My Daddy Hides His Power - Chapter 203

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

Father Hiding His Strength
Chapter 203
* * *
The day Cheshire returned from meeting the Emperor.
The Rebel Forces convened another urgent assembly.
This time, Enoch, Cheshire, and Joseph were gathered together.
“Well done, Cheshire.”
Enoch seemed taken aback.
Cheshire had not only avoided the marriage proposal with the Imperial Household, but had also extracted the Emperor’s demands that he’d been hoping for.
Though he hadn’t expected nothing.
‘The harvest far exceeds what I anticipated.’
Joseph, too, looked pleased.
“You’ve truly outdone yourself.”
The Emperor had revealed his intentions right there on the spot.
“However, Joseph—”
Joseph was studying a map while listening to Cheshire relay the Emperor’s vision for Continental Unification.
“The Emperor revealed his hand far too easily. I’d expected him to share at least which territories he intends to invade, the specifics of his war strategy, only gradually. If this were a trap….”
“Ah, no.”
Joseph laughed and shook his head.
Why such certainty that it isn’t?
Cheshire found himself puzzled.
“There’s nothing to hide.”
“Because there’s hardly any reason to hide it.”
Enoch and Joseph spoke simultaneously.
“Who doesn’t already know the Emperor desires to wage a war of conquest?”
Joseph pointed to a name on the map.
Isolem Kingdom
“Everyone knows this will be his top priority. The remaining kingdoms are allies of Isolem, under its protection, and consist entirely of non-Ability Users.”
Joseph enumerated the other kingdoms’ names as he continued.
“Conquer Isolem alone, and the rest will fall into line naturally. There’s nothing to conceal—it’s an obvious plan.”
“Ah, I see.”
“From now on, what you must do as the Emperor’s closest aide is to monitor this plan.”
“You need to hide your strength.”
Enoch tapped Cheshire’s arm lightly as he spoke.
Joseph nodded in agreement.
“If war breaks out during the three years we need to complete our final preparations, it would be a disaster. You must dedicate yourself to preventing that.”
“Understood.”
“Conceal your growth as much as possible—make him believe his forces aren’t yet ready for war.”
“I understand. But….”
Cheshire seemed puzzled.
“Is the Isolem Kingdom military truly so formidable? Strong enough that the Emperor would hesitate to invade immediately, even at my current level?”
“That would seem to be the case. Ability Users from numerous empires have sought asylum there. Of course, those born anew within the kingdom cannot open their Cores, so they’re no different from non-Ability Users.”
“Still, the kingdom has many Ability Users. New ones are continuing to defect from the empire and seek refuge there even now.”
Enoch took up the thread.
Why?
Born blessed with Ability User status, why would they abandon the empire and flee?
Cheshire began to ask further, but soon grasped their reasoning and nodded.
“The kingdom is far more pleasant to live in. The empire’s insane Rank system and suffocating atmosphere have worn down no small number of Ability Users.”
Joseph stroked his chin, lost in reflection, then chuckled softly.
“Particularly, during those seven years when Enoch Rubinstein vanished, the number of Ability Users who abandoned the empire was, shall we say, quite extraordinary.”
“Why?”
“Because without the Duke, the kingdom need not fear invasion. It becomes the safest, most pleasant nation to live in.”
Joseph added, looking at Enoch.
“Well, now that word of Enoch Rubinstein’s return has spread everywhere, they’re surely trembling, wondering when the attack will come.”
The more Cheshire heard, the less he understood.
Without Enoch alone, they need not fear invasion?
“But the kingdom’s military is, after all, composed entirely of Ability Users who defected from the empire, isn’t it?”
“That’s correct.”
“Then there should be a significant disparity in military strength between the two nations. Does the kingdom perhaps have an Ability User as strong as the Duke? Why didn’t the Emperor attempt to wage war without the Duke? If he pressed the invasion with only the Ability Users currently under his command, couldn’t he succeed?”
Questions tumbled forth without pause.
Enoch and Joseph blinked.
“Ah, my apologies. I’m afraid there’s much I don’t know.”
The two men exchanged a glance as Cheshire lowered his head, then understanding dawned.
“Ah! It seems you’re not familiar with this, Cheshire?”
“There’s no need to apologize, Cheshire. We should have explained better.”
Enoch spoke up.
“The last time the Empire struck at Isolem Kingdom, you hadn’t even been born yet.”
Joseph nodded in agreement.
“The Imperial forces couldn’t even breach Isolem Kingdom’s defensive lines.”
“What?”
What was he talking about?
“You see, Isolem Kingdom is…….”
* * *
“……quite literally an iron fortress. Dozens—no, hundreds—of high-level defensive spells layered upon it.”
“I see.”
A history lesson with Oscar.
Everything he told me about Isolem Kingdom fascinated me.
“If magic-type ability users can deploy defensive magic of that caliber, wouldn’t you fear they possess offensive magic of equal strength? That’s the concern that makes people hesitate.”
Oscar shrugged.
