Chapter 20
“…definitely want to give it a try. Huff, huff.”
I threw the rope fashioned of bedsheets out the window of my room, muttering the words I couldn’t say in front of Reynold yesterday. I pushed myself up onto the window frame using all my strength. That action was enough to leave me feeling out of breath. It was the first day of the festival. Yesterday, after Emily had finished serving me for the day, I’d taken all the bedsheets I had and tied them together in a rope. Truly, it was the most classic method of escape.
“Now, let’s do this.”
I waited a moment until my breathing could become steady again. I’d fully prepared for the day out, wearing a thick robe that covered my face and hair. I also had a few gold coins, and a blank cheque I’d gotten from the Duke for my reward for the incident the other day. All that was left was to successfully escape from my room, located on the second floor of the mansion.
“Hah… Why do I have to go through all of this?”
I complained, looking down from the window. I held onto the rope and slid down it with a fast speed. If it was only from the second floor, I concluded that I could safely make it down.
I’m sure it’s possible…
“…Shoot.”
The bedsheet rope was shorter than I’d thought. I couldn’t check before, as I couldn’t see very well how long it was from this angle. I thought it’d be fine, thinking the rope was pretty long. I would probably wake someone up if I were to jump from this height, and it was possible that I could get injured if I made a wrong move.
“Just-…!”
Realizing that the estimated length was different from the actual length made me panic. Looking up, the distance from me to my room had grown rather far, and I didn’t have enough strength to climb back up. The best I could do was barely holding onto the bed sheets as I hung there.
“Hah… What should I do?”
I sniffled at the situation where I couldn’t help myself either way.
“Hey, you. What are you doing?”
The voice came from under me. I looked down, and my eyes met with someone else’s.
“Heh.”
The sound of that person’s feigned laughter followed.
“…Reynold?”
His pink hair shone in the moonlight. Reynold was looking up at me from below, his expression as if he were looking at an idiot with no sense.
“Wh-Why are you there?”
“Are you joking? My room is below your room.”
“…”
I clicked my mouth shut.
How was I supposed to know that his room was the room below Penelope’s?
“Are you…? Hah… This is so ridiculous, that I can’t find the right words. Are you trying to escape right now?”
“What do you mean, escape?!”
I was startled at his question.
“I-I was just going to go out for a walk.”
“A walk? Seems like it’s a trend nowadays for girls your age to climb a wall when you’re going out for a walk.”
“…”
I didn’t know what to say, so I stared far into the distance instead. However, I’d forgotten something while panicking. I didn’t have much strength, and my arms were quickly reaching their limit. As my strength left me, I began to slide down the rope.
“Ack!”
I shouted and grabbed harder onto the end of the rope just before completely falling.
“Haa, ha…”
I was clinging on to the end of the rope, swinging side to side, like a spider climbing one strand of its web.
“Hey!”
Then, Reynold shouted as he climbed up his window frame at a fast speed. His face when he jumped out from his window, looked a little pale.
“Let go.”
Reynold, who was now standing on the ground outside, said as he opened his arms.
“Wh-What?”
“Let go and jump down to where I am. I’ll catch you.”
That moment, I was barely able to keep myself from saying ‘how am I supposed to trust you?’.
“If you don’t want to, then you can just continue to cling onto that.”
My hesitation didn’t last long at his next words. I had no other choice.
“…Please don’t miss me. Catch me well.”
I ordered.
He wouldn’t purposely let me die, right?
I was finally able to let go of the grip after thinking that over and over again to convince myself that I’d be fine.
“Hupp-!”
I felt the immense wind blow pass my cheeks. Just when I started to feel butterflies in my stomach like when you ride a rollercoaster…
Flop-
“Caught you.”
I opened my eyes to see Reynold smirking like a devil would.
“…P-Put me down.”
I realized that my face was really close to his and hurried down from his arms. Reynold asked while I was fixing the robe I was wearing.
“Where are you planning to go?”
“Just for a…”
“If you say that you’re going out for a walk again, then I’m heading for Father right away.”
I glared hatefully at the brat who cut through my line.
Why did I have to get caught by him of all people? Nah, it’s still better than being caught by Derrick.
I was thankful for that at least. I quickly came up with an excuse.
“I’m going to the festival.”
