How to Protect My Sub Male Lead Dad

Hanelope said without missing a beat,

“My dad is an amazing person,” I boasted so that my dad would look good. My efforts didn’t just stop there.

I also pinched Maxim as he tried to clear up the misunderstanding with the Captain of the Capital Guard.

‘Let’s say Dad is on a secret mission or something? Otherwise, the captain of the guard will be disappointed as usual, and he’ll probably start calling Hart names!’

I gave him a subtle nudge.

Luckily, Maxim wasn’t clueless and easily caught on.

In any case, it was hard to stop the captain of the guard from raiding the illegal auction house.

This was the only way Hart could save face if his identity was revealed.

—

“Why are you here?”

Hart asked coldly, oblivious to my feelings. Tilting his head at an angle, his cold gaze fixed on me.

I could feel the anger in his voice that this was not acceptable.

‘I think he’s angry with me for interrupting Asta’s task.’

Suddenly, I remembered Hart’s words.

“This won’t happen again. It’s just for today.”

I felt a pang of sadness.

I knew he didn’t mean it, but I secretly hoped he did.

My lips protruded sadly, even though I tried to think that way.

“I was scared…”

“Of course you were scared, why did you follow me to such a dangerous place? What if you got hurt…”

“I was scared that you would disappear like my mum did… That’s why I followed you, but… Dad doesn’t understand anything!”

“What?”

The anger that had been building up on Hart’s face suddenly dissipated.

“You went out, and it’s dangerous at night, so I came along to protect you!”

“Why would you protect me? I, an adult, should be protecting you.”

“I should protect the ones I love! I couldn’t do anything when Mum left, what can I do if something happens to my dad too…!”

Suddenly, I felt a rush of emotion.

At that moment, I could only think of trying to save Hart.

It didn’t matter if he neglected me.

I didn’t want anything from him, I just wanted to save him and live, too.

That was it….

My lower lip trembled with nervousness when I saw how cold he was towards me.

‘I must have mistaken that Hart’s mood was a little softer these days.’

I was embarrassed and covered my trembling lips with my hands.

But this time, the pink eyes widened impatiently.

‘Am I going to cry?’

No!

He wouldn’t like a crying child.

I buried my head in Maxim’s cloak. But it was hard to hide the fact that my body was shaking, overwhelmed with sadness. I couldn’t believe I was so unable to control my emotions.

I felt like a real baby.

Then, the cloak fluttered and a large, warm hand suddenly lifted me up.

“?!”

It was Hart.

He looked at me with an indescribable expression. It was difficult to say whether he was angry or sad. Maybe it was both.

“You followed me because you were afraid I would die?”

“Yeah… Mum left and now you’re the only one I have…”

I tried to answer politely, but my words trailed off.

At the same time, something fell from my eyes.

It continued to trickle down, drop by drop.

Those were my tears…

 

***

 

Even after the day I soaked Hart’s collar with my tears, not much had changed. Hart still seemed affectionate yet indifferent, and I still followed him closely from behind.

As usual, I was swinging my legs on Hart’s office chair.

On one side of the office, a tall high chair near Hart was my designated spot.

“Since Hart told me to stay put in his office, Mrs. Melanie had no choice but to let me stay,” I thought to myself.

One of Hart’s vassal asked my with a smile, “Are you reading the newspaper again? Haha.”

I confidently nodded my head.

“Yup! I like reading the newspaper.”

His minions laughed as if finding me cute.

It was because I was holding the newspaper upside down.

I secretly chuckled seeing them laugh, lamenting ‘It’s so hard to read the newspaper upside down!’

I was afraid of the titles like- ‘The illegitimate daughter of the Prince saves the Saint.’

That’s why I’m trying to act more like a child to convince them.

‘The Lady’s mother was a physician that’s why she knows a thing or two about medicine, but otherwise she’s just a normal child.

– This was the current assessment of the vassals.

I held the newspaper upside down to catch the vassals off guard, but I was really reading the whole report.

The title read, 《The Illegal Auction of Tarov Caught! All Participants and Auction Items Seized.》

This incident happened a while ago, but the fact that Hart was present at the scene was not revealed.

Hart claimed that he was on a secret mission to the Royal Guard. Thanks to that, the Captain tried to protect Hart with all his might.

“Thank God,” I sighed and flipped the page.

