Dad, one hand solemnly on his chest, showed a pained expression.

“Dad got hurt.”

With pointed eyebrows and sharp eyes, I cynically replied to Dad, “I’m more shocked!”

During the ongoing struggle, the Pope muttered with a groan, “Now… what are you doing?”

Watching Dad with a ridiculing smile, he swung a sharp sword into the air. As Dad’s sword released a black aura, the divine power attempting to engulf my foot was dismantled.

‘What the hell is going on!’

I stared alternately at my foot and the sword like a fool.

Unbeknownst to me, the Pope was bug-like on the ground, and I was in Dad’s arms.

As soon as his secure embrace enveloped me, I could only breathe in confusion and couldn’t say a word.

Dad whispered in a tender tone, “That’s why I told you to leave it to Dad.”

In the chaotic space that had turned into a battlefield.

I stared blankly, blinking my eyes, and thought.

‘What the hell happened!’
The dad, who was watching that sight, raised the corners of his mouth as if mocking, lifted a sharp sword, and slashed through the air. As the black aura emanated from dad’s sword, the divine power that had been tightly wrapped around my feet disintegrated.

“What on earth is going on!”

I stared blankly at my feet and the sword like a fool.

Suddenly, the Pope was pinned to the ground like a bug, and I found myself embraced in dad’s arms.

As soon as his sturdy arms wrapped around me, I could do nothing but gasp in astonishment.

Dad whispered with a gentle tone.

“So, I told you to leave it to Dad.”

In the chaotic space turned battlefield.

I blinked my eyes blankly, lost in thought.

“What the heck is happening!”

After a few minutes, dad grabbed the Pope’s collar, dragged him to the ground, and then put a restraint on him to prevent him from using his divine power.

The whole process was so elegant that I could only watch with my mouth agape.

Of course, dad didn’t subdue the Pope without a struggle.

The divine power seemed to be a polar opposite force to dad’s, and amidst that, the Pope spat out blood a few times.

I looked at dad with a worried expression.

“Uh, Dad?”

“It’s a side effect of necromancer abilities. It’ll get better if he vomits some blood.”

His attitude seemed as if vomiting blood was no big deal!

He was completely acting like a villain.

Standing near dad with a stunned expression, I suddenly remembered the vial of acid on the altar.

I had forgotten because of dad’s sudden villainy, but the acid was still on the altar. Of course, the flames were all gone by now!

However, before I could do anything, Axel, who had been cornered in a corner, was near the acid.

As soon as the Pope was subdued, Axel wriggled like someone released from brainwashing. Despite being obedient to the Pope’s orders during the commotion, he suddenly seemed to regain vitality.

Axel Mirmode glanced at the acid, chuckled, and grinned. He behaved as if he were someone who hadn’t been defeated.

“That’s suspicious.”

When our eyes met, Axel raised the corners of his mouth mockingly.

“I told you, didn’t I? Your father is a wicked one. Like the strongest in the world. How does it feel to have your innocence trampled?”

“…….”

I bit my lip and chose my words carefully.

As dad’s hand, which was putting the final restraint on the Pope’s body, slowed down, he looked at me desperately and said.

“Sienna, don’t listen to such talk. Close your eyes. I’ll deal with this guy.”

“What nonsense. Don’t close your eyes, look straight. Don’t you need to know how wicked your father is?”

When I remained silent for a while, Axel’s mouth twisted strangely.

He seemed pleased with the thought of destroying the purity ingrained in my inner self.

Even in the midst of his plans failing, his attitude was as if causing shock to our family was enough.

His seemingly indifferent attitude towards my death was somewhat eerie.

I fixed my gaze on Axel, who was shaking, and glanced at dad for a moment.

With a sorrowful look, dad mouthed ‘Sorry, don’t do it.’ Of course, a single apology couldn’t erase the sense of betrayal towards dad.

Now that the proposition of dad being the virtuous farmer I had held onto had completely shattered, the bitterness of betrayal was indeed overwhelming.

“…Confusing.”

I sighed with a bitter smile, looking at Axel, who was grinning wickedly.

“But Dad will be condemned later.”

Of course, the deep sense of betrayal due to dad deceiving me was present. However, the betrayal towards dad was not the priority, given the determination to deal with those villains.
I clenched my fist with that thought and shouted.

“If our dad is a bad guy, so what! Dad! I got hit by someone worse than you!”

For the first time since entering this place, dad’s bewildered and stunned expression melted away.

“Really?”

“Yeah! Close your eyes and hit me since you’ll be closing your eyes!”

Honestly, it felt a bit strange.

‘Did Dad deceive me all along? Was it all an act?’

…Even as waves of betrayal like a tidal wave approached.

‘Why is Dad like this…’

Such questions swirled in my mind, but…