What a match (Dion Agriche x Penelope Eckart)

chapter 36

It's been a whole day in the Eckhart Duchy. The door of the room was closed the whole time, it was because i don't want to see them, see their disgusting faces.

I was standing on the balcony of the room, staring at the sky. The sky was dark, embedded with tiny but sparkling stars, gentle cold wind blowing creating a soft rustling sound from the leaves.

My body trembled with hatred as i remember their faces, faces that were filled with concern and guilt. How dare they drag me back to this hellhole. They should have been happy that finally the disgrace and the fake adopted daughter of the family is gone. And now they want me back!?

My grip on the railing got tight, turning my knuckles white. The chilly wind blew, making my long hair flow with it. My body shivered a bit but soon it relaxed.

"Your knuckles look as white as a sheet" startled, i stared down from the balcony to look at the person who just spoke. My eyebrows knitted together as my eyes met with the blue ones.

"You should mind your own business, young master" Reynold stared back at me with a slight frown. He soon groaned and ruffled his hair in frustration.

"You still are so troublesome" he grumbled and took some steps back. I looked at him in confusion.
What is he trying to do?

"What are you do-?" Before i could finish my sentence, he ran and leapt up, landing on the railing in front of me.

"Ekk! What the hell!" You shooed back as i saw him right in front of me. I looked at him, horrified by his actions. A daring grin played on his face as he saw my reaction.
He was enjoying it.

He effortlessly got down from the railing and comfortably placed himself on one of the cushioned chairs. He crossed his arms and looked at me smugly.

"Don't you have some work, young master ?" I asked as i narrowed my eyes, looking at him with a cold face. I was startled by his sudden appearance. His face reminded me of the first day i opened my eyes here, after all he was the first person I saw.

"Why the hell do you keep on calling me 'young master'. You can just call me brother as you used to call me when you were a child" a smirk appeared on my face as i heard the word brother from his mouth.

"Why should I? Didn't you guys hate it when i used to call you brother?" Reynold's face changed into a guilty one. I could only laugh at his reaction, did he think that i will forget what they did to the original Penelope.

"I don't even understand why you guys cast that spell to bring me here, when all of you hated me" I wanted to ask this thing from them before too but my emotions took the best control over me.

My eyes never deviated from him, watching the sudden shift in his expressions. He looked like he was thinking about the right word to say.

"We regretted how we treated you, i regret it a lot. After your sudden disappearance, I was devastated. I was worried that you might not be okay. I prayed day and night for you to return to us safely. I wanted us to be a family again, like we used to be" his eyes glimmered as he spoke. I could judge from his expression that what he said was genuine. But it's too late.

"Family? Hah" i scoffed "since when did we become a family."My eyes narrowed as i stared at him with a malicious look. I felt like laughing at his remarks.
Family my foot!

"Aren't I just a filthy thing?" I repeated the word he said to me and to the original Penelope at the beginning. I walked closer to him and settled myself on the chair just opposite to him.

"That's not what i meant!" He stood up from the chair and looked down at me with an annoyed expression.
"I was just an immature kid back then! You can't take my words seriously. Can't you just forget it"

"Right... You were just a kid but so was i" I rested my face on my knuckle. "I was also just a kid who was brought to this house. I was just a 13 year old orphan, hated by everyone, bullied and no one treated me nicely or even talked with me nicely. How do you expect me to forget that, Reynold?"

Reynold said nothing, he was quiet. His eyebrows were knitted together and he was looking down on the floor. I don't know what he was thinking but he stood up and walked towards the railing.

"I am sorry..." With that he jumped down from the balcony, leaving me in great shock. My eyes were wide open and my mouth slightly apart.

My heart skipped a beat. This was the first apology i received from the people of this Duchy, and more or less from Reynold. I never expected this, i couldn't even imagine it.

•••

"Tsk... I am still unable to wield my mana" i flopped down on the bed and stared at the ceiling. I need to get out of this place.

I wonder what my uncle is doing. I bet he is gonna make a mess in the tower. I laughed drily at the thought of him making a ruckus in the tower. But why isn't he able to track me down yet?

Maybe it's because of the protective shield around the mansion which disables the usage of mana in the mansion. I need to get out of the mansion in order to get away from this place.

I sighed and placed my hand on my head. This is so tiring. There was a knock on the door and an old man in a butler's uniform came in before i could even answer him. His expressions were neutral but there was something in his eyes that i could identify.

My eyes narrowed as i looked at him from head to toe. I remember this person very well. Pennel, the head butler of the duchy and the Duke's most trusted person.

"The Duke wants you at the dinning room for breakfast, m'lady" his gaze was down the whole time.

Should I get angry at him for entering the room without my permission?
If he was in Agriche mansion, he would already be tortured and dropped dead.

"Let him know that i won't be attending" i said in a plain tone. I don't want to get indigestion. Pennel didn't leave the room. He stood there and just stared at me.

"Please understand, m'lady. It's not a request but an order" his eyes finally met mine. This man was seriously getting on my nerves.

"Haa... Let's go" i stood up and Fennel led the way. I could feel the dirty glares of the maids around the mansion. Pennel was walking in front of me, which was completely against the rules of noble etiquette.

So they are still planning to treat me that way. A smirk appeared on my lips. I guess i will have to give them a little show.

Finally we arrived at the dinning room and Pennel knocked at the door. He opened after getting a reply from the Duke.

The door opened, revealing the Duke and his sons sitting on their respective seats.

Here we go again....

To be continued ~