My Daddy Hides His Power - Chapter 222

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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 hides his strength
Episode 222
‘Yes, that settles it.’
Cheshire shut his eyes tightly, swallowing the anguish.
Just moments before, his choice had been…….
In the end, to save a single life, he had turned his back on tens of thousands of others.
“S-s-sir Supreme Commander…?”
“…….”
One of his officers, who had been chasing the Greptor alongside him, barely regained his senses and opened his mouth.
Cheshire slowly opened his eyes.
Trembling, ashen-faced, all eyes were fixed on him. No one had yet pulled themselves from the shock.
“…There’s no need to pursue further. The rear damage I was concerned about won’t occur, so don’t bother hunting for targets.”
Though Cheshire was more confused than anyone, he could not help but issue orders.
“We’ve eliminated all the escaped demon beasts, so return to base and regroup.”
The only way to ensure no one learned of Lilis’s whereabouts was to reduce the number of witnesses.
“Yes, yes!”
“Everyone, back to the front lines!”
The soldiers who had received their orders turned their horses around and began retreating to the vanguard’s battleground.
‘Lilis.’
Cheshire, the last to remain, dismounted and gazed toward where the demon beasts had charged.
‘I’m… all right. Really, I’m all right….’
And he consoled himself as if repeating a mantra.
Enoch had taught him never to weigh one life against another.
But when the moment came that such weighing became unavoidable, Enoch had said, grieve though you may, save the many.
‘From the beginning, I was….’
Cheshire picked up an abandoned sword with trembling hands. Soon he remounted, took hold of the reins, and turned the horse’s head.
‘From the beginning….’
Ever since that distant day when an angel had reached out a hand to him as he lay dying.
‘…I’ve always been this kind of man.’
After all, never once.
Had his scales ever tipped the other way.
* * *
The Emperor Nicholas’s chamber.
With hands clasped behind his back, Nicholas stared at the map hanging on the wall, his gaze sharp as a blade.
The invasion of the Isolem Kingdom.
All preparations had proceeded smoothly.
And yet.
What gnawed at Nicholas’s nerves was Enoch’s every move.
‘Curse the man.’
Jedo had transformed beyond his control while he poured all efforts into war preparations.
Protests erupted daily among the common people. In mere years, the obedience and reverence they once held for him, their Emperor, had crumbled.
Some bold souls even dared speak of how the Rank system no longer frightened them.
‘Never satisfied, are you, Enoch.’
True, there remained those who maintained the Rank system by crushing and scorning the common folk.
But they were only a fraction.
The true centers of power and the high nobility moved with caution.
They were surely watching for Enoch’s reaction, his influence grown far beyond containment.
‘What do you truly want? How far do you intend to go….’
He knew.
The clear boundary that divides one human from another—Rank.
Enoch’s ultimate goal was to dismantle it.
‘I have no time to spare. I cannot wait any longer.’
There was only one way to restore order to this unsettled atmosphere and rebuild the prestige of the Imperial Household.
Continental Unification.
And its sole key: Cheshire Libre.
If he were to fail, Nicholas had no remaining forces to fall back upon.
Thus, he had waited patiently for the man’s growth to ensure certain victory….
‘When will he finally reach even Enoch’s level?’
Nicholas clenched his fists.
Unaware of the joyful news soon to arrive, he fretted as he always did on that particular day.
* * *
“You didn’t catch it?”
Leon’s jaw dropped.
“Hey, hey, hey! Then it’s definitely coming here. I killed a ton of its young on the way, you know?”
“…?! Why? Why would you do that?”
“The child soldier I escaped with was its target. I told it to chase me instead.”
“Wait, what—”
…….
“…You have a remarkable sense of self-sacrifice.”
“Hey! This isn’t the time! Get out of here! You have to get away from me!”
“J-just one moment.”
I spun around and pushed back the sleeve of my robe to check the bracelet.
‘How much Life Force would it take to catch all the dinosaurs coming here with Leon as their target?’
I held my breath, hoping the cost wouldn’t be too steep….
‘Huh?’
But nothing appeared on the bracelet.
I knew this response.
Long ago, when I’d asked how much Life Force it would take to save Oscar, who would die as the price of Regression Magic, I’d gotten the same reaction.
Why had no value appeared on the bracelet then?
‘Because the premise itself was wrong.’
The price of Regression Magic wasn’t Oscar’s life—wasn’t death at all.
So it was the same this time.
‘Dinosaurs coming here with Leon as their target’—they didn’t exist.
I turned back with relief.
“Don’t worry, Leon. The demon beasts won’t come.”
“…How could you possibly know that?”
“Ah!”
