I’Ll Protect My Tyrant Dad! [EN]: Chapter 8

8. I’ve Never Heard I’m Cute and Cool Before

2022.12.27.

I seemed to recall from 『Melodia’s Life』 that Leonhardt was skilled in evil deeds, including murder, from a young age. It was impossible to know exactly when that “young age” referred to.

But couldn’t it be starting now? The thought made my body tremble with fear.

Just as I thought ‘scary,’ the necklace around my neck briefly glowed and then faded.

I tried to touch it to check its condition, but Leonhardt spoke first.

“What? What’s wrong?”

“Ah, uh, nothing… it’s nothing.”

Still, you never knew.

‘He might be nice now. He didn’t ignore me like those weird kids earlier, and he seems to have some humanity left.’

There was no need to be overly scared already. If I played my cards right, I could befriend him before he turned evil and get him on my side.

Quickly resolving myself, I cleared my throat and asked Leonhardt.

“Re, really? Your name really, really is, Leoni?”

“Yeah. It’s Leonhardt.”

“Su, such a cool name… wow…”

My tongue twisted in my panic, and my pronunciation became a mess.

Fortunately, Leonhardt didn’t seem to notice, and dimples appeared on his cheeks.

‘Is this kid, smiling like an idiot at such a soulless compliment, really that scary villain? Could he just be a namesake?’

The thought briefly crossed my mind.

‘Maybe there’s a terribly wicked look hidden behind that mask?’

Leonhardt didn’t notice that I was lost in confusion and fear.

Because he was…

“Cool, huh. That’s the first time I’ve heard that.”

Smiling shyly!

Honestly, I couldn’t see his face well because of the mask, but judging by his mouth, he was definitely smiling like a puppy.

I stared at his cute smile, my mouth agape.

Was it because he was young? His cheeks looked so soft and squishy, like glutinous rice cakes.

“Leon, you seem cool and cute, why…”

…are you a villain?

“I’m… cute?”

Huh.

At Leonhardt’s voice in my ear, I hastily covered my mouth with my small, rice-white hands.

My inner thoughts had unknowingly slipped out!

In a panic, I stopped my round, Hoppang-like [Korean steamed bun] feet.

‘What if Leonhardt doesn’t like being called cute?’

But here, there was someone even more panicked than me.

“Cute?”

It was Leonhardt.

Gripping his leather-like mask tightly, he quietly opened his mouth.

“First time I’ve heard that.”

…Is he really a villain?

‘He’s so innocent, he’s almost foolish?’

He seemed embarrassed, constantly adjusting his mask and wiping his forehead.

He even seemed to be sweating a little.

I even wondered if he was faking it.

But children can’t hide their non-verbal cues. I looked at him and thought seriously.

This child villain might be a surprisingly easy task…!

‘If I win him over properly, he might be helpful when I conquer the family later. Of course, after I figure out what kind of person he is!’

Having even one more future villain on my side would help with conquering the family!

‘Don’t be scared, Cien Mirmod!’

Looking at me, he smirked.

“You’re cute too, chestnut-like genius.”

…Leonhardt smiled brightly.

Ah, he’s actually quite cute!

I added about half a spoonful of personal interest and held out my hand.

“Then let’s really be fwiends [friends]!”

“…Okay.”

But just as his hand was about to touch mine, having watched everything, Dad quickly rushed over and scooped me up.

“Cien!”

So, Leonhardt’s outstretched hand didn’t even touch mine.

Hanging in the air, I looked at Leonhardt with surprised eyes.

“Dad, I got an award for Cien.”

“Huh?”

“Aren’t you curious?”

“Hmm, I am curious. Dad, this is my fwiend [friend]!”

“Ah.”

Dad hugged me tightly, facing me so I couldn’t see Leonhardt.

So, I could only see the muscular maid unnies [older sisters/women] behind Dad.

The unnies [older sisters/women] still had expressionless faces and nodded at me. They also looked as if they were afraid of something.

Dad’s warm voice reached me.

“Who are you?”

“I’m Leonhardt.”

I whispered softly in Dad’s ear.

“Dad, my fwiend [friend] is Leonhardt.”

“Friend?”

“Yeah! My fiwst [first] fwiend [friend]!”

“First… Okay, let’s go.”

As Dad turned around after muttering lowly, I could finally see Leonhardt’s expression. Leonhardt had no expression. He even seemed to pity me.

‘What is it? I should say goodbye!’

