But soon, the Duke's face became blank. For him it was hard to believe that I said such a thing, the Duke stared at me with astonished eyes. I opened my mouth with serious look.
"You've finally found your daughter, whom you've been looking for a long time." "Penelope."
He asked in a tone full of hesitation, incredibly contrasting with the stern look he had just made. "Will you be alrightif I let the child stay in the mansion?"
"Of course." ""
"Thank you for asking my opinion, but this matter doesn't require my permission."
His blue eyes, hardened by the shock, shook helplessly. No matter how distraught I was with the treachery of Eclipse, my opponent now was the Duke.
'I don't think it's fair for a "fake" to go wild when you're telling me your real daughter is back.'
Moreover, before the start of Normal Mode, I only wanted a complete escape. I wasn't even surprised by the Duke's words as I knew this would happen from the beginning and didn't expect anything.
The Duke looked at me with a lingering glance as if he was looking through me. "If you don't like it"
"......"
"I don't sent her to the dukedom yet."
He responded unexpectedly. He could tell I was lying; it was all over my face. As I was lowering my eyes, I took a brief glance at him. Even though I had trampled on him, my heart fluttered with anticipation and I raised my head slightly.
The tired Duke was facing me with such a complexed face. 'Ah'
I'm usually not quick on grasp on these things, but I realised this reflexively. "Are you serious?"
I never imagined that I'd ever make such a sound. "I've been thinking about it all night."
"......"
"But rather than the constant commotion in the same house, I'd rather her stay away from everyone until it was clear that she was really Yvonne"
"Father."
I cut off the Duke's words in the middle. I noticed how concerned he was as he forcibly moved his facial muscles to let appear a stiff smile.
"She has to enter to Dukedom." "Penelope"
"Even if she turns out as my father's biological daughter, I have no intention of making a fuss." The 'persistent fuss' he kept on mentioning was directed to me all the way.
"If you're afraid that I'm going to hurt her, don't worry. That's not going to happen." The Duke's shoulders flinched at my words. He shook his head hurriedly.
"I don't mean that"
"Isn't that why I have new escorts in spite of being in the house." ""
The Duke's mouth shut in a single line at my words.
Penelope's record was so splendid that it was understandable to have such concerns. In Normal mode, she was jealous of the attention of her family and male leads to the heroine, and she tried to poison Yvonne.
Thus, in a way, the Duke's response was naturalno wonder why I was upset. It was heartbreaking
and my stomach felt sore. "Don't worry Father."
I rephrased my words with a desperate smile to comfort my shallow self.
"I thank you enough for the grace you've showed upon me so far. I'm not a child anymore, I'm past the age of being mean."
The Duke who had been silent for a long time at my words, softened his lips. "Then, the day before yesterday, why"
He immediately shut his mouth, as if it were a mistake. He couldn't help but notice that there was a question the day before yesterday when Eclise brought in Yvonne about why I behaved in such way.
I wiped the smile off my face.
"But don't try to take away the few things I have and give them to her." "Pardon"
"Father, I brought him to here. And Eclise is my escort." ""
"If you're finished with the interrogation, please give him back to me after that."What matters the most right now was neither the appearance of Yvonne nor the state of the Duke's family. After all this mess, he was still my personal male lead with 99% of favorability.
"Give Eclise back to me Father."
My determined voice hardened the Duke's face. He answered with a deep sigh.
"Yvonneseem to want him by her side. I think that she needs a familiar face since she's still not well
acquainted with this place." "Are you going to do it?" "Penelope, dear."
The Duke softly stopped me from asking any further questions. "You see, this father of yours doesn't like him at all."
"Because he had an affair with the same slaves? But you said it was all in line with what Eclise said." "It's not like that."
If so, that was a very hard reason to understand. Looking at him with an incomprehensible look, I shook my head. He explained reluctantly looking to my eyes and urging me to hear the answer.
"Just before Derick executed the slaves, he heard some strange rumors." "WhatWhat kind of rumor."
"When the slaves were debating where to fund their escape, he was the one to advise them to sell the herbs you gave him."
I opened my eyes wide at his last sentence. 'Does he see meas a pushover?"
The more I knew, the more I got goosebumps at the work under him. 'Since when did he'
The duke also had his doubts as to whether he should get caught. I barely said hiding my trembling lips.
"He once complained to me that his fellow countrymen were working in poor conditionsI thought I
was just advising him to help their life"
"I've heard that the farm is still a good place to pay less, but it's a bad thing."
