My Daddy Hides His Power - Chapter 88

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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 88
“Ahem.”
At the biting remark, the Marquis cleared his throat awkwardly.
Enoch, arms crossed and legs folded, fixed the Marquis with a sharp glare.
“What, because the boy’s from Dos?”
“Hardly. He’s my blood. It’s only right that I take him in.”
“I see.”
At the shameless reply, Enoch’s jaw tightened.
He despised this about nobility—their transparent schemes wrapped in empty propriety.
The man who’d once begged him to kill the child was now claiming he’d raise him as his own heir.
‘I want to punch him. I really do.’
Enoch closed his eyes and swallowed down the urge rising in his throat.
“Still, shouldn’t we hear the boy’s thoughts? Locked in a room all day, beaten, starved—I wonder if he’d want to see the face of a father like that.”
“Such things never happened.”
“Right. Sure.”
Enoch laughed, gritting his teeth.
“I’m grateful to you for looking after the boy all this time. Once I locate his mother, I plan to file a Paternity Certification Document with the imperial court.”
The Marquis produced several documents and added, “And even if the mother doesn’t appear, proving the relationship between myself and the boy won’t be difficult. It’ll just take time before custody is established.”
“Custody?”
“…Guardianship. I misspoke.”
Enoch clenched his fists as he examined the papers the Marquis offered, wondering if the man would really go through with it.
“Oh. Testimony from servants who knew of the boy’s existence. So criminals who participated in the Marquis’s abuse are now taking a few coins to drag the child back into hell?”
“As I’ve said repeatedly, no such thing occurred.”
“Well, fine then. Good. Let’s ask the boy. Does he really consider his father someone who’s done nothing but give him life—no actual parenting beyond that?”
“The boy will be satisfied. I intend to pass down the family name. A child needs a certain place in the world, after all.”
Enoch stood, nodding curtly.
“Your rank is impressive, I’ll grant you. A bastard eats humble pie, then suddenly he’s the legitimate heir and your successor.”
“May I take the boy with me now?”
“No. His opinion comes first. And once you file whatever certification and get proper authority, come back. Not before.”
Enoch looked down at the Marquis coldly, gesturing him toward the door.
“If you understand, get going. I’m sickened. I don’t want to look at your face any longer.”
* * *
“Dad, Dad, Dad!”
“Yes, yes, sweetheart!”
I rushed to find Dad the moment I got home.
“Good timing—I was about to come look for you.”
“Huh? Why?”
“I think I need to ask you something first.”
“…Ask me what?”
Dad hesitated, then led me to the study sofa and sat me down.
“Sweetheart.”
“Yeah?”
“Do you like Cheshire?”
“Of course I do!”
“So, how would you feel if Cheshire became your older brother?”
“…Huh?”
“Actually, a little while ago, the Onyx Marquis came by. Cheshire’s father.”
“He… he did?”
That shameless bastard! He couldn’t even wait—he came straight to our house to try to take Cheshire away.
I stammered out my words.
“Why did he come? Is he trying to take Cheshire back?”
“That’s right.”
“Cheshire won’t want that!”
“I know. Dad thinks so too. We’ll ask him, but I doubt he’ll be eager about it.”
“Then what do we do?”
“Well, if that Marquis insists on taking Cheshire, Dad won’t have much choice. That’s why…”
Dad showed me a single sheet of paper.
I recognized it immediately.

