It’s my Dad.
It’s really my Dad.
My legs gave out and I collapsed.
While everyone held their breath.
My Dad’s black warhorse, which came over the corpses of the holy beasts, stopped.
Dad’s eyes, which had grown closer, were focused on me.
“Dad…”
Dad got off the horse in a daze and slowly walked toward me.
“Uncle!”
Leon threw down his sword and ran to Dad first while shouting.
Dad laughed weakly, put his hand on Leon’s head, and said.
“…Good job. You have work hard.”
“Hng. Uncle…”
Then he came up to me with staggering steps and knelt down in front of me.
“Lilith…”
“D, Dad. Whaaa…!”
I barely got up and was held in my Dad’s arms, who opened his arms.
Dad’s arms were shaking as he held me. Thump, thump. Even the sound of a heart beating like crazy…
“…It’s okay, now.”
Dad’s hand that comforted my back was trembling more than mine.
“Hngg. D, Dad…”
“It’s okay. It’s okay, my daughter.”
Just in case something was wrong.
He’s afraid we will be separated.
“Lilith…”
He’s afraid.
He was a father who I thought there would be nothing scary to him…
At this moment, more than anyone else.
“Because Daddy is here… It’s okay now, Lilith…”
“Hik. Hnng…”
Dad held me in his arms for a long time while trembling like that.
*****
At that time.
Enoch Rubinstein’s schemer, Joseph Lüttman, who was in the Capital, tried to soothe his anxious mind and thought.
‘Lilith will be fine. It will be fine. There’s Sir Nordic, and the Duke too… they’ll rescue the child somehow, so I just have to do what I have to do.’
Octavas was taken away.
The Emperor must have intended to use this sudden holy beasts incident to touch Enoch’s only weakness, his daughter.
‘He must have been nervous because of God’s revelation. He thinks that his absolute power is going to crack, so he becomes more desperate for the unification of the continent.’
However, Enoch is indispensable.
‘He was in a hurry and tried to grab the Duke’s leash somehow, but it was too hasty.’
Joseph began devising ways to turn this situation around.
Even Octavas who are not obliged to serve in the military are ordered to go out, but in a wartime situation where the Capital is threatened, it is an inevitable choice.
But,
Before that, the Emperor’s obvious mistake in ordering all active soldiers to go to war to weaken the defense of the Capital.
It is a fatal strategic miscalculation for the top commander.
Although it is said to be the top predator of absolute power, there is not one or two grounds to blame.
If he uses this situation to instigate the atmosphere of the Capital—.
“Kyaaa!”
“Waaaa!”
But.
Something unexpected happened.
The holy beasts that came out of nowhere gathered at the entrance to the Capital.
At that time, the Emperor.
He ran barefoot into the street.
And he defended the Capital and got rid of the holy beasts so that there was no single victim.
“Don’t worry! My people! You will be safe!”
Joseph watched him with a blank expression.
They are holy beasts that even threaten the Capital.
‘What the hell is this?’
Those who remained in the Capital probably didn’t know how the situation outside was going, but they must have felt the seriousness of the holy beasts incident.
The judgment of the Emperor who put all his troops into the southern part where the holy beasts first appeared.
It means that it can’t just lead to a mistake.
“The holy beast situation was serious, so all troops supported it, but even if the Capital was empty, there is nothing to worry about! I am here!”
The protection of the Almighty Primera.
“Even if I give my life to you, I will protect you!”
Those left in the Capital were relieved.
‘Oh my.’
If the Emperor put on a performance like this at this point—.
‘A, are you saying you won’t be beaten easily?’
Joseph bit his lips as he watched the holy beasts dying helplessly under the power of the Emperor.
Those in the Capital would be happy to be safe—.
‘What is this, do holy beasts even have intelligence? Why do I think they’re setting a table for the Emperor?’
Joseph is frustrated.
But at the same time, his head spun quickly.
Then it’s Plan B.
Joseph clicked his tongue and turned around.
‘I can’t help but use this good holy beast situation.’
Joseph Lüttman.
He never jumps to the situation when it seems impossible to do so.
