How to Replace Dad 74
So, I hid Onel behind my back and shouted.
“Yuis!”
Yuis hurriedly cast a spell.
Black strings spread like a web.
The speed, size, and power were beyond imagination compared to the underground maze last time.
The magic users of Andres who were still preparing for casting were startled.
The boars caught in Yuis's spell struggled wildly.
But it was useless.
The strings of Yuis's spell flashed, and the boars trembled as if shocked.
They drooped.
“Wow, it's all turned into jerky.”
When I muttered that.
Thud!
Onel slapped my hand away.
I had forgotten that I was holding Onel instead of Yuis because I was looking at him.
Onel glared at me fiercely.
“What are you doing.”
“Protection.”
“You protecting me?”
“Yeah.”
Onel let out a hollow laugh.
“Why? You said you didn't even want to breathe the same air as me.”
“If my feelings are like that, can the other person die?”
“...What?”
“I don't like it, so if I can, I get it.”
“Don’t talk nonsense. When did you become such a nice person.”
The tone and even the voice were extremely cold.
The people who had been startled by Yuis's amazing spell were too intimidated to say anything.
I sighed.
“Alright. Then I won't save you anymore. You're really picky. Like a cat or something.”
“Cat...!”
Onel got upset.
He couldn't finish the sentence and closed his mouth.
But I threw a handkerchief at him.
Onel, with excellent reflexes, caught it unconsciously.
“If you hate it that much, wipe it. Got it?”
“...Hah.”
He let out a hollow laugh as if it was unbelievable, but I didn't care and went to Yuis.
“Are all the boars unconscious?”
“Yes.”
Yuis withdrew the spell and checked the boars.
Their skin, even inside their mouths, was black as if burned.
Moreover, even after activating purification, the skin color didn't return.
The ground near the boars was also affected.
It was clear.
The contamination started from the animals, not the ground.
I examined the contamination in various places and concluded.
“This is going to be difficult.”
“Eh?”
The vassals asked what I meant.
“The animal that is the source of contamination... so the purification at the source is not easy.”
You have to pour mana directly to purify.
“Then...”
“The first thing is to gather all the source creatures and deal with them.”
The vassals groaned while holding their foreheads.
Tent.
One vassal hurriedly entered the tent and handed a document to Onel.
“A, a priest will be sent from the temple in the south.”
Then the other vassals frowned.
“The problem is not that. How do we catch all the source creatures?”
“There's no choice but to kill every animal that comes our way...”
“Is that possible? The farmlands are already like this, so there will be a food problem. What will we do if we kill all the animals?”
“We can't just leave the source creatures, can we.”
Only Yustea can purify the source creatures.
If we miss even one, it's a big problem.
“Only Yustea-nim can purify the source creatures.”
“Yes, even if the priests flock, it's not easy to purify one. If Yustea-nim returns to Esglott like this, the same problem will recur.”
Yustea's purification was truly amazing.
The priests were so shocked seeing Yustea purify a boar in one go.
The vassals clicked their tongues.
Amazing.
Baron Yopis looked at Yustea, who was patting his shoulder outside the tent.
There was a reason the emperor and the temple's eyes were rolled back in search.
Viscount Rochet smiled at him with a haha.
“Hide your gaze a bit.”
“...Eh?”
“The expression of not knowing what to do because you're curious.”
“... .”
“It’s not something you can't understand.”
With Yustea, any enemy would surrender white flag.
Even one contaminated boar would make the enemy go crazy.
Only Yustea could handle that contamination.
Viscount Rochet looked at Onel.
“His Highness said to leave the judgment to the young master. What will you do.”
“... .”
“Young master?”
Onel, who was looking outside the tent, finally answered.
“...First, I need to find out why it became the source of contamination. The judgment comes after that.”
Onel's reaction was strange.
The instruction was correct, but while speaking, he was staring outside the tent.
More precisely, at Yustea outside the tent.
Baron Yopis and Viscount Rochet exchanged glances.
