My Daddy Hides His Power - Chapter 4

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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
Chapter 4
No one bothered to explain the situation to the shocked child caught in the chaos.
“Don’t let the child get hurt. Fall back and stand by.”
The Knight Commander said this and swiftly handed me off to a subordinate knight behind him.
It was the same man I’d bitten earlier. Blood beaded along the teeth marks on his right hand.
“Um…”
I looked up at him blankly.
He was looking down at me too, his expression slightly irritated.
‘So this man was just faithfully doing his duty.’
I felt embarrassed and apologized.
“I’m sorry. I just found out what’s happening…”
Then it happened.
A tremendous gust of wind suddenly swept across, and I looked up to see—
Whoosh—!
“Ugh.”
What…? What in the world was that?
Father had simply swung a poker once through empty air.
A brilliant blue Sword Aura shot toward the Knight Commander, and he barely managed to block it before being pushed back roughly a meter.
What followed was a relentless barrage of attacks.
The poker cut through the air without pause, and the Knight Commander seemed overwhelmed just defending against the incoming Sword Aura.
“Disobedience to orders means only death?”
“Ugh.”
“And you found it amusing even as you said it.”
“Je—, Comman—”
“How exactly do you plan to subdue me?”
Father spoke casually between attacks, firing off Sword Aura with ease.
Unlike his confident words, the Knight Commander was barely managing to cope.
“And besides.”
“Gah—”
“You dared touch my daughter.”
As always, I was the spark that ignited Father’s fury.
Father unleashed a Sword Aura every second, and the Knight Commander was only barely managing to block them.
He—he can barely defend himself. How could he possibly attack, let alone subdue anyone?
Only then could I understand why Father had looked upon the Knight Commander with such contempt.
“Stop! Enoch Rubinstein!”
Seeing there was no chance of victory, the knight holding me cried out.
At the same moment, a flash of light blinded my vision.
The knight had drawn his sword and placed it against my throat.
“Eek!”
“Lilis!”
Father stopped attacking, his face going pale as he started to step forward—then froze.
“Surrender peacefully and follow us. If you do, I will guarantee your daughter’s life.”
“Threatening a child. How fitting for the so-called Holy Knights.”
Father ground his teeth and sneered, and I quietly found myself agreeing with him.
“We are merely executing the Imperial Decree. His Majesty the Emperor has commanded us to bring you in by any means necessary, Enoch Rubinstein.”
The Knight Commander, having miraculously survived, continued to flap his jaws.
After a moment of silence, Father answered.
“I abandoned that name long ago.”
So in other words, he really was that name once, wasn’t he?
I swallowed a faint laugh at the situation where even the smallest hope had evaporated.
James, age twenty-seven, was apparently indeed Enoch Rubinstein, the hidden protagonist who concealed his strength.
“I have no intention of serving the Imperial House any longer. Tell your master that.”
“I am not asking you to choose.”
With inexplicable confidence, the Knight Commander leveled his sword at Father and added:
“It is a command.”
“…”
A strange current began to swirl around Father, properly enraged now.
This time, it felt like something far bigger was about to break loose.
And so the knight holding me drew his sword again, threatening me once more.
“Enoch Rubinstein! If you want your daughter to live, stop this instant!”
“Ugh. Wait, wait! Just a moment!”
I forced myself to steady my racing heart, even as fear threatened to overwhelm me.
To summarize the situation: the man I’d thought was merely an extra named Father was actually the protagonist hiding his power—Enoch Rubinstein.
Which meant I, by extension, was his sixth character trait. That is to say—
6. In his youth, he lost an
young daughter
at the hands of the imperial court, and spent years honing the blade of revenge.
—I was the one underlined as the “young daughter.”
‘Is this really happening? Can someone please give my peaceful extra life back?’
Once these facts became crystal clear, I had only one choice—and I knew the entire plot by heart.
I gently pushed away the knight’s sword arm, then smiled brightly and spoke.
“Of course! An Imperial Decree must be obeyed! Our father will return to the Holy Knights right this very moment~!”
Clap, clap, clap.
Everyone’s dazed stare—Father included—fixed on me.
* * *
“You look just like your mother! Just like her!”
Father knelt beside me like a penitent as I sprawled on the floor, flailing my arms and legs, apologizing.
“I’m sorry, princess.”
“Why didn’t you tell me! Why! Why!”
“I’m truly sorry. Even if I had ten mouths, I’d have nothing to say for myself….”
Now that Father had revealed his true form, his silver hair and blue eyes looked just like mine.
He’d insisted I looked like Mother, and yet—
Father was a liar!
“But our daughter.”
