, that mercenary guild leader?”
People probably introduced Irregular as a mercenary guild to them.
So, Mila took the spot from another dealer and stood next to me.
“Then let's go. This lounge is really nice. It looks like it's used by noble lords, so don't be surprised?”
Mila was a bright girl.
She chattered the whole way to the lounge.
“How did you meet the guild leader?”
“I went to meet him.”
“How? I went to every place where Irregular appeared but couldn't meet them.”
“Well....”
Because I knew info from playing the game.
Anyway, Mila didn't know that Irregular's base is San Miguel.
She only knew the face and the name of Irregular.
The girl walked a bit ahead of me and continued.
“Anyway, you're lucky. The guild leader's daughter spot is exactly for you.”
“...”
“Uu, too bad. If it was two years ago, how great would it be? The guild leader was really fond of me.”
Then “Ah.” and stopped abruptly.
She looked back at me.
“Should I adopt you as my daughter too?”
“What?”
“Joke. I'm not the type to make you feel burdened. This job isn't that bad. First, you can hang out with noble lords. They come sometimes.”
“...”
“Well, if they really adopt you as daughter, I won't refuse. I really like Irregular.”
Then she walked bouncily and waved at me.
“Come quickly.”
Lounge.
Aslan brought the guild leader and the vice leader.
“You've grown a lot.”
To the vice leader's words, Mila jumped in front of him.
“Indeed, Vice Leader remembers me?”
“Yes.”
“Guild Leader? Did the guild leader remember my face too?”
Then the guild leader sitting on the sofa glanced at her.
But said nothing.
Can't remember.
Mila seemed to feel that too and made a pouty face.
“It's fine. Think of it as because I've become prettier.”
“Wow, you're still positive.”
Aslan chuckled, and Mila hugged his arm and said.
“Positive is Mila. If I'm stupid, it's Aslan-nim.”
“This is.”
“Ah. Save me, guild leader!”
Mila ran to the guild leader and sat clinging to him.
Aslan narrowed his eyes and chased after her.
Because of that, only I and the vice leader were left on the sofa.
The vice leader whispered.
“If you're a casino employee's, we can get help finding the manager.”
I nodded.
The reason I followed Mila obediently was that.
Me and vice leader also sat on the sofa.
Mila, who had been looking gently at our faces sitting around, said.
“Jealous?”
“What?”
Aslan asked, and Mila said playfully.
“That girl is sitting in the center. If I became the guild leader's daughter, I could do that too, right? If you were looking for a sugar daughter two years ago, how happy would you be? I could do well too.”
Aigo.
She said she wouldn't burden, but she really wanted to be a sugar daughter.
The vice leader answered.
“No, impossible.”
“...”
At that moment, Mila's smiling face froze for a moment.
“Because only a young lady can do it.”
Aslan nodded seriously.
Mila laughed awkwardly.
“It was a joke, but you took it too seriously. Ah, it's not like I feel bad, right?”
Then Mila looked at me, and the vice leader said.
“Give an example.”
“You've become really stiff since I didn't see you. It's disappointing.... But okay. I like the vice leader.”
Mila put hand on chest and bent waist.
“I'm Mila. The guild leader's daughter. Is there anything you want to ask me about─?”
“How did you end up working here?”
“I used to pretend to be adult and secretly gamble. I gambled with cards, scamming.”
Aslan, leaning on chin listening to Mila, let out “Wow.” exclamation.
“Big heart.”
“So, I could stick to Irregular.”
“Yeah, that's true.”
“Anyway, I got caught. 'I'm going to die like this!' but the manager called me. Said my skills are good, so make me a dealer?”
Manager talk came up.
I quickly asked Mila.
“When was that?”
“Two months ago.”
Two months, so manager hasn't changed yet.
They change once in June and December.
The vice leader's expression became serious.
“Where is the manager now? Can you describe his appearance?”
“Well.... My intuition says it might be a big trouble.”
Suddenly everyone became quiet.
Mila looked around at us and “Hng” snorted and crossed arms.
“When gambling, you pay game fees, so you shouldn't bring important info bare-handed.”
“How much do you want?”
Mila pulled the corner of her mouth at vice leader's question.
“Money is fine.”
