Chapter 50

Chapter 50

I could grind the lowly knights into the ground, but I couldn’t do anything about Reynold, the instigator of all the bullying. I wouldn’t pretend like I was capable of fixing the situation any longer. I was also struggling through life day by day, trying to stay afloat amongst the constant harassment and derision.

“We’re leading rather pathetic lives, you and I both.” I laughed hollowly, devoid of any real mirth. Why had I chosen such a wretched character to be my escape from this world? It was because we shared the same grim fate. I’d also known from the beginning that it would be easier to ingratiate myself to someone who had little, as opposed to someone who wanted for nothing. For someone like me, battered by life’s hardships, handing Eckles a surprise gift with a lovely smile—like the female protagonist would have done—had never been an option. I realized that now. I relaxed the tight grip I had on the necklace, holding it out to him. “Here. Take this.”

“This is...”

“It may look like a toy, but it’s actually a sword. Just hold it by the handle and imbue it with your mana.”

Eckles gazed at the necklace I was dangling in front of his face, puzzled.

“Go on,” I encouraged, and he reluctantly took the tiny sword between his thumb and index finger. With a great flash of light, Eckles was suddenly holding a longsword in his hand.

“Ah?” His eyes were wide as he stared at the sword that had appeared practically from nowhere.

It was a simple sword with no unnecessary gems or decoration, but the way the light glinted off the blade was peculiar and hinted that it was no ordinary sword. I was going to demand the merchant repay me ten times the amount paid if he was lying. I didn’t expect it to actually be real. Eckles certainly looked like the perfect male protagonist—dashingly handsome in his new clothes and standing there with an enormous iron sword in hand. Nobody would take him for a slave dressed like this. I could see people glancing at him curiously as they passed by.

“Why... give me this?” Eckles asked, staring down at the sword clenched in his fist. His voice sounded oddly tight.

Eyeing the imposing sword lazily, I said, “It would be absurd if a slave hailing from a conquered enemy kingdom were to wield a magical sword in Eorka.”

“...”

“But if you still intend to serve me, the only knight I’ll ever have...”

“...”

“Is likely to be you.”

Eckles appeared more stunned by this admission than he had been by the magically transforming sword.

“What will you do?” I hadn’t intended to sound so threatening as I delivered the sword. My plan had been to say something touching in the vein of normal mode’s female protagonist: You’ll always be a knight to me, regardless of your station. Ha ha. Any sentimentality I once had is cold and dead. My good mood had been ruined when the conversation had drifted to bullying, and I blinked tears from my eyes as I delivered my ultimatum. “Decide whether you’ll take this sword or remain a slave.”

Eckles stared at me silently. I’d half given up on him already. If he didn’t accept the sword, I’d just give it to the duke or Derrick as a gift. Without warning, Eckles raised the sword above his head, then brought the tip crashing down on the wood-paneled floor. It made a brittle crunching sound.

“Wh-wh-what are you doing?” I stammered.

He slowly went down on one knee. He snatched up one of my hands and gripped it in his own.

“I swear eternal obedience and fealty to you as your one and only sword,” he murmured, slowly lowering his head until his soft lips were pressed against the back of my hand. It was the very first time a love interest had touched me, but it felt neither remarkably hot nor cold; it simply left me feeling lukewarm.

However, at that moment I didn’t have the presence of mind to notice even that much.

“I swear eternal obedience and love to you as your one and only sword.” I remembered the words he’d spoken to Ivonne.

Had I somehow forced an oath from him too early? It was different from the vow Eckles had made to the female protagonist in normal mode. I felt a rush of anxiety.

[Affection Score 40%]

However, watching the affection score soar quieted some of my fears. Things are just unfolding differently, I reassured myself as I looked down at Eckles, his lips still pressed in a soft kiss against my hand.

I could only see the crown of his neat, gray-brown head.

“Don’t... betray me, Eckles.” This was the first truly sincere thing I’d ever said to him. “Betrayal...”

Betrayal means death.

* * *

The items I’d purchased from the weapons merchant were delivered to the manor the following day. As the delivery men piled crate after crate at the front gates, the servants watched completely appalled.

“Lady Penelope! Wh-what is all this?” By the time the shocked butler stumbled into my room, I’d gotten out of bed and just finished washing my face.

“What do you mean?”

“I know you haven’t gone out for a while, but...” The butler was flabbergasted. “Why did you buy so many weapons? Over sixty crates of wooden swords have been delivered.”

