My Daddy Hides His Power Chapter 278 - Side story Part 1 Chapter 18

* * *

 

The next day.

 

I came out for breakfast without having slept a wink. 

 

‘I thought I only had to deliver the magical formula within a month.’

 

Erich’s situation was unexpected.

 

To achieve my goal and save Erich, the deadline is drastically shortened. 

 

Today is March 8th.

 

Erich’s birthday is March 26th.

 

The fact that Oscar specifically mentioned “not making it past his ninth birthday” was… 

 

‘It’s probably because a lingering regretful memory remains strongly. Perhaps he died just a day or two before his long-awaited birthday.’

 

I made a rough guess and revised my plan.

 

‘Ten days.’

 

I will deliver the magic formula to Oscar within ten days.

 

‘Can I do it?’

 

I sighed involuntarily.

 

Actually, the reason I was worried that this plan might fail was because of Oscar. 

 

My mission ends with delivering the magic formula, and the success or failure of the plan depends on Oscar. 

 

Even if I somehow manage to place the magic formula in Oscar’s hands and return, the prohibition may still remain. 

 

‘He has to keep the magic formula, later naturally realize why I gave it to him, and figure out how to use it on his own!’

 

Oscar is now 7 years old. 

 

Even if I hand over the magic formula, he wouldn’t have the slightest idea what it’s for.  

 

“Here, take this. And could you keep it safe? There will be a time when you’ll need it.”

 

“What is this trash?”

 

I could already imagine Oscar grimacing and immediately tossing the magic formula into the trash. 

 

‘This won’t work. Rejected.’

 

“Master, the truth is, I am your disciple from the future. In the years to come, you will use forbidden magic and fall under a curse. I have come to prevent that, so please use this magic formula.”

 

“What nonsense are you talking about?”

 

‘Of course, this isn’t it either. Rejected.’

 

Even if I said it like that, Oscar wouldn’t understand, and speaking the truth about future events also felt burdensome. 

 

Isn’t this world like a greedy landlord who immediately raises the rent without any agreement just because you used a single ability?

 

So, if I were to blurt out the future like that, I could end up facing an unbearable penalty. 

 

“Wow! I’m going crazy!”

 

“What’s wrong?”

 

I couldn’t do anything, but I heard Cheshire’s voice behind me.

 

When I turned around, he was holding two plates.

 

“Are you hungry? Planning to eat two bowls?” 

 

“No. I’m going to give one to Oscar.” 

 

“Wow. Have you officially decided to be the prince’s personal shuttle?” 

 

He’s really consistent. 

 

I was amazed, but someone came running. 

 

“Anna!”

 

It was Erich.

 

“Do you want to eat together over there?” 

 

He smiled and pointed to the table where Oscar was sitting. 

 

‘Trying to make him get close to me….’

 

I couldn’t help but feel emotional again, knowing full well Erich’s intention of deliberately asking to eat together. 

 

“Mhm, okay.” 

 

“Let’s go!”

 

Erich took one of the plates that Cheshire was holding and took the lead.

 

“….” 

 

When we approached, Oscar looked up with a crooked expression.

 

Erich gave Oscar the plate and sat down next to him, and Cheshire and I sat across from each other.

 

‘Look at that expression.’

 

Baby Devil Oscar Special.

 

He becomes extremely sensitive in the morning, probably because he dislikes waking up early. 

 

With an arrogant gaze, he lazily twirled his fork with one hand, resting his chin on the other as if even eating was a bother… 

 

‘How on earth am I supposed to win over that devil in just ten days?’

 

No matter how much I thought about it, it seemed hopeless, so I just ate my meal helplessly. 

 

I should at least try to start a conversation while eating… 

 

Perhaps it’s because the time is running out, but my mind has gone completely blank, and I can’t think of anything. 

 

While I was eating mechanically for a while. 

 

“Mhm?” 

 

I suddenly felt that Cheshire, who was sitting next to me, had stopped moving.

 

He was staring at Oscar sitting across from me.

 

No, more precisely, at his plate.

 

‘Wow.’

 

I was shocked when I saw that.

 

Has Oscar been doing this every day? With practiced skill, he quickly picked out the green beans and red and yellow bell peppers from between the plump sausages.

 

“Oscar.”

 

“Why.”

 

“What are you doing?”

 

“What.”

 

As expected, Oscar frowned when Cheshire tried to point out something.

 

“Why are you picking out beans and peppers?”

 

“…? Because they don’t taste good.”

 

It seemed like the prince had never been criticized for his picky eating, as he answered quite confidently.

 

Cheshire sighed.

 

“You have to eat it even if it’s not tasty. Have you been eating only delicious things until now?” 

 

“Why would I eat something disgusting? And why do you care whether I eat it or not?” 

 

“….” 

 

Cheshire bit his lips.

 

I and Erich swallowed hard at the tense atmosphere between the two of us and looked at each other’s plates.

