Dad Kidnapped the Obsessive Maniac

Episode 26

Yurian grabbed the restraint with all his might and tore it apart.

“Hahaha!”

But the restraint around his neck remained firmly in place.

Even though he unleashed his magic, something felt off. It was as if his abilities were being obstructed somewhere despite expending magic.

“Do you really not know what you’ve taken?”

It was only then that Yurian realized the medicine the maid had brought wasn’t the hallucinogen or stimulant he had anticipated, but rather an ability-inhibiting suppressant. Taking the suppressant meant even with magic, he couldn’t use his abilities. It was typically administered forcibly to Level 1 prisoners.

“The antidote will be given by my daughter when she awakens.”

“Let go of me!”

As Hildebrandt gestured, Francis’s subordinates outside the door entered, seizing Yurian once more and binding him.

“It’ll be a long night, Duke.”

Yurian glared hatefully at Hildebrandt.

* * *

When Yurian opened his eyes again, Yvonne was still looking down at him expressionlessly.

The only difference from earlier was that, unlike usual, she was undoing the restraints around Yurian, which were fastened to the wall. When she inserted the iron key into the lock on his shackled wrists and turned it, his right hand was freed. She proceeded to release his body from its bindings, one by one.

Thanks to her, Yurian’s body was now free while only his neck remained chained to the long chain.

“Yvonne.”

He called out to her plaintively as he sank to the floor, hoping that by doing so, the eyes that met his would once again be filled with emotion.

If he could see her puzzled face, perhaps his current dog-like feeling would improve a bit.

“Please, even just slap me, Yvonne.”

At that, she still looked at him with a cold expression, then grabbed him by the collar. And then…

“Ugh…!”

Yurian realized for the first time how strong she was. Just from a single blow, his head was spinning, and he could hear ringing in his ears.

“I- Yvonne?”

He looked at her in confusion. But Yvonne remained expressionless.

“Yvonne. Are you really under hypnosis?”

“…”

As Yvonne tried to pull away and leave, Yurian desperately grabbed her hand.

Even though he couldn’t use his abilities, he was still an adult male. Despite trying to prevent her from leaving, he felt a sense of discomfort from Yvonne, whose strength was almost comparable to his own.

Yurian’s ability was physical enhancement.

Even without this ability, he was the strongest person in the empire. Since those with physical enhancement abilities often gradually manifest their abilities as they grow up. Now Yurian’s body was made up of a large physique suitable for manifesting enhancement abilities. Therefore, even without using magic to enhance, he was stronger than most unmanned individuals.

Surprised, he turned Yvonne’s body and said:

“Have you awakened?”

“…”

“Yvonne. Please say something.”

Yvonne shook off her hand as if annoyed. Then Yurian grabbed her hand again, frowning.

Yurian couldn’t understand why she was treating him like this. Was she angry because of what he asked last time?

‘If Kess accumulates achievements, we’ll be engaged.’

“Did Marques Rohan erase your memory?”

But she seemed too dull for that. The Princess Yvonne he knew pretended to be calm but was a sloppy person and a woman who constantly watched him, pretending not to. But now she was cold to him as if she had become a completely different person.

Not even responding.

“I apologize, Yvonne.”

“…”

“If I’ve done something to upset you, I apologize.”

He thought if Marques Rohan had erased Yvonne’s memory, she should have a headache as a side effect, not treating him coldly like this. But she seemed perfectly fine.

“Aren’t you going to treat me today?”

Yurian, trying to stop Yvonne from leaving, spoke with a pitiful expression. But Yvonne remained cold. Feeling sorrowful at her demeanor, Yurian didn’t hide his emotions and embraced her, saying,

“My body hurts too much.”

At that moment, familiar footsteps sounded cheerfully, and the door opened.

“Huh?”

The one who appeared when the door opened was Princess Yvonne.

She was holding various items in her hands.

* * *

Marques Rohan entered the palace after a long time. He couldn’t attend the morning meeting due to some work, but he headed to the palace in the afternoon to deliver news to the emperor.

He was walking lightly toward the imperial palace. Lately, he had been undergoing more intense training than most knights, and thanks to his auxiliary ability as an esper, he could quickly build up his body.

