Chapter 52

“How worthless is him to dare to be a knight and tell the vulgarity that insults the Lady!”

I couldn’t see why he was so angry, so I opened my eyes round.

“They’re articles loyal to father and family, not to me, are they?”

I thought it was all over when I brought in the escort myself.

I don’t want loyalty from knights who don’t recognize the princesses.

This was not only for the knights but also for all the employees.

In fact, compared to starving with rice just around the corner, that kind of curse is nothing.

If Eckliss weren’t involved, I would have just walked by.

“Penelope. What the...”

But the Duke didn’t seem to think so.

He looked at me with a vague look, as if he didn’t know where to start.

“...all of the articles of the family are your articles too. It’s going to remain unchanged as long as you’re a member of the Ekarte.”

“Eckliss is enough for me.”

“I’m not just talking about escorts!”

“I’m telling you he’s my article too, Father.”

I didn’t want lose to the Duke, so I went on.

“I told you the other day that I don’t want to take those who don’t want to protect me.”

But nothing has changed. Except that Eckliss was placed as an apprentice for dry-dressing knights, not as a servants who do chores.

“Yesterday, on the first day of the festival, there was only one article that kept me safe.”

It was true, I was not defending him.

Those who did not respond or even pretend dry by insulting human would never been my knight.

“Whoa...”

The Duke breathed a deep breath with a dim face, as if he could not think of anymore to persuade me in the sight of my eyes reciting.

He asked quietly, rubbing his eyes as if this conversation was a little tiring.

“...so, did you buy 600 wooden swords for yesterday’s work?”

‘There’s 600?’

I didn’t know because I haven’t counted every single one.

It was a bit funny because I thought I could see why the butler came up to my room in the morning.

I’ve decided to imply that I’ll have Eckliss as a knight.

“I felt sorry for him, so I bought him a magic-sword.”

“Penelope Eckart, using blank check for such a place...”

“Don’t be so hard on me, Father.”

I stuck out my lower lip, interrupting the nagging.

“You gave it to me to relax my feeling.”

To look like a lovely youngest daughter. It was an imitation that I tried because I didn’t want to hear any more nagging.

After adding coyly, I gulped down the cold tea. Because my mouth is dry.

You’re not going to make a fuss about me stopping you, are you?’

I used to be a sucker for acting cute.

But if the Duke was so angry about yesterday, I was going to give him a present and act cute...

There was something wrong with the order and the situation.

‘Why am I always like this...]’

Over the teacup I was holding, swallowing my tears, I looked at the Duke’s countenance.

“...ck, you want catch a cold so you drinking cold tea. When the tea comes warm, drink it again.”

Fortunately or unfortunately, the Duke might look at me disapprovingly drinking tea, but he was not angry anymore at me for telling him to stop nagging.

He soon called the maid with a calm face and ordered her to heat up the kettle.

‘That’s a way to work.’

I was relieved at heart.

Last time, I’m glad I thought of a contingency plan after the conversation with Leonard, which can’t be resolved even with an apology.

After reflecting on the FL of Normal Mode several times, it was not the answer to just apologize like a pushover in every situation.

The difficulty of hard mode is getting harder.

‘From now on, I have to differentiate myselfs according to every situation.’

It was when I was lost in such thoughts.

“Penelope.”

The sudden call awoke me from my thoughts.

“Yes, Father.”

“I don’t think so, but...”

The Duke grazed his brain.

“It can’t be slaves.”

“...yes?”

“Even if he gets his status confirmed, isn’t he from a defeated country?”

“What...”

I stuttered with embarrassment at the unexpected remark.

However, the Duke that connects the words was serious about what he was thinking.

“You don’t know what greed he’s hiding behind his fair face. I think there’s one or two people who’s after Eckart’s only princess....”

“Father, father.”

I called him one after another in embarrassment.

‘You think I’m keeping Eckliss to be a government?’

Then it was a very serious misunderstanding. He might kill me at any moment.

‘What a fair face! Every time I lose his favor, my heart falls with it.”

Embarrassment quickened my speech.

“I know I’m not as good as the rest of the world, but I’m not that thoughtless.”

“I’m saying this just in case when I see his face as fine as a girl.”

“It’s not a novel. What kind of escort would want him to be? And I’m not the type of person who attracted to people younger than me.”