“Well, we didn’t seem to have enough,” I said with a shrug, recalling the sour events of the day before.

The butler was silent for a moment. He looked at me as he would a silly child and sighed. “I think your concern for the knights is laudable, my lady. However, there is an expansive budget set aside for them already. That includes money for wooden swords. There’s still quite a few left, so you certainly didn’t need to purchase any more.”

Why would I be concerned for the knights? I tilted my head, confused.

The butler sounded exasperated. “My lady, it’s been a while since you went shopping so you should have bought gems for yourself, or perhaps some new dresses—”

“There seems to have been a misunderstanding,” I said, correcting him with a frown. “The swords are not for the knights’ use.”

“Excuse me? Then why...”

“They are gifts for my personal guard.”

The butler stammered, unable to believe what he was hearing. “Th-then all those things out there are...”

“You must have heard what happened yesterday?” I asked.

The older man’s face, previously red with embarrassment, fell into a grim expression. Why would I spend money on men that insulted me? I scoffed inwardly at his reaction. Wanting to make sure no one misunderstood my intentions, I stressed, “I bought equipment Eckles needs to train since it seemed there wasn’t enough to go around. Do we have a problem? Is there no storage space?”

“O-of course there is no problem, my lady,” he said, shaking his head urgently.

It would be silly to claim there was no space for the new items in such a large manor. I knew that the butler hadn’t been asking about storage, but I pretended to misunderstand on purpose. I was warning him not to ask any more questions.

“I’m sure you had your reasons,” the butler said finally, slowly nodding.

Surprising. I thought you’d have more to say. Though I’d reminded him of my position several times, he still seemed to regard Penelope as rude and stupid. I was pleasantly surprised by how much his attitude had changed since apologizing to me only two days ago.

“Don’t worry yourself with Eckles, I know you’re busy. I’ll take care of that.”

“Then what would you like me to do?”

“Just continue to keep an eye on him. And tell me if anything like yesterday’s incident happens again.”

“Understood. I’ll have the items you bought placed in a storage room for your personal knight’s exclusive use,” he said politely.

“Thank you.”

I smiled at him briefly. My mood was greatly improved since it felt like communication was going smoothly for the first time in a long time. Emily arrived with breakfast soon after the butler left.

“My lady! The things that were delivered this morning are for your guard, right?” She chattered excitedly as she set the table.

“Gossip spreads quickly.”

“You should have taken me with you...” Emily said, expression forlorn.

A personal maid was an indispensable helper to the average aristocratic lady. Holding the trust of one’s master empowered the servants, so I understood why she might be upset. She was set on becoming my loyal right hand, after all.

“Here,” I said, handing her the object I’d retrieved before her arrival.

“Th-this is...” It was the copper amulet I’d bought at the weapon trader. Emily hesitated to take it, staring down at it with wide eyes.

“Aren’t you going to take it?”

“What... is this, my lady?”

“A gift for you,” I told her, smiling.

“A... gift?”

“It will protect you from any hidden danger if you keep it somewhere on your person.” The magic imbued in the amulet I’d bought for Emily was too vague to be of much value, but such amulets were often given as a token of favor. “I have a lot of enemies, you see. Since you’ve pledged yourself to me, there’s no telling when something untoward might happen. Wear it at all times, all right?’

I’d felt sorry for taking my anger out on Emily ever since it had happened. She’d also once refused when I’d offered her expensive gems, so I was also testing her. If she refused this as well, I suspected she might have an ulterior motive in wanting to serve me.

“My lady...” However, Emily was looking up at me with large, teary eyes. “I’ve never received a gift like this in all the time I’ve worked here.”

“Is that so?”

“It’s so beautiful. I’ll treasure it,” Emily gushed.

“Good.”

“I’ll work even harder from now on! I really will!” she said, declaring her loyalty over and over, her face set in steely determination. Seeing her expression called to mind that time so long ago when she’d been stabbing me with a needle.

Just then, a notification appeared.

<SYSTEM>

Your relationship with the occupants of the manor has improved.

You’ve gained +5 reputation points as a result.

(Total: 15)

The white window informed me that the reputation points I’d lost the day previous had been recovered.

“Thank you, my lady! Thank you so much!” As Emily bowed over and over, repeatedly thanking me, I considered a wish that had no doubt been made many times, by many people. I hope my life continues to go this well.