Chapter 16
I felt a bit awkward as I entered the room. It felt as if the butler had been training his manners while I was sick.
“You came.”
The Duke was sitting on the sofa today, located on the front side of his work desk.
“You called.”
I bowed my head in greeting. He nodded and gave me his permission to sit.
“Have a seat.”
I sat across from the Duke as I sorted through the excuses I’d come up with. The Duke slowly opened his mouth after a prolonged silence.
“The reason I called for you today-…”
“Father. May I quickly say something first?”
I quickly cut through his words. I then stood up, and knelt on the floor next to the sofa.
“I apologize for everything.”
That was my plan. Apologizing before explaining.
“It seems I didn’t reflect on my actions enough during my timeout, and I made a scene during the royal ceremony, which brought shame to the family.”
The words I’d prepared spilled out of my mouth like water.
I mean, would he go as far as to kick his recently injured daughter out of the house when she’s confessing like this?
“No, wait.”
It seemed like my plan had worked, because the shock was noticeable on his face.
“I’ll dare not bring up forgiveness. I know well that I’m at fault for this.”
“What do you-…?”
“I’ll take on any punishment you give without argument. So-…”
“Enough!”
I was about to ask him to spare me a little, but his shout quickly snapped my mouth shut.
“Penelope Eckart.”
The Duke called my name with a low and deep voice.
Did this strategy stop working after the first time?
I started to feel worried. Gulping, I replied.
“…Yes, Father.”
“Rise.”
“…Pardon?”
It was so unexpected that I had to question it. When I did, one of the Duke’s eyebrows raised.
“An Eckart doesn’t kneel, no matter what the reason. Don’t lower yourself so easily, Penelope.”
“…”
“No one can make you kneel to the ground as long as you’re an Eckart. Not even one of the royals!”
The Duke raised his voice when he said the word ‘royal’. Following that, he continued:
“If you understand, then rise now.”
“…A-Alright!”
I abruptly got up and once again, sat on the sofa. My heart raced at the Duke’s impressive charisma that I wasn’t able to witness while playing the game.
Did I say something wrong?
I was thinking that, when the Duke started speaking again.
“Penelope. I didn’t call you here to scold you.”
“Huh? Then…”
“I want to hear about what happened in the Royal Palace in more detail.”
“…”
“Now tell me. What happened between you and the Crown Prince?”
At his words, I looked back on the events before I’d fainted. I’d followed the Crown Prince, intending to be killed, and almost got my head sliced off my body. I then somehow saved myself from death by confessing that I liked that insane bastard. Thinking about it again sent chills down my spine.
“Well…”
I quickly came up with an excuse, not noticing the Duke’s intense stare at my face that only got paler by the second.
“I went to get some fresh air in the maze garden, and happened to meet His Highness there. But, it happened to be when he was in a bad mood, so…”
My excuse was very different from what had originally happened. It felt like I was well on my way to becoming a professional liar since coming here.
But what else can I do? I can’t tell the truth, and it wasn’t all a lie.
“So,”
“…”
“The Crown Prince sliced your neck up like that just from him being in a bad mood?”
“Huh? No. Not sliced up my-…”
“If it’s not slicing your neck up, then what’s that wound?! He’s not a wild coyote, but he pointed his sword at a noble girl just because he was in a bad mood?!”
The Duke shouted in anger for some reason. I imagined I could hear the Crown Prince saying ‘how noisy’ somewhere. I quickly responded.
“It was me who got on his nerves in the first place.”
“Good job.”
“…Pardon?”
“We could demand the Crown Prince for a favor, using how he harmed you as a threat. You’ve become a great member of Eckart, Penelope.”
I felt I was about to go crazy hearing the Duke’s unexpected response.
“We needed to take him down a peg or two someday anyway. He became way too prideful after gaining the title of a war hero.”
“F-Father…”
Those words could bring chaos to our family should anyone hear them. It was an insult to the royal family. As I flustered internally, the Duke continued with his speech as if nothing happened.
“Penelope, you should know that us Eckarts aren’t on anyone’s side. We’re just sitting on the fence, neutral.”
“Yes, of course.”
Nope. I didn’t know that, actually. Not at all.
“Though that’s the case, it’s hard to resist if we don’t have any backing. Her Majesty the First Empress has passed away, and the number of people who support the Crown Prince have decreased.”
“…”
“No one knows who will become the next Emperor at the moment.”
I didn’t know the Crown Prince had this kind of a backstory.
It was because that damn game was about nothing but capturing the hearts of the male leads.
He had a reason for acting like a mad dog at the banquet.
At first, I didn’t understand why the Empress and the Second Prince had sent an assassin after the Crown Prince.
“So, continue to be you going forward as well.”
With that said, the Duke put on a satisfied smile as he changed the conversation topic.
“You’ve acted well in this case, so I shall reward you rather than punish you. Do you have anything you want to ask for?”
“A reward?”
I came here expecting to be punished. I didn’t think I’d be rewarded like this. I just sat there, staring blankly at him until he slightly nodded his head.
“Do you want a jeweler to visit again? Or do you perhaps want to throw out all of your dresses and order some new ones, since this season’s coming to its end?”
My jaw dropped at the reward options. They were on a completely different scale to what I could think of.
What a windfall.
However, Penelope already had so many of both the jewels and dresses. I really didn’t feel like I needed any more. I thought of what I wanted, and soon answered hesitantly.
“I’ll tell you what I want as my reward later, I’d like to have more time to think about it.”
Ca-chak
The Duke and I were finished with our talk, and I’d just closed the office door behind me when a white box appeared before me out of nowhere.
≪ Your fame has been +5 due to the reformation of your relationship with the people working in this mansion. (Total: 5) ≫
“Ha.”
A feigned laugh escaped me at how ridiculous it was.
Just what did I do to earn this?
I didn’t really try to improve my relationships with the people around me. If I had to think of one thing I did, then it’d be threatening them a little so they don’t look down on me.
Was me being hurt a little by the Crown Prince really that big of a deal?
I was fascinated by how many things were flowing in an unexpected way, including how the Duke acted. I also felt a little proud of myself in a way. Since, be it interest or fame, plus (+) always meant something good.
Great. Let’s continue with this flow of things.
Please let me know if there’s anything inconsistent, or that needs further editing/corrections!!
-emrld
Scarlett Shoujo 