Raising the Daughters to Overcome My Failure

Chapter 18. Anceps (3)

Adel was dreaming right now.

It was when she was 10, arriving in Rarc Village for the first time with a heart full of dreams.

The carriage door opened, and her young father's face came into view.

‘Father?’

The father in her memory had a stern face, but the father before her eyes was smiling gently.

“Are you Adel?”

“Ah, yes! I am Adel!”

“I see. The friends behind you must be Iris and Noemi. Welcome. I am your father, Frank.”

He lifted Adel up in a flash and placed her on his shoulders.

“Kyaa!”

A flustered Adel didn't know what to do, but her father then carried Iris in his left hand and Noemi in his right, and entered the house.

How could he be so strong?

That evening, the whole family ate a delicious meal together and enjoyed a campfire sitting around in the garden.

The crackling flames.

The Milky Way embroidering the night sky.

The chattering laughter of Iris and Noemi.

Could there be a world she had wished for more than this?

‘If I had grown up in this environment, I wouldn't have been afraid of Father.’

Noemi wouldn't have been so quiet, and Iris would never have left home.

‘How wonderful would it be if this were reality?’

Even knowing it was a dream, I didn’t want to leave.

Afterward, my father lay down in bed side by side with the three sisters and told them an old story.

“A long, long time ago, there was a princess captured by the Demon King. The princess was so beautiful that the Demon King wanted to make her his bride.”

“Then what happened! The poor princess!”

Iris shouted, clenching her small fists.

Father gently stroked Iris' head and said,

“So, a prince from a certain kingdom set off on a white horse to rescue the princess. Many terrifying monsters stood in his way, but the prince overcame all those trials and……”

Father’s soft voice.

Adel unknowingly closed her eyes and drifted off to dreamland.

The fact that she could dream within a dream was simply amazing.

When she opened her eyes, her father was bringing over perfectly golden-brown pancakes and warm milk.

“Wow! Did you make these yourself?”

“Yes. Would you like to try some before your sisters wake up, Adel?”

“Yes!”

Could there be any food more delicious than this?

No matter how much she ate, she never got tired of it.

With an incredibly warm smile, her father wiped the syrup from the corner of her mouth.

“Is it good? Eat slowly.”

“Yes! It’s so delicious!”

Adel wished this moment would last forever.

A sweet situation that, as time passed, no longer felt like a dream.

But this delicious food.

This warm atmosphere.

And this affectionate father was somehow strange.

‘This isn’t real.’

Although he had changed recently, he wasn't like this.

Then, it suddenly occurred to her.

The moment she had grasped the cursed sword.

‘That’s right! I lost consciousness as soon as I grabbed Anceps. Yes. This is a dream. A ridiculous dream at that!’

Adel struggled with all her might to wake up from the dream.

Then, her father tilted his head and asked.

“What’s wrong, Adel?”

“This is a dream! I have to wake up!”

“Haha, it’s not a dream, Adel. This is reality.”

Adel shook her head firmly.

“No! My father wouldn't be like this! You are not my father!”

Her father wore a somewhat sad expression.

“Adel. If you accept this place, we can live happily forever. Do you still not want that?”

Adel hesitated for a moment, but then slowly nodded.

“I have things I must do. This isn’t it.”

This was not a joke, but her sincere feeling.

An ideal life was nice, but to her, her responsibilities and goals in reality were more important.

At that moment, her father’s face began to crack,

and everything around her, including Iris and Noemi who were behind him, started to shatter into pieces.

Through the broken fragments, her father’s figure disappeared into the distance.

Adel muttered to herself.

‘I’m sorry, kind father. You were the ideal father I had so desperately wished for, but you weren’t my real father.’

Along with a bitter feeling, her vision brightened.

Just when she thought she could never meet that father again.

The face of the kind father from just a moment ago appeared.

He hugged her tightly and repeated these words.

“Adel! Get a grip! Are you alright?”

