Chapter 53

Chapter 53

My jaw dropped. What was that even supposed to mean? It almost seemed like he was permitting me to shoot someone if I wanted.

“F-father. I don’t think I understand what you mean...” I said, carefully confirming I’d heard correctly.

The duke clucked his tongue loudly. “I’m telling you not to charge headfirst in front of everyone and bring shame to our family name again! I’m telling you to make sure there are no witnesses since anyone you choose to shoot will not remember what happened anyway. Do you understand?”

It seemed as if he was trying to head off his immature daughter before she could cause too much trouble. But I thought I was banned from participating for a year because I tried to shoot someone. Instead of telling me to stop trying to shoot people, the duke had replaced the crossbow’s bolts with magical pellets that caused people to pass out and lose their memories.

I mean... come on. Should I be more impressed at just how much this family can get away with, or how out-of-control Penelope was?

“Why aren’t you saying anything?” the duke chided, peering at my expression doubtfully.

“Ah. Yes...” I murmured, feeling dazed. I couldn’t bring myself to tell him that I wouldn’t be shooting anyone. This was the nail in the coffin on any hopes I had of avoiding the hunting tournament. Glumly, I said, “I understand, Father... I appreciate this.”

“Good.” said the duke, clearing his throat. “I wanted to hear about what happened yesterday from you and give you the crossbow. I didn’t summon you here to rebuke you,” he unexpectedly consoled.

I stared at the duke with wide eyes.

He coughed awkwardly. “If you have nothing further to discuss, you may take that and go. This conversation has dragged on long enough.” As though he was surprised by his own candidness, he laughed and shifted awkwardly in his seat.

Summoning a maid, the older man instructed her to take the crossbow up to my room. The contents of the table were cleared away in an instant, and I hesitated as I stared at it.

“Oh, I...”

I hadn’t stood to leave yet, so the duke eyed me with curiosity. “Hmm?”

Oh, whatever. I’d just give it to him since I’d brought it with me anyway.

“I have something for you, too, Father.” I brought out the small item I’d held hidden in the folds of my dress.

The jewelry box was made with expensive velvet, unlike the one I’d given to Emily. I opened it and held the box out carefully for my adoptive father to see. I could see the glistening silver reflected in the duke’s suddenly wide, dark eyes. He seemed quite surprised by the unexpected gift.

“This... is an amulet, isn’t it?” he asked.

“It has been imbued with an emergency teleportation spell.”

“Why would you...”

I guess I was right. It was made clear by the duke’s reaction—his daughter had never so much as offered him a rose from the garden.

Shaking my head at Penelope’s foolishness, I explained in a genial tone, “It’s popular to gift one of these to any noble who is to take part in the hunting tournament, Father.”

“A... gift?”

“Yes. I heard the foreign visitors in attendance will be bringing and releasing rare animals from their home countries.”

“Yes.”

“Since there is no knowing what might happen, I’d like you to keep it on you for the duration of the event.”

“No one in the entirety of this empire would dare attack me,” he protested.

“Probably not, but we don’t know who might be interested in harming you in hopes of damaging or gaining the political power in our family’s possession.”

The duke stared at me like I was some kind of alien. The ornate silver amulet I’d gifted him with was quite pricey since it contained an emergency teleportation spell. I’d had a hard time choosing between teleportation and another amulet imbued with defensive magic, but in the end, had decided this one was better.

The House of Eckhart had refused to take part in the war, maintaining a neutral stance. Attacking or even killing the duke would be like declaring war on the House of Eckhart and reigniting the fighting; nobody would be stupid enough to do such a thing.

But I’ll bet people might try and kidnap him in order to extort the Eckharts.

“If anything unpleasant were to happen to you, there’s bound to be those who would force our house to pick a side in the ongoing conflict between factions.”

“W-why are you thinking like that all of a sudden?” the duke muttered, looking taken aback. Then with a jerky glance at me, he muttered to himself, “No, never mind. All right, I’ll make sure to wear it at all times.”

