My Daddy Hides His Power - Chapter 15

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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’s Hidden Strength
15
“Why don’t you just smile?”
“Ahem.”
Nordic clicked his tongue disapprovingly, and Enoch let out an awkward cough in response.
“Your Grace, forgive me for saying so, but I fear I lack the qualifications to properly educate the young lady.”
“Is that so? Our girl is really that gifted?”
“Yes. When children show exceptional aptitude in mathematics, the Magic Tower typically scouts them for early advanced education.”
“So I’ve already sent word to the Magic Tower. They’ll need to assess Lillis’s level directly.”
As Nordic continued, Enoch’s brow furrowed.
“Without asking Lillis first? And you didn’t discuss this with me at all?”
“It’s just a test of her abilities. Whether she goes to the Magic Tower or not—that’s for Lillis to decide. But if the results are promising…”
……
“It would ease your mind if she ended up working at the Magic Tower later, wouldn’t it?”
He wasn’t wrong.
In the Pavilion Empire, all high-ranking Ability Users bore the obligation of military conscription.
But researchers at the Magic Tower were last on the conscription roster.
Unless the earth split open and the sky tore apart on the empire’s final day, there was little chance they’d ever see the blood-soaked battlefield.
“For now…”
Enoch rubbed his forehead in thought.
“I’ll ask Lillis. Whether studying was truly enjoyable for her.”
“Do that.”
“A true genius! An absolute prodigy! A talent the world will never see again!”
Aunt Rena thrust her thumb up and interjected with exaggerated enthusiasm.
“Well… our little princess is quite something.”
“Though we’ll need to do something about that mouth twitching with barely contained glee. It’s unbecoming.”
At Nordic’s rebuke, Enoch forced his lips together and spun around sharply.
“I’ll take my leave now.”
Nordic grimaced watching his son leave the room with a spring in his step—such a contrast to the irritation he’d arrived with.
He exhaled and murmured to himself.
“How did the boy end up like this…”
* * *
A children’s clothing boutique in Jedo.
Dragged out by my aunt the moment lessons ended, I found myself
“Wow, wow…”
exclaiming in wonder, though I was being scolded for it.
A Sky Blue Dress made of soft, luxurious fabric. White frills and glittering jeweled ornaments…
Clothes truly were a kind of magic—the girl in the mirror looked like a princess.
Though it felt rather embarrassing to call myself that out loud.
“Wow, Lillis. You’re really beautiful. You look just like a princess.”
Theo approached from behind me, bouncing on his feet in excitement, before gently pulling me into an embrace.
“So cute and pretty…”
At the sight of this, my aunt—sitting at a small table across the room with the boutique’s proprietress—broke into laughter.
“Theo, is your little sister really that beautiful?”
“Yes, Mother. She looks just like a doll. She’s so lovely.”
At Theo’s candid words, I felt a bit self-conscious.
“Ha ha, with such an angelic presence, it’s no wonder your brother treasures her so. He’s always singing ‘my little sister, my little sister.'”
“He really is. Even yesterday, he was so excited he wouldn’t sleep and kept begging me to go out and play with you…”
My aunt and the proprietress began chatting quietly again.
“Hey, little one! The one you tried on earlier looked so much better.”
It was then that Leon pushed away Theo’s arms around me and spoke curtly.
The dress Leon held was the Yellow Dress I’d tried on the very first moment we entered the shop.
“Do you prefer the yellow, big brother?”
“Yeah. The one you have on makes you look too mature. The yellow makes you look like a little chick—it’s cute.”
“Hmm, I disagree. The Sky Blue suits Lillis better.”
“Are your eyes broken, Theo? I’m telling you, yellow is better.”
“She looks pretty in anything, but if I had to choose between the two, I’d pick the Sky Blue.”
“It’s yellow!”
With the two of them bickering so much, I couldn’t decide.
I liked them both so much…
“Hmm.”
I reached out to touch the dress in Leon’s hands when I suddenly caught sight of the price tag.
[1,540,000 Terr]
‘What?’
I rubbed my eyes and looked again.
Was it really written as 1.54 million Terr?
Since one Gold Coin was worth 100,000 Terr, this dress cost more than fifteen Gold Coins.
For reference, even if James Brown sold a full cartload of wood, he’d only make 50,000 Terr—five Silver Coins at most.
‘T-this price is insane. It’s what my father earns working nonstop for an entire month.’
I stood there with my mouth agape, bewildered, when my aunt rose and began examining the price tag on another dress displayed on a mannequin.
“My.”
It was expensive, yes. Aunt had said she’d buy for me, but I felt suddenly self-conscious.
“Madame.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
My aunt had called for the shop attendant.
“You said this is a new arrival. What sort of fabric are you using to keep the price so reasonable?”
……?
Wait, what?
Caught off guard by a question so far from what I’d expected, I stumbled.
“Not at all, ma’am. Please don’t worry. It’s the same silk we always use. The supply has increased recently, which has brought down the unit cost.”
