Raising the Daughters to Overcome My Failure

Chapter 13. Unseen Ones (1)

Paradise of Dragons. Originally, it referred to a small volcanic island located south of the Durani Empire.

It was a virtually inaccessible area because huge ocean monsters roamed around relentlessly, but, ‘I managed to arrive there once after a lot of hardship.’

I had tamed a wyvern and flown there with my daughter.

Of course, the sky wasn't safe either.

Because that was the region where the dragons that ruled the sky lived.

Why did I go to such a dangerous place?

Koreans are a people who can't stand it if there's a dark fog covering the map since the Starcraft days; their hearts become anxious.

Achieving 100% map completion is the most basic of basics.

Anyway, since a wyvern was merely a subspecies of a dragon, I was only able to barely reach that place after repeating the save-load trick hundreds of times.

To get straight to the point, it was a wasteland where only dragons lived.

‘I succeeded in arriving, but I died without being able to last even ten minutes.’

Even now, just thinking about it makes me give a bitter smile.

Because I went there thinking there would be something, but there was nothing.

But besides me, there was one other case where the residents of the PP world arrived there.

They even devastated the place.

‘The guys from the Durani Empire brought an artifact that puts ocean monsters to sleep and invaded the place with more than a hundred ships.’

They, who even had an artifact that put dragons to sleep, carried out a one-sided slaughter, and the Paradise of Dragons soon disappeared from the map. his was the catalyst for Anticus deciding to become the Demon King.

Afterward, Anticus became the Demon King and built a new Paradise of Dragons, ‘And that was right here, the Elburz Mountains. She started her revenge against humanity with this place as her base.’

Therefore, her words about making this place a Paradise of Dragons didn't sound that strange.

Because it was something I had already experienced once in the game.

‘The situation is different from back then, but it’s not that surprising anymore.’

From the moment Adel distrusted me and Iris ran away, this was no longer the PP world I knew.

If I was surprised by every little thing like this, I wouldn't be able to handle the things that would happen in the future.

Besides, since entering Frank's body, have I become someone who doesn't get surprised by much?

Perhaps the personality and experience of Frank, who was a former hero, made me stronger.

I subtly tried to sound out Anticus' inner thoughts.

“Is one of the reasons you brought the dragons here because of the Durani Empire?”

Anticus opened her mouth with a curious face.

“Why did you think so?”

“Because there are some points that are not convincing with just what you've said.”

Her face grew heavy.

“There's no need for me to lie to you. The Durani Empire is dangerous. They have never been destroyed for a thousand years and have firmly protected their country. Also, they are ones who hate dragons.”

Indeed.

I definitely remembered seeing such content in the setting book.

“I understand. They have suffered damage from dragons for a long time. The reason their crest is a picture of a sword piercing a dragon's heart must be for that reason.”

“It was a very long time ago, but you know their history well. Was that also something you saw in the ruins?”

It wasn't true, but I roughly nodded my head.

I might not know the future, but if it was something that happened in the past, it was in the palm of my hand.

‘It would be troublesome if you ignored me, a veteran player of PP.’

Above all, if this place becomes a Paradise of Dragons, I would be the one to benefit in many ways.

As long as the dragons are holding their ground, the demon tribe won't be able to move carelessly either.

‘I'll be able to buy that much time. It's a relief for me.’

But Adel had been restless and anxious for a while now.

She kept looking back and putting her hand on her scabbard, but was there something?

No matter how much I looked, I couldn't see anything around.

Just at that moment.

Anticus suddenly burst into laughter.

“Haha. It seems you all have already noticed. Quite impressive. Their concealment technique is a skill that is quite difficult to discern even for me unless I pay attention.”

Then, she shouted towards my back with a terrifying face.

“Why don't you cut it out and come out? There's nowhere to run. This area is already blocked by my barrier.”

I was wondering what she was talking about, but a person's figure suddenly appeared from thin air.

His entire body was wrapped in black clothes, and he even wore a mask, so only his eyes were visible.

Even those only showed the whites, making me feel quite uneasy.

Only then did I grasp the opponent's identity and had to swallow a dry gulp.

The ultimate mastermind of the PP world.

The Unseen Ones were standing before my eyes.

It seems I have to take back what I said earlier.

Frank's personality and whatever, every day is a series of surprises.

***

Adel pondered for a moment.

‘Can I win against that person?’

Through long training, she had learned to gauge her opponent's skill.

If the opponent was Anticus, it would be out of the question, but the man in front of her now,

‘He's a little stronger than me, but if I go at him with determination, I have a chance of winning.’

Having made up her mind, she quickly drew her sword and swung it towards the opponent.

A sword aura that sharply cut through the air.

She thought she had cut him, but there was no sensation in her hand at all.

‘Where did he go?’

In that fleeting moment.

The man in black, who had appeared behind Anticus at some point, took out a gray dagger from his bosom and was about to strike down on Anticus' neck.

“Die!!”

But that was as far as he got.

Because the man's dagger had stopped in mid-air before it could touch Anticus' body.

Not only the dagger, but his entire body was stopped in mid-air as if time had stopped.

Adel remembered a story she had heard from her master, Lud, a long time ago.

“Adel. What do you think it would be like if there was a magic that could subdue an opponent without even allowing them to counterattack.”

“Hmm. As a swordsman, that sounds like a very cheap magic.”

