I Summoned the Demon King and Got a Dad - Chapter 23

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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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23. The Price of Sin (2)

“Hold me.”

That was Shuria’s first words after coming out of the dessert shop.

Wondering who she took after to be so shameless, Theodor sighed inwardly but still held her.

“Where do you want to go?”

“I want to buy fairy tale books.”

Books.

It was a much better choice than the remaining toy store or candy shop.

Since the Magical Diagram would let him know if anything happened to the child, he didn’t need to worry too much, so he thought he might as well buy some history books of the Mortal Realm while he was at it.

[Using me as an alarm system, you’re disqualified as a father.]

Please, just disqualify me.

Since the Magical Diagram was also using him as something like a guard knight, he felt no guilt whatsoever.

But he wouldn’t end up using the Magical Diagram as an alarm system.

“Me, read this one to me this time!”

Because Shuria, who was five years old this year, still couldn’t read.

Holding Shuria in his arms while reading fairy tales to her, Theodor thought he had done well to find a tutor.

When the Pink Princess returns, I’ll have her start by teaching reading.

“…And so the two lived happily ever after.”

Closing the seventh fairy tale book, Theodor let out a sigh.

Half of the fairy tale books Shuria had chosen were about demon lords kidnapping princesses, and the other half were about witches kidnapping princesses.

The remaining one was about a dragon kidnapping a princess.

What, is kidnapping some kind of basic skill for princesses?

What’s the security and guard situation like in these kingdoms that they let princesses get kidnapped so easily?

And what’s with these princes who keep falling in love at first sight, rescuing princesses, and living happily ever after?

It was truly incomprehensible.

Since Theodor, who had been a demon, had no such thing as childlike innocence, this was perhaps a natural assessment.

But Shuria, unaware of his feelings, brought over the eighth book without rest.

[Lettuce Princess]

The title read, and this time too it was about a witch kidnapping a princess.

The story went like this.

Once upon a time, in a small village, there lived a childless couple.

Then they were blessed with a child, and one day the pregnant wife said she wanted to eat lettuce, but the husband, having no money to buy it, ended up stealing lettuce from the neighbor’s tree.

But he was caught stealing lettuce by the witch who owned the house.

The witch flew into a rage at the couple and said she would take their child when it was born. The couple had no choice but to submit before the witch with her powerful magic.

The witch took the child, named her Lettuce Princess, and locked her away in a tall tower with no exit or stairs, only a single window.

Time passed and Lettuce Princess grew up beautifully. Since she had never cut her hair even once, she came to have beautiful, long hair.

Then one day, a prince from a kingdom happened to pass by the tower where Lettuce Princess was and fell in love with her at first sight.

Since the princess’s tower had no stairs, he thought there was no way to climb up, but he saw the witch climbing up by grabbing the princess’s hair and used the same method to ascend the tower.

And he rescued Lettuce Princess from the tower, defeated the witch, and the two lived happily ever after for a long, long time.

After reading the entire book, Theodor had only one thought.

…Was she also being threatened by the Magical Diagram?

Otherwise, why would she raise a thief’s child, saying it was pretty?

It was the first fairy tale that actually engaged him.

Not because of the princess, but because he felt sorry for the witch.

I mean, realistically, could a child grow up properly under thieving parents?

Didn’t the witch rescue Rapunzel and raise her well in the tower?

Having raised a child himself, this wasn’t as easy as it looked.

From Theodor’s perspective, the witch was no different from a saint.

A saint who rescued Rapunzel from morally deficient parents and then raised her beautifully and lovingly in a peaceful tower without a single threat.

“Dad.”

“What.”

“But, actually, maybe the demon lords and witches were rescuing the princesses? Like you did, Dad.”

Despite being a black-haired beast, at least she knows gratitude.

[Your daughter’s hair is black because it was tainted by you, Father.]

Ignoring the Magical Diagram’s words, Theodor gently stroked Shuria’s cheek.

Because those words had made him feel a little better.

“Good thing you understand.”

Though that didn’t mean he would say anything affectionate.

“Yeah, so. Hurry up and find me a prince too.”

As expected of a black-haired beast, she doesn’t know gratitude after all.

“According to the fairy tales, the prince would defeat me, you know?”

“Dad is the strongest in the world, so he can’t be defeated, which means I’ll live with Dad forever.”

She’s definitely my daughter, her situational judgment is excellent.

