Chapter 25

Chapter 25

Nothing of the sort had happened, but I’d chosen the grimmest scenario that came to mind to shock Reynold. Though this time I’d ventured out with a clear purpose in mind, everyone knew what could happen to a young noble lady if she wandered around outside without anyone to protect her.

“Do you understand now, why I want Eckles to guard me?” I asked.

“...”

“I’m sorry to have made you worry,” I said. Then I breezed past Reynold, who stood frozen in place, and up the stairs. The expressionless Eckles followed me, along with Emily, her head bowed somberly. A consequence of being despised was neglect. I simply couldn’t bring myself to forgive those in the Eckhart household who’d left Penelope exposed to the dangers of the world.

The girl that I was before coming to this world can’t forgive them.

I’d just climbed the last of the stairs when I got a notification.

<SYSTEM>

Quest failed: [Go to the festival] with [Reynold].

Try again?

(Rewards: +3% affection score with Reynold and other benefits)

[Accept / Decline]

I selected “Decline” without so much as a second glance.

Eckles trailed behind me like a puppy all the way to my door. Emily’s expression grew more and more horrified as it became obvious that he was intending to follow me into the room, and I was forced to intervene.

“You’re not going to follow me in, are you?” I said, planting myself firmly in the doorway.

“But...” he said with some difficulty, coming to a stop. “You said to prove my worth to you.”

I felt disheartened when I realized why he’d been so subservient until now.

I guess the prospect of returning to the slave auction is that terrible, huh?

The yellow marble embedded in the choker glinted from where it was strapped to Eckles’ throat.

The ring.

I was reminded that I held a magical item that could restrain him if necessary, and my excitement at his 18% affection score cooled. The memory of how he’d broken his cuffs and slaughtered all those men in the alleyway was still vivid.

In normal mode, he’d been a well-mannered knight who’d remained loyal to his mistress even though she was the villain of the story. But this untamed Eckles was dangerous beyond imagination. It occurred to me that perhaps the reason he had been so loyal to Penelope originally was just the choker.

I can’t let his sweet face fool me. He killed a pack of hyenas with his bare hands, I reminded myself, resolving that I needed to stay on guard.

“I didn’t mean I wanted you to service me in bed,” I said.

“Then what do you wish...” Eckles trailed off hesitantly.

“You heard what I said earlier, right? I brought you here to protect me.”

“Yes,” Eckles replied softly.

“Your first mission is to prove to everyone here at the manor that you’re capable of doing just that.”

“My... mission?”

“Yes. I can’t insist they keep someone who’s useless around forever,” I said drily. Realizing that I probably sounded too insincere, I forced myself to adopt a kinder tone. “I trust you won’t disappoint me. You can do that for me, can’t you?”

Eckles nodded slowly, and his gray eyes seemed to sparkle as he gazed at me.

[Affection Score 20%]

His affection score suddenly changed, putting his score the closest so far to normal mode’s 30% starting point.

Ha... When I finally get to 30%, I still have such a long way to go before I get to an ending.

I felt tired just thinking about how much was left to do.

“Emily, show Eckles to the room the butler prepared for him.”

“Yes, my lady.”

That was when Eckles called out to me.

“Mistress,” he said, sounding just as drained as I felt. “I’ll work hard to earn your praise.”

I reached out offhandedly and stroked his dirty hair. Eckles eagerly rubbed his head against my hand. The terror I’d felt when he’d slaughtered those people was still fresh in my mind, but I was also hopeful that I’d made the right choice, and that I could one day escape this world.

“I’m so happy you were the one who saved me, Mistress.”

It was that hope that motivated me now.

* * *

After bringing Eckles to the manor, I locked myself in my room for a while, pretending to be penitent for my behavior. The duke and Derrick ended up letting him stay, the alibi I had created doing its job splendidly. They also made no comment when I didn’t show my face around the manor, staying in my room all day.

However, I did feel a chill go down my spine when I heard through Emily that the duke had been combing through the empire for a noble by the name of Kluy. I also heard that the knights were undergoing harsher training and discipline.