“Ah, Father?”

He was a little older than the father she saw in her dream, his face full of worry.

But his appearance, which looked more affectionate than anyone else's, was not so different.

Startled, she hurriedly looked around.

The scenery of the underground treasury came into view at a glance.

Also, in her hand was the cursed sword.

‘I’ve returned to reality. What a relief.’

Her tension eased, and Adel collapsed into her father’s embrace.

But a faint smile hung on her face.

***

Adel’s room.

I threw the cursed sword she had been holding far away and carefully laid Adel down on the bed.

Seeing her smiling, it seemed like it wasn't a big problem, but I still couldn't feel at ease.

I turned my head and questioned Anonymous as if to reprimand her.

“What is the meaning of this?”

“It’s nothing much. Anceps has chosen her as its master.”

“Its master?”

“Yes. She’ll be fine if you let her rest a bit. By the way, that was truly amazing.”

“What do you mean, amazing?”

I moved away from the bed and stepped right up to Anonymous' face.

Thinking about how dangerous the situation had been just a moment ago, even punching her in the face wouldn't have been satisfying enough.

‘Adel’s eyes turned crimson red and her whole body trembled. If I had been just a little later, her body would have been taken by Anceps.’

As my anger refused to subside.

Anonymous blushed and took a step back.

She even stuttered.

“H-how rude! Aren’t you too close?”

This was absurd.

Someone almost died, and all she could say was that I was too close?

I grabbed her wrist and shouted forcefully.

“Explain what you mean by amazing.”

“N-no, that is, I…”

“If we were a moment later, she would have had her body stolen by the cursed sword! And you say it was amazing? Do you think this is a game?”

Anonymous broke into a cold sweat, at a loss for what to do.

“A g-game? What’s that? What I mean is, I didn’t think Anceps would be conquered so quickly……. That is, that she would be able to control Anceps…….”

“Are you trying to say you didn’t know?”

“N-no! That’s not it, even if that happened, I would have stepped in……”

“Wouldn’t it have been too late by then? Is Adel really alright?”

“Ye-yes. That much is certain. So please let go of this hand right now and……”

I roughly let go of her hand and warned her sternly.

“If anything happens to Adel, you will pay the price. Remember that clearly.”

With those last words, I kicked the door open and left the room.

I myself didn't quite know why I was so angry.

Was it because the moment I almost lost Adel in front of my eyes came to mind?

‘I don’t even want to imagine it. Adel, please be safe.’

My vision swam.

***

After Frank left, Anonymous, who remained in Adel's room, couldn't get her head straight.

‘What just happened?’

For a mere human to berate her like this.

This was the first time in her life she had felt this way…….

‘...No, this is the second time. So there’s another man like Arus.’

She had sworn to herself never to be mistaken again, but Frank’s powerful presence wouldn’t leave her mind.

‘He gripped my wrist painfully and warned me he wouldn’t forgive me if anything happened to Adel. My goodness.’

Anonymous' cheeks flushed red.

She was the epitome of someone who falls in love easily, a so-called ‘geum-sa-ppa’.

But because she had always been feared by those around her, she could never find someone to give her heart to.

‘I thought he would be my first and last love…….’

Standing there blankly, she suddenly shook her head and belatedly came to her senses.

‘Good grief! What am I thinking? I am the queen of dragons and a lofty ancient dragon!’

Slap!

She slapped her own cheek and grit her teeth, making a vow.

‘What kind of humiliation is this. To be intimidated by a mere human and step back.’

Just then, the discarded Anceps on the floor caught her eye.

Her expression quickly turned cold as she approached it.

She happened to need someone to take her anger out on.

Standing before Anceps in an instant, she let out a kick without warning.

Thud!

Anceps slammed into the wall and fell to the floor.

Even after that, her kicking didn't seem to stop.

An and Ceps screamed, but Anonymous continued to stomp on Anceps as if she couldn't hear them.

