My Daddy Hides His Power Chapter 285 - Side story Part 1 Chapter 25

* * * 

 

Kiiikiiik!

 

As soon as I turned the corner and got out of my dad’s sight, time stopped! 

 

Right then and there—vanish into thin air!

 

I, along with Cheshire, stood completely still, holding my breath and keeping my mouth tightly shut so no sound would escape. 

 

“Yeah… A good name to use while living in hiding…” 

 

Only after Dad murmured that and walked away did we release the ability and gasp for the breath we had been holding back. 

 

“Huff, huff, huff.”

 

“Haa…” 

 

Cheshire carefully set me down from his shoulder. 

 

“Pft.” 

 

As soon as our eyes met, we couldn’t help but laugh. 

 

“That was thrilling, honey.”

 

“Right. Let’s go quickly.” 

 

Cheshire and I started running, hand in hand. 

 

We shook off the pursuers and ran down the quiet, beautiful night street, heading toward the majestic white Wizard Tower building! 

 

“The structure is a bit different now, but according to what I asked Erich, it seems like it’s on the 3rd floor of the Researcher Dormitory Building B.” 

 

We arrived at the opposite side of the Wizard Tower entrance. 

 

“They said that if you lie on the bed and look out the window, you can see the temple building beyond the wall.” 

 

Since just beyond the wall here was the dormitory building for the researchers. 

 

“I think they said the two of them share a room.” 

 

“That’s right. If we go there, both Erich and Oscar should be there.” 

 

We nodded at each other, sighed once, and stiffly turned our heads to look to the side. 

 

It’s magnificent…

 

A high and thick wall, about the height of a two-story apartment, surrounded the tower’s grounds. 

 

“Really well-guarded. I’ll need to wrap some mana around the rope for this.”

 

Cheshire attached a hook to the long rope he had bought at the general store earlier and gauged the end of the wall with his eyes.

 

“No, honey. Unregistered external mana will be detected.”

 

I grabbed Cheshire’s arm and looked at the bracelet. 

 

“Become the strongest rope in the world…!”

 

30min

 

‘Wow, you need 30 minutes for a task that could take just 1 second? Fine… take it, take it!’

 

If I become a hunchbacked old woman and go to heaven, I’ll definitely grab the landlord by the collar and shake them hard. 

 

“Alright! Throw it now!” 

 

Cheshire swung the rope around and then hurled it upwards.

 

The strongest rope in the world effortlessly caught the edge of the wall. I climbed up first, with Cheshire following behind. 

 

“Ugh… Sometimes, the classic methods are worth trying…?”

 

“Be careful, Lilith.” 

 

Two thieves climbing the wall under the beautiful dawn moonlight!

 

I end up doing all sorts of things because of my master…

 

“Uh.”

 

But it was easier to go down than when I went up.

 

While Cheshire was collecting the rope, I carefully examined each window on the 3rd floor of the research dormitory B building.  

 

“Wow! There it is!” 

 

I was a little worried that Oscar might not have fulfilled the request. 

 

Fortunately, the room was opened. 

 

5min/1sec

 

I became ‘Anna’.

 

Cheshire knelt in front of me, opened the luggage, and took out various things. 

 

“Call me right away if anything happens.” 

 

He fastened the cute rabbit-shaped bag he bought from the general store to my side. 

 

“Don’t use your abilities unless it’s something we’ve agreed on.” 

 

Cheshire, who had carefully packed the gifts into the bag, held my hand and looked into my eyes. 

 

“You have to come out as soon as possible.”

 

He looked a bit like a dad dropping off his daughter at kindergarten, which made me laugh a little. 

 

As expected, I think he’d make a great dad. 

 

“Mhm!” 

 

Cheshire threw the rope toward the windowsill of Oscar’s room. 

 

“I’ll be right back!” 

 

“Do well and come back.” 

 

He didn’t forget to pat my bottom encouragingly as I firmly grabbed the rope and started climbing. 

 

* * * 

 

The open window.

 

Tuk—!

 

The moment the hook caught on the window sill, Oscar, who had been awake, was startled. 

 

He couldn’t understand why she wanted him to leave the window open, but since it was Anna’s request, he went along with it…    

 

‘A thief?’

 

A thief came in without missing that gap.

 

Seven-year-old Oscar was a little scared.

 

However… 

 

When he saw Erich sleeping soundly in bed, he felt like he had to do something.

 

Oscar moved his trembling legs and approached the window.

 

‘I’ll burn all your hair as soon as you come in.’

 

With white flames burning at his fingertips.

 

“Ugh.”

 

However, a brown head suddenly popped up. 

 

“….?” 

 

It wasn’t a thief.

 

Oscar’s eyes widened.

 

“…Anna?”

 

“Huh. Oscar? You weren’t sleeping?”

 

Oscar rubbed his eyes.

 

What? Am I dreaming?

 

But even after looking twice, three times, it was definitely Anna. 

 

“Thank goodness! I don’t have to wake you up!”

 

“Y, you…” 

 

Anna climbed over the window and entered the room. 

 

“How did you get here?!”

 

“On foot!”

 

“What? That’s not it…!”

 

“Aha? Over the wall!”

 

“That’s not it!”

 

He was about to ask how Anna managed to get out of the training facility, but she kept changing the subject. 

 

“I told you to leave the window open. If you just waited, I would’ve come to see you!” 

 

“….”

