My Daddy Hides His Power - Chapter 16

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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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Dad hides his true strength
Chapter 16
Not some middle-aged affair romance!
If you only heard it, no one in the world would guess this was a conversation between a seven-year-old and a twelve-year-old.
“Erica, how’s your forehead? Much better now?”
My aunt, who had been standing at a distance talking with the Countess Valerin, approached us.
“Yes, madam. It’s fine now. But who is this woman?”
Erica pointed at me with her finger and asked.
My aunt blinked in confusion, then broke into laughter.
“Leon’s cousin.”
“…What?”
Erica’s eyes widened as she blinked, then she clapped her hand over her mouth and let out a gasp of delight.
“That’s right! You said the Duke Rubinstein might come back, didn’t you? He really did return?”
“He did. Just yesterday.”
“No wonder! Why didn’t you say so?”
Erica pressed a hand to her chest with the relieved expression of someone who’d just gulped down a strong drink.
“Nice to meet you!”
“Whoa!”
Erica bounded over, yanked Theo out of his seat to my right, and plopped down in his place.
“So you’re the Duke’s daughter. You’re absolutely angelic—I was shocked. I almost got jealous, you know? I’m Erica Valerin, and I’m twelve.”
“I’m Lilis Rubinstein. I’m seven years old. You’re beautiful too, though. You look like a princess.”
“Oh my?”
Erica twisted her body bashfully.
“Thank you, Lilis. And let me tell you something else—I’ve promised my future to Leon here.”
“Are you insane? Who gave you permission?”
Leon bristled at that, but Erica paid him no mind and continued.
“We’ll be family someday anyway, so you can call me ‘sister’ from now on. Drop the formality with me too. Let’s be close, yeah?”
“Ugh, honestly… I really hate this…”
I watched Leon sighing heavily beside me, then Theo sitting across from us, squeezed out of his seat by Erica.
‘The two of them look identical, but wouldn’t Theo be much better as a romantic partner? He’s actually kind to her.’
—Or so I thought.
But every time Leon shuddered and hurled harsh words—”I hate this,” “Get away from me,” “You’re actually pretty ugly,” and the like—Erica’s face flushed red.
I realized Erica’s taste as I savored the increasingly boisterous afternoon dessert time, my ears nearly bleeding from the noise.
‘She likes the bad boys…’
* * *
That evening, after we returned home from our enjoyable first Grand Coming-of-Age Ceremony outing.
Dad came barreling in, bellowing at the top of his lungs, just as I was getting washed up and ready for bed.
“Prin-cess!”
“Jeez, you scared me half to death! The door’s going to fall off its hinges!”
Dad came flying into the bed just as I was squirming my way under the covers.
“You!”
“Did you eat dinner, Dad?”
“Dinner? What time do you think it is? I ate long ago.”
“Good. You can’t skip meals. I had a delicious meal outside with Aunt and my brothers too. We went to the costume shop and got my measurements taken, and they ordered clothes for me—you know how Aunt bought me ten different dresses?”
“Ha, did you like them?”
“Absolutely. There’s even a princess dress, you know!”
“Wait, well, that’s all well and good, but…”
Dad flopped onto his back to face me, his expression turning worried.
“You studied all day long today, right?”
“Not all day. Just until three.”
“I’m sorry, princess. I was only planning to have the Etiquette Teacher assigned to you, but your grandfather had me do things I hadn’t even planned.”
“What are you talking about? Of course I should learn everything. Studying is fun.”
“…Fun?”
“Yeah. You were letting me goof around without teaching me anything, and I almost ended up with the intelligence level of a chimpanzee. I’m going to study hard now and become smart.”
“No, princess, you can still play. It’s okay to take your studies slowly.”
“Ugh, I’m tired of playing now. Studying is way more fun than that, honestly. And it’s not even difficult.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, really. If it were hard and boring and I didn’t want to do it, I’d tell you. But it’s truly easy and fun, you know?”
Dad studied my expression carefully, as if checking whether I was lying, then the corners of his mouth twitched upward.
“I see. Actually, the Mathematics Teacher mentioned it earlier—said you’re a genius, princess. I’ve seen it myself too.”
“You… really?”
I felt a flush of embarrassment recalling how Lady Rena had praised me as an unparalleled genius after I’d solved an elementary school problem.
If she’d gone on to praise me the same way to Grandfather or Father….
‘Father must be thrilled.’
What parent wouldn’t be delighted to learn their child was a genius?
Besides, embarrassment only lasted a moment. If it made Father happy, that was enough for me.
“Where on earth did my daughter get this? Who does she take after that gave her such a sharp mind? Hmm?”
Father made no attempt to hide his grin as he pulled me into an embrace and rubbed his cheek against mine.
“Takes after you, Dad.”
“Ha ha ha ha!”
“You must have been busy today too? You work hard.”
“It’s nothing. If my talented daughter studies so hard, I can’t just sit around idle as her father.”
Father lay on his side, propping his head on his hand, gazing at me with satisfaction.
Seeing him grinning from ear to ear, I couldn’t help but feel pleased myself.
Heh heh, genius….
* * *
Ha ha, genius….
Cancel that.
I’m not actually a genius….