I admitted.
“You’re going in the middle of the night? You went through all of this when you could have just gone during the day?”
“I had my reasons. You don’t need to know.”
I answered.
“There can’t be a reason for you to go without a bodyguard, especially at night. Do you even know how dangerous it is outside the estate this time of day? How can a girl be so reckless?”
“Reynold.”
I called out his name, annoyed.
“Thank you so very much for helping me just now. However, like I told you last time, I’ll take care of my own business from now on, so do not mind me at all.”
I coldly reminded him of the line between us.
“Hey. You…”
Reynold was at a loss for words. I glanced at the [Favorability 7%].
“I’m an adult now. What happens to me is my responsibility. If you want to be considerate as my brother, you can just ignore it.”
“Then I’m coming with you.”
“…What?”
It was my turn to be speechless.
“We’ll just go to the festival together, then. I can act as your bodyguard and keep you company as your brother. Everything is solved that way.”
I just stared. He continued,
“Keep this a secret from Father. So we’ll go together.”
Ha!
It was so ridiculous I couldn’t say anything.
Why was he acting like that? Why would the brat who grits his teeth at the mere sight of Penelope ask her to go to the festival with him?
“You don’t like me, though. So why insist-”
I tried to convince him with wavering eyes, but he cut me off again.
“Says who?”
He said in annoyance, his voice growing loud,
“It was you who screamed about how you hated me a hundred thousand times!”
“Shh!”
I raised my to my lips and looked around us. I scared someone might have heard his shouting. Thankfully it was dead silent all around us; it seemed no one heard a thing.
“You could just say I was wrong without all the screaming.”
I whispered to him with a frown.
Also when did I ever say all of that?
I was going to tell him to stop babbling nonsense. But there wasn’t time for us to be chatting away like that; I had to hurry to get Eclipse. While lost in thought Reynold stubbornly continued.
“Anyway, regardless of what you say we’re going together. I’m going to follow you even if you tell me not to.
≪ Quest! ≫
≪ Would you like to proceed with the quest, {Date At The Festival} with [Reynold]? ≫
≪ Reward: Reynold’s interest +3% (and others.) ≫
[Accept / Reject]
The same white box I rejected yesterday appeared before me again. I looked back and forth between Reynold and the quest box and let out a sigh. I had no other choice but to accept.
“Fine. We’ll go together, alright?”
I pressed ‘Accept’.
~*~
Reynold and I walked together in silence to the knights’ training grounds. He made a face as if he were saying ‘I knew it’ when we arrived at the escape hole from yesterday. We began to make our way through the hole after clearing out the brush when a voice came from behind.
“Just what are you two doing?”
The sharp voice stopped me in my tracks. Reynold and I were both startled and abruptly turned around. The first thing I saw was a favorability bar shining in the dark.
“Just where are the two of you planning to go in the middle of the night like this?”
Derrick asked.
“Brother.”
Reynold said. Derrick walked over to the two of us and glared at me. It was obvious I was about to go through the hole, so there was no denying it.
“W-Well…”
I was searching for the words to say, but Reynold was faster.
“She said she wanted to go see the festival, Brother.”
Reynold pointed at me.
“The festival…?”
Derick responded.
“Yes. That’s why I decided to follow her as her bodyguard to keep an eye on her in case she gets into trouble.”
Derrick’s gaze moved from Reynold back to me. I instinctively curled in on myself at his cold gaze.
My plan to get Eclipse is definitely going to fail, now.
I dejectedly lowered my head.
“It is the most fundamental and basic thing to have at least two bodyguards for any one noble in need of guarding.”
Derrick said with a cold tone of voice.
≪ Quest! ≫
≪ Would you like to proceed with the quest, {Date At The Festival} with [Derrick]? ≫
≪ Reward: Derrick’s interest +3% (and others.) ≫
[Accept / Reject]
I am so screwed. Hahaha!
I gave up and just smiled; It was the only thing I could do at the time.
Please let me know if there’s anything inconsistent or that needs further editing/corrections!!
If you have an idea for an image for this chapter, please let me know! I’ll get to adding it eventually regardless, but I’d appreciate any suggestions. Lessens my work load lol.
Sorry I’ve been gone so long!
-emrld
Scarlett Shoujo 