My Daddy Hides His Power - Chapter 53

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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 strength
53
* * *
Have you heard of the genius gambler who lives in a remote mountain village in southern Jenon?
The god of Poker!
A master of Psychological Warfare!
His name is….
‘Uncle Joe!’
I, Lilis Rubinstein, was his prized student, trained in Poker and all manner of Card Games.
At last, the moment had come to display my mastery—the kind that even Uncle Joe himself found shocking—Exceeding One’s Master.
I quickly explained the Poker rules to Father and we hatched our plan before stepping into the Gambling House.
The inside was thick with cigarette smoke, patrons clustered around each table puffing away until it looked like a raccoon’s den.
Of course, my vision was a bit hazy because of the Magic Father had cast on me.
“Do you recognize what that man looks like?”
“Yes. I saw a portrait.”
Father, carrying me, strode between the tables. “There,” he said, walking with long steps.
I could see five men in the middle of a Poker game.
“Pardon me.”
When Father tapped on the table, all the men turned to look at us.
“Are you Joseph Lütman, Baron?”
At the question, the other men’s eyes snapped toward one person.
It was Joseph.
‘Goodness, he really does look like a wreck.’
Dark circles hung down to his chin.
Eyes hollow, as though nothing in the world held his interest.
Gaunt cheeks.
And yet there was something peculiarly sharp about him, a presence that transcended mere extra character.
“That’s right. I’m Joseph Lütman. What’s your business?”
“Could you spare some time? I’d like to speak with you.”
Joseph laughed shortly. He took the cigarette from his lips, stubbed it out in the ashtray, and gestured to the side.
“Put out your cigarettes, everyone.”
In that instant, Joseph’s dark gaze swept past me.
I understood then—he had extinguished his cigarette because of me.
“Who sent you?”
“Let’s move to another table.”
“No need. Noble lords have sent people to fetch me before. This wouldn’t be the first time.”
…….
“I understand you’re strapped for coin and doing what you must, but even so—there’s a time and place. What were you thinking, bringing a child here?”
Joseph waved his hand dismissively.
“Don’t waste my time. Go home. I’m not leaving this place.”
“I would like to speak with you.”
When Father persisted, Joseph looked at him with irritation.
The atmosphere grew dangerous.
Joseph and Father stared at each other in silence.
As if reading something in Father’s uncommon gaze, Joseph leaned back with a smile.
“If you insist, then wait. Until this game ends and I leave the Gambling House.”
“When will that be?”
“Only someone who’s never been to a place like this would ask.”
Joseph pulled a heavy bundle from beneath his chair and placed it on the table with a thud.
“A game ends when you’ve lost all your money.”
The other men chuckled.
A professional gambler wouldn’t lose a fortune like that easily. It was his way of saying he had no interest in talking.
‘Right, I already thought this through.’
I poked Father’s shoulder twice.
Whereupon Father pulled out his chair and sat down.
“Then I’ll play a round with you.”
* * *
Joseph gazed at the child with dark eyes.
The girl, no more than five or six years old, nestled in Father’s arms with a bright, innocent smile.
‘Ella….’
Her name—his daughter’s name—circled his lips for the first time in years.
His daughter Ella had been about the same age as this child.
If she’d lived, she would be eight years old by now.
“I’ve got it all down.”
The simpering man who’d introduced himself as James claimed he’d never played Card Games before.
Only after spending twenty minutes learning the rules from the dealer did he accept his cards with a nervous expression.
‘Fool.’
Some wealthy patron with deep pockets had hired him, pressing money into his hands to lure Joseph here—that was the shape of it.
‘They knew my reputation and deliberately brought the girl along.’
Joseph, who had lost both his wife and daughter.
Did they think the sight of a child would soften his resolve?
If so, wasn’t that all the more contemptible?
Cough. Cough.
The girl hacked repeatedly, stung by the cigarette smoke.
“Raise. Five more.”
Joseph barked irritably, shoving the pot forward with the back of his hand.
He needed to strip that sorry bastard of every last coin and throw him out of this den—somewhere no child should be breathing.
“Fold.”
“…Fold.”
“Call?”
“Fold!”
But as the hand progressed, a vein began to pulse in Joseph’s temple.
A novice through and through.
The man wouldn’t bet to save his life.
He either folded timidly or wagered pennies at best.
‘Damn it. At this rate I’ll be here all night.’
Joseph’s anxious gaze kept drifting to the coughing girl, concern flickering across his face.
“Er, call?”
Then James’s eyes lit up as he glimpsed Joseph’s hand.
‘Got him.’
The moment had come at last.
“Wow! Father, father! Look, we have two cards with the same number!”
“Yes, yes. Hush, hush, princess.”
