I’Ll Protect My Tyrant Dad! [EN]: Chapter 116

116. Melodia’s Scheme

As Acid predicted.

Melodia had completed all the preparations to emerge into the world, and now she only needed to set the bait.

She whispered, looking at the two fanatics gathered in the dimly lit cabin, illuminated only by a single lamp. Their presence was unsettling.

“Overall, faith in God has weakened considerably. Consequently, my power has also diminished significantly…”

The fanatics stared at Melodia with pity-filled eyes.

About five years prior to this moment.

When Sien Mirmord propagated that pseudo-belief known as ‘Capitalism,’ faith in God began to crumble.

And the moment faith in God lost its cohesion, a major scandal involving the Pope and the Imperial Family erupted.

The incident of human sacrifice.

Following the exposure of his secrets, the Pope was reported to have committed suicide, and the Saintess was known to have fled to avoid punishment. Naturally, people lost faith in God.

Melodia spoke, gritting her teeth to suppress her anger.

“It was difficult to survive until now, but the future will be different.”

Her sole purpose in deciphering all the prophecies was to ‘kill Sien Mirmord.’

There was no need to antagonize the entire Mirmord family. If Sien died, Mirmord would collapse, and the world order would be reorganized around God. It was a cost-effective solution.

Melodia was quite excited.

Was that the reason?

“Because we have a way to draw Sien Mirmord out separately.”

The prophecy contained numerous ways to enrage Sien Mirmord and lure him out of his fortified castle.

Melodia had decided to deploy the two most potent strategies.

The bait consisted of two elements.

Herself, whom the Mirmord family sought to capture and kill, and Sien’s mother, Yuela Mirmord.

She looked at the fanatics before her with a sweet smile.

“My followers, are all the preparations for the sacrifices complete?”

“Yes. As Melodia-nim [term of respect] requested, we secretly contacted a sorcerer and made a request.”

Melodia took a trembling breath and spoke again.

“Then I should reveal myself to them now.”

Her heart was full.

The thought of emerging into the world after five years and being able to preach the will of God made her heart plummet and then soar again.

Melodia placed her hand on her heart and offered a brief prayer.

May all this end soon, and may the world arranged by God for her come to pass.

Saintess Melodia was a special being.

Her divine power specialized in charming and brainwashing others.

She was incomparable to the insignificant humans of this world.

Melodia firmly believed this….

“Interesting things will happen.”

She viewed all of this as an intriguing game to ruin those who did not follow God’s will.

***

Acid had declared that Melodia would make her move immediately after meeting Moira.

‘I knew Melodia would act, even without knowing the exact stakes of the bet, but I didn’t expect it to be this fast.’

I looked at the Captain, Leonhardt, and Burger and Martin, who were being sponsored by our family and had been diligently tracking Melodia for a long time.

“Melodia! The Saintess! Appeared! Report!”

“I also received a report. From a merchant. She came to get money.”

“I got a call from the Capital Defense Command. They saw Melodia.”

“I was watching near the temple and saw a suspicious figure moving.”

Leonhardt ran so fast that even the mask clinging to his face was shaking violently.

Burger was also breathing heavily, as if he lacked stamina, but his eyes were burning as he looked at me.

I looked at the four people who had rushed over, one by one.

First, Leonhardt looked at Acid and said.

“Huh. Wait a minute, who is this?”

“It’s been a while.”

“What. You were so delicate and small! When did you grow up like this?”

“Five years have passed.”

“It’s amazing, quite. Burger and Martin here know each other too, right?”

The Captain, who shared the same era as Acid, and Martin and Burger, who attended the same academy, seemed awkward and shifted their eyes. It was understandable, given how long it had been since they last met.

‘Everyone is awkward. Is it a little awkward to say that I’m glad you came back safely?’

In this case, it would be best to get straight to the point.

I clapped my hands to get everyone’s attention.

“Okay, let’s save the reunions for later. Let’s talk about Saintess Melodia first.”

Leonhardt shrugged and said arrogantly.

“Yeah. Melodia’s side is starting to show some movement.”

Burger, standing next to him, said carefully.

“That’s right. After examining the accounting books of the Mer Village tavern, there’s testimony that Saintess Melodia bought butter beer there.”

Melodia seemed to have decided to use herself as bait.

After staying hidden for so long, she suddenly reveals herself like this.

But over the past five years, we have changed a lot too.

Burger and Martin had become adults, and the Captain and Leonhardt were also carefully setting traps to catch Melodia.

“We have already sent people to Mer Village to arrest Melodia.”

“It won’t be easy to catch her unless you’re a mental power user.”

“……Well, yeah. Melodia knows how to charm others. I sent the ability users this morning, but there’s no word yet that they’ve caught Melodia, so it looks like they’re all failing.”

