My Daddy Hides His Power - Chapter 104

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Father Hides His Strength
Chapter 104
* * *
Early October, one afternoon.
I was watching Theo train in our family’s Training Ground.
“Hmm.”
Whoosh—
A blade aura black as pitch tore through the empty air.
Whoosh—
This time, a blade aura blue as the sky shot forth.
“…This is trouble.”
With the Demon Beast Subjugation looming—a monthly practice for the Boy Soldiers—Theo was burdened with worry.
‘Oh dear. What am I to do.’
I felt for him, coming to our house to train just so he could see my face.
“Big brother!”
“Oh, Lilis.”
Theo trudged toward me, shoulders sagging.
“Big brother, are you all right?”
“No. I’m in real trouble. What should I do?”
“Is it because the blue whoosh isn’t coming out of your sword?”
“Right. Last month’s subjugation, the black suddenly came out, and I couldn’t defeat the beast.”
Theo has an unusual constitution—his Sacred Power and Demonic Power are perfectly balanced at fifty to fifty.
It was impossible to determine whether he was a Sacred Power type or a Demonic Power type, and his abilities manifested at will.
Sometimes a blue blade aura imbued with Sacred Power.
Other times, a black blade aura charged with Demonic Power.
“Sigh.”
That was quite a serious problem.
‘Against Demon Beasts, Demonic Power abilities are inefficient.’
But the Boy Soldiers’ deployment wasn’t something to worry over greatly.
The Boy Soldiers were deployed only to grow accustomed to warfare for the future.
The active-duty soldiers commanding them would go along, and the Boy Soldiers weren’t stationed in dangerous places anyway.
“If big brother keeps manifesting black this time too, what will I do, Lilis?”
I comforted him, patting his drooping shoulders.
“It’s okay, big brother. I’ll pray that only blue whooshes come out for you. And I’ll pray that you don’t get hurt and come back safely!”
“Ha ha ha.”
Pleased by the comfort, Theo broke into a bright smile and pulled me close, rubbing his cheek against mine.
“Thank you, Lilis. I’ll go out there with courage and come back.”
* * *
A rat cornered will bite the cat.
By the laws of power, a lower-generation Primera can never be free from an upper-generation Primera.
But now, when one side doesn’t even perceive the other’s existence—
Emperor Nicholas was the clear weaker party in the clash of two Primeras, and—
a cornered rat.
* * *
A month had passed since God showed His miracle.
Jedo was in turmoil, yet still the Emperor had shown no clear response.
The Emperor’s long-cherished dream of Continental Unification had only receded further.
The cornered rat could do anything if it meant achieving his lifelong ambition.
“Advisor.”
Nicholas stood before a mirror, running his hand across his cheek.
“Yes, Your Majesty!”
Ramon, who had brought yet another report worthy of the Emperor’s fury, found himself trembling.
“Do I look old?”
“Y-yes?”
Nicholas turned around.
The Emperor was still young and beautiful, yet in the span of mere days he seemed to have aged, or perhaps he hadn’t.
‘What have you done now.’
Ramon thought to himself.
The reason the Emperor asked such questions was always clear.
He must have used some ability.
“No, Your Majesty. You’re still young and vigorous.”
“That so?”
Nicholas glanced back at the mirror and let out a soft laugh.
Had the Emperor lost his mind?
It struck Enoch as strange—the man remained serene even as Jedo crumbled around him.
“But what’s this about?”
“Your Majesty, there is a matter most troubling.”
Ramon paused, running his tongue across dry lips before continuing.
“A week ago, the Subjugation Corps dispatched to Southern Olden to cull Sacred Beasts was annihilated—all of them.”
“What?”
Nicholas spun around sharply.
Yet Ramon found it odd that Nicholas showed no trace of shock—not the slightest flicker of alarm.
“My loyal servants, wiped out entirely?”
“Yes, sire. The commander was Captain Cyan of the Dos Magic Sword Corps. All five members of that unit, along with the 2nd Army Quarto Magic Swordsmen and the 3rd Army Septima Magic Swordsmen—all of them….”
“What a tragedy!”
…What was this? Was he pleased?
Despite the words spilling from his lips, Nicholas seemed to be savoring something, a glimmer of satisfaction crossing his face.
