Chapter 5

After parting ways with Winter, I immediately rounded the corner and hurried toward the manor. Or to be more precise, I rushed to the high wall that surrounded it. “I’m sure it was around here somewhere…,” I murmured, frantically searching the wall with wide-open eyes. I was looking for the doghole near the training field. Because the wall was so enormous and the lighting so dim, it was hard to make anything out. I’d broken into an anxious sweat by this point, worried that Derrick would return soon. “There you are!” I exclaimed, finally finding it. I hurriedly crouched in front of the hole, which was so narrow that I almost had to crawl on my belly to pass through it. After lowering myself as best as I could, I was about to shove my head through when I heard heavy footsteps approaching. “Penelope Eckhart,” said an icy-cold voice. “I knew it was you.” I froze where I lay on the ground. Please… I mentally prayed to every deity I could remember, begging for an escape from the reality that was crashing down on me. Please tell me I’m hallucinating. But there were no gods to be found in this damned game. “Get up now,” demanded the voice, and I could almost hear the grinding of his teeth. Bolting up, I turned and met piercing blue eyes set in a death glare, their shine cutting through the darkness even brighter than the [Affection: 13%] hovering above his head. I was left thunderstruck in the wake of his unlucky timing. “H-how…?” “You’re the only girl who’d parade around wearing such a ludicrous mask. Of course I recognized you,” Derrick barked with an unamused laugh. He had immediately understood the questions I’d been unable to put to words: How were you so certain it was me? Why did you know to chase me back here? Still, “ludicrous”?! My temper flared, but I forced myself to bow my head quietly. The glowing numbers shimmering above his black head of hair were enough incentive to bite my tongue. “Why are you like this?” Derrick demanded, a fierce scowl on his face. “Explain yourself. I indulged you when you insisted on prancing about the festival in the dead of night. I also kept my mouth shut when you brought home a slave from who knows where because you were so adamant about keeping him as a guard.” “…” “What can you possibly be so dissatisfied with that you’re sneaking out again?” Derrick said, reminding me of my last attempt to slip away without an escort. Sadly, I could provide no explanation for him even as he pressed for answers. “…I’m sorry.” Another apology, as if I were a parrot that only knew how to grovel. Of course I wasn’t happy to be put in this position again, but there wasn’t really anything to be done about it. I couldn’t speak honestly—this repentant act was like armor I put on to keep myself safe from both him and Reynold. “Whatever punishment you see fit, I’ll accept it without a word of complaint, Young Lord.” “‘Punish me,’ ‘give me a punishment’? What is it with you and your blasted punishments?” My strategy no longer seemed to work on Derrick. His temper flared, a glower marring his face. “All you ever do is ask me for punishments.” “I…” “Do you enjoy being punished? Is that it?” he snapped. I was taken aback. Who in the world enjoys being punished? No, duh, I don’t want to be constantly chastised. Before I could say anything, he grabbed my hand. “Come.” “H-huh? What?” He dragged me along behind him, giving me no chance to protest. Wait, what’s happening? What is he planning to do with me this time?! His sudden outburst honestly frightened me. I never would’ve expected him to initiate physical contact like this, not when he hated Penelope so much. “…Where are we going?” “…” “Young Lord?” I asked, my eyes glued to his affection meter. He gave no answer. Haah… This day is getting worse and worse… Should I throw myself at his feet and beg? Nothing seemed to be going according to plan, and I was getting sick of it. Wait. No matter how much the sight of his fake sister disgusts him, he probably won’t slash me down like a certain crown prince over me sneaking out. I tried to look at the positive side of things—I needed to right now. A chilling thought occurred to me, though. He might not run me through with his sword, but he could bring about my demise in other ways. For example, he could drag me into the manor and put me and my “ludicrous mask” on blast. He could magnify any minor mistake I’d ever made, causing everyone else to hate me. Notably, he could manipulate Penelope to be on the bad side of the duke, the very person who’d adopted her. That was what had always happened when I’d selected the wrong choice in the game. Ugh. Whatever. Do your worst, I thought, quickly resigning myself to my fate. Pleading wouldn’t help me anymore. Honestly, having plenty of experience with being kicked around and bullied in the real world, I knew better than to resist. I wasn’t like the real Penelope, who’d screamed and fought back every inch of the way, only causing her to reach her unfortunate demise sooner. I completely surrendered and followed wherever Derrick led me. He was headed toward the manor’s front gate, just as I’d expected. The guards stationed in front recognized him and bowed deferentially. “Huh…?” Up until that point, I had assumed he was leading me inside. Derrick walked right past the gate, however. Where the hell is he taking me? I gaped at the back of his head, my eyes wide. The anxiety I’d barely managed to suppress exploded back up. Derrick led us down the main street a good distance, then veered off onto a smaller, less populated road. A few buildings dotted the sides of the path, and we passed them before coming to an incline, beyond which there was a thicket of trees and shrubbery. It was no wild pathway, though, since I could see small, delicate lanterns lighting the trail at regular intervals. They lined the path, shimmering lights blinking like fireflies. The trees and shrubbery were neat and arranged beautifully, as well—it was clear someone was tending to them lovingly. I frowned when my eyes found a small sign at the beginning of the path that clearly marked it as EAST HILL. Why did he suddenly bring me here? I knew this place. It was a small walking trail that ran along one of the hills on the duke’s estate, a popular date spot for the heroine to take a stroll with the male leads in Normal Mode. I hadn’t gone on a date with any of the love interests in the time since I’d arrived in this world, of course, so this was my first time visiting and seeing the trail. The park was kept in splendid condition and was private to the estate. That meant the public wasn’t allowed access. Wait, does he mean to stab me to death in there, since there won’t be any witnesses? The terrifying thought caused me to freeze in my tracks just as I passed the sign. “H-hold on!” I said. Derrick turned his chilly gaze on me. “What?” “Wh-why are we going up there?” “Didn’t you say you wished to be punished? Just keep quiet and follow me.” He resumed walking, expecting me to follow. We passed through the gated entrance and onto the path going up the hill at a steady incline. I couldn’t change my mind now, not after I’d said I would accept any punishment without complaint earlier. Besides, I had no desire to learn what he would do if I refused to comply. And so, I forced myself to continue. “Huff… Huff…” The weak, sickly body of the fake daughter I was in soon grew tired. Even though we hadn’t gone all that far, I was already out of breath. I had to follow at almost a run to keep up with Derrick, who was walking much too fast. Gasping for air, I struggled to breathe through the mask and wondered, Is he making me atone by way of hiking?! If that was the case, he truly was a cruel, heartless man. He didn’t even look back once, the cold bastard, as he charged ahead with no consideration for the lady he was leaving in his dust. Soon, I stopped again, unable to keep going. “P-please, wait!” I gasped out. “What now?” he demanded irritably, not slowing even a little. His bad mood frightened me, but I couldn’t continue at this pace. The hem of my cloak was already stained brown from being dragged through the dirt. “I…can’t keep up if you walk so fast,” I protested weakly. To be honest, I expected him to ignore me altogether, or snap something nasty at me in reply like he always did. To my surprise, his steps started to slow, and as we continued up the hill, the distance between us stayed consistent. He had slowed his stride to keep pace with me. …Is he okay? I kept glancing up to check his meter. The [Affection: 13%] continued to glow brightly, reassuringly, through the darkness. We trudged on in silence, and eventually, a beautiful gazebo came into view in the distance. We’d finally reached the top of the hill. Once we arrived at the gazebo, I peered inside and frowned at the cozy but empty little space I found. What the…? I thought this was a popular spot for couples! I was sure the game had described it as a place for secret trysts, but there wasn’t anyone to be seen at that moment. I don’t want to be alone with him… Filled with despair, I plodded over to one of the benches that sat atop the peak. I was completely spent, and I desperately needed a break. “This way,” Derrick said, dragging me away before I could sit down. It was only when we’d reached the very edge of the hill that he came to a halt. “Look down.” I did as I was told, half ready to just do anything to get this whole thing over with. “Oh…!” I gasped, my eyes growing wider and wider at the view that met my eyes. The hill we’d climbed was deceptively simple in appearance but hosted a perfect view of the entire capital, including the beautiful lights of the festival. The streets were lit with colorful lanterns, and large crowds ebbed and flowed between the old buildings like waves. Normal Mode’s timeline hadn’t included any festivals, and in Hard Mode, I hadn’t been allowed anywhere near any festivities. Therefore, the magnificent scene before me was entirely new. “Wow…,” I murmured, dazzled. I’d been oblivious to how beautiful it was when I’d been down there myself, walking the streets. Busy as I was planning for any contingency and always looking over my shoulder, I didn’t have the capacity to take notice of such things. The same could be said about my life in the real world. I’d never had the time to stop, take a breath, and smell the roses. But taking a step back and looking at the world in front of me like this… …Why does it feel so real? It was a strange feeling. My heart pounded inside