I faltered, then quickly dropped to my knees and planted my palms on the ground.
“Actually, I found out using Advanced Detection Magic.”
……?
Leon blinked.
“There’s magic like that?”
“Yes. The truth is, the Magic Tower has quite a few spells that aren’t public knowledge. The Tower Master created them all. As for how I was able to get here so quickly… well, it’s thanks to some magic that technically exists but nobody really knows about, I suppose?”
…….
Leon listened with a dazed expression, then nodded.
“Right. If he can bring the dead back to life, he’d have all sorts of magic like that.”
Of course. There’s nothing Oscar can’t make work.
“But… Leon, this is obviously something that can’t get out….”
“I know, I know.”
Leon nodded readily.
“So I just pretend I don’t know about the magic you used, that you’re living hidden in the Magic Tower, and who you really are—right?”
“Wow! Yes! Thank you so much!”
“But….”
Leon frowned, pressing a hand to his forehead.
“The person who came with me saw me half-dead.”
He thought seriously for a moment.
“They might not know much about the Mortal State, but they definitely saw my right arm get blown off….”
…….
“Ah! Wait, no—I’ve got someone to keep their mouth shut. It should be fine.”
Yeah, he would.
The person Leon was thinking of had to be Ulian, the commander of the Holy Mage Unit who came with this military campaign.
For reference, Ulian had joined our rebel forces three years ago.
“Then I’ll go now, trusting only you, Leon….”
“Wait!”
Brother, please!
My cute little sister’s lifespan is ticking down by the second!
My eyes stung as I turned back from leaving.
“If you live in the Magic Tower, you might know—Lilis. She’s my cousin sister.”
“Oh! Um, yes. I know?”
That’s me.
“Do you know Lilis?”
“Yes, I do.”
“I see.”
“Then I should be going—”
“What’s your name?”
Ugh!
Persistent.
“I haven’t used my real name in quite some time, for certain reasons…”
“An alias, then. Surely you go by something?”
“Rosalina Versace.”
“Rosalina. I see…”
Leon nodded, then spoke.
“I really do owe you my thanks. Without you, I’d be dead. I won’t forget this—I’ll repay the debt.”
“No, it’s all right.”
“It’s not. A debt incurred must be paid. Let me think…”
Leon paused for a moment, then let out an exclamation. “Ah!”
Without hesitation, he unclasped the Ruby Earring from his right ear and handed it to me.
“…Why are you giving me this? Is this payment?”
It was expensive, certainly.
“I saved your life—you think a single jewel settles that? Keep it. Wait for me. I’ll come collect it.”
“What? No, wait—you mean you’ll come looking for me? Just for repayment? Really, there’s no need—”
“Keep it.”
Leon forced the earring into my hand.
‘I have a feeling I’ve made this situation worse by lying.’
But with my Life Force burning away every second, I had no time to linger.
I had no choice but to slip Leon’s earring into my pocket and take my leave.
“Then I really must go! Leon, please take care of yourself! You have to come back alive!”
“Yes, yes.”
Leon cleared his throat and waved a hand with surprising warmth. I fixed his image in my mind and hurried away.
* * *
Leon watched until Rosalina vanished from sight, then limped over to the Greptor’s corpse and pried open its jaws.
‘Rosalina…’
He pulled his sword from the creature’s skull and spoke her name aloud.
An alias, she’d said.
Yet somehow, it suited her red hair perfectly.
“Hm.”
Leon bounced on his heels a few times and swung his arms experimentally.
He was completely healed.
Moments ago, he’d been on the very edge of death.
‘If she was a mercenary from the Fifth Battleground, she probably saw me fleeing with the child. She must have followed out of concern.’
Rosalina’s actions had been reckless, but without them, Leon would have had no chance. He would have perished.
He owed her a proper debt of gratitude.
With that thought, Leon began to walk slowly forward.
Then.
Thump, thump, thump, thump, thump.
“What?”
The sound of footsteps echoed—heavy, deliberate.
“But you said it wouldn’t come?!”
Leon tensed, sword drawn, bracing for danger.
Thump, thump, thump, thump, thump.
The ominous rhythm continued.
……
But wait.
Listening more carefully, the footfalls didn’t sound like a Greptor’s at all.
“What…?”
Thump, thump, thump, thump, thump.
Leon found the source of the sound and placed a hand gently over his chest.
His heart
was pounding like the footfalls of some massive demon beast.
“Are you all right?”
“Leon, please take care of yourself! You have to come back alive!”
The face of that beautiful woman, worried for him until the very moment of departure, wouldn’t leave his mind…….
“Ah, damn it. Really~!”
Leon grumbled under his breath and hurried forward.

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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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