My Daddy Hides His Power - Chapter 187

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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 Conceals His Strength
Chapter 187
* * *
After finishing my request for Axion, I borrowed paper and a pen.
“Since Lico agreed to help me find Uncle, I should give you something in return!”
The iron code of the information guild, the Red Sparrow.
Thorough Give and Take.
I scribbled a single line and handed it to Lico.
[A gentleman’s revenge is never too late, even after ten years.]
“…What is this?”
Lico looked puzzled as she read it.
“Hehe. It’s something you’ve wanted to have for a long time. This is a promissory note for now, and I’ll give you the real thing once Uncle Axion returns from this expedition.”
“Hmm, I’m not sure. There’s nothing I particularly want.”
“Come on, surely you have an idea? Something you’ve been desperate to have, right~?”
Lico let out a soft laugh.
“Well, if you say so, then I suppose that’s what it is. But there’s one thing I’m curious about.”
“Yes! What is it?”
Go ahead and ask anything! Lico watched me with gleaming eyes for a moment, then chuckled softly.
“Never mind. You should get going. I’ll send someone as soon as information on Duke Libre arrives.”
What?
I was about to press further when I realized I’d already wasted quite a bit of time, and I stood up.
“Alright. See you next time! Thanks, Lico!”
* * *
When I opened the curtain of the semi-basement window, I caught sight of Lilis and Cheshire walking away together, chatting softly.
“How was the pickled herring, Cheshire?”
“…It didn’t taste good.”
“Ahahaha!”
At that unchangingly innocent laugh, Lico chuckled and murmured under her breath.
“…Please, this time, do survive.”
* * *
A few days earlier.
A terror attack had occurred in the commoner district.
Lico had handed Enoch evidence that could uncover the mastermind behind the attack.
“…This will be a huge help. Thank you. But how on earth did you know in advance and start investigating the terrorists?”
“I didn’t know and then investigate. I discovered it by chance while looking into something else. It’s all thanks to the Princess.”
“Hmm? Lilis?”
“Yes. Before the incident occurred, the Princess asked me to look into something.”
“What did she ask you to look into?”
“She said there would be commoners preparing a protest and asked for information on them. But there were no such bold individuals, and besides, if any protest movements had been stirring, I would have heard about it first.”
“That’s true.”
“In any case, since she asked for something, there must have been a reason, so I did investigate…”
“And by chance, you uncovered evidence of the terror attack being prepared?”
“Exactly. But, sir…”
“…?”
“If I asked whether you could tell me the Princess’s true identity, would you be able to?”
For a moment, Enoch hesitated.
At that reaction, Lico nodded inwardly to herself.
So Father did know, after all.
“What are you suddenly asking?”
“Right now, several commoners are preparing a protest. Exactly as the Princess predicted.”
Enoch’s eyes widened.
“Why are they preparing a protest? To demand from the Emperor that he promise at least basic security and crime prevention measures in the commoner district.”
“…”
“When did they start preparing? Right after this fire incident. The damage from the terrorists was severe and the harm was considerable.”
“…”
“So this terror attack was the catalyst for this protest. In other words, at the time the Princess asked me to investigate, there was no protest being prepared at all.”
“Ah.”
At Lico’s words, Enoch laughed as if he finally understood why he’d suspected Lilis.
“Our Princess must have known that a fire would occur but only known that a protest would happen.”
“Unless she sees the future…”
“That’s right. I know.”
Lico was startled by his candid answer.
“Ha, why so surprised? I’ve worked with you a long time, and I trust you. If you’re curious, I should tell you.”
Enoch’s expression turned bitter as he posed the question back.
“What do you think our princess really is?”
“You act as though you can foresee everything that’s coming. Do you have the Foresight Ability? Or is this your second time through life… something like that?”
Lico added, stroking her chin thoughtfully.
“The Duke has been investigating Regression Magic with fierce determination, and he’s relied on my assistance quite a bit in that process.”
“Yes, that’s right.”
Enoch nodded.
In truth, it had been to find a way to save Oscar.
“I wondered why he was investigating that magic. Could it be you’re preparing a contingency, in case things fail and you need to start over? Or perhaps…”
Lico’s eyes sharpened, predatory.
“Someone has already succeeded in casting that magic once?”
“Impressive.”
Enoch clicked his tongue and applauded.
“Remarkable, really. You’re right. My daughter remembers the future. She’s come back from the past. Strictly speaking, it’s accurate to say that Regression Magic brought all of us back — me, my daughter, everyone — but the one who remembers…”
“Only the princess, sir.”
“Exactly.”
As Enoch confirmed her suspicion, Lico’s expression grew grave.
She seemed to tense.
“Duke.”
“You want to ask something, don’t you?”
Enoch let out a soft chuckle.
“Is it because you failed? Is that why you… why you started over?”
Lico’s voice trembled as she spoke.
Yes, I knew this was what she’d want to know most.
Not just Lico, but all the members of the Red Sparrow guild — they were all preparing for a revolution in which everything was at stake.
“I won’t lie. I can tell you with certainty: we didn’t fail. We didn’t come back because we failed. So don’t worry.”
