How to Protect My Sub Male Lead Dad

I hid my injured hand behind my back. But there was no way Dad would miss it. And his smile dissipated.

He approached me with quick steps and asked, “How did you get hurt? Is it painful?”

He didn’t seem angry, but he did look quite surprised.

‘Why is Dad fretting over this small thing?’

Feeling embarrassed, I shyly extended the hand I had hidden. Dad narrowed his eyes and looked at my hand, still tied in a handkerchief.

“….…”
“I’m fine. It’s just a scratch. Nothing serious.”
“Who tied the handkerchief?”

Instead of waiting for an answer, Dad looked over at Brantley.

Brantley bowed his head as a sign of affirmation.

Dad stared intently at Brantley momentarily and then said, “You’ve finally done something useful.”
“!”

Brantley looked up in surprise at Dad’s compliment. Brantley was caught off guard, as he was so used to being scolded by Dad.

But Dad turned away from Brantley and looked back at me, “If no one steps in to take care of you, Hanelope, will you ignore your injuries?” Dad said, as if scolding.

I was flabbergasted.

“You’re making a mountain out of a molehill!”
“Not to me. Even a small scratch makes me worry.”

Dad’s eyes were full of concern. So, I couldn’t argue any further and kept my mouth shut.

‘If he knew the Pope caused this, he might just overturn the cathedral.’

So I decided to keep mum.

At that moment, a sharp premonition pricked my skin. Looking up, I noticed a decorative piece falling from high up on the temple building.

“!”

It seemed the child below the chandelier had come to the temple with their parents. He was blissfully unaware of the impending disaster.

“No!”

My body reacted on its own. But someone else was faster.

The person hugged the child, and the object fell onto her body. Since the object was small, she was able to avoid hitting a vital area. The woman who shielded the child let out a sharp scream and collapsed.

“Lady, Lady Yenna!”

A young priest screamed and ran towards the woman.

‘Did he call out Yenna?’

The child was unharmed, but Yenna had lost consciousness. Soon the surroundings became chaotic.

“What should we do? It seems the Saint has been seriously injured.”
“The child is safe, but Lady Yenna appears to be badly hurt.”

The young priest struggled to support Yenna, who was as tall as she was. But he seemed to be having trouble moving her.

There were no other priests in sight, and the commoners didn’t dare to touch the Saint’s body.

Dad sighed and whispered to me, “I’ll be right back. Wait here, and we’ll go home together.”

Then he approached Yenna and the priest.

“I’ll support the Saint. Lead the way to where she should be taken.”
“Th- Thank you.”

The young priest hastily led Dad into the temple.

Yenna disappeared from view, but the front yard of the temple remained noisy.

Most of it was in praise of Yenna.

“By tomorrow, the capital will be filled with praise for the Saint. Even after what she went through with Asta,” Fritzka said sarcastically.

Katherine spoke in a less than flattering tone, “It can’t be helped… People always need new heroes.”

Then, with a face full of reluctance, she clasped my hand, “I wish we could stay longer together, but my father told us to return home as soon as we’re done at the temple. If we don’t return on time, my father’s secretary, the devil incarnate, will tell him everything.”
“We’ll still be in the capital for a while, so let’s meet again next time.”

Fritzka also looked quite disappointed.

I smiled and nodded, “It goes without saying. Next time, I’ll invite you to our house. Will you come?”
“Of course. And…”

Fritzka hesitated as if he had something important to say. But he couldn’t say it easily and glanced at Brantley, who was standing next to me.

For a moment, Fritzka’s gaze became intense.

‘Is there some beef between Fritzka and Brantley that I don’t know about?’

When I tilted my head in question, Fritzka quickly grinned mischievously, “Never mind. I’ll tell you next time, when it’s just the two of us.”

He emphasized his last words specifically.

“Shouldn’t you leave? I’m sure the Marquis must have been waiting for a long time,” Brantley said coldly.

It seemed something about Fritzka had gotten on his nerves.

After the Spigent twins left, a middle-aged woman with a friendly appearance approached us as we loitered in the front yard.

“Have you come to pray for His Holiness the Pope?”
“No, we’ve met His Holiness. Now we’re waiting for someone,” Brantley responded in a polite yet precise tone.

Brantley, who still showed his wild side to those close to him, would transform into a perfect nobleman when facing others.

Whenever I saw this contrast, I felt both strange and had a peculiar fluttering in my chest.

‘Because he gave me an impression that I was not familiar with.’

