My Daddy Hides His Power - Chapter 240

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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 240
* * *
Seven days until the invasion of Isolem Kingdom.
Emperor Nicholas was composing a letter to be delivered to the Northern Region.
‘Not much time left.’
A thin, bloodless smile crossed Nicholas’s lips.
Once the war began, he would capture Enoch. All the defensive forces necessary for that purpose had been completed.
Save for one final piece.
In a week’s time, after the Imperial Army’s expedition, he hoped that person would come urgently to Jedo for reinforcement—
Dos Rank Ability User, Rector Somerset.
With a massive private force specialized in dealing with Demon Beasts, he had not been enlisted in the Imperial Household’s Elite Forces; instead, following an Imperial decree to guard the troublesome regions, he had managed the Northern Territory all this time.
Though not a direct member of the Emperor’s Elite Forces, he was a master whose abilities surpassed even the Dos Legion commanders—
“It’s been a while since I’ve seen your face.”
—and yet an Imperial subject who dared not defy an Imperial decree.
* * *
Seven days until the day of rebellion.
Here, at the top floor of the Magic Tower—Oscar’s home.
A luxurious duplex penthouse kitchen.
“Thump-thump-thump! You just wait and see, Master!”
I, dressed in a fluffy cloud-patterned pajama set and apron that hung crisply laundered in Oscar’s closet, had picked up a knife again.
“Hey, be careful.”
Beside me, Oscar grumbled but had slipped on matching couple pajamas anyway, pacing back and forth like a chick who’d lost its mother.
“Ow!”
“Damn it! Seriously!”
My knife slipped while cutting a carrot, and my left thumb got sliced.
How could a professional chef make such an amateur mistake?
“I knew this would happen! I asked you to slice carrots, not your own finger! What is wrong with you?”
“Whimper.”
Oscar, exasperated, snatched my hand away. A warm surge of Mana flowed through, and the cut sealed itself in an instant.
Geez! Healing, damage—total broken character!
“I’ll do it. Just get out of the kitchen! The way you’re going, you’ll end up eating your own fingers instead of cooking!”
“No way! Everyone cried tears of joy eating my stew. My knife skills might still be rough, but I promise the taste is good. I really want to make it for you, Master. Okay?”
“Sigh.”
Oscar relented again, and I smiled at him before returning to slice the carrots.
“Hehe, and I picked up a chocolate cake from Lico Bakery? Well, not picked up—Lico just gave it to me….”
“Don’t chirp away like that. Focus on the knife. The knife.”
“The cake is really delicious. After dinner, let’s watch comics while we eat cake! And brush our teeth and sleep together! I’ll tell you some scary stories!”
When I’d asked Father if it was okay to stay over at Master’s place after coming home from the Magic Tower, he’d nodded without hesitation.
Just as I suspected…
The sleepover ban seemed to apply only to Cheshire.
“By the way, is it true everyone cried after eating your food?”
“Huh?”
Oscar, who’d been watching me cook intently, let out a long sigh and shook his head.
Then he pulled out bread, vegetables, and bacon and started making something.
“What are you doing?”
“Making your dinner.”
“Sandwiches? To go with the stew? I’m already full—I can’t eat both.”
“You’ll eat it.”
I didn’t think much of it, simply inserting a ladle into the simmering pot and began stirring the stew.
“Master, I’m actually worried about something.”
“What.”
“Sigh.”
I let out a long breath and spoke.
“The original story I know—wait, no. I mean, I have memories from my past life, right? But they’ve changed so much that they’re no help at all.”
“How exactly have they changed?”
“Well, for one thing, the operation started three years earlier than it should have, and originally it wasn’t this ominous atmosphere with talk of war and all. And also….”
“Also?”
“Do you happen to know that Count Somerset who lives up north beyond here? The lord of that domain where a lot of Demon Beasts appear.”
“No. How would I know that.”
“That man’s private soldiers are quite numerous and strong, you see. That’s why Dad originally came to help me, right?”
I sighed and recalled the conversation I’d had with Father yesterday, after sitting him down.
I’d wanted to check everything one by one to see if all the preparations were complete before the operation….
“Dad, what about that Earl Somerset you mentioned before? He’s supposed to be waiting here on Jedo in hiding right now, isn’t he? Everything’s ready, right?”
“Oh! No? That man never came. I don’t think he’s going to.”
Rector Somerset.
He was a crucial reinforcement who would help the protagonists seize Jedo in the final push.
That’s why I’d already told Father long ago to secure him in advance….
“It seems he won’t come this time. Can Dad succeed without that man’s help?”
“What? Why didn’t you call him?”
“I’m not entirely sure myself….”
“No! Why didn’t you call that man? I told you every one of those people was necessary!”
“Well, Joseph said that if Earl Somerset moves secretly, it could be risky. Can’t be helped. Even without Northern reinforcements, Dad can manage.”
Father was untroubled.
He simply had absolute faith in Joseph, his brilliant strategist.
‘Sigh… I guess I have no choice but to trust Joseph too.’
In the original story, Joseph had kept Earl Somerset waiting on Jedo in advance….
Since Joseph is clever, I trusted he’d have another plan this time….
But it was true that I felt anxious about developments that differed so drastically from the original.
“Damn. Now I’m getting nervous too. If that man is necessary, shouldn’t we call him now?”
“It’s already too late for that. I thought Dad had everything prepared, but he didn’t. There’s only a week until the operation, and there’s no way for that man’s army to sneak down from the Northern Territory to Jedo.”
