I'll Protect the Tyrant Daddy! (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 8

I seemed to have read in “The Life of Melodia” that Leonhardt had been skilled in wicked deeds—including murder—since childhood. It was impossible to know exactly what period that “childhood” referred to.

But what if it started right now? My body trembled violently with fear at the thought.

Just then, at the very moment I thought, ‘This is scary,’ the necklace around my neck glimmered faintly and then vanished.

I was about to fiddle with it to check its condition properly, but Leonhardt spoke first.

“What? What’s wrong?”

“Oh, uh… Nothing. It’s nothing….”

Still, you never knew.

‘Maybe he’s being good right now. He didn’t ignore me like those strange kids earlier, and he still seems to have some humanity left.’

There was no need to be overly frightened already. If I played my cards right, maybe I could become close to him before his descent into darkness and turn him to my side.

Quickly resolving myself, I cleared my throat hastily and asked Leonhardt,

“R-really? Is your name really Leoniya?”

“Yeah. It’s Leonhardt.”

“Wh-what a cool name… Wow…”

My tongue twisted wildly from fluster, and my pronunciation became a complete mess.

Fortunately, Leonhardt didn’t seem to notice; a dimple appeared at the corner of his mouth.

‘Could this kid, who’s smiling like an ice cream cone even at such a soulless compliment, really be that terrifying villain? Maybe he’s just a namesake?’

That thought briefly crossed my mind.

‘Or maybe… a truly wicked expression is hidden beneath that mask?’

Even as I sank into confusion and terror, Leonhardt remained oblivious.

Because he…

“Cool, huh? Hmm. I’ve never heard that before.”

Was smiling shyly!

To be honest, his face wasn’t clearly visible due to the mask, but from his mouth alone, it was obvious he was grinning like a puppy.

I gaped, staring at his adorably smiling face.

Perhaps because he was so young, his cheeks were soft and squishy, like glutinous rice cake.

“Leon, you seem cool and cute, so why…”

…are you a villain?

“Me… cute?”

Huh!

Hearing Leonhardt’s voice whisper in my ear, I quickly covered my mouth with my tiny, snow-white hands—just like white rice grains.

My inner thoughts had slipped out without me realizing!

Flustered, I abruptly stopped my round, Anpanman-like feet.

‘What if Leonhardt hates me for calling him cute?’

But here, there was someone even more flustered than me.

“Cute?”

It was Leonhardt himself.

Clutching tightly the mask that looked like leather, he quietly opened his mouth.

“First time I’ve heard that.”

…Is this kid really the villain?

‘He’s so innocent he’s practically dumb.’

He kept adjusting his mask bashfully and subtly wiped his forehead.

He even seemed to be sweating slightly.

I wondered for a moment if this was all an act.

But children can’t hide their nonverbal expressions. Watching him, I thought seriously:

This child villain might unexpectedly be a low-difficulty (Easy) mission…!

‘If I charm him properly, he might help me conquer the family later. Of course, only after I’m certain what kind of person he really is!’

Having even one more future villain on my side would surely help with my family conquest!

‘Don’t chicken out, Cien Mirmod!’

Seeing me like this, he lifted the corners of his mouth in a wide grin.

“You’re cute too, genius—just like a little chestnut.”

…Leonhardt gave a refreshingly bright smile.

Ah, he really is quite adorable!

Mixing in just half a spoonful of ulterior motive, I thrust out my hand.

“Then let’s really be friends!”

“…Mm.”

Just as his hand slowly reached toward mine, nearly touching it…

As if he’d witnessed everything, Father suddenly dashed over and scooped me up into his arms.

“Cien!”

Thus, Leonhardt’s outstretched hand never reached mine.

Dangling helplessly in midair, I stared at Leonhardt with wide, surprised eyes.

“Father, I got an award to give to Cien.”

“Hm?”

“Aren’t you curious?”

“Well… I am curious. Father, this is my friend!”

“Oh.”

Father hugged me tightly facing him so I couldn’t see Leonhardt.

So all I could see were the Muscular Maid Sisters standing behind Father.

They still gave me a blank-faced nod. Their expressions even seemed a bit fearful, as if dreading something.

Father’s warm voice reached me.

“And who are you?”

“My name is Leonhardt.”

I whispered softly into Father’s ear.

“Father, this is my friend Leonhardt.”

“Friend?”

“Mm! My very first friend!”

“First… Alright, let’s go.”

When Father turned his body after murmuring lowly, I finally got to see Leonhardt’s expression. He had none—almost as if pitying me.

‘Huh? I should say goodbye properly!’

I paused briefly just as I was about to wave and smile brightly at Leonhardt.

