My Daddy Hides His Power - Chapter 91

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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 91
* * *
Cheshire fled as though running for his life, then vanished into hiding.
Though his hiding place was merely beside the wall behind the Stable.
‘Fool that I am….’
He’d misunderstood completely.
Lilis’s talk of ‘becoming family’.
Back when he’d repeatedly refused to become this house’s son, insisting he had no need for such family ties.
Lilis had said this to him.
“Ah, I see. Not that, then. A family of your own making, born from your own will.”
“Imagine you meet someone you love later on. Then you’d marry them, wouldn’t you?”
“Darling, Cheshire. I love you. I’m so happy. Let’s keep our family happy like this forever.”
“…How’s that? That’s exactly the family I’m talking about.”
He’d actually thought it wasn’t a bad thing.
If he could meet someone he loved later, have children, and live happily together….
“Let’s truly love each other, Cheshire.”
The memory of Lilis speaking with such earnest eyes remained vivid.
But then….
‘Why did I misunderstand? How stupid.’
Lilis had appeared at the Training Grounds out of nowhere and spoken of becoming family, and yes.
Shameful as it was to admit, he’d mistaken her meaning for that family she’d described back then.
“Darling, Cheshire. I love you….”
“Ah!”
Bang―!
Cheshire shook his head violently and drove his fist against the wall above.
His face burned hot.
Now that he thought about it, hadn’t Lilis been consistent from the very first day she’d brought him here?
‘Become our father’s son’—she’d said it.
And then, ‘I’ll be your family.’
“Hah.”
Cheshire turned and slid down the wall, sinking to the ground.
To Lilis, he was probably much like Leon and Theo—those boys.
He’d made a foolish mistake all on his own, when Lilis had simply wanted to think of him as her older brother, purely and sincerely.
‘Still, thank goodness.’
That he’d refused Enoch’s proposal.
That much, at least, was a mercy.
If Lilis had become his blood sister….
‘Ah, this is wrong.’
Yes, something was wrong about it—and wrong in every conceivable way.
He mustn’t let it show. Cheshire resolved to bury his misunderstanding as deep as it would go.
If, by some chance, she found out….
The image of Lilis’s shocked disgust made his vision swim.
“Wait.”
“Was ‘family’ supposed to mean this family…?”
Cheshire recalled his own words and bit his lip hard.
“Damn it.”
He shouldn’t have said that.
With Lilis’s sharp intuition, she’d likely turn those words over in her mind and piece together what he’d meant.
“Sigh.”
Cheshire tilted his head back and scraped a hand roughly across his face.
And then, suddenly, a weight settled in his chest.
Lately, blessed with a station he’d never dared imagine, he’d been nothing but happy.
Even living in this house, he no longer felt he had to watch his step; when he was with Lilis, his heart grew lighter still.
It was a peace he’d never felt before in his life….
“My son.”
The father who, in half a year under this same roof, had never once called him by name, never once given him a warm look.
That father was now, suddenly, speaking to him with affection, calling him son.
It was true that he’d given Cheshire life, that he could claim paternal rights….
And if he were to return, things would never be the same as before.
Now he was no longer a bastard he wanted to hide from his father—he was someone who would bring honor to the family.
‘I don’t like it.’
But he hated it.
He wanted to stay here.
Wonderful, gentle Enoch….
How he wished he could call him father.
‘But I can’t. It’s strange.’
Lilis….
His thoughts had come full circle again.
It seemed no matter how long he deliberated, the conclusion would always be the same.
Cheshire released a long sigh.
* * *
“Cheshire!”
I chased after him with short, determined strides.
The moment he saw me, he bolted.
‘Wait, haven’t I been in a situation like this before?’
Was it my birthday?
Anyway, after Cheshire said he didn’t want to be Father’s son or my brother and ran away.
I thought it over carefully.
“Was that what he meant by family—this family?”
What other family could there be?