You ask if other servants didn't come in at the sound?

Unfortunately, the only ones who could hear An and Ceps' voices were the targets they had personally seduced, the masters they had subjugated.

And Anonymous, who had created them.

***

Has it been an hour since I returned to my room?

A sullen-faced Anonymous and Adel, holding Anceps in her hand, came looking for me.

While Anonymous said not a word, Adel thrust Anceps at me and exclaimed.

“Father! I have become the master of Anceps!”

“Ooh, Adel! That’s wonderful! But never again attempt such a dangerous thing so rashly. Your safety is important not only to me but to everyone.”

Did my sincerity get through?

Adel slowly nodded, yet she was delighted like a child, saying that something seemed to have changed.

“I’ll keep that in mind. But my body feels incredibly light. I think something has changed.”

Only then did Anonymous throw in a word.

“Hmph. It’s the effect of awakening as the master of Anceps.”

“Is that true? Thank you, Master!”

“Huh?”

“Why? Didn’t we agree that I would serve you as my Master once this was over?”

Adel tightly held the flustered Anonymous' hand and repeatedly expressed her gratitude.

“Thank you for creating such a wonderful sword. And for becoming my Master, too.”

“Uh, well, sure.”

“Right now, I think I could somehow hold my own even if I fought you, Master! If you’re alright with it, may I ask for a sparring match?”

Anonymous looked at Adel with an exasperated face, then let out a chuckle.

“I’ll be going harder this time, you sure you’ll be okay?”

“Of course. I will definitely defeat you with my swordsmanship, Master.”

“Hmph. That’s what it means to be my disciple. Good, come out. I shall teach you a thing or two!”

“Yes, Master!”

Anonymous led the way, and Adel followed behind her.

It’s a relief that the two seem to have gotten closer.

But why does the Anceps in her hand look so pathetic?

It's a mystery.

***

Clomp, clomp, clomp.

A seemingly endless procession stretches out in a long line.

Footsteps in perfect sync.

Vicious weapons held in their hands.

This was a scale that could already be called a small army.

“Lord Rasha! Once we cross that mountain, it is the land of humans!”

“Yes. You have all suffered much until now. Let us rest here for a while.”

“Yes, sir! All troops, halt! We will take a rest here!”

The one at their head was much larger than the others.

A towering figure close to 2 meters tall.

His appearance was also unique; with pointed ears and dark skin, he had a distinct aura.

As he stopped walking, a subordinate who popped out from somewhere hastily brought out a golden chair.

He sat down on the chair with dignity and looked at the mountain range visible in the distance.

The Elburz Mountains.

The border between the demon territory and human lands.

He asked his adjutant with a calm face.

“What is the total strength of our army?”

“Including you, Lord Rasha, there are ten high-ranking demons, one hundred mid-ranking demons, and one thousand low-ranking demons.”

“Hmm. With that much, a place like the Benedict Kingdom should be no problem.”

“Of course! Once you obtain Anceps from the hero’s house, you, Lord Rasha, will be acknowledged as the new master of all demons!”

The man called Rasha gave a meaningful smile and nodded.

“Yes. I shall become the new Demon King, instill fear in the humans, and stand at the pinnacle of the demon tribe!”

He raised his weapon high and continued his words.

“Soldiers! Trampling the Benedict Kingdom is just the beginning. The moment we get our hands on Anceps, the humans are finished. The era of our demon tribe will dawn once again!”

“Hail Lord Rasha!”

“Hail Lord Rasha!!”

As the demons all roared in unison, the animals and monsters of the forest fled in surprise.

Their faces were filled with the thought of trampling the Benedict Kingdom at any moment.

But who would have known.

They were destined to be annihilated before they could even cross the Elburz Mountains.

Because the place they were heading to was filled with traps that Noemi had painstakingly set up over a long period.

They were truly no different from reckless moths dashing towards a flame.