My Daddy Hides His Power - Chapter 113

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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
Episode 113
‘I’m losing it. Calm down, just calm down.’
Oscar tore his gaze away from Cheshire and began taking deliberate breaths to compose himself.
Yet still, that terrible day kept surfacing in his mind.
Cheshire Rubinstein.
Sacrifice for the greater good, for the many….
That boy who’d been raised and taught by Enoch Rubinstein as though such paltry ideals were the only things worth programming into his skull.
‘That’s right. What could you possibly understand.’
That there were exceptions to such teachings.
A father’s heart watching his daughter’s severed head rolling across the ground, helpless to do anything but bear witness.
“Remember what we did before? Just do the same thing.”
“Yes.”
At Selena’s words, Cheshire entered the Mana Measurement Room and began the test.
Oscar deliberately turned his thoughts elsewhere to suppress the surge of emotion threatening to overwhelm him.
‘Still, without that bastard, I never could’ve swapped out the Mana Measurement Room without suspicion.’
But damn it all, he was furious.
Oscar watched the numbers climb on the Magical Device display, swallowing his rage in grim silence.
‘What if this time too he doesn’t change, stays exactly as he was? We picked him up before he could kill himself, fed him, raised him—surely he won’t be so ungrateful as to repay that?’
Worrying about it now wouldn’t bring any answers.
So stop being angry. Settle down.
‘But… at least that bastard didn’t kill me in the end, at least he left enough breath in me so I could start again.’
No, but I’m still furious.
“Actually, you see… I just… I just couldn’t… my heart, it wouldn’t stop racing for him….”
That’s what Lilis had said.
How could her heart race for someone who’d tried to kill her?
I never taught you to live so recklessly, did I?
“Damn it!”
Oscar shot to his feet, unable to contain himself any longer.
At that very moment, a tone signaled the measurement’s completion.
! Measurement Complete !
Mana Capacity: 1,924,988
Rank: First Class, Dos
Cheshire, the researchers—everyone jerked upright, staring at Oscar.
“Whew.”
Clap, clap, clap.
Oscar looked at the measurement display and applauded with calculated casualness.
“Insane. The stat numbers.”
Oscar flashed a grin and pointed toward the door.
“Now hurry and get out of here—no, go on home. Good work.”
“…….”
Cheshire, who’d been watching Oscar silently, bowed respectfully and left.
“Phew. That was a close one.”
He’d barely regained his composure when he turned his head and there was Selena again.
All around him, nothing but the faces of people he couldn’t stand to look at.
“Since everything seems fine, I should be heading out as well. Here.”
Oscar thrust the record book he was holding into Selena’s arms like an offering, his expression darkening.
“Damn it. During the new equipment inspection period, I’ve got to keep coming back here….”
The thought that he’d have to keep seeing Selena’s face for the foreseeable future made his blood boil.
Oscar tilted his head irritably to one side.
“Let’s do better this time, shall we?”
“…Pardon?”
“Before I wipe that pretty face of yours clean off.”
This man’s nature. He really couldn’t resist throwing in a barb.
“Hey, Tower Master! Your language has been quite harsh since a moment ago…!”
One of the researchers in the back started to protest indignantly, but Selena immediately raised her arm to cut him off.
Then she turned to Oscar and bowed.
“Thank you always for your care and attention. Please take care of yourself.”
“Sure thing~”
Oscar swaggered out of the Mana Measurement Room, and Robel, who’d been waiting outside, quickly draped a coat over his shoulders.
He emerged from the building with an arrogant escort, and there was Cheshire.
“Hey.”
Oscar called out to him on impulse.
Cheshire turned around.
“Come here a moment.”
Oscar beckoned with a flick of his fingers, and Cheshire approached without resistance.
“Looks like you’re eating well. When I first saw you, you were skinny as a rail. You’ve grown taller, filled out nicely.”
……
“Who picked you up and made you human?”
Cheshire looked up at Oscar with a blank stare.
They knew of each other’s existence.
They’d crossed paths quite often during their time at the Rubinstein Ducal House.
But they were people who had never exchanged a single word.
So why had he suddenly stopped him like this?
“…Lilis, sir.”
“Ah? Correct answer. That’s right. I thought you’d say her father, but that’s unexpected.”
……
“That’s the truth. She saved your life. You must never forget that, not even until death.”
“Yes, sir.”
“I have one more question.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Let’s say a moment came when you crossed blades with Enoch Rubinstein.”
The instant Oscar spoke those words.