my chest. This is just a background shot from a video game, and yet… I was pulled from my racing thoughts when Derrick raised his hand, pointing. “Look over there, Penelope.” I followed his finger to a scene not far from the hill. It was a large street bustling with people, and I could see two knights in silver armor running. “That’s…” A man was fleeing from them frantically, but before long, he was caught. He couldn’t dodge through the crowd with half as much skill as the knights could, and they pinned him down easily. He was probably a pickpocket—they were common at crowded events like this. The places people live—whether a game or the real world—are all the same, huh? Derrick, who was also watching the knights, commented, “Those petty thieves are the least of it. The capital becomes a hotbed of crime during the festival.” “…” “The worst incidents are no doubt arising out of sight. There was a murder at a pub on Hamilton Street just yesterday, though I don’t suppose you heard about it from inside the walls of your cushy room.” Is he insulting me right to my face? I stared up at Derrick suspiciously, wondering why he was bringing this up all of a sudden. “That’s what’s happening here, in the area under jurisdiction of the duke. Can you imagine how much worse it is in the merchant district, which is frequented almost entirely by criminals and mercenaries?” he said. I realized he was continuing the conversation we’d been having at the manor wall. So is he lecturing me or making fun of me? All that was left was to figure out what his goal was, dragging me out here. “Are you planning on mingling with those scumbags now? Is that it?” he asked. I had my answer. He was mocking me. Ugh. I shouldn’t have expected anything different from him. I sighed and spoke after a long pause. “I swear… I’ve done nothing that would tarnish the family name.” “Our reputation isn’t something you can control. Each and every action you take has consequences, and those consequences affect our reputation.” “That’s why I wore the mask,” I said with a shrug. Derrick’s eyes were like shards of ice as he glared at me. “And if someone had been able to recognize you immediately, as I did? More importantly, do you think those sorts of people wouldn’t snatch it off your face after they find out you’re a girl?” “I’m not a child, Young Lord,” I interrupted firmly. “I’ve acted like a fool in the past, it’s true, but I’m not stupid enough to throw myself headfirst into danger.” I was nervous about how he’d respond, but I wagered I’d have had to address this sooner or later anyway. Most of my conversations had been with the duke thus far, so I hadn’t really had occasion to speak with Derrick properly. Just as I had with Reynold, I would use this opportunity to draw a line in the sand. “Not stupid, you say? You’re the daughter of a duke, and yet you let yourself be seen crawling around in the dirt and sneaking out.” “The reason I left without telling anyone today was…” I trailed off, trying to think of an excuse he would accept. I needed something that wasn’t overly complicated, and reasonable enough to satisfy Derrick, who was more finicky than his father. “I said I’d avoid causing you concern and make myself scarce from now on. That’s what you wanted, isn’t it?” “…” “I was only coming and going through the doghole so I could do just that.” There. It was perfect. If you want scarce, I’ll give you scarce. However, maybe I’d misspoken, since Derrick’s eyes only grew colder. “And why did you visit the merchant district?” There was no end to his questioning. I felt a sudden wave of fatigue rush over me. “Do I have to report every single little thing?” “I advise you answer the question,” Derrick said in lieu of a direct response. “I needed to find someone, so I commissioned an information guild.” I knew that insisting a lady be allowed her secrets wasn’t going to work on anyone but Winter. Resisting the urge to sigh, I mentally concocted an appropriate mix of fact and fiction. It was how I always handled Derrick. “Someone helped me at the palace. He lent me something, and I lost it, so I wanted to send my apologies.” Derrick’s persistent questioning ceased abruptly, and I felt a rush of triumph. He knew I was talking about Winter’s handkerchief—the one he’d instructed Emily to throw away. Silence stretched between us, and when Derrick finally spoke, his tone was heavy. “If that was truly necessary, wouldn’t it have been better to have a servant do it for you?” “I would think that rumors of a young noble lady not even of marriageable age searching for a man are precisely the type of thing that would be fatal to our family’s honor. Don’t you agree?” I countered smoothly. I decided then and there that I needed Derrick to perceive Penelope in a different light—from a self-centered parasite who threw tantrums and made absurd demands every other day to a microbe with a thought or two of her own, at least. This is the only way I can force you to leave me alone. I shot a frosty glare at the [Affection: 13%] above his head. I’d been as polite as I could be, to prevent the percentage from dropping. I didn’t particularly want it to rise, though. “…Penelope.” For some reason, Derrick sighed deeply. “You’ll soon come of age, so I won’t stop you if you want to go out without telling anyone where you’re headed.” “…” “But if you must do so, stop using that hole like some heathen. Leave through the front door—unapologetically. I’ll inform the butler of this arrangement.” [Affection: 17%] “Or at least take that tramp you dragged into the manor with you on your outings.” Derrick’s affection had risen. I was perplexed by both this fact and his words. Wouldn’t he welcome it if I went and died in some ditch? Why is he showing me kindness? Considering Penelope’s past, he was justified in being upset with my sneaking out of the manor on mysterious errands, since previously it had always fallen on him to deal with the consequences of her maniacal behavior. It made his permission for me to come and go freely all the more strange. “…You’re not punishing me?” I asked, bewilderment obvious on my face. Derrick frowned. “You didn’t walk around the manor in that asinine mask, did you?” “Huh?” He reached out and took hold of my mask. “For the crime of tarnishing the Eckhart name, I will confiscate it.” “Ah…” He removed the mask before I could react. The cool night air danced pleasantly across my face, finally free of the stifling disguise I’d been wearing all day. Derrick had appeared cold and angry through the mask’s narrow eyeholes, but now that I could see him properly, he seemed… “That’s your punishment for today.” Is it a trick of the light, or does he look like he’s enjoying himself? “Reynold bought me that…,” I muttered absentmindedly, glancing between his face and my mask. “Here,” he said, holding something out to me. “I’ve had the gems imbued with magic. As long as you’re wearing it, you’ll be protected, and a glamour spell will also activate.” “…” “The sorcerer who enchanted it tells me that, to others, you’ll appear as a boy your own age.” In his sprawling, gauntleted palm lay a platinum bracelet with dark-pink gems, glimmering in the dim light. “The original gems were cheap and kept on breaking during the enchantment process, so I replaced them with garnets of the highest quality,” Derrick added, a put-out affect to his voice. I stared down at his large hand. It was the bracelet Derrick had chosen on the day I’d sneaked out to save Eckles. I remember thinking that the color of the gems—like that of ripe plums—resembled the hue of my own hair. But I’d never imagined he’d bought it for me. The gems could certainly be considered pink, so I’d assumed he would eventually gift it to the heroine at a later point in the story. And yet… Come to think of it, this is the second present I’ve gotten from him. He’d gifted me the expensive-looking scarf before, and now a magicked bracelet. An odd feeling overcame me as I gazed up into his blue eyes. Which was why the question left my lips before I’d thought it through properly. “Why?” “Why…what?” “Why are you giving this to me?” I asked, glancing down at the piece of jewelry again. True to their supposed high quality, the tiny dark-pink gems glittered even in the dark. The bracelet was so beautiful that I felt drawn to it, even though I wasn’t normally interested in trinkets. But rather than feeling thankful, my mind was filled with questions and suspicion, since Penelope’s history with both Derrick and Reynold was sullied. —“Vile scum.” Even if I didn’t, this body viscerally remembered the scathing way Derrick had looked at Penelope. “You’ve always hated any of my shows of extravagance.” “…I thought you liked jewelry.” Derrick looked taken aback. “I do,” I said simply. In the game, Penelope was infatuated with fancy accessories, but only because it was all she had to combat her loneliness and sadness. “I like gems that are mine and truly mine—ones that no one can say I stole or tell me I’m not worthy of.” I have no idea why you’re giving me something this nice. You despise me. I wasn’t sure how much Derrick had understood what I was trying to say, but my words seemed to bring a memory to mind. His expression hardened. “If you don’t want it…throw it away.” He turned the gauntlet the bracelet was sat on, allowing the glittering platinum jewelry to slip from his hand. With a faint clink, it landed in the dirt. As I struggled to process his sudden mood swing, Derrick whipped around and promptly stormed back down the hill. I was trying to decide if I should follow when a notification popped up. <SYSTEM> Event quest cleared! [Check Out the Festival] with [Derrick] <SYSTEM> Accept the reward? [YES / NO] “What…?” I gave an incredulous laugh. “I didn’t even know that quest was active.” In fact, I remembered selecting [NO] after being prompted a second time to attempt it. Did the system just decide these things on its own?! With a scowl, I mashed my finger into the [YES] button, and the letters on-screen immediately shifted. <SYSTEM> You have acquired [Affection: +3%] for [Derrick] and a [Magic Bracelet] as your reward. “Huh? So the ‘other benefits’ it listed was this bracelet?” I did remember that the quest had promised rewards in both affection and some unspecified category, but I hadn’t paid any attention to the latter since my sole interest was the reward that would help me stay alive. I stared numbly at the bracelet lying in the dirt. “…Jerkass.” Squatting down, I picked up the fallen trinket. “Did