‘Leonhardt is adopted… I shouldn’t act too close to Father here, right?’

I forced my expression cold and stiff, like a stale steamed bun, and gave an awkward, toothy smile.

“Bye, friend!”

Leonhardt, watching me being carried away in Father’s arms, silently opened his mouth wide. Reading his lips, I saw…

[…If you think you’re about to die, press the necklace hard!]

I nodded vigorously at Leonhardt’s advice.

‘If bad guys attack Father on our way home—or rather, to the spire—I must press the necklace!’

I immediately glanced toward the necklace.

It sparkled with a faint bluish light. I tilted my head slightly, puzzled.

‘Blue light… The artifact is glowing bluish. Why?’

But I had no time to think further—the warm, sweet scent of Father hugging me tightly filled my senses. As Leonhardt grew distant, I buried my face deep into Father’s chest and grinned happily.

Meeting him in person, Leonhardt—the villain from the original story—was actually quite cute.

His black, leather-like mask covering his eyes except for his pupils, the refreshing curve of his lips occasionally visible beneath the large mask, and his slightly plump cheeks proving his youth!

He was rather charming, in fact.

‘But the best of all is still Father!’

I hugged Father tightly.

‘I’ll definitely survive a long, long time with Father.’

I decided to whisper this thought—packed to the brim with feeling—softly into Father’s ear.

“Father, sarahae! No, I love you!”

“Cien.”

“Mm!”

After a long silence, Father hesitantly and carefully asked,

“You’ve made a friend now… Do you still like Father the most?”

I rubbed my face against Father’s shoulder and whispered softly,

“That’s… a secret. Heh.”

Because it’s embarrassing to say!

At that moment, it felt like Father’s arms holding me tightened slightly—but it must’ve been my imagination.

Strangely, it also seemed like Father gritted his teeth—almost as if saying, “Those damn flies keep swarming around…”

But our Father would never say something like that! After all, he’s the kind who won’t even kill a fly because “it’s a living being”!

[This is the timeline separator]

After class ended, it was time for the most important part of the day—nap time!

While napping and munching on a sandwich stuffed with ham, I laid out my future plans.

“Phew…”

The Muscular Maids beside me, who had been diligently chewing and swallowing palm nuts, suddenly blurted out anxiously,

“Why the sigh? Well, our Lady Cien is just so frail—so delicate…”

“Oh! In that case, we can teach you muscle training right this instant!”

Their words—far too intense for mere maids—sent an inexplicable chill through my heart.

“Oh, don’t worry.”

“Huh…?”

“Suspicious guards kept lurking around the North Tower, so I grabbed a shovel and beat them up!”

At that terrifying statement, I—a girl only about one-eighth their size—froze slightly.

But hiding my reaction, I enthusiastically clapped like a seal.

“Wow, so cool…”

Leaving the excited maids behind with my soulless reply, I chewed my bread noisily.

Phew…

Thinking back on everything that had happened at the Mirmod ducal estate, it truly was “one mountain after another.”

“So many things have already happened…”

I’d punished the children who spoke ill of my mother, thoroughly tormented the bad teacher, grown slightly closer to Leonhardt… and above all, I’d even obtained a necklace imbued with mysterious power.

With so many good things happening all at once, it was only natural that something bad would soon follow.

I let out a soft sigh and thought.

This wasn’t the time for me to let my guard down.

“It’s time to start drawing the big picture.”

The original novel, , seemed like an ordinary love story at first glance, but it was actually rife with political intrigue.

[: A transcendent love story between a beautiful Saintess who appeared like a comet and a Crown Prince who lovingly cherished the common folk.]

I’d only read exactly half the novel. Yet even in that portion, the love between the Crown Prince and the Saintess was constantly plunged into crisis—precisely because of the Mirmod ducal family’s wicked deeds.

The Mirmod ducal house frequently appeared in the novel as a prominent supporting faction, serving as the epicenter of countless covert assassinations and atrocities.

Moreover, the novel featured a major plotline called the “Bloodline Conflict,” held to determine the next Duke of Mirmod… Fortunately, that hadn’t happened yet.

“The family’s heir hasn’t been decided yet. In other words, it’s not yet time for the ‘Bloodline Conflict.’ So… we’ll surely have peace for a while, right?”

But soon enough, a fierce, life-or-death struggle would inevitably erupt over who would claim the Mirmod succession.

Father, Duchess Lukella’s biological son, couldn’t possibly withdraw from this contest.

“I have to take control of the family somehow—anything to keep Father from becoming a sacrifice!”