After all, the ML’s owner is FL.

Besides, I’m going to see the ending before he even reaches adulthood and leave here without looking back.

The Duke was embarrassed and coughed in vain to see if he felt something amazing.

“Ehm, yes. I’ll believe you say so.”

“Don’t worry, Father. It’ll never happens, never.”

Vain expectations and useless feelings will only hinder the escape.

I don’t miss this moment and push ahead.

“If you’re really worried, for the time being, I will not going out anywhere and I’ll on probation in the room...”

“Since you’ve been proficient enough, make sure you’re participate this hunting contest.”

“What? But......”

“Don’t just stay in your room, take this opportunity to get along with your peers. Reduce that nasty temper a bit!”

The Duke clapped his tongue.

A sudden surge of resentment rose. He think I’m stuck at home because I’m happy to see someone.

I couldn’t get over my last lingering regret.

“...but father. Yesterday, it was very big! I’ve caused a problem.”

“What’s the problem? It not going to change......alright, then. Let’s stop talking about it.”

The Duke gritted his teeth and then suddenly stopped talking.

I seemed to be self-conscious as I thought he would curse badly if I did more.

‘First of all, I’ve asked to strangle a precious knight, and it’s not going to be a good thing to change! That’s too much.’

I pouted my mouth. Nevertheless, it was sad to have to thank the Duke for stopping his anger at this point.

I was given a terrible punishment to participate in the hunting competition.

“Take this.”

It was then. The Duke suddenly leaned over and lifted something from the floor.

It was a big, luxurious wooden box. I didn’t know it was there because it was covered by a table.

Tak, as if quite heavy, it made a heavy noise from the box on the table.

Looking closely, it was not just a regular box, but a box for storing something.

It was because there was a handle and a lock button on the top.

Then the Duke, who unlocked all the locks, opened the box and turned it toward me.

“It’s...

I was surprised to see the stuff in the box that was showing up in front of me.

A magnificent silver crossbow, which is seen in medieval movies everywhere, was placed on a fluffy cushion.

It has shiny color like a new one.

The elaborately carved patterns and glittering jewels in places looked expensive even at a glance.

“It’s your crossbow that I left for care.”

My eyes suddenly brightened.

reward [1 magic crossbow] has btained.

‘Reward? What...’

When I looked at the square window that suddenly popped up, I suddenly remembered that I had forgotten it.

-In compensation, [Renald]’s [Affection +3%] and [A crossbow].

This was the crossbow I got from a quest with that damn Leonard.

“Ah...”

I was so dumbfounded that I could not help but sigh. But the Duke said triumphantly whether he took it wrong.

“This time, I’ve done more for safety.”

I looked down at the wooden box again at his words.

The crossbow was more like a magnificent ornament to hang on the wall than a weapon.

‘You said it was for safety, but do you made it impossible to shoot at all...?’

By the time the thought had gone so far, the Duke had reached out and picked something up as if denying it.

It was a black pocket that had never been seen before, attracted attention by the colorful crossbow.

“Look at this, Penelope.”

The Duke untied the strap in the pocket and opened the entrance.

Inside it was full of iron beads the size of a thumb nail. I asked with a face that I didn’t know what was going on.

“What is this, Father?”

“I replaced it with a magic bead instead of an arrow.”

“Magic? What kind of...”

“When hit, the beads burst, and immediately the brain metastasis, causing you to faint for a while. It’s not strong enough to be put to death, so even if a person is hit, there won’t be any serious injury.”

“I see.”

I answered without sincerity. Then later, I felt a little sorry for the Duke, who worked hard to explain it.

But I couldn’t help it. Because I’ve lost all my interest since I couldn’t avoid participating.

“What’s with the hunt..... I’d be glad if I can hide so well from the Crown Prince sight so he wouldn’t notice me/.’’

When I didn’t seem to be interested, the Duke’s face hardened a little.

“And, there is one more thing.”

He added with a darker voice than before.

“The magic of losing your memory right before you get hit by a marble.”

“What? ...The magic of losing memory?”

What does the crossbow have to do with the magic of losing memory?

I looked at the Duke in a daze again, unable to understand the language.

Then he opened his mouth with a look of reluctant talk.

“......if you really want to shoot, lure it to where there’s no one around.”

“......Yes?!”