“Of course, Isolem genuinely does have devastatingly destructive offensive magic. Though no one knows it. If the Empire rashly attacked and somehow broke through the defensive lines, they’d find there’s nothing left of themselves to bury.”
“R-really? But Master, how on earth do you know such things? Are you from the kingdom? Or—surely you didn’t steal magic formulas and hand them over?”
“Close enough. My father passed them along.”
At his casual response, my mouth fell open in shock.
“What?!”
“Without that, Isolem would’ve fallen long ago. He must have done it to prevent war.”
“Wow, that’s amazing. Your father was truly a remarkable man.”
To check the Empire’s tyranny, to ensure others wouldn’t tremble before the specter of invasion.
He must have shared his magic with another nation.
“Well, he got himself stabbed by the Emperor for that little act of treason, and made a quick trip to the afterlife.”
“……?”
What? The more I heard, the more astonished I became.
“Y-you mean His Majesty the Emperor caused his death?”
“No direct evidence, but it’s obvious.”
“…….”
“He was a foolish man.”
Oscar spoke coldly, but beneath his deepened gaze lay a longing for his father.
“Ah, yes. Well.”
I fumbled to change the subject.
“But then there’s nothing to worry about, is there? How could the empire break through an iron fortress? I was just fretting over nothing!”
“No, it can be broken. But it’s people doing the breaking.”
“Huh? How? I thought you said it was an incredible defensive spell—how could they possibly breach it?”
Oscar chuckled and replied.
“Simple brute force. Keep attacking until those ability users run out of mana, don’t give them a moment to recover, just assault them relentlessly without pause.”
“Pfft.”
I laughed.
“I thought you were about to reveal some incredible secret! But wouldn’t the kingdom’s mana run out the same as the Imperial forces? And didn’t you say the kingdom has far more powerful offensive magic?”
“No, Lilis.”
Suddenly Oscar’s expression turned grave.
“The Empire possesses a weapon.”
“……What?”
“More precisely—a monster.”
“A monster?”
“A truly terrifying demon beast with mana approaching infinity. I know that creature well, so I asked it before, and even it doesn’t know its own limits. An absolutely unhinged demon beast.”
“What? You can actually communicate with demon beasts? What is it?”
“Yes. It’s an intelligent demon beast. It can ignore the kingdom’s offensive magic entirely and simply push forward, tearing through everything. If that creature keeps swinging its blade day and night, the defensive lines will eventually fall.”
What exactly was he talking about?
His expression was too serious for this to be a joke, and fear gripped me.
“W-what kind of demon beast is it?”
“Are you curious?”
“Yes…….”
“Really?”
Oscar leaned in close, his face suddenly inches from mine in a way meant to intimidate. I swallowed hard and nodded.
Then he smiled, soft and certain.
“Your father.”
* * *
A month-long festival to commemorate the conquest of the Moarte Archipelago.
At each official ceremony held in the Imperial Palace, the mock duels between Ability Users were always the finest spectacle.
Particularly this time, the two who would demonstrate their prowess were none other than Enoch Rubinstein, an Ability User without peer, and Cheshire Libre, the rising strongman of the new age.
Every noble with the standing to enter the palace and observe came without exception.
“I’m looking forward to this.”
“Yes, indeed.”
Axion Libre, the festival’s hero and architect of conquest, held the honor of sitting directly beside the Emperor.
The vast Training Ground stretched before them.
Two Ability Users stood facing each other, bowing in mutual respect.
A trumpet blast sounded—
The fanfare marking the duel’s beginning echoed across the arena.
The moment it began.
Whoosh—
Whoosh—
Whoosh—
Cheshire Libre unleashed Sword Auras. Dark waves of force erupted without pause, one every second.
The startled nobles forgot decorum entirely, their shouts filling the air.
Most swordsmen required a gap to gather their Mana before throwing the next Sword Aura—but Cheshire had none.
It was, quite simply, an inhuman reserve of power.
“Hmm.”
The Emperor smiled with satisfaction.
But then.
……
His expression grew taut, displeased.
Enoch hadn’t even drawn his sword.
Clang!
Clang!
Clang!
With only his arms swinging loosely, he deflected every Sword Aura that came at him using just his scabbard.
Against the relentless barrage of attacks so difficult to approach, Enoch advanced without hesitation, moving straight forward.
Then.
The instant he had closed enough distance.
Boom—!
The moment Enoch drew his blade, a crushing wave of force surged toward his opponent.
Cheshire was driven back, his body crashing hard into the safety barrier at the Training Ground’s edge.
……
It was then that Axion noticed the Emperor’s knuckles whitening where he gripped the armrest, and tensed.
The gap might as well have been between heaven and earth.
Enoch hadn’t even used his Sword Aura—unwilling to deal a fatal blow.
Only a true master, one who knew the gulf between his own power and his opponent’s,
could afford such restraint.
‘Still not enough, then.’
The Emperor’s new blade, the strongman of the young generation—
still fell immeasurably short of reaching a legendary Ability User.
“Tsk.”
The Emperor ground his teeth in displeasure and rose from his seat, departing without another word.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————