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Chapter 16
How to Replace My Dad
Somewhere in the northern mountains.
This place, called a station, was literally like a railway station — except it was equipped with a teleportation device known as a portal.
All around the area, imperial soldiers were busy setting up camp.
And just as they were conducting start-up tests on the portal, I arrived there…
“Oh, Eustea!”
Colonel Ragoni greeted me with an enthusiastic shout.
“Hello, Colonel. Thank you for inviting me.”
“It’s my good fortune that you happened to be in the North.”
Colonel Ragoni hadn’t known I was stationed in the northern region.
We’d only exchanged letters through a trading company based in the central district.
I sent and received my letters whenever the merchants passed through the northern routes, while he used carrier pigeons to send his.
“I feel bad to say this as soon as you’ve arrived, but I have a favor to ask.”
“A favor?”
‘That’s odd,’ I thought.
He usually wasn’t the type to insist this much.
Even though he liked my cooking, he wasn’t someone who’d pull me out of my duties during a prince’s escort just for a meal.
He was known for his strict, precise work ethic — which was why he’d advanced to the elite corps assigned to guard the imperial princes.
Colonel Ragoni nodded solemnly.
“Eustea, could I entrust you with the meals of His Highness the Fourth Prince?”
“The… Fourth Prince?”
I’d expected him to ask me to cook for the colonel or his men — but the prince?
Meals for royalty weren’t something anyone could prepare.
The cooks had to be vetted through the imperial palace, and every dish approved by the palace nutritionist.
As I blinked in confusion, Colonel Ragoni glanced around and whispered to me.
“His Highness the Fourth Prince suffers from madness.”
Madness —
In other words, a mental disorder.
My eyes widened. Colonel Ragoni continued, nodding grimly.
“The Fourth Prince believes someone is trying to poison him. He refuses to eat anything.”
“That’s… terrible.”
“Please, help us. You’ve revived the spirits of soldiers suffering from mental afflictions before, haven’t you?”
Ah, so that’s why the colonel had been so desperate to call for me.
If the prince were to collapse under his guard, the entire blame would fall upon Ragoni.
“Hmm…”
I thought for a moment.
‘It won’t be easy… but it’s worth a try.’
I needed to get close to the prince anyway — that was the first step to becoming his attendant.
I soon nodded.
The colonel’s face brightened instantly.
“Thank you so much. I’ll do everything I can to make sure the other princes don’t discover you’re here.”
“…Other princes?”
Of course, the Fourth Prince wouldn’t be traveling alone.
Several princes were scheduled to accompany this northern expedition.
But there shouldn’t be anyone among them whose presence would force me to hide my identity…
‘Wait a second—’
I glanced sharply at the colonel.
He hesitated, then said awkwardly,
“There are… some princes you might find uncomfortable.”
What?
That didn’t make sense — in the original game, none of the princes who came to the North were even connected to me!
* * *
In the makeshift kitchen of the camp.
Standing before the chopping board with an apron tied around my waist, I thought to myself:
‘Maybe I should just run away now.’
Things were unfolding very differently from the original game’s storyline.
Three princes had come on this northern journey:
The Second Prince, Luciano.
The Fourth Prince, Ain.
And the Fifth Prince, Gaspar.
‘What a lineup…’
Aside from the Fourth Prince, the other two weren’t even supposed to be here.
And both of them… were people I really didn’t want to see.
The Fifth Prince, Gaspar, was the full brother of the First Prince — my first love and former fiancé.
And the Second Prince…
‘No, let’s not think about him. It’s not like I can run away anyway.’
I shook my head.
If I fled now, I’d never become a royal attendant.
That meant I couldn’t reach Esgarot Castle, nor meet the Duke and the Guildmaster.
The better this irregular path went, the safer my future would be.
I took a deep breath and tightened my apron strings.
‘First things first — get appointed as an attendant. As for those difficult princes… I’ll just avoid them as much as possible.’
With that resolution, I washed my hands.
But before I could start cooking—
“So you’re the wench Colonel Ragoni brought from outside?”
A towering man, nearly two meters tall, strode toward me, leading several people in chef uniforms.
Judging by his hat, he was a chef too.
I bowed politely.
“Yes, my name is Eustea.”
The tall man crossed his arms and glared down at me.
“What trick did you use?”
“…Pardon?”
