NOVEL NEXT My Daddy Hides His Power
Chapter 240
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D-7 until the invasion of the Kingdom of Isolem. Emperor Nicholas was writing a letter to be delivered to the North. ‘There isn’t much time left.’ A bitter smile appeared on Nicholas’ lips. After the war begins, he will capture Enoch. All the necessary forces of the defense army have been prepared. Leaving only one last person. A week later, a request was made for urgent reinforcements to come to the territory for defense after the imperial army had departed. The ability user of the Dos class, Count Rector Somerset. He possessed a large private army specialized in dealing with demons, and instead of being assigned to the Imperial Elite Army, he had been managing the North under the imperial order to protect difficult areas. Although he wasn’t an elite force directly under the Emperor, he was an ability user who surpassed the abilities of the Dos Corps commanders― “It’s been a long time since I’ve seen you.” —He was also a citizen of the empire who couldn’t dare to defy the Emperor’s orders. * * * Until the day of rebellion, D-7. This is the top floor of the Wizard Tower, Oscar’s home. It was a luxurious duplex penthouse kitchen. “Drumroll! Get ready, Master!” Wearing fluffy cloud pajamas freshly washed and an apron, I grabbed the knife again. “Hey, be careful.” Next to me was Oscar, grumbling but still wearing matching pajamas, pacing back and forth like a nervous chick who’d lost its mother. “Aaack!” “Argh! Really!” As I was slicing the carrot, my hand slipped, and I ended up cutting my left thumb. A professional chef makes such an amateurish mistake! “I knew this would happen! I asked you to cut the carrot, not your hand!” “Hng.” Oscar, who was annoyed, quickly grabbed my hand. I felt hot mana and the wound quickly healed. Ugh! Heal, deal, a perfect scammer! “I’ll do it, so just get out of the kitchen! Looking at how you’re doing, never mind cooking—you’ll end up chopping off all your fingers!” “No way! Everyone cried their eyes out eating my stew. My knife skills might still be a bit rough, but I promise the taste is worth it. I really want to make it for you too, Master. Please?” “Haa.” In the end, I smiled at Oscar, who lost again, and started cutting carrots again. “Hehe, I went to Rico’s bakery and bought some chocolate cake too? No, I didn’t buy it, Rico just gave it to me…” “Hey. Stop chirping and focus on the knife, focus on the knife.” “That cake is super delicious. After dinner, let’s eat it together while reading some comics! And then brush our teeth and sleep together! I’ll even tell you a scary story!” When I asked Dad if I could stay over at Master’s house after work at the Wizard Tower, he nodded without hesitation. I was worried, and sure enough… The ban on overnight stays seemed to be limited to Cheshire. “Hey, is it true that everyone was moved by your food?” “Huh?” Oscar, who had been watching me cook the whole time, let out a deep sigh and shook his head. Then he took out bread, vegetables, and bacon and started making something. “What are you doing?” “I’ll make your dinner.” “Is it a sandwich? Are you making it to eat with the stew? I’m too full to eat both, though?” “No, I’ll eat it.” What is it? I started stirring the stew with a ladle in the boiling pot without thinking much of it. “Master, there’s something I’m worried about.” “What.” “Haaah.” I let out a deep sigh. “The original story I know—uh, no, I mean, my past life’s memories, you know? They’re so different now that they’re of no help at all.” “What exactly is different?” “First of all, the business was three years faster, and originally, it wasn’t like there was a war or anything, right? Also…”“Also?” “Master, do you know about Count Somerset, who lives in the northern region above? He’s the lord of a territory where a lot of monsters come out.” “I don’t know. How would I know that?” “His private soldiers are super strong and numerous. So, originally, he was supposed to come and help Dad, you know?” I sighed and thought back to the conversation I had with Dad yesterday. I was anxious about the business, so I checked everything one by one to see if everything was ready… “Dad, what about the Count Somerset I mentioned before? Is he currently hiding in the capital, waiting? Everything is ready, right?” “Oh! No? He’s not here. He probably won’t come.” Count Somerset. He was a key ally who would provide crucial support when the protagonists seized the capital. So I told Dad to recruit him a long time ago… “I guess he’s not coming this time. Do you think Dad can succeed without that guy’s help?” “What? Why didn’t he call him?” “I don’t know either…” “Ah! Why didn’t you call that Uncle? I said everyone I mentioned is necessary!” “Well, Uncle Joseph says that if Count Somerset moves secretly, it could be dangerous, right? There’s nothing we can do. Even without the northern reinforcements, Dad can do it.” Dad was calm. He’s just placing his unwavering trust in the clever strategist, Joseph. ‘Phew, I have no choice but to trust Joseph.’ In the original story, it was Joseph who had Count Somerset waiting in the capital ahead of time… Joseph is smart, so I believe he will have another plan this time… It was true that I was anxious about the development that was completely different from the original. “Ey.. Am I suddenly nervous? If that guy is really necessary, shouldn’t we call him over even now?” “It’s already too late for that. I thought Dad had everything prepared, but it turns out he didn’t. With just a week left before the operation, there’s no way that guy’s troops can sneak down from the north to the capital in time.” I sighed while stirring the stew. * * * North, Rualmar. The imposing figure of the middle-aged lord, Count Rector Somerset, received the imperial edict from the emperor’s envoy in person. The contents of the letter were concise. It was a message to come to the capital and take charge of the defenses, which would become vulnerable when the imperial army set out. “His Majesty’s command is for you to depart with all your soldiers in a week, so please make haste in your preparations.” The messenger did not blink an eye in front of Rector Somerset’s intimidating size, who was making everyone tremble, and he gave the message in a commanding tone. It was an arrogant attitude, but Rector nodded without bothering to point it out. “Got it, now be on your way.” After the messenger left, Rector finally ground his teeth and snorted. “This…” The Emperor, who had practically dumped the monster-infested northern region onto him, wouldn’t even pretend to listen whenever he pleaded for support with the subjugation efforts. “That damn snake…” And yet, he seemed to think that just because he’d left him to “manage” the north without having to suffer through the hardship of being dispatched across the empire, there would be some sense of gratitude toward him. “When I asked for a support force to help with the northern hunts, he wouldn’t even pretend to listen, and now? Now that he needs me, he thinks he can just order me around?” Rector gritted his teeth and violently crumpled the emperor’s edict into a tight ball. “It’s not ‘can you come’ but ‘come here’? Just ordering me around like this?” Rector Somerset. This man had been a rebel for a very long time. “Don’t you know that thanks to Duke Rubinstein, I can finally breathe a little easier?” The North, which had been groaning because of the demons, began to become relatively peaceful seven years ago. It was after Enoch Rubinstein, who had deserted, returned to the capital and took up his sword again. The North was the best place for the demons to live, so they were overflowing no matter how many they were caught. Even so, the imperial family hesitated to send reinforcements for the subjugation once every six months. Enoch Rubinstein had no reason to consider the circumstances of the North at all, but… “It’s been a while, Count! I came here because I was thinking of you!” “Oh dear! No, I came here two weeks ago and there’s already this much chaos? The North really is a tough place to live. The Count must be having a hard time.” Even though there was no order to go on an expedition, he diligently helped with the subjugation. He had maintained a relationship with the grateful Enoch since then, and Lecter was already full of resentment toward the Emperor… Was there no reason not to become a rebel? “Joseph Lütman is my strategist and the core of our rebels. You will see him often from now on, so think of Joseph’s words as my will and follow them.” Rector had already been in contact with Joseph Lütman, the strategist introduced by Enoch, for quite some time. However, his interactions with Joseph, who visited periodically, were limited to card games and trivial chatter, leaving Rector feeling somewhat uneasy. Enoch must have a good eye for people… Why did he not like the strategist who took up a position and played cards all day? That distrust reached its peak this time. “Hey, what do you mean by that? Don’t go to the capital? Did the Duke say I’m not needed? I’ve been waiting for this day!” “Hmm. No, no. I’m not saying don’t come. I mean we need to carefully observe the situation a bit more.” At the brink of rebellion. If everything went according to plan, Rector should have gathered his private army and hidden near the capital. But Joseph suddenly changed his plan. “What if the Emperor comes to the North and finds the Count absent?” “What are you talking about! Why is the Emperor coming to the North?” “Anyway, stay here!” Rector felt like he was going out of his mind with frustration. He couldn’t contact Enoch directly, but Joseph just told him to wait. However, he couldn’t afford to disregard Joseph’s advice, especially since Enoch had insisted on following his words without question. “It’s already too late! It’s too late! Even if we leave right now, we won’t make it on time!” “Phew, just trust me and wait a bit. Why worry when there’s a big gate? You can just use the warp gate to get to the capital, right?” …Is he crazy? “Ugh! You’re not a strategist, are you? You think more like an idiot than someone who’s held a sword my whole life! You want me to lead this whole army and just waltz through the gate to the capital? Is that your plan, to make a huge scene announcing that we’re here for a rebellion?!!!” At that moment, Rector was certain. He’s been fooled! Joseph Lütman, without a doubt, was a double agent planted by the Emperor to take Enok’s life! ―That’s what he thought. ‘I really ended up taking the gate, huh?’ Rector unfolded the crumpled imperial letter in his hands and swallowed hard. As Joseph had said, Rector was able to go to the system to help Enoch without delay. And legally, with the Emperor’s order. “Whatever the emperor does, Joseph will likely be one step ahead of him. Honestly, I’ve never encountered anyone as talented as Joseph. Sometimes he’s so smart it gives me chills.” The moment he understood Enoch’s unwavering trust. Someone who had hurriedly hidden in the tea room behind the reception area peeked through the door. “Oh my, that’s scary. I almost got caught. Did the messenger leave?” ―He stuck his face out. Joseph, who was leisurely playing cards with Rector today, had hurriedly hidden when he heard that the messenger had arrived. “Hehe, Count~? I…” He smiled as if he knew what news the messenger had brought without even hearing it. “I said we should go to the Imperial Palace through the Gate, right~?”
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