he really have to throw it on the ground like that?” As I blew gently on the surface of the jewels to remove the grime, a wave of deep sadness suddenly washed over me. How miserable I was, forced to crouch in filth to retrieve something that was supposed to be a present for me. “Would it really have killed him to say it was a gift?” I muttered grumpily, watching the small white letters that indicated his feelings bob out of view. [Affection: 20%] The festival had stretched on for nearly a month, and finally, today was the last day. Emily had made a big fuss about it, chattering about the parades, circus troupes, fireworks, and everything else and how it would all be larger and grander than ever before. She wanted us to go together, but I had no interest in leaving my room, choosing to ignore her and sleep in. I got up late in the morning and ate a simple sandwich for breakfast, then seated myself at my desk for the first time in a while. Quite some time had passed since I’d woken up in this world. I’d had run-ins with all the game’s male leads throughout the festival period—willingly or otherwise—so it felt safe to assume I’d completed one of the game’s overarching episodes. “Well…I’m still alive, somehow.” In the beginning, every single day had felt like a close brush with death. That wasn’t to say I was entirely safe now, either. The end of the road was still a ways off, and I had no room to be complacent. I need to assess where I’m at. I tugged a drawer open and pulled out the piece of paper I’d hidden deep inside. When I’d first arrived, in case I forgot over time, I’d written down all the love interests’ basic backgrounds. Retrieving a fresh piece of paper, I began noting the changes in their affection. Derrick Eckhart 0%→20% Reynold Eckhart -10%→10% Callisto Regulus 0%→2% Eckles 0%→25% Winter Verdandi 0%→15% Having it all laid out like this, it suddenly hit me how much things had changed. “That’s unexpected,” I murmured, goggling at Derrick’s and Reynold’s affection. I was especially surprised to note the progress I’d made with Reynold. His affection was low compared with the others, but it had risen out of the negatives and grown a whopping 20 percent. Derrick’s had gone up by the same amount. “Is it because I encountered them the most often?” I wondered, puzzled by their numbers. On the first set of notes I’d made about them, I’d confidently and vehemently crossed out their names. Still, I couldn’t find it in myself to be happy that their affection for me had gotten stronger. “It continued to rise when I didn’t meet them, so…” Rather than their affection increasing, it would probably be more accurate to say their hatred for Penelope had evolved into a general dislike in light of the fact that her frequent tantrums had fizzled out. “I can probably maintain these numbers if I avoid them as much as I can.” Taking into account that the starting affection in Normal Mode was 30 percent, neither of them was particularly fond of me in the grand scheme of things. However, with no reset button to fall back on, I had no intention of taking risks to try to increase their scores. I drew a big fat X through their names once again. “Next, the crown prince.” This bastard wasn’t even worth considering. I crossed his name out without a second thought and moved down the list. My hand that held the pen hovered uncertainly. “Eckles…” As I had planned, Eckles’s affection was the highest. I could reach the base level from Normal Mode if I gained only an additional 5 percent, a much more feasible task than accomplishing the same with any of the others. This was especially true since Eckles’s affection often experienced large jumps. At this rate, I could probably even complete his storyline in a relatively timely manner. “Come to think of it, I’ve been so busy lately that I haven’t gone to see him again…” The sharp nib of the pen scratched noisily at the paper as I circled Eckles’s name repeatedly. I could make all the excuses I wanted to myself, but the truth was I’d had plenty of time to go see Eckles before visiting Winter. So why hadn’t I? Why do I feel so uncomfortable around him? Disregarding his affection, I couldn’t be sure what he actually thought of me. Not to mention the memory was still crystal clear in my mind: his silent, baleful eyes peering along the length of the wooden blade he held to my neck. Ugh. I shuddered. The ruby ring glinted on my left hand, and as I ran my fingers over the smooth stone, I tried to approach the situation more cynically. “The moment a dog tries to bite its master, the master needs to pull back on the leash.” The problem was that if I did that, it would surely cause his affection to plummet. I thought he was my only real option, so why do I get the feeling I’m taking a big risk by throwing my lot in with him? Shaking my head, I tried to ignore my anxiety. Then I cast my eyes to the final name on my list. “Winter Verdandi.” He was the first to give me a taste of the terrifying experience that was watching a love interest’s affection bleed away. I’d already made up my mind that I wanted nothing more to do with him, but seeing 15 percent gave me pause. Winter’s major drawback was that he would be the first to discover the heroine. On the other hand, he was also the most normal of the five men. I tapped my pen against the desk, beating out a steadily more agitated rhythm the more I thought about it. Unable to come to a decision, I flung the pen aside. “Why is nothing ever easy?” I grumbled to myself. Knock, knock. Suddenly, there were two firm raps at the door. I was immediately on high alert—nobody could ever be allowed to find these notes. My voice came out harsher than usual as I asked, “Who’s there?” “Pennel, Miss.” “One moment.” With a chagrined smile, I gathered the papers strewn across my desk and hid them away deep inside the drawer, taking my time. Only after replacing the pen neatly in its holder did I allow him to enter. “Come in,” I called. The door handle clicked as the butler opened the door cautiously, before walking inside. “What is it?” “His Grace says it has been too long since you took lunch together and has invited you to dine with him.” “…Lunch?” I repeated. A lunch invitation was a completely foreign concept to me. I always ate by myself in my room, ever since I’d found myself here. Compared with what I knew about what nobles were typically served in this world, the food I got was frankly laughable, but I was okay with doing things my own way. It was better than eating rotten food or starving as I had in the beginning, and I wasn’t required to speak with the duke or his sons if I took my meals alone. And Emily, who had stabbed me over and over with her needle, now served me with all her heart. It suits me perfectly fine to hole up here and eat alone, I thought. I had no desire to go down to the dining room on the first floor and share a meal with people I didn’t feel comfortable with. Besides, the thought of eating while the servants watched made me feel ill—these were the same people who hated me out of some misplaced belief that I’d usurped the place of the duke’s true daughter. “I…don’t mind eating alone in my room like I have been,” I said evasively, wanting to avoid going if at all possible. “I’m still self-reflecting on my past behavior anyway.” “His Grace made it clear that your presence is required. He has something he wishes to discuss with you all.” “‘You all’? Does that mean my brothers will be there, too?” “Of course.” Screw me. With some difficulty, I resisted the urge to scowl. It would be stupid to show any distaste for the idea in front of the duke and Derrick’s closest manservant. Deep breaths. I can handle this. “Pennel. Before I go down to lunch, I have a task for you.” “I am at your service, Miss,” the old butler replied, attentive. “If we have any medicine to aid digestion, would you bring it to my room after the meal?” “Come again? Digestive medicine?” The butler seemed puzzled that I would ask for an antacid before I’d even eaten. “Yes,” I said, nodding vehemently. I can already tell I’m going to have a hard time keeping the food down. Following the butler, I made my way out of my room. Since he had informed me that the meal was ready and everyone was already waiting for me to join them, I couldn’t stall or insist I needed time to get ready. As we traversed the corridor in silence, the butler sped up to walk beside me. “His Grace appears to be rather busy with affairs at the palace as of late, Miss,” he commented. Busy? I hadn’t been paying much attention. Although the duke had been returning home late these days, his comings and goings weren’t exactly a high-priority interest of mine. “Super busy, by the looks of it,” I agreed, lying through my teeth. I could feel the butler’s eyes on me as he cautiously studied my expression. “In the past, you always took part in family meals when His Grace was home.” “…” “Did…did something unpleasant happen in the dining room, perchance?” I frowned briefly at his question. Penelope religiously attended family meals? She must have had nerves of steel. What did she stand to gain from eating with them so stubbornly? The only thing she would’ve gotten back was being snubbed or looked down on. This girl certainly was something else, I thought with a sigh. But since I had an inkling as to why she’d made sure not to miss meals together, I refrained from criticizing her any further. I, on the other hand, was nothing like Penelope, always quick to give up. Not that it had made my life any less miserable, though. I could still hear the clink of cutlery on fine china as my father and half brothers ate in the kitchen and talked about their days—the spitting image of a perfect family, as long as I stayed out of the picture. “…lope. Miss Penelope?” I blinked, realizing the butler had been calling my name. We’d arrived at the stairs, and the old man was shooting me a quizzical look. “Nothing happened,” I finally replied, quickly descending the steps before he jumped to any strange conclusions. “I was under probation because of my own behavior, so it seemed only right that I take my meals alone.” “I hadn’t realized you thought so deeply about— Ah, forgive me. I’ve spoken out of turn.” Hearing Penelope self-reflect seemed to have shaken the butler to his very core, his eyes wide like saucers. He was normally the epitome of composure, and a slip of the tongue like that was rare. He hurried to change the subject. “His Grace has been quite lonely ever since you began keeping