“What did you do to seduce Colonel Ragoni?”
“Oh… dumplings.”
“…What?”
“He likes my dumplings. I used to work in the supply corps, and he’s liked my food ever since.”
I didn’t even finish speaking before the man swept his arm across the counter —
sending bowls and boards flying.
Clang! Crash!
Utensils clattered noisily across the floor.
“Do you think this is funny?!”
His eyes burned with fury, while the other chefs behind him smirked mockingly.
So that was it — the questions weren’t questions at all.
He couldn’t lash out at the colonel, so he came here to vent his frustration on me.
They just wanted to see a helpless new girl get bullied until she cried and ran away —
which would embarrass Colonel Ragoni too.
I quietly crouched down and began picking up the utensils.
The man sneered.
“I’ll ask again. How did you enchant the colonel?”
“I told you, he simply enjoys my cooking.”
I calmly placed the tools back on the table.
The man’s frown deepened.
The other chefs scoffed.
“Would you look at that?”
“She’s not your average girl. Look at those big, round eyes!”
They jeered, egging the man on.
He stomped toward me, shaking the ground.
“No matter how you sweet-talked the colonel, this is no place for a nobody like you!”
“….”
“The prince’s meals should be prepared by those of us with the proper credentials!”
“….”
“So stop sticking your nose into opportunities that aren’t yours and get lost!”
So that was it.
They were mad because they thought I’d stolen their chance to impress the princes.
The northern expedition was tough work, but it could earn you recognition from royalty —
a perfect opportunity for an ambitious palace chef.
And now I’d come out of nowhere and ruined it.
As I stayed silent, the giant raised his massive hand.
“Are you ignoring me?!”
‘Oh, he’s actually going to hit me?’
Well then — time to act.
The chefs grinned, thinking I was too scared to react — but instead, I shouted:
“Colonel! Colonel Ragoni!”
“…!”
“…!!”
“There’s violence in the kitchen! I’m scared! The chefs— mmph!”
The chefs gasped and scrambled to cover my mouth.
They hadn’t expected that. Panic flashed in their eyes.
“What are you doing?!”
What else? Reporting you, of course.
They must’ve thought I’d freeze up and take it quietly —
but sorry, that’s not who I am.
I’ve been kicked out of Andress and survived all sorts of jobs since.
I’ve been through far worse than this.
And I’ve learned one thing — if you keep enduring abuse, you just become a convenient punching bag.
My motto? Use what you can, when you can.
The chefs turned pale, but it was too late.
The moment I mentioned his name, Colonel Ragoni came charging in like a bullet.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?!”
“C-Colonel…”
The two-meter giant instantly shrank back.
* * *
The aftermath went exactly as expected.
Colonel Ragoni stormed in, breathing fire, and the entire kitchen got blasted.
“You dare defy an order made for the safety of His Highness, blinded by your own petty greed?!”
The giant chef didn’t dare speak.
‘Yeah, he tried earlier — and got yelled into oblivion.’
“W-We were only trying to advise her—”
“Oh? Let’s hear that advice.”
“We might’ve gotten a little rough, but it was only out of concern for His Highness—”
“Then show me just how rough it got.”
“We are under royal authority, Colonel! Even you can’t just—”
“I’ll report to the palace that you’re the incompetent fools who let the Fourth Prince starve for five days.”
KO.
Total defeat.
The chefs ended up clinging to the colonel’s boots, begging for mercy.
While their wails echoed in the background, I glanced up from the counter.
“Colonel.”
He turned to me with a suddenly gentle smile.
“Yes, my dear Eustea? Do you need anything for your cooking?”
“No, sir. It’s done already. Would you like to taste it?”
The colonel — and even his aides behind him — instantly rushed forward.
“I’ll taste it!”
“No, it’s hot — we can’t risk burning our superior’s tongue. I’ll take the danger!”
“Cut the nonsense and get lost.”
Rank won. The colonel claimed the first taste.
He slurped down the piping hot scorched-rice soup so fast he scalded his palate —
then gave me a thumbs-up through the pain.
‘Perfect. Test tasting complete.’
Now it was time to meet the Fourth Prince — the one supposedly afflicted by madness.
Carrying a tray of food, I headed toward his tent.
‘I’ve never met the Fourth Prince before.’
Even when I was still the Lady of Andress, I’d never seen a single strand of his hair.
