I’Ll Protect My Tyrant Dad! [EN]: Chapter 32

32. Did I Seduce Her Before We Even Met?

March 21, 2023

অ্যাসিড [pronounced A-si-deu, likely a play on the word ‘acid’ and meant to sound foreign] was better at begging than anyone else.

But what other abilities did he have?

When Cien was sent to the ‘deadlands’ by Matthias, অ্যাসিড couldn’t do anything.

In fact, অ্যাসিড didn’t even know what the ‘deadlands’ Leonhardt was talking about were.

Because he was just a clueless beggar on the street, a fool.

He was in a position where he could only watch and be aware of his surroundings without knowing anything.

But…….

‘I want to protect Cien, too.’

He still had nothing.

He wasn’t an adult, and he didn’t have divine power like his paladin brother.

Should he build up his strength?

But no matter how much he thought about it, he didn’t think he could have as much strength as the muscle maids who attended to Cien. Recalling their bulging muscles made him feel deflated.

If he had any advantages…….

Only Ted, his paladin brother.

‘……Come to think of it, I heard that divine power is hereditary.’

Since his brother was a paladin, maybe he also had the potential for divine power.

Of course, divine power is a force that manifests early.

If it hadn’t manifested by now, it would be right to assume that he didn’t have divine power in his body.

অ্যাসিড’s fingernails dug deeply into his palm, leaving scratches.

Still, should he meet Ted, the brother who abandoned him, just in case?

It was then.

A refreshing touch reached the shoulder of অ্যাসিড, who was silently staring at the floor with his head buried.

“Baby, what’s wrong?”

It was Cien.

অ্যাসিড quickly raised his head and gazed at Cien. Innocent yet affectionate eyes were directed at him.

“I…… That, well.”

He didn’t want to be the baby Cien took care of. Although he was small and from the slums…….

He wanted to protect her.

So that Cien could live.

If so, he had no choice but to become stronger to protect Cien, who had saved him.

Like his brother Ted, who abandoned him and became a paladin.

If necessary, even by borrowing his help.

“I, I want to become stronger!”

……For the first time, he had the thought of facing his brother.

Along with Cien’s bewildered expression, the voice of meditation rang in his ears.

“Everything in the world depends on how you think about it.”

“Think about all things in the universe.”

“There’s no need to become strong. There is beauty in weakness, in its own way.”

অ্যাসিড shook his head inwardly.

No.

He would definitely become stronger.

He would become even stronger than Matthias, and he would protect Cien from those who threatened her.

And Cien, who heard অ্যাসিড’s words, widened her eyes.

“Baby!”

The timid boy was momentarily frightened.

The sun-like, warm Cien might have been afraid of the idea of becoming stronger.

However…….

“Wanting to become stronger, that’s a truly genius idea!”

Cien, who was always smiling, was now almost beaming with happiness.

Behind her, Matthias was staring at him with a stern expression. It was a look that was impossible to fathom.

So অ্যাসিড just stared at Cien with a fixed gaze.

Cien’s chubby cheeks, her large, sparkling, go-stone-like [referring to the game Go, implying dark and shiny] eyes, and her small front teeth.

And even the warm smile that seemed to show her kind heart, he took it all in.

It was the first time he had decided to become stronger.

But because Cien liked it…….

‘It’s the best choice.’

অ্যাসিড’s heart was filled with happiness.

***

I cheered inwardly.

I could see that অ্যাসিড’s shadow had faded a little.

Once again, I was convinced that feeding him well, washing him cleanly, and loving him was the right thing to do.

‘If I heal his emotional wounds, I can slowly let him meet Ted. Then both অ্যাসিড and Ted will be happy, and Ted will become my knight!’

I smiled as wide as a washbasin.

But as they say, life is a mountain over a mountain [a Korean proverb meaning problems never end].

It was good that অ্যাসিড, who had been dozing off, suddenly awakened like a thunderbolt!

But this damn Sunshine Academy course never ends.

The special measures to prevent Dad’s blackening were bull. I couldn’t do anything and was purified in spirit until lunchtime.

Today, we’re having a vegetarian meal in a place full of divine power…….

“Dad.”

“Yes, Cien. You like vegetarian food, right?”

Saliva gathered in my mouth. But if I said I liked it, it felt like my mind, which had been tainted with evil, would be completely purified. I cleared my throat and continued.

“Wait before eating, Dad! I need some baby-only time for a moment!”

“……Huh?”

Dad’s eyes wavered for a moment.

He was hurt.

“What about Dad?”

It hurts, but…… I can’t let it go here.

I threatened to have some kids-only time to avoid close surveillance.

“Dad can’t be with us.”

Dad said with a shocked expression, ‘Already secrets from Dad…….’ but…… I can’t help it.

It wasn’t important to hurt Dad’s tender heart right now.

“Wait here! Ten minutes is enough!”

I grabbed Leonhardt and অ্যাসিড’s hands tightly and slipped out.

I even sighed, wondering how to let Dad know how harsh the world is.

“How’s this academy course?”

“I was dozing off, so I didn’t hear it.”

Behind Leonhardt’s honest words, অ্যাসিড scratched the back of his head while avoiding my gaze. Seeing his ears turn red, it seemed like he was thinking the same thing as Leonhardt.

I clenched both fists and said like I was giving a speech.

“Friends.”

“Yeah?”

“As you know, we need to rehabilitate our Dad.”

It’s a serious situation where my life could be threatened by entering a villainous family, but if Dad tries to make me good even by sending me to the academy, I can’t help it.

It hurts, but I had no choice but to rehabilitate Dad more strongly so that he would act like a villain.

I narrowed my eyes and raised my chin, speaking threateningly.

“What should we do?”

“Chestnut…….”