“I am honored to make your acquaintance. I am Robert Quan, of the Mana Tower Talent Management Department. You may call me Rebel, young lady.”
“Y-yes….”
“Lilis, there’s nothing to be nervous about. Just answer the gentleman’s questions comfortably. If you don’t know something, you can just say so.”
Father stroked my head gently as he spoke.
“Nervous? Just do what you practiced with the teachers yesterday.”
Grandfather added his own words of encouragement.
Caught between the two of them, I clenched my teeth and nodded.
‘I shouldn’t have shown off….’
A single moment of poor judgment—wanting nothing more than to get through a meaningless lesson quickly—had landed me on the chopping block.
At the Mana Tower, no less!
They were here to examine my genius.
The reason this had spiraled so badly was mathematics.
Typically, implementing magic requires formulas, and those who create such formulas are researchers at the Mana Tower.
But they all share something in common.
They are all mathematical geniuses!
Mathematics is the fundamental principle underlying Magic Formulas.
So the Mana Tower seeks out children with mathematical aptitude and sponsors their gifted education from an early age.
‘And I knew that….’
Yet despite having the original world’s lore memorized, I hadn’t anticipated this disaster.
Genius, my foot.
I’m just an adult mind trapped in a child’s body….
“And that person over there is—as you may know—Oscar Manuel.”
Robert turned around, a note of tension in his eyes.
A white-haired, golden-eyed boy sat with his legs crossed, his expression haughty.
His face was youthful, appearing barely older than a high school student….
“The youngest Mana Tower Master in history.”
…Yes, the Mana Tower Master himself.
Oscar Manuel!
A character of monumental importance whom I’d never expected to meet four days after entering the Grand Coming-of-Age Ceremony!
‘Is this really a butterfly effect from just doing a bit of multiplication and division?’
Call me an original-story-destroying villain from now on….
No, this isn’t the time. I quickly ran the calculations in my head.
The Mana Tower Master, Oscar, is essentially an adversary.
Father had brought together all the talented individuals, high nobles, and political figures as allies in his rebellion preparations.
‘But he could never bring the Mana Tower under his control.’
Oscar alone had refused to support Father to the end.
Had Oscar and the Mana Tower under his command joined them, the revolution would have succeeded three years earlier.
That said, was Oscar backing the imperial side?
‘That’s not it either. Even having read the original, I’ll never know what goes on inside that man’s head.’
In any case, I stood now at a crossroads.
1. Standing out can only make things worse for me. I shouldn’t appear as a genius—just moderately clever will do.
2. This is a chance to forge ties with the Mana Tower and recruit Oscar early. Let me play the part of a true genius. A gamble that demands accepting the spotlight.
I chose option one quickly.
How was I supposed to win over Oscar, an unyielding man whom even the protagonist—my father—had failed to recruit?
‘Good. My mind is at ease.’
I began solving the problems Robert Quan wrote on the low blackboard.
I only needed to work through the material covered yesterday with the Mathematics Teacher.
“My goodness. You’re truly remarkable.”
Watching me perform two-digit multiplication, Robert Quan marveled.
“Our daughter really is a genius….”
Father was astonished too.
Then.
“Are you joking right now?”
“Yes, yes?”
Oscar, who had been watching silently, rose to his feet, and Robert Quan flustered.
“Did you think I came here to watch children’s parlor games?”
“Oh, no. I apologize.”
Robert Quan stammered an apology.
Oscar was impossibly arrogant for someone so young, yet neither Father nor Grandfather openly criticized his manner.
‘Well, he is the Mana Tower Master.’
If we were being strict about rank, he wielded power roughly equivalent to Father’s own.
“Check properly.”
“Yes, sir.”
Robert Quan erased all the problems from the blackboard and began writing new ones.
“Hmm.”
What on earth was this….
Robert Quan seemed embarrassed at the problems he was setting, and I was bewildered watching him.
Q. Your mother’s age is 3 years more than twice Oscar Manuel’s age, and your father’s age is 5 years more than your mother’s. If your father is 42 years old, find Oscar Manuel’s age.
‘He’s giving a first-degree equation problem to a seven-year-old?’
I turned back in disbelief, and there was Oscar, finally satisfied, smiling.
“Try it.”
…….
I had no intention of solving it anyway, but this man was truly mad….
He was definitely a lunatic intoxicated with his own reputation as a ‘genius.’
I read through the problem a bit longer, then shook my head.
“I don’t know.”
“You don’t know?”
“No….”
As I answered listlessly, Robert Quan patted my shoulder soothingly.
“Young Lady, there is absolutely no need to be downcast. Even talented individuals of the level normally scouted by the Mana Tower cannot solve this problem at seven years old.”
“That’s right, my dear.”
Father came over and lifted me up from where I stood before the blackboard.
“You did well. This problem is far too difficult. Our princess is genius enough.”
“Yes, hehe.”
“Well done, Lilis.”
Even Grandfather smiled warmly and stroked my head.
Then.
“Sigh.”
A sigh that shattered the pleasant atmosphere.
Oscar regarded me with a look of contempt, then abruptly turned away.
Muttering audibly to himself.
“A complete waste of time on an idiot.”
……?
I felt Father’s arms tighten sharply around me.
‘This is bad.’
Father spoke in a terrible voice.
“Stop right there.”

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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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