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Chapter 24
How to Replace a Father
Underground Prison.
The guards looked at me with expressions of disbelief.
“It’s the first time I’ve seen someone make a cage feel like home.”
“Exactly…” I just smiled gently at them.
Because it really did feel like home.
‘Our home is underground too.’
Though not completely underground—just semi-basement.
I went a bit overboard for my mother.
She needed to get some sunlight, after all.
While I was thinking that, the prison door creaked open, and the sound of polished shoes echoed in.
The guards who had been staring at me in disbelief immediately bowed deeply.
Of course—they couldn’t defy a man who had his foothold in the North, the so-called conqueror of the North, Duke Escharotte.
“Synthes.”
When the Duke spoke, the man accompanying him lowered his head.
Judging by his name and muscular build, this must be Asta’s father, Marquis Synthes.
Marquis Synthes lowered his head and immediately gestured to those around him.
Everyone present quickly exited, like the tide going out.
Even Marquis Synthes left.
The underground prison fell silent in an instant.
Only the sounds of our breathing filled the space.
The Duke gazed at me inside the cage.
“So, tell me, what matter is important enough to risk your neck to summon me?”
I swallowed hard and spoke.
“I have… something to say.”
“It better be significant enough to summon me.”
“Well…”
“If you’re going to tell me that the irregular, Danju Aslan, is my son, you’ll disappoint me.”
“….”
For a moment, my heart seemed to plummet to the floor.
It felt like the blood in my body had frozen.
‘He knows about Danju?’
Seeing me turn pale, the Duke smiled faintly.
“I’m curious why you thought I wouldn’t know.”
I stared at him, forgetting even to breathe.
Another of his nicknames came to mind: the Evil of the Winterlands.
…A man with neither blood nor tears.
This was the first time I had ever faced a man so terrifying.
I had feared Danju, but the fear I felt now before the Duke was pure terror.
‘Am I even capable of dealing with him?’
All the Duke knew was that I had admitted to damaging Camellia.
And that alone was enough for him to accurately gauge my character.
He completely ruled out the possibility that I had harmed Camellia by accident and confessed out of fear.
He had assessed me perfectly and reached the right conclusion.
All from a brief encounter.
Moreover, he had precise intelligence about Danju.
He probably knew everything about irregulars too.
“Even though you know, why did you leave Danju alone…?”
“There was no reason not to.”
“….”
He hummed thoughtfully.
“It’s not exactly pleasing, but I have another son who was born into legitimacy.”
“….”
“If there’s no one to replace him, sure, but is it necessary to seek out and bring him here?”
“….”
“Any other questions?”
“…No.”
The Duke smiled faintly.
“This part is unexpected. You don’t even ask how one could abandon their child?”
“….”
“Why not?”
“I’m not the only one whose child was abandoned, Your Grace.”
I, too, was a child abandoned by my father.
He spoke again.
“Alright, now is it time to explain how excellent and virtuous Aslan is while begging?”
“No.”
“Huh… also unexpected. And why is that?”
“I think it’s too precious to tell Your Grace about the wonderful points of Danju.”
“…What?”
The Duke’s eyes widened slightly.
He stared at me, then laughed out loud—ha ha—for a long while.
“Where did such courage come from for a child who was trembling in fear?”
…Still terrifying, though.
I decided to change my approach.
I realized that flattering or begging wouldn’t work.
And if that didn’t work…
“I want to make a deal.”
“You want to deal with me?”
“Yes.”
“Interesting. I wonder how significant the item you’re putting on the scales is.”
“It’s something of utmost importance that concerns the fate of Escharotte.”
“And what would that be?”
I lifted my chin proudly.
“Your Grace’s life.”
Please allow Danju into the castle so I can purify him.
Several hours later.
The Duke’s Study.
Marquis Synthes returned after meeting with a doctor and a cleric.
He immediately handed documents to the Duke, who was sitting quietly.
“These are the examination results. It is true that Your Grace was poisoned. Also, as the child Yusteia said, everyone who came in contact with Camellia was poisoned.”