“Haha, I suppose so. To those without magic, it would feel like a natural disaster. But such a magic actually exists.”

Adel asked with a puzzled expression.

“What kind of magic is that?”

“It’s a 7th-tier magic called Freezing. It's an ancient magic that I've only recently managed to learn.”

“Wow! That’s amazing, Master!”

Lud gently stroked her head and continued.

“Thank you. It’s a powerful magic, but the way to break it is surprisingly simple.”

“How do you do it?”

“You just have to bite your tongue as soon as you're caught. I was quite surprised when I first learned it too. How about it? Would you like to experience it now?”

“Yes!”

But the man in black didn't seem to know that secret and couldn't break free from the magic.

Soon, Anticus' cold voice stimulated her ears.

“Why did you, who should be in the south, come all the way here?”

Her knees buckled at that voice filled with killing intent.

Just at that moment.

Suddenly, one of her nails grew long.

Then, without hesitation, it deeply stabbed the opponent's thigh.

Stab!

Swoosh!!

Blood gushed out from the opponent's thigh like a fountain.

However, the man couldn't even grimace.

Because Freezing was that kind of magic.

“It seems I've been underestimated a lot. To dare come all the way to where I am.”

She suddenly turned her head towards her father and said.

“Hero. I think I'll be busy for a while. I'll entrust the development of this place to you, so don't mind me and do as you see fit.”

“Thank you.”

“Then I guess I should enjoy some amusement for the first time in a while. Let's see. What would be good.”

Adel couldn't dare to look Anticus straight in the face.

Because that was not an expression a human could possibly make.

All the fine hairs on her body stood on end.

***

On the way home after leaving the cave.

Her father didn't say a single word after that and silently hastened his steps.

‘How can he not change his expression one bit even after experiencing something like that?’

It was as if he had predicted everything.

The fact that Anticus was making this place a Paradise of Dragons was already a huge deal.

Would the kingdom accept this obediently?

‘It won't be easy. Dragons are as dangerous as the demon tribe.’

What was more worrisome was the identity of the man caught by Anticus.

His ability was not ordinary.

His skill in hiding his body, his appearance of instantly dodging her attack, ‘He moved behind Anticus as if he had teleported. If it weren't for the Freezing magic, she would have been the one in danger.’

Of course, Anticus, who subdued him in one fell swoop, possessed an unimaginable power.

‘What was I thinking, pointing my sword at her? My father was right. I can't survive with just talent anymore.’

Through this incident, Adel realized that she needed to train herself further.

Meanwhile, despite these amazing events happening one after another.

Her father accepted this calmly without wavering.

Having hardened her resolve, she cautiously opened her mouth.

“Father.”

“……”

But her father didn't answer.

He just diligently moved forward.

‘Is he disappointed in me because I doubted him?’

Her head naturally bowed.

Adel thought and thought about how she could appease her father.

Should she try talking to him in a friendly manner?

Or should she try to act cute like Noemi?

But no matter how much she thought about it, such things were impossible for her.

She resolved to at least change her tone to be a little softer and silently followed behind her father.

***

I didn't have the luxury to care about anything else right now.

‘The Unseen Ones have already appeared. Isn't this too fast?’

The Unseen Ones were the ultimate mastermind of the PP world.

In a sense, they were more difficult to catch than the Demon King.

They are everywhere, and they are nowhere.

Even if one or two were eliminated, they wouldn't reveal their base, and their individual combat power was excellent, so they couldn't be easily subdued.

However, since the main setting of the game was confined to this place, the Benedict Kingdom, they rarely appeared on the front lines.

Their base was the Durani Empire, far from here.

‘Even if they showed themselves, they would just give a hint to defeat the Demon King and disappear quickly.’

They were neither allies nor enemies.

In the latter half of the game, when it seemed the user wouldn't be able to see the ending, they would suddenly appear, give a clue to defeat the Demon King, and leisurely disappear.

That was the reason why some users called them ‘Black Santa.’

Saying they were beings who wore black clothes, gave gifts, and disappeared.

However, as someone who knew their background setting, this incident didn't feel like someone else's problem.

‘If they set their minds to it, something like the Demon King is no problem. But there was a setting that they were secretly maneuvering behind the scenes, waiting for their true master to appear.’

They were the real power that controlled the Durani Empire from behind.

As soon as I returned home, I immediately looked for Noemi.

Because I thought she might know something about this.

But unfortunately, Noemi also said she knew nothing about the Unseen Ones.

“The Unseen Ones? I've never heard of that before.”

It seemed her ability was limited to grasping only a part of the future, not the entire thing.

While I was pondering about that, Adel suddenly knocked on the door.

“What is it?”

“I have something to tell you.”

“About what?”

“It's about the Unseen Ones that you asked Noemi about, Father.”

Hmm? Does she know something?

“Continue.”

“When Noemi reappeared after a month, I felt a similar feeling.”

For some reason, her tone felt a little softer, but I didn't have the luxury to care about that right now.

“What do you mean by that?”

“I clearly felt someone was looking at me from behind, but there was no one around. Could the person who was caught by Anticus a little while ago be that person?”

Did something like that happen?

If so, this was not something to be taken lightly.

‘If their target of surveillance is Anticus, it doesn't matter, but if it's me or my daughters,

it's a different story. I need to come up with a countermeasure right away.’

After some thought, I headed to the treasury in the basement.

To get the cooperation of the only helper who could consult on this matter.