I frowned slightly and whispered.

“What can defend against Melodia’s divine power….”

Then, Acid, who had been listening quietly, spoke.

“I am the only one who can defend against Saintess Melodia’s charm ability.”

Acid and Melodia were both divine power users.

Moreover, Acid’s divine power surpassed Melodia’s. In that case, Acid would not be easily charmed by Melodia.

‘But I’m worried about the prophecy. Can Melodia and Acid meet? Won’t it be dangerous?’

I have lived in a world without Acid for the past five years.

‘If Acid, who met Melodia, suddenly changes….’

I stared at Acid, trying to gauge his feelings.

‘Does Acid want to go catch Melodia?’

The five years seemed to have strengthened the affection between us while weakening the bond. I was lost in thought, trying to figure out Acid’s intentions, even if it took a little effort and time.

However, the signal flare that would help the decision to ‘go catch Melodia with Acid’ unexpectedly came from another place.

Just as I was hesitating, Leonhardt quietly looked at me and started talking.

“That, Sien. Chestnut [endearing term].”

“Huh?”

“That’s…….”

He looked around, then carefully whispered in my ear.

“There’s news that someone who looks exactly like —— bought a sword in a nearby village.”

I tilted my head, staring at his trembling gaze. He spoke too vaguely about ‘——’ so I couldn’t hear exactly what he said.

“Bought a dagger? Who bought it? Sorry. I can’t hear well, so I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Burger, Martin, and Acid were looking away, pretending not to notice.

Strangely, a chilling sensation arose from the tips of my toes.

I stomped my cramping feet on the floor and looked at Leonhardt.

He stared at my actions, then moved his lips.

“Your mother. Yuela-nim [formal suffix] bought a dagger. So… she’s wanted, I guess.”

“…….”

I understood why Leonhardt had to speak so carefully.

My mother, who died on charges of summoning a demon, suddenly appeared to buy a dagger.

At this timing.

‘Suddenly, our dead mother appeared? Is she really alive?’

I was aware that this situation was quite suspicious.

Melodia is moving, and suddenly someone who looks like Yuela appears. Anyone could see that it was bait and a trap.

But….

I pressed my slightly wet eyes with the back of my hand and muttered.

“I see.”

I didn’t have much emotion about my mother.

But she was the person my father loved and the person who gave birth to me.

Reason was shouting that this was a trap.

But the expectation that our mother, who had been branded as a villain, might be alive was added, and I felt terrible.

“Then…….”

I quickly organized my thoughts.

Anyway, Melodia would continue to try to lead me out until I took the bait. I had to catch Melodia and uncover the identity of Yuela, who had suddenly appeared.

To do that, I had to go outside.

“I have to go out.”

Everyone nodded as if they had been waiting for my words.

Burger and the Captain, who had been sitting casually, straightened their backs again.

I looked at the Captain, Martin, Burger, and Leonhardt alternately and bit my lip.

“Okay, now the real start. Acid.”

“……Yes?”

“You and I should go to where Yuela is. Martin, Burger, Captain, Leonhardt. The four of you are lying in wait with Dad’s close aides. It would be helpful to take some ability users with divine power.”

***

The dagger shop where Yuela’s whereabouts were reported was deserted, without a single person.

Acid and I walked into the store and tried to find suspicious traces, but it was just an ordinary store, contrary to our tension.

As we deliberately made footsteps and entered, the owner, who was dozing off with a pipe in his mouth, jumped up and wiped the saliva from his mouth.

“Welcome!”

“Without further ado, I came to ask about Yuela.”

The owner put the pipe on the display case and pouted his lips.

“Ah, Yuela, that villain, right?”

I hid my discomfort and nodded.

“……Oh. Yeah. Anyway, Yuela.”

I felt bad, so I switched to informal speech instead of using honorifics.

When Acid and I showed a curious look about that fact, he whispered in a subtly proud tone.

“I was the one who reported that person! They looked so much alike!”

“Did you report it because they looked alike? What are the chances it’s someone else?”

He waved the smoke flowing from the pipe with his hand and winked slyly.

“No way. I used to draw caricatures of that villain. So I know her face well.”

Yuela appeared at this time and came to the store of the person who drew her caricature to buy a dagger?

‘If it’s a coincidence, this is a very exquisite coincidence. But usually coincidences are close to someone’s prank.’

I glanced at Acid and said to the man who was still smiling slyly.

“I’ll stop the normal interrogation here.”

“Yes? What does that…….”

I cast a light recognition magic on the merchant who had faced Yuela through the refining magic stone brought from the principality.

His eyes became rapidly dazed and his pupils dilated.

It was a sign that the magic was working properly.

“I’ll start the real interrogation now.”