How to Replace Dad
The voice was like a blade honed to the limit, or a blizzard sweeping across the tundra.
It was ominous, no matter what.
...It was Dad.
Yuis must have quickly summoned Dad.
How did he know here? On the balcony above, a crow was circling, drawing a circle in the air, flying.
Through Oscar's crow, he found the location.
The dad walked briskly over and blocked between me and Andres Duke.
Andres Duke, who had his back to me, smiled faintly.
"Isn't it obvious that I'm in the middle of a conversation?"
"Proper conversation doesn't start with threats."
He was referring to the fact that Yuis had threatened me to bring me here.
Andres Duke laughed "haha".
"These brats are the problem. Even if they have some power, they don't know their place and go wild. It's better to be careful, don't you think?"
"Careful? Me?"
"Could it be you?"
"It could be you too. Even if gold is in your belly, stabbing with a knife will make you bleed, same for both."
I rolled my eyes left and right, looking at Dad and Andres Duke.
The atmosphere was tense.
"Hey, um—."
I was about to call Dad.
Andres Duke opened his mouth.
"I haven't heard the answer yet, Yustea."
"..."
"The Crown of Spiral. Don't you need it?"
I clutched my skirt tightly.
Not needed.
It was so desperately needed.
"My dear Yustea."
Mom's voice echoed in my ear.
Since Mom fell, I've wanted to hear that voice so badly.
If I hold that hand, I can hear it.
I grabbed my head with both hands. My hands were trembling.
"I'm..."
I forced out the words.
Dad looked at me.
A deep smile was on Andres Duke's lips.
He seemed to have anticipated what I'd say.
I barely exhaled and opened my mouth.
"I don't like it."
"... What?"
"I said I don't like it. I really don't."
Mom is the one who has reversed time for me.
And I'm not happy at all that Mom sacrificed her life for me, with no joy.
So, Mom would feel the same.
I wouldn't be happy to abandon Dad and the members I valued for Mom and go to Andres.
I don't want to show Hell's me to the awakened Mom.
'Also, I have a chance to find the Crown of Spiral.'
"Let's go, Dad."
I grabbed Dad's collar.
Dad nodded.
Just as we were about to pass Andres Duke.
"...!"
I was caught by Andres Duke's hand on my wrist.
"Release this."
"The Crown of Spiral. I can wake up your mom. Are you going to give up everything just to be with some trash like that?"
"Release—."
"What the hell is that kind of thing."
Andres Duke stared at me.
The smile had long left his face.
I twisted my wrist and frowned.
"Stop...!"
"You don't ask!"
At that moment.
Boom—!
"...!"
Dad's fist landed on Andres Duke's cheek.
Because of the force, I was released from his hand, but I couldn't move.
Andres Duke wiped his mouth with his hand. Blood was visible on his knuckles.
'Oh no...!'
That was the moment I thought that.
Thud!
This time, it was Andres Duke who threw the punch.
Dad quickly blocked his fist with his hand, but blood flowed from Dad's palm.
The shock wave from Andres Duke's fist was like hooks tearing the skin on Dad's palm.
Dad glanced at his palm.
And then...
Boom!
Thud!
...It was the start of a brawl.
"Stop...! I said stop!"
Andres Castle, my room.
Upon hearing the news, the Esgard Duke came.
The duke looked at Dad, who was being treated, with a dumbfounded expression.
"Firing a fist at Andres Duke in Andres Castle?"
Dad didn't even look at the duke.
So, I was even more cautious of the duke's eyes.
"Th-this is... The duke threatened me, so if I officially report it, I'll be a witness..."
"Did you lose?"
"...Neng?"
Dad folded and unfolded his healed hand and said.
"I didn't lose."
"...Neng?"
It wasn't a loss.
We exchanged about five blows each, and then people came and it ended.
"Then it's fine. The guy who lived his whole life in brawls should at least do that much."
"..."
Was that important?
While blinking, Dad checked my wrist and said.
