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Chapter 29
How to Replace a Father
Mira grabbed a passing dealer.
“Watch my table for me.”
“What are you up to?”
“I just happened to run into my spiritual father again! Please, just this once, yeah?”
“Oh, that mercenary captain, right?”
Apparently, she’d told the others that the Irregulars were just a mercenary group.
Leaving another dealer to mind her spot, Mira hurried to stand beside me.
“Let’s go. The lounge here is amazing. It looks like the nobles use it, so don’t freak out, okay?”
Mira was a bright, talkative girl.
She chattered nonstop on our way to the lounge.
“How did you meet the captain?”
“I went to find him.”
“How? I went to every place where people said the Irregulars appeared, but I never met them.”
“Well…”
Since I’d played the game before, I knew all the relevant information.
It seemed Mira didn’t know that the Irregulars were based in San Miguel.
All she knew was their faces and the captain’s name.
Walking a few steps ahead of me, she continued.
“Anyway, you’re lucky. The captain needed a daughter, and you just happened to fit the spot perfectly.”
“….”
“Aww, such a shame. If only he’d needed one two years ago! He used to be so fond of me.”
Then she suddenly stopped and turned to look at me.
“Maybe I should ask him to adopt me too?”
“Huh?”
“I’m kidding. I’m not the type to make things awkward. The job here’s not bad, and I get to mingle with nobles sometimes—they drop by every now and then.”
“….”
“Well, if he really did want to adopt me, I wouldn’t refuse. I really like the Irregulars, you know.”
Skipping ahead a few steps, Mira waved for me to follow her quickly.
✦✦✦
In the lounge.
Antonio had brought the captain and vice-captain with him.
“You’ve grown a lot.”
At the vice-captain’s words, Mira bounced excitedly in front of him.
“You remember me, vice-captain?”
“Of course.”
“What about you, captain? Do you remember my face too?”
The captain, sitting on the sofa first, glanced at her.
But he didn’t say anything.
He doesn’t remember her.
Mira must have realized that too, because she pouted.
“It’s fine. I’ll just assume it’s because I got prettier.”
“Wow, you’re still as positive as ever,” Antonio chuckled.
Mira hugged his arm playfully.
“Positive—that’s Mira. Just like ‘reckless’ means Antonio.”
“Why, you little—”
“Ahh! Save me, captain!”
Mira darted to the captain and sat right beside him.
Antonio squinted and followed her with his eyes.
That left only the vice-captain and me sitting farther away.
The vice-captain murmured softly,
“If she works at the casino, she might help us find the manager.”
I nodded. That was exactly why I’d agreed to come along.
We sat down too.
As Mira looked around at all of us, she spoke.
“I’m jealous.”
“What?” asked Antonio.
“That she gets to sit in the middle like that. If I’d been the captain’s daughter, I could’ve done that too. If only you were looking for an adopted daughter two years ago—I’d have done great!”
Oh dear…
So much for “not making things awkward.” She clearly did want to be adopted.
The vice-captain answered,
“No, that would’ve been impossible.”
“…What?”
Mira’s smile froze for a moment.
“Because there are things only she could do.”
Antonio nodded seriously. “Yeah.”
Mira forced a laugh.
“I was joking, no need to take it so seriously. Not offended, right?”
She looked at me, but the vice-captain cut in.
“Show proper manners.”
“You’ve gotten so stiff since I last saw you, vice-captain. I’m hurt… but fine. I like you too much to argue.”
Mira placed a hand over her chest and bowed.
“I’m Mira, the captain’s daughter. Is there anything you’d like to ask me—?”
“How did you start working here?” I asked.
“I used to sneak in and gamble, pretending to be an adult. With a few others, we formed a team for cheating.”
Antonio propped his chin and listened, then let out a low whistle.
“Bold of you.”
“That’s how I managed to stick close to the Irregulars, you know.”
“That makes sense.”
“Anyway, I got caught eventually. I thought I was dead for sure—but the manager called me over. Said I was skilled and offered me a job as a dealer.”
At the mention of the manager, I quickly asked,
“When was that?”
“Two months ago.”
Two months—that would’ve been before the manager was replaced.
They switch managers twice a year, in June and December.
The vice-captain’s face grew serious.
“Where is the manager now? Can you describe him?”
“Uh… my gut tells me this sounds like something big.”
The room went silent.
Mira crossed her arms and smirked.
