LIGHTNOVELWORLD My Daddy Hides His Power
Chapter 206
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Duke Schmidt. Enoch faced the man with a beautiful face and gloomy eyes, Duke Andre Schmidt, who had lost both his eldest and second sons on the battlefield. The Emperor, honoring their sacrifice, ordered Andre Schmidt into honorable retirement. Was retirement in exchange for the lives of his children truly enjoyable? “Among the ducal families, Antrase and Libre are already joining… You must get your hands on one of Schmidt, Nova, and Wagner… .” The tactician, Joseph, was very worried. All those to be included stood at the pinnacle of imperial power, beneficiaries of the class system, making them unlikely to easily join Enoch’s plan to shake up the established order. However, “I was familiar with the Duke’s actions. And, I have also thought that maybe it has a bigger meaning,” said Andre Schmidt, putting down his pen. One page of the oath, even engraved in blood, was completed. “Take it.” Enoch was dazed for a moment. [Commemorating the day when I shared a great purpose with my brother, Enoch Rubinstein. September 1783, Imperial Calendar. Andre Schmidt.] This was a token, promising not only willing participation in the rebellion but also serving as clear ‘evidence’ that they have stepped into this situation together. “Of course, in order to win them over, we must naturally reveal our intentions, but if by any chance we face betrayal, things will become complicated. So we must proceed with utmost caution and meticulousness in our efforts.” This is what Joseph was worried about. Betrayal. It was a statement of position that completely eliminated that possibility. “I think we should leave at least this kind of pledge so that the Duke can put his mind at ease,” Andre Schmidt added with a small smile. “I didn’t expect you would come to me so boldly without any fear, but on the other hand, it makes me think that someone with such decisiveness must have had a significant purpose.” Of course, Enoch, who knew nothing, would never have tried to subdue Duke Schmidt’s family through a political method. However, “You know, Gerard’s Father will say he’ll help right away. It doesn’t have to be difficult.” Enoch had Lilith. “He dislikes the Emperor even more than Dad does. He’s actually waiting for Dad. So… There’s no need to keep meeting and making efforts unnecessarily. If you keep meeting those high-ranking nobles, it might just arouse His Majesty the Emperor’s suspicion even more, don’t you think?” His daughter’s help was like solving problems with an answer sheet. “Thank you, Duke Schmidt,” Enoch took the oath handed to him. “If you need help, please contact me anytime,” Andre Schmidt kindly sent Enoch off. As he left the room, a familiar face approached him with a smile at the end of the hallway. “Duke!” A fifteen-year-old boy with light purple hair who looked exactly like his father. Gerard Schmidt. Andre Schmidt, looking at his approaching son with deepened eyes, said, “He’s excited to be knighted next year. He said he wanted his time as a child soldier to end quickly. I’m the only one worried.” “He’s very skilled. I’ll keep a close eye on him and take good care of him, so don’t worry too much,” Enoch assured. At Enoch’s words, Andre Schmidt laughed slightly. “Thank you. I will ask you a favor. Because he is the only child I have left.” “Duke, what brings you here?” With a look full of warmth toward his beloved son, he finished bidding farewell and returned to his room. Enoch left the Duke’s residence with Gerard. “Your investiture ceremony is coming soon. He must be worried about leaving his son in my care, but I came to tell him that you are doing well.” Gerard blushed at the compliment. “Duke, no, Commander. I’ll work even harder after my investiture ceremony.” Enoch said, patting the strong-willed young boy on the shoulder encouragingly. “You don’t have to work hard.” “Yes?” “Rather than that, survive.” “….” “Surviving is the most important thing. It is also a repayment to your parents who gave birth to you and raised you.” The death of my two older brothers. Parents who take care of me, their only remaining child. Gerard, who understood Enoch’s words, nodded his head as hard as he could. “Yes, I will keep that in mind.” * * * Late at night, when he returned home, Lilith, who had been sleeping, woke up from her sleep and greeted him, rubbing her eyes. “Dad, you have worked hard. You brought Gerard’s father into Dad’s business so quickly. It’s really the best.” “Ah, what is Dad working hard for? Because of our princess, we are all eating raw. Dad feels like I’m solving a problem by looking at the answer sheet.” “No. Dad was the one who originally solved all those problems.” Enoch smiled as he hugged his daughter, who came to him with sleepy eyes. “Now, Dad’s business will succeed quickly, right…” “I know.” “Dad.” “Mhm?” “You know, you remember what I said before, right?” “What is it?” “I said I didn’t want to live alone for a long time.” “Ah, yes.” “I want to live with the people I love, grow old with them, and die alongside them.” “…Yeah.” “Plus, until Dad’s business succeeds, I have to keep my identity as Primera hidden… I have to grow up just like my friends…” “….” “So, I will use the time I have to spend anyway to help Dad.” Enoch took his daughter out of his arms and looked at her in a depressed mood. He didn’t know what to say. “If you need my help, please let me know. I will do anything for Dad.” Lilith said, and she snuggled into her father’s arms again. “…Yeah. Thank you, our daughter.” “….” Perhaps because she was sleepy, Lilith quickly fell