How to Replace Dad 73

The stepmother's wife passed by Stella.

Stella gently touched her reddened knuckles.

'Shock must be huge. Since you've heard such words from Yustea.'

Feeling like you can't breathe the same air as Yustea, or like worms crawling when you meet eyes.

Since you've heard such harsh words, it's only natural to be angry.

'So, to me...'

"..."

"Unfair..."

Yustea has lived in this place since birth.

If he had the same conditions, could he have exerted his ability like that kid?

At that moment, someone grabbed Stella's shoulder.

Stella flinched and turned her head.

Onel looked at her.

"A loud noise was heard."

"Ah..."

"What did grandmother say to you again?"

Stella's eyes trembled.

Tears were about to well up at any moment.

"Grandmother really..."

Stella, who had been hesitant, smiled brightly.

"It's okay. Grandmother must be upset. But I can overcome it. I'm tough, right?"

Onel sighed.

And said while embracing Stella's cheek.

"I like that aspect, but it's worrying because of that aspect. You know?"

"It's okay. More than that, do you want to drink tea? With plenty of milk and sugar."

"Yeah."

Onel, with a faint smile, pulled his arm.

It's GM after all.

A precious friend who helps in any situation.

Stella met this friend when she became able to read letters.

It was when she was with the neighborhood kids by the river, and she was in trouble fighting with the leader's kid.

"Yustea, why is your mom making our father throw away trash and clean the house!"

"Huh? Because your father came to work at our house."

"Father is an herb seller. Your mom sent him because she needed herbs. But why make him do those things?"

"If you pay for the herbs, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠he can do that much, right?"

And the words to say appeared as a hint.

Following GM's words, surprisingly, the kid started liking him.

After that, the friend became a reliable ally who helps in any situation.

Stella smiled faintly.

Seeing such Stella, Onel asked.

"Why?"

"Just... because he's reliable."

Onel smiled and ruffled Stella's hair.

'Thank you.'

'But why do you help me like this?'

'Yeah. Like you helped me, I'll work hard too.'

* * *

Back to the room.

As soon as the door closed, Yuis asked.

"Have your feelings calmed down a bit."

I, who was sitting on the teacup chair, tilted my head.

"Huh?"

"I received an apology from the stepmother's wife."

"But why does the heart become okay?"

To light a fire, there must be a spark left in the wick.

An extinguished fire can never be lit no matter what.

"Isn't it that there must be a bit of heart left to think about okay or not?"

When I tilted my head, Yuis placed his hand on my head and rubbed it vigorously with a blank expression.

I quickly pulled my neck back and frowned.

"What are you doing."

"Instead of the eldest."

"Instead of dad?"

"Since you've suffered so much for me to become like this, and even now you're being so composed, I'll say it's admirable."

Yuis said that and bit his hand.

I organized my messy hair.

"More than that, we need to resolve the contamination quickly and return. Fill the mana in the Botella."

I handed over the Botella, and Yuis took it and drank it.

How much mana do I have left?

No depletion symptoms seemed to be there.

I need to check.

'Wow, it was close.'

If it drops below 10%, depletion symptoms occur.

I could ask Yuis to fill the mana, but recovery takes time.

Thinking it was fortunate, at that moment, the characteristic caught my eye.

Characteristics: Purification (Active), Healing, Status Window (Active), Divine Point (100% (More Info))

'What is this next to the Divine Point?'

It was a characteristic obtained after the last fake exorcism.

A first-seen characteristic.

It seemed to exist only for saints.

And next to it, 100% display and more info.

'What is more info?'

At that thought, a window appeared in the air.

'There's remaining time?'

Only 11 minutes left.

Since there's a percentage, it seems it will take time to use it in the future or need to satisfy some condition.

If I don't use it now, I don't know when I can use it again.

I grabbed the Botella that Yuis had filled with mana and placed on the table.

Yuis asked.

"Why?"

"I want to check out the newly created characteristic."

"Is it dangerous?"

"Looking at the name Divine Point, it doesn't seem that dangerous."

I activated the Divine Point as is.

'.... What?'

Then the window disappeared.

And next to the Divine Point characteristic in the status window, a '0%' display appeared.

I made a "Uwa!" sound and covered my mouth.

Yuis, who had been scattering special bait outside the window to summon Oscar's crow, flinched and looked at me.

"Why, why!"

"It's the Divine Point. Wow, it's a real point."

"What?"

"I got an amazing characteristic!"

I jumped poljak poljak.

* * *

The next day, morning.

Lunch was held.

Since the contamination story was discussed at lunch, this lunch couldn't be skipped.

When I went to the grand dining hall, people had already arrived first.

The vassals I saw when I arrived yesterday.

And Stella and Onel.

It seems the Marquis Andres hasn't arrived yet.

The steward guided me to the right side of the top seat.

On my opposite side sat Onel and Stella.

I sat down and picked up the napkin, when Stella opened her mouth.

"Did you sleep well?"

Bright voice.

It wasn't surprising that she spoke to me.

Originally, she was a lively kid who forgets unpleasant things quickly.

"Yeah."

"How about the room? It's a guest room, but isn't the room you used to use more comfortable? If you need, I'll move you."

"I'm just a guest, I can't use the direct family room."

The vassals who drew lines, some of them let out a sigh.

It was when those who wanted to bring the saint showed troubled expressions.

"His Excellency the Marquis has arrived."

The voice from the door made everyone stand up.

The Marquis Andres strode over and took his seat at the top.

Rochet Viscount, the leader of the vassals, said.

"I greet the lord."

The conversation continued, and the Marquis lightly raised his hand.

