My Daddy Hides His Power - Chapter 32

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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’s Concealed Strength
32
I watched Leon’s retreating form grow smaller, then turned toward Chesire.
“Are you all right? Does it hurt?”
“No.”
“I’m sorry. The moment we get home, something like this happens. I promised you’d never get hurt.”
“Why are you apologizing? And I deserved it.”
“What?”
“I think he misunderstood what I said.”
“What do you mean?”
Chesire stared at me for a moment, then sighed and continued.
“He came to me and asked if you and I were really friends.”
“And?”
“I said no.”
“Then what did you say?”
Chesire hesitated briefly before answering in a quiet voice.
“That you were my toy—”
“What?”
I blinked in bewilderment.
“I thought he’d hate it if I called you my friend. I was trying to say you weren’t my friend, but my toy instead.”
…….
“I think he took it the wrong way.”
“The wrong way? Oh!”
So Leon had….
He must have misunderstood Chesire’s words as saying I wasn’t his friend but his toy—the reverse of what was intended.
“No….”
“I tried to clarify, but he didn’t give me a chance to explain.”
Hot-headed Leon must have thrown a punch immediately, and I’d shown up before he could correct the misunderstanding.
Now that I understood the whole situation, I wanted to tear my hair out.
“Ugh!”
“I phrased it badly. I’m sorry.”
“No, no…. This is my fault….”
I’d only joked around because Chesire seemed uncomfortable with the gesture of kindness.
“Chesire, listen.”
“If anyone asks again—”
I was about to correct him and tell him not to mention the toy business anymore, when Chesire cut me off.
“Can I just say we’re friends?”
…….
Chesire asked while avoiding my eyes.
His tone sounded casual, almost offhand—but there was a trace of worry beneath it.
A fear of being rejected….
“Yes! Absolutely!”
I smiled brightly and nodded.
“…Okay.”
“Your lip split open again….”
“I’m fine. But I think we should go check on that guy.”
“Right, yes.”
Thinking of Leon, who seemed genuinely hurt, I sighed.
The punch was harsh, but in his own way, he’d lost his temper thinking of me….
* * *
“She’s my sister! My sister!!”
“Why does he act like such a child! Stop it!”
The moment I arrived at Leon’s door, the commotion spilling from within made me squeeze my eyes shut.
Leon, in a full sulk, had apparently dragged Aunt into his tantrum.
“Brother.”
I opened the door carefully, and Aunt turned to look at me.
“Oh my, Liris?”
…….
Surprised that I’d come so quickly, Leon’s eyes widened for a moment before he abruptly turned his head away.
Aunt hurried toward me with a warm smile.
“You had a fight with Leon? Would you two like to talk it out? I’ll step outside.”
“Okay.”
After Aunt left, I shuffled nervously toward Leon, who sat perched on the bed.
“Brother.”
“What.”
“I heard why you hit Chesire.”
……
“You got angry because Chesire called me a plaything, right?”
“Yeah. He’s a bad guy. Who calls someone a plaything?”
“That’s a misunderstanding. Chesire said he was my plaything—not that I was his plaything.”
“What?”
“Actually, I asked him to be one. As a joke.”
Leon’s mouth fell open.
“Of course I was joking. I shouldn’t have said something like that. I was wrong.”
……
“Anyway, Chesire said he was just worried you wouldn’t like him if he told you we were friends.”
“That’s ridiculous. Why would I dislike him?”
“Because you haven’t been happy about him. You were glaring at him all yesterday and everything.”
“That’s not about him not being likable!”
“Then what is it?”
Leon suddenly turned his head away, then added quietly,
“You seem to like him more than me.”
“…What?”
“You brought him to the house and live with him—that means you really like him a lot.”
……
“You promised to catch spiders only with me, and then suddenly you wanted to bring him along too. I got annoyed because it seemed like you cared about him more.”
I stared blankly at Leon’s pouting face.
I’d never thought of that as the reason.
I’d assumed he objected because of status, that he disliked the fact that Chesire was a commoner.
‘So it’s jealousy, then?’
Once I understood, I clambered up onto the bed and sat beside him.
“Sigh, brother. Chesire is a friend, but you’re family.”
……
“Look at me, okay?”
I tugged at his arm and whined until Leon turned to me, his expression still sulky.
I began to speak quietly, swinging my feet beneath the bed.
“You know, I thought I only had Father as family. When I lived in Xenon, I was always envious of kids who had sisters or brothers.”
……
“But then I came here and got brothers. Really amazing, really handsome brothers at that. And you’re good at catching spiders too, and kind, and…”
Leon’s eyes grew wide as he listened intently.
“Hehe. I’ve been so happy lately. I thought having just Father was enough, but now that I have brothers and we play together, it’s wonderful.”
I suddenly threw my arms around Leon’s waist. He hesitated for a moment before reaching over to stroke my head tentatively.
“You’re family to me, and you’ll always be by my side. Even if I make lots of friends in the future, you’ll always be the most precious person to me.”