Your eyes have changed when looking at Yustea-nim?
Yes.
Yustea originally lowered her head silently no matter what Onel said.
But now, even when Onel shouted fiercely, she replied with ‘Cat?’
It's a completely unexpected reaction that arouses curiosity.
It’s not a bad thing.
Improving the relationship between Onel and Yustea is beneficial for Andres.
Viscount Rochet smiled faintly and said.
“The boar herd seems to have set up camp on the nearby nut tree mountain. If it's there, we can find out why it became the source.”
“That’s right.”
“Won't you go to the nut tree mountain with Yustea-nim?”
“...What?”
Onel frowned.
“If the soldiers get infected due to the source creatures, the purification range will expand. It would be better to move in small groups. Moreover, we can encounter the source creatures, so Yustea-nim must definitely go with us.”
“... .”
Onel had an unpleasant expression.
But since it was the right thing, he couldn't object.
“Then, let's depart before sunset.”
Yustea couldn't stay in Andres for long.
We have to proceed as quickly as possible.
Onel clicked his tongue and stood up.
Viscount Rochet went to Yustea with Onel.
“Aigoo.”
“Yeah.”
Yustea, who was massaging her neck, looked up at them.
Viscount Rochet explained the situation.
“So, I hope you'll go to the nut tree mountain with the young master.”
“It’s not my job to search.”
The request from the imperial palace was two things.
Confirm if purification is possible.
If possible, purify it.
So, finding the source creatures is Andres's job?
When Yustea showed such a face, Viscount Rochet said.
“We’ll officially commission a search from Andres. We will pay the reward.”
“Hmm.”
“Is there something you want?”
“Five hundred mana stones. And one more.”
The vassals exclaimed.
O, five hundred?!
Even one more?
The vassal with protruding teeth said with a dumbfounded expression.
“No, what kind of... If it's five hundred mana stones, how much is that...”
The other vassals were surprised too, but quickly glared at the protruding teeth vassal.
If it wasn't Yustea, there was no answer.
Even if we asked for a thousand, we had no choice but to give it.
Baron Yopis smiled and said.
“If one more?”
Yustea pointed to Onel.
“Eh?! You want the young master?!”
The protruding teeth vassal shouted as if jumping.
Onel's face crumpled.
“That's ridiculous...”
“Got it.”
“What?”
“Ah, no, it's unbelievable, stop. Not Onel, but the Essence of Joy that Onel has.”
Yustea stood up, twisting her neck here and there.
And said with an indifferent face.
“I don't care about Onel, and I don't want to receive it, so no need to worry about that.”
“... .”
“So, will you give it?”
“... .”
Viscount Rochet glanced at Onel.
He knew Onel had the Essence of Joy.
The Essence of Joy itself was incredibly valuable, but there was another reason we couldn't give it.
Viscount Rochet said.
“Aigoo, that's...”
“The only thing my mother gave me when she abandoned me in Andres.”
Onel's words made the vassals groan.
This...
There's no way we can give something like that.
Yustea glanced at Onel.
“So, that's how it is. But?”
“Even so, will you give it?”
“Something given by the person who abandoned you is precious?”
“...!”
Onel was startled.
Yustea brushed the wrinkles of her skirt with her hand, tap tap.
It was really a nonchalant attitude.
Then she said to Onel.
“You don't need to cherish what the person who abandoned you gave you. That person is a fool who doesn't know the real value.”
Then some vassals laughed awkwardly.
Onel's complex due to her mother abandoning her was famous.
One vassal said.
“Yes, having such a capable son and being a vassal...”
Then Yustea said.
“Not ability.”
“...What?”
Onel asked.
Then Yustea answered in a dramatic tone.
“When a guest comes, I immediately turn around. Thinking it might be my mother.”
“... .”
“I was pretending to train and locked myself in the training ground. Because I could see the carriage coming.”
“... .”
“When I had a fever and was hazy, if I touched my forehead, I would find my mother.”
