My Daddy Hides His Power - Chapter 121

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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 121
* * *
Deep in the night.
Enoch closed the book.
Just as Oscar had anticipated, Enoch had deduced everything from merely a handful of volumes.
From the absence of any trace that Regression had succeeded, he grasped the existence of the Seal.
And from the strange movements of the vanished mages, he understood what Price was demanded by Regression.
“James!”
“Oh, little one. You haven’t slept? Don’t worry yourself—go on to bed now, will you?”
Lilis entered the study and set the cup she’d brought down upon the desk.
“Drink this. I brewed it myself? It’s a magical tea that sweeps fatigue away like that!”
“Haha. Thank you, my dear.”
Enoch gathered Lilis into his arms and settled her on his knee, pressing a kiss to her cheek.
“Papa, now that you’ve finished the book, can I read it too?”
“Absolutely not.”
Enoch hastily caught Lilis’s hand as it began creeping toward the book.
They stared at each other.
“It’s time for you to sleep.”
“So if I sleep and wake up, can I read it tomorrow?”
“Do you really need to read it? The book is terribly difficult. Let papa look it over for you instead.”
…….
“Don’t worry. No matter what happens, papa will make sure your teacher stays safe.”
Enoch smiled reassuringly and swept Lilis’s hair back from her face.
“You see, what I want most is for my little one not to worry, not to grieve, not to hurt. Because when you do, papa’s heart breaks even more. Do you understand?”
“Yes.”
Lilis thought for a moment, then nodded.
“Papa, then…”
“Mm?”
“Is there anything you want to ask me?”
…….
“Ask me anything. I can answer you—”
Enoch hesitated and let out a soft chuckle.
“All right. But there’s nothing right now. If something comes to mind, I’ll be sure to ask.”
“…Okay.”
Lilis slipped down from Enoch’s lap.
“Well, I’ll sleep now. Good children go to bed early and wake up early.”
“Indeed, they do.”
Enoch walked the child to her room and returned to the study.
…….
He stood frozen before his desk, and with a sigh, he dragged a weary hand across his face.
The reason Oscar had tried to hide the book.
He hadn’t wanted Enoch to learn the Price of Regression.
More precisely—
‘He didn’t want Lilis spending her lifespan to save me.’
Why was Oscar so devoted to Lilis?
Enoch laughed bitterly.
What troubled him most now was the reason Oscar had turned back time.
‘…It had been real.’
The terrible imaginings that had tormented Enoch ever since learning Lilis was Primera.
It seemed they had all become reality.
Perhaps they had been even more horrible than he’d feared.
‘I… I failed.’
He had not protected the child.
In the end, he had gained a second chance with Oscar’s life as the price.
Enoch’s fists clenched tight.
Self-loathing, fury, murderous intent…
Multiple emotions tormented him.
In that lost time, had it been the Emperor who emerged victorious?
And if so, what of my poor child?
Enoch’s breathing grew ragged.
Perhaps he truly did know the tragedy of the child he had failed to protect.
Oscar seemed to know it all.
Was that why?
In the time that had vanished, how terribly had the child lived?
Had Oscar turned back time and protected the child because he couldn’t bear to witness that suffering?
“Hah… hah.”
Enoch, swept up in terrible imaginings, clawed at his constricted chest as though it would split open.
Why had he failed?
Like a fool—why?
The Emperor’s face surfaced in his mind.
Now that he knew the tragedy he’d imagined was real.
Strangely, Enoch’s heart no longer felt the same terror as before.
‘Never.’
Instead, a fierce murderous intent—
‘I will not fail a second time.’
Enoch’s eyes blazed with lethal sharpness.
A second chance.
Now it was he who must draw the sword.
What must vanish was that evil existence.
That alone would suffice.
* * *
The next day.
The twin brothers, Cheshire, and Gerard too.
The Dos Boy Soldier examiners came to our house for training.
I’d come out to the Training Ground because I had something to tell Cheshire, and the weather was rather sharp and cold.
I huddled my body and suddenly thought—
‘Hmm.’
Father couldn’t even lay a hand on a book.
From that reaction alone, there was no need to ask.
‘The Price of Regression must be enormous. Perhaps… life itself?’
At least right now, even Father couldn’t see a way to save Oscar.
Not without using my ability.
Even if Oscar was desperately needed, Father would never burn through my Life Force to revive him.
‘It’s what I expected anyway.’
I lifted my wrist and looked at my Bracelet.
I wished there were another way to save Oscar, but…
If it were that simple, everyone and their dog would be reviving people with Immortal Magic and rewinding time.
I will save Oscar.
With my own ability.
‘Let me prepare my heart for what’s coming.’
Oscar is a tremendous power-user.
Naturally, reviving him would consume an enormous amount of Life Force.
How much?
I was nervous. To keep myself from being shocked, I decided to check something even more devastating first.
‘What if Father died—how much Life Force would it take to revive him?’
322 years.
‘Oh my, that’s instant death.’
What exactly had I just seen?
So startled, I covered the Bracelet.
Right…
You’ll have to manage to stay alive on your own, James Brown!
Just kidding—I’m not worried about Father.
The most terrifying Emperor in this world can’t land a single scratch on Father, neither in strength nor in spirit.
Then next.
‘If Oscar died… how much of my Life Force would it take to revive him?’
96 years.
“Wow, seriously?”