I was about to raise my hand and smile brightly to say goodbye to Leonhardt, but I paused.

‘Leonhardt is adopted… I shouldn’t act too close to Dad here, right?’

I tried to change my expression to a cold one, like a stale steamed bun. And I awkwardly made an ‘ee’ shape and smiled.

“Fwiend [friend], bye-bye!”

Leonhardt, watching me being carried away in Dad’s arms, silently mouthed something with his mouth wide open. Reading his lips…

[…If you’re about to die, be sure to press the necklace!]

At Leonhardt’s advice, I nodded vigorously.

‘If bad guys attack Dad on the way home, no, to the spire, I have to press the necklace!’

I immediately glanced at the necklace.

The necklace sparkled with a bluish light. I tilted my head slightly at the sight.

‘Blue light… The artifact is emitting a bluish light. Why?’

But I didn’t have time to think more because of the cozy and sweet smell of Dad hugging me tightly. As Leonhardt moved away, I buried my face in Dad’s arms and grinned.

After meeting him in person, even Leonhardt, who was a villain in the original story, was quite cute.

The black leather-like mask that covered his eyes, only showing his pupils, the cool mouth that was occasionally visible under the large mask, and the slightly raised cheeks that proved he was a child!

He was quite charming.

‘But the best thing is still Dad!’

I hugged Dad tightly.

‘I will definitely survive with Dad for a long, long time.’

I decided to fill this heart to the brim and whisper to Dad.

“Dad, sarahae [I love you]! No, I love you!”

“Cien.”

“Yeah!”

Dad, who had been silent for a while, asked hesitantly and carefully.

“You made a friend… Do you still like Dad the most?”

I snuggled my face against Dad’s shoulder and whispered softly.

“That’s… a secret. Hehe.”

Because I’m too shy to say it!

At that moment, I felt Dad’s hand holding me tighten, but maybe it was just my imagination?

Strangely, it sounded like Dad was grinding his teeth. It also sounded like he was saying, ‘Flies keep buzzing around,’ or something…

But there’s no way my dad would say that! He can’t even kill flies because they’re living things!

***

After class, it was the most important nap time!

After a good nap, while munching on a sandwich filled with ham, I planned my future.

“Hoo.”

The muscle maids, who were diligently chewing and swallowing coconut near me, said breathlessly.

“Why are you sighing? Well, our Cien is too weak. So frail-”

“Oh, if that’s the case! We can teach you how to build muscle right now!”

Their words, excessively powerful for maids, made my heart feel strangely cold.

“Ah, don’t worry.”

“About what…?”

“Suspicious guards kept loitering around the north tower, so I grabbed a shovel and beat them up!”

At those terrifying words, I, who was only about half of half of half their size, froze slightly.

But without showing it, I clapped enthusiastically.

“Wow, that’s amazing…”

Leaving the excited maids behind me with my soulless reaction, I munched on my bread.

Hoo…

Thinking about what had happened in the Mirmord Duchy, it was literally ‘one mountain after another’ [meaning a series of never-ending problems].

‘So much has happened so far.’

I punished the kids who said bad things about my mom, tormented the bad teachers, became a little closer to Leonhardt, and… most of all, I got a necklace with mysterious powers.

Since there have been so many good things, bad things are bound to come soon.

I sighed softly and thought.

It seemed like now was not the time for me to be careless.

‘It’s time to start drawing the big picture.’

The original seemed like a typical love story, but it was full of political strife.

[The love story beyond status between a beautiful saint who appeared like a comet and a crown prince who lovingly cherishes the common people, .]

I had only read half of the novel. But within it, the love between the crown prince and the saint was always in danger because of the Mirmord Duchy’s misdeeds.

The Mirmord Duchy was a central hub for all sorts of secret murders and evil deeds, a significant supporting character that appeared frequently in the novel.

And in the novel, the ‘War of the Bloodline’ to determine the Duke of Mirmord was featured prominently… Fortunately, not yet.

‘The family’s successor hasn’t been decided yet. In other words, it’s not the time when the War of the Bloodline occurs. Then… surely it will be peaceful for a while, right?’

But soon, a fierce competition of killing and being killed to take the Mirmord family’s heir position was bound to follow.

Dad, who was the biological son of Duchess Lucella, couldn’t even give up the competition.

‘I have to somehow take control of the family so that Dad doesn’t get sacrificed!’

That’s what I seriously decided, but…

‘…Still, I have to be careful of the three Mirmord villains, awake or asleep.’

