My Daddy Hides His Power - Chapter 25

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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 Conceals His Power
Chapter 25
* * *
“Good day, Marquis! Is the Gate of Heaven really here?”
“Indeed, young lady. A masterwork by Lindel Behr. Quite remarkable for one so young to possess such refined taste in the arts.”
Marquis Onyx, who had come to the gate himself with his wife, son, and attendants, made no effort to conceal his smile.
Father, holding my hand, spoke.
“It was sudden of me to ask, but thank you for welcoming us so graciously. My daughter has been so eager to see that work.”
“Not at all, Duke. You cannot imagine how delighted I was to hear from you. I have a modest hobby of collecting artworks, and now through this, I have the fortune of becoming acquainted with you….”
At Father’s greeting, the Marquis’s smile stretched wide.
‘He must be thrilled to have a chance to cultivate a connection with Father.’
Seven years since his return.
The most powerful figure in the entire Empire nobility.
There would be nobles lined up, all eager to monopolize Enoch Rubinstein before he made any overt political moves.
“May I introduce my wife and my son, Jonathan.”
“It is an honor to meet you, Your Grace.”
“My first pleasure to meet you, Duke Rubinstein. I am Jonathan Onyx.”
The elaborately dressed Marchioness Onyx greeted first, and Jonathan, her son, bowed politely with a practiced smile.
‘So this is him—Jonathan Onyx.’
He resembled both the Marquis and Chesaire.
Black hair and crimson eyes.
With Southern blood running through him, at least his appearance gleamed impeccably.
‘Though the character underneath is rotten.’
I recalled the Jonathan from the original story, the one who had bitterly resented Chesaire for later becoming Father’s adopted son, mocking him cruelly at social gatherings.
I’d always wondered why a mere background extra would dare provoke the male lead without fear.
But then, in Chesaire’s flashback scenes, their relationship was revealed.
Half-brothers.
And Jonathan had beaten Chesaire daily in the past.
“And I am delighted to meet the charming young lady as well. If I may be so bold, might I show you the artworks in the Annex?”
Jonathan extended his hand to me with a radiant smile.
‘Ugh, this wretched bastard.’
“Yes, thank you!”
I took his hand carefully, making sure not to confuse the words in my head with those that came out of my mouth.
At my shy expression, the Marquis, Marchioness, and Jonathan all laughed.
“…It seems our little girl has taken a shine to young Jonathan.”
Father muttered in an uneasy voice.
Oh no, that’s not it, Father….
“Haha, how flattering.”
“They do make a lovely pair.”
Seizing the moment, the Marchioness leaned in with a giggle, and Father’s face hardened.
“Mother, what an embarrassing thing to say.”
“Why not? Be kind to the young lady. You’ll be seeing her often going forward. One never knows what fate may bring, does one?”
“Ha, this woman.”
The three of them began their matchmaking scheme in earnest, as if they’d already decided our future, completely ignoring what Father and I actually thought.
“Let us continue this discussion inside rather than at the gate.”
The Marquis smiled and led us into the house.
I squeezed Jonathan’s hand meaningfully and whispered.
“The Gate of Heaven. Hurry….”
“Ah, you do seem eager to see it. Shall we head to the gallery first?”
“Yes, Jonathan. That sounds best. The staff here are well-trained in appreciation—go with them.”
Finally!
Four servants who had been standing humbly in the background like painted figures suddenly came into focus.
“Let me greet them!”
I beamed and rushed toward them.
One butler and three maids.
The moment I grasped the hand of the male butler on the far left, Jonathan froze.
“Y-Young lady? There is no need for you to extend such courtesy to the lower staff….”
The Marquis and Marchioness then subtly signaled Jonathan to let it pass.
Having lived my entire life as a commoner, young Liliths would find nothing strange in such behavior—no sense of impropriety at all.
“Thank you for your kindness!”
“Yes, of course, Miss.”
After squeezing each hand in turn, the butler and maids seemed taken aback.
And then….
The maid standing at the very end.
Brown hair loosened down to her waist, eyes with a slight upturn at the corners, a beauty mark near her lips.
‘This is Riche, one of Riko’s Guild members.’
I’d known it from the moment I first saw her.
I’d simply been waiting for the right moment to approach.
If I’d received word in advance through Riko, she would surely send me some signal at this exact moment.
“I came to see the Gate of Heaven. Thank you so much for showing me, sister!”
“Yes, Miss.”
Riche smiled with her eyes narrowed and grasped my hand firmly in return.
‘Just as I thought.’
In that instant, something was discreetly pressed into my palm.
The cold touch of metal, and a small slip of paper that crackled softly.
I could guess what it was well enough.
The key to the room where Chesaire was locked.
And on the note….
‘Probably the location of the room.’
We exchanged a look that no one else would notice and smiled.
* * *
Enoch Rubinstein.
When word spread that he had returned after disappearing with his daughter in tow, noble society was set ablaze with speculation.
