How to Replace Dad
The window in front of me looked different from anything I'd seen before. It was nearly impossible to make out through the noise, and the screen flashed with sparks before vanishing entirely. What appeared next were new windows.
[Connection Channel Error]
Connection channel error.
Conversation mentioning Stella.
I gripped the hem of my skirt tightly. ‘There must be a connection error between Stella's channel and mine.’ That was why I could connect to her channel. I watched the conversation between Stella and GM.
Stella avoided eye contact and said nothing afterward, just as GM had instructed. Her hand clutching the tray trembled faintly, her breathing shallow, the veins on her temple bulging. ‘She's extremely tense.’
A sudden feeling hit me. Holy power was a force heavily influenced by emotions. The reason I had been permitted to descend to Esgard had been the fear of holy power explosion due to unstable emotions. Stella must be in a very unstable state right now—rejected by her family, forced to ally with the Old Empire Reconstruction Society hostile to her friends.
If the gap in her attributes had come from her unstable emotions… ‘Let me check.’
“Are you looking for the Old Empire Reconstruction Society?”
“…!”
Stella gasped loudly. If I peeked at O'Nell's friends, GM would notice my intentions immediately. If I was going to be found out, it was better to use a shaking method. Her complexion turned pale instantly.
GM: Calm down.
GM: Are you trying to reveal your intentions to Yustea?
And it vanished again with noise. It was clear. That holy power instability.
‘From the message, GM doesn't know that I'm looking at the window.’ Then, thanks. I can use it.
Just then, the door to the reception room opened. O'Nell emerged with his friends. O'Nell narrowed his brows upon seeing Stella and me facing each other.
“What's this?”
Stella quickly changed her expression.
“I prepared some snacks since I was with friends.”
O'Nell turned to me.
“You.”
“I'm here to see Lord Igis.”
If I tried to deny it, it would raise suspicion, so it was better to go boldly. Igis glanced at me.
“Me… yo…?”
The way of speaking was originally slow, so it took a while to hear that.
“The nephew of His Holiness the Pope. A priest from the Central Temple.”
“Yes….”
“Since there will be many times I visit the temple in the future, I have various things I want to ask in advance.”
“Ah….”
Igis had an understanding expression. Others seemed to understand. Benjamin or the prince from another country nodded with “Aah.”
Stella narrowed her brows and looked at me. ‘Why. What.’
Stella and I knew each other's goals. That is, if we didn't want to be exposed, we must keep each other's secrets. Benjamin said with a smirk.
“You're going to shoot arrows, right? I'll go with you two.”
It was a pleasant sound to hear. Stella's face brightened.
“It's okay even if I go?”
“I'm good at shooting arrows.”
“Then. I learned it from my brother.”
Stella smiled brightly and looked at O'Nell. But it was strange. O'Nell was sitting quietly as if lost in thought.
“Brother?”
“…Yeah. Protector is full?”
Different answer. He clearly hadn't been listening to the conversation.
“Yeah. It's full, but….”
“Then, it's my turn. I'll bet money.”
While Stella was speaking, Prince Hoi from another country appeared holding a bow. Benjamin chuckled, and Igis sighed.
Benjamin said.
“If Igis allows?”
Then Hoi looked at Igis.
“If allowed, then.”
“You’re not asking for permission… it's an order….”
“Then, make it an order. Allow it.”
“…Do as you like.”
When Igis answered with a sigh, Hoi was excited, and Benjamin smiled faintly.
Stella, watching this, approached O'Nell and said with a giggle.
“Brother's friends are really fun.”
“….”
“Brother. Is there something bothering you?”
“…Did I treat you that coldly?”
“What?”
“To Yustea.”
I knew she said harsh words when angry. It was a bit excessive. There was a time when she said she didn't want to see begging for affection. Yustea opened his mouth but couldn't say it and lowered his head. He didn't lift his head even after he left.
But was it always like that? Stella's pupils trembled slightly as she looked at O'Nell. Stella turned her gaze. Yustea was looking at the bow on the rack for a long time. Stella pulled up the corners of her mouth and said.
“There must have been a reason for that.”
“I don't think there was.”
“Eh?”
“I think I was angry the whole time.”
“Why….”
O'Nell didn't continue and looked at Yustea. Yustea was a child who resembled his father. Anyone who knows the Andres heir would realize that this child is his daughter. Like O'Nell himself. On the day he went to his maternal uncle's house for the first and last time, he heard his maternal grandmother and mother say.
“Why did you bring him inside?”
“He’s not your son.”
“I feel sick looking at that child.”
“…Kaitlin.”
“If you look at him too much, it reminds you of the pathetic times when you begged for the love of that man.”
“….”
Mother didn't show such feelings in front of O'Nell. However, the day O'Nell went to find his maternal uncle was the last. His father and Yustea's mother were not in good terms either. If they met in the mansion, cold wind blew. They would pass by without greeting.
