My Daddy Hides His Power – Chapter 328 – Side story Part 2 Chapter 24

Author: rolypoly

Of course, Ordia wasn’t surprised.

The idea that Enoch had fallen victim to a scammer was possible in theory, yet made no sense in reality.

Just as her husband had said, Enoch wasn’t an idiot. Besides, wasn’t her younger brother living with their father?

Even if, by some small chance, there really was an uncle he didn’t know about, he could have easily asked their father to confirm it.

That would mean, for some reason, he had knowingly entrusted her with a completely unrelated baby—going so far as to lie to his daughter about it.

‘But the moment I saw his face, I knew he wasn’t some unrelated baby.’

The moment Ordia saw baby Jamie’s face, she realized that something had happened to her younger brother.

“Why are you doing this?”

“I get straight to da point. My core’s hurt right now. It happen ‘cause of a mistake during research at da Magic Tower. Lilith don’t know anything, and she mustn’t find out. I gotta stay like dis for twenty-one days. After that, I come back safe. So don’t worry.”

Enoch, who had been babbling rapidly, put the pacifier back in his mouth.

At the same time, knock knock.

“Aunt?”

There was a knock, and then the nursery door opened as Lilith appeared, tilting her head in curiosity.

“The door was closed, so I was wondering…”

“Oh, I just thought the noise might make the baby fussy. But wow, he’s being so quiet, isn’t he?”

“Right? Except for when he first came home, he hasn’t cried at all. I wondered if he might be sick, but that’s not the case.”

“Mhm, don’t worry. Every baby’s different—some are just especially calm.”

“I see. But… Uncle?”

Lilith looked puzzled as she glanced at Alexei, who stood frozen with his mouth agape.

“Are you okay?”

Ordia secretly slipped her hand behind her husband’s back and gave his side a sharp pinch.

Then, a reflexive response came out.

“Oh, it’s just… I was surprised because I’ve never seen such a cute baby before.”

“Haha! Right? Oh, I made some really delicious tea outside! Go ahead!”

* * *

My sister is the best, really.

Ordia, always quick-witted, desperately played the part for Enoch, oblivious to the situation.

“…It’s been a while since we lost contact. No—he was in a situation where he couldn’t even contact me. We used to hang out a lot before he went into exile abroad, but wow… it’s amazing to think he’s already had kids and even grandkids.”

Baby Enoch had been worried things might get complicated, but instead, he’d gained a reliable ally—and that put his mind at ease.

Jamie had now become the great-grandson of “Lilith’s great-uncle, who, disillusioned with the Empire’s class system, had successfully fled into exile with his children in his younger days at the risk of his life.”

He had successfully secured a position with a backstory even more convincing than before!

Since he had fled into exile to escape the eyes of the Imperial Family, it was perfectly natural that there had been no contact until now.

“So… you’re the one making the formula and feeding him yourself, Lilith? Changing his diapers and giving him baths too?”

“Yes, of course.”

His brother-in-law, Alexei, seemed a bit shaken and struggled to keep his expression in check, but it wasn’t anything that would cause trouble.

And so, the couple who had flawlessly helped deceive Lilith once more took their leave…

“Sleepy? Want to take a nap?”

Feeling more at ease than ever, Jamie ate, took a bath, had his diaper changed, and then lay down in his crib.

“Hmm.”

But…

Lilith stared at Jamie with a strange expression, her chin resting on the crib bar.

“Hmm.”

What is this ominous gasp?

Jamie’s heart instantly dropped in his chest, and he was wide awake.

Was there something to worry about?

No, there was nothing wrong. In fact, thanks to Ordia coming and speaking up for him, it had become even harder for anyone to suspect Jamie’s true identity.

But Lilith kept tilting her head, wondering what was going on.

Why is she doing that? It’s so scary.

‘Heuk?!’

She even suddenly grabbed his right wrist to check the magic tool bracelet he always wore!

‘What, what? What did you just check?’

Enoch knew the mechanism of that bracelet well.

It was a magical device attuned to the wearer’s core, allowing them to check in advance the amount of lifespan that would be consumed before casting a spell.

Depending on whether it consumed lifespan or how much it did, it could reveal things that Lilith herself might not be able to notice.

‘When I cried and she thought I was hurt, she tried to heal me—but since it didn’t cost any lifespan, she immediately knew I wasn’t actually in pain.’

Therefore, for Jamie in his current state, it could be considered quite a… dangerous magical device.

Why was Lilith checking the bracelet now?