“... .”
“My mother is a person who doesn't know the value of that heart.”
Yustea said that and walked away.
“Anyway, if you plan to give the Essence of Joy, come find me. I'll go with you right away.”
With that, Yustea left.
The vassals glanced at Onel.
Onel walked with a stern face.
And grabbed Yustea's wrist who had entered an uninhabited place and pulled her with a yank.
“What are you?”
“Why are you like this. It hurts.”
“How can you know that!”
“I was watching!”
Yustea said with a pout.
“...What?”
“It hurts, let go.”
“I asked how you know.”
“It’s natural to be concerned when my respected older brother makes such a face.”
Onel stared at Yustea blankly.
Then, at some point, the way the servants announced guests changed.
Instead of suddenly saying a guest is here, they always told who it was first.
If it was something she ordered...
When in the training ground, snacks and drinks would arrive.
Even without notice, always on time.
If it was something she was watching...
Who was it that stroked my face when I was hazy from illness.
Whose cold hand was it.
It wasn't grandma.
It was impossible for a servant to do that.
“Pain, go away. Pain, go away...”
The whispering voice was....
“You?”
“What.”
“... .”
“So, will you give the Essence of Joy?”
“... .”
Onel held his forehead with a confused face and turned his head.
At the entrance to the nut tree mountain.
Yuis whispered to me.
“Why like that?”
Referring to Onel.
Because Onel was narrowing his brows and looking at me.
I glanced at Onel and then at Yuis.
“I don't know. Did talking about my mother make you angry?”
“Talking about my mother?”
“You’ve always hated it.”
“...It doesn't seem like an angry look.”
While whispering about such things, Onel said.
“Let’s go up.”
“Yeah.”
I answered and followed him.
Since I decided to receive the Essence of Joy!
Good.
Now I can become a mana rich person from a mana poor one.
Compared to Stella, it's lacking, but it's enough for me.
While climbing the mountain, Onel said.
“Why did you say that in front of the vassals?”
“Eh?”
“About my mother.”
I asked because you explained the context?
To explain the context, that story had to come out.
More importantly, now whether Onel cares or not doesn't matter.
When I was about to say that, Onel said.
“It's fine. I was worried that the vassals said I'm a cold person.”
...What?
I frowned and looked at Yuis.
Yuis shrugged.
Onel fixed his gaze on the road and said.
“Don’t say such things from now on. It irritates me.”
“Of course I will.”
“Why are you suddenly answering willingly?”
“Because I won't see you again, so I won't be able to do it again in the future.”
When I said that with a bright smile, Onel stopped walking abruptly.
Or not, I handed the snacks I brought to Yuis.
“Want to eat?”
“Yes.”
“Juice is also... Oops.”
He almost fell.
“Be careful. A bit.”
Yuis said in a warning tone and I laughed awkwardly.
“Thank you.”
Onel was staring at the two of us, brother and sister, with a happy face.
But then.
Beep—!
A strange sound came.
And...
Thud! Thud! Thud thud thud!
The sound of beast footsteps came.
Yuis gripped his sword and guarded my side.
Onel also scanned the surroundings with a stern face.
It sounded like a horn just now.
Did someone control the beasts?
When I thought that.
“This is a welcome guest.”
The beasts were driven, and some sturdy men appeared.
They seemed like bandits, but all had their mouths and noses covered with masks.
The bandit leader smiled slyly and said.
“This is two cute young ladies.”
“One. Damn.”
Yuis said with an irritated face.
Hmm. This situation was familiar.
This time, no one to hit because of the voice command.
But the bandits burst into laughter.
“You think it's a male? Of course we knew they were males.”
Huh?
But there are two?
Did you catch another woman?
At that moment.
“O, older brother...!”
From between the bandits, a familiar voice was heard.
It was Stella, who was captured by the bandits.
“...!”
Onel's expression hardened.
“How...!”
“I, I came because I wanted to help...”
At the moment Stella was sobbing.
An arrow flew.