I stirred the stew and sighed.
* * *
The Northern Territory, Rual Mar.
Rector Somerset, a robust middle-aged man of imposing frame, accepted an Imperial Edict from the Emperor’s messenger who had visited in person.
The letter’s content was concise.
Come to Jedo and assume command of the city’s defenses, which would be weakened once the Imperial forces deployed.
“In one week, the Emperor commands that you depart with all your private soldiers. Prepare at once.”
The messenger delivered the order in commanding tones without blinking, unmoved by Rector Somerset’s imposing bulk before him.
It was an insolent attitude, but Rector chose not to point it out and merely nodded.
“Understood. Be on your way.”
Once the messenger left, Rector ground his teeth and let out a bitter laugh.
“Tch….”
The Emperor who had virtually handed over the Northern Territory—crawling with Demon Beasts—and had ignored even desperate pleas for subjugation support.
“That cursed snake….”
And yet, having granted him the leisure of managing the North rather than marching on expeditions across the realm, the Emperor seemed to believe Rector should be grateful.
“When I asked for subjugation reinforcements in the North, he wouldn’t even listen. Now what? He’s ordering me here and there because he needs me?”
Rector crumpled the Imperial Edict violently in his grip.
“Not even a question of whether I can come—just orders me to come? Who does he think he is?”
Rector Somerset.
This man had been a rebel since long ago.
“Doesn’t he realize that thanks to the Duke of Rubinstein, I can finally breathe?”
The Northern Territory, which had groaned under Demon Beast plague for so long, began to know relative peace seven years ago.
It was after Enoch Rubinstein, who had deserted, returned to Jedo and took up his sword once more.
The North—a land optimized for Demon Beasts, where they overran the region no matter how many times you culled them—received subjugation reinforcements only once every six months, if that, from the Imperial Household.
To Enoch Rubinstein, there was no reason to concern himself with the North’s plight….
“It’s been a while, Earl! I was passing nearby and thought of you, so I stopped by!”
“My, my! Weren’t you here just two weeks ago? Has things stirred up so much already? The North truly does grind a man down. You’ve been through much, Earl.”
Without orders to campaign, he came and went, diligently helping with subjugation efforts.
Having forged a bond with the grateful Enoch from those days, and already harboring resentment toward the Emperor….
There was no reason not to become a rebel.
“Joseph Lütman is my strategist and the core of our Rebel Forces. You’ll see him often from now on, so consider his words my own and follow them.”
Rector had already spent considerable time exchanging views with Joseph Lütman, the strategist Enoch had introduced to him.
But since Joseph visited periodically only to play card games or indulge in frivolous chat, Rector felt somewhat uneasy.
Enoch’s eye for people wasn’t poor….
Yet this fellow claiming to be a strategist spent all his time playing cards, which left Rector deeply mistrustful.
That distrust reached its peak now.
“Now see here—what exactly do you mean? Don’t come to Jedo? Did the Duke say he doesn’t need me? I’ve been waiting for this day!”
“Hmm. No, no. It’s not that you shouldn’t come, but rather that we need to observe the situation a bit more carefully.”
With the rebellion just days away.
According to the plan, Rector Somerset should have gathered a private force by now, established a base near Jedo, and gone into hiding.
But Joseph had suddenly upended everything.
“What if the Emperor happened to come to the Northern Region and discovered that you had abandoned your post?”
“Are you insane? Why would the Emperor come to the north?”
“In any case, you must remain here!”
Rector felt like he was going mad with frustration.
He couldn’t even contact Enoch directly, and Joseph kept insisting he simply wait.
Yet he couldn’t ignore Joseph—Enoch had made it clear that he would defer entirely to Joseph’s judgment.
“It’s already too late! I tell you, it’s too late! Even if we depart this very instant, we won’t make it in time!”
“Sigh, please trust me and wait a little longer. Isn’t there a Gate right here? Just take the warp Gate to Jedo—that’s all we need to do.”
Was he mad?
“Damn it! You’re no strategist! Your mind’s even slower than mine, and I’ve only held a sword my whole life! Are you telling me to march this entire army through a Gate to Jedo? To announce ourselves loudly at every corner that we’re here for a rebellion?! What are you even saying?!!!”
In that moment, Rector knew.
He’d been deceived.
Joseph Ruel Mar was undoubtedly a double agent planted by the Emperor to slit Enoch’s throat!
Or so he thought.
‘And yet we’re actually going through the Gate to Jedo?’
Rector unfolded the Emperor’s letter that had been crumpled so wretchedly in his grip, and swallowed hard.
Just as Joseph had said, Rector could now reach Jedo in time to aid Enoch—without delay.
And it was perfectly legal, done under the Emperor’s own command.
“The Emperor could do whatever he likes, but Joseph will always be ten steps ahead of him. Honestly, I’ve never seen talent like Joseph’s. Sometimes he’s so clever it gives me chills.”
The moment Enoch’s absolute trust made sense.
Someone who had hastily concealed themselves in the tea room behind the reception hall peeked out through the doorway—
“Phew, terrifying. I almost got caught. Has the messenger left?”
—and revealed his face.
It was Joseph, who had been leisurely playing cards with Rector earlier, and who had hastily hidden himself when word came that a messenger had arrived.
“Hehe, Count Somerset~? I….”
He spoke with a grin as if he already knew what news the messenger had brought.
“You’re going to take the Gate to Jedo, aren’t you~?”

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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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