LIGHTNOVELWORLD My Daddy Hides His Power
Chapter 186
I rushed over and pulled Cheshire by the collar.
“…Why? Why on earth?” “….” “D, did you have an official expedition today or something? Why did you wear a uniform? Why is it that today you are shouting DOS from head to toe?” “…I’m sorry. I was looking for my father, and came right when I finished.” “Why are you wearing a uniform while looking for Uncle…?” Ah, well. In order to find Axion, he needed to ask for cooperation, so it would have been quicker to wear a cloak symbolizing rank than to talk a lot. Yesterday, it was uncomfortable with the suspicious looks and the barrage of questions as I wandered around the inns in everyday clothes. “Uh, yes. Okay…” “A moment ago… What about the kids? Are you guys studying together at the Wizard Tower?” “Mhm, they’re powerless people. They didn’t like nobles, so I reassured them not to misunderstand that we were all getting along well, but as soon as I finished speaking, Young Master Dos from the Duke family came out to meet me.” As I said that and got into the carriage, Cheshire, who was following, stopped and sighed. “I was wrong.” “No, it’s okay. What’s done is done. Thanks for coming to pick me up. But you don’t have to come from tomorrow onwards. There are carriages at the Wizard Tower too.” “….” “Cheshire?” “…Have you eaten dinner?” Seeing that he was avoiding answering, it looks like he plans to come pick me up regularly. I answered with a sigh. “Mhm, I ate. The food here was delicious. How about you?” “Not yet. I can go home and eat.” “You haven’t found Uncle yet?” “Mhm.” Cheshire nodded with a dark expression. I patted his shoulder. “It’s okay. We can find it. Instead of going straight home, let’s stop by a restaurant.” “You said you already ate. I’ll just go home and eat separately, so don’t worry about it.” “No. Let’s go to the restaurant and check it out. Maybe we’ll find Uncle there.” Cheshire tilted his head. I opened the small window on the coachman’s seat and spoke. “Please go to <Rico Restaurant>!” * * * How to request a trade from the information guild <Red Hawk>. Throwing one side of a gold coin with the emperor’s face on it on the table in a mocking manner— “Give me a sliced mackerel, please!” ―and ordering sliced mackerel. * * * The basement of <Rico Restaurant>. Home of the information guild <Red Hawk>. “Jasmine? Cinnamon?” Rico in a black turtleneck tee pulled out a teacup and asked. “Please an orange juice!” “It’s a child’s taste, isn’t it?” “Because they are children…?” Rico smiled for some reason and sat down in front of me, putting down a juice glass. Twenty-year-old Rico, unlike me who is just getting older, has faithfully lived and has greatly boosted the guild’s power to this day. “But really, I can’t understand it. Someone who claims to be capable of great things is willing to give up their life so easily?” Rico clicked his tongue. I explained the situation and asked Rico to find out Axion’s whereabouts, and immediately Rico released the guild members to investigate. “Isn’t that tactician working? Or is he dumber than you think? You expected that the Emperor would send the Duke of Libre to the grave, but didn’t you come up with a way for him to survive?” “No. Our tactician Uncle is smart. He also taught him how to survive. He told her Uncle to desert.” “Really? Didn’t he listen to the tactician? Why is the Young Lady so sure that the Duke of Libre will not desert and go there to die?” “There is no way His Majesty the Emperor couldn’t have predicted that Uncle would desert. I think he definitely added to the threat.” “Threats… Even if it means risking the lives of colleagues. Still, I don’t understand.” Rico frowned. “The path to success often involves unavoidable sacrifices. Why couldn’t he remain calm and sacrifice their life instead of acting rashly?” “Rico is right. To do this kind of work, he needs to remain calm. But Uncle isn’t that kind of person.” I sighed, thinking of Axion. ‘Uncle, every minute and every second must be hell right now, right?’ * * * 12 hours ago from now. Axion Libre was already heading to the Moarte Islands. He went straight to the emperor after leaving the house, telling him that he would depart immediately, and then waited until dawn to board the ship. There was no reason to delay the departure. There was a risk that the departure location would become known to the outside world… Also, the more time he spent thinking about it, the more he would have been tormented by his unwillingness to die. “I will tell you how to survive.” “…Didn’t you advise me to desert?” A message secretly left only to Axion by the tactician Joseph Lüttman “One more thing, there’s something else you must do. Simply fleeing is not enough. If the Emperor tries to recover the body, even if it’s just a corpse, things will become complicated. The reason I’m telling you this separately is because it would be unethical to discuss it in front of everyone…” Yeah, there was a way to survive. “Before deserting, prepare a decoy to make it appear as if you’re dead. Destroy any identifying features that could reveal it as a decoy if it’s discovered.” Indeed, it was an unethical method that made Joseph embarrassed and spoke out. Kill an innocent comrade, disfigure his face, and leave behind ‘evidence’ that Axion Libre is truly dead. It was ruthlessly bold. However, there was no more perfect ‘plan’ than that. ‘But… will that work?’ Staring up at the sky above the horizon, Axion glanced around. The comrades standing on the deck. There were thirty third-class Septima soldiers who boarded with Axion. They were shocked to be summoned by the Emperor’s order the same day they thought they were heading north. Some waited blankly for death, while others sobbed uncontrollably. Three hours to the Moarte Islands. The ship was filled with cries of despair. * * * ‘Crazy guy. Are you going to die without saying goodbye?’ When Enoch heard that Axion had left home, he became angry. What if Lilith hadn’t immediately suspected Axion’s lie about going to the north? It would definitely be late. Enoch almost lost his friend without knowing anything. ‘The more I think about it, the more shameful it becomes.’ Moaarte was now safe. It couldn’t have been any safer. Oscar who accompanied him used top-notch magic―which was also undisclosed―to get rid of hidden monsters and completely stop them. But Axion doesn’t know this. So what is he thinking now? Is he trembling because he’s afraid of dying? “Ah, the more I think about it, the more upset I get.” Enoch got up from lying down. “Do you consider me a friend?” * * * Moarte Island. As he heard, it was an extremely peaceful scene when the sun was up. “Has everyone gotten off?” “Yes, Commander.” The deputy commander, who had unloaded all the combat supplies, nodded. Axion gave an order to the 30 Septima soldiers who all got off the ship with pale faces. “Then you guys get back on board.” “Yes, I understand… yes?” The deputy commander’s eyes widened. “What do you mean?” “Are you going to die? No, you’re not. Get back on.” Axion laughed and added, touching the ship. “Those in the know will know that the subjugation of Moarte was a retaliatory expedition order targeting me. So, if I’m the only one left here, His Majesty the Emperor won’t inquire about your sins separately.” “I, I mean… that’s… No, no, Sir. No, C, Commander. We will fight together.” “What if you decide that alone?” Axion tapped the deputy commander’s shoulder and gestured towards the men standing behind him. Can they survive? At the faint glimmer of hope, some of their faces turned red and bowed their heads in embarrassment. “This is an order from your superior.” “C, Commander.” “Get on board.” The deputy commander trembled nervously, unsure of what to do. After hesitating with tear-filled eyes for a while, he choked up and offered his farewell. “…I’m, I’m sorry.” “Go quickly. Because I understand.” Soon, the ship left with the Septima soldiers on board. It was the moment when the crossroads of life and death, which had remained until the end, finally resolved into a single path of death. * * * As Enoch thought about Axion, he took out the two military ID tags he always wore around his neck. [Paladin 69-17002412 Axion Schneider] [Paladin 69-17002411 Enoch Rubinstein] Looking at the military ID tags he held in his hands, he recalled the moment when his daughter asked him how close he was to Axion. “Uncle and dad? Well, we’re so close that we promised to die together and live together no matter what!” “How funny.” Enoch grumbled. “Princess, I guess your Uncle doesn’t think of Dad that way!” Enoch, who had been contemplating whether to go find Axion, who was hiding somewhere and shivering, just lay down. It’s annoying, so let’s just leave it alone. “Go and enjoy sightseeing yourself properly! You b*stard!” * * * [Paladin 69-17002411 Enoch Rubinstein] [Paladin 69-17002412 Axion Schneider] At the same time, On the dazzling sandy beach, Axion lay in the same posture as Enoch, tinkering with two military ID tags. “Haa.” The Moarte Islands at sunset were beautiful. It’s hard to imagine that it will soon become a place where there will be chaos. ‘This is how I die.’ It wasn’t particularly scary. He just feels sorry for his friend and his son. He was worried that people would notice if he left a will, so he just kept it in his arms. He just hopes the body is intact. Then his final greeting will be able to reach them. “I’m sorry.” Axion sighed as he tucked the military tags into his chest. Wouldn’t he be alive now if he hadn’t joined the rebellion? No, he has no regrets. Even if it wasn’t a rebellion… Since he was born as a capable man in the empire, wasn’t he always prepared for death? “Even if we die, let’s die together, and if we live, let’s live together!” “Wouldn’t it be better not to die?” “…That’s right. Then let’s survive together!” It’s just a shame that he couldn’t keep his promise to his friend. Axion’s mind was more peaceful than ever before. “It’s the perfect weather to die.” He looked up at the leisurely sky and smiled.
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