《Saint Asta is leaving for the East to find the ‘Fountain of Life’… Who will be the one to drink this holy water?》

《Prince Hart is said to have begged Saint Asta to let him accompany her…》

As I read that paragraph, my brows tightened.

‘I don’t think Hart did something like this.’

If it had been before, I would have been skeptical, but because of the incident at the auction site, I could tell.

‘Hart said he would stay with me.’

He was the one who had hugged me as I cried and soaked his expensive clothes. Because of his kindness, I felt like a child again.

‘I even slept in his arms.’

He wouldn’t have made a promise like that only to break it.

‘Then this must be Asta’s ploy.’

She was pressuring Hart to accompany her to a dangerous place.

To the East, where ‘Mount Paro’ was located.

Mount Paro was in the territory of the Duke Moltke, Asta’s opponent. This is the place where he secretly mined ores.

Iron ore was a material for weapons.

‘Asta plans to bring evidence from Mount Paro and accuse Duke Moltke of plotting a rebellion.’

But Duke Moltke was no fool either. He had released demons in Mount Paro to prevent anyone from accessing it.

‘That’s why Asta needs Hart. She wants Hart to fight the demons and bring back the evidence for her.’

During the process, Hart was heavily injured in the original.

‘This is where the play begins.’

If Hart does not move according to Asta’s will, rumors will spread that will greatly damage his image. The emperor will be furious, and Hart will have to leave the capital crying and gritting his teeth to clear his name.

At this point, Asta will take Hart away on the pretext of helping him.

It was a tactic she often used in the original.

I need to stop her somehow.

Luckily, the answer was on the next page.

《The truth behind the downfall of designer de Bichon! De Bichon, who destroyed Prince Hart’s prized possessions, was found out and….》

‘As expected….’

I raised my head and looked at the vassals.

Hart hadn’t arrived yet. They had come here mainly to see me.

“How cute your bright eyes are!”

“After seeing Miss, I want to have a daughter of my own.”

Some of them were purely adoring me, but others had an ulterior motive.

I jumped out of my chair and ran to one vassal.

“Come with me and find Daddy!”

He grinned as I clasped his big hand in mine.

“Of course, Young Miss.”

“No, Miss. Why are you only going with Baron Matthew?”

“We can serve you just as well!”

The vassals who were spoiling me protested.

I shook my head resolutely.

“I’m going with this man, he seems knowledgeable.”

Leaving the regretful vassals behind, I grabbed Baron Matthew’s hand and walked out the office.

Baron Matthew started to talk.

“I am pleased that you recognized me. But My Lady have you not been able to meet the Prince lately?”

“Dad?”

“Yes.”

“Why do you want to know?”

I asked, narrowing my eyes.

Baron Matthew waved his hand in exasperation.

“I’m not really curious, I’m just worried about how you and His Highness the Prince are getting along, and if there’s anything I can do to help, I’d like to.”

Excuses tumbled out of Baron Matthew’s mouth.

I giggled like an innocent child.

“Dad and I get along great, and he said he’s not even going to the East with the Saint. He said he’s going to play with me, hehe!“

“What? East with the Saint?”

Baron Matthew was momentarily overjoyed.

He thought he could get another useful piece of information from my mouth.

‘Information is the purpose of some of the vassals who visit me every day.’

Not long ago, I gave them the full story of what happened with the designer de Bichon.

‘I told each vassal a different story!’

And today, after seeing the article, I found out who had been selling information.

‘I only told Baron Matthew the false story that de Bichon had destroyed Hart’s precious possessions.’

Baron Matthew believed the lie with a grain of salt and sold the information to the newspaper.

“Miss, elaborate a little more. Why isn’t Prince Hart going there? Did he have a fallout with the Saint?”

I’ll take advantage of you one more time before I reveal your identity.

I shook my head with an innocent face.

“The Saint told my father not to come.”

“She refused, why?”

“She said she doesn’t want Dad to get hurt. She’s going to leave alone, and she didn’t want to risk the people travelling with her.”

“The Prince might get hurt? Is it that dangerous?”

“Yes. If Dad goes with him, she’ll be putting him in danger, and she doesn’t want to do something that goes against her conscience.”

“Such generosity! As expected of the Saint.”

Baron Matthew snorted with excitement at the thought of selling information.

I was just as excited.

After all this publicity, Asta won’t be able to ‘act without conscience’. After all, she has an image to maintain.