The villain's ending is only death Chapter 50
Even if I could stomp on the underlings, there was nothing I could do about Leonard, who led the bullying.
So I no longer spoke of solutions or anything like that.
I, too, was barely getting by each day, walking on thin ice amidst the abuse and contempt they led.
"......You and I, truly, have such miserable lives."
Suddenly, a hollow laugh burst out of me.
How could I have chosen a male lead who was crawling at the bottom, even after putting all my eggs in one basket?
Thinking about it, it was because my situation was the same.
I knew it was easier to win the favor of someone who had nothing rather than someone who had everything.
For someone as weathered as me, a situation where a normal-mode heroine gives a surprise gift with a loving face was impossible from the start.
I loosened my grip on the necklace I had been holding tightly and extended it to him.
"It may look like a toy, but it's a sword. Hold the hilt and infuse it with mana."
Eclis looked down at the necklace suddenly offered to him with a bewildered expression.
It seemed hard for him to believe that this was a sword.
At my urging, he reluctantly picked up the sword decoration with his thumb and forefinger.
Whoosh! A bright light burst from his hand, and suddenly, a long broadsword was in Eclis's hand.
Eclis stared at the sword that had suddenly appeared in his hand with eyes wide open.
Though it was a crude shape without any jewels or ornaments, the light flowing along the blade was extraordinary.
'I thought I would get a refund ten times if it was fake. It's real?'
Indeed, a male lead is a male lead. Eclis, dressed in new training clothes, holding the majestic iron sword in one hand, looked very impressive.
To the point where no one would imagine he was a slave.
I could feel the sparse crowd around us glancing and gesturing at him.
Eclis stared at the sword in his hand, speechless.
His voice sounded somehow choked.
"I, in the Inca Empire, it's absurd for a slave from a defeated nation to wield a magic sword."
"But if you still want to serve me as your master, the knight I will keep by my side from now on......"
Eclis's pupils dilated even more than when the necklace turned into a sword.
I had never intended to give him the sword as a threat.
I had planned to say something touching, like, 'Regardless of status, you will always be my knight,' as a normal-mode heroine would......
'Haha. With my status, I'd freeze to death if I tried to be touching.'
From the moment I brought up the bullying, the atmosphere had been tense, and I swallowed my tears, reaching the peak of my threat.
"Decide whether you will accept the sword I give you or continue to be a slave."
Eclis stared at me without answering.
If he didn't accept it, I planned to take it back and give it to the duke or Derrick.
Then, suddenly, Eclis raised the sword high. And.
He plunged the sword forcefully into the wooden floor.
"What, what are you doing......"
Stunned by his sudden action, I hesitated, and he slowly knelt before me.
Then he rudely grabbed my hand, which was lying around, and held it tightly in his grip.
"I swear eternal obedience and loyalty as your one and only sword."
Eclis murmured these words and slowly bowed his head.
His soft lips touched the back of my hand.
The first skinship with the male lead was neither cold nor warm, just a faint temperature.
But I couldn't even feel that properly.
- I swear eternal obedience and love as your one and only sword.
Was it too early for our private knighting ceremony?
It was clearly different from the oath Eclis used to make to the heroine in normal mode. Anxiety crept over me. However—
The soaring goodwill instantly suppressed the unknown anxiety.
'It's just a different situation.'
I consoled myself and looked down at Eclis, who was kissing the back of my hand.
I saw his neatly groomed, ash-brown head.
"......Don't betray me, Eclis."
I muttered the first sincere words to my male lead.
The items bought from the weapon shop were all delivered to the duke's mansion the next day.
The servants gaped in amazement at the mountain of boxes piled up by the workers in front of the gate.
"Miss Penelope! What, what are all those?"
The startled butler hurried to my room, and I had just woken up and finished washing my face.
"You rarely go out, so......"
At my calm question, the butler couldn't continue.
"What did you buy so many weapons for? Especially, there are over sixty boxes filled with wooden swords."
"Hmm, it doesn't seem enough."
I shrugged, recalling yesterday's events.
The butler was silent for a moment.
He looked at me with an expression as if he were looking at a naive child, sighed, and then spoke again.
"......Your concern for the knights is truly admirable, Miss."
"The duke's mansion does not skimp on the budget for the knights. The same goes for wooden swords. There are still many left, so there's no need for you to buy new ones."
'Who's worrying about who?'
I tilted my head as I listened to him.
Meanwhile, the butler added with a regretful look.
"Since it was your first outing in a long time, wouldn't it have been better to buy jewels for you to wear? Or a dress......"
"Butler, there seems to be a misunderstanding."
I frowned and corrected his thoughts.
"I didn't buy those for the knights affiliated with the family."
He stammered, clearly not believing my generous actions.
"I heard that the training equipment Eclis uses is quite lacking, so I bought them instead. What? Don't you have enough space to store them?"
The butler hurriedly shook his head.
It was absurd to say there wasn't enough space in the duke's mansion, which had plenty of room.
Of course, the butler wasn't surprised for that reason, but I deliberately misinterpreted his question to answer.
It meant he shouldn't pry further.
"Miss, you must have your reasons."
Finally, the butler slowly nodded, accepting my words.
'Surprising. I thought he would argue more.'
Although I had reminded him of my position a few times, he still regarded Penelope as ignorant.
I looked at him with curiosity, as he had clearly changed since the incident two days ago, and spoke.
"Taking care of that boy is enough for me. There's no need for you, a busy butler, to pay special attention."
"Just watch as you always have. If something like yesterday happens again, let me know."
"Understood. I will store the gifts you bought in the warehouse designated for your bodyguard."
I smiled briefly at his polite response.
It felt good to have some mutual communication in this house for a change.
A while after the butler left, Emily came in with breakfast.
"Miss! You said the items that arrived this morning were gifts for your bodyguard?"
She chattered excitedly as she set the dishes on the table.
"Why didn't you take me along......"
Emily looked very disappointed.
Originally, a dedicated maid is an inseparable presence for noble young ladies.
Since the trust of the master directly translates to the power of the servant, I understood her pouting, as she had decided to be my right-hand person not long ago.
I handed her something I had taken out in advance.
It was an amulet of the same color I bought from the weapon shop.
Emily didn't take it readily, only looking down at my hand with wide eyes.
"What are you doing, not taking it?"
"It's said to protect you from unknown dangers if you carry it with you."
The amulet I gave to Emily wasn't particularly valuable because the magic it cast was too broad and vague.
But it was a common gift to give to loved ones.
"I have many enemies. Now that you're one of my people, you never know when or where something bad might happen. So always carry it with you."
I felt a bit guilty for the way I had treated Emily before.
Moreover, since she had once refused an expensive jewel I offered, I also had a bit of a testing mindset.
If she refused this, there might be some ulterior motive.
But when Emily looked up, her eyes were brimming with tears.
"I've never received such a gift while working at the duke's mansion."
"It's so beautiful. I'll treasure it."
"I'll serve you even more diligently from now on! Really!"
She pledged her loyalty several times with a determined look.
Seeing her, I felt the incident with the needle when I first came here seemed like a distant memory.
〈SYSTEM〉 Your reputation has increased by +5 due to improved relationships with the duke's family. (Total: 15)
A white square window appeared before my eyes, and my reputation, which had recently