And if he jumped in, he was the one who never failed.
*****
Enoch quickly settled on Jurgen’s situation.
Since the Holy Beasts popped out every 30 minutes, he thought a new group would appear, but—.
“Dad, I don’t think the monster will come out anymore. Can’t you send the kids home soon?”
Lilith said so.
The child seemed to know something.
“Why do you think it’s not going to come out?”
“Eung, that’s…”
The child hesitated for a long time, choosing what to say. Then she whispered quietly.
“H, His Majesty the Emperor is a bad person… His Majesty the Emperor… may have called the monsters…”
At that word, Enoch was stunned.
And soon he could vaguely guess a series of situations.
A monster with holy power.
The Primera is—.
It seemed possible to control humans as well as holy beasts.
Lilith wanted to tell her Dad about it.
And,
The reason why the child was so sure that the holy beast wouldn’t run wild anymore.
‘It’s because the Emperor… got everything he wanted, as planned.’
The Emperor must have deliberately created this situation by manipulating the Holy Beast.
Lilith, the most precious thing to Enoch…
To show that he can always shake it in his grasp.
That’s why the Emperor probably didn’t even want the child’s death.
Something that confuses Enoch, makes him feel desperate as his heart is being ripped out, and barely saves his daughter.
Perhaps that was the situation the Emperor was aiming for.
And, it was done as intended.
“So it’s true.”
Enoch laughed weakly and muttered.
In Jurgen, holy beasts no longer appeared.
And when he returned to the Capital with the child soldiers and Octavas.
Seeing his father, Nordic, being held, he was again convinced.
Nordic tried to follow Lilith, but the Emperor’s personal guard stopped him and gave the ridiculous reason that veterans should be respected.
‘It’s probably because they shouldn’t have let my father save Lilith.’
Nordic, who was as anxious as Enoch, cried as soon as he held Lilith in his arms at the Pavill Temple.
“I will be with grandfather. Dad is with Aunt and Uncles, so go again… What if he thinks Dad ran away like you did in the past…”
When he left Lilith with Nordic and came back to Olden, South.
Olden was just as expected.
It is said that the holy beasts stopped appearing after Enoch left.
“Why is your expression like that?”
Even when the situation was safely organized, Enoch couldn’t help but laugh.
“…You know. Sacrifice on the battlefield is unavoidable. It’s not your fault, don’t worry about it.”
Axion comforted Enoch.
However, Enoch could hardly calm down when he saw the bodies of his comrades.
Fifteen people were sacrificed in the Olden Holy Beast subjugation this time.
Including the magic swordsman who was killed, the number was more than several hundred.
‘They shouldn’t have died.’
His comrades didn’t make honorable sacrifices to keep the country safe.
They were tragically sacrificed to satisfy the Emperor’s greed.
Unable to utter the truth, Enoch trembled alone in agony.
“…I’m sorry.”
All he can offer his comrades now is a modest apology.
Guilt clenched his throat.
What the Emperor covets is his ability.
Because he knows that all of this is caused by greed to wield oneself.
“I’m sorry…”
A ruined land.
Hot tears flowed from the eyes of the man who knelt on the ruined battlefield.
****
The holy beast crisis was suppressed in a day.
That evening.
Dad took out his black uniform and hung it on the wall, stood in front of it for a long time and remained silent.
Tomorrow, in the imperial family, it was said that after the post-processing of this incident, there would be a joint funeral and memorial ceremony for the fallen soldiers.
‘What is Dad thinking right now?’
I couldn’t sleep and kept watching my Dad’s back.
Maybe my Dad felt the gaze, so he came next to me with a smile and lay down.
“I’m sorry, Princess. My princess needs to go to bed quickly, but Daddy stayed awake for too long, right? Come on, let’s go to sleep.”
Dad covered me with a blanket, laid down next to me, and gently patted my head.
The gaze that carefully scanned my face contained affection and relief.
“Phew princess. Daddy thought my heart was really falling today.”
“But?”
“Mmhm. I just read your Grandfather’s letter, and at that moment I couldn’t see anything in front of me.”