to your room. I do not think he would fault you for taking part in a meal.” The butler’s words made me want to laugh. This sudden concern on the duke’s part was not a sign of affection—if a dog started behaving out of character, it stands to reason that it would elicit curiosity. The duke might claim to be lonely, but he obviously didn’t care enough to check on his youngest child—the girl he’d taken responsibility for by adopting her—to see if she was being fed properly. “I don’t know about that. I doubt my eldest brother would agree,” I said bitterly. “He—” The butler tried to comment on my self-deprecating statement, but I was faster. “Open the door,” I ordered, my head held high as I addressed the servants waiting politely in front of the dining room. We had arrived in the time we were talking. They bowed and obeyed my command, but something unpleasant glinted in their eyes. I didn’t care. I had no desire to waste time concerning myself with every nameless NPC in the game. The door opened to the faces of my true targets. The aloof middle-aged duke was at the head of the table, and to his right sat his two sons, letters glowing above their heads—[Affection: 10%] and [Affection: 20%]. “Is the concept of being on time too difficult for you to understand? Why are you so late?” [Affection: 10%] snarled as soon as he saw me, a glower marring his face. I was taking a meal in hell, and it was only just getting started. As the brothers were seated to the duke’s right, I naturally moved to his left. The butler followed and pulled out my chair for me, then retreated after I was seated. Even though I’d walked here on my own two feet, I felt like a prisoner who had been dragged to a cell. “Lunch” doesn’t begin to do this spread justice, I thought as I surveyed the meal in front of me. There’s enough food to buckle the table legs! The table was filled with luxurious foods I hadn’t seen since coming to this world. Granted, it was probably difficult to bring this kind of food to my room on the second floor, but the disparity still served as a reminder of how low Penelope’s standing in the house was. I was busying myself trying to count just how many dishes were on the table when the duke spoke in his usual grave voice. “Let us eat.” And so the meal began. I didn’t really know how to navigate the many different types of tableware like a noble is supposed to, but Penelope had never been a stickler for etiquette in the first place. Because of this, I wouldn’t invite any suspicion even if my manners were far from perfect. Lucky for me, her reputation is already at rock bottom. With a surreptitious glance, I saw that everyone had picked up their spoon. Making to follow suit, I looked down at the cutlery set in front of me, only for a bitter laugh to escape my lips. The tableware at my place setting looked practically shrunken. It was the sort of thing used by children still learning how to eat with cutlery. “What’s the matter?” the duke asked, his sharp gaze landing on my face. “It’s nothing,” I said with a quick shake of my head, picking up my utensils as if nothing were wrong. When it came down to it, these men did not give a flying fig about what kind of spoon I used to eat my food anyway. If they possessed any real concern, they would have already noticed something amiss. Especially the duke, considering he’s sitting right next to me. The fact of the matter was, someone in the kitchen was pulling a flagrant prank on the daughter of the duke. Feeling as if I were having a tea party with dolls, I selected the biggest spoon. Though it was the best option available to me, it was still smaller than a teaspoon. I tried scooping up some soup, but it could scarcely fit more than a few droplets. The tiny fork couldn’t keep a single lettuce leaf on it, and the knife, which actually seemed to be the proper size, was so blunt that I couldn’t even pierce the soft meat. This is fun. I tried all the different utensils, making a game of it. One by one, I poked at the steaming, fresh food that had been served. If I couldn’t eat any of it, I might as well play with it. If the situation regarding me in the kitchen is this bad, how in the world has Emily brought me edible meals every day? I was curious. After all, none of the kitchen staff had suffered repercussions when it was discovered I’d been served rotten food, which was further evidence of just how little respect Penelope got from everyone. Still, after I threatened Emily, she’d consistently ensured I stayed fed. When I’d make requests for specific foods, she would do her best to get them to me, even if the results weren’t always the most delicious. I should probably reward her, huh? I decided, starting to feel a little sorry for being so harsh on her. As I glared at the useless utensils scattered around my plate, one thought became abundantly clear. I can’t let whoever is treating me like this off the hook. In the end, I wasn’t able to eat a single bite. And as expected, the duke and my two brothers failed to notice a thing. This was Penelope’s place in the family. “The festival is nearly over already,” the duke said, initiating small talk. While the brothers continued to eat, the duke took a sip of his wine. He was clearly addressing me. “It’s the last day. Are you not going to attend?” “No,” I replied stiffly, intensely annoyed. I surmised that in the past, Penelope must have always gone to the last day of the festival. But I had no intention of doing so, and my mood was already completely soured by the realization I couldn’t actually eat any of the delicious-looking food in front of me. Which meant I was in no mood to make polite conversation with the duke. The two brothers turned angry glares on me, no doubt reacting to my blunt tone. Their affection meters were blinking, warning me of change. Ugh, these overly sensitive assholes. I threw on my best fake smile, turning back to the duke. “I’m still keeping to my room and reflecting on my actions, I mean.” “Tsk. Again with that blasted excuse,” said the duke, obviously displeased. “Only this idiot would volunteer to put herself in probation over a slave boy,” Reynold sneered. As usual, no one reacted to his nasty comment. I hadn’t expected anyone to call him out anyway, so I didn’t deign to acknowledge him…though I did flip him the middle finger inside my head. “There is a reason I called a luncheon today,” the duke said, finally addressing why even I had been summoned to the dining room. “The hunting tournament will soon be upon us.” The hunting tournament? I thought carefully, mentally combing through what I knew of the game. I vaguely remembered something like this, but the details weren’t immediately coming to mind. “It’s to be held in the forest north of the palace once again,” the duke said, placing his fork and knife down gracefully. “As I’m sure you are all well aware, this term’s tournament bears great significance. Royalty and nobility from the nations newly subjugated in the crown prince’s military campaign will be taking part in the event. Rare animals representative of each of these nations will be released in the area. “The families who support the crown prince do not look kindly on our house, since we took no part in the war. At times like these, we must cement our position. Thus, at yesterday’s convening of the nobles’ council, I announced House Eckhart’s intention to participate in this coming hunt.” I couldn’t care less about the house’s political position. Frankly, none of what he was saying actually had anything to do with me. He droned on, and I ignored most of his words, finally recalling what I knew of the hunting tournament from the game. [The Eorka empire holds a hunting tournament every quarter. The purpose of these events is to indirectly apply pressure to conquered nations while hunting their rare animals or slaves.] I’d read something along those lines during my time playing Normal Mode, but the heroine hadn’t actually been able to take part in the hunt. Penelope had secretly poisoned her, jealous that the love interests only had eyes for the “real daughter” now that she had returned. Thanks to her close shave with death, the heroine had missed the hunt but had been able to gain the affection of Eckles—who had been left alone at the manor with her—thus stealing Penelope’s last remaining hope. Later, the sweet, angelic heroine had found it impossible to condone the empire’s cruel brutality and convinced the crown prince to abolish the hunting tournament altogether. In the crown prince’s Normal Mode ending, every atrocious act Penelope had inflicted upon the heroine was revealed, and she was viciously tortured as comeuppance. After magically freezing her heart to prevent her from dying, her torture continued, and she was fed every poison she’d given to the heroine, one by one. The mix of poisons ultimately caused Penelope’s face to melt. Urk! I shuddered just thinking of that particular death and its accompanying gruesome illustration, which I could remember all too vividly. Suddenly, the duke, who’d still been talking about his meeting with the other nobles, turned to me. “Penelope.” “Y-yes?” I stammered, flustered. I hadn’t been paying attention to what he was saying at all. Much to my relief, the duke didn’t make a fuss about my distraction. “A vote was taken among the council, and your ban has been lifted.” “My…ban?” “Yes. What do you intend to do?” the duke asked. I had no idea how to answer his question. What does he mean by my ban being lifted? Without any clue as to what Penelope had done, I was completely in the dark, a fact that made me very anxious. Seeing my hesitation, the duke spoke again. “If you plan on taking part, I’ll have your hunting equipment fixed back up.” Bang! “Father!” shouted my pink-haired brother, his palms slamming down on the table. “How could you even offer that after what that psycho—I mean, what she did last year?!” “Reynold,” said the duke, tutting. “Do you not remember?! Every other girl in the nobility went around pleading at every opportunity for that ‘hellion of a girl’ to be thrown in prison and for the key to be thrown away!” Reynold said, ignoring the duke’s chiding. He glared at me with venomous eyes that promised violence. I needed to find out what he was talking about, so I decided to act as shamelessly as the real Penelope would have. “What do you mean?” I asked innocently. “Like you don’t know!” he shot back, incredulous. I don’t, actually. Would I be asking if I did? I thought, biting back a retort. The