Chapter 157
Chapter 157
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 157
Chapter Title: Romance Fantasy (42)
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She looks weak... I'd just discovered an unexpected blind spot. How could someone aiming for the throne lack any real presence? Especially if that person planned to stage a rebellion, shoving aside the rightful heir in the process.
Even with two powerful factions and a solid military force backing me up, if I came across as someone the people could look down on, the odds of a successful rebellion would plummet.
My plan had been to condemn Prince Gayin while claiming the princess as my woman, showcasing overwhelming masculinity to win the public's support. But if all I showed was a feeble display of empty posturing, I'd just end up drawing nothing but scorn.
Therefore... I needed to ditch the weak image and project the aura befitting a true sovereign.
I had to display tyrannical strength to dispel any doubts, and carry myself with such dignity that every word I spoke carried weight.
Only then could I openly declare my love for Cecilia in front of everyone without a care for prying eyes. After all, that was my real goal in pursuing the throne.
So... I needed to get stronger.
To claim the crown with head held high, and so this woman who'd already declared herself mine wouldn't hit me with nonsense like, "You're weaker than me (lol)."
"Um... Asil? You're not mad, are you? Why the sudden frown..."
"I'm not mad."
"You look mad though? Relax your face, Asil..."
"I said I'm not mad."
No, this is a romance fantasy world. So why are all the women here so ridiculously strong? Every named character shrugs off my Observation skill. Is the power balance this messed up because it's a ropan? How can someone who hasn't even trained be stronger than me...?
I'm a C-rank hunter, for crying out loud... Not someone who'd get called weak anywhere else... Sigh... In the tutorial world, I was flying high, but here I'm just a total scrub.
"It's okay, Asil! You don't have to get stronger! If you deck yourself out in artifacts, you can project an intimidating aura!"
"Lady Lize... You don't need to comfort me. I can get strong quick enough."
But... I'm not too worried. This weakling treatment is just because my stats are restricted right now. Lift that, and I'd be at B-rank hunter level, so it's not a huge issue.
Plus, once I hop to the murim world, I can build up my dantian, right? That's an instant multi-stage power-up. No reason to feel rushed.
"Don't... don't escape reality like that! Even if you're weaker than me, you're always my master, Asil. Face the truth!"
"No, it's not a lie..."
"Don't worry, Asil! I'll use all my power to help you... I'll make sure you can succeed your father... So hold onto hope!"
This woman doesn't believe me. I can do it, for real? Give me time, and I could hit A-rank—no, S-rank hunter, or beyond...
Hah, what's the point of talking. I'll just have to show her. Tired of these misunderstandings, I'll dip back to reality midway, train up, and come back stronger.
"Come on, cheer up, Asil! Want me to suck you off? Or ride you instead?"
Hmm... But getting misunderstood isn't all bad...
The stat restriction weighing me down had actually been resolved long ago. If I returned to reality right now, it'd probably vanish instantly. I'd jumped straight into bed with Cecilia the moment I re-entered the ropan world... so I'd already met the system's condition for lifting the restriction ages ago.
Thus, if I wanted to get stronger right away, heading back to reality would do it. The restriction would lift, my stats would rise, and with those, I could tackle tougher dungeons or head to the murim world to learn martial arts and cultivate my dantian.
"A secret...? You're going to reveal the secret you've been hiding?"
But... instead of leaving right away, I chose to meet Cecilia first.
"Yeah... Lia, I'm really sorry for keeping it from you all this time..."
If I just vanished without a word, powered up, and came back, she'd wake up one day to a completely transformed me. I didn't like that idea.
"Father... such..."
Cecilia wasn't stupid; she'd obviously notice the change and have questions. Favorability alone couldn't fix that. Trusting only the system and hopping worlds would be dismissing her.
"The truth is, I..."
So I decided to explain everything to Cecilia. She loved me with all her heart... I didn't want to keep hiding things from her anymore.
"Hee hee. You're finally telling me! Ahh... It must mean you love me that much, right? I'm so happy, Father... I was going to keep quiet no matter what you were hiding... But you're being honest with me! Knowing you even deeper makes my heart race!"
But... what was with this reaction?
It was like she already knew everything...
"To learn Father's true self..."
What the hell is this reaction...?
"I see. So you'd suspected it since then? That I wasn't the same person anymore."
"Hee hee. Yes. We're family, after all. How could I not know?"
"...Mm, so you knew I made your real father... disappear?"
"It's fine! He wasn't interested in me anyway. If it weren't for you, Father, I might've been abandoned by him. You saved me... Ahh, Father... You're my real father."
"Lia..."
She'd sensed the shift the moment I possessed 'Deokbae Asil's' body, thanks to the unnatural vibes. But she never brought it up because the previous 'Deokbae Asil' had been such a disappointment, and she preferred the possessed me.
The memories were spotty—just the essentials, with gaps everywhere—so I hadn't realized what a deadbeat he'd been. That jerk... ignoring such an adorable daughter? Unbelievable.
-Hug
"And the one I love isn't him—it's you, Father. Hee hee. So relax. My heart has always been yours alone, and it always will be."
See? How could he ignore a daughter throwing herself into his arms like this? I get that losing his wife was tough, but the living have to keep living...
I inwardly condemned the body's original owner, then tightly embraced the Cecilia in my arms, returning her affection.
"I never guessed you were from another world, though. You changed so suddenly—it startled me, but that must've been when you returned from your original world... Amazing."
"Not scared?"
"Hee hee. Not at all. You're still you, Father."
For the record, Cecilia didn't know everything. She hadn't realized I was from another world. She'd found it odd but never imagined the full truth.
So I'd been worried about her reaction, but thankfully, it went fine. She said as long as she loved me, it didn't matter where I came from. What a dutiful daughter... truly good-hearted.
"And it's even better! You can get stronger there, right? You're already plenty cool, but a Father brimming with superior mana... I might fall for you even harder."
Plus, this dutiful daughter cheered me on about powering up and returning. She liked seeing me seriously play the role of future king for her sake.
"Lia... Thanks for saying that. Now I can go with peace of mind."
"Hee hee. Don't worry about me—go on. I'll wait obediently."
So, unburdened after spilling my secrets, I returned to reality with a light heart.
-Ding-dong ding-dong ding-dong ding-dong
-Bang bang bang bang!
"Uncle! Open the door! Uncle!"
-Ding-dong ding-dong ding-dong ding-dong ding-dong ding-dong
-Bang bang bang bang bang bang!
"Uncllle! I need to talk to you—open the door quick!"
Ugh... What the heck is going on?
The moment I returned to reality, I was bombarded by a barrage of semi-transparent windows filling my vision. Struggling to read them one by one, I heard someone pounding aggressively on my front door.
Hyun-ah...? Didn't she go home? Why's she suddenly here?
Fearing something big had happened, I shoved the notifications aside and rushed to the frantic Hyun-ah calling for me. Opening the furiously rattling door, she glared at me with reddened eyes and started grilling me.
"Uncle! Who's this Cecilia? You said you didn't have a girlfriend! Explain yourself properly!"
Ughhh... What in the world happened?
I couldn't make sense of the situation.
How does she know about Cecilia? And why's she mad at me about it? What the hell is going on?
"Uncle! Explain! Now!"
I'd come back in high spirits, only to face this reality... My head spun, and my stomach churned.
"Oh? You know my name... How intriguing. In this world, Father should be the only one who knows me."
Then, an even more baffling voice came from behind me.