But that child's mother was….
“Cutie my baby. My lovely baby.”
“Mom, uncomfortable… (Mom, uncomfortable…)”
She kissed the face that was exactly like the duke's, and Yustea was imprinted in her eyes as if seeing the most precious thing in the world. That's why she felt nauseous looking at Yustea.
“…So, it was because I was angry.”
O'Nell finally looked at Yustea holding the bow and standing at the shooting line.
“Since when didn't he smile in front of me.”
“Brother is the coolest in the world, right?”
When did it stop chasing after him. It was probably before Stella came.
“Brother.”
Yeah, it stopped calling him that around then…. O'Nell, who was thinking, looked at Stella. Stella was looking at him with drooping eyebrows. And she squatted in front of O'Nell and put her hands on her knees.
“You want to make peace with Yustea?”
“…Not really….”
“Then, I'll help you?”
“…What?”
“Since brother is good, I am too.”
O'Nell smiled faintly. And he placed his hand on top of Stella's head.
“Even if Yustea is uncomfortable, I'll help.”
“….”
While stroking Stella's head, the sound of Benjamin calling came.
“Your turn. Stop shaking and come.”
O'Nell stood up and passed by Stella. It was at that moment that Stella's expression changed.
[Hint]
“I'll do my best to restore the relationship between brother and Yustea. Since my brother's heart being at ease is most important to me.”
“Is the answer really this?”
GM: The key point of O'Nell's favorability is tolerance.
GM: It's because of the mother who doesn't know what tolerance is.
GM: I clearly felt that O'Nell's favorability increased.
“But I don't want to help the relationship between O'Nell and Yustea.”
Yustea was excessive. It wasn't something I couldn't understand. Because I was made to suffer and kicked out like that in the mansion. But wasn't it because Yustea didn't poison himself first? Even so, acting like a victim was an amazing attitude.
GM: It's not to help.
GM: If you do it for O'Nell, just tell him that you are a wise younger sister who can endure sadness for O'Nell.
GM: More than that, Yustea is approaching 'that' one.
Stella turned her head sharply. Around Yustea, Benjamin, Igis the pope's nephew, and Prince Hoi from another country gathered.
“You shoot arrows well!”
“Really….”
“Archery requires strength, so it would be difficult for a girl's body, but you trained hard?”
Stella's gaze changed. She immediately stood up.
“Next is me, right?”
When she smiled brightly, people's eyes focused on her. Archery was a field where Stella was confident. She had never shot at 30 meters, but she had trained in hunting with friends. No inferiority.
* * *
Whoosh— Thud!
“8 points!”
Whoosh— Thud!
“7 points!”
Every time Yustea and Stella shot arrows, the soldier shouted high scores. The competition had become between Yustea and Stella.
“I should bet on the young ladies.”
Benjamin said, propping his chin. Hoi said.
“I'm that one. Blonde.”
“Anyway… if it's a bet….”
“Then, aren't you betting?”
“I'll bet on Yustea-nim….”
“Benjamin, what about you?”
“I… I'll cheer for Yustea I've seen for a long time. Then O'Nell has only Stella left.”
It wasn't only the men watching the competition. The workers organizing the shooting range and those serving the direct relatives and guests of Andres were also focused. Stella raised the corners of her mouth and looked at Yustea.
“You’re pretty good.”
“I had a good teacher.”
“Ah, really?”
Whoosh— Thud!
“8 points!”
Stella's arrow hit the target. So the score is 73 points. Yustea has 55, a hard number to reverse.
Next, Yustea placed his finger on the string and looked at the target.
“The most important thing when shooting an arrow is to gauge the wind.”
“Especially in winter, young lady… ah, young lady!”
“When you get used to it, you can gauge without shooting the arrow. But since you're still inexperienced, gauge with a few arrows.”
“Not in practice, idiot. In practice, the moment you shoot the arrow, your position is revealed.”
I learned archery from elite Irregulars. The people cheering for Stella cheered.
“Look at that. My eyes weren't wrong. The winner is Stella.”
Prince Hoi from another country laughed slyly and extended his hand to Igis. It was to put out money. Now there are 4 arrows left. A hard score to reverse. At the moment Igis sighed and took out the money pouch from his pocket.
Whoosh—, Thud!
“10 points!”
Yustea's arrow stuck right in the center. Everyone flinched and looked at Yustea. Yustea was looking at the target.
“Northwest wind. When the wind is strong enough to wrap around the chin with hair, aim around 3 points.”
The wind gauge is now over. Yustea looked at Stella. Stella laughed softly. And she placed the arrow on the string. Another group of people arrived outside the fence. The vassals. Because the fence of the shooting range was low, the passing vassals saw the archery competition. Baron Yopis, Viscount Rochet, Baron Namia also stopped and looked at Yustea and Stella.