He looked equally bewildered as I had felt upon receiving a crossbow that erases peoples’ memories. It seemed like he’d never expected to receive such a meaningful gift from his scatterbrained foster daughter.

“I’ll be going back to my room, then,” I said.

I’d brought the gift originally to soothe his inevitable temper. Regardless of its original purpose, I’d delivered it to him. Feeling rather embarrassed, I quickly got to my feet and made for the door. The duke spoke again, however.

“Penelope,” he called softly.

“Father.”

“You’ve... become quite mature of late.”

The duke’s eyes were unreadable as he said this. I should have been happy to hear such a kind compliment, but instead, I felt my throat tighten unpleasantly. I had no idea why I felt this way.

My tongue seemed to move all by itself, “Your Grace...”

The duke’s blue eyes expanded slowly hearing me address him this way once more.

“I can’t say I’ve never resented you. However...” Was I saying this on behalf of poor Penelope, or out of some kind of miserable pity for myself? I had never been important enough to my family to warrant even the small allowances the Eckharts had granted the wild and unruly Penelope. “I’ve never once forgotten to be grateful to you for taking me in.”

In the next moment, a notification appeared.

<SYSTEM>

Your relationship with Duke Eckhart has improved.

You’ve gained +15 reputation points as a result.

(Total: 30)

Whichever it was, I felt a little like crying.

* * *

The hunting tournament was only a few days away. I summoned the butler in the morning and had him bring me some blunt wooden bolts I could use to practice using the crossbow since I didn’t want to waste the expensive pellets which had each been enchanted with two spells. After delivering the crossbow bolts, the butler lingered hesitantly.

“My lady. I have something for you...” he said, holding an envelope out to me uncertainly.

“Huh?” I murmured, puzzled. I’d instructed the butler to burn any and all invitations addressed to me after I’d successfully met with Winter.

“It’s a letter from the palace, so I am unable to discard it.”

“The... palace?” I repeated. I could feel the muscles in my face twitching.

Why had a letter been sent to me from the palace? The sight of the dragon stamped into the golden wax seal sent a chill of ominous foreboding through me. I don’t want to read it...

But if I was to be prepared for all eventualities, I had to. With a heavy sigh, I grudgingly opened the envelope with a letter opener and began reading its contents.

Dear Lady Penelope Eckhart,

It has already been several months since our meeting in the maze garden.

Though I instructed that invitations be sent to you for any banquets and events held here at the palace, you have not been in attendance at a single one of them.

Are you still bedridden with iron poisoning?

Thankfully, since the hunting tournament will take place shortly, we will be able to meet again soon.

I’m sure you have heard that your ban was lifted.

I made sure to speak up on behalf of my lady who has taken ill.

I hope your condition improves soon, and we will be able to meet once more in good health.

P.S. You haven’t forgotten your promise, have you?

You’d do well to remember it, my lady.

I’ve been eagerly anticipating hearing your answer to my question, and have been waiting patiently for you to recover from that damned illness.

- Callisto Regulus

“God damn it!” Shuddering at the sight of the bold, cursive signature, I crumpled the letter into a ball angrily.

Why hasn’t he forgotten about me yet? His persistence sent shivers down my spine. I couldn’t understand why, when I’d been sucked into a dating simulation game, I had to endure receiving threatening letters.

“M-my lady?” the butler questioned, taken aback. “May I inquire as to the nature of the letter, my lady?”

If you must know, it was a threat from a lunatic with nothing better to do, apparently.

“Butler?” I said, biting back the urge to respond thusly. “How long will the knights be training today?”

“I believe their training ends at six... But why do you ask, my lady?”

I’d intended to practice shooting with the crossbow in my spare time so that I could gauge just how good this body’s muscle memory was. I assumed Penelope must have been quite good if she’d caused such a ruckus last year. However, I’d changed my mind.

“I need to use the training grounds today.”

Now I had a good incentive to begin immediately training with the crossbow.