Chapter ss-18: Side Story 18
This was not a permission, but a notification.
I no longer need ask for permission from the Duke. "Penelope."
The Duke quickly asked with a surprised look. "Where the hell are you going, leaving your house? Huh?" "Anywhere."
I replied so quietly after so ti.
"So you're not going to give a farewell."
"Penelope!"
Like when he heard I had t Yvonne, The Duke's face turned pale.
"We didn't finish the conversation last ti. No matter what anyone says, you're my daughter. How does it make sense to cut the vile between parents and children!"
"I know you'd say that."
I nodded my head in silence.
"Then from now on, please don't care what I do."
Ga is over, and I have to go through a future that I no longer known in this world. "Wherever I go, whatever I do there, even if I marry soone you hate."
"Penelope Eckart!"
The Duke opened his eyes and shouted.
"What the hell is wrong with you? Don't to care what you're doing!"
When he asked , he looked at my expressionless face and suddenly shut his mouth. It seed he had figured out the reason.
After a mont the duke soon opened his mouth with a tired look.
"I was the one who bring you here and I admit I haven't looked after you properly."
"....."
"ButNow I have one daughter left with my eyes are wide open. You just tell about Yvonne's news,
and now you're telling this ? Huh? Uh, you can smash your father's heart." The Duke's expression full of grief and sorrow, made my heart flutter.
The Duke was a man with great responsibility.
Besides, he have a little guilt for , so he'll be more protective of .
Of course, I know his words and actions toward are not simply due to responsibility and guilt. Now I've got a little affection from him, and maybe he had been thinking as a real family.
But because of it, I have spent hellish days with my heart divided in two. The desire for affection and the desire to be recognized by them.
Their hatred driving crazy and made so miserable. Just like my pride which been broken every ti it happend.
Whenever I saw Duke, I was troubled by the conflict between the two emtions. "I asked if you didn't bla for killing Yvonne."
Nevertheless.
Even though I've co all the way here, I was a little afraid that they'll bla . "I also need ti and opportunity for not to bla people in this mansion, Father." They never once asked such a thing.
How my mind and how I feel.
The Duke's eyes grown ever bigger, as if he had never expected to hear this from . Duke's lips whose had been clenched and stiff hard, opened after quite a long ti. "...... Penelope, my dear. You still think that's"
"....."
"Do you still resent ?"
Duke's blue eyes shook incessantly.
I looked at him like that and finally accepted it. "Yes."
"Haa"
Duke raised his hand and slowly brushed his face.
Perhaps because of the shock, his fingertips were trembling.
However, I smiled as usual 'Don't forget to keep your grace' like you always said. Without saying anything to reassure him.
He was a loving parent to Yvonne, and sotis he gave it to . But mostly he was a harsh father. For Penelope.
"I can't forgive you." No, to .
"Everyone in the duchess, including Derick and Leonard, who have been abusing ." ""
"And the Duke, who has neglected and tolerated it all." From so point of view, Duke may not be much at fault.
He adopted a poor orphan with a good heart, but it must have been the sa thing that she had been troubled by.
He is not a man who does not have common sense. In fact, as I behave differently, the relationship with the Duke quickly improved.
Just like other peoples.
Maybe contempt and treatnt were what stupid Penelope brought on herself. 'But Penelope is after all.'
The distinction was no longer aningful.
If I deny it, even though I have decided to stay in this world, the child's death which repeated until her soul is broken will be.
Unfairness and yearning, sorrow, despair.
Who the hell can understand them? "Penelope."
My calm words forced the Duke to call .
Whitened complexion and open eyes. The duke's appearance was like a person with a tight breath. "Why, why now.... In the anti"
I've been fine so far, but why did I say that now?
From his point of view, I thought it might be quite a sudden notice.
I've been with the Duke and my family in moderately to the point where it seems no problem until now.
"For you, I think it's out of the blue. I haven't shown much about my self, and sotis I've been acting stupid on my family."
I shrugged and said lightly.
The Duke's lips were opened as if he had sothing to say. But I firmly stopped him and continued to speak.
"But you never asked once." ""
"When Derick brother was hostile to for no great reason, when I was frad for being a necklace thief by Leonard, and when you found out that you employees were involved in my als and starved every ti."
"....."
"You never asked if I was really okay." "Penelope."
"I did act like I was okay not because my wound was healed. But I just buried it because there was sothing bigger than that."
In order to survive, I had to beg desperately, and pretend nothing was wrong. And it beca heavier as ti went by.
Because I'm expecting more and more from Duke, and I don't want to get hurt when his daughter cos back.
My heart was sore at the thought of that ti. 'It's all right. It's over now.'
I took a deep breath and cald myself. And poured out the remaining words that I had prepared.
"But after eting Yvonne, I thought I could understand the Duke's feelings, and why the brothers were doing that to "
"....."