“Are the Sacred Beasts truly that formidable?”
Nicholas asked, feigning distress.
Sacred Beasts.
Creatures of holiness, imbued with Holy Power.
In the distant past, they had been sacred entities standing against Demon Beasts.
But as ages passed, their numbers dwindled sharply, and those that remained began to corrupt.
So now they were merely beasts that possessed Holy Power—nothing more.
Stripped of reason, attacking humans, ravaging the land—they differed little from Demon Beasts themselves.
“So, was the Subjugation successful? Surely with five Dos dead, the beasts were at least vanquished?”
“No, Your Majesty.”
Ramon unfolded a blood-stained document that trembled slightly in his hands and began to read.
“This is the final message Captain Cyan left through a messenger. According to what is written here, the behavior of the Sacred Beasts is abnormal. Unlike ordinary Sacred Beasts, these are far more powerful and massive, and though their origin is unknown, they spawn ceaselessly without rest….”
“Unbelievable!”
Ramon stopped his report and fixed his gaze upon Nicholas.
Now it was certain.
Nicholas was a man who had foreseen this very crisis.
The loss of five Dos members troubled him not at all….
And that expression on his face—as if things were unfolding precisely as he wished.
“This is a grave emergency indeed! Declare Martial Law at once and convene the commanders of the Dos Corps! Quickly!”
* * *
A state of national emergency spawned by Corrupted Sacred Beasts.
Nine Dos Corps commanders were summoned urgently, save the fallen Magic Swordsman captain.
“There is no need for all to deploy.”
Enoch countered.
The Emperor had ordered all active Ability Users from the 1st through 3rd Armies to march on Southern Olden.
It was a wasteful squandering of forces that made no sense.
“Five Dos have fallen. Has such an opponent ever been seen even once before?”
“Though the situation is grave, sire, this deployment is excess. I shall take command myself. I will depart with only the 1st Army Holy Knight Division and the Magic Archer and Magic Swordsman units of the 2nd and 3rd Armies.”
“What are you saying? Don’t you know how inefficient Holy Knights are at culling Sacred Beasts?”
“I am capable of this.”
Enoch’s voice was firm and unyielding.
“You need not worry. I will complete the Subjugation and return without incident.”
“Do I not know the measure of your abilities?”
Nicholas closed the distance between them in a single stride.
The other commanders sat in a circle around them, maintaining silence, merely observing the exchange.
“Do you truly believe I made this decision out of ignorance?”
…….
“You are irreplaceable—the Empire’s greatest force. You are my most precious blade. If anything were to happen to you—”
“That will not occur.”
“Your safety must be my foremost concern. How could I send you alone into peril when I don’t even know what awaits in Olden?”
“Your Majesty.”
“The Magic Swordsmen have been annihilated. If that is so, then sending Mana-type Ability Users from the 2nd and 3rd Armies would be meaningless. In the end, you alone would bear the entire burden.”
…….
“I can’t stand to see you in that state. I’ll organize the army with your safety as my absolute priority. I’ll take every active soldier and head to Southern Olden.”
“That won’t do. It would leave Jedo undefended. We must always maintain a garrison capable of responding to emergencies in Jedo. Please allow the 3rd Army to remain on standby there.”
Alexei Antrace, commander of the Dos Magic Archer Corps, watched the two of them argue back and forth, swallowing a sigh.
‘What’s that madman plotting?’
The Emperor’s order to mobilize was truly absurd, just as Enoch had said.
The Magic Swordsmen had been annihilated—an unprecedented crisis—yet he was pouring all available forces into that single operation.
“All forces will mobilize.”
“What on earth—”
Enoch, unable to contain himself, shot to his feet and jabbed a finger toward two archer corps commanders.
Ability Users who wielded bows.
They were defensive troops specialized in castle garrison warfare.
“Your Majesty, what is your reason for including archer corps—defensive garrison troops—in the subjugation force?”
“For your sake.”
“Ha.”
The conversation had reached an impasse.
“In a state of national emergency with martial law declared, the supreme commander is me, the Emperor. No matter who you are, you must follow my orders. Don’t waste any more time—move out.”
“…….”