 

Well, of course, he thought she meant after she graduated from the training institute. 

 

Anna smiled and rummaged through the bag she had slung around her side.

 

“Let me see….”

 

What she pulled out with her small hands was… a plump, red tomato.

 

“Here, take it! The tomato we planted. It bore fruit, but since you and Erich couldn’t see it before leaving, I picked it for you.” 

 

Anna took out another tomato and placed it on the table next to Erich’s bed.

 

“How did you come here?”

 

“To see you. And to pray.”

 

“…Pray?” 

 

“Yeah. This is a huge secret, but I’ll tell only you. If you make a wish with me, anything will come true!” 

 

Anna gestured for him to come closer.

 

Despite his confusion, Anna closed her eyes and put her hands together as if praying.

 

“Please make sure Erich doesn’t feel any pain. When he opens his eyes tomorrow, let him be completely healed so he can play with Oscar for a long, long time. Let us see the ocean together, build a house for the rabbits, and plant lots of tomatoes….” 

 

“….” 

 

“Did you pray too?”

 

Anna turned around and asked. Oscar wondered what was going on, but closed his eyes and did as he was told.

 

‘Hmm… Please heal Erich. Also, let me see the ocean with that kid and James… and plant more tomatoes…’

 

After finishing the prayer, he opened his eyes slightly and saw Anna giggling.  

 

“I bought a present for you with my brother earlier this afternoon, you know?”

 

Anna searched through her bag for a while.

 

“What? It’s all yours.”

 

Anna took out a single folded piece of paper and gave Oscar her rabbit bag.

 

“You take it all. And…”

 

“….” 

 

“I have a favor to ask. Oscar, we’re friends, right?”

 

Oscar looked at Anna’s face quietly and nodded.

 

“Mhm.” 

 

“Hehe, thanks. A friend… well, a friend should always stay by your side. Otherwise, it gets lonely.” 

 

Anna looked back at Erich. 

 

“If Erich weren’t here, you’d be really sad, right? So, you’d want Erich to stay by your side, healthy and well, wouldn’t you?” 

 

“…Mhm.” 

 

“Me too.” 

 

For some reason, Anna’s expression became tearful. She stared at Oscar for a moment, then suddenly hugged him.

 

“…!”

 

And then she said.

 

“Oscar… If, if you get sick, die, or disappear… the people left behind will be really sad. I’ll probably be the saddest. So, please, don’t ever make me sad.” 

 

“….”

 

“…Can you promise me that?” 

 

Anna’s eyes were filled with tears as she pulled away.

 

“…Mhm” 

 

Oscar somehow felt like crying along with Anna. But he answered bravely.

 

“I promise.”

 

At that response, Anna smiled bashfully with her reddened eyes and placed the paper she was holding into Oscar’s hand. 

 

“This is my request. This is a spell that will grant your wish… even if you pray alone without me.” 

 

“….”

 

“You must not open it right away just because you’re curious. If you do, the power of the wish might disappear. No matter how curious you get, resist the urge to look and cherish it for a long time.” 

 

“But you’re acting strange… You keep saying weird things… Where are you going?” 

 

“Mhm, I have to go home. But don’t worry, I’ll be back soon.” 

 

“….” 

 

“Please, keep this spell safe… and only open it when you feel like you can’t keep the promise you made to me. Will you do that?” 

 

If you ever get sick, die, or disappear…

 

He’s healthy, only seven years old, so there’s a long way to go before he dies, and he has no plans to leave. 

 

I’ll probably be the saddest. 

 

Please don’t ever make me sad. 

 

So it seems like there wouldn’t be a reason for him to break his promise not to make Anna sad, but…

 

“I will.”

 

Still, Oscar decided to grant Anna’s request.

 

Because they’re friends.

 

“Thank you, Oscar.”

 

* * *

 

I looked at Oscar and took a step back, then another, toward the window. 

 

“Are you going?”

 

Oscar reached out to me with a regretful face.

 

“Mhm.” 

 

“….” 

 

“Forget all the painful memories from this life.” 

 

Oscar told me that.

 

And in the end, I was given a new world without painful memories.

 

3years

 

I wish you were like that too.

 

Forget the painful memories of losing your friends and having a happy childhood.

 

“Y, you’re coming back, right? You’re not going somewhere far away?” 

 

“Of course!”

 

24hours/1sec

 

I smiled at Oscar and stepped onto the window frame with all my strength. 

 

“…If you wait for me, I’ll come find you.” 

 

The promise Oscar made to me as he gave me a new time.

 

“If you wait, I’ll come see you!”

 

I hope I can keep it.

 

24 hours/1 sec

 

As I stood on the window frame, I saw Cheshire down below, standing with his arms wide open. 

 

I looked at Oscar one last time and said hello,

 

“I love you, Master!”

 

I jumped down.

 

* * *

 

Under the moonlight.

 

The moment Cheshire held the falling Lilith in his arms.

 

Pat—!

 

A small light engulfed them both.

 

Oscar screamed.

 

“Anna!!!”

 

Her back fell without a moment to stop her.

 

He was surprised and ran in panic to look out the window.

 

“….”

 

She’s gone. 

 

As if by magic, Anna disappeared.

 

It felt like a dream.

 

“I love you, Master!”

 

Oscar sat there for a long time, absentmindedly.

 

Thinking of Anna.

 

The spring of his seventh year. 

 

It was a memory he would never forget for the rest of his life.