Chapter 58

The villain's ending is only death Chapter 58

He rubbed his face against the hand that bore the ring, pleading.

“I won’t crawl up arrogantly again, my lord. I was wrong. Please forgive me just once.”

The large, hard ruby jingled against his soft skin.

‘Rather, he should just wear the ring and brazenly stick around.’

Then he would be free from the anxiety of not knowing when his neck might be choked by the restraining device.

However, Eclis only wagged his tail endlessly at my cold face.

‘Is he innocent, or cunning…’

As I watched him put the collar around his own neck, I took the ring from his hand, which was rubbing his face, and placed it on the table.

And before he could whimper, I cupped his face with my empty hands.

“Eclis.”

Meeting his inorganic eyes, I calmly instructed.

“From the moment I gave you the sword, you are my knight. I am your only lady.”

“...”

“Never forget that.”

He was quick-witted. So I deliberately lowered my eyelids and smiled.

In a way that he couldn’t tell if it was a lie or the truth.

His ashen eyes, which had been looking at me, suddenly became hazy.

“...Yes, my lord.”

[Goodwill 54%]

My goodwill towards him rose slightly.

‘Finally.’

Finally, it surpassed the halfway mark.

I smiled, but my face froze as the Duke confirmed this.

‘Damn... It’s a bad start...’

The thought of the four of us in one carriage made me feel suffocated.

“Good timing.”

The butler, oblivious to my feelings, clapped his hands and added.

“However, since the young lady is wearing high heels today, which might make it difficult for her to move, wouldn’t it be better if the Duke escorted her to the carriage?”

“Hmph, hmmm. You’re making it troublesome.”

“I’m fine...”

I was about to refuse with a smile, but the Duke suddenly extended his hand.

“What are you doing, hurry up and take it. We don’t have time.”

Then, without a second to spare, he began to shake my hand insistently.

‘But he said it was troublesome...’

I didn’t know which tune to follow. It was absurd, but I had no choice.

“Eclis.”

Feeling a bit guilty for calling him, I turned to him and whispered softly.

“Stay well-behaved until I return.”

“...”

“If you listen well, I’ll treat you as a reward.”

He looked at me with an ambiguous expression, then after a moment, nodded slightly and released my hand.

[Goodwill 55%]

The mere 1% increase in goodwill and the lingering look in his eyes were peculiar.

‘Is he mocking me...’

As I passed my hand to the Duke, I suddenly had this thought.

Just as the Duke escorted me into the carriage, the inside was already occupied by the two main characters.

‘Why did they sit like that, not next to each other...’

I felt frustrated as I saw them sitting opposite each other.

The Duke’s carriage was spacious enough for all four of us to sit comfortably.

However, due to my tardiness, I inevitably had to sit next to one of them.

I glanced back and forth between the two, pondering for a moment.

[Goodwill 22%]

[Goodwill 25%]

Strangely, Derek’s goodwill, which had been at 20% until recently, had risen by 5%.

‘Is it because of the crossbow practice that day?’

My hasty escape without blindly siding with Eclis seemed to have had a positive effect.

Moreover, Leonard had unexpectedly caught up in terms of goodwill. A 3% difference.

“Hurry up and sit down.”

My deliberation was short-lived as the Duke urged me.

I quickly sat next to Derek. Regardless of my feelings towards Leonard, goodwill was my top priority.

Two pairs of icy blue eyes turned to me.

For a moment, their faces subtly changed.

At that moment,

‘Goodwill -1%’ ‘Goodwill +2%’

[Goodwill 21%] [Goodwill 27%]

Their goodwill levels changed simultaneously.

Leonard’s dropped by 1%, while Derek’s rose by 2%.

“What’s with your clothes?”

Just as I was about to retort, Leonard started to pick a fight as soon as I sat down.

I replied with feigned innocence.

“Why?”

“Why? A girl who hasn’t even dried the blood on her head, where did she learn such bad manners? Why don’t you just walk around naked?”

“Last time at the ball, I thought you had grown up, but you’re still the same.”

Leonard sneered, and Derek followed with a dissatisfied murmur.

‘Why do they always pick fights over trivial things...’

I lowered my head to inspect my dress, wondering if it was really that serious.

However, only my collarbone was slightly exposed due to the V-neck, and it wasn’t particularly revealing.

“Stop it.”

Just as I was about to retort, the Duke climbed into the carriage.

“It suits you, so why are you criticizing her so much.”

“Hah. Are you serious, Father?”

Leonard laughed, finding it absurd.

Of course, I felt the same, having just been criticized by the Duke.

‘This is... ridiculous.’

I looked at the Duke with a dumbfounded expression, and he clicked his tongue and turned his head away.

“Let’s go.”

He casually tapped the carriage wall a few times.

Soon, the enchanted carriage started silently.

As expected, a suffocating silence filled the carriage.

‘So, why don’t we each take a separate carriage...’

I sighed, pressing myself against the window to avoid touching Derek.

It felt like I was reliving the nightmare of having to stare at the window without moving until we reached the palace.

Unexpectedly, the Duke was the first to break the silence.

“Hmph. Didn’t you two get any tokens of protection during the hunting competition?”

His sudden question drew everyone’s attention.

Leonard asked, puzzled.

“What tokens of protection?”

“Those things given to wish for safety! ...Like this.”

The Duke proudly fiddled with his collar. The sons’ gazes followed.

I, too, looked at it absentmindedly, then my eyes widened.

‘That’s...!’

“...What kind of amulet is that?”

Derek, who had been silent until then, finally spoke.

I panicked.

The silver amulet I had given the Duke as a gift a few days ago was proudly displayed on his chest.

‘Why... why is he wearing it like this...!’

Even if it was easy to attach and remove, who would wear a protective charm so openly on their clothes?

The weapon merchant had said that the tokens of protection that could be discreetly attached to the body were more popular.

The Duke’s proud display of the amulet was absurd, and I gaped.

Moreover, I had given it to the Duke for a specific purpose, secretly. Of course, Leonard and Derek didn’t have one.

But human psychology is such that...

If I didn’t get one, it would naturally make me frustrated and sad...

‘Especially if he boasts about it to those annoying guys...’

The Duke, unaware of my inner turmoil, seemed delighted and began to explain.

“This is... a few days ago, Penelope...”

“Ah, Father!”

I hastily interrupted him. The gazes that had been on the Duke quickly turned to me.

I forced a smile and tried to divert the conversation.

“Whoever gave it to you, it really suits you, Father.”

“Does it? Hmm.”

The Duke seemed pleased and his lips curled up.

I swallowed a sigh and subtly suggested.

“Still, for safety, wouldn’t it be better to attach it inside your clothes? What if someone sees it and says something disrespectful?”

For example, if the head of the Eckart family, fearing someone might harm him during the hunting competition, wore a magic amulet, it would be quite embarrassing.

Leonard, misinterpreting my words, sneered.

“Indeed. If you’re so old that rumors start about you having a mistress, it would be quite honorable, wouldn’t it?”

“Get out if you want to!”

At that moment, the Duke roared.

“Who is that perverted person who talks about a mistress giving a gift to their only daughter? I want to see his face!”