"I don't think all the attention you gave replaced Yvonne, so I'm leaving." The peacock's face slowly sank into my words.
I finally dropped my head when I saw his wrinkled eyes turn red. "DoDo you have to leave?"
The Duke looked at with a watery voice.
"If.... You stay by my sideI'll apologize all the ti, and may be you can forgive then."
" tooI want to be comfortable now.'
I shook my head slowly at the Duke who had a faint hope.
"Over ti, I hope that soday I will be able to treat my father sincerely, not as a pretense that I made up"
"....."
"So stop confronting the Crown Prince under the pretext of . Besides, I don't have any intention to marry him right away."
The words that stood out for my people popped out rather calmly.
The Duke who had opened his eyes wide and stiffened at my words, shouted one step late. "...... Penelope, my dear. It's not like that. I, I just wanted him to tell you!"
He, who was shouted violently denying words, suddenly stopped talking. And bittersweet things popped out.
"No, no. Maybe this is sounded like an excuse again to your ears."
"....."
"I'll try not to do that as much as I can now."
It didn't matter if the Duke really did it for or not.
But now Callisto is anxious enough, and I didn't want to add his anxiety with the thought that I might go back to my house.
"I'm telling you not to do anything for , Duke, and political matters have nothing to do with ." I soothed the grieving Duke with a sowhat soften expression.
Honestly, Callisto's fiery personality could lead to a country's death or aristocratic annihilation, so the duke's proper checks were necessary.
At my words the Duke nodded faintly with a gloomy face. Now he seed have understood everything I said. "Then I will go now."
I tried to get up from my seat. 'He must have noticed by now.'
I was nervous when I thought about going back before the palace was overturned. "Wa, wait a minute."
It was then. The Duke rushed to hold back whenn I ready to go back. Then he picked up sothing under the table.
"Take this with you, Penelope."
It was a slightly larger wooden case than the two palms combined. Sohow it overlapped when I received a crossbow from him. "Whatis this?"
I looked at the Duke with a curious look. Instead of answering, the Duke advised cautiously. "You canJust opened it."
I was just going to carry it, but my heart beca weak on his wrinkled face that looked so desperate. 'This's the last one, that's it.'
I reached out to unlock the wooden case and opened the lid. And when I saw what was in it, my eyes open wide.
"This is"
"It's a relic excavation tool kit."
tweezers, magnifying glasses, tape asure, various kinds of brush, hamr, chisels.....
It was seen that the various tools were placed neatly on a soft cushion. The Duke quietly added an explanation.
"Because there is a light magic, it will not be difficult to carry it. And each tool has a target preservation magic, so it can be safely exacavated without scratches."
Looking at them in a daze, and slowly raised my head. "Why this"
I looked at Duke with shaking eyes.
It was today that he t Marienne and heard the story.
I didn't know how the Duke knew and handed these to .
"A few days ago, I had a private encounter with the Crown Prince." Without facing my gaze properly, the duke said.
"So far, I have only thought you were locked up in the imperial palace because of himno His
Highness. And you haven't been in touch for weeks, except for a letter you sent for the butler." "That's"
I was speechless by the tone of the slight hurt duke.
After the conversation with Cedric, I secretly sent it. But I didn't know the Duke would know that I had sent a letter to the butler.
"He is a tactician"
It was when I was thinking about the source and making a frown.
"So I asked him to stop and let bringing you ho, and that child! Oh, no, Your Highness is
mocking for not knowing where you've gone, and if I'm going to look for you, look for myself." The Duke spoke and clenched his fists.
He was trying to be conscious of what I had just said, and he was respectful to the prince, but he couldn't stand him as a person.
However he didn't show it much either.
Suddenly, the duke laughed dejectedly and smirked at himself. "I've been your father for six years."
"......"
"And I didn't even notice that you were interested in archaeology." I looked at him with a surprised look.
"Duke, that's"
I didn't know anything else, but it wasn't his fault.
The previous Penelope, no, I wouldn't have been particularly interested in that. "BecauseI didn't say it."
"No, it's all because I was careless."
Despite his sincere denial, the Duke distorted his face with guilt.
"Maybe, like you said, I don't deserve to be called as your father anymore."
"...."
"I'm sorry, my dear. But still"
"...."
"Will you accept it as the last gift from your father?"
I turned away from him and looked down at the excavation kit. 'What happens when i get this.'
To be honest, I was worried.
I ca here to break up the bad relationship, but if I receive it, it will continue to be nasty. But in the end, it was useless agony.
No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't find a reason for not accept it. "Thank you."
Tak-.
I locked the lid of the case and stood up, then bowed lightly. "Take care, Duke."
"Yes. You too, please"
He finally couldn't speak and covered his eyes with one hand. Finally.
It was the real farewell to the Duke, which I couldn't made it during coming-of-age ceremony.
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