“….”
“What if something goes wrong with our princess? What if a scary monster caught you?”
Dad smiled and sighed.
And again, he gently brushed my hair and said,
“Dad, Daddy never knew Dad was such a weak person.”
“No! How can Dad be weak? Daddy is the strongest in the world, don’t you know?”
“No. Dad imagined that the princess might get hurt, then Dad’s heart dropped and thought nothing like a fool.”
“….”
“Princess.”
Dad added, sweeping my cheek.
“I don’t think I can live without a princess. So, my princess, don’t get hurt, don’t get sick, and grow up healthy. “
“Eung. I will.”
“Never go to a dangerous place. If something like today happens. Then.”
“….”
“Don’t do anything, just wait for Dad.”
“Eung…”
“Daddy will go to save our princess no matter what, so you must wait for Dad. You can do it, right?”
“Eung.”
“Yes, my baby…”
Dad smiled and hugged me tightly.
“Let’s go to sleep now. My princess, it was so hard today, so sleep a lot. Dad won’t wake the princess up even if the sun greets us.”
“Eung. Okay.”
I dug into my Dad’s arms with a smile.
It was then.
“No, hey!”
It was noisy outside.
“Wait! What’s going on! H, hold on! Stop!”
It was the voice of Uncle Rem, the butler.
Dad jumped up.
“What is it?”
Thump thump, the sound of two urgent footsteps was approaching our room.
“Excuse mee!”
With Rem’s scream, the door burst open.
And what appeared is.
‘W, what, master?’
Oscar all of a sudden?!
I rubbed my eyes and looked again to see if it was a mirage.
It was really Oscar.
With a messy appearance.
And with a heavy breathing.
I don’t know why, but even his eyes are out of focus—.
‘Why is Oscar here…?’
I quickly looked at the clock in the corner of the room.
The clock is past eleven.
It’s time for everyone to go to sleep…
Dad was also puzzled, so he exchanged glances with me, got up quickly, blocked his way and said.
“W, what are you…? You want to fight?”
It’s my Dad.
It’s really my Dad.
My legs gave out and I collapsed.
While everyone held their breath.
My Dad’s black warhorse, which came over the corpses of the holy beasts, stopped.
Dad’s eyes, which had grown closer, were focused on me.
“Dad…”
Dad got off the horse in a daze and slowly walked toward me.
“Uncle!”
Leon threw down his sword and ran to Dad first while shouting.
Dad laughed weakly, put his hand on Leon’s head, and said.
“…Good job. You have work hard.”
“Hng. Uncle…”
Then he came up to me with staggering steps and knelt down in front of me.
“Lilith…”
“D, Dad. Whaaa…!”
I barely got up and was held in my Dad’s arms, who opened his arms.
Dad’s arms were shaking as he held me. Thump, thump. Even the sound of a heart beating like crazy…
“…It’s okay, now.”
Dad’s hand that comforted my back was trembling more than mine.
“Hngg. D, Dad…”
“It’s okay. It’s okay, my daughter.”
Just in case something was wrong.
He’s afraid we will be separated.
“Lilith…”
He’s afraid.
He was a father who I thought there would be nothing scary to him…
At this moment, more than anyone else.
“Because Daddy is here… It’s okay now, Lilith…”
“Hik. Hnng…”
Dad held me in his arms for a long time while trembling like that.
*****
At that time.
Enoch Rubinstein’s schemer, Joseph Lüttman, who was in the Capital, tried to soothe his anxious mind and thought.
‘Lilith will be fine. It will be fine. There’s Sir Nordic, and the Duke too… they’ll rescue the child somehow, so I just have to do what I have to do.’
Octavas was taken away.
The Emperor must have intended to use this sudden holy beasts incident to touch Enoch’s only weakness, his daughter.
‘He must have been nervous because of God’s revelation. He thinks that his absolute power is going to crack, so he becomes more desperate for the unification of the continent.’
However, Enoch is indispensable.
‘He was in a hurry and tried to grab the Duke’s leash somehow, but it was too hasty.’