Adoption Consent Form.
It’s finally come.
“I’m going to take Cheshire as my adopted son. Even if the Marquis tries, he won’t be able to take him away.”
Adoption papers prepared well in advance.
‘Just like Father.’
Father must have already foreseen it all—the day Cheshire returned wearing the Dos Badge.
That the Marquis would come brazenly and demand to take Cheshire away.
“But you have to ask the Princess first. She’s suddenly gaining an older brother, after all.”
“Right. You’re right.”
Everything was flowing along as the original story foretold.
I’d always known that someday Cheshire would become Father’s adopted son, and my brother.
But.
‘Why am I hesitating? This is right.’
I couldn’t bring myself to answer right away.
“Princess, why do you look like that? Do you dislike it?”
“No! That’s not it.”
“Not it?”
“Not it….”
Watching Father’s confused face, I swallowed hard.
Enoch Rubinstein.
And Cheshire Rubinstein.
The heroes who saved the world.
Father and son—a bond deeper than blood.
I, who was nothing but a villain in the original story, was honestly nothing more than a foreign object between them.
I don’t know why my heart felt so restless, but it meant I couldn’t just follow my feelings.
There was no other way besides taking Cheshire as an adopted son.
“Yes.”
In the end, I nodded.
“Okay. Let’s do it. I’m… I’m fine with it.”
* * *
“Cheshire.”
“Yeah? What?”
Cheshire lifted the hem of his shirt to wipe the sweat away and dropped down beside me.
After returning from the Academy, Cheshire had devoted more than half his day to Sword Training.
Coming to the Training Grounds today, I’d found him immediately.
“Listen.”
“Mm.”
“Do you like me?”
“…….”
At my sudden question, Cheshire stared at me for a long moment.
Then, after a while, he answered.
“Yeah.”
“Right. I like you too.”
Now I had to broach the real subject….
As my fingers fidgeted, Cheshire waited for me patiently for a very long time.
“You!”
“Yeah.”
“Do you want to be family with me?”
Cheshire’s eyes widened.
“Well? What do you think?”
“…….”
He turned his head sharply away from me. His ears were red—embarrassed, clearly.
“I’m asking what you think….”
I urged him for an answer, but Cheshire hesitated for a long time.
He tugged at his hair anxiously, then loosened his collar as if hot, then bit his lips hard.
And then, in a voice barely a whisper, he said.
“…I want to. I’d like that.”
“Ah.”
At his answer, I went blank and quietly turned my head forward.
And I hugged my knees tightly.
“I see.”
Cheshire, who’d once said he didn’t need family, could accept both my father and me now.
‘Wow.’
But I’m in real trouble.
“Yes, Cheshire… let’s really be… a family.”
“Okay.”
What do I do, honestly.
* * *
Axion, Vice-Commander of the Dos Holy Knights Order, arrived at the Rubinstein Duchy with Imperial Army enlistment documents in hand.
“Oh! Your Grace Axion, welcome!”
“It’s been so long since we’ve seen you!”
“Yeah, it has.”
The soldiers greeted him warmly when he came looking for Cheshire at the Training Grounds.
Given how frequent their contact was, they all recognized his face.
“What brings you here?”
“I’m here to enlist Cheshire.”
The soldiers tilted their heads in confusion as he waved the documents.
“Isn’t that something your duke should be handling?”
“Yeah, you’re right.”
Ability Users graduating from the Academy at grades one through three enlist as Youth Soldiers immediately.
The principle is that each rank’s commanding officer personally seeks out the Ability Users and assists with their enlistment.
The commander of the first-rank Dos forces is Enoch Rubinstein.
But he…
“Since the princess is leaving the Academy and will be busy for a while, well, you know, handle the Youth Soldier enlistments for me.”
He’d dumped it on Axion, his vice-commander.
When Axion asked why he’d be busy just because his daughter was leaving, the answer came back that he needed to play with her.
Axion nearly hit him, rank and hierarchy be damned.
But what could he do.
Orders were orders.
Axion gripped his fists so hard they trembled as he asked.
“Where’s the kid.”
“Oh! Cheshire is over there!”
Over at one side of the Training Grounds, he sat beside Lilis.
“Hehehehe. Really a sight for sore eyes.”
“The young lady is so adorable…”
The soldiers, grinning like fools, watched the two children with warmth as they chatted away.
Axion rolled up the documents he was holding and gave each soldier a light rap on the head with them.
“Your jaws are gonna drop. Close your mouths. Stop lazing around and get back to work.”
“Aw, just a short break.”
“It’s such a rare sight to see the young lady in the Training Grounds… I want to burn this image into my mind…”
“She’s too cute. I want to have a daughter too.”
One soldier muttered, then clapped his hands and asked Axion.
“By the way, Your Grace, aren’t you getting married? Why don’t you hurry up and find a wife so you can have an adorable child like our young lady?”
“Not doing it.”
“Why not? You’re so handsome! You’ve got money! You’re doing so well!”
“Because I don’t want to see that adorable child. That’s why.”
“Ah.”
The soldiers nodded in understanding at his words.
High-ranking Ability Users passing their rank and military obligation to their children was almost a given.
So among Ability Users who’d experienced the horrors of war, there were quite a few who thought like Axion.
“I don’t want to end up like that guy, deserting with his daughter.”
“Yes, I understand that sentiment.”
“But you do know, right? That the young lady is an Octava?”
Axion nodded.
It really was remarkable.
“Yeah. I heard.”
“Phew, you can’t imagine how relieved that is. The young lady, well, look at her. Look at those tiny limbs moving all jerky like that—no way, she shouldn’t be a soldier.”
“Gasp! Look there! The young lady just waved at us!”
“Hooooray!”
As Lilis waved from afar, the soldiers waved back and howled like beasts.
Axion shot them a look of disgust before approaching the pair.
“Cheshire, old friend!”
Lilis came bounding over and eagerly grabbed at his coattail.
Like a cicada clinging to a dead tree, the tiny thing latched on and grinned from ear to ear.
“Oh my. What brings you here, sir?”
Well, it was rather endearing, he had to admit.
Those plump, rosy cheeks.
And that small mouth, those lips moving away.
“Your father abandoned his duties, so I’ve come to handle the matter in his stead.”
“Really? What matter?”
“Cheshire.”
Axion gestured, and Cheshire stepped forward from behind him.
“Ah! So Cheshire is joining us now….”
Lilis caught sight of the documents in Axion’s hand and murmured to herself.
“You’re an Ability User, and you’ll keep wielding the sword, yes?”
“Yes.”
Axion scrawled his signature across the papers without much ceremony.
Lilis, watching from the side, spoke up.
“Wait. Come inside and sit down. Take your time with it.”
“No. Too much trouble, and I haven’t got the time. I need to sign this and get to the Schmidt Duchy as well. I’ll say it again—this is your father’s job. He dumped it on me.”
She made a small noise.
Lilis scratched at her cheek, embarrassed.
That was when it happened.
“Um… sir. Pardon me. There’s someone here looking for Cheshire.”
“What?”
Axion turned around.
Two soldiers were escorting someone toward them.
It was a familiar face.
The Onyx Marquis.
‘What’s he doing here?’
Confused, Axion watched as the Marquis passed him and approached Cheshire.
For some reason, both Cheshire and Lilis had gone rigid, their expressions blank.
‘What is this?’
Then the Marquis embraced Cheshire.
“…My son.”

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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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