My Daddy Hides His Power - Chapter 210

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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 strength
Chapter 210
* * *
Imperial Palace, corridor outside the audience chamber.
Selena’s vision remained pale as she left the Emperor’s presence, her unsteady steps faltering after only a few paces before stopping entirely.
“A-ah….”
Could my child possibly survive?
Terrifying imaginings coiled around her throat, choking her with an extremity of fear. Her heart hammered as though it would burst.
“Hnngh….”
Tears streamed from the eyes of the woman who had collapsed against the wall.
* * *
Magic Tower, Oscar’s office.
I sat with my back leaning against Oscar’s shoulder as he read, my pen doodling idly across the paper.
‘Afternoon half-day… leave request….’
I was planning to leave early today—there was somewhere I needed to be.
The Holy Knight Training Ground, where Father was.
More precisely, I intended to visit Gerard, who was currently training there.
“……So originally, during that Expedition, Leon died because of Gerard, right?”
“Gerard? Ah, that pretty-faced one?”
I pictured the handsome Gerard.
Whenever he smiled with that lavender hair cascading softly around him, people of all ages and genders lost themselves.
“Exactly. Incredibly beautiful! He even beat Cheshire for first place in this month’s salon popularity vote.”
“Is he your type?”
“No? He’s good-looking, but I… well….”
I thought of Cheshire.
“I prefer a bit more indifferent, cold-looking features.”
“I see.”
“Anyway, Gerard and Cheshire were always at terrible odds. Gerard refused to listen to Cheshire and insisted on capturing all the demon beasts anyway, which is what caused that whole mess, right?”
Cheshire had ordered a retreat when the battle proved far harsher than expected.
But Gerard, who had been Cheshire’s rival, defied the order and pushed recklessly, moving the troops, and then….
‘Poor Leon was the only one who died.’
…a catastrophe unfolded.
“But!”
However, I had already uprooted that Death Flag seven years ago.
“Right now, Cheshire and Gerard are on excellent terms.”
They’d grown close since their Training Institute days and now even exchanged birthday gifts with each other.
“Then there’s nothing to worry about, is there?”
“Well, you know? Leon is still going to find himself in danger that day no matter what.”
Theo was the same.
I’d fixed the illness called Magical Collision that was supposed to kill him, but then he got his stomach torn open by demon beast claws and never came back!
On the very day he was originally supposed to die!
“It doesn’t seem like Gerard will cause problems, but still, just in case….”
I put a period on the half-day leave form I’d been writing and handed it to Oscar.
“I’m going to meet Gerard today, ask how he’s been doing lately, grab lunch together, things like that. Could you approve this for me?”
Oscar took my approval form with a detached air, then looked at me intently before asking something out of nowhere.
“Are you dating someone?”
“……?”
I was caught off guard for a moment, but I tilted my head as though unfazed.
“What do you mean by that? Why would you think such a thing…?”
“You’ve gotten beautiful.”
“Pardon?”
“You’ve become so beautiful lately.”
Oscar said this while casually flipping through his book page with a flutter.
“I-is that so?”
My makeup must be working quite well these days.
I felt oddly pleased.
“Who is it?”
“I’m not dating anyone.”
I shot back immediately.
Oscar… Oscar is absolutely out of the question.
I couldn’t afford to slip up with Oscar. Not when Cheshire’s life hung in the balance.
“Surely I wouldn’t pursue a romance without your blessing, Master?”
My conscience pricked, but I pushed it aside and forced myself to play dumb.
“My blessing? You need my permission to date someone?”
“Of course!”
“And if I disapprove?”
“Then I’d have to end it, wouldn’t I?”
“Well then, break up with them. I’m sure I’d disapprove of whoever it is anyway.”
…….
I lost my words.
Oscar chuckled softly.
“I’m joking, joking. Sounds like there might be someone after all.”
“N-no, there really isn’t!”
Why do I keep getting tangled up like this?
I should know better than to spar verbally with someone this sharp for too long.
Oscar sighed.
He straightened in his chair and turned a page of his book before speaking again.
“Save your kisses for after marriage. During courtship, you hold hands—that’s it.”
“…I’m sorry?”
But I’ve already kissed him.
The moment I hesitated, Oscar’s sharp gaze cut toward me.
“What? What did you do?”
“W-what? Nothing! I mean, you can’t see stars unless you look at the sky. How would I be kissing anyone when I don’t even have a boyfriend?”
“You’re going to die, you know that?”
Oscar’s eyes went wide, and he leaned his face close to mine.
I swallowed hard.
“I’m n-not dating anyone, I swear….”
…….
Teeth gritted, Oscar glared at me before turning away with a sharp movement.
Ignoring my racing heart, I timidly retrieved my leave request form from the corner of the sofa.
“Master….”
I handed it to Oscar and spoke.
“Could you sign off on this?”
* * *
The Imperial Palace, Holy Knight Training Ground.
The knights who had been training were all bewildered. Gerard stood among them.
‘What’s going on?’