Enoch’s shoulders trembled—rage he hadn’t yet managed to suppress.
Soon after, he turned on his heel and strode away swiftly.
* * *
The Magic Swordsmen who had gone out to subjugate the Corrupted Sacred Beasts had been completely annihilated.
It was a crisis.
“Ah, Papa.”
The moment I came home, I followed close behind Father as he prepared for departure.
“There, there, princess.”
Father gripped my shoulders with unusually anxious eyes.
“Your Aunt, your Uncle, and your cousins—we’re all going out to catch a monster, alright? But it might take a little while.”
“Mm-hm. But Father, what if you get hurt…?”
“Oh, why would your old man get hurt? Princess, you know how strong I am.”
“I know, but…”
Cyan, commander of the Dos Magic Sword Corps, is dead, or so I heard.
I know of him.
In the original story, he was alive both when Cheshire officially joined the Magic Swordsmen and when the revolution finally succeeded.
A man like that is dead.
He was supposed to survive, originally….
“I’m s-scared. It must be some incredibly strong monster. What if Father gets hurt? What if you… what if you die?”
“No, princess. No.”
Father pulled my trembling frame into a tight embrace.
“Your father will never die and leave you alone. I won’t be hurt, either. Tick-tock, just sleep for two nights and your father will catch all the monsters and come right back.”
“…….”
“But since it’s dangerous for our princess to be alone without Father, you must stay right here at home and not go anywhere. Stay close to Grandfather. Grandfather is every bit as strong as Father is. You understand?”
“Mm-hm…”
“Promise?”
“Promise…”
I hooked my pinky finger around the one Father held out, barely managing to answer.
“My little one.”
Father smiled and pressed a kiss to my forehead.
“I’ll be back soon.”
* * *
According to the Emperor’s order, every active soldier in Jedo departed for Southern Olden.
At that moment.
“Ah, really…”
Nicholas clicked his tongue as he gazed into the mirror.
Ramon, his Advisor, watched this suspicious behavior and pondered.
‘What ability is he using?’
Whatever it was, it wasn’t something a person in their right mind could manage.
But the Emperor was that kind of man.
“Your Majesty!!!”
Just then, a messenger burst into the room with an urgent expression.
Nicholas greeted him as though he had been waiting.
“Oh! What is it? What’s happened?”
“Your Majesty, it’s urgent! Sacred Beasts have suddenly appeared and are attacking the Central Wurgen Domain—they’re moving toward Jedo!”
“What!”
Nicholas staggered backward.
Central Wurgen was practically adjacent to Jedo.
“This can’t be… Why are Sacred Beasts rampaging everywhere all at once? All our active forces are in Southern Olden right now—there’s no one left to defend Jedo….”
Ramon watched Nicholas mutter to himself, confusion washing over him.
‘He doesn’t seem surprised at all this time either.’
Nicholas asked with apparent urgency.
“Ramon, how many Boy Soldiers do we have across the 1st through 3rd Armies?”
“Boy… Boy Soldiers, sir?”
Though they weren’t technically active personnel, the Boy Soldiers could receive deployment orders during emergencies.
Ramon answered tensely.
“Six in the 1st Army, thirty-eight in the 2nd, and fifty-nine in the 3rd.”
“And how many Sacred Beasts are attacking?”
The messenger answered this time.
“Well over three hundred, Your Majesty.”
“Good heavens!”
Nicholas covered his face with both hands, seemingly in despair.
Then he let out a sob.
Ramon couldn’t tell whether the face hidden behind those hands was crying or laughing.
After a moment, Nicholas spoke.
“We have no choice. Mobilize the 4th Grade Octava Ability Users as well. Only with them can we hope to defend Jedo.”
“Pardon?”
Ramon’s eyes widened at Nicholas’s absurd command.
Then understanding dawned on him.
From the chain of events, he grasped what Nicholas was truly after.
‘Ah, so it’s about the Rubinstein princess….’
He meant to impress upon Enoch that his own child could fall into danger at any moment.
And ultimately, to make him move according to Nicholas’s will.
Ramon felt gooseflesh rise along his spine as he watched the almost demonic expression on Nicholas’s face.
“As you command, Your Majesty.”

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