The middle-aged woman widened her eyes at Brantley’s response.

“Oh, you must be esteemed guests of His Holiness. Then you shouldn’t be waiting in a place like this. Let me guide you to a more comfortable place.”
“It’s all right. We’re fine waiting here.”
“Are you worried you might miss the person you’re waiting for? Don’t worry. I have to keep cleaning the front yard, so if you tell me who you’re waiting for, I can let you know as soon as they arrive.”

The woman looked at us with a sincere expression.

“I’m just an employee cleaning the temple, but I’ve been to every corner and know the perfect places for guests to wait.”

With such a kind face and words, it was hard to refuse. Besides, we didn’t know when Dad would finish his work. It seemed better to wait in a more comfortable place.

So, we told her that we were waiting for Dad and followed her.

 

***

 

Inside the temple-

Near the prayer room, there was an empty room attached and the hallway nearby was quiet.

“Our employees sometimes rest here. The high priests always get angry when that happens. But we need a place to rest, too, hahahaha. Still, don’t touch anything in this room. You might get into big trouble if you do.”

The woman explained cheerfully and then left.

We sat side by side on a hard wooden bench. Opposite the bench hung a colorful tapestry. The pattern on the fabric depicted a large group of people dancing in a jumble before a god.

“This is too ornate and secular for something hanging in a cathedral,” Brantley muttered.

I stared intently at the tapestry.

My brow furrowed for a moment.

“This isn’t a painting.”

I stood up and walked closer to the tapestry. Brantley also followed me.

“What do you mean, it’s not a painting?”
“Look closely at how the people are dancing. It’s a magic circle.”

Brantley’s expression twisted strangely at my words.

The tapestry’s pattern… At first glance, it looked like people’s limbs were twisting this way and that in dance, but it was actually inscribed with a magical formula.

The formula was disguised with patterns and colors to make it appear like people.

“A repelling magic circle.”

Brantley traced the magical formula on the tapestry with his fingertips as he spoke.

A repelling magic circle causes those nearby to either not recognize the object or location where the magic circle is inscribed or to feel indifferent to it.

‘But we recognized the existence of this magic circle.’

Furthermore, even though Brantley was touching the magic circle, there was no reaction.

“This magic circle has been nullified. It’s not functioning.”

As soon as I finished speaking, Brantley swiftly pulled the tapestry aside.

Behind the tapestry was a short passage.

At the end of the passage was a small circular space with an altar at its center.

On the weathered altar, it was written in the language of the gods:

Worship the Merciless God, Grouser.

 

***

 

The priest who had led Yenna to a place to lie down left the room in a hurry, saying he would bring more people.

Hart didn’t even have a chance to say that he would go instead and leave. He had no choice but to pace around the room with a sense of unease.

“Hanelope must be waiting…”

Hart stared at Yenna, who was lying on the bed.

Black hair and black eyes were exotic and charming features. She had a unique appearance that anyone would agree was befitting a ‘Saint.’ Perhaps that’s why many nobles were fond of her.

But Hart felt nothing.

Since Laura left, his heart had never once been moved by any woman.

He crossed his arms and leaned against the wall, waiting for the priest to return.

“You look just like a Greek god.”

While waiting impatiently, he heard a groan from the direction of the bed. He looked up to find Yenna sitting on the edge of the bed, gazing at him.

The groan had been a sound of admiration upon seeing Hart leaning against the wall.

“Greek?”
“Oh, it’s a country from another world I once lived in. The gods in their legends have bodies like yours, Your Highness.”

Is that a compliment? Should he say thank you? Hart felt a headache coming on from Yenna’s bold statement.

‘It seems I am the real patient here. Yenna appears to be perfectly fine.’

Then there was no need to linger any longer.

“Seeing that you are feeling better, I will take my leave now. I’ll tell the priest to come take care of the Saint.”
“W-wait a moment!”

Yenna jumped up barefoot and grabbed the hem of Hart’s coat as he turned to leave.

Hart looked back at her with cold eyes.

“I have something to tell you.”
“Please, go ahead.”
“I have feelings for you, Your Highness.”

Yenna spoke, her black pearl-like eyes shining and her expression was as charming as possible. She was quite attractive, so no man had ever resisted her when she acted like this.

Surely, Prince Hart would also…

“I know.”
“…What?”

But Hart’s response was not what Yenna had expected.

As if he was fed up with this sort of thing, he neatly but firmly removed Yenna’s hand from his coat without acting rudely.