My Daddy Hides His Power - Chapter 199

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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 Hiding His Power
Chapter 199
* * *
Deep into the night.
Three men gathered in secret in the basement of a small pub.
It was an emergency meeting of the Rebel Army.
The Emperor’s scheme to advance a marriage proposal between Cheshire and the 8th Princess had forced their hand.
“Ah, Joseph. You made it.”
“Yes. Things have become rather complicated.”
Joseph Lütmann, the strategist who arrived last, drew back his lowered robe and nodded to Enoch in greeting.
“You got the gist of it, right? Can I refuse the marriage proposal on my own authority?”
Axion cut straight to the heart of the matter.
“No, absolutely not. You mustn’t involve yourself at all.”
Joseph spoke, watching Cheshire, who remained silent with an ambiguous expression.
“Nor should Cheshire refuse without justifiable cause. The Emperor would then assume your influence as his adoptive father was at work.”
“Right. That won’t do. If we’re to proceed with our plan, we can’t let it appear that Cheshire dances to your tune.”
“Exactly. Both of you must maintain a proper distance from Cheshire. You all understand the picture we’re painting here, don’t you?”
The Emperor wanted Cheshire.
“Cheshire must gain the Emperor’s absolute trust without question.”
Joseph’s strategy was to make it appear as though the Emperor’s designs unfolded smoothly.
While the Emperor, preoccupied with possessing Cheshire and preparing for invasion, remained distracted.
“Three years.”
It was the perfect window for the Rebel Army to move with maximum boldness.
“Now that we’ve secured the core figures of the middle stratum in Jedo and the Magic Tower itself. I see three years before us.”
Joseph looked toward Cheshire.
“You must become the Emperor’s blade and buy us three years while everyone completes their final preparations.”
“But there’s one thing.”
When Enoch interjected, Joseph released a sigh.
“Yes—the marriage proposal. The Emperor seems intent on proceeding cautiously. There’s no more certain way to completely secure Cheshire than this.”
“This is troublesome.”
“Maddening.”
Enoch and Axion both exhaled heavily.
“For our plan to succeed, Cheshire must appear to comply with the Emperor’s wishes. Yet if the marriage with the Princess actually proceeds, we risk forging such deep ties with the Imperial Household that we cannot afford.”
As he spoke, Joseph’s gaze sharpened as he stole a glance at Cheshire.
‘Cheshire Libre. He appears dull, but he isn’t. He’s more emotional than anyone.’
The matter of breaking into the Great Temple, seizing the Sacred Object that was the Judge’s Sword, and forcing his way into the Imperial Palace.
‘He might be wise to accept the marriage proposal. But I needn’t introduce variables to an emotionally volatile man like that.’
Now that Joseph understood the full sequence of events, he could not help but worry about the man called Cheshire.
“So what do we do?”
Axion asked, frustration evident in his tone.
Joseph released a groan, pressing his index fingers to both temples.
“Let me think of some justification to refuse the marriage proposal somehow….”
…….
…….
Joseph, Enoch, and Axion faced a grave predicament.
Cheshire watched them in silence, lost in thought.
“……You can use marriage in business dealings, can’t you?”
‘Lilis was right.’
He came to understand it then.
Overthrowing power required shadowy dealings and complex negotiations beneath the surface.
And countless those in authority were entangled in interests far less pure than appearances suggested.
“Hmm. If this fellow had someone he was seeing, we might be able to bluff our way through it.”
“Perhaps so. The Emperor would consider that proceeding with the marriage despite an existing lover would become a liability….”
As Axion spoke, Joseph sighed and picked up the thread.
“But the Emperor already knows everyone Cheshire is close to. Any pretext built on such grounds would be dismissed as an excuse.”
When Enoch spoke with certainty, Joseph and Axion nodded in agreement.
“Um, Joseph.”
Cheshire, who had been listening quietly to the exchange, suddenly broke in.
“Yes, Cheshire.”
Securing the Emperor’s unwavering trust.
Avoiding a marriage proposal with the princess.
Faced with the need to accomplish both things at once, Cheshire had struck upon a clever solution.
“I’ll meet with the Emperor and bring back what you desire.”
Everyone was startled by Cheshire’s abrupt words.
“There’s someone who can help.”
* * *
The next day.
I rode in a carriage with Cheshire, who’d arrived early that morning, heading to the Magic Tower for work.
“We’re going to see Jem after this? What’s it about?”
When I’d asked why he’d come, he said he had a favor to ask of Jem today.
It was something Jem really should help with, but it was possible he might refuse, so he asked me to help persuade him on the side.
“It’s a long story. That’s why I was going to tell you during breakfast….”
“Ah! So that’s why you came so early. Sorry about that. It’s been a while since I’ve eaten breakfast at the Magic Tower.”
“It’s fine. Either way, Jem needs to hear this too, so I’ll explain when we meet this evening, all together.”
“Sure, whatever.”
I gazed out the window.
The familiar sights along the route to the Magic Tower continued to drift past.
“…Is the food that good?”