His House’s influence had remained undiminished during his absence, and now that he’d returned, he would monopolize the Emperor’s favor entirely.
The Empire’s nobility—needless to say—all began scheming how to curry his favor.
It was during this time.
That Enoch Rubinstein himself reached out first.
‘As Father said, this is an opportunity Heaven has granted. I must make a favorable impression on the Marquis by any means.’
Jonathan made a vow.
Unlike his father, who was a second-rank Quarto, Jonathan was only a fourth-rank Octava.
In a world where rank mattered more than title, where connections and influence were everything. Without building up his standing through personal relationships….
He knew all too well what his future held—even if he inherited a peerage, he would be scorned in noble society.
“Kyahahaha!! What’s this?”
And then there was the daughter whom Enoch Rubinstein treasured beyond measure.
“Where am I? Is there anything here? This house is really big! Woooow!”
If he could build rapport with her from now and treat her well, only to be bound to her by a betrothal later, it would be nothing short of….
“How amazing!”
…damnable.
Blood felt like it might pour from his ears.
Jonathan surreptitiously wiped his ear and laughed through gritted teeth.
“Miss? This work, you see, was created in the same era as Lindel Behr—by Berdan, who left behind countless masterpieces….”
“Kyahahaha!!”
A vein bulged across Jonathan’s forehead.
He’d thought that at seven years old, she might actually listen, but clearly children were children.
The moment she’d entered the Annex, she’d been wailing at the top of her lungs, running up and down the lobby and stairs, carelessly touching the artwork in the exhibition rooms.
When he’d finally shown her the Gate of Heaven, which she’d supposedly been so eager to see, she’d seemed utterly unmoved.
‘Damn it. I should never have sent the attendants away.’
His father had assigned him servants to explain the works instead, doubting Jonathan’s capability….
But because he’d prepared thoroughly to make a good impression on Enoch and his daughter, he’d confidently dismissed them.
‘How was I supposed to know I’d end up doing childcare instead of art appreciation!’
Jonathan grimaced silently and squeezed his eyes shut.
‘No. Hold on, just hold on. This little brat could change my entire life.’
Taking a deep breath, Jonathan centered himself, opened his eyes, and flashed a forced smile.
“Miss, shall we proceed to the next exhibition room….”
…wait. She’s gone?
The moment he’d blinked, the small child who’d been wandering around the second-floor exhibition hall had vanished.
The wide-open door suggested she’d slipped away somewhere else.
“Ugh, damn it. The size of a bean but won’t listen worth a damn.”
Jonathan clenched his teeth and set off trembling to find Liliths.
* * *
At the far end of the third-floor corridor in the Annex, there was a side door.
That door was the entrance to a secret passage leading downward.
Having slipped away from Jonathan Onyx, I moved urgently according to the note Riche had given me.
The child is in a room at the far end of Underground Level 2.
“Huff. Oh dear, this is rough….”
I hurried down the stairs, my short legs working overtime.
Only four servants know of the child’s existence, and entry to the exhibition hall is strictly forbidden.
There are no guards stationed inside, so escape should be straightforward.
It seemed they were keeping Chesaire’s existence thoroughly hidden even from the servants—the Annex was bare of activity, not even an ant stirring.
For me, it was a blessing.
“Huff, huff. Can’t… catch my breath….”
Before long, I’d reached Underground Level 2.
Crimson lanterns hung in each damp corridor.
‘If they kept someone locked away in a place like this, there’d be no finding them. Father would’ve had a rough time on his own.’
Even as I thought it, I made a small noise deliberately.
“Whoa! So many rooms!”
This door—Chesaire would be behind this one.
Whether from running so hard or the anticipation of meeting him so soon, my heart hammered in my chest.
I gripped my racing pulse and, without hesitation, slid the key into the lock.
Click.
The door opened.
……
The room was pitch black.
In the darkness where I couldn’t see even an inch ahead, someone lay buried in shadow.
I pushed the door wide.
Only when the door swung fully open did light seep into the room—and the child who had been lying there like a corpse slowly raised himself up.
……
……
And when our eyes met.
My mind went blank. I couldn’t speak.
“Ah….”
His face was covered in the marks of violence.
His right eye, swollen with bruises, was puffed shut and wouldn’t open properly, and his lip was crusted with dried blood.
Even in the darkness, it was vivid enough to see—a sight so wretched….
‘This can’t be real.’
“U-uh…. I, I….”
……
“I….”
……
“I, I should have. I should have come faster….”
I should have come sooner.
This was my fault.
I was an idiot.
I should have just told Father on the day we first met—let’s find this place right away.
For you, every minute and second was hell.
For me, that one week in the Empire had been pure happiness, but for Chesaire it must have been a living hell, day after day.
“Ah….”
Tears fell unbidden.
I clenched my teeth and wiped the streaming tears roughly away with my sleeve.

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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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