Some royals avoided public appearances, so I hadn’t thought much of it.
And since he had no notable rumors, I never imagined he was in hiding due to madness.
I reached the tent and opened my mouth—
Or tried to.
“Where the hell is that damn tracking orb, brother?!”
A furious voice — followed by the sound of someone being thrown — stopped me cold.
I recognized that voice immediately.
‘The thug!’
The Fifth Prince, Gaspar.
And if he was calling someone “brother” inside the Fourth Prince’s tent…
Then the person being tossed around must be Prince Ain himself.
In other words, the princes were physically fighting each other.
I froze, unable to enter.
Gaspar was infamous for his brutality.
I’d once seen him jab a noble’s eye with a dinner knife — just for looking at him wrong.
If I tried to intervene, I’d only end up getting caught in the chaos.
‘I need to get help.’
But unlike the kitchen incident, I couldn’t rely on Colonel Ragoni —
he wasn’t in a position to stop a prince.
‘Then the only one left is—’
“Need some help?”
A calm voice behind me nearly made me jump out of my skin.
I turned sharply.
A man in a hooded robe stood there, looking straight at me.
Silver hair that shimmered like moonlight.
Eyes the color of quiet blood.
A sharp, elegant nose and lips shaped like an artist’s brushstroke.
His proportions were so perfect he seemed more sculpture than man.
If not for Guildmaster Aslan, I’d have thought no man could look this breathtaking.
And yet, I went rigid — as though staring death in the face.
“…Your Highness Luciano.”
The Second Prince.
Of course it was him.
I quickly bowed.
“It’s an honor to see you, Your Highness.”
His low voice fell over my head.
“Do you need help?”
“…The situation inside seems dire. Perhaps His Highness Ain could use—”
“I asked if you needed help.”
“I…”
“The former Crown Princess — always getting in my way.”
“…!”
Oh no.
A brawl behind me, and death personified in front.
Wonderful.
If Gaspar was dangerous, Luciano was… something worse.
He’d been my ex-fiancé’s greatest rival.
My father had once ordered me to keep tabs on him —
and foolish, dutiful Eustea had obeyed, believing it her role.
And I’d succeeded. More than once.
To him, I must look like a sworn enemy.
I glanced toward the tent and said hastily,
“I-I’ve been disowned and demoted to a dirt-covered potato now — would that lessen your resentment, perhaps?”
“Hardly. You’re the one who stole the glory of the foreign campaign and handed it to your husband.”
“True, but considering how he threw me away like garbage, could you maybe… sympathize?”
“And the sword of the Founding Emperor — the one His Majesty meant to grant me —
you took that and gave it to your husband, didn’t you?”
“…If I told you I regret my past stupidity deeply and am even willing to be slapped, would that help?”
“Do I look like a lunatic who hits women?”
“Of course not! But there is a lunatic in there hitting your brother, just saying—”
My voice rose; I was really starting to panic.
Another crash echoed from inside.
“I’m truly sorry, Your Highness, and I know I’ve committed unforgivable sins —
but could we please postpone our grudge? I’ll even come tonight and offer my neck if you want, so please—!”
If Prince Ain got hurt, it’d be disastrous.
The northern mission would end immediately — and with it, my chance to become an attendant, reach Esgarot Castle, and meet the Duke and the Guildmaster.
And more importantly — I wouldn’t be able to sleep at night with this guilt.
Just as I was about to speak again—
Shhhk—
The unmistakable sound of a blade leaving its sheath came from inside.
Oh no.
Now it was turning into a sword fight.
I couldn’t hesitate anymore. I was about to rush in when—
“This is a debt repaid, Eustea.”
“Huh?”
Luciano walked past me.
Slowly — almost in slow motion.
And as he reached the tent’s draped entrance—
CRACK!
With a single swing, he sliced through the support beam.
Half the tent collapsed.
A gust of wind blew through, whipping the canvas aside —
and the scene inside came into view.
One prince sat collapsed on the ground — the supposedly mad Fourth Prince Ain.
The other stood above him, sword raised — Fifth Prince Gaspar.
Luciano stood before them, crooked smile at the edge of his lips.
Gaspar sneered.
“Looks like the bugs are swarming early this year, brother.”
“Don’t insult yourself so much, Gaspar.”
…Maybe I should have run away after all.
Because this was about to turn into total chaos.