His shoulders had become much broader, and he had acquired a proper posture. Muscles had also developed in his arms, although he was still a bit short of the muscular man Princess Yvonne had mentioned, he was steadily getting stronger. Even his waist seemed noticeably wider.

Most importantly, his abs were clearly defined.

With these changes, he wanted to meet Princess Yvonne as soon as possible. If he entered the palace, he could at least catch a glimpse of her nearby. He had been so disappointed these past few days because he couldn’t even accidentally run into her due to not entering the palace.

Marques wanted to finish his business as quickly as possible and head to the princess’s palace. With this wish in mind, he walked quickly to the end of the corridor and stood before the emperor.

“I present to you the strongest sword of the Bricesys Empire.”

“I see.”

After politely greeting the emperor, Marques handed over the documents he had brought. After the emperor’s aide, who was standing next to Marques, received them for a moment, he immediately handed them over to the emperor at the emperor’s gesture.

Hildebrandt glanced over the documents Marques had brought and asked,

“Why is our Yvonne so fond of you?”

“Uh…”

Marques paused for a moment at the sudden question from the emperor. The emperor often troubled his subordinates like this, bringing up personal matters to distract their focus and mess up their reports.

It was a way of making them make mistakes unknowingly. Marques began to carefully formulate his response to avoid making mistakes in this matter.

“Well, once… Princess Yvonne saved me.”

“When was this?”

“Three years ago.”

“Where did she save you from?”

The emperor asked indifferently. It seemed that he wasn’t pleased with the documents Marques had brought.

He generally entrusted difficult tasks, especially those that couldn’t easily accumulate achievements, to Marques, who had handled everything flawlessly.

He constantly doubted and tested.

Hildebrandt was someone who constantly doubted and tested others from the beginning. That’s why he could reign as a more perfect emperor than anyone else. He didn’t hesitate to discard what he didn’t need for power, even if it meant discarding mercilessly.

Marques carefully answered to gain recognition from the emperor, just like before.

“I can’t swim at all. But once while boating, I fell into the water.”

“Ah, you mean that incident? During the Goddess Festival?”

It seemed that the emperor remembered that incident as well. When Marques briefly affirmed, Hildebrandt added to his memory.

“You looked quite pathetic then. Oh, by the way, did Yvonne save you?”

“Yes.”

“Just because she saved you from drowning, you fell for her?”

Hildebrandt’s expression showed complete incomprehension. He couldn’t understand why Marques was making such a fuss over being saved from the water.

However, Hildebrandt naturally felt that way. He was the emperor, and if he fell into the water, all the members of the Imperial Knights would save him.

The emperor looked disgusted as he recalled the fact that Princess Yvonne had fallen into the water.

“You didn’t know her well back then.”

“But you fell for her just because she saved you without knowing you?”

“Yes.”

Marques wanted to explain to the emperor how seriously he considered Princess Yvonne. The princess favored by the emperor. He needed to ensure that he could be trusted to meet her even if he was greeted by her palace guards.

Hildebrandt smiled, as if the urge to torment him had disappeared. As if he had passed his test, the emperor kindly opened up to Marques and mentioned a significant fact.

“You know, Chancellor.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“If Yvonne doesn’t awaken by the time I return from the diplomatic visit, she’ll die.”

“Pardon?”

“I’ll kill her.”

It took a few minutes for Marques to realize that the emperor’s words were not a joke. Marques stared at the emperor in shock, and Hildebrandt, watching his expression, seemed to completely lose the vague discomfort he had felt before.

“Why, Your Majesty?”

“I told you. Useless things aren’t needed.”

“But Your Majesty, you seem to hold Princess Yvonne in high regard…”

“She’s beautiful. She listens well and speaks kindly.”

“But…”

“But still, there’s no need to keep something useless alive.”

His words made Marques’ heart grow cold. After the shocking announcement, Hildebrandt made a suggestion to Marques, as if granting him discretion.

“But if the Chancellor listens to me well, maybe I could spare her.”

“…”

“How about it? Would you like to make a deal?”

At Hildebrandt’s sarcastic laughter, Marques looked at him with astonished eyes.