Chapter 16 - Teary Eyes

I was able to get up after 4 days has passed.

“Lady…… You’re okay now, right?”

The first thing I saw after opening my eyes was Emily with teary eyes.

“Yeah. I’m fine.”

“That’s really fortunate! Do you know how worried I was? His grace the duke and the young masters were also really worried about you, lady.”

“Is that so?”

I replied half heartedly because Emily also probably didn’t meant any of those she said.

Then Emily nodded her head in big motion and spoke.

“Of course! The first young master was pale when he ran to the mansion with lady in his arms!”

“…… My oldest brother did?”

“Yes! His grace the duke ordered and brought all the talented doctors in the capital while the butler was barely able to stop the second young master from leaving to the royal palace.”

I was quite surprised at her continued words.

She might be exaggerating a little, but set that aside, them giving Penelope a care at all was unexpected.

“I thought something might happen to you, lady….. .”

“You must’ve had a hard time, Emily.”

“A hard time, my foot! Don’t say that. I’m lady’s personal maid.”

It seemed like quite a lot of things had happened when I was unconscious.

My mind was a little blank staring at Emily because she was the girl who was in tears, mentioning ‘personal maid’ in front of me when she was also the one who poked me with a needle before.

“Ah right! This is not the time for some chit chats. I’ll be right back that you, lady is now awake!”

Emily got up from the spot in hurry when I nodded my head and spoke.

“Bring some melon sherbet on your way.”

***

I checked the mirror directly after I got up from the bed.

My face looked horrible from four whole days of being unconscious. My neck which was scratched with the crowned prince’s sword was wrapped thick and securely with bandages.

“Why did they wrap it around me so thick?”

If someone were to see this, they’d think I broke my neck instead of thinking it’s just wounded.

I felt trapped by these bandages so I thought of taking them off me but I decided to just let it be for a little while longer.

It was because I thought it wouldn’t be that bad to act like a patient for a while.

It was around when I was resting on my bed after finishing the clam soup and the melon sherbet that Emily had brought to me.

Knock knock-.

A knocking sound on my room door was heard.

“Lady, it’s Pennel.”

The visitor was Pennel, the butler.

He didn’t do things such as coming in without knocking anymore after that incident the other day.

However that couldn’t stop me from frowning.

‘I thought I told him to let others come to visit me if he had business with me.’

I sent Emily out my room instead since I didn’t forgive him completely yet.

“Go and check the reason why he came here.”

Emily did as told without any further question.

What came out her mouth after she came back was unexpected.

“Lady, the butler said that his grace is calling for you.”

“Father?”

It was not allowed for anyone to deliver the orders from the owner, aka. the main power of this mansion, to the others.

I could understand why the butler had to come himself this time for that reason, so I stood up from the bed.

“Emily, bring me an outerwear.”

“Are you not going to change clothes, lady?”

Emily asked as if it was rare for me to not do as so.

currently, I was in a white one-piece that I woke up with. It wasn’t too formal to wear when seeing an adult.

“Have you seen a patient dressing up before?”

I replied, taking the outerwear Emily had brought me.

‘Did he really have to call for me when I only regained consciousness today?’

It wasn’t intended but it was true that I created an incident at the ceremony in the royal palace.

I was punished with timeout last time. I wonder how much I’ll be scolded today.

If I wanted to avoid at least a bit of the blame for that incident, I had to act as if I’m in pain.

Thanks to being unconscious for a while, my face was already like a face of a patient without even me trying to look like one.

‘Whew, my life…… .’

I let out a deep sigh as I left the room.

The butler who has been out by my room door for a while, readjusted his posture the moment I came out my room.

“Shall we go now, lady?”

Then he set one had on his stomach and reached his other hand out in the direction where we were going to go.

‘What the.’

It was not like I didn’t know the way to where I am supposed to go. Also, he’s never done any of these up before to me, up until now.

The butler bowed and opened his mouth at my suspecting stare on him.

“I cannot walk before the master I am serving when I’m a mere servant working here.”

I searched his face to see if he was trying to fool with me, but there were no traces of insincerity shown on him.

Instead, he seemed like a prepared knight who’ve waited for this moment.

“Please take the lead, lady.”

His well-mannered words were heard differently in my ears:

‘I’ve been waiting for you. I’ll be serving the lady well today.’