only way to learn what had made him so upset was to keep my mouth shut. The information I was fishing for came from an unexpected source, however. “You begged for a crossbow—a thing that no other young aristocratic lady would ever have anything to do with,” came a voice much calmer than Reynold’s. Derrick’s blue eyes were pinned to my face, his words quiet and measured. “We told you to leave it behind since it was dangerous, but you brought it with you anyway…only to brandish it at the tea party, raving about killing Count Kellen’s daughter and her friends. The guards had to pin you down like you were a wild beast—though it seems you’ve already forgotten.” “After that, rumors spread that House Eckhart was training a crazy chimpanzee to wield a crossbow,” added Reynold with a cruel smile, jumping in as soon as Derrick had said his piece. Dammit… I had nothing to say in defense. That was undeniably pretty dang bad. Still, it wasn’t as shocking as what I’d prepared myself to hear. Penelope’s meant to be the most villainous character in the game. This type of thing is kind of par for the course. I felt confident I could deal with this somehow. I mean, I’d seen worse behavior from the students who’d slink around drunk at every beginning-of-semester party. “That’s enough, both of you. I believe she has reflected on her mistakes plenty,” the duke scolded them, as I stayed silent. His intervention was welcome, even though the brothers had both already raked me over the coals. The duke turned to me with a serious expression. “I’m sure you still remember what I told you about the weight of an Eckhart’s word, Penelope, don’t you?” “Of course, Father. I won’t give you a reason to be disappointed this time,” I answered immediately. I could hear one of the brothers grinding his teeth, probably pissed. “Good. That’s enough about that for now.” The duke gently rang a bell that had been sitting on the table, apparently done with the conversation. The dining room door opened, and one of the manor’s staff members appeared with a cart carrying dessert. How am I supposed to have dessert when I didn’t even get to eat lunch? I watched glumly as the staff member placed a different dessert in front of each of us. Mrs. Dona was her name, and she had been in charge of kitchen affairs for a very long time. As such, she understood each of her masters’ tastes. The duke and Derrick both received a cup of black tea, while Reynold was given a plate of homemade cookies. Then it was my turn. As a big sweets fan, I wasn’t picky about what she gave me. But when she set a dish of jiggly milk pudding in front of me, I couldn’t help but frown. “…Pfft.” A laugh escaped Mrs. Dona as she set it down, so quiet that only I could hear. She was staring at the untouched food in front of me, an obvious sign that I hadn’t been able to eat anything. It left no doubt about what was so “funny” to her. Our gazes met, and she didn’t even try to hide the mirth glimmering in her eyes. So you want to play, huh? Let’s play. I nudged the smallest spoon off the table before she had the chance to leave. It hit the marble floor, the metal clinking loudly. Naturally, the attention of everyone in the dining room turned to me. “Oh dear, I’m so sorry. My hand slipped,” I said with exaggerated sincerity, glancing down at the fallen utensil. “Would you pick that up on your way out?” Mrs. Dona didn’t seem concerned with my uncharacteristic behavior. She seemed way too comfortable, as if she was certain there was nothing I could do to her. “Of course. Please don’t worry about it, Miss.” What would Penelope have done? Hurled the cutlery at Dona’s head and stormed off? No. There’s no question about it. The butler said so himself—Penelope came to eat with the duke no matter what, even if she wasn’t invited. In other words, this was the only time anyone ever gave her the time of day. She was the interloper at these family gatherings full of warm conversation, but she’d forced her way in regardless, even if it made her feel alienated and miserable. Causing an uproar over some “unsatisfactory” cutlery would make the duke disinclined to sharing a meal with her again—a risk she wasn’t willing to take. And so, no matter how hungry or angry she got, she would hold it in if it meant she could keep taking part in these meals. Because she would be robbed of the opportunity to see her family otherwise. But I’m not her. I looked coldly down at Mrs. Dona, who was crouched on the floor and completely unbothered. I couldn’t help but want to give her hell. Clink! Again, the loud rattle of metal on marble rang out. “Whoops! My mistake. My hand slipped again.” The second-smallest spoon had clattered to the floor in front of the woman just as she was rising to her feet with the first one. All eyes were on me once more. The duke clicked his tongue, displeased. “What has gotten into you? Don’t be so slovenly.” “I’m sorry. The pudding is so slippery, my spoon keeps bouncing right off,” I said with a shrug. Derrick’s cold blue eyes were fixed on me, as were Reynold’s. “It’s fine, Miss,” the woman said, retrieving the second spoon as well. “Please enjoy the rest of your—” As she rose to her feet a second time and moved to bow, my last spoon fell to the ground where I threw it. Clink! “Penelope Eckhart!” the duke said, eyebrows furrowed and frost in his voice. “What the hell are you doing?” Reynold asked, scoffing in disbelief. Derrick, though silent, frowned and glared. The letters above both their heads began to blink ominously. I shoved my chair back noisily and stood. “I don’t have any more spoons, so I won’t be able to eat dessert. Too bad.” “Sit down,” the duke demanded. “If you’ve said everything you needed to say, I think I’ll return to my room now.” The duke’s face twisted in rising fury. “We haven’t sat down for a meal together like this in so long. Why must you ruin it with your impertinence?” “I’m just too hungry, Father,” I said, putting on the theatrics and gripping my stomach. The duke’s and his sons’ expressions instantly turned from furious to flummoxed. “…What?” “A three-year-old could use tableware better. I couldn’t eat a single bite of my lunch,” I said, peering glumly down at the meal in front of me like a disappointed child. Having been left untouched, it was still warm and fresh. If I retired to my room now, the food would be given to the servants to eat. Penelope, the fool, must have always starved, while her share of the meal filled the bellies of the people meant to be serving her. With an innocent smile, I drove the nail into the coffin. “Isn’t that right, Mrs. Dona?” “M-Miss…,” she said, all color draining from her face. Her confident, mocking air was suddenly nowhere to be found. A chilling quiet fell over the table. Tiny, toylike cutlery, an untouched plate, unseasoned food—it was painstakingly clear I hadn’t served myself anything. I didn’t have to turn to know everyone was now studying my place setting. “I’ll return to my room and ask Emily to bring me a sandwich. At least I can use my hands to eat that.” I made to leave, the silence in the room deafening. “Enjoy the rest of your meal, Father, brothers.” No one stopped me this time. “Ha…” As the dining room door closed behind me, a hollow laugh escaped my lips. This is the same girl who threatened to shoot people with a crossbow. It’s almost silly that Penelope didn’t have the courage to retaliate against this kind of bullying. Even so, I was the one person who had no room to laugh at Penelope for that. Picturing her sitting there, patiently waiting while the others ate and she starved, filled me with a sense of pity. Poor girl. I went up to my room and retrieved the book I was reading from the bookcase before taking a seat at the desk. I’d walked out of there clutching my stomach, but really, I didn’t have much of an appetite. In fact, I was more concerned with how the brothers’ affections had been impacted by my little outburst. The last time I was able to see their meters there was no change, but still… It bothered me that I hadn’t been able to study their reactions since all my attention had been on the duke and Mrs. Dona. Their percentages won’t drop because I threw the spoon, will they? Stuck in those thoughts, I willed myself to stay calm. “There’s nothing I can do about it now.” Maybe I was being too laid-back, but the Eckhart brothers had long since been crossed out on my list of potential endings to pursue. I could live with a little fluctuation in their affection. As long as it doesn’t reach kill-me levels. Knock, knock. Just as I turned to focus on my book, there came two soft knocks on the door. “Miss, it’s me.” “Come in,” I said easily, recognizing Emily’s voice. She opened the door and entered cautiously, a cloche-covered tray in her hands. “Are you reading?” “What’s that?” I responded with a question of my own, staring at the tray. She placed it on the table and lifted the lid, revealing a steaming bowl of soup, a steak, and a sandwich arranged neatly. I scowled. The steak was the same one I had been served at lunch. “It’s all freshly made. The duke ordered us to prepare your meal again, Miss.” Emily had obviously heard what happened. She studied me carefully and added, “Oh, and Mr. Pennel told me to give you this…” It was a small brown bottle—the digestive medicine I had requested. “It’s fine. I’m not in the mood to eat. Take it away.” For better or for worse, at least going hungry meant there was nothing in my stomach to upset. Emily looked distressed at my dismissal. “But you said you wanted a sandwich… You must be hungry. Won’t you please eat something, Miss?” “I’m fine,” I repeated. “Besides, I ate earlier.” “You haven’t had a proper meal all day long. Just a bite—” “Not ‘all day long.’ Ever,” I interrupted, snapping my book shut. “Was any of the food you brought me a ‘proper meal’ fit to be served to a lady of the nobility?” “M-Miss…” Emily clearly had no idea how to respond to my icy-hot fury. I knew I was unfairly taking my anger out on the wrong person. After all, she’d worked hard, doing all that was in her power to serve me, and I hadn’t actually been unhappy with the meals and desserts she’d been bringing me. Really, I was grateful to have her, since she was the very reason I wasn’t starving. But these circumstances, this setting that I’m—I mean, that Penelope is faced with…they’re enough to drive a person mad. “Take the food and leave. I don’t want to look at you right now.” Emily grabbed the tray and left with a dejected expression on her face. I went too far, didn’t I? She had obviously been worried about me. Still, I couldn’t find it in me to be all that sorry. Ignoring the simmering emotions that had been threatening to boil over since I left the dining room, I picked up my book again. Only to toss it aside mere moments later. “This sucks.” I abandoned the desk and flopped onto my bed, staring mindlessly at the ceiling—luxurious and ornate. Ironic, isn’t it? Beautiful on the outside, but the person living on the inside can’t even get a damn meal. “Why did I have to come all the way here to put up with this scummy treatment?” I muttered. I was at my wits’ end trying to understand. If it had been anyone but me who had been thrown into this game world, they might have at least been pleased with how swanky their new home was. But luxury did nothing for me, since my real-life father’s house had been just as large and lavish. And the ironic part was that despite living in such a fancy room back then, I’d always had to worry about my next meal. The bullying had reached its peak after Asshole #2 graduated. Students kept cutting in front of me, causing me to constantly be too late for mealtime, and they’d often purposely shoulder-check me to make me drop my food. And even after starving all day at school, going home was no guarantee I’d get food. I couldn’t force myself to take part in family meals, where I was so obviously unwelcome. Me and my stupid pride… In hindsight, I’d been a fool. I should have at least made sure I had a full stomach, considering I was struggling to survive all other aspects of that house. And unlike Penelope, I’d had no maid making sure I ate, as the housekeeper always went home right after washing the dishes. I’d force myself to wait, my stomach growling, until the others were done eating and everyone was in their rooms. Then I’d sneak into the kitchen to eat some cold soup with rice or mix the leftover banchan together in a large bowl. More often than not, however, even that was inedible to me. —Blech! The leftover soup and side dishes tasted horrible, since vinegar, sugar, salt, salted seafood, fish sauce, and other horrid things had been mixed into it. Unable to stomach even a bite, I’d inevitably throw it up. Asshole #2 was the culprit, of course. —“Just like scum. Why are you sneaking into the kitchen to eat? You’re like a rat stuffing its face in a trash bin.” He’d pop out of hiding to snicker and mock me. I’d suffered from malnutrition and chronic gastritis all the way up until I finally escaped from that hellhole. “…Just like scum, seriously,” I murmured to myself, laughing weakly at the memory. Remembering what my life had been like, I began to think that maybe my current position as the fake daughter of the duke might be better. Getting out of bed, I told myself, “That’s enough wallowing for today.” I needed to get up and move around whenever my mental state got like this—sitting still would only make me ruminate in my depressing thoughts. After finding a shawl, I left my room to go for a stroll. I was walking down the hallway and making my way toward the staircase when I came across the butler, who was descending from upstairs. “Miss…” He seemed surprised. “Where might you be headed?” “Outside.” “Outside…? Going to watch the fireworks from the East Hill, then?” “The East Hill?” I asked, taking a second to remember the place he was referring to. It was the hill Derrick had dragged me to not that long ago, then promptly abandoned me to return home on my own. I could only assume that Penelope made a thing of leaving the manor to see the fireworks on the last day of the festival each year. That explains why the duke asked if I would be attending. I wasn’t the sentimental romanticist type, so going all that way just to see some light show didn’t appeal to me. Shaking my head, I answered, “No.” “Why not, Miss?” “I’m not exactly feeling up to it this year.” He seemed troubled by my lack of enthusiasm. Missing the fireworks was probably out of character for Penelope, judging by his surprise. Either way, I didn’t care. A villain is supposed to be capricious, isn’t she? “Miss, they’ll be celebrating the empire’s military victory as well, so the finale for this year’s festival should be even grander than previous years.” “Fireworks are fireworks. You’ve seen one show, you’ve seen them all.” I had no idea why he was so insistent on hashing this out with me. And since he’d been present at lunch earlier, I had no desire to linger in his presence. Thoroughly done with this encounter, I began walking away, clearly dismissing him. “As you were.” “Miss Penelope,” he called urgently, halting my beeline for the stairs. “…What?” I paused at the top of the steps to turn and regard him once more. The old man seemed to hesitate, which was very unlike him. “I’ve just cleaned up the attic, at His Grace’s instruction. I was on my way to inform you of this.” “Inform me?” I couldn’t imagine why he would want to notify me of anything regarding the attic. The entrance to it was at the end of the hallway on the third floor, so I’d never been there before. “Why?” “You…went there often as a child, did you not? You liked to watch the fireworks from there when you were first brought to the manor, Miss. In my humble opinion, it was recalling this fact that led His Grace to ask me to clean it for you to use—” “Let’s keep things straight.” I cut him off coldly with a laugh, a cruel smile on my face. “Even if I wanted to go up there, I haven’t been allowed to in a very long time. Because someone took issue with me being on the third floor, it was boarded up, and I was prohibited from going anywhere near the attic.” The butler was silent. I usually wouldn’t have been so aggressive, but he had caught me in a foul mood. The odd similarities between my old life and this current one had ignited a white-hot rage in me that I was struggling to tamp down. “Mrs. Dona…was fired on the spot, Miss,” he said cautiously, a solemn expression painting his face. His brow furrowed. “The duke was furious, and she was dismissed from the manor with only the clothes on her back. She did not even receive her severance pay. As she has been working here for quite some time and hails from the house of a viscount—albeit one on the decline—no further punishment could be given to her.” I felt my eyes widen at this news. I stared at the butler in surprise, and he continued levelly, “However, because Young Lord Derrick burned her employment contract and letter of recommendation himself, she will no longer be able to find work in any noble household.” “So? What, should I raise a toast?” Though the news of her dismissal was unexpected, it only made me more upset. If the problem was so easy to deal with, why had nothing been done sooner? They never did anything to help before. On the contrary, I was threatened and told not to complain, since Emily has worked here for such a long time. Thinking of what Derrick had said while he knew full well I’d been made to eat rotten food worsened my mood. “You don’t need to report things like that to me. Issues with the staff are none of my business anyway.” “His Grace was most troubled by this afternoon’s affair. He seems to be concerned that you still have yet to eat anything.” What do you expect me to do about it? I swallowed the urge to spit those words at him and forced myself to smile. “Would he feel better, then, if I went down and ate something now?” “Miss, what happened today is entirely due to my own negligence,” the butler said, suddenly giving a deep bow. I blinked, taken aback, “Under the pretense that I was too busy, I failed to ensure that proper care was provided to you; thus, the fault is mine. I will accept whatever punishment you deem necessary. But, Miss…if nothing else, could you please accept His Grace’s sincerity?” I watched aghast as the butler continued to bow and plead. “After you left the dining room so upset, he agonized over how he could make it up to you. In doing so, he remembered that you used to like playing in the attic as a child. You must know that once he issues a command, His Grace seldom rescinds it.” He was right. It had been six years since the incident—which occurred not long after Penelope’s adoption—that had caused him to order all the doors on the third floor locked and the rooms prohibited from use. For him to withdraw that order after all this time meant he had been deeply unsettled by the neglect of his adopted daughter. The butler must have felt there was some hope of changing my mind since I had listened without comment. He bowed again and said, “I have unlocked the door to the third floor and set the attic back in order as best this humble old man could. Please let go of your anger, Miss.” I stared at him expressionlessly. If I were the real Penelope, I’d have been overjoyed at his words. One of the main instigators of her harassment had been fired, and her family was paying her some interest. Her father’s trusted servant, whom she hated, was even pleading and bowing before her—she would have been intensely satisfied by this turn of events. However… It’s too late. And I wasn’t Penelope. You should’ve helped her at least once before I came to be in this body. Penelope, that stupid, pitiful child, would have forgiven them for everything. But it’s already far too late. The butler caught sight of the crestfallen expression on my face, his pupils dilating in shock. “M-Miss?” He straightened up, panicked. “…Right. How could I ignore such a sincere gesture from my father? I was going out for a change of scenery anyway, so it wouldn’t hurt to visit the attic after so many years,” I said, rearranging my face so I was donning the arrogant mask of Penelope again, betraying no hint that I’d been on the verge of tears. “Lead the way.” Not all the doors on the third floor had been unlocked. There was a set of large double doors in the corridor still sealed away, chains wrapped around the knobs. That must be the heroine’s room. Penelope’s room was very nice, but her room must have been on an entirely different level, judging by the size of the door alone. I didn’t find this overly upsetting. How could his adopted daughter expect to be treated the same as his real daughter? It would be silly to want for more than you’re due. The butler seemed especially cautious as we passed in front of the doors, glancing behind to gauge my reaction warily. I gave no indication that I’d noticed, of course. Once we reached the end of the third-floor hallway, he opened a small door, revealing