The guild leader, who had been quietly watching the situation until then, opened his mouth.
“You seem to have the intention to trade, so speak clearly.”
“Put me into Irregular.”
Aslan and vice leader's eyes widened.
“...”
“What?”
Mila pursed lips and said like pouting.
“I want to become Irregular. Don't abandon me now.”
“...”
“...”
“...”
The three of Irregular, that is, Aslan, the vice leader, and Antonio exchanged glances.
How will they do it?
Irregular is an extremely secretive organization.
They wouldn't just leave a child who knows their identity.
So, probably the two years living with Mila and her was quite a good memory.
But conversely, since Mila can't betray even if she knows the identity, maybe they didn't care.
Mila doesn't know where Irregular is, nor her status.
Even if she knew Irregular's face, betraying would be useless.
There were plenty of wanted posters who faked reports for bounty.
Because of that, there were many wanted posters that didn't resemble Irregular at all.
Who would believe Mila's words.
Aslan slowly opened his mouth.
“No.”
“What?”
Mila's eyes widened.
This time, she thought she could definitely enter Irregular.
But Aslan really stood up.
Like not trading anymore.
Mila quickly grabbed the guild leader.
“If I betray Irregular?”
“I won't be affected, but if you want to, do it. You have to be ready to pay the price.”
“...”
Aslan looked at me.
“Let's go.”
“Ah.... Okay.”
At that moment, I was about to stand up too.
“I'll tell you. I don't want to make the guild leader troubled... .”
Mila said with a downcast face.
Then sighed.
“The manager isn't here now. He comes at midnight.”
“Appearance?”
“An old man. Very bent waist. Has a swallow tail like beard.”
“Thanks.”
The vice leader placed a small pouch on the table.
It looked like there were silver coins inside.
Instead of putting into Irregular, to compensate with money.
“...Not this. Give something else.”
“Stop talking about Irregular─.”
“I won't. Just... I want to go to the lake. If you're from the islands, there's a lake where families go together. My wish was to go to that lake with my family.”
“...”
“I have no family, so I want you who wanted to be family to go together.”
“...”
“Anyway, if you wait until midnight, there's time left. Right?”
The vice leader looked at Aslan.
And Aslan....
Why not look at me?
When I opened eyes wide, Aslan asked.
“You.”
“...”
“You went there.”
“I know about the lake, but I haven't been there.”
Would the Marquis Andres take me there?
I heard he went with Stella.
“Go.”
Aslan said that and left the lounge.
We went to the lake with Mila who came out after rotation.
The lake where the god of peace and health, Benes, comes to bathe.
Island people pray for family peace and health there.
'First, it's beautiful too.'
Mila was sticking to Antonio and vice leader and walking along the lakeshore.
“Shall we run? Run? Like catch me?”
“That's not something lovers do.”
“I'm fine with it.”
“I don't like it.”
Aslan was laughing loudly while talking like that, as if very excited.
I sat on the mat the vice leader got somewhere and looked at the lake.
I could understand Mila's heart wanting to come to this lake.
'I also wanted to come when I was young.'
A picnic spot where everyone comes.
I thought it would be good to come with family.
There were times I studied desperately to get good scores to say let's go together.
'When I actually got a good score, father said it's natural, don't be happy without dignity.'
But mom who saw me downcast suggested going to the lake.
I hugged the exam paper and shook my head.
Because I thought someday I'll get recognition and family all go together.
...Without knowing that no matter how much effort, I'll be abandoned.
“What are you thinking so much─?”
Mila asked.
Suddenly the girl ran to me.
Vice leader and Antonio were walking slowly from far with tired faces.
“Just....”
“By the way, are you still wearing the hoodie? You never take it off. You'll suffocate.”
Mila reached hand to my hoodie.
I flinched and swatted her hand.
Mila, startled, hugged her hand.
At that moment, Antonio who arrived asked.
“What happened?”
“The young lady....”
“Why the young lady?”
“No. I'm fine.”
She had an awkward expression.
Like I did something wrong.
So I said.
“I swatted because you tried to take off the hoodie.”
“Did you do that?”
Aslan frowned.
Vice leader's gaze was also sharp.
Mila shook hand as if surprised.
“Because I might be uncomfortable.”