“Even in gambling, you pay to play. You can’t expect me to give away important information for free.”
“How much do you want?” asked the vice-captain.
Mira smiled.
“I don’t want money.”
The captain, who’d been silent all along, finally spoke.
“You sound like you want to make a deal. Say it clearly.”
“Let me join the Irregulars.”
Antonio and the vice-captain’s eyes widened.
“…What?”
“Come again?”
Mira pouted.
“I want to become an Irregular. Don’t abandon me again this time.”
“….”
“….”
“….”
The three Irregulars—captain, vice-captain, and Antonio—exchanged looks.
How will they handle this?
The Irregulars were an extremely secretive organization.
They would never have left a child alive who knew their identity.
So maybe their time with Mira two years ago was actually a fond memory.
But then again, maybe they just didn’t bother because she couldn’t expose them.
Mira didn’t know their base or their real identities.
Even knowing their faces wouldn’t help—
There were so many fake bounty posters with faces that didn’t even resemble them.
Who would’ve believed her?
Finally, the captain said slowly,
“No.”
“What?”
Mira’s eyes widened.
She must’ve truly believed she could join this time.
But the captain stood up for real—
signaling that the discussion was over.
Mira quickly grabbed his arm.
“What if I report the Irregulars?”
“It won’t affect us. But if you want to, go ahead. Just be ready to pay the price.”
“….”
The captain looked toward me.
“Let’s go.”
“Ah… yes.”
I was just getting up when—
“I’ll tell you,” Mira said, her face gloomy.
“I don’t really want to cause you trouble…”
She sighed.
“The manager isn’t here right now. He comes at midnight.”
“Describe him.”
“An old man, very hunched. With a swallowtail-shaped beard.”
“Thank you.”
The vice-captain placed a small pouch on the table—
I glimpsed silver coins inside.
It was payment in place of recruitment.
“…Can I have something else instead?”
“No more talk about joining the Irregulars—”
“No, not that. I just… want to go to the lake. Everyone in the capital goes there with their families. I’ve always wished I could go with mine.”
“….”
“I don’t have a family, so I’d like to go with the people who feel like one.”
“….”
“You’re waiting till midnight anyway. You’ve got time, right?”
The vice-captain looked at the captain.
And the captain…
Why’s he looking at me?
I blinked. Then he asked,
“You.”
“…?”
“Have you ever been?”
“I’ve heard about the lake, but I’ve never gone.”
It wasn’t like Marquis Andres would’ve taken me somewhere like that.
He only took Stella.
“Let’s go.”
The captain rose and left the lounge.
✦✦✦
We left with Mira and headed toward the lake.
It was said that Benece, the god of peace and health, descended there to bathe.
People came with their families to pray for well-being.
It really was beautiful.
Mira walked arm in arm with Antonio and the vice-captain along the shore.
“Wanna race? Like—‘Catch me if you can!’”
“Isn’t that something lovers do?”
“I don’t mind.”
“Well, I do.”
Laughing, she kept chatting energetically.
I sat on a mat the vice-captain had found and gazed at the lake.
I could understand why Mira wanted to come here.
I used to want that too.
It was a popular picnic spot—
the kind of place families came to together.
I remembered studying desperately so I could say, “Let’s go celebrate!”
But when I brought home good grades, Father told me not to disgrace myself by rejoicing over something expected.
Mother had seen me sulking and suggested we go anyway.
But I’d shaken my head.
I wanted to go only when Father would come too—
when I’d finally earned his acknowledgment.
…Not knowing that no matter how hard I tried, I’d still be abandoned.
“What are you thinking so deeply about?”
Mira had run back to me at some point.
Antonio and the vice-captain trailed behind, looking exhausted.
“Nothing much…”
“By the way, are you really going to keep that hood on? You’ve never taken it off. Won’t you suffocate?”
Mira reached to pull it back.
Startled, I slapped her hand away.
She gasped and drew her hand back.
Antonio arrived just then.
“What happened?”
“The lady—”
“What about her?”
“It’s fine. I’m fine,” Mira said awkwardly, as if I had done something wrong.
So I explained,
“She tried to take off my hood. I was startled and pushed her hand away.”
“You did what?” Antonio frowned.
The vice-captain’s eyes turned cold.
Mira flusteredly waved her hands.
“I just thought she might be uncomfortable!”
Then she quickly changed the subject.