a stone spiral staircase. It led to a turret that was probably built for wartime, but it wasn’t as well maintained as the rest of the manor, as it hadn’t been used for a long while. “Watch your step, Miss,” the butler said, ascending first. I hiked my skirt up and followed carefully. An attic at the top of a rustic, narrow turret? It’s just the kind of secret hiding spot small kids love to play around in. The staircase seemed to have no end. When we finally reached the top, there was a musty door. It swung open easily at the butler’s touch, and I followed him inside, not expecting much. It’s probably nothing more than dust-filled storage space. Instead, I quickly ate my words. I was met with a fairly impressive room. It was like a small study, one wall lined with bookcases. The far wall housed a fireplace with a cozy couch in front of it, and the closer one held a large, round window. The window was open, and I felt a cool breeze sweep in, tickling my nose. “Is it to your liking, Miss?” the older man asked with a pleased expression as he watched me peer around the room. “It’s not bad.” “Shall I bring you some refreshments?” “No thank you. But I do want to stay here for the rest of the evening.” “As you wish. His Grace has already given you permission to use this room however you like.” That made me happy to hear. Feeling a little better, I said in a gentle tone, “Thank you for showing me here, Pennel.” “Think nothing of it. Please do have a relaxing evening, then.” With one last polite bow he left the attic. I cast another glance over the quiet interior, slowly wandering inside. “No wonder Penelope came here so often.” It was cozy and tucked away, the perfect hiding place for a girl who’d just been adopted and didn’t understand why everyone seemed to hate her so much. Walking over to the large open window, I looked outside. The ducal estate was vast, which meant I couldn’t see the city streets as I had been able to at the hill with Derrick. But there were no buildings to block the view, the broad sky stretching into the distance and over the peaceful scenery below. I sat down, opting for the floor in front of the window instead of the blanketed couch. The sun was setting outside, and I gazed out over the horizon as it was slowly bathed in a scarlet glow. Only for my daze to be rudely interrupted. Chak. The sound of a door opening, and then a noise—a voice—from behind. “Huh?” I turned to find my pink-haired brother passing through the entryway, and our eyes met. “What are you doing here?” Reynold said with a frown, having paused when he realized he wasn’t alone. You think I’m happy to see you, either? I glanced at the gauge looming above his head and replied matter-of-factly, “The butler brought me up.” “That’s not what I meant…,” he started, looking me up and down with a mocking sneer. “You’re banned from the third floor, aren’t you?” Come on! We both know whose fault that is. Feeling resentful, I shot back primly, “That’s no longer true as of today. Father gave me permission to come here.” “Ugh! So that’s why he was asking about this old place.” “What are you doing here?” “Unlike a certain idiot, I was never banned,” he said, moving farther inside. I scowled seeing him get closer to where I sat. I didn’t want my precious alone time interrupted by an unwelcome visitor. “I was here first,” I said, irritated. The underlying message was clear: So get out. He wasn’t the sort to make anything easy, though. “Who said you weren’t?” Reynold approached the fireplace and flopped onto the plush couch, my words not giving him any pause. His eyes drooped sleepily as he peered down at me. “You stay right there on the floor. It suits you.” “Why do you have to come up here? You have your own room.” “The second young master does as he pleases.” Ugh, you jerk! My fists trembled with barely contained rage. I so badly wanted to smash one into his stupid face, but I held myself back through sheer willpower. Affection ten percent. Affection ten percent…, I chanted inwardly. It had been so hard to gain those percentage points, and like hell was I going to lose them. Ignoring Reynold with all the self-control I had left in me, I turned my attention back to the world outside the window. Of course, he couldn’t leave well enough alone. “Why are you sitting there like a statue?” “I’m watching the fireworks, then getting out of here. So leave me alone.” “Pity you can’t see the training field from here,” he said, snickering to himself. “Today being the last day of the festival and all, everyone retired early. Everyone but that slave you dragged in. He’s probably still there, grinding away.” “Huh?” My mind went blank. I turned my head to regard him, slowly. “What do you mean?” “Exactly what I said. The bastard’s probably out there alone, training himself to death,” Reynold said with a mean laugh. I was speechless for a long moment before I finally stammered out, “B-but why?” “Because I told him to.” You lunatic! I could almost see Eckles’s affection plummeting. What other antics had been going on while I’d been preoccupied? No! He’s my only hope! I scrambled to my feet—I needed to check his meter. Preparing to rush down the stairs, I was prevented from doing so when Reynold grabbed me. “Going to see him?” he sneered. He was holding my wrist roughly, having gotten up so fast I failed to notice he’d moved at all. His cotton-candy pink hair swished inches away from my eyes. I frowned, nervous. “Let go.” “You’re too late. The moment you brought him here, he became my prey,” he said mischievously with a wink. I felt a disconcerted dismay well up inside me. With a deep sigh, I wrenched my hand out of his grasp. “Why do you have to be so immature? Can’t you find it in you to be kind?” “Hearing that come out of your mouth makes my skin crawl,” he said, rubbing his arms with great exaggeration. I glanced at the [Affection: 10%] floating above his head. Who pissed in his cereal? I was the only one who had been unable to have lunch, but it had looked excellent—he’d eaten his fill. There was no reason why he should be trying to pick a fight. Reynold was the combative type, sure, but today he seemed to be in top form. “Haah… If you don’t like me being here, just say so. I’ll leave.” I decided to drop it since I was the one who stood to lose from a confrontation. With Reynold, avoidance was the best policy. Just tell me to get lost already. I’ll go without a word of complaint. I was quietly waiting when Reynold suddenly spoke again with a total non sequitur. “Have you no conscience?” His eyes were locked on my face, staring me down. “…What?” “What makes you think you can just waltz in here?” “Ha…!” A laugh escaped me involuntarily. He sounds like the abusive mother-in-law in some K-drama. I hadn’t meant to laugh at Reynold, but he’d heard regardless, causing rage to flash in his blue eyes. I shifted my gaze to the floor, keeping my tone docile. “What are you talking about?” “You’ve been different lately, keeping to your room and doing things you normally wouldn’t… I thought you might have finally come to your senses, but obviously, I was a fool.” “…” “A fool for thinking a girl as shameless as you could ever change.” I bit back another sigh. Why do I have to be subjected to his temper tantrums when I came up here to lift my mood? My anger was spent after my earlier conversation with the butler, so the current situation honestly only made me feel tired and overwhelmed. The crown prince and Reynold were walking time bombs best left alone. I cajoled him in a weary voice. “Reynold, please don’t beat around the bush. If you have something you want to say, just say it. Why are you suddenly—” “You were going to re-up your wish when the fireworks started, weren’t you?” he said viciously, cutting me off. “Your wish that Ivonne would never return to the manor.” “…” “Wait, no—that she would disappear forever or die.” “…” “You prayed for that six years ago today in this very attic. It was the last day of the festival, and you knew it was also the anniversary of the day Ivonne had gone missing.” Reynold had gotten so up in my space that our noses were practically touching. His face was painted a sinister red thanks to the setting sun, his mouth stretched in a feral smile and his eyes promising violence. Penelope did something like that? I stared at him, stunned. I hadn’t known the heroine had gone missing during the festival. Now that he mentioned it, I could vaguely recall that the game’s prologue might have glossed over that detail, but I’d promptly forgotten about it since it hadn’t impacted the plot significantly. She was literally whisked from rags to riches. I suppose it’s to be expected that she didn’t want the duke’s real daughter to return. In any case, I could understand Penelope’s actions, walking in her shoes as I was. It was probably easier for me since I’d had my own overnight Cinderella story, so I knew what it was like. However, Reynold—as the heroine’s elder brother—apparently couldn’t live with seeing Penelope return to the attic after what she’d done. “So how does it feel? You’ve taken Ivonne’s place for six years now, just like you wanted.” Reynold was so furious that I could practically see the red flags all around me, afraid we were headed straight for one of the game’s dead endings. He glared daggers at me so sharp that it felt like he wanted nothing more than to kill me, and I knew I needed to choose my next words with extreme caution. What can I say to fix this mess and avoid triggering that nasty temper of his? Today was the anniversary of the day he’d lost his beloved sister, and before him was none other than the evil girl who had replaced her. Acting like Penelope usually does will only invite trouble. Instinctively, I cast my eyes around the room, checking if there was anything that could be used as a weapon. I couldn’t see anything sharp, but that didn’t mean I was safe. If he hit his breaking point, Reynold could simply push me out the window or choke me, and I’d be done for. “I…I was young and immature,” I forced myself to reply, the words struggling up my throat. Moved by fear, I took small, faltering steps away from the window. “I’m sorry. It might be too late, but I apologize. I’ve reflected a lot on my mistakes. Please forgive me.” “Reflected? Ha!” My cautious apology didn’t seem to placate him in the slightest. “Fine. Since it’s all in the past anyway, let me ask you something. Why take it so far? Even if Ivonne had returned, it’s not like you’d be thrown out on the spot.” This was the hardest situation Reynold had ever put me in. Even apologizing sincerely wasn’t getting me anywhere! What do I say? It wasn’t my wish, so how am I supposed to defend it? Sweat trickled down my face. “Answer me,” he demanded. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have come up here. It was stupid of me.” “Do you seriously think this is something a simple “sorry” will make disappear?” “Reynold…” “You know, you never told me how you managed to reel my father in. Tell me—how does a child sweet-talk a duke into bringing her home? Maybe I could learn a thing or two from you.” This was spiraling out of control, Reynold’s affection gauge flickering threateningly. His eyes were turning red as he glared at me, though I couldn’t tell whether it was because of the sunset glow or because they were bloodshot. This whole situation was unfair, and I felt my mood souring again, but I did my best to remain calm. Things had the potential to be very dangerous, and if I couldn’t get this under control, I’d need to run. I spoke carefully. “I’m truly sorry for what I did back when I didn’t know any better. From the bottom of my heart, I apologize. But your sister’s disappearance has nothing to do with me.” After taking a deep breath, I continued. “I came up here today because the butler suggested I watch the fireworks. He said Father had agreed, and it had been so long, so I just wanted to take a quick—” “Shut up.” Reynold shoved a finger in his ear and wiggled it around, as if he found our conversation boring. “Since you were supposed to be Ivonne’s replacement, I expected you to at least do a decent job of acting like her.” I’d apologized as genuinely as I knew how, but he continued like a bulldozer. “Instead we have a chimpanzee threatening people with a crossbow and inviting some worthless slave into the manor. As if you hadn’t damaged our reputation enough already.” All I ever got in return for my efforts was contempt and derision. “How much longer do I have to put up with watching you strut around the manor like you own the place?” Reynold asked with a twisted grin, his face overlapping with someone else’s in my mind. —“Do I really have to put up with watching scum wander about my home?” A flashback of a voice from another lifetime came to me unbidden. I’d never been able to retaliate or point out that I didn’t want to see their faces, either. It might have gotten me kicked out, after all. “…Her replacement?” Why did he have to drag up memories of the past I’d only just managed to push down to the recesses of my mind? “When did you ever treat me even as well as you would a replacement?” My tongue was moving on its own, as though the words chimpanzee had lit a raging fire in me. Reynold—who hadn’t even pretended to consider my apology—immediately growled back, “We fished nameless scum out of the gutter and made her a duke’s daughter. How much better do you want us to treat you? Like a princess? A freaking empress?” “Sure. Why don’t we give that a try?” “…Excuse me?” “Who knows? Maybe if you please me, I’ll show you my best impression of your dear little sister,” I said, my teeth gritted and my emotional state a flaming dumpster fire of a mess. Reynold’s mocking smile slowly slipped from his face, and I could practically feel the temperature dropping. We’d been at each other’s throats before, but now he looked seconds away from tearing me to shreds. “Oy…,” he said, his voice deep and disquietingly subdued. Then the thing I feared the most happened. Affection –2% “You better watch that mouth of yours. How dare you—” “Why should I? I have every right to say what I please,” I interrupted. “What?” “Do you think you’re the only one of us filled with hate?” I could picture a twelve-year-old Penelope in my mind. I knew I should quit while I was still ahead, but I couldn’t stop. “Well, I feel the same way. If I’d known that I’d end up starving in this oh-so-grand house of the duke, I would have refused to follow him back here, no matter how much he tried convincing me.” “Penelope Eckhart,” Reynold said with a snarl. “How I reeled your father in, you ask? There was nothing to it, really. I acted like the nameless scum you accused me of being.” “That’s enough,” he threatened. Affection –1% His affection dropped again. He appeared both angry and stunned at the same time. It had always been their privilege to use sarcasm and mockery as a weapon against me, after all, not the other way around. Considering Penelope had always screamed and lashed out at people the moment she lost her cool, I wasn’t surprised that he was dumbstruck. Maybe doubly so because I’d transformed so suddenly, abandoning my cautious apologies from minutes ago. I was sick and tired of his nonsense. “I was so poor that I couldn’t even hold a funeral for my mom. I went without food for days on end. Then one day, your father appeared and asked me to go with him while calling me his daughter.” Reynold stayed silent, so I continued. “Have you ever drunk rainwater while sitting next to a decaying corpse?” Slowly, the mental image of Penelope at twelve years old transformed, and all I could see was myself at fourteen. “Or had to eat stone-cold, half-eaten leftovers out of the trash? What about forcing yourself to choke down something so rotten it barely looks like food at all, just to stay alive? You haven’t, have you? Not even once.” “…Oy.” “You want to know why I wished your sister would never return?” Affection –1% [Affection: 6%] His affection had almost completely disappeared in the blink of an eye. I should have shut up and pleaded for forgiveness if I wanted to live. “I was scared of going back.” But instead of begging for my life, I chose to let the fear and desperation I’d kept hidden away out of necessity come pouring out. Because I knew that Penelope must have felt that same fear and desperation when she had prayed to the gods, wishing for the duke’s real daughter to never return. “A scummy life where I spent all day looking down, hoping to find someone’s leftovers in the dirt. I was scared of returning to that life.” “Penelope…” Reynold’s voice cut off before he could say anything more. “Speak. I’m listening.” My quiet outpouring of emotion was over. I stared at him, chest heaving. I was no longer afraid of what would happen if his affection plummeted into the negatives. I won’t regret it, even if I die where I stand. For the sake of a young and foolish Penelope, who’d grown up drowning in misplaced rage and hatred. And also for— “I…” Reynold finally opened his mouth. I said nothing and waited quietly for the end to come. The numbers above his head blinked rapidly. [Affection: 7%] “I didn’t…” Reynold, his expression rigid, couldn’t seem to find words. I could understand why. The abject experiences I’d described were something from a world light years away from Reynold’s own noble upbringing. He wouldn’t have been exposed to that sort of thing. He continued to hesitate for a long time before he spoke. “I didn’t know you went through something so horrible.” The tables had turned very quickly. It was now Reynold who was sweating, at a loss for what to say. “Of course you didn’t.” “Penelope…” Reynold’s voice sounded choked. “You never so much as acknowledged me, thinking I was some evil, master manipulator child who’d plotted to win over the duke and took your sister’s place.” “That’s…” “So it’s time you learned the truth.” I stared at him with cold, dead eyes. “When you accused me of stealing that necklace, I was just a twelve-year-old commoner who didn’t even know how to read.” Reynold, who’d been about to speak, slowly closed his mouth. I could see the disbelief blooming in his eyes, but it didn’t satisfy me in the least. Boom! At that moment, a whizzing, crackling sound exploded through the quiet. The roar of noise filled the air, coming from the window behind Reynold. While I’d wasted time on this meaningless exchange, the sun had set, the sky swathed in black. With loud popping sounds, the fireworks had begun. We stared at each other in silence as the fireworks filled the sky with beautiful splashes of light. The different colors lit the planes of Reynold’s face briefly before vanishing again with each explosion. Perhaps it was the play of light that made his face appear twisted in some kind of complicated emotion as he gazed upon me. The numbers hovering above his pink hair blinked again. [Affection: 14%] His affection for me had risen tremendously, and with it, a white dialogue window appeared. <SYSTEM> Event quest cleared! [Check Out the Festival] with [Reynold] <SYSTEM> Accept the rewards? [YES / NO] “…Ha.” I laughed bitterly to myself, the unwelcome notification bringing a hollow smile to my face. So all that matters is meeting the quest conditions, regardless of affection fluctuations? In the end, I had no choice but to press [YES] despite quivering with rage at the idea. <SYSTEM> You have acquired [Affection: +3%] for [Reynold] and a [Crossbow] as your reward. Seeing his affection increase again, I felt any urge to fight die like a candle flickering out. Fweee! Boom! The picturesque fireworks continued to whiz and pop, the world outside the window uncaring of my inner turmoil. “…Even if I’m kicked out now, I’ll just go back to being a poor commoner, so it’s strange,” I muttered half to myself between the crackling of the fireworks. “You always make me feel miserable, like some kind of disgusting vermin no better than a slave.” Reynold’s hesitant expression contorted into a grimace. It was probably at this precise moment that I began to imagine what life would be like after I left the manor. I stared at him with eyes as crushed as ash before turning away. “Penelope—!” he called, quickly reaching out to try to stop me from leaving. I left the attic without giving him so much as a glance. Descending the dark stone stairs, I contemplated Reynold’s increased affection and the conversation I’d impulsively initiated with him. [Affection: 17%] The reward was very generous, considering I’d been prepared to die for confronting him. Of course, what I’d told him about Penelope’s past was a web of excellent lies. How am I supposed to know anything about her past when the game never told me a damn thing? Drinking rainwater next to a corpse, subsisting off garbage—those wretched stories were only stabs in the dark based on what I thought her life must have been like. ……It certainly wasn’t my own story. It didn’t take long before the reward promised for completing Reynold’s festival quest arrived.