I Don’t Need a Dad Like This! - Chapter 113

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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【Chapter 113】

Even seeing Jair’s expression harden, he could only laugh.

“Are you playing games with me right now? The biological clock of the Chronos Empire has moved, precisely because of the dark mages! Instead of helping me, the Time Observer, step forward, you want to play chess?”

“Yes. I have been ordered by His Majesty the Emperor to monitor Lord Jair. As a word of advice from an imperial lawyer, your statement about helping His Highness the Crown Prince is somewhat dangerous in this situation.”

“So you want to leisurely play chess?”

“Well, His Majesty the Emperor cherishes me, doesn’t he? Even if I disobey orders, some compromise should be possible.”

Jair, who had been growling, finally understood Philip’s meaning.

So chess was just a pretext.

But could he trust Philip?

Crossing his arms, Jair glared at him with displeasure.

Marquis Philip, the most trustworthy imperial lawyer in the Empire.

He couldn’t inspire trust in the boy.

Though it was ancient history now, Philip had once abandoned Jair in childhood.

“…I’d rather stay locked up than trust you.”

Jair sharply turned his head, slammed the study door shut, and disappeared.

Philip was not originally a leisurely person.

While his main duty was defending the imperial family when legal issues arose, all court disputes between nobles also proceeded under Philip’s supervision.

This was because his subordinate staff handled the nobles’ legal representation.

However, Philip did not leave the tower, having entrusted important schedules to his staff.

‘Does he really intend to monitor me to the very end?’

Eventually, Jair was the first to speak to Philip, who was leisurely reading a book.

“…Marquis.”

“Yes, Your Highness. I always keep time free for chess.”

“Honestly speaking, I acknowledge that our meetings have become frequent because of Rie, but the days when I played with you are gone.”

Philip’s gaze, which had been focused on his book, finally turned to the boy.

“Do you understand what I mean? I can have conversations with you, but we’re not close enough to make deals while talking about chess.”

Jair decided to use Philip’s sense of guilt toward him as a last resort.

Though it was meaningless now, it seemed like it might help in this situation.

“…I’ve certainly missed a lot. I desperately want to return to the days when I could spend time casually with Your Highness, but I’m not a time ability user. I can only regret.”

“Right. Much time has passed, and I’m no longer that little one from before. So stop with things like chess and properly address the current situation…”

“That’s why I’m making this proposal.”

Philip’s smile had somehow faded.

Of course, his gaze remained warm.

Though the look of someone cherishing a young nephew conveyed regret and affection, the serious expression that went beyond that made Jair unconsciously swallow.

“Your Highness has grown up too quickly compared to children your age. I feel guilty for accelerating that pace, but I can’t abandon this opportunity to grow close to Your Highness again thanks to Miss Rie.”

“…So what are you saying you’ll do?”

“If you respond to my proposal as person to person, I will become your backing.”

His responding voice was far too businesslike. Perhaps because the reception room was quiet. Just like a noble proposing secrets.

“Whether Your Highness complains to me or gives me orders, I will not leave Your Highness the Crown Prince. I’ll continue sitting on this sofa, so if you would just sit across from me…”

That was when it happened.

Philip’s lips hardened, and simultaneously his words were cut off.

At the same time, Jair’s eyes widened in surprise.

The world had stopped.

“Rie…?”

But it probably wasn’t Rie’s doing.

According to the letter he’d received recently, Rie was also being monitored by knights at the manor.

Then it meant Casselik, who had been confronting the dark mage, was forced into a situation where he had no choice but to stop time.

That aside, an unexpected opportunity to escape had arisen.

But Jair, who seemed ready to flee immediately, stood frozen like stone before the biological clocks of the Empire’s citizens.

“…What?”

Something was strange.

Originally when time stopped, all human biological activities also ceased, so the biological clocks of the Empire’s citizens temporarily stopped functioning.

Except for the clocks of the time ability user who used the stopping ability and the Time Manager.

But Casselik’s biological clock was also stopped.

Meanwhile, only two clocks moved besides Jair’s.

Creak, creak.

Serena’s broken clock that seemed to struggle even to breathe.

And Rie’s small clock moving busily as always.

“Say Rie used her ability. But why is Serena’s moving?”

It seemed best to head straight to Countess Rioletta’s residence.

Jair took out a horse’s biological clock from his pocket.

But even after that, the boy couldn’t easily move from in front of the stopped Philip.

Because his words kept circling in his mind.

‘Whether Your Highness complains to me or gives me orders, I will not leave Your Highness the Crown Prince. I’ll continue sitting on this sofa, so if you would just sit across from me…’

If he escaped without playing chess.

Then how would Marquis Philip treat him afterward?

Though he thought he didn’t care what happened to his relationship with Philip, in truth, a corner of the seven-year-old boy’s heart still held lingering attachment to his uncle.

“…Damn annoying, really.”

Finally cursing, Jair ran to the study and hastily scribbled something on a notepad.

[I’ll come back and play chess. Let me be clear, I’m not rejecting the proposal.]

After placing the note on the table where Philip could see it, Jair finally escaped the Tower of Time.

* * *

At the same time.

Rie, who had been kidnapped by Serena, was curled up like a crumpled piece of waste paper inside the carriage.

How many hours had they been traveling?

When her chubby legs began to ache, the carriage finally stopped somewhere.

Creeeeak-

“Rie, get out.”

Serena, who had risen from her seat, commanded without even offering her hand to the child.

“…Nngh.”

Rie struggled to lift her body, awkwardly getting up from the floor and climbing out of the carriage.

There wasn’t even a simple footstool. While pressing against the dirt floor of the carriage and extending her short legs, her knees and hands became dirty with dust.

-That woman has lived to that age and still hasn’t become an adult. Can’t she see a four-year-old child struggling like a turtle trying to get out of the carriage alone? Not lifting a single finger to help, those eyes of hers seem unnecessary.

Chronos had been cursing Serena throughout the entire carriage ride.

The problem was that Rie’s ears had long since grown tired from the voice echoing in her head.

“G-God. Rie’s ears hurt…”

-Our poor Rie! Aren’t you angry after being treated like that? How can you be so pure? Oh, what kind of world have I presented to such a pure child!

Was it because she had lived longer than even grandmothers?

Like Morgana, who wouldn’t stop nagging when angry, the god also began raging even more instead of yielding to Rie’s words.

Just as Rie was about to cover both ears with her hands.

“Why are you so slow? Come quickly, now!”

Before she could collect herself due to her dizzy head, fierce hands grabbed the child.

Rie had to flail her radish-like legs again to match Serena’s quick pace.

As the doors of the marquis castle opened, Serena tore the document with the magic circle drawn on it that she had been carrying in her arms.

Then the stopped time began to flow again, and the head maid and butler inside the castle approached Serena in surprise.

“Madam, I’m sure you went down to the first floor with the maids… Did you go out? And Rie has come with you as well.”

“Don’t call her Rie. This child is not a noble’s daughter right now, but a hostage.”

Then the corners of the mouths of the head maid and butler, who had been blinking their innocent eyes, twisted upward.

“Ah, I see. Are you starting the plan?”

At the head maid’s secretive question, several maids who had been scattered around approached with faint smiles.

“Huh, what?”

As the startled Rie looked around, the god warned her in a suddenly serious voice.

-Rie. Everyone inside here are dark mages who have taken over other people’s bodies. You mustn’t trust them carelessly.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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