As the girl cheered with delight, James fidgeted, glancing nervously at Joseph.
Joseph let out a cold laugh.
‘One Pair. With one card left to come, best he’ll manage is Three of a Kind if luck favors him.’
The fool was lighting up over a ninth-rate hand only because Joseph’s visible cards looked pathetic.
What James could see of Joseph’s hand: a Two, a Ten, a Queen.
No Pair.
An absolute bottom-tier scatter of nothing.
But hidden in Joseph’s hold lay all spades—a Flush, every card the same suit.
In truth, when revealed, it would rank fifth.
“All in.”
Joseph pushed his entire stack onto the table.
James’s eyes went wide.
“You’re…you’re wagering everything? With that hand?”
“And?”
James pointed to his own cards.
Queen, Seven, Seven.
“I already have two Sevens. One Pair.”
“So what? My hidden card might rank higher than One Pair.”
“Stop lying. You’re just trying to bluff with garbage.”
“Even if I were—what difference does it make? That’s what makes Poker beautiful.”
Joseph shrugged.
“If you’re scared of my hidden card, fold. If you think it’s nothing, go all in yourself.”
James fell into deliberation.
His thoughts laid bare on his face like an open book.
A true amateur, through and through.
‘Come on. Call it. Once he loses everything, even he’ll have to leave with the girl.’
Joseph’s sole hope was that James would hurry up and take the child out of this place.
“…I’ll do it. All in.”
James pushed forward all his chips with trembling hands.
‘Good. It’s over.’
Joseph chuckled softly and leaned back in his chair with unhurried ease.
The dealer began flipping Joseph’s cards one by one.
A Flush—the fifth-best hand.
“No!”
James sprang to his feet in shock.
“What—what is this?!”
“Calm down and sit. You know bets can’t be withdrawn.”
Joseph gestured with his chin, and the dealer began revealing James’s cards.
As the first face-down card flipped over,
a seven appeared.
Seven, seven, seven.
Three of a Kind—the seventh-best hand.
Joseph’s eyes sharpened.
And in the next moment,
James’s lips curved upward in a strange smile.
At the same time….
* * *
Father played his part perfectly.
He’d learned everything from me already, but he pretended it was his first time and asked the dealer about the rules again.
Tap.
When I tapped my pinky finger on the table,
“Fold.”
He’d fold the hand.
Tap.
When I tapped my ring finger,
“Call.”
He’d match the bet and pass.
“You have to look very, very timid until good cards come. Father, don’t bet at all.”
“Okay, I got it.”
“When the moment comes, I’ll give you a signal. Until then, only shout check, call, or fold.”
Everyone grew bored watching Father’s play—folding whenever the pot grew worth fighting for, running away like a coward.
Their expressions screamed, ‘There goes that timid novice again.’
I flashed a bright smile every time Joseph glanced my way.
“Cough, cough.”
Magic kept me from actually smelling the cigarette smoke, but I coughed theatrically anyway.
By the time I’d called a few times and my cash had dwindled to about half,
‘Here it comes.’
The moment had arrived.
Based on Joseph’s cards, the best he could hope for was a Flush—the fifth-best hand.
‘Then it’s over.’
I made a tight fist.
“When I clench my fist like this, it’s your signal. No matter what Father bets, you’ll win!”
I’d told him he could bet freely once I gave the signal, but….
“What—what is this?!”
“Calm down and sit. You know bets can’t be withdrawn.”
Father even put on a shocked expression after checking Joseph’s cards.
‘Really, does he have to go that far?’
I barely suppressed my laughter watching Father’s intense performance.
Seven, seven, seven.
And the moment our three matching cards were revealed,
everyone’s eyes—including Joseph’s—fixed on our hand.
They probably saw this coming.
Because I’d already….
“Wow! Father, Father! We have two of the same number!”
…dropped a subtle hint just moments before.
‘In reality, we already had four of the same number.’
But it worked as a fake because I was just a girl who didn’t understand the game.
Seven, seven, seven.
With three of a kind already showing, the dealer revealed Enoch’s final card.
“What in the—”
Joseph lurched to his feet at the same instant.
“What? What is it?”
“Ah!”
The others watching clamped their hands over their mouths, breath catching in their throats.
“Hahaha!”
Enoch laughed heartily, his shoulders lifting high as he pressed a kiss to my cheek—a gesture of praise for my performance.
As if applauding my act.
“…Well, I’ve taught you quite a lot, haven’t I.”
Joseph let out a hollow laugh at the sight.
The last card to appear was.
……the seven of hearts.
Seven, seven, seven, seven.
Enoch swept his brilliant hand across the table and spoke.
“Four of a Kind. I’ve won.”

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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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