Joseph began devising ways to turn this situation around.
Even Octavas who are not obliged to serve in the military are ordered to go out, but in a wartime situation where the Capital is threatened, it is an inevitable choice.
But,
Before that, the Emperor’s obvious mistake in ordering all active soldiers to go to war to weaken the defense of the Capital.
It is a fatal strategic miscalculation for the top commander.
Although it is said to be the top predator of absolute power, there is not one or two grounds to blame.
If he uses this situation to instigate the atmosphere of the Capital—.
“Kyaaa!”
“Waaaa!”
But.
Something unexpected happened.
The holy beasts that came out of nowhere gathered at the entrance to the Capital.
At that time, the Emperor.
He ran barefoot into the street.
And he defended the Capital and got rid of the holy beasts so that there was no single victim.
“Don’t worry! My people! You will be safe!”
Joseph watched him with a blank expression.
They are holy beasts that even threaten the Capital.
‘What the hell is this?’
Those who remained in the Capital probably didn’t know how the situation outside was going, but they must have felt the seriousness of the holy beasts incident.
The judgment of the Emperor who put all his troops into the southern part where the holy beasts first appeared.
It means that it can’t just lead to a mistake.
“The holy beast situation was serious, so all troops supported it, but even if the Capital was empty, there is nothing to worry about! I am here!”
The protection of the Almighty Primera.
“Even if I give my life to you, I will protect you!”
Those left in the Capital were relieved.
‘Oh my.’
If the Emperor put on a performance like this at this point—.
‘A, are you saying you won’t be beaten easily?’
Joseph bit his lips as he watched the holy beasts dying helplessly under the power of the Emperor.
Those in the Capital would be happy to be safe—.
‘What is this, do holy beasts even have intelligence? Why do I think they’re setting a table for the Emperor?’
Joseph is frustrated.
But at the same time, his head spun quickly.
Then it’s Plan B.
Joseph clicked his tongue and turned around.
‘I can’t help but use this good holy beast situation.’
Joseph Lüttman.
He never jumps to the situation when it seems impossible to do so.
And if he jumped in, he was the one who never failed.
*****
Enoch quickly settled on Jurgen’s situation.
Since the Holy Beasts popped out every 30 minutes, he thought a new group would appear, but—.
“Dad, I don’t think the monster will come out anymore. Can’t you send the kids home soon?”
Lilith said so.
The child seemed to know something.
“Why do you think it’s not going to come out?”
“Eung, that’s…”
The child hesitated for a long time, choosing what to say. Then she whispered quietly.
“H, His Majesty the Emperor is a bad person… His Majesty the Emperor… may have called the monsters…”
At that word, Enoch was stunned.
And soon he could vaguely guess a series of situations.
A monster with holy power.
The Primera is—.
It seemed possible to control humans as well as holy beasts.
Lilith wanted to tell her Dad about it.
And,
The reason why the child was so sure that the holy beast wouldn’t run wild anymore.
‘It’s because the Emperor… got everything he wanted, as planned.’
The Emperor must have deliberately created this situation by manipulating the Holy Beast.
Lilith, the most precious thing to Enoch…
To show that he can always shake it in his grasp.
That’s why the Emperor probably didn’t even want the child’s death.
Something that confuses Enoch, makes him feel desperate as his heart is being ripped out, and barely saves his daughter.
Perhaps that was the situation the Emperor was aiming for.
And, it was done as intended.
“So it’s true.”
Enoch laughed weakly and muttered.
In Jurgen, holy beasts no longer appeared.
And when he returned to the Capital with the child soldiers and Octavas.
Seeing his father, Nordic, being held, he was again convinced.
Nordic tried to follow Lilith, but the Emperor’s personal guard stopped him and gave the ridiculous reason that veterans should be respected.
‘It’s probably because they shouldn’t have let my father save Lilith.’
Nordic, who was as anxious as Enoch, cried as soon as he held Lilith in his arms at the Pavill Temple.
“I will be with grandfather. Dad is with Aunt and Uncles, so go again… What if he thinks Dad ran away like you did in the past…”
When he left Lilith with Nordic and came back to Olden, South.