Could it be that she’d wished for something like, “If my dad turned into a baby, then please change him back”?

And if, for that wish, the bracelet actually displayed how much lifespan it would consume?

He’d be found out instantly.

‘No!’

From the start, it had never been a matter concerning his dignity! He was prepared for that—and it didn’t matter!

Jamie just hoped that his daughter wouldn’t waste her life unnecessarily or feel guilty!

The breathless tension continued, and then…

“Pfft.”

Lilith, looking away from the bracelet, burst into laughter.

“Me too. What was I thinking? Such an idiot.”

“….”

…Wow. He thought his heart was going to burst.

Jamie finally felt relieved.

* * *

“Look here, Jamie. It’s an elephant.”

“Byaa.”

Cheshire, having finished only his morning shift, had come home and was now lying on the baby mat beside Jamie, shaking an elephant-shaped rattle.

I stood by the nursery door, watching the scene unfold.

A handsome man, and a baby with such striking features it was obvious he’d grow up to be handsome too.

Aside from both being handsome, the two didn’t resemble each other at all.

Of course. They’re complete strangers.

But Jamie looks exactly like me. It must be because we’re distant relatives.

Relatives. Yes, distant relatives. Maybe seventh cousins…

“Lilith? What are you thinking?”

“Huh?”

Cheshire asked, looking at me as I stood there blankly. I shook my head and said it was nothing.

‘Hmm.’

I get that the Rubinstein genes are incredibly strong. But even after generation upon generation of having babies—over and over—would they still keep looking exactly like that? Wouldn’t other families’ genes gradually mix in?

Just look at my twin cousin brothers—they took after their dad’s hair color, didn’t they?

The reason I suddenly started thinking about all this was because my aunt came to visit today.

When the only people in this house who looked alike were Jamie and me, I just thought, “Oh, because of my wish, a baby who resembles me showed up,” and didn’t think much of it.

‘But seeing Jamie in my aunt’s arms… I don’t know, I just got a certain feeling?’

Honestly, I was surprised.

My aunt and Jamie were more than just alike. There was something oddly familiar—something I couldn’t quite put into words—about the way they looked together.

Anyway, the fact that I’d felt almost instinctively drawn to Jamie the very moment I first saw him kept nagging at me.

‘Haha, surely when I said I wanted to see a baby boy who looked like me, they didn’t go and turn my dad into a baby~?’

I had briefly asked the landlord a ridiculous question earlier.

‘Of course, I don’t actually think they’d do something that crazy, and it doesn’t even seem possible—but if that is the case, then please change him back~’

The bracelet refused to count. It didn’t show its lifespan.

That meant the premise itself was wrong—Jamie, of course, wasn’t Dad.

I was briefly embarrassed by the fact that I’d made such an absurd assumption that Oscar would probably call me an idiot.

“Honey, do you want to go to a fortune teller?”

I kept wondering about Jamie’s source.

“All of a sudden? Are you talking about that card reader we had back then?”

“Mhm, honestly, it’s pretty amazing. I actually have something I want to ask that fortune-teller lady.”

“I’m not so sure about it being amazing.”

Cheshire didn’t seem all that eager.

“You don’t know?”

“Yeah.”

I sighed and pointed my index finger at Cheshire.

“A club.”

Then I pointed at myself.

“A woman in pain.”

Next, I turned to Jamie.

“A baby.”

Cheshire then visibly flinched and turned to Jamie.

“It really all worked out just as we drew that card back then.”

“What… was I supposed to ask?”

Cheshire, finally convinced, asked.

“I’ll tell you that later. Anyway, let’s go back.”

“…Alright then. So, who are you going to leave Jamie with?”

“Do I have to leave him? Can’t I just take him with me?”

“Byaaah! (Let’s go! Let’s head out, guys! I was about to go crazy from being cooped up in here anyway!)”

“I’m saying I want to go to that fortune-teller because of Jamie. You know, to ask things like… whether he’ll grow up to be a good person, that sort of thing.”

“Is it okay to take him out for a long time when he’s so young?”

Cheshire immediately brought out a parenting book, flipping through it, and muttered.

“Three months… I think he can go out…”

“Byaaaa! (I can! I won’t die!)”

Cheshire kept glancing at Jamie, as if concerned, before saying to me.

“Let’s just ask, just in case.”

“Are you asking if it’s okay to take him along?”

“Mhm.”

* * *

“Hello, Master!”

“Lord of the Wizard Tower, I have a question for you.”

“Bya!”