 

Our plates were no different from Oscar’s…

 

“The, the beans are delicious!” 

 

Erich tightly shut his eyes and stabbed a bean with his fork, putting it in his mouth. He was braver than I was. 

 

Oscar looked at Erich, who was eating the beans while keeping an eye on Cheshire’s expression, and looked at him pitifully.

 

‘Wow, this is really ridiculous.’

 

I felt a great sense of betrayal as I watched Oscar like that.

 

Why did I feel betrayed?

 

‘March 14, 1783.’

 

I still can’t forget that day.

 

That day was the first opening of the ‘Young Lady Salon,’ and Oscar, dressed in his best, came to pick me up. 

 

Up until that point, everything was fine. 

 

The problem occurred at the restaurant I went to with Oscar after the salon.

 

The man, so kind that it made me want to cry, who even cut the steak for me despite my father being there. 

 

“Hey, what are you doing? No matter how much you like meat, how can you just eat only that? Did your dad really let you sit at the table like this?” 

 

He was merciless as I pushed the beans and asparagus aside.

 

“So this is how it turned out because you’re always singing about meat and tossing out all the vegetables? No wonder… I thought it was strange that a rich girl like you never grew taller. What’s it like crawling around, flat on the floor?”

 

“Hey, Lord of the Wizard Tower! Why are you being so harsh to our princess? She can understand everything, even when you speak kindly. And there are people around, so speak more quietly. The child’s face is red because she’s embarrassed.”  

 

“What do you mean speak quietly? Don’t you realize that what you’re doing now looks childish and embarrassing? Ah, but what’s this? Why are you walking around with a shriveled skewer instead of a hand? Ah, I see, because you always pick at your food, you end up with a skewer instead of a hand?” 

 

Oscar’s barrage continued.

 

Even though I tried to argue back, my eyes filled with tears from embarrassment, Oscar didn’t back down a single bit. 

 

“I’ll eat it, so please stop… *sniff*… I’m still a child, so I might dislike vegetables…”

 

“Huh? What kind of nonsense is this? I never ate picky when I was young! It was so delicious that I’d leave it until the very end and eat it all at once!”

 

“….” 

 

“That’s why I’m so tall. If you keep living like this, you’ll be crawling on the floor for the rest of your life. You’ll never know how refreshing the air up high feels!”

 

My hands started shaking as I recalled the nightmare of that day.

 

‘He was the one who was picky with food… and he’s the one throwing all those harsh words at me…?’

 

Watching 7-year-old Oscar confidently pick out the beans and bell peppers, my anger rose even more.

 

“Hey, Oscar Manuel…”

 

I called him, gritting my teeth and shaking my hand holding the fork.

 

Everyone’s eyes turned to me.

 

“Are you a baby?”

 

A gentleman’s revenge is never too late, even if it takes ten years.

 

“Aww~ It’s a baby~”

I made the most mischievous expression possible.

 

“What are you talking about?”

 

“You’re seven years old, so I thought you were grown up, but you don’t eat the beans, so I thought you were just a baby, right?”

 

“What?” 

 

“Do you know? When I first saw you, I was surprised because you were crawling on the floor. How does it feel walking around down there?” 

 

“…? You, what did you say?”

 

“Eek! O, Oscar…?”

 

I was shocked as I looked at Oscar’s hand holding the fork.

 

“The wooden skewer is moving, right?”

 

“….”

 

“Ah! Now that I look again, it’s your wrist? Sorry, I didn’t know. I thought it was a withered wooden skewer because it’s so thin!” 

 

“You, you….”

 

Looking at Oscar’s shocked expression, I felt as if I had taken a digestive medicine and my stomach cleared up.

 

“Hey! You picked out all the vegetables and you’re saying that to me?”

 

Oscar grumbled as he looked at my plate, which was full of beans and peppers.

 

“What are you talking about? Do you think I’m you? I saved them all because they were so delicious?”

 

“….!” 

 

I mocked him and scooped up a large spoonful of beans and peppers. As I put it in my mouth and chewed, Oscar’s face turned pale.

 

“Wow, it’s delicious!”

 

Honestly, it was really delicious.

 

Because I finally got my revenge for the humiliation from 6 years ago.

 

This is the taste of victory.

 

‘Finally!’

 

Someone who traveled back 20 years has finally succeeded in her revenge! 

 

“Babies can’t even eat beans~ Whew~”

 

“Eeeeeeek!”

 

Oscar, who couldn’t hold back his anger and was trembling, glared at my plate and soon followed me and took a big spoonful.

 

“Who said I couldn’t eat it?!”

 

The beans and peppers, mercilessly crushed inside his mouth…

 

It was my perfect victory.

 

Cheshire was speechless and looked at me with an expression full of admiration.

 

‘Did you see, my future husband?’

 

This is how you educate your children at the dinner table!