Then it came to me.
What I’d once tried to say to Cheshire when I wanted to give him some romance.
‘Could Cheshire really not want to be siblings with me?’
If Master Oscar had seen me hoping like this, he’d have laughed and said, “Wow, you really do think however you want.”
‘But what does that matter! Let me just ask him directly!’
I had to catch Cheshire and ask what kind of family he’d been thinking about.
“Wait, wait! Stop right there… ah!”
Thud!
These cursed short legs.
The moment my step caught, I fell without hesitation.
“Ow.”
I stood up, brushing off my stinging knees—
“Are you all right?”
—when Cheshire, who’d run far ahead, appeared before me with startled eyes.
‘Huh. I’ll have to pretend to fall if he runs away next time.’
That way I’d catch him easily. With that thought, I popped right up.
“We need to talk about us!”
“…….”
Cheshire looked at me with wavering eyes.
“You.”
Why was this making me nervous?
I swallowed hard and asked.
“When I asked about being family before, you said yes…?”
“…….”
“W-what kind of family were you thinking about?”
Cheshire countered immediately.
“What do you mean what kind of family? Family is family, so what are you talking about?”
“Huh?”
“You weren’t asking me to become that man’s son? You always used to say it.”
“Oh, oh!”
“That’s right. I was the one saying that. But you were….”
“I understood it the same way.”
“Oh.”
Pfffft.
I heard something disappear inside me.
It was probably that small, scheming spark of hope….
“W-well then.”
I scratched my cheek awkwardly, then shouted.

“Then what!”
So why, exactly?
“Why did you say family just a moment ago, and now you suddenly hate it?”
“You kept saying things like that so casually, so I just agreed. I never thought you’d actually… I didn’t expect that.”
“Ah.”
All the strength drained from his body.
“Then what do we do, Cheshire….”
“…….”
“There’s no way around it, is there…. Do you want to go back to your old house? Are you planning to call that conscience-stricken duke your father?”
He grabbed Cheshire’s arm weakly and asked. The boy fell silent for a long moment.
Then he spoke, his expression darkening.
“I don’t know either, honestly.”
* * *
“Ugh…”
Axion, who had come to deliver the Boy Soldier Enrollment Documents, frowned at the sight of Enoch sprawled across the couch like a corpse.
His handsome face had somehow turned ashen.
“You look absolutely wretched.”
Even when Axion needled him, Enoch’s ears seemed deaf to the words.
“What’s wrong with you?”
Axion dropped himself onto the sofa and asked.
“Hey, Axion.”
“What?”
“Cheshire’s father came looking for him.”
“The Duke Onyx? I saw him too. That shameless bastard.”
“I couldn’t bear watching him take the boy away, so I tried to register Cheshire into our family.”
“Oh. That’s not a bad idea.”
Axion nodded in approval.
“But Cheshire refused.”
“……?”
“He said, ‘I don’t want to be your son, sir’—and walked out.”
“Why?”
“How should I know?”
“Did you beat the kid?”
“Are you insane?”
Enoch’s expression turned sour immediately.
“Then what’s the problem? There must be something about you he doesn’t like, or he wouldn’t be acting this way.”
Enoch deliberated seriously over Axion’s question.
Something he didn’t like about him….
His pupils suddenly began to shake, as though seized by tremors.
Seeing that, Axion let out a short laugh.
“There’s something, isn’t there?”
“Maybe I… pushed the kid too hard.”
Enoch clutched his head.
The days he spent teaching Cheshire swordcraft came flooding back.
The boy had been remarkably gifted.
He’d followed along beautifully, and impressed by his interest, Enoch had taught him relentlessly without pause.
Even when Enoch had told him to rest, Cheshire had shown such eagerness, asking for more lessons….
‘Did he just keep going because he was afraid to say no?!’
Enoch’s heart sank, and his legs began to tremble beneath the desk.
He might have been unknowingly abusing the child….