Cheshire’s eyes widened.
Was it coincidence?
After the Seongsoo Incident, Enoch—who had seemed scattered and confused—had said something similar to him.
“Cheshire, if a moment ever comes when you cross blades with me. And if by chance you find you cannot defeat me in that moment.”
As he recalled this, Oscar continued.
“But you don’t have the power to subdue him. You must kill him. You probably think of the Duke of Rubinstein as your benefactor, but….”
……
“If you don’t kill him, you’ll die.”
Cheshire’s mouth slowly fell open.
“If you don’t kill me, you die. But only if you survive—if you don’t die—can you save everyone. So Cheshire, you must live, no matter what.”
……
“So never hesitate. If a situation arises where you cannot subdue me, don’t think twice.”
It was certain.
There was something he didn’t know.
The Tower Master, Oscar, knew it.
“So what will you do?”
……
Cheshire fell silent for a moment.
“Only if you survive—if you don’t die—can you save everyone.”
That “everyone” would include Lilis, surely.
If so, he would not think twice, following Enoch’s teaching.
“…I will kill him.”
“Wow.”
Oscar covered his mouth and laughed.
Behind the smile, something inside him burned pitch-black.
‘This bastard. Just as I thought—you haven’t changed one bit.’
He would simply act as he’d been taught.
For some petty sense of justice….
“Last one. One more thing.”
……
“After Enoch Rubinstein died, a Demon emerged. You have a very important duty: you must put down that Demon for everyone’s sake.”
Cheshire’s heart sank with a heavy thud.
Could it possibly be—would that name come from his lips about Lilis?
“But that Demon is Lilis.”
Just as he’d feared.
Cheshire swallowed hard.
“You must kill her for the greater good.”
“Excuse me.”
Cheshire asked urgently.
“Does she have something? Something special?”
“What?”
“Lilis… does she have something?”
…….
“You said something similar to me before. If you became a demon, please don’t kill me, you said.”
“I see.”
“If you know anything, please tell me.”
Cheshire’s eyes seemed almost desperate.
Oscar watched him and laughed with a bitter edge.
“I’m not sure. It could be that I know, or I don’t.”
…….
“So what did you tell her?”
“I told her I wouldn’t kill her. Because she was frightened.”
“So you were trying to comfort her because she was afraid?”
Oscar leaned forward, bringing his eyes level with Cheshire’s.
“But this is no joke. It’s reality. She has to be killed.”
Primera’s complete annihilation.
Perhaps that alone could save everyone.
So the tragedy might repeat itself.
But for Oscar, the greater good meant nothing.
Even if everyone couldn’t be saved.
Even if Ability Users and non-Ability Users remained separate.
Even if the Rank system never disappeared.
None of it mattered.
If only that child, Lilis, could survive in the end….
“What will you do? Will you kill her?”
If this child’s resolve was firm.
Oscar had even considered killing Cheshire before he became too strong to suppress.
“And you?”
“What?”
An unexpected question came back in return.
“Are you planning to kill Lilis?”
“Me?”
“Yes.”
“Hmm, for the greater good, shouldn’t I? Eliminating her before she becomes a demon—that would be clean and proper, wouldn’t it?”
Cheshire’s eyes wavered.
Oscar pressed harder, his lips curling into a malicious smile.
“We can’t watch all those poor people die because of one child, can we? So while she’s still weak and young….”
“You’d kill her.”
“That’s right.”
Cheshire’s hands trembled violently.
He was still just a child.
Torn between conflicting thoughts.
The two of them faced each other, each trying to read the other’s mind.
‘What is he thinking?’
‘If Lilis really does have something… if that’s why this man is trying to kill her….’
Cheshire’s breathing grew ragged.
Oscar’s eyes narrowed as he watched his reaction.
What was it? Shock? Anger?
No—he looked as though reason was slipping away from him.
And he was considering something.
His breathing continued to roughen.
Cheshire, looking as though driven to his breaking point, began wiping his dry lips and quietly scanning his surroundings.
Quite a few people were moving through the Training Institute’s research wing.
“Then, if that’s….”
His deliberation seemed to reach its end.
Cheshire’s eyes suddenly blazed.
That moment.
“Wait!”
Robel, standing behind Oscar, felt a dangerous surge of mana ripple through the air.
“Tower Master! Danger—!”
Before Robel could even finish, Cheshire lunged at Oscar first, his voice dropping to a whisper.
“I’ll kill you now.”
His hand shot forward as though to pierce straight through Oscar’s chest.

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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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