There were many bloodlines in the Mirmord family. However, there were a total of three final villains who competed for the vacant Duke position.

One was Delphia Mirmord, Duchess Lucella’s adopted daughter, who was currently training in the North.

Another was Selford Mirmord, the son of the Chairman of the Council of Elders.

And finally…

I shuddered slightly, my body feeling chilled just by recalling the original story.

‘The most dangerous person among them is Axel Mirmord. The best black magician who controls the darkness!’

Axel was from the Mirmord family’s adopted line. However, he gained an opportunity related to black magic in the war and rose to prominence, committing all sorts of evil deeds.

And after winning the ‘War of the Bloodline,’ he was scheduled to become the Duke of the villainous Mirmord family.

Soon, he would become the Iron-Blooded Duke and plunge the empire into a cold hell.

Fortunately, Axel Mirmord had not yet appeared.

But! To confront him when we eventually meet, it was necessary to build up strength.

‘Let’s highlight my presence during this brief period of peace. By seducing or subjugating the powers that be in the Duchy!’

If there were three heirs in the Duchy, there were also powers that be at the current time.

I recalled the list of the Duchy’s powers and muttered clearly into my mouth.

“Grandma, Chairman of the Council of Elders, Head of the Academy…”

The weakest of the three was Grandma.

The saying that she was already an old woman in the back room said it all [meaning she is out of touch and no longer influential].

Now, she was just living under the glory of the past, seemingly existing or not, only involved in social circles and family affairs.

Fortunately, such a grandmother didn’t seem to hate or like me.

‘Let’s try to show more affection to Grandma!’

The Chairman of the Council of Elders…

Well, I didn’t know exactly what kind of person he was yet. Although I had read about it in a book…

‘The Chairman of the Council of Elders feels uneasy, so let’s put him on hold for now.’

And finally, the Head of the Academy, who was like the Chairman of the Council of Elders’ henchman, remained.

‘The Head of the Academy definitely hates me and Dad. I can tell just by how much the teacher under the Head of the Academy hates me. He’s probably going to set a trap soon.’

Before Axel comes, I have to get rid of all the small fry!

‘I’ll need strength to turn the trap to my advantage, right?’

I held the fairy necklace tightly in my hand.

There must be a way to handle this.

I should go to the library, the warehouse of information.

But I was still a baby, so I couldn’t go to the library alone. Besides, I might end up seeing forbidden books, so I definitely couldn’t go alone.

‘Let’s coax Dad to go to the library together. I have to go and find out how to use the fairy necklace and the location information of advanced artifacts!’

I put down the sandwich I was eating and jumped off the sofa.

“Cien is going to see Dad! No, I will go!”

Having said that solemnly, I hopped like a bunny to see Dad.

But…

Dad was just being taken advantage of like a pushover again…

***

At that time, Matthias was talking to the black magician of the Magic Tower, who was his subordinate.

He was planning to take down the Chairman of the Council of Elders. Since the Council of Elders had promoted him to be judged and killed, he planned to deal with his son Selford on that very day.

“First, I’ll hit the body of the Council of Elders. I’ve already secured all the existing magicians.”

He had a meticulous face, unlike someone who had been away from the family for a while. The black magician nodded seriously, looking at Matthias’ languid expression.

“Yes, from the body… It will be difficult, but I understand. Matthias’ plans have always worked, so I expect this one to be right as well.”

He didn’t react much to the black magician’s flattery. Matthias nodded and whispered cruelly.

“It’s enough to just kill all the annoying people who try to harm Cien.”

Everything was going according to plan.

But there was always an unexpected variable.

This very moment was such a case.

Matthias narrowed his brows at the strange energy he felt.

“Someone has entered the barrier.”

The black magician also narrowed his eyes and looked through the door.

But…

A small, round head peeked out from the hallway, tilting its head.

Seeing that, Matthias’ heart became faintly peaceful like a mist.

Cien had come.

Cien was a special child.

Someone who could overcome the barrier that Matthias had set up, which no one else could cross, in one go…

‘Ah, Cien shouldn’t see something bad.’

Matthias straightened his posture and politely put his hands forward. The black magician, who had been attending Matthias like a shadow, wore a puzzled expression.

“Take off your hat.”

“Yes?”

When he gestured with his chin with a fierce expression, the black magician, who was startled, obediently put his black, pointed hat on the desk.

“What…”

“Let’s talk about farming.”

“Yes? Suddenly?”