A woman with eyes swollen from crying, moving unsteadily, had come to the Training Ground.
Gerard knew who she was.
Selena Luden Dorf, the Marquise.
Everyone who mattered knew she was the biological mother of Lilis, the Rubinstein princess, including Gerard.
‘She must have come to see the Commander.’
Gerard sensed the unusual tension and quickly scattered the muttering knights.
“What are you all doing here? Get back to training!”
Then he watched them both from a distance.
Enoch was flustered.
Someone he’d thought he’d never see again had come to find him herself.
“…You knew about it?”
Selena appeared half out of her mind.
“Knew about what?”
“My son. The expedition he’s going on.”
Enoch furrowed his brow.
Her son….
The boy who had been exempted from military service with the Emperor’s tacit approval.
‘But why?’
Enoch thought it through, then realized, and swallowed the sigh that came to his lips. The Emperor’s whims were hardly something to be surprised by.
“I didn’t know.”
Enoch also guessed why Selena had come to find him.
“But even if I had known, there’s nothing I can do about it. I have no authority this time—I’m not going on the expedition.”
“Are you satisfied?”
“What?”
Selena let out a laugh.
“The price of handing you over seven years ago. Looks like I’m collecting it now. Are you satisfied?”
“What are you even talking about?”
“I hated watching you live happily after I sold you. Don’t tell me you’ve never once hoped I’d be ruined?”
“Listen.”
Enoch pressed his fingers to his forehead as if exhausted.
Knights in the distance were glancing at the two of them, muttering amongst themselves.
“First, let’s move somewhere else. There are too many eyes—”
“Answer me. Are you satisfied now? Hmm? Does it feel good?”
Selena’s voice rose like a madwoman’s. Enoch startled.
“I don’t understand why you came to find me and say these things, but I’ve never thought that way. I haven’t even wondered how you’re living or what you do with yourself.”
“You didn’t think me selfish for selling you out?”
“…Stop.”
Enoch’s gaze shifted to Selena’s swollen belly. It looked precarious.
“It’d be better if you didn’t agitate yourself. Just calm down a little—”
“But what wouldn’t I do for the child? You know my heart better than anyone.”
Selena kept laughing, but tears streamed down her face—a grotesque sight.
“Hah.”
Enoch finally let out a sigh.
He thought he understood why Selena was venting her reproach at him like this.
An expedition order that felt like a death sentence to an inexperienced young son.
Right now, she was blind to everything else.
Anyone would want to seize hold of someone and blame them.
“If I…”
Selena stepped closer. Her trembling hand, weak with despair, grabbed Enoch’s collar.
“If I were you…”
“…”
“If I were as strong as you!”
Selena cried out with bitter rage.
The onlookers who had been pretending not to notice suddenly turned toward them in alarm.
“I would have done anything for my child! Anything! Even if it meant sacrificing someone else! Even if it meant trampling my own convictions!”
“Calm yourself, please.”
Enoch grasped the wrist of the hand that had twisted his collar.
“Don’t agitate yourself.”
“Stop pretending to be virtuous. You’re just like me.”
Enoch faltered.
Seeing the man’s expression soften, Selena added with a sneer.
“You made your decision when you came back here, didn’t you? You once deserted to keep your child from becoming a soldier—so when you came back knowing exactly what would happen to him, why did you return? To take up the sword for him instead, didn’t you?”
“…”
“That’s the real reason you came back.”
Enoch remained silent. It was a fact he couldn’t refute.
That was also why he had never felt entitled to blame Selena back then.
Yes, Enoch too…
Was nothing more than an infinitely selfish father—willing to do anything for his daughter.
“For you, it’s easy.”
“…”
“I couldn’t, even if I wanted to. But you—you have the power to do it.”
Selena spoke through weak, choking sobs, rationalizing her old sin.
“So that’s why… that’s why I did it. Because it was easy for you… So I… so…”
“…”
“I envy you. I couldn’t protect anything in the end. But you—you protected both your daughter and your convictions.”
Your… daughter…?
Enoch closed his eyes tightly and clenched his teeth. He was grateful that Lilis wasn’t present.
Truly, grateful…
“Ah.”
…or so it had been.
Since when had she been there?
The moment he opened his eyes, Enoch saw his daughter standing behind Selena.
“…Lilis.”
“……?”
At Enoch’s murmur, Selena’s eyes widened.
“Lilis.”
Enoch rushed toward his daughter in alarm at the same moment Selena turned, trembling.
“How—how did you get here? Without even calling. I mean, this is… that is….”
“…….”
Lilis’s gaze fixed on Selena with an intensity that spoke of resentment. She had heard the conversation.
“No, it wasn’t like that….”
Selena murmured, her vision blurring.
This wasn’t what she’d meant to do. She’d never intended for the child to hear words like that—never, never intended it….
“Ugh.”
In the next moment, Selena’s wavering legs gave way. She collapsed, clutching her abdomen.
“Haa….”
“Selena!”
Enoch spun around with a cry of alarm, while Lilis froze where she stood.

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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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