Olden was just as expected.
It is said that the holy beasts stopped appearing after Enoch left.
“Why is your expression like that?”
Even when the situation was safely organized, Enoch couldn’t help but laugh.
“…You know. Sacrifice on the battlefield is unavoidable. It’s not your fault, don’t worry about it.”
Axion comforted Enoch.
However, Enoch could hardly calm down when he saw the bodies of his comrades.
Fifteen people were sacrificed in the Olden Holy Beast subjugation this time.
Including the magic swordsman who was killed, the number was more than several hundred.
‘They shouldn’t have died.’
His comrades didn’t make honorable sacrifices to keep the country safe.
They were tragically sacrificed to satisfy the Emperor’s greed.
Unable to utter the truth, Enoch trembled alone in agony.
“…I’m sorry.”
All he can offer his comrades now is a modest apology.
Guilt clenched his throat.
What the Emperor covets is his ability.
Because he knows that all of this is caused by greed to wield oneself.
“I’m sorry…”
A ruined land.
Hot tears flowed from the eyes of the man who knelt on the ruined battlefield.
****
The holy beast crisis was suppressed in a day.
That evening.
Dad took out his black uniform and hung it on the wall, stood in front of it for a long time and remained silent.
Tomorrow, in the imperial family, it was said that after the post-processing of this incident, there would be a joint funeral and memorial ceremony for the fallen soldiers.
‘What is Dad thinking right now?’
I couldn’t sleep and kept watching my Dad’s back.
Maybe my Dad felt the gaze, so he came next to me with a smile and lay down.
“I’m sorry, Princess. My princess needs to go to bed quickly, but Daddy stayed awake for too long, right? Come on, let’s go to sleep.”
Dad covered me with a blanket, laid down next to me, and gently patted my head.
The gaze that carefully scanned my face contained affection and relief.
“Phew princess. Daddy thought my heart was really falling today.”
“But?”
“Mmhm. I just read your Grandfather’s letter, and at that moment I couldn’t see anything in front of me.”
“….”
“What if something goes wrong with our princess? What if a scary monster caught you?”
Dad smiled and sighed.
And again, he gently brushed my hair and said,
“Dad, Daddy never knew Dad was such a weak person.”
“No! How can Dad be weak? Daddy is the strongest in the world, don’t you know?”
“No. Dad imagined that the princess might get hurt, then Dad’s heart dropped and thought nothing like a fool.”
“….”
“Princess.”
Dad added, sweeping my cheek.
“I don’t think I can live without a princess. So, my princess, don’t get hurt, don’t get sick, and grow up healthy. “
“Eung. I will.”
“Never go to a dangerous place. If something like today happens. Then.”
“….”
“Don’t do anything, just wait for Dad.”
“Eung…”
“Daddy will go to save our princess no matter what, so you must wait for Dad. You can do it, right?”
“Eung.”
“Yes, my baby…”
Dad smiled and hugged me tightly.
“Let’s go to sleep now. My princess, it was so hard today, so sleep a lot. Dad won’t wake the princess up even if the sun greets us.”
“Eung. Okay.”
I dug into my Dad’s arms with a smile.
It was then.
“No, hey!”
It was noisy outside.
“Wait! What’s going on! H, hold on! Stop!”
It was the voice of Uncle Rem, the butler.
Dad jumped up.
“What is it?”
Thump thump, the sound of two urgent footsteps was approaching our room.
“Excuse mee!”
With Rem’s scream, the door burst open.
And what appeared is.
‘W, what, master?’
Oscar all of a sudden?!
I rubbed my eyes and looked again to see if it was a mirage.
It was really Oscar.
With a messy appearance.
And with a heavy breathing.
I don’t know why, but even his eyes are out of focus—.
‘Why is Oscar here…?’
I quickly looked at the clock in the corner of the room.
The clock is past eleven.
It’s time for everyone to go to sleep…
Dad was also puzzled, so he exchanged glances with me, got up quickly, blocked his way and said.
“W, what are you…? You want to fight?”