“Where’s the captain?”
“On a call.”
“Really? Then I’ll be right back. There’s this sandwich shop nearby that’s amazing.”
And off she went.
✦✦✦
Leaving the lakeside, Mira glanced back once.
“So she’s not as meek as she looks.”
Still, she was glad she’d acted surprised earlier.
She’d thought she could make it look like I had overreacted.
But I’d pushed back?
Well, she must not be ordinary if she got into the Irregulars.
Two years ago, Mira had begged and pleaded to join,
but they hadn’t accepted her.
In fact, they’d arranged for her to be sent away from the orphanage sooner.
And now, that girl had become the captain’s adopted daughter.
As if I’d let her steal my place again.
She’d felt it the moment she saw them in the casino—
This was destiny.
The gods themselves must have led them back to her.
Otherwise, how could she have met them twice, in this vast empire,
and under such perfect circumstances?
Smiling faintly, Mira entered a bakery.
Inside, a few boys she was looking for were lazily yawning at a table.
“Hey, Martin.”
A red-haired boy lifted a hand. “Oh. What sucker did you find this time?”
Another boy asked, chin in hand, “Sucker?”
“Mira always comes here after she cons someone. ‘I’ve never been to the lake with family… would you go with me?’”
The red-haired boy clasped his hands dramatically, making the others laugh.
Mira snorted.
“This time it’s not a con. It’s real.”
“Yeah right. Your real dad’s probably selling fish in the market.”
A freckled boy turned to her.
“Weren’t you an orphan?”
“Not exactly. She was just poor and sick of it. So she joined an orphanage hoping for a rich family to adopt her. When the headmaster wouldn’t arrange one, she even set fire to the place.”
Mira smiled sweetly.
“Call it being smart.”
“Then use that ‘smarts’ to make us some money. We’re running out.”
“I’m done with that stuff. But I’ll give you a new source of cash.”
“A new source?”
“Wait at the spot I tell you. Around sunset, a girl will come by. Kidnap her and sell her to Romen’s Mane.”
The red-haired boy whistled.
Romen’s Mane was one of the most notorious human trafficking groups.
“Must really hate this girl if you’re calling in them.”
“That’s the point. Only Romen’s Mane is elusive enough that even the Irregulars can’t trace them.”
“There she goes again—always with the Irregular talk.”
The boys burst out laughing.
None of them believed she had any connection to the Irregulars.
If even the Imperial Palace couldn’t find them, how could Mira know them?
Finishing her talk, Mira went to the counter, bought four sandwiches,
and added an extra dose of betiom—an herb that causes stomach cramps—into the one meant for the captain’s daughter.
Once she runs off to find a toilet, that’ll be the last time she ever sees the captain.
She returned to the lakeside.
“Sorry to keep you waiting! Here, eat up.”
The three Irregulars and Eustea accepted the sandwiches.
And Eustea…
Took a big bite.
Mira smiled secretly.
✦✦✦
Mira kept chatting right up until sunset.
“By the way, the roulette wheels in casinos are rigged. Don’t ever play them, okay?”
“Do you remember two years ago? You loved those gloves I made!”
“The lake’s pretty, but it makes me sad. I get jealous of the kids here with their parents.”
Then she slipped in what she really wanted to say.
“You know, I heard human trafficking’s gotten really bad lately. So many kids are being snatched up.”
That way, when the girl disappeared, they’d think it was the traffickers’ doing.
Good. Now all that’s left is for the betiom to kick in.
But something was off.
Time passed—and the girl didn’t even flinch.
The sun was nearly down.
If her boys got impatient, they might leave.
There’s no way the drug didn’t work…
Was she just holding it in?
Mira forced a smile and turned to Eustea.
“Um, are you feeling okay? You look a little pale.”
“I’m fine. I threw out the betiom you slipped in.”
…What?
Mira froze.
Eustea looked her straight in the eye.
“I wasn’t about to eat food from someone who lies so easily.”
“W-What… lie? What are you talking about…?”
“The casino manager. That’s you, isn’t it?”
Mira had described the manager like this:
an old man, hunched over, with a swallowtail beard.
I knew she was lying the moment she said it.
Managers are chosen for their agility—people capable of protecting the key in an emergency.
And they never reveal themselves to dealers.
Dealers report to the casino owner, whom everyone knows.
“So that makes you the liar, doesn’t it?”