Cheshire, who’d been quiet for a while, suddenly came out with something odd just as we were nearly arriving at the Magic Tower.
“What are you talking about?”
“Why you even eat breakfast at the Magic Tower.”
“Oh!”
I’m not a pig!
“The food is delicious, sure, but that’s not the only reason. I want to spend more time with Master.”
…….
“Master’s on strike. Lately he just stays with me all day without working. He tutors the kids directly, we eat all three meals together, we take walks.”
Neither Oscar nor I said it outright, but we were simply trying to see each other as much as possible, without anyone needing to say so first.
Like people with precious little time left to spend together.
“I have a room at the Magic Tower anyway….”
I grew melancholy again and mumbled while looking out the window.
“Maybe I should just stay at the Magic Tower like my friends do instead of commuting….”
…….
Soon the carriage came to a stop.
When I turned around, Cheshire was staring at me with a peculiar expression on his face.
“Cheshire? Should I go?”
“Ah, yeah.”
Was it because of the favor he’d mentioned asking Jem?
Though I didn’t know what it was, Cheshire, who seemed lost in thought, greeted me with a face even more expressionless than usual.
“…I’ll come pick you up later.”
* * *
“So Dad said that when Moarte Island becomes a tourist destination, the three of us—Dad and Master and me—should go on a trip together….”
…….
Oscar gazed quietly at Lilis, who held his hand and prattled on without pause as they walked.
“…Master?”
…….
Ever since the day he’d received his grandfather’s remains, he’d spent nearly every moment with the child.
He instructed the gifted students directly, staying by her side the whole time, and of course they shared all three meals together.
“Master!”
…….
During rest periods, they walked hand in hand like this.
Now, after dinner, as he accompanied the child before she left, was the end of the day.
“Hey! Are you listening?!”
A desire, perhaps, to spend together, fully and without regret, whatever time remained in which they might still recognize each other.
“Ah, sorry.”
“Is there something on my face?”
“Yeah. You’ve got food stuck in your teeth.”
“Oh!”
Lilis, startled, hurriedly covered her mouth with both hands.
“You had quite the delicious meal, didn’t you?”
“Mmm… Wh-what’s stuck?”
Oscar chuckled and reached down to reclaim Lilis’s hand, which had slipped from his grasp.
“I’m kidding, just kidding. You saw me brush my teeth—why’d you fall for that?”
“Tee-hee!”
As they continued walking toward the entrance, Cheshire came into view.
Oscar clicked his tongue.
“What’s his deal, always hanging around like that? Comes to pick her up every single day. Did you ghost him in a past life or something—is his vengeful spirit attached to you?”
“Oh! Cheshire, you’re already here? We promised to visit a friend today, remember?”
“Yeah, I didn’t ask.”
Ugh, that doesn’t sit right with me.
As Oscar approached with a grumble, he caught sight of Cheshire’s expression.
His gaze was oddly averted, tilted at an unusual angle.
It wasn’t fixed on Lilis, and it wasn’t fixed on Oscar either—it was trained on something in the space between them.
‘What’s he staring at so hard?’
Oscar followed the direction of that gaze and glanced down—
‘Well, well.’
Their clasped hands came into view.
For a moment, Oscar barely suppressed a laugh that nearly burst out of him.
‘Quite the sight, really.’
Truth be told, he’d noticed Cheshire watching him warily these days.
Likely because Lilis had grown considerably.
‘Everyone’s in an uproar.’
Whenever they were together, he’d catch peculiar looks cast their way.
Just days ago, hadn’t Nordic—Lilis’s grandfather, who’d turned the Magic Tower upside down—done the same?
That an old man might harbor such suspicions was one thing, but for a greenhorn to misinterpret things with such base-minded eyes….
Oscar found it both irksome and amusing.
“You’re here, Cheshire?”
“Yeah. Did you have a good lesson?”
“Mm-hmm!”
Cheshire bowed politely to Oscar, then hastily extended his hand toward Lilis.
“Let’s go.”
As if to say: let go of Oscar’s hand and take mine instead, quickly now.
“Master!”
But Lilis, who hadn’t yet noticed the outstretched hand, turned around.
“Mm.”
“I’m heading off. See you tomorrow. And don’t forget—we’re eating breakfast together tomorrow too, right?”
…….
Cheshire stood frozen, his hand still extended toward Lilis’s departing back, unable even to lower it.
Witnessing this, Oscar fought hard to contain his laughter.
“Sure, I remember.”
“Great! So same time tomorrow—eight thirty at the restaurant entrance! I have to meet my friend now, so bye!”
“All right, go on.”
Lilis shook Oscar’s hand vigorously back and forth, then spun on her heel.
…….
And then, caught up in her excitement….
She dashed off to the carriage without even noticing Cheshire’s hand still hanging in the air.
Truly, embarrassing for him.
…….
…….
Oscar and Cheshire’s eyes met in the empty space where Lilis had been.
“Ah.”
Cheshire lowered his hand awkwardly and rubbed his thigh for no particular reason.
Watching this, Oscar—
“Pfft!”
—broke into laughter, his expression as deliberately nasty as he could make it.

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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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