Lico’s expression brightened at Enoch’s words.
Then, just as quickly, doubt flickered across her face.
“Then… why did you use Regression Magic?”
“Because Lilis died.”
Lico went rigid.
“Put the blame on me. If you resent me, I’ll hear it. Using Regression Magic, destroying all we’d worked so hard to achieve — it was all me.”
……
“Because I had to save my daughter.”
I’m sorry.
Unable to meet Lico’s eyes as shock robbed her of words, Enoch spoke with his head bowed.
“Even if everything else succeeds, without my daughter it means nothing. To everyone who suffered, it might have been victory. But I truly am sorry, because…”
……
“…to me, it was a failure.”
* * *
The capable information guild Red Sparrow brought word of Axion’s shocking decision early in the evening.
“Dad! Come back!”
“Back from where? I hate it.”
“No, please!”
He’d already set sail this morning at dawn!
“Aren’t you worried about your uncle?”
“No, I’m not. Dad already caught all the monsters. Uncle can just rest there and come back. The view is beautiful anyway.”
“Uncle doesn’t know there are no more monsters! Everyone else who went with him came back, but Uncle’s still there alone right now!”
I grabbed my head.
“And everyone knows it’s over! Can’t you picture Uncle there, biting his nails in fear?”
“Why aren’t you angry at Uncle? He made the decision to die without consulting any of us, and went alone?”
“Uncle didn’t do it for no reason. He just didn’t want to worry us.”
“If I were Uncle, I would never have done that.”
Father spoke coldly.
“I don’t want to die. Let’s find another way. So I’d have said: come on, let’s put our heads together, and figure this out.”
……
“If not everyone survives, what’s the point of my work?”
“There isn’t one….”
“And that makes it worse—I heard he left at dawn already. Didn’t even give himself time to recover before running off to die. If I’d been just one step slower, your uncle would be gone for real, princess.”
“…That’s true enough.”
“So let him shake at death’s doorway for a day or so. He’s earned it.”
Father grunted and rolled over to face the wall.
He was worried about Axion, certainly, but the hurt seemed to run deeper.
‘Men and their friendships are so childish,’ I thought.
I sighed and turned away myself.
“Well, what else can we do?”
I was making toward the bracelet when Father came thundering over and scooped me up.
“Whoa there.”
“What is it, James?”
“What’s our princess plotting? Why are you eyeing that bracelet like something’s about to happen?”
“I have to go. Someone needs to reassure your uncle, and since he’ll be stuck there for days, I want to bring him warm clothes so he doesn’t freeze at dawn.”
“Hmph.”
Father closed his eyes for a moment, then threw open the wardrobe doors and began pulling out armor in great clattering handfuls.
“Wait—you’re going?”
“Your uncle’s so lucky, isn’t he? First his niece tries to retire him by going to the Magic Tower, then she wants to visit Monster Island herself just to bring him a coat….”
Father grinned through gritted teeth.
“You love your uncle way more than you love me, don’t you?”
* * *
In that same moment.
“…Come on.”
Night had fallen hard on the island.
Axion Libre stood with grave resolve, sword in hand.
“…Come faster.”
It had been hours since sunset.
This suffocating vigil had stretched on for two hours already.
“…When will you show yourself?”
The blade would not leave the guillotine.
Indifferent as he’d become to death, this endless waiting was unbearable.
If it was coming, let it come and attack.
Otherwise, he’d be trapped here forever, nerves stretched taut, fear gnawing at him.
“Damn it, when already!”
At that moment.
As Axion’s cry pierced the air, a strange warping of Mana made him spin around instantly.
‘It’s here.’
On the sand, a massive Magic Circle blazed with blue light, its intricate patterns searing themselves into the beach.
‘A Magic Circle?’
His mind went blank.
He’d expected unknown monsters to emerge—that much he’d prepared for.
He’d even anticipated that if no one had survived, there would be magic-type monsters of terrifying sophistication to contend with.
But this.
A monster using Magic Formulas as refined as a human ability-user?
Did such things exist?
What manner of spell was this?
‘No time to think.’
There was no room for hesitation.
Axion threw himself backward and hurled a powerful sword strike forward.
“Huh?”
A familiar face burst from the Magic Circle in a shimmer just as the sword strike screamed through the air.
Boom—!
“Agh!”
“……?”
Sand and dust billowed thick.
His vision clouded, but in that split second before, he’d seen the face clearly.
“Enoch?”
It had to be Enoch, hadn’t it?
As the dust settled.
There stood Enoch, driven back three meters, clutching his chest with both hands.
“What the….”
Axion’s blade energy struck Enoch’s chest plate dead center, cleaving the armor clean in half before it clattered to the ground.
Fortunately, he’d sensed something amiss in that brief instant and conjured a shield, narrowly avoiding a fatal wound.
“Ha, huh. Ha.”
Enoch’s hand trembled across his chest as he gasped for breath, stunned.
Then, glancing around wildly, he caught sight of Axion, and his jaw clenched as he drew his sword.
“Yeah, that’s it! Let’s go, you bastard!”

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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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