The Duke answered with a curious look. An eerie thought flowed over me. It was one thing to bring Yvonne.
Maybe he was planning this in the first place. To get out of slavery. "You must be right, he probably wanted to help as you said."
The Duke nodded assenting in my defense. It might be that my words sounded different for him. 'No matter how miserable he is, is he the trash that sells people to the east for his own sake?' That was what it was.
"Anyway, he made a great contribution by telling about dangerous elements." The Duke was speaking about it with no thought in mind.
"And he brought my youngest daughter, whom I was desperately looking for. I've engraved a great light for Eckart."
"....."
"So last dawn, Dereck asked him what he wanted as a reward." "What did he want?"
I waited nervously for the Duke's word to drop.
"He said: Don't kick me out of the family, instead let me learn true swordsmanship."
His answer puzzled me. I asked again doubtfully. "Not a well-made clothesor a title?"
"Yes."
"Then why did he sell his fellow countrymen to us?"
Moreover, as the Duke said he could ask for a billion of gold for bringing the 'real' princess. 'You asked me to run away with you awhile ago and now you want to stay in the Duchy?'
I can't quiet figure out what he's thinking. As I frowned upon my troubled heart, the Duke moved as if he sympathized with my feelings.
He asked again with a voice full of disapproval. "Do you have to keep him around?"
"Why would you wantto keep him by Yvonne's side?"
"Penelope"
The Duke warned me in a rough voice.
It seemed as if he has a valid reason to stop me, but I couldn't care less. I had to see him, I had to meet
him......
"First of all, let me meet him." "No"
"Father, please"
I got sick of being punch lined by the Duke each time I open my mouth. "The day after tomorrow is your coming-of-age ceremony."
Perhaps the most frustrating thing was the duke's bluffing.
"If you get involved with a slave and it would spread some dirty gossip, you're not going to have to deal with it, at a time when everyone's eyes are on Eckart family!"
The Duke first brought up the story of the coming-of-age ceremony, which he had already mentioned. "Then the answer is the same."
I removed the expression as if I was going to beg him for and straightened my posture. There were two things I had to settle with him today. One was me to be allowed to contact with Eclise, and the other was me to be allowed do one more thing.
"So, please cancel my coming-of-age ceremony." "Penelope!"
The Duke flew into a rage at my words.
"Does it really matter to have a coming-of-age ceremony at this sensitive time since there's a high possibility that they will gossip about you?"
This is the last resort I thought of.
Eclise, if I grab that fucking bastard and struggle to see any re-end, it would have been a surprise. I needed a second-best plan.
'If I cancel or postpone the coming-of-age ceremony, will the Normal Mode start be delayed.'
Even tough it may seem a blindfolded dumb idea, it's still worth trying. I WANT TO ESCAPE THIS PLACE!
"Are you going to cancel your coming-of-age ceremony for a mere slave?"
The Duke just vented his anger out on me. His nose was reddish. I stared at him with defy and spewed out.
"To be accurate, it's not just because of a mere slave." "What is it?"
"The rumor that the 'real' princess is back must be all over the town, so, dear father, how funny would that coming-of-age ceremony be?"
"What a real Princess?What a fool?"
The Duke, furious, faced me suppressing his anger. "Why do you make such a face?"
He shut his mouth powerfully as if he tried to bite something. I hid my face with my hand, not knowing how to react. My palms dried out of moisture.
I tilted my head. The duke spoke in a rather tired voice.
"Don't worry about Yvonne I've come to agree with her that she'll be properly introduced once we've confirmed her identity."
"She's already staying in the mansion so how are you supposed to refrain the leak?" "Come on, Penelope Eckart. Stop!"
"......"
"Do you know how much effort I've put into your coming-of-age ceremony? I've already sent out all the invitations to the palace. That would never to be canceled, so be sure to know that."
I was dashed with disappointment by the resolute words that seemed to have already been made. I looked at the Duke of Eckart with painful look and murmured quietly.
"My father asks me to understand, but he doesn't approve of either of the two my requests." "Penelope"
"That's enough."
I jumped out of my seat when he stumbled before he regained his balance. While leaving the Oval Office after bowing politely, the Duke did not hold me.
Sorry guys for the delay. I think it might be my last time translating. Hope you enjoy and if anyone can step in to help Eiffelyanaw that would be great.