“What kind of poison?”
“I apologize. It was an unknown poison, unseen in any records.”
The Duke chuckled.
“Useful.”
“Excuse me?”
“That child… knows something even Escharotte does not.”
The Duke’s eyes glinted sharply.
It was the same in the prison.
The child had clearly been terrified.
Hands trembling, barely able to breathe.
Yet her eyes shone.
To carefully assess the situation and distinguish usable cards from unusable ones.
The Duke, lost in thought, asked:
“On the way to the North, did that child attempt to form an alliance between Prince Luciano and Prince Ein?”
“Yes.”
“Then perhaps she was the first to realize that Prince Ein is not insane?”
“Judging by circumstances, yes.”
“But how did she uncover the administrator’s collusion? I heard she got in serious trouble in San Miguel.”
“She could not find that out.”
Lighthearted stories exchanged about what Yusteia knew.
The Duke’s eyes and ears were everywhere in the North.
Marquis Synthes asked,
“Shall I assign a direct unit?”
A unit directly under the Duke, comparable to an elite irregular squad.
Older than the irregulars and backed by the Duke’s authority, they could surpass even elite squads in some ways.
The Duke hummed.
“No. I’m curious what amusing actions she’ll take next.”
“This concerns Your Grace’s life.”
“Not the only one holding it, right?”
True. Handling Yusteia would be easier than snapping fingers.
Marquis Synthes sighed.
“How much fun are you having?”
“Hadn’t had this kind of fun in years. Tell me more about that child—how did she capture your daughter’s attention?”
“I don’t know her tastes well…”
“Seems you’re not close with her.”
“These days, children don’t live closely with their parents.”
“She said she was a shame to her adoptive father?”
“Jealous…”
Marquis Synthes let out a heated sigh.
That afternoon.
After being released from the prison, I headed straight to my destination.
Not the steed hall… but to Luciano.
Luciano looked at me awkwardly from outside the door.
“After handling the Death Servant, there’s some interesting news waiting.”
“Hehe…”
“News that the steed I recommended got into an accident.”
“…I’m truly sorry.”
“So why did you come to me?”
“May I explain inside?”
Luciano entered the room, giving me the signal to follow.
I hurried inside and closed the door firmly.
Approaching the table where Luciano sat, I put my hands together.
“My apology is sincere.”
“Alright. And?”
“If I’m going to apologize anyway, may I add one more request? An audacious one.”
“…What?”
I bowed deeply.
“Please make a deal!”
“….”
Even without looking, I knew the expression on Luciano’s face.
A steady gaze pierced my skull.
Coming suddenly to demand a deal from a prince could be shocking.
‘But I have no other choice…’
To purify the Duke, I needed mana, and I was currently depleted.
Thanks to Marquis Synthes, I saw those poisoned by the population.
But those I often met showed significantly fewer poisoning symptoms.
I had unconsciously purified them, not knowing how to control mana.
Almost like an air purifier.
‘I’m a mana pauper; I must get it elsewhere…’
I couldn’t bring Danju into Escharotte Castle.
The only solution: borrow the strongest power in Escharotte Castle—Luciano.
Luciano, lost in thought, spoke:
“First, tell me what this deal is.”
I straightened and he gestured to the seat across from him.
I sat down slowly.
“Prince, you must have guessed by now…”
“That it’s hard to find the saint?”
A person who could understand me so well.
I nodded quickly.
“The tracking sphere can only use its abilities for up to fifteen days. After that, it dies of starvation.”
It eats nothing during tracking. Sustains itself via a strange magical artifact used to create it.
“And in those fifteen days, Ein’s Death Servant, Yeppi, will soon be of no use.”
Luciano crossed his arms.
“I know about Ein.”
“Prince Gaspar searched thoroughly, but not a single hair of the saint.”
“So the point?”
“The saint is to catch the Emperor’s attention. If there’s something else to please His Majesty, why must it be the saint?”
“You can provide such a thing?”
“Yes!”