“Really?”
“Yes, really. Let’s play together a lot from now on, and eat lots of delicious things together, okay?”
Leon grabbed my cheeks, peering directly into my face, and broke into a grin.
“Okay.”
Then he pulled me close again in a bear hug and asked,
“So you like him more, or me more?”
Twelve years old—the age when questions like this hit hardest.
I suppressed my laughter and held Leon even tighter.
“Brother!”
“Then what about Theo—do you like him or me better?”
“Brother!”
“Haha! What about your uncle—do you like him or me better?”
“Um, that one’s a bit much.”
I shook my head firmly.
No matter what, Leon couldn’t compete with Father.
“Fair enough. Your uncle gets a pass.”
Leon burst into laughter.
* * *
The next day.
Chesire was summoned to the twins’ room.
‘Is he going to punish me for yesterday?’
Leon sat in a chair with his legs crossed, his refined features and arrogant posture the very picture of an aristocratic young master.
“Hey.”
Chesire met Leon’s gaze.
“I’m sorry for hitting you yesterday.”
Words Chesire never could have imagined tumbled from Leon’s mouth. For a moment, shock robbed him of speech.
“I misunderstood you. And violence isn’t right, no matter what. So I’m apologizing. Liris asked me to, but I’m not doing it half-heartedly—I mean it genuinely.”
“…That’s okay. I was the one who spoke poorly.”
“Right. Drop it then.”
…….
“You want me to drop it?”
“Yes.”
At his answer, Leon smiled with satisfaction.
“Leon’s manner is a bit much, but he’s not a bad person. Just understand that about him.”
“What about me!”
Theo, who had been lying on the bed, spoke up, and Leon bristled.
“I said Chesire, didn’t I? I’m Theo. Let’s be comfortable with each other. This isn’t our home, but….”
Theo was indeed the opposite of Leon in every way except their faces. His expression and tone were both gentler.
Yet….
‘Is something wrong with him?’
Something about him seemed unwell. His pallid complexion and the faint blue tinge to his lips caught Chesire’s attention.
“Hey! If you’re going to stay here from now on, we need to establish some hierarchy.”
Chesire tore his gaze from Theo and looked at Leon.
Hierarchy?
It was an aristocratic thing to say, certainly….
‘What hierarchy is there to establish? I’m just a commoner imposing on this household.’
As Chesire puzzled over this, Leon grinned wickedly.
“Liris said she likes me better than you.”
“…What?”
“Ha ha ha! Look at that defeated expression!”
Though it was simply an expression of bewilderment….
“And she said she likes me better than Theo too.”
“Really?!”
Theo, who had been groaning under his blankets, shot upright in bed.
“Yeah, really. If you don’t believe me, go ask Liris herself.”
Watching Theo’s genuine shock, Leon looked pleased and wiped his nose smugly.
“I can’t beat my uncle, of course, but how am I supposed to compete with Father? He’s an exception. So I’m ranked first in the hierarchy. No objections, right?”
Chesire felt his jaw drop. So that was what “hierarchy” meant.
“Hey, Leon. Wait. Who did she say she likes better—me or Theo?”
“I didn’t ask about that. Maybe you’re third?”
“Ugh.”
Watching Theo’s deadly serious expression, Chesire quickly interjected.
“I’ll take third.”
“…Huh? You’re conceding? You’re a good person.”
“What are you both saying? That’s for Liris to decide!”
He wanted to shout that they were all being ridiculous for arguing about rankings in the first place!
But Chesire held his tongue.
“So what’s Liris doing right now?”
“Probably in lessons. Kekeke…. Why? You thinking of asking her yourself? Fat chance, friend. You’ll just get hurt.”
Theo grabbed his head dramatically and swung his legs down from the bed.
But he couldn’t manage even a single steady step. He swayed, then collapsed forward.
“Ugh.”
“Hey, Theo. You okay?”
“I’m… hah—”
“Damn it. Again?”
Theo clutched at his collar. Cold sweat suddenly poured down his face.
“Wait, hold on! I’ll get the servants!”
Leon bolted from the room without so much as a glance back.
‘Is his condition worse than I thought?’
Left alone with Theo, Chesire didn’t know what to do. The difficulty in Theo’s breathing, which had seemed manageable moments before, was rapidly worsening.
“Ugh—ugh—hah.”
Chesire stumbled backward in alarm.
His pupils rolled back. His arms and legs convulsed violently.
Then a scream tore from Theo’s mouth as his body collapsed onto the floor.
“Aaaaagh! Aaaaagh!”
“……!”
His body writhed like something cast into flames, scraping across the ground.
“Aaaaaaaagh!”
Theo clawed at his own neck. He tore at it so viciously that his skin split open almost at once, blood streaming down.
“What—”
As if trying to claw his way through unbearable agony, Theo continued to inflict wounds upon himself.
“Stop!”
Chesire moved on pure instinct, rushing to Theo and pinning his body down, restraining his flailing arms and holding them fast.

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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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