Master is no pushover either…
These people are all truly extraordinary.
Still, it felt like a weight had lifted from my shoulders.
At least it wasn’t instant death like with Father.
I nodded with a sense of satisfaction.
“Who wants to be It?”
“Let’s decide with rock-paper-scissors.”
Leon and Theo’s voices rang out.
The four boys had abandoned their training entirely to play hide-and-seek with me, now sorting out who would be the seeker.
I glanced at Cheshire, who stood among them.
‘I need to tell Cheshire today.’
That letter I’d hidden away, prepared for the worst case—if the Emperor caught me…
I was going to tell him where it was.
I planned to ask him to deliver it to Father once I was gone.
I’d considered several candidates to entrust with the letter, but Cheshire was the only one I truly trusted.
“Leo!”
Just then.
A familiar voice called out.
“Oh? Erica?”
It was Erica, whom I hadn’t seen in a long time.
* * *
Erica Balerin.
The precious jewel of the Balerin Count’s household, a dignified young lady who would turn thirteen in a few months.
Distinctive trait: harboring a three-year-long unrequited love for Leon Antrace of the Antrace Duke’s house.
Of course, Erica had every intention of transforming that unrequited love into something more.
“Sigh.”
She’d learned Leon’s schedule—that he was training at the Rubinstein Duke’s residence—and rushed straight here.
Thinking of him, Erica found her cheeks flushing anew.
She was a Healing-type Septima, third rank among the six grades of ability users.
A few weeks ago, during the Holy Beast incident, she’d been deployed as a boy soldier with the Wurgen subjugation corps.
Honestly… she’d been terrified.
“Hey! Where’s Erica Balerin?”
Leon, the commander, had been positioned at the vanguard far ahead.
Because he’d seemed so busy, she’d thought he wouldn’t even notice she’d come along…
“You! Don’t you take even one step forward!”
“What? What are you talking about? I know how to fight too. If you get hurt, I’ll heal you.”
“No, I don’t need it! I don’t need it, so stop being foolish and stay hidden! Seriously, you’ll die!”
Leon had come to her directly and insisted she hide herself deep within the ranks of the boy soldiers.
Would it really be all right?
As Erica watched anxiously, she fell for Leon all over again.
She’d seen plenty of training, but this was her first time watching him fight actual monsters…
Such a strong man!
A man who could protect his woman!
And handsome too!
“Leo!”
“What in the world, showing up this early? Trouble?”
Even his words were irresistibly charming!
Erica fluttered toward Leon, who stood gathered with the children in the Training Ground.
“Big sister!”
Lilis came running toward her happily.
“Lilis, it’s been so long! How have you been?”
“Great! Did you come to see Leon? We’re about to play hide-and-seek with Cheshire and Gerard and everyone. Come play with us!”
“Of course, I’d love to!”
Erica smiled warmly as she looked at Lilis.
‘She just keeps getting more beautiful…’
Lilis truly had the pedigree of someone born into Rubinstein’s most gifted bloodline.
Porcelain skin and bright, expressive eyes.
Her snowy silver hair and blue eyes made her look like a baby angel.
Though Erica knew quite a few beautiful girls her own age, Lilis stood above them all.
In a few years, when she became a Debutante, she would shake the entire imperial society!
‘I’m so grateful Lilis is Leon’s sister.’
Erica found herself reassured anew as she recalled that first meeting with Lilis, when she’d instinctively sensed a rival.
“Hurry up and pick who’s it!”
“Who wants to go?”
Just then.
Erica, who had been watching Lilis with satisfaction, tilted her head in puzzlement.
Lilis’s gaze seemed fixed rather persistently on one person.
‘What’s that about?’
Erica quickly scanned the boys who were caught up in deciding who’d be it.
Leon, Theo, Cheshire, and….
‘Him?’
Gerard Schmidt.
He’d already been famous.
After graduating from the Training Institute and earning a Dos badge, he’d become even more so.
Among girls his age, he always took first place in any popularity vote.
A face so delicate it was hard to tell if he was a girl or a boy.
Hair the color of mysterious lavender.
And those eyes that crescent into crescents whenever he smiled—
She knew that smile had made plenty of girls cry.
‘Not my type, though.’
Erica, who had been stroking her chin seriously, began comparing him to Cheshire beside him.
‘That one’s Dos too, and taller than Leon, and ridiculously handsome, but….’
His lack of expression was the problem.
He never smiled.
Always so stiff and wooden. And so few words.
With the discerning eye of a protective older sister, Erica continued surveying candidates for Lilis’s affections.
‘If we’re talking about what girls her age usually like, it’d naturally be Gerard Schmidt!’
She’d made her decision.
With a smirk, Erica grabbed Lilis and positioned her next to Gerard.
“Oh my, oh my! But you know what, you lot!”
“……?”
“…….”
Lilis and Gerard, suddenly pressed together, exchanged bewildered glances.
“Don’t you two look absolutely perfect together?”
Erica pressed on.
“Look at that dazzling color combination! Don’t you both look like angels? I’m voting for you two!”
“What?”
“Huh?”
Leon and Theo’s eyes went wide.
Lilis just blinked blankly, while Gerard looked startled.
“All of a sudden—hey!”
Leon yanked the confused Lilis over to his side.
Then, with a menacing expression, he thrust his face right at Gerard.
“Are you insane?”
“…Sorry?”

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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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