asleep again. The sound of shallow breathing. Enoch stroked his daughter’s hair and whispered softly. “My princess, my treasure.” Thankfully, the small child grew up like this in no time. He hopes she grows up happily without any sorrow or pain in the future. “Dad will protect you.” Enoch said out loud the resolution he made in his mind every day. Daughter, princess. “Our princess will have a happy tomorrow.” Because she came into this world and showed Dad that there is happiness. Dad, too. “The day after tomorrow will be happier. The next day, more, and the next day, more.” Enoch smiled and kissed the sleeping child’s head. “Dad will definitely make it that way.” And he prayed. Until the long night of this world ends and the morning comes safely. He wants this child to be happy. ‘I hope I can bear all the trials that will come to you in the future.’ That day, the moon shone particularly brightly. As if a father’s prayer for his beloved daughter had reached him. * * * Early morning. Warm spring sunlight streamed in through the window. “Ugh.” Enoch squinted his eyes and fumbled for the spot next to him in a familiar manner. “Ah.” But his daughter wasn’t there. Even though it had been a while since they had slept separately, Enoch still couldn’t get used to waking up alone in the morning. “The bed is so dirty.” Enoch woke up and scratched his head. 3 months ago. When he woke up, he found Lilith panicking next to the bloody bed sheets. Enoch’s heart drooped when he saw his daughter vomiting blood in the morning. Thinking it was a fatal illness, he screamed and summoned everyone in the house. “Butler! Rom! The princess is vomiting blood! Get the royal physician immediately! Jetty! Jun! Where are you?!!” “D, Dad! It’s not like that! This blood didn’t come from my mouth! S, s, stop there! Don’t call people! Stop it! Dadddddd!” Thinking back to the day he had ignored his daughter’s cries, Enoch sighed and walked over to the mirror. “Huh?” As he tidied his disheveled appearance, he noticed a carriage waiting outside the window. “I guess the princess hasn’t gone yet!” What’s going on? Since Lilith goes to work at the Wizard Tower early, it’s not easy to see her face in the morning. Enoch ran quickly to his daughter’s room with his mouth over his ear. “Hasn’t our princess left yet?~” Suddenly, he paused before opening the door. His daughter has grown up a lot now. As a father, he couldn’t behave rudely anymore. Knock, knock. “Are you in your room, princess?” “Mhm, Dad. Just a moment. I’ll be out soon.” As he waited at the door, he missed the days when they slept and woke up together. The day he saw blood. Lilith had firmly declared to her father that she would no longer sleep with him. If Enoch had behaved a bit more cautiously, could he have avoided being driven away…? If it had been Mom instead of Dad, would he have been able to act quickly…? That day, Enoch, whose eyes had turned white after seeing his daughter’s blood, had called everyone together— “What the hell is going on?!!!” “You said the lady vomited blood?!” “Here, the doctor is here! Lady, where are you!!!” From his father, Nordic, the eldest member of the family, to the doctor, and even the youngest maids, they rushed to Lilith’s room. “Dad, I really hate you! I told you to shush! I told you to stop! It’s not like that!” “I’m sorry, princess. I’m really sorry. Dad is really sorry. It’s not that I didn’t know, really, it’s not. Dad studied a lot… But I was just so shocked, I couldn’t think of anything…” So Enoch… For the crime of spreading rumors around the neighborhood about the daughter’s first menstruation without realizing it, ‘Use each room’, ‘No kissing for two weeks’, He received an order to refrain from any physical contact for a week. The ban on kissing and skinship has been lifted, but from now on they will be sharing separate rooms forever. Eventually the door opened, and his daughter came out. “Dad, you woke up early?” Waist-length silver hair and a hairband. A white blouse and a gray skirt that flowed around the knees. She was dressed neatly as usual, but something was different. “Hmm, what is it?” Enoch narrowed his eyes and took a circle around Lilith. “W, why?” His daughter was pretty. It was very, very pretty. Silver hair as white as snow, skin without any blemishes, and eyes with sparkling blue pupils like jewels. At some point, the love letters that the knights asked Enoch to deliver on their behalf began to reach dozens of letters a week… Her beauty, which is well-known from salons to social circles where she hasn’t even debuted yet, is no different from usual… “You put on makeup?” Enoch, who was sharply holding on to her light makeup, stroked his chin and said, “Hmm.” He made a suspicious sound. “H, huh?” Lilith’s blue eyes shook as if there had been an earthquake. She looked visibly upset. “Why did you dress up so nicely to go study, my princess? It’s suspicious, isn’t it?” “Ey, what’s so suspicious again? I’m all grown up now, I can wear makeup too.” “….” Enoch, who was staring at Lilith’s face, immediately smiled brightly. “Yeah! It’s pretty, my daughter!” “Ahem.” “Well then, how about a kiss before you go…” “Mhm, later!” Lilith, who immediately pushed away Enoch’s lips, went down the stairs. “I’ll be back, Dad!” “No, princess! Why are you acting embarrassed? Is one kiss really that hard?” Lilith didn’t even look back. Enoch, who had his lips pursed, slumped his shoulders helplessly. “It’s too much…” Lilith Rubinstein, 14 years old. Before he knew it, his daughter had reached an age where she refused to be kissed by her father.
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