"What was that lightning?"
"Lightning?"
"I couldn't use magic. Moreover, if I try to use my left hand, my right leg goes out."
"Problem with the nervous system. Lightning would be the power granted to the founding emperor by the 7 families."
The 7 families have special powers.
It's a secret passed only to the founding families, and Andres's power is lightning, an attack type.
If hit by lightning, like Dad, it causes nervous system problems.
'Did you push the duke into that state?'
The Esgard Duke frowned.
"Actually, you didn't win."
"I didn't lose."
Dad's eyes became fierce.
"I plan to kill you next time."
"So, what is that Crown of Spiral?"
The duke sat opposite and asked.
I flinched.
Dad just silently checked my wrist.
"The Crown of Spiral is something that Andres Duke used to threaten Yustea with, and you fought with him."
"How do you know about the Crown of Spiral, Your Grace..."
"It's not a big deal to gather that much information."
"..."
I glanced at Dad.
Dad nodded. It was okay to tell.
"If I have the Crown of Spiral, I can wake up Mom. All status conditions... so it's an item that releases curses."
"Indeed, your mother was asleep because of a curse?"
Exactly, it's a gold backlash, but in general, it's a curse.
'It's not just a curse, it should be classified as apocalyptic.'
It's the upper level of curses, apocalyptic.
I nodded.
"You were expecting that."
"If the saintess couldn't be healed, of course it was a curse."
Andres Duke also seemed to have figured out that Mom was in a status condition in that context.
"Purification was also useless, huh."
"Yeah..."
"Is the wish you wanted to fulfill by eradicating the fake cult related to the Crown of Spiral?"
"Yes... The royal family and the temple will put the Crown of Spiral up for auction as a family heirloom."
"Then I have to participate."
"...!"
I was surprised and looked at the duke.
The duke said.
"To wake up your mother with the Crown of Spiral, you won't be swayed by Andres in the future, right? To participate, you need to pay the sponsorship fee. Money, I'll provide."
"No! I have money earned from the fake cult."
"Use it as pocket money."
"..."
"Why?"
"... Why are you doing this? The amount won't be small."
Then the duke said casually.
"Didn't I say? I think you're cute."
"..."
"For your grandchildren, I can't do this much."
"..."
I looked at him with trembling eyes.
The duke smiled gently.
Dad had a disgusted expression, but I didn't dislike that smile.
The duke stood up.
"Let's finish up the Old Empire Reconstruction Society business and go back."
To him who was about to leave, I hurriedly said.
"I...!"
"Hm?"
The duke turned to me.
I hesitated and said.
"Grandpa... Can I keep calling you that?"
"..."
"So, I was calling you that originally, but um... outside too, not the duke... that..."
"Of course!"
The duke... no, grandpa burst into laughter "oh ah ah ah".
Grandpa stretched his hand to me saying "okay, okay", and Dad rejected it with a disgusted face.
Dad's face twisted.
But seeing me smiling shyly, he sighed.
As if he couldn't help it.
Yuis, standing at the door, silently chuckled.
It was the coldest day of the winter this year, but strangely, I didn't feel cold at all.
I didn't know inside the warmth.
The big event that would happen tomorrow.
Benjamin died in Andres's underground prison.
Voluntarily.
The next day, the palace.
Bang!
The emperor slammed the table hard and shouted.
"The remnants of the Old Empire Reconstruction Society committed suicide? What the hell did Andres Duke do!"
The palace officials immediately prostrated themselves due to the sharp roar.
The emperor couldn't tolerate even the fact that the Old Empire Reconstruction Society existed.
Moreover, the successor of the Becker Duke family, one of the 7 families, was a member, and even committed suicide.
"Immediately transport Becker Duke. Andres Duke will also be held responsible for this incident."
The pope next to the emperor sighed.
"Holding them responsible is no problem after we exterminate the Old Empire Reconstruction Society. The country's division is not something the Old Empire Reconstruction Society would welcome, right?"