I made that serious resolution… yet…

“…Still, whether awake or asleep, I must stay wary of those three Mirmod villains.”

Though the Mirmod family had countless bloodlines, only three ultimate antagonists were contending for the vacant ducal seat.

One was Delphia Mirmod, Duchess Lukella’s adopted daughter, currently training in the North.

Another was Selford Mirmod, son of the Elder Chairman.

And finally…

Just recalling the original story made me shiver involuntarily.

“Among them, the most dangerous is Axel Mirmod—the supreme Dark Mage who commands the substance of darkness!”

Axel was an adopted child of the Mirmod family. Yet during the war, he obtained a fateful connection to dark magic, rose rapidly to power, and committed every manner of atrocity.

He was destined to win the “Bloodline Conflict” and become the villainous Duke of House Mirmod.

Soon, he would turn into a ruthless duke and plunge the empire into a frozen hell.

Fortunately, Axel Mirmod hadn’t appeared yet.

But! I needed to grow stronger before I inevitably faced him someday.

“During this brief peaceful window, I’ll make my presence known—by charming or subduing the real powers within the ducal house!”

If there were three heirs vying for succession, there were also current powerholders at this moment.

I recalled the list of influential figures in the ducal house and quietly murmured under my breath, enunciating clearly:

“Harmony, Elder Chairman, Academy Director…”

Of this trio, the weakest was clearly Grandmother.

Everyone already called her “the old woman in the back rooms”—that said it all.

Now, she lived quietly under the shadow of past glory, barely involved except in social circles and internal family affairs.

Fortunately, she seemed neither to dislike nor particularly favor me.

“I’ll double down on the ‘cuteness strategy’ with Grandmother!”

As for the Elder Chairman…

Well, I still didn’t fully understand what kind of person he was. I’d read about him in the book, but…

“He gives me a weird vibe—I’ll put him on hold for now.”

And lastly, there remained the Academy Director, effectively the Elder Chairman’s subordinate.

“The Academy Director definitely hates me and Father. Just look at how much the teacher under him despises me—it’s obvious. He’ll surely set a trap soon.”

I had to deal with all these minor nuisances before Axel arrived!

“To turn their traps against them, I’ll need power.”

I tightly gripped the Fairy’s necklace in my hand.

There must be a way to wield it.

I should visit the library—the repository of knowledge.

But since I was still a baby, I couldn’t go to the library alone. And since I might end up reading forbidden texts, going alone was even more out of the question.

“I’ll coax Father into going to the library with me. There, I’ll firmly uncover how to use the Fairy’s necklace and locate information on high-grade artifacts!”

I set down my sandwich and leaped off the sofa.

“Cien is going to see Father! No—Cien shall go!”

Declaring this solemnly, I hopped like a rabbit toward Father.

But then…

I never expected Father would be getting pushed around like a doormat again…

[This is the timeline separator]

At that moment, Matthias was speaking with his subordinate, the Dark Mage of the Mage Tower.

He was plotting to strike down the Elder Council. Since the Council had nominated him for execution, he planned to eliminate their leader’s son, Selford, that very day.

“I’ll strike the Council’s core first. I’ve already won over all the existing mages.”

His expression was remarkably calculating—unlike someone who’d been absent from the family for so long. The Dark Mage, observing Matthias’s languid demeanor, nodded seriously.

“Yes, starting with the core… It’ll be difficult, but understood. Your schemes, Lord Matthias, have always proven correct—I expect this one will be no different.”

Matthias showed no reaction to the Dark Mage’s flattery. With a slight nod, he whispered cruelly,

“Anyone who dares harm Cien—those bothersome pests—need only be killed. That’s all.”

Everything was proceeding according to plan.

Yet there was always an unforeseen variable.

And this moment was precisely that.

Matthias furrowed his brow at an odd sensation prickling his senses.

“Someone has entered the barrier.”

The Dark Mage also narrowed his eyes, peering through the door.

But then…

A small, round head peeked out from the hallway, tilting curiously left and right.

At the sight, Matthias’s heart softened into a hazy calm, like morning mist over water.

Cien had come.

Cien was a special child—

the only one capable of instantly crossing the barrier Matthias himself had erected, which no one else could breach.

“Oh, Cien mustn’t see anything bad.”

Matthias straightened his posture and clasped his hands respectfully before him. The Dark Mage, who had been shadowing Matthias like a wraith, looked puzzled.

“Take off your hat.”

“Huh?”

When Matthias jerked his chin with a fierce expression, the startled Dark Mage obediently placed his pitch-black, pointed hat on the desk.

“What…?”

“We’ll discuss farming.”

“What? Suddenly?”