Luciano smiled.
“Not bad. So what do you seek in return for giving me this… great thing?”
“First, I’d like to ask something.”
“Go ahead.”
I smiled harmlessly, showing both hands.
“Have you eaten well recently? Are you healthy? Any upcoming battles? Tired?”
“What are you trying to say?”
“If all is well, could you shoot a powerful spell at me?”
“….”
Luciano stared as if I were insane.
I averted my eyes.
‘I must look a little crazy.’
No other choice. I needed to absorb mana.
Luciano laughed bitterly.
“You’re insane.”
“Exactly how I feel…”
“Why such a crazy idea?”
“Uh… I longed for pure mana… wondered what it would be like with a spell of such power…”
He quietly observed my sweating, panicked explanation, then sighed and stood.
‘Is he going to chase me out thinking I’m mad?’
I anxiously watched as he took out something.
I recognized it immediately.
‘Botella!’
An item to store mana.
Luciano immediately filled it with mana.
Pure mana pooled inside the Botella like water.
Seeing my eyes sparkle, Luciano shook the Botella.
“Now you can try casting a spell directly?”
“If you do, I’ll be forever grateful…!”
“What will you give me in return?”
“Ah.”
I quickly stood and began to explain.
“It’s the population.”
“Population?”
“A deadly poison that can contaminate plants or animals.”
“Just poison?”
“Not just. It’s contagious—just being near it.”
“…!”
I smiled faintly.
“Could anything be stronger for monster extermination?”
I had thrown population in the game at monster packs, and even the strongest monsters were wiped out instantly.
“The eastern territories, lost to dragons, could be reclaimed without military losses.”
“….”
Luciano tossed the Botella to me.
I caught it hurriedly.
“No need to return it.”
“Really?”
Exchanging a single problematic population for something incredible.
‘The Botella will be useful in emergencies.’
I stroked the Botella with a blissful expression.
Then I looked at Luciano.
“Can it be postpaid?”
“….”
“Still don’t have the population in my hands.”
“…Bring it before you leave.”
“Yes!”
I smiled broadly.
Absorbing mana from the Botella immediately improved my condition.
Good choice coming to Luciano.
‘Now the mana is settled…’
Next was the Duke’s turn.
I gathered my preparations and headed to the East Wing, where the Duke and his family resided.
The senior steward, having been told of my arrival, guided me silently.
He took me to a room in the corner of the East Wing.
‘Not the study…’
As I wondered, the steward obtained permission and opened the door.
Something felt off.
The moment the door opened, a metallic smell hit my nose.
‘Metal? No… this is the smell of blood.’
Startled, I noticed the Duke standing there, saying, “Ah…” and looking at me.
But before I noticed him, another sight caught my eyes.
…Men slumped in chairs, bound.
‘Dead?!’
I murmured, and the Duke smiled faintly.
“Not yet.”
“…!”
“Why so startled?”
“You can read minds too…?”
Then came a thud.
A bear-sized man in front of the bound men.
‘Ah, Marquis Synthes.’
Asta’s father.
I had seen him when we discussed that others were poisoned in the underground prison.
He cleared his throat, regaining his composure.
The Duke chuckled softly.
“You had such an expression, didn’t you?”
“So… those people are…?”
“They failed in their roles.”
“Ah.”
I understood.
Those who failed to prevent population entry, find the population in the castle, or detect that population had poisoned Camellia.
A chill ran down my spine.
‘Wow…’
As I swallowed hard, the Duke approached.
“Shall we see if you can fulfill your role?”
I gulped.
“First, I must confirm one thing.”
“What is it?”
I hugged the box I brought, resolute.
“May I stay attached to Your Grace for three days?”
“…What?”
I had never played a cleric in the game.
So naturally, I didn’t know the next step of a cleric: the Purifier.
I didn’t know how to purify.
‘I’ve never consciously purified before.’
My body always purified automatically, so I never learned the technique.
The only method: become like an air purifier for others.
Stick close and wait to purify naturally.