Then quickly changed topic.
“Where did the guild leader go?”
“On a call.”
“Oh? Then I should go now. There's a very delicious sandwich nearby.”
Then Mila stood up.
* * *
Mila who exited the lakeshore turned head slightly.
“I thought it was meek, so it was a bluff.”
So, when I swatted in surprise, it was well caught.
I thought I could blame the atmosphere on that girl's mistake.
But she fought back?
'Well, since she entered Irregular, she's not ordinary.'
Two years ago, she begged but never took as member.
Instead, she found an orphanage and didn't send her out faster.
But that girl became the guild leader's sugar daughter.
'But would she be taken away?'
I had no intention to send them away.
I felt it when I faced them in the casino.
This is fate.
The god must have guided them to me.
Otherwise, how could we meet twice in this vast empire.
'Also under such good conditions.'
Mila smiled faintly and entered the pastry shop.
As soon as entered, she looked around the pastry shop.
The boys Mila was looking for were yawning lazily at tables inside the pastry shop.
“Hello, Martin.”
Then the red-haired boy “Oh.” raised hand.
“What kind of guy did you catch to come here again?”
Other boys asked leaning on chin.
“Guys?”
“Mila, she comes here every time she catches guys. Because no family, never been to the lake... Can you not go together...?”
The red-haired boy clasped both hands in pitiful way and said, other boys giggled.
Mila sneered.
“This time not guys, real.”
“What real. Real, your father is selling fish hard at the market.”
Then the freckled boy looked at Mila.
“You're not an orphan?”
“You say orphan-like. Because poor, entered orphanage waiting for rich adoption. The director doesn't connect parents, so he even burned the orphanage.”
Mila smiled brightly.
“Living wisely.”
“Use that wisdom to make some money. Money is running out.”
“I'm not doing that anymore. Instead, I'll give you another money line.”
“Money line?”
“Wait at the place I said. Around sunset, a girl will come, kidnap her as is and sell to Romen's gills.”
The red-haired boy “Ho.” groaned.
Romen's gills is the most infamous human trafficking group.
“How much of a girl that you Romen's gills came out?”
“Romen's gills level is needed so Irregular can't track.”
“Again. That guy's delusion.”
The boys burst into laughter.
No one believed that Mila was connected to Irregular.
They thought Mila couldn't know Irregular that even palace couldn't catch.
After talking to the boys, Mila went to the counter.
Bought four sandwiches.
And generously put Betion into the share of the girl who dared to take the guild leader's sugar daughter spot.
Betion is a herb that causes diarrhea.
'If I get diarrhea and go to bathroom, that will be the last time seeing the guild leader.'
Then went back to the lakeshore.
“Waiting? Here you go.”
The Irregular three men and Yustea received the sandwiches.
And Yustea was....
Plop.
Took the sandwich.
Mila secretly smiled.
* * *
Mila chattered the whole time until sunset.
“Actually, the casino roulette is rigged. So never do it?”
“Do you remember two years ago? You were happy with the gloves I made.”
“The lake is pretty but the heart is sad. Because kids who came with parents are envious.”
Then slyly inserted the talk that she really helped.
“Do you know? Recently human trafficking is rampant. They catch kids that much.”
With this, even if that girl suddenly disappears, they would think it's the human trafficking organization's fault.
'Good, then now Betion only needs to do its job.'
But strange.
No matter how time passed, the girl didn't budge.
The sun was slowly setting.
The impatient boys might give up and leave.
'Can't be that the effect doesn't work.'
Is she holding back?
Mila forced the corner of mouth up and looked at Yustea.
“Hey, are you uncomfortable somewhere? Your face doesn't look good.”
“I'm fine. I secretly threw Betion.”
“...What?”
Mila stiffened.
Yustea stared at her and said.
“Because I can't eat food given by someone who doesn't even blink an eye while lying.”
“What... what lie did I...”
“The casino manager. You're that.”
* * *
The appearance of the manager Mila mentioned is like this.
An old man with very bent waist.
'I knew it was a lie the moment I heard.'
The manager selects quick people who can protect keys in emergencies.
Moreover, the manager doesn't show appearance to dealers.
The casino boss who manages dealers knows all.
“So, you're the liar.”