Chapter 39

The Villain's Ending is Only Death Chapter 39

‘Ugh.’

Shuddering reflexively, I stroked the ruby ring on my left hand and tried to think cynically.

“You just need to pull the leash when the dog tries to bite its master.”

Of course, I would have to endure a sharp drop in affection when the leash tightened around the dog’s neck.

‘I thought this was the only breakthrough, but why does it keep feeling like an all-or-nothing situation?’

Shaking my head to dispel the uneasy thoughts, I moved on to the next one.

“Bunter Verdandi.”

He was the character who first made me taste the fear of a plummeting affection level.

I had already decided not to look back, but seeing the “15%” figure made me hesitate.

Bunter had the disadvantage of being the one who made contact with the heroine the fastest, but he also had the significant advantage of being the most normal among the five.

Tap, tap, tap, tap. The speed at which I tapped the pen on the paper gradually increased.

“Sigh...”

Unable to make a clear decision, I threw the pen away.

“Why is nothing easy...”

Just then.

Knock, knock. Someone knocked on the door.

I was in a highly sensitive state, scribbling down important things that shouldn’t be discovered by others.

As a result, my voice unintentionally came out sharp.

“Who is it?”

“It’s Pernel, Miss.”

The butler.

“...Wait.”

I smiled wryly, neatly organizing the papers on the desk and putting them deep into a drawer.

After placing the pen I was holding in the pen holder, I finally allowed the butler to enter.

“Come in.”

Click. The door opened cautiously, and the butler entered.

“What is it?”

“The Duke wishes to have lunch with you for the first time in a while.”

“...Lunch?”

I blinked. It was an unfamiliar term.

Since coming here, I had always eaten alone in my room.

Although the meals were a far cry from the elaborate feasts I knew from noble households, I was satisfied.

It was better than eating rotten food or going hungry, as I had in the past.

There was no need to clash with the Duke or his sons, and Emily, who felt guilty towards me, served me with great care.

‘How perfect is this solo dining?’

I didn’t want to go down to the first-floor dining room and eat lunch with uncomfortable people.

Moreover, the thought of eating while being glared at by the staff who despised me for securing the position of the Duke’s daughter made my stomach churn.

“...I don’t mind eating alone in my room as I always have.”

I tried to politely decline, hoping to avoid it if possible.

“The period of penance isn’t over yet, after all.”

“There is something urgent to discuss, so the Duke has ordered you to attend.”

“‘The Duke has ordered’... Does that mean the brothers will also be there?”

“Of course.”

Damn. I barely managed to keep my expression from crumpling.

Showing obvious dislike in front of the Duke and Derrick’s closest confidants would be foolish.

‘Breathe... mind control, mind control...’

I sighed deeply to myself.

“Butler, before we go to the dining room, I have one request...”

“Please command, Miss.”

The butler’s eyes changed at my words.

“If you have any antacids, could you bring them to my room after lunch?”

“...Antacids?”

The butler looked puzzled, wondering why I was asking for antacids before even eating.

“Yeah.”

I nodded firmly.

Because I was about to have indigestion.

I followed the butler out of the room.

Since the lunch preparations were already complete and everyone was waiting for me downstairs, there was no time to hesitate.

“The Duke seems to be very busy with palace affairs lately.”

As we walked down the corridor in silence, the butler suddenly matched my pace and spoke.

I hadn’t noticed the Duke being busy. He seemed to come home late, but I didn’t really care.

“He does seem busier lately.”

However, I nodded silently with a blank expression.

I could feel the butler carefully observing my face.

“Previously, whenever the Duke was at home, you always attended the meals, didn’t you?”

“...”

“Is there something uncomfortable about the dining room?”

At his next question, I frowned slightly.

‘...Did Penelope say that?’

What a nuisance. Why would she force herself to attend such a place?

All she would receive was either neglect or contempt.

‘She really... sigh.’

But for some reason, I understood why she insisted on attending the Duke’s meals, so I couldn’t criticize her easily.

In the past, I always gave up quickly and would never have acted like Penelope.

But that didn’t mean I was any less miserable.

The sound of dishes from the kitchen, the simple greetings about the day, and the picture of a harmonious family... everything except me.

“...Miss. Miss Penelope?”

I blinked at the voice calling me.

Pernel, who had been walking in front of me, was looking at me with a puzzled expression as we reached the stairs.

“...There’s nothing uncomfortable.”

Before he could think it strange, I answered casually as I descended the stairs.

“It was appropriate to eat in my room while I was under penance.”

“Really... No, I didn’t mean to... I misspoke.”

The butler’s eyes widened in surprise at Penelope’s unexpected words.

He quickly stopped speaking and changed the subject.

“The Duke has been quite lonely since you haven’t left your room.”

“...”

“He won’t scold you for joining the meal.”

I laughed at the butler’s words.

Even a dog that doesn’t leave its home will eventually be checked on.

It seemed the head of the household could feel lonely but had no intention of checking if his adopted youngest daughter was eating or starving in her room.

“I wonder if the eldest brother thinks the same way.”

“That...”

At my self-deprecating question, the butler tried to say something, but I was quicker.

“Open it.”

We had arrived at the dining room.

I arrogantly gestured to the servants standing beside the tightly closed door, waiting to serve the meal.

They bowed and obeyed my command, but their glances were far from friendly.

I didn’t care. I had no energy to worry about minor extras.

The door opened, revealing the faces of the people I truly had to deal with.

The stern-faced middle-aged man sitting at the head of the table and the two sitting to his right, [Affection 10%] and [Affection 20%].

“Do you have a sense of time or not? Why are you so late?”

As soon as I entered the dining room, [Affection 10%] frowned and started a quarrel.

The beginning of a hellish banquet.

Since the brothers were sitting to the Duke’s right, I naturally moved to the left.

The butler, who followed to pull out my chair, stepped back after confirming I was seated.

I felt like a criminal being escorted in, even though I had walked there on my own.

‘They said it was lunch, but they’ve really laid out a feast that could break the table legs.’

It was a grand display of luxurious dishes I hadn’t seen since coming here.

Of course, it would be difficult to eat such elaborate dishes in my room on the second floor, but it made me realize Penelope’s position all over again.

As I was counting the variety of dishes, a heavy voice came from the Duke sitting at the head of the table.

“...Let’s eat.”

The formal meal began.

Actually, I didn’t know much about the order of utensils used by nobles.

But Penelope wasn’t the kind of person who usually followed such etiquette.

So, even if I didn’t use the proper manners, it wouldn’t be a big issue.

‘It’s fortunate that my reputation can’t fall any lower.’

I glanced at everyone picking up their spoons and followed suit, looking at the utensils set before me.

“...Sigh.”

A cold laugh escaped my lips.

The utensils given to me were all like those a young child learning to use a fork might play with.

“What’s the matter?”

Hearing my laughter, the Duke’s sharp eyes turned to me.

“Nothing.”

I quickly shook my head and picked up the utensils as if nothing was wrong.

Thinking about it, they wouldn’t care which spoon I used to eat.

‘If they had cared even a little, they would have noticed by now, starting with the Duke sitting right next to me.’

Someone in the kitchen had dared to play such a prank on the Duke’s daughter’s table.