Father’s lips quirked up as he pulled my thrashing form close and planted a firm kiss on my cheek.
“Who could you possibly take after to be this clever? Hmm? Such quick thinking in that moment?”
Father glanced at the six knights waiting outside the house and laughed approvingly.
At my declaration that I would return today, Father had nodded helplessly and said he’d tidy up here before we left.
That was the time we’d bought.
“Hehehehe… Those foolish idiots. They actually released the hostage because they believed me? As long as our princess is safe, there’s nothing I need fear. Come now, let’s pack a few things and slip away quickly.”
I stared at Father in dismay as he peered out the window, chuckling.
Was this really the same person?
The cold-blooded, expressionless man who ended every sentence with “—I see,” radiating authority? That Enoch Rubinstein?
He looked like nothing more than a village idiot to me.
‘Well, he must have changed since he thought I was dead.’
I nodded, trying to understand this version of Father who now showered me with affection every moment of every day.
“Father, I have something to say.”
“What is it?”
Father replied absently, already hurrying to pack.
“Don’t run. Let’s go back through proper channels. Return to the Holy Knights and everything.”
“Hmm?”
Father’s eyes widened, and he turned to look at me, then chuckled as he wiped the tip of his nose.
“Don’t worry. When you were being held hostage, I had no choice but to do nothing. But now? Those people out there? I could beat them all with a poker.”
“Yeah, I saw the poker work earlier too. I know that… but I just wish you’d go back.”
Father hesitated, his hands stilling on the luggage. His expression grew serious at last.
“Why?”
“And I want to go with you to the capital. I’ll enroll in the Ability User Training Center and get an Ability User Badge. I’m an Ability User too, after all.”
Father’s eyes went wide.
“What are you talking about? How do you even know about that—the Training Center and all that?”
“Um, Mister Joe told me.”
“What?”
Father’s brow furrowed.
“How does that man even know such things? And more importantly, what business did he have telling a child—”
In truth, Joe probably knew nothing at all, but I decided to throw him under the carriage anyway.
“If we run, we’ll have to keep running forever… And these scary people might keep coming back, and I might end up dead….”
“No, Lilis. No. I’m sorry. Father was careless this time. From now on, our princess won’t be in any danger. I won’t let anything like this happen again.”
“That’s not the point. I don’t want to spend my life running. I want to live with my head held high.”
At my words, Father’s eyes wavered.
“Lilis.”
Father called my name, then fell silent for a moment, hesitation etched across his face.
“Listen carefully to what I’m about to tell you.”
Then, as if he’d finally made up his mind, he gripped my shoulders firmly.
“The truth is… I’ve always known this day might come. I’ve always worried that those frightening men outside might come looking for me someday.”
“Mm-hmm.”
“But I ran anyway. Even knowing everything. Because I didn’t want to raise you as an Ability User.”
He didn’t want to raise his precious child as an Ability User.
I understood his feelings perfectly—I, who knew this world better than anyone.
When I’d believed I was a non-Ability User, my relief had come from the simple truth: the life of an Ability User was far from beautiful.
“Being an Ability User, living as a noble—it might look appealing. But appearances deceive.”
In the Pavilion Empire, Ability Users received the highest rewards.
According to their rank and field of expertise, they received noble titles, commanded vast territories and gold, and earned the obedience and loyalty of the masses.
But those privileges came with a cost.
Becoming the Emperor’s sword and shield and staff—living one’s entire life as a member of the Imperial Elite Guard.
In an empire where 365 days a year meant conquest wars and Demon Beast hunts, the elite soldiers were constantly summoned to battle—no better than enslaved warriors.
“Ability Users are nobles and soldiers both. Warriors, mages… they spend nearly their entire lives on the battlefield.”
“…”
“And the battlefield is… a truly terrible place.”
Father paused, then continued with great effort.
“A friend I greeted yesterday comes back to me today… dead. As I bury that friend in the earth, I think: Who will die tomorrow? How much longer can I survive?”
Father looked down at me with eyes that had grown distant.
In that gaze lingered terrible memories that hadn’t faded even after seven years away.
The roar of explosions, screams, the sound of death…
“I am…”
His gaze drifted into empty space, as if recalling something.
Perhaps he was imagining it.
My future as an Ability User.
“…afraid.”
After a long silence, Father spoke with a voice twisted by the edge of tears.
“I don’t want you to live as I have.”
“Father…”
“Lilis. Seven years ago, the day I first saw you after you were born.”
Father struggled for words, then pulled me into his arms. And he spoke.
“That day, you became my entire world.”
His voice was thick with tears.
“I don’t… I don’t want to lose 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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