“Ah, I see.”
My aunt glanced at a few more pieces before turning back with a smile.
“Have you tried everything on?”
“Yes, yes, Aunt!”
I quickly checked the price tag on the Sky Blue Dress I was wearing.
1.66 million Terr. At least the Yellow Dress Leon had chosen was cheaper.
“Aunt, I’ll take the yellow one—”
But before I could finish, my aunt had already moved toward the counter with the madame.
“The one she’s wearing now fits well enough, so we’ll take it as is. Send the rest once you’ve adjusted the sizes, Madame.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
I stood rooted to the spot, confused, when my aunt called me over.
“Lillis, shall we go? You said you wanted cake, didn’t you?”
“Um, Aunt. The dresses…. Weren’t we supposed to choose?”
“Hmm?”
My aunt tilted her head, then let out an exclamation and laughed as if I were beyond help.
“No, silly. I didn’t mean for you to choose. I just wanted to see what you’d like to try on. I’ve ordered all the spring arrivals on display here. When the rest arrive at home, we’ll try those on too.”
“What?”
There were ten dresses displayed in the shop.
If there were ten dresses in the 1.5 million Terr range, just how much would the total come to?
“Ah, no. I only—”
Understanding what I was about to say, my aunt smiled sweetly and cut me off.
“You can’t buy just one dress.”
A commoner who owned only two everyday dresses, worn thin from constant washing and worn in rotation, could never comprehend such logic.
I swallowed hard.
‘Is this… is this that thing from TV where they say, “Ring it all up from here to here!”?’
The scale was beyond imagination.
It seemed that the wealthy thought nothing of dropping tens of millions on a wardrobe in a single visit.
I supposed I should accept gratefully. Feeling dazed, I bowed deeply.
“Th-thank you so much, Aunt! I’ll take good care of them!”
* * *
Soft and light,
strawberry cream that melted the instant it touched my tongue.
“Ahhhhh….”
Lost in bliss, I grabbed both my cheeks and sagged limply, prompting laughter from my aunt and the twin brothers.
“Does it taste that good, Lillis?”
“Mm-hmm. It’s the best….”
Theo wiped the cream from my mouth as he asked, and I answered with eyes glazed over in rapture.
The strawberry cake from Jedo’s finest dessert shop was frightening in price, but the taste was worth every Terr.
‘Am I really allowed to eat all of this?’
A four-tiered dessert tray laden with cakes, macarons, and cookies was on full display, practically begging to be devoured.
“Try this one too, Lillis.”
“Mmm.”
“Little one, have some of this.”
“Yum-yum.”
My brothers seemed delighted by how readily I ate whatever they offered, constantly thrusting forkfuls toward me.
Both my cheeks had swollen plump.
“Ha, so adorable. Mother, Lillis looks just like a squirrel.”
“She eats so well, she’s becoming prettier by the day. But go slowly—you might upset your stomach.”
“Yes!”
Macarons, so expensive that eating them twice a month back home was considered indulgence, and now I could eat as many as I wanted….
‘This is paradise.’
I’d made the right choice coming to Jedo.
“Oh my, is that the Countess Ballerin?”
Just then, Mother spotted a carriage outside the shop and rose to her feet.
A plump noblewoman descended from the carriage and waved cheerfully at Mother through the window.
“Goodness. Erica’s here too.”
“What? Oh no!”
Leon suddenly sprang up, flailing about in confusion, then ducked behind the chair where I sat.
“What are you doing, older brother? Hiding? But you’re not hidden at all.”
“Ugh, this is so frustrating….”
Leon gave up and flopped back into his seat, pulling me into his arms.
“Why are you acting like this?”
“Leon doesn’t really like Erica. When she visited a few days ago, he tried to scare her off with a giant spider, but she got hurt in the process and Mother scolded him.”
“Ah!”
At Theo’s explanation, the memory came back to me.
So I’d been a victim in that giant spider incident.
I nodded in understanding and watched Erica enter the shop.
“Wow! That girl looks just like a princess….”
Erica was a beautiful girl with long, fluffy hair the color of honey that fell to her waist and fresh green eyes like spring leaves.
She was tall and slender too—the sort of pretty child model you’d see in magazines.
“Leoooon!”
Erica came running with rosy cheeks flushed pink, then stopped abruptly.
The girl who’d been smiling brightly a moment before suddenly flipped her expression, her eyes fixing on me with a glare.
More precisely—on Leon’s arm wrapped around my shoulder.
“Who is she, Leon? Who is this woman?”
?
A woman? Well, technically I am female, but I’m just a seven-year-old baby named Lillis here.
The air between us suddenly reeked of love and war.
‘How terrifying….’
Beneath Erica’s gaze that seemed to burn me alive with mere eye contact, I quietly set down my fork and let my eyes dart about nervously.
“I said, who is this woman!”
“What does it matter to you?”
…Wait, why would he answer like that? I shot Leon an exasperated look.

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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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