“Yeah?”

Leonhardt nodded sadly. As if he knew my heart.

“Really, you’re trying so hard to survive.”

“……Yeah! I’m trying very, very hard!”

“I’ll help too.”

Leonhardt nodded.

As expected of Leonhardt. He had an expression that knew this villainous family very well.

অ্যাসিড, who was staring at me, carefully opened his mouth.

“Rehabilitating him, I, I’ll help too.”

“Yeah?”

“Maybe we can use divine power if we cultivate it.”

“Does divine power have that kind of power?”

“……I’m going to find out.”

‘I should talk to Ted.’

Anyway, it was a really unexpected achievement that both অ্যাসিড and Leonhardt were helping to villainize our Dad.

From now on, instead of directly demanding actions, I was going to praise the villains I showed him, and continue to indirectly brainwash him that being evil and bad is good.

If I brainwash him every day that good things will happen if he does bad things, Dad might momentarily do something villainous.

I clapped my hands cheerfully.

“Good, very, very cool!”

Leonhardt followed suit.

“I…….”

“Yeah?”

“Beyond rehabilitating Matthias, I will become a villain who surpasses everyone.”

I carefully said to Leonhardt.

“That…… You’re becoming a villain on my side, right……? W, we’re friends!”

I clearly stated the fact to him.

Then Leonhardt shrugged and nodded.

“Of course, Chestnut. And you’re a genius.”

“……Yeah?”

He stared at me as if he was saying something obvious.

“I can’t surpass you. Besides, I’m going to be a righteous villain who doesn’t bully friends.”

Leonhardt in the original story was the worst of the villains who massacred regardless of whether they were on his side or not.

But I was going to trust him just once.

Because what Leonhardt had shown me so far seemed like 100 percent sincerity.

I clenched my fist tightly and held it out to them.

“Then, put your fists together!”

“Yes……?”

“Why?”

“A promise to work together on our Dad’s rehabilitation project!”

We clenched our fists tightly and put them together in the middle.

I already felt reassured.

I was still just an insignificant little kid, but I already felt like I had my own close aides.

“Hehe.”

I hummed and took my fist away.

We looked at each other with determined eyes and nodded vigorously.

But right then. Leonhardt lowered his voice as much as possible and said.

“Chestnut.”

“Yeah?”

“I can already feel a strange energy around us.”

“What……?!”

I tilted my head and looked around. It wasn’t that there wasn’t a strange sense of unease…….

“……What’s that viciously looking bird?”

……The identity of that sense of unease was a small bird hiding near the bushes. A bird with one eye and a bright yellow beak.

“Something’s strange…….”

I rolled my suspicious eyes. Then Leonhardt frowned and said.

“It’s not an ordinary bird, I can feel a powerful force.”

I staggered back.

A bird with a powerful force. It looked so vicious that I wanted to tame it.

I clenched my fist tightly and stared at the bird.

It was a bird that would suit a villain like me very well.

Rather than a small, titmouse-like bird, I like a bird that looks so terrifying, more threatening than an eagle!

“Should we catch that?”

“It could be dangerous…….”

I agree with Leonhardt’s words, but still, if that bird was going to attack us, it would have already done so.

I tried to move towards the bird, wiggling my rice cake-like [describing chubby legs] legs. But no matter how much I moved my legs and tried, I couldn’t walk.

“……Huh?”

After wiggling my feet meaninglessly for a while, I realized.

……That someone’s thick hands were holding my body.

“Cien.”

I turned my head.

It was Dad.

“Dad!”

I called him Dad, but Dad’s expression didn’t brighten. That dry and indifferent expression, unlike Sunshine Dad, is…….

‘That’s Dad’s expression when bad guys steal his money!’

Is he acting like that because he’s scared of that vicious bird? I tried to pat Dad.

But Dad’s mutter came first.

“It’s gone.”

It seemed like Dad had seen the bird too.

Only a faint smudge remained in the center where the bird had been.

I opened my lips as small as a grain and then closed them again after seeing that.

Dad quietly opened his mouth and murmured.

“Cien, we should go home now.”

“Yeah?”

Dad said with a sun-like, affectionate smile.

“Practice is over now.”

“Yeah?”

“If you provoke me like this, I think I should compete properly.”

It was a meaningless word.

From afar, Leonhardt seemed to be muttering things like, ‘He already noticed our plan…….’, ‘As expected of the worst of the villains.’, but I guessed it was just a hallucination.

***

What Matthias noticed, but Cien didn’t.

That the bird was actually a messenger bird created by Delphia’s illusion magic.

The messenger bird was an entity generated by Delphia’s magic.

It was a precious being that didn’t affect her main body, but became her eyes that couldn’t move around.

Matthias blocked her approach quickly, so she couldn’t see clearly, but-.

“I think I can see divine power from one of those three.”

Delphia narrowed her brows.

The Mirmord family was generally hostile to the temple. However, there was someone in the Mirmord family who had the most incompatible ability with divine power, and that was Delphia Mirmord.

The ability of her illusion summoning magic was directly opposed to divine power.

Thanks to that, Delphia was able to discern those with divine power, even if weakly.

With an unpleasant look, Delphia slightly frowned.

“Strangely, it seems like people with special abilities are gathering around her.”

A close aide next to Delphia carefully expressed his opinion to Delphia’s mutterings.

“That’s right. Cien Mirmord, that child. We shouldn’t underestimate her.”

Until now, Delphia’s life had been based on amusement.

Becoming the successor of the family and trying to win the title of Duke was also for that reason.

But now, something more interesting than becoming a Duke seems to have appeared.

“I’ll get close to her.”

That is, observing the unexpectedly appeared little girl, Cien Mirmord.

She smiled.