NOVEL NEXT My Daddy Hides His Power
Chapter 239
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The final day, D-10. I sliced a piece of carrot on the cutting board with precision, as if measured perfectly by a ruler. Tak―! “Oh my, Young Lady! Watch your hands!” “No, no way! Our Young Lady actually cut a carrot herself!” “My Young Ladyyy! Couldn’t the chef handle the chopping instead?!” I glared at the three people who were making a fuss over just cutting a piece of carrot. Jettie, Jun, and even Mr. Kunyak, the top chef of the Duke’s household. Ever since I stepped into the kitchen, the three of them had been watching me like a child left alone by a river, unable to take their eyes off me for even a second. “I can cut carrots too. And it’s only meaningful if I do it myself from start to finish.” Ten days before the rebellion. I was making a special Lilith stew filled with love so that Mr. James Brown could eat it and gain strength. I put carrot slices in the boiling pot, then salt. ‘This is it!’ As I reached for the seasoning jar filled with white powder, Mr. Kunyak quickly stopped my hand. “Young Lady.” “Why?” “That’s sugar. This is salt.” “Heuk! I almost got in trouble!” I said as I opened the lid of the salt jar that Mr. Kunyak had found it for me. “Please tell me only when I’m confused like this.” “Yes…” A moderate amount of salt… “Whoaa!” …I tried to put it in, but it spilled! ‘No! It’s not my fault!’ Because the design of the seasoning jar was not efficient. “J, just add a little more water.” Seeing me hurriedly suggest an alternative, Mr. Kunyak and the two maids nodded with reluctant expressions. * * * Princess Rubinstein’s special stew made with tomatoes as the base and various meats and vegetables as they were. The bright red stew, bubbling and bursting with bubbles, looked like the salt of hell. “How is it?” Chef Kunyak took a bite of the finished stew and held his breath. “Is it delicious?” He could see Lilith’s face, filled with anticipation, as she asked. The taste… the taste was beyond his imagination. Although he had watched the entire cooking process and anticipated a taste he had never experienced before… Still, it was shocking. This hellish stew instantly took away the sensation of his tongue. “I, is it tasteless…?” When there was no response, Lilith looked around and tapped her fingernails. Kunyak’s gaze was drawn to the young lady’s small, pale hands, which were marred with numerous cuts and burns from her cooking. ‘Oh my. Our young lady has been in the kitchen for a whole four hours, injuring those delicate hands just to make this for the duke…’ Kunyak’s heart sank. He was also a father with a daughter. “No, my lady. It’s just that… sniff… it’s so delicious that I was momentarily speechless…” “Really?” Lilith immediately smiled. “I’ll try it too!” “Young Lady, wait!” Kunyak glanced at the two maids beside him. ‘Get rid of it for now! This is an extremely harmful taste that must never enter the lady’s mouth!’ ‘Check!’ ‘Roger!’ The conversation was enough just with their eyes. The two quickly cleared the pot. “Young Lady, in my hometown of Bendon, it is said that a chef should never taste the food while cooking. Otherwise, the devil will steal the heartfelt wishes you put into the dish.” “Huh! There is such a saying?” There is no such thing. She just made it up. Even if the Young Lady’s hands were cursed, her tongue would be fine, and the moment she tasted this stew, she would be overwhelmed with despair. Kunyak just wanted to protect Lilith’s earnest feelings. ‘What time is it?’ Kunyak’s eyes quickly turned to the clock hanging on the kitchen wall. It was 7:30. ‘Hey guys! Do I have enough time to revive this hellish stew?’ When he asked with his eyes, Jetty and Jun shook their heads with gloomy faces. ‘It’s too late. The Duke is already waiting outside.’ ‘No, we can’t do this.’ This can’t be happening. Kunyak felt a wave of despair, but as a veteran chef, he quickly made a decision and plated the stew. He filled it up to the brim, so there were four plates. “Young Lady, would you grant us the honor of tasting this delicious stew for dinner tonight, just one plate each for me and the two of us here?” Jetty and Jun were shocked. But that didn’t last long. “Yes, yes! Young Lady! I really, really want to eat it!” “I, keuph, me too! Please!” Lilith was embarrassed. “Yes? That much…? Then I have nothing to eat…?” “I will quickly make a new dish to show my gratitude for allowing us to taste this wonderful creation, my lady.” “….” “Please. Can’t I…?” No, is it really that delicious? Lilith covered the corners of her lips and twisted her body in embarrassment. “Ey, no. Of course it is.” * * * “This is the special stew made by the Young Lady, featuring a tomato sauce base with generous portions of freshly caught veal tenderloin, pork loin, chicken breast, and duck wing meat.” The table that Jetty and Jun had decorated in the dining room beautifully. “Take a look at the vegetables included as well. They’re not all uniform in shape, which makes them quite interesting, don’t you think? Thanks to the Young Lady’s creative cutting, they boast a wonderfully diverse appearance.” The plate of stew, beautifully plated with the help of Chef Kunyak, was placed in front of Dad. ‘Oh, when it was in the pot, I thought it was boiling hellfire, but when you put it like that, it looks pretty good.’ I smiled happily. “Duke, I almost lost consciousness after tasting this stew. It truly was a flavor I’ve never experienced before in my life.” “…Really?” No, to that extent? I couldn’t help but feel excited as I watched Mr. Kunyak praised me. “This stew is filled with the sincerity of the young lady who worked hard for four hours and her love for the Duke. The taste is truly dizzying. So, please, please eat it all without leaving any leftovers.” “….” Dad and Mr. Kunyak exchanged glances for a moment in silence. “…Okay, I understand.” Dad picked up his spoon with a solemn expression. “Please… Enjoy your meal.” After Chef Kunyak left, I rested my chin on my hand and looked at Dad with anticipation. “Hurry up and eat.” “Princess.” “Mhm?” Dad stopped taking a spoonful and suddenly pouted his lips at me. “Oh? What’s wrong?” “I’m so touched…When did our princess grow up so much that she even cooks for Dad?” “Hehe. I’ve already grown up, you know. I made it while praying for your success and for you to stay safe without getting hurt, Dad.” “Oh, come on, the business will definitely succeed. My princess doesn’t need to worry about anything. The emperor is no match for me.” “Um, besides His Majesty the Emperor…” In fact, the most frightening person isn’t the Emperor. “… The problem is Cheshire.” It’s Cheshire! Cheshire, who has to beat the brainwashed Dad to death, all in a deliberate attempt to shorten the emperor’s lifespan! Both are on our side, but I couldn’t root for Dad. Because it’s a fight that only ends when Cheshire wins. ‘Dad, you shouldn’t get hurt too much…’ In the original story, Cheshire ultimately succeeds in subduing Dad, who had been controlled by the emperor’s power. Of course! Of course! ‘…It wasn’t easy to subdue him.’ Dad, who was completely wounded, was barely breathing. At that moment, as he lay there unable to move even a finger, the first shock came when I, thought to be dead, suddenly appeared. His second shock came when he realized, “Wait, my daughter was Primera all along?” as his once mute and clueless daughter was now unleashing her powers, burning the capital to the ground. Cheshire, realizing that at this rate, everyone would die, raised his sword. But with all his strength drained, he couldn’t stop him and could only watch helplessly as my head was cut off, leading to his third shock. ‘As expected, no matter how much I think about it, the original was a tragedy! It was the sad ending itself!’ Of course, that wouldn’t happen this time, but the fact remained that he would still have to engage in a life-and-death battle with Cheshire. “Princess, don’t you trust your boyfriend?” “I trust Cheshire. I don’t trust Dad.” “Huh?” “Dad, you’re too strong. You’re a monster. I wish you’d give up easily, but you won’t.” “….” Dad scratched his cheek as if he had nothing to say. Since both the timing of the rebellion and Cheshire’s rate of growth have changed from the original story, the one thing I can’t guarantee is Dad’s safe survival. ‘It’s okay though. If Cheshire can’t subdue Dad…’ I’ll go! “Dad!” “Mhm.” “You know, uhm.” Seeing Dad’s worried expression, I decided to confess something I usually found too embarrassing to say. I thought there was no other time to talk. “… Thank you for raising me until now. Thanks to you, Dad, I received lots of love, wore pretty clothes, and ate lots of delicious food… I’m so lucky. Because I was born as Dad’s daughter.” I was happy to express my true feelings, but I was a little embarrassed. That’s why I couldn’t make eye contact with Dad. “Um, and… I’m sorry for being born like this. If I hadn’t existed, you could have focused on your business without worry… You’ve gone through so much trouble hiding me from His Majesty.” Unlike the original, my existence to Dad was like a sweet potato. Dad pretended not to care, but he lived every day trembling with anxiety, and he even gave up on some of the bold opportunities he had in the original and chose to go back. Nevertheless, the protagonist Enoch Rubinstein, who was promised victory, finally reached it. To the conclusion that will be rewritten as a ‘happy ending.’ “Thank you, Dad…” This time, I can live too. With the people I love, together. “Dad is my hero.” I shed tears. When I wiped my teary eyes and looked up, I saw Dad smiling at me with watery eyes, just like mine. “…Come here, princess.” I sniffled and hugged Dad tightly. As he sat me on his lap and wiped my tears, he said, “Dad is also thankful. I’m grateful you’ve grown up so beautifully. And Dad is so happy to be able to be your hero, our princess.” “Dad…” “To Dad, our princess is the main character. The moment Dad first met you, Dad promised that no matter what happens, I will protect you.” Dad held my cheek affectionately and pressed our foreheads together. “Dad will always protect you. So our princess, you’ll be happy all your life.” “Uuuuuu. Ugh….” “Hey, don’t cry.” Dad wiped my tears away. I smiled and pointed to the plate of stew. “It’s getting cold! Eat it quickly!” “Oops!” Dad’s eyes widened as he took a bite of the stew right away. “How is it? Is it good?” “….” Dad kept the stew in his mouth for a long time, savoring the taste. A few seconds later, Dad’s throat trembled with a gulp. “Ah…Oh my….” “Dad?!” Dad’s eyes widened, showing no signs of returning to normal. They even glistened with tears. “I, is it good enough to make you cry?” “…Yeah. I, it’s a taste that brings tears to your eyes.” Is that all? I was curious about the taste of my great stew, so I tried to snatch Dad’s spoon away from him― “No! Stop!” ―I flinched at the hand that stopped me as I became absorbed in thought. “I can’t give you even a bite! Dad will eat it all!” “No, don’t do that. Just one bite…” “No! You made it for Dad! Don’t take it away!” Mr. James Brown seemed to be dazzled by the fantastic taste. He firmly refused my request for just one bite and shoved the stew into his mouth as if he hadn’t eaten in ten days. “Ha, this is impossible. Damn it…” Is it so delicious that he wants to curse? “It’s so… haa… so delicious… Our… cough… princess made it… filled with intense love….” I was surprised and relieved to see the tears that had been in Dad’s eyes running down his cheeks. My first dish was a great success! “Thank you. Thank you, my princess. It’s a taste Dad will never forget… It gives me strength… I feel like… Dad can take on thirty emperors… cough… I think…” “T, that’s fortunate!” “And… I really, really love you.” Dad smiled brightly even as he shed tears. I don’t know if he was surprised by the taste, touched by my sincerity, or both. “I really, really… love you so much, my princess. My daughter… my treasure…” I happily hugged Mr. James Brown, who kept whispering that he loved me while shedding tears. “I love you too, Dad! The best in the world!”
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