Only then did people sit down again.

The meal began.

After ordinary greetings, the purpose of this place, the contamination story, came out.

"The corruption started from the farmlands under the Tidus jurisdiction and is affecting livestock and plants."

"The contagion is strong, so the area has been sealed off."

"A report of deaths this morning has arrived."

'It seems more serious than I thought?'

It doesn't seem that some of the corruption was deliberately caused to lure me out.

It was using the corruption that had already occurred as a means to lure me out.

Thinking that, while I was slicing meat with a knife.

Stella raised her hand and said "Excuse me."

The gazes of the people gathered on Stella.

"About the corruption. I want to help too."

"Eh?"

"What does that mean..."

The vassals frowned.

Then Stella smiled brightly and pointed at herself with her index finger.

"I'm not the saint, but I also have healing power. It's possible to save people, right?"

"Of course..."

"Yustea will purify, and I'll treat the people."

The vassals murmured.

Most vassals seemed worried that the kid would go to the corruption area. Because she was completely taken by Stella.

But some frowned.

Probably because Stella caused so many incidents, they were worried.

Anyway, everyone seemed not to want to send Stella.

At that time, Onel said.

"I will go with you."

Stella didn't show surprise at that.

It seemed Stella had asked Onel for help in advance.

"But young master..."

A vassal with long beard called in a troubled voice, and Onel put down his utensils and said.

"Since it's said that the corrupted beasts are rampaging, the army needs to be deployed. Stella has often healed the army, so she will be more helpful than any healer."

"..."

"..."

The vassals' mouths were blocked.

Then the decision rested with the Marquis Andres' hand.

The Marquis looked at me.

'What. Why.'

When I didn't avoid his eyes, the Marquis let out a laugh.

And said.

"Onel, lead the army and go to the corruption area with Yustea."

Stella's face brightened.

"I'll work hard..."

"Stella, I didn't permit your participation."

"..."

The Marquis' ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠firm words made Stella's face pale.

'What is this all of a sudden.'

When Stella insisted, he would eventually give in pretending to lose.

"Father, why..."

"This conversation ends here."

Stella bit her lip tightly.

After that, the atmosphere of the lunch sank.

Some vassals tried hard to raise the mood, but it was useless.

Because Stella had her head down and didn't say a word.

Even so, the Marquis didn't soothe Stella, but just ate silently.

'Really, what is this?'

* * *

'So that's why.'

I glanced at Onel, who was frowning beside me.

He looked very displeased but holding back.

Because he became my head of security.

Behind me, Yuis whispered.

"Why did the Marquis attach that guy when there are vassals?"

"To not leave Onel and me alone. Probably wants the relationship to improve."

"Then you know I'll want to go back to Andres again? You're not giving up."

While the two of us were chatting, a magician approached.

"Entry preparation is complete."

He had cast a barrier to prepare for the rampaging beasts in the contamination area.

Onel said.

"Let's start."

Entering the contamination area with the military's escort.

It wasn't just the military, Onel, and me going to the contamination area.

Some vassals were with us.

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

The vassal with protruding teeth, who had caused trouble when I first came to Andres, clicked his tongue and said.

"This is almost a ruin. The restoration cost will be enormous. Are the other jurisdiction lords being forced to support? I don't know if they're asking my jurisdiction lord to pay money too."

Yopis Baron smiled and said.

"It's not coercion, but cooperation. Moreover, it will be centered on the great jurisdiction lords, so Namia Baron won't have to worry."

It was meaning to shut up and not grumble that he wasn't a great jurisdiction lord.

The vassal with protruding teeth frowned in frustration.

But since he couldn't say anything to Yopis Baron, who had become a senior of Andres, he turned his head away.

Yopis Baron, not caring about him, said to me.

"This is the place."

It seems this is the starting point of the contamination.

Indeed, the stench was tremendous.

I touched the ground that was almost black like charcoal.

'Purification active.'

At that thought.

"...?!"

"...!!!"

The people's eyes widened.

From the place I touched, the color was restored in an instant up to about 500 meters.

The vassals exclaimed.

"You really became the saint."

"Even if dozens of shrine priests clung to it, it was hard to purify even a little, but in such a short time..."

Onel was also staring at me with a stiff face.

Or not, I tilted my head.

"You say this was hard for dozens of shrine priests to purify?"

When I tilted my head, Onel narrowed his brows and said.

"Yeah."

"It can't be?"

"Actually, it was. I tried to purify with 32 famous shrine priests from the southern temple, but only a very small part was purified."

It can't be.

It was purified so easily, what.

It was easier than purifying people addicted to Ingu.

Of course, my purification might have become stronger than before.

'From Purifier to Saint.'

But even considering level up, it's too easy.

But at that time.

Krruk....

A low ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠growl was heard.

A herd of wild boars appeared.

The soldiers gripped their weapons.

And blocked the charging wild boars, but....

"Kuhk!"

"Kruk..."

The ones closest to the wild boars dropped their weapons and groaned.

They looked back.

Their eyes were bloodshot and blood was flowing from the corners of their mouths.

"Oh, contamination! Contamination symptoms!"

Only then did I realize.

'It wasn't the ground. The contamination started with the animals!'

"Don't approach. Archers! Mages! Handle from a distance..."

But it was already too late.

The wild boars started charging fiercely.

The wild boars that overran the soldiers rushed at Onel in front of me

'No, my !'

If Onel dies like this, I don't know where the Essence of Joy will go.

The Essence of Joy is mana +200. With two on Onel, mana +400!

To protect the +400 mana, I pulled Onel's arm hard!