He won’t actually succeed in finding that awful man, will he?

Not that anything would happen to me even if he was found, of course. But I did feel a bit guilty, as things had quickly gotten out of hand, spiraling in a direction I hadn’t predicted.

“Oh, whatever!” I said, pulling myself out of my thoughts. I threw the book I’d been holding aside and flopped onto my bed. The partly drawn curtains allowed the warm sunlight of noon to stream in.

Perhaps because I’d just made significant progress by saving Eckles, the game seemed to have granted me a period of peace. I could stay in bed until late afternoon, nibbling on snacks and reading, and no one came to bother me.

Solitary confinement is the best thing in the world.

I wished Derrick would order me to stay in my room until I reached one of the game’s endings. I didn’t have to do the laundry or clean, and food was brought up to my room at meal times. What a life!

Knock, knock.

“Oh, dear! My lady, you’re still in bed? Please get up. It’s time for lunch,” Emily said from the doorway.

My meal arrived just as I was contemplating how content I was.

“What’s for lunch today?” I asked lazily, not moving from the bed as Emily brought in a tray.

“Sweet pumpkin salad and roasted drumsticks.”

“That’s it?”

Today’s lunch was so simple. I let my disappointment show on my face.

“I told the chef that you wanted something spicy, and he developed a special sauce.”

“Really?” I said, sitting up immediately with a smile.

I’d been nagging Emily about wanting to eat spicy drumsticks for a while now, and it had finally reached the chef’s ears.

“Oh, my lady. It seems your tastes have changed quite a lot. You never liked spiced food before...” Emily said, looking puzzled as she arranged the plates of food in front of me on the table.

I felt a twinge of anxiety. Emily might have looked down on and hated Penelope, but she’d still served her for many years. At times she seemed confused by the slight changes she saw in her mistress.

“Tastes change with age, you know,” I said nonchalantly, raising my fork.

“That’s true,” Emily said, nodding placidly.

Luckily her puzzlement was quickly discarded.

“Please eat, my lady.” Emily said, no longer playing tricks with my food. She separated the meat from the bone and placed it on my plate. I was able to eat the chicken without any effort whatsoever on my part.

“Does it taste all right? Please chew slowly,” said Emily. She was busy making sure that I was eating properly even while she deboned the meat, her attitude so devoted that I was finding it hard to remember how hostile she used to be. Even so, I was on high alert whenever I ate. She probably had no idea that I was studying her suspiciously, even as I ate everything she gave me.

This should be sweeter... It’s not the spicy-sweet flavor that I was looking for.

After tasting the food carefully, I’d only started eating in earnest when nothing seemed to be wrong with it. What I’d really wanted was the spicy chicken I’d sometimes eaten with my friends at university, but all the chef’s efforts had only resulted in drumsticks that stung my tongue, nothing more.

I’m going to have to nag Emily about adding a sweet and salty flavor now.

Though it wasn’t the flavor I was craving, I still enjoyed the numbing sensation on my tongue, having not eaten anything spicy in a while. I ate all the chicken Emily put on my plate with relish.

“I’m full now,” I said, putting down my fork.

Emily quickly cleared away the plates and served dessert.

“The Founding Festival will be ending soon, my lady,” she said, making small talk as I devoured my melon sorbet.

“Is that so?”

“Yes! You used to go to all the festivals and bring back all kinds of gems. Was there nothing to your liking this time?”

“Something like that,” I said.

I’d been too busy to even take note of what was being sold. I remembered that Reynold had said something similar. Penelope of the past must have been really obsessed with jewelry.

Quite the diligent spender.

Imagining her going from stall to stall during the festival and purchasing endless piles of gems made me feel frustrated.

“Oh, by the way! The butler told me that your order from the jeweler has arrived,” Emily said.

“My order? What do you mean by—”

“You summoned the jeweler before the festival began, remember?”

“Ah.”

Her words finally summoned to mind someone I’d completely forgotten because of Eckles.

“Should I go retrieve it from the butler?” Emily asked, noticing that my expression had grown serious.

I nodded absently.

“Yes. Right away, please.”