Just like the owner of a store, treating a regular who haven’t visited for a long time.

The aura of the mansion was noticeably different today.

‘Why is everyone acting like this today?’

All the servants who used to be busy glimpsing at me, were all bowing in manners whenever their eyes met with mine.

That time, I didn’t know that it was all thanks to the butler walking behind me, giving them a warning with his glares.

“Lady, please wait a moment.”

It was when I arrived at the door to the duke’s office. The butler who was silently walking behind me, walked passed me to the door.

Knock knock knock-.

“Your grace. Lady Penelope has arrived.”

“Let her in.”

The butler opened the door for me, also in a very well mannered way, after the duke spoke from inside.

“Please head inside, lady.”

I felt a bit awkward, entering the room.

It was as if he’s been training his manners when I was sick.

“You came.”

The duke was sitting on the sofa today, located on the front side of his work desk.

“Have you called.”

I greeted, bowing my head. He nodded at my greeting and gave me his permission to sit.

“Have a seat.”

I sat down on the sofa across from where the duke was sitting. Then in my brain, I went over the excuses I’ve come up for this conversation.

The duke slowly opened his mouth to speak after a while of silence.

“The reason I called for you today…… .”

“Father. May I quickly say something first?”

I quickly cut through his line.

Then I stood up from the spot I was sitting on, then kneeled down on the ground next to the sofa.

“I apologize for everything.”

This was my plan. Apologizing before everything.

“It seems like I didn’t look back on my actions during my timeout enough that I caused such a fuss again in the royal ceremony and brought shame to the family.”

The words I’ve prepared came out my mouth like a spilling water.

I mean, would he go far as to kicking his daughter, who just woke up from being ill, out the house when she’s confessing like this?

“No, wait.”

It seemed like my plan has worked because the shock he must’ve felt was noticeable on his face.

“I’ll not dare bring up the words for you to forgive me. I know the best that I’m at fault here.”

“What do you…… .”

“I’ll take on any punishments you give without opposing. So…… .”

“Enough!”

I was about to ask him to spare me a little, but him shouting with his one hand in the air made me shut my mouth before being able to ask that.

“Penelope Eckart.”

The duke called my name with a low and deep voice.

‘Gasp. Does is not work anymore after I used this strategy once already?”

I started to feel worried. I replied, gulping.

“…… Yes, father.”

“Rise.”

“…… Pardon?”

That was unexpected that I had to question it again. When I did, the duke’s one eyebrow flinched.

“An Eckart doesn’t kneel down on their legs no matter what the reason is. So don’t lower yourself so easily like that, Penelope.”

“…… .”

“No one can make you kneel to the ground as long as you’re an Eckart. Even though that someone might be one of the royals!”

The duke raised his voice when he said the word ‘royal’. Following that, he commended:

“If you understand, then rise from the ground right this moment.”

“…… A, alright!”

I abruptly got up from the ground and once again, sat on the sofa.

My heart beat at the duke’s impressive charisma that I wasn’t able to witness while playing the game.

‘Did I say something wrong?’

I was thinking that when the duke started speaking again.

“Penelope. The reason I called for you here is not to scold you or anything.”

“Huh? Then…… .”

“It was to hear about what happened in the royal palace in more detail.”

“…… .”

“Now tell me. What happened between you and the crowned prince?”

I looked back at the time before fainting the other day, at his words.

I followed the crowned prince, intending to be killed, then almost got my neck flown off my body from his sword.

Then I saved myself from dying by talked about how I liked that insane bastard.

I felt chills down my spine, thinking about that again.

“Well…… .”

I came up with an excuse, not noticing that the duke was intensely staring my face which was getting paler by each moment.

“I was going to get some fresh air in the Maze garden and happened to meet his highness there. But then, it had to be when he was in a bad mood, so…… .”

It was far different from what had originally happened.

It felt like I was becoming into a professional liar since the day I got here.

But what else could I do? I cannot speak the truth, and it wasn’t all a lie.

“So.”

“…… .”

“The crowned prince messed your neck up like that just from him being in a bad mood?”

“Huh? No. Not messed up my…… .”

“If it’s not messing your neck up! Then what’s that on your neck! He’s not a coyote or anything, but he had to point his sword to a noble girl just because he was in a bad mood!”

_______

-CatLovesTowels -Lizette ^^