"Then, shall we just let it go like this?"
"I'm saying to investigate first. There are many doubts in Andres Duke's report."
First, we need to find out the source of the White Dragon that attacked the heads of the 7 families.
In Andres Duke's report, it was written that Benjamin Becker summoned the White Dragon.
However, it was strange that Benjamin brought the White Dragon all the way to the castle after breaking through Andres Castle's security system.
"Was there a White Dragon inside Andres Castle?"
"It's highly likely."
"...Anyway, we have to transport Andres Duke along with Becker Duke."
As the emperor was muttering.
A palace official said in a difficult voice.
"I, that is..."
"What now?"
"Andres Duke seems not in a state to be transported..."
"What?"
"Fracture of the jaw, and even the shoulder bone is broken."
"Was it from the White Dragon?"
"No. That's not it... that..."
The palace official hesitated, and the emperor shouted.
"Then what!"
"After hearing the commotion, when people went to check, both were covered in blood..."
The pope opened his eyes wide.
The emperor also looked at the palace official who reported with a dumbfounded face.
The emperor frowned and said.
"What nonsense... What did the Esgard Duke say? Why...!"
"It's a letter from the Esgard Duke."
The emperor immediately unfolded the letter.
The content of the letter was like this.
To His Imperial Majesty the Emperor, who is busy with state affairs.
The incident that occurred in Andres on this month this day is a private matter unrelated to the Old Empire Reconstruction Society, and it's embarrassing for news to reach Your Majesty...
Summary is like this.
Yeah, we had a brawl, and my son beat Andres Duke.
It's a private matter, so don't worry.
If there's any report from Andres, please help a bit.
Considering the complicated mind, my heart is troubled, but I'll calm my mind and nurture the seed of the movie that Your Majesty has bestowed...
We have our saintess.
You know?
... The Esgard Duke plans to focus on eradicating the Old Empire Reconstruction Society, and has scheduled training for 3 million troops...
But if you touch our saintess, I won't stand by.
The letter from the Esgard Duke was crumpled in the emperor's hand.
"This...!"
Bang!
The emperor slammed the table with the letter.
And shouting while grabbing his neck.
"Damn...!"
In the afternoon.
I asked Yuis.
"Really? Really Benjamin's corpse?"
"I checked it myself."
"... Benjamin isn't the type to die so easily."
"Was it Andres Duke's doing? It's strange that he was left to die so easily in the first place."
Well, probably.
If the transaction with the Old Empire Reconstruction Society is revealed, it's literal destruction.
I sighed "hum".
"Andres Duke wouldn't have easily transported a weakness to the palace..."
"Anyway, this matter seems to be settled like this, but the problem is..."
"Problem?"
Yuis glanced outside the room.
Outside the room was noisy.
"This side is urgent."
"You think our side isn't urgent?"
"Haha, even cold water has hot and cold!"
Many officials of the 7 families were gathered.
"Before you leave Andres, you had to meet, and since an hour ago, it's been like this."
...Many people wanted to meet the saintess.
While sighing.
"Want help?"
Surprised by the voice from outside the window, I looked up.
A man sitting on the window frame waved at me.
Oscar.
One of the Irregular's elites, the man who infiltrated as Andres's mage.
Yuis frowned arrogantly and opened the window.
"Are you crazy? What if you're caught."
"Since the mission is over, it's fine if I'm caught."
Oscar said as he came into the window.
"Hello?"
I said, and he chuckled.
"Hello, Yustea."
"What?"
"Call me casually. I'm Oscar, miss."
He kissed the back of my hand and said.
"Yeah. Yustea."
"By the way, want help?"
"How?"
"There are many ways... Ah, this."
Oscar, who was looking at my eyes, frowned.
"You met Cesar?"
"Cesar?"
"One of the elites. He really hates you."
Elites?
What does that mean?
'I haven't met Cesar.'
Did I meet Cesar among the people I met?