The boy was only eleven, and Enoch had him wielding a sword every single day….
“Damn it! I’m garbage!”
“Well, at least you realize it.”
“What do I do?”
“What can you do? The boy doesn’t want it—you can’t force him to stay.”
“So it’s fine to hand him back to his biological father, the one whose conscience has rotted away?”
“If there’s no other way, you can’t help it.”
“Hell, damn it all.”
That was when it happened.
Knock, knock.
“Sir, it’s Cheshire. Are you in?”
“Oh!”
Enoch sprang to his feet.
“Come in!”
Cheshire opened the door carefully and stepped inside, only to stop short upon spotting Axion. He gave a small, respectful nod.
Then he spoke.
“I apologize for leaving so abruptly just now. I was flustered.”
“No, no. You had every reason to be. I did spring it on you rather suddenly. That’s why—”
Enoch swallowed hard and asked, “After thinking it over alone, what do you think? Have you made up your mind?”
“Yes.”
Enoch’s face brightened. “I knew it. Of course you—”
“I’m really very sorry. I don’t think I can.”
“What!?”
Cheshire bit his lip and took a long moment to find the words.
“It’s just… I’ve never really thought about it before. Calling you Father feels strange, and—”
“Ah, I see.”
Enoch pressed the bridge of his nose, frowning.
“I understand how you feel. It is sudden. But you’ll adapt in time, I’m sure. I’d be happy to wait until you’re comfortable with it, but… time isn’t on our side. So at least let me prepare the Household Registration paperwork for now—”
“No. I’m sorry.”
Silence fell.
Enoch’s shoulders sagged.
Axion remained on the sofa, eyes darting between the two of them.
“So you’d rather… go back to your old house? You’re sure about that?”
“If there’s no other way.”
“Cheshire!”
Enoch’s voice rose sharply.
“Is it because of your real father? Do you want to stay with him, even now?”
“No. Absolutely not.”
“Then what in the world—!”
Enoch was at a loss.
Of course, Cheshire was equally frustrated—though he couldn’t speak the real reason.
At last, Cheshire shut his eyes tight and said, “I’m truly sorry. I think it would work with anyone else… just not you.”
“……?”
Enoch’s jaw went slack.
“Pft!”
Axion burst out laughing.
Cheshire, seeing Enoch’s shock, floundered helplessly—then bolted from the room as if in escape.
“Ha ha ha ha! God, this is entertaining.”
Axion let loose with all the laughter he’d been holding back.
Only Enoch remained grave.
“Anyone but me…?”
“What in the world did you do to that boy to make him say something like that?”
“Why just me…?”
Enoch’s eyes narrowed.
As he sat mulling over Cheshire’s words, understanding dawned. “Ah,” he murmured, and slowly nodded.
He sat in thought a while longer, then quietly made his way over to Axion and dropped heavily onto the sofa beside him.
“Hey.”
“Heh heh. What?”
“Why don’t you get married?”
“Out of nowhere?”
“Why don’t you?”
“I don’t.”
“Why not?”
“Don’t want kids.”
“You’re not the one having them.”
“What are you babbling about? I mean I don’t want to father children.”

Axion tilted his head back and added to his thought.
“I was worried I might desert too, like someone else.”
“Mm, that’s true. I understand that impulse.”
“But what’s this sudden—”
Axion turned to look at Enoch and faltered.
Something about his expression looked cunning.
“What is it?”
“You adopt Cheshire.”
“Oh!”
Axion’s eyes widened.
“There’s a way like that?”
Enoch’s face brightened.
“Well? Not a bad idea, is it? The boy just needs anyone but me.”
“Wow, really.”
“Hahahaha!”
“Hahahaha…!”
The two men faced each other and laughed.
“Hahahaha!”
“Hahahaha!”
Presently Axion’s laughing face went rigid, and he turned serious.
“…You’re insane, you know that?”

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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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