Though I’d appreciate it if you’d refrain from such terrible words.

Thinking this while secretly feeling pleased, Theodor raised his hand and this time stroked Shuria’s head.

“When I grow up, I’m going to marry Dad.”

“Alright.”

I must break the contract before she becomes an adult.

“Shall we go buy toys now?”

Theodor stood up and naturally lifted Shuria into his arms.

“Yeah!”

“What do you want?”

“Everything!!”

“Fine.”

Theodor didn’t forget to purchase all the books Shuria had read as well.

With books in one hand and Shuria in the other, Theodor headed to the carriage, loaded the luggage, and climbed aboard.

Shuria sat across from Theodor and looked out the window.

The bustling district was always overflowing with fun and interesting things.

Next time I should ask him to take me to a festival.

It was the moment Shuria smiled, thinking of the festival she had heard about from the madam at the salon earlier.

The carriage hit a stone and jolted.

“Ow!”

“Aagh!”

With a thunk, Shuria bumped her forehead against the window, and Theodor also cried out in pain from his heart.

And at Theodor’s voice, Shuria burst into laughter, forgetting her own pain.

“Did you bump your head too, Dad?”

It was purely the price for Shuria’s collision, but there was no way she could know that fact.

“…Yeah.”

Answering thus and rising from his seat, Theodor examined Shuria’s forehead.

It was slightly red and swollen, but it didn’t look like it would bruise.

Letting out a small sigh, Theodor lifted Shuria and seated her on his lap.

If she bumps her head twice, I’m sending someone to their grave.

“Are you okay, Dad?”

Sitting on Theodor’s lap, Shuria turned around to look up at him.

“As long as you’re okay.”

“But still…”

“If I bump into something, the carriage will break.”

There wasn’t a single lie in what Theodor said.

As long as Shuria was fine, there existed no living being or object in the Mortal Realm that could harm him, and if he used his head properly, it would be the carriage that broke.

But to Shuria, who had no way of knowing such facts, he simply appeared to be a perfect father trying to ease her burden.

Shuria let out a small laugh and lifted her head, beginning to blow on his cheek.

He certainly knew that action had no healing effect whatsoever.

“I blew on it for you.”

Looking at Shuria’s proud smile, Theodor finally burst into laughter.

“Thanks to you, it doesn’t hurt anymore.”

“Right?”

Before they knew it, the two had arrived at the toy store, and Theodor bought all the toys as promised.

“You can’t take everything now, so just pick one favorite thing to take with you.”

At Theodor’s words, Shuria looked around the toy store and chose a tea party toy set.

“Let’s play with this next time. I’ll be the mom!”

“…Alright.”

Theodor decided not to ask what role Shuria would assign him.

Today had been too exhausting to handle that shock as well.

Having finished all their activities, the two boarded the carriage returning to the duchy.

Theodor naturally seated Shuria on his lap.

“This is uncomfortable.”

Shuria fidgeted as if his arms holding and supporting her body were uncomfortable.

But for Theodor, this was a vital matter tied to his lifespan.

“It’s better than being in pain, so bear with it.”

Saying this, Theodor now appeared to be a perfect father on the outside.

The carriage ran swiftly and arrived at the Helios Duchy.

Theodor felt a strange sense of liberation as he looked at the duchy’s manor.

Who would have thought the day would come when I’d miss this manor.

Though he would have to rest a bit and then go have dinner with Shuria again, he was satisfied just by the fact that he was given immediate rest.

It was the moment when Theodor, who had gotten out of the carriage first, reached out his hand to help Shuria down.

“Dad.”

Like someone with something to hide, Shuria called him in a serious voice.

“…What?”

The moment Theodor, flustered by the unexpected situation, answered in an equally serious voice, Shuria’s hand grabbed his cheek.

“Today was fun, thank you.”

Saying this, Shuria kissed Theodor’s cheek, then grabbed his hand and jumped down from the carriage before starting to run.

Whether she was embarrassed, her ears could be seen turning red beyond her retreating figure.

“Don’t run, you’ll fall!”

If you get hurt, your dad will collapse.

Why is she running away like that when she has to come for dinner anyway.

[How cute.]

What could be the reason he wasn’t annoyed by the Magical Diagram that appeared before him?

Yes, she is cute.

Theodor burst into laughter thinking of Shuria.

Now he felt he could understand, even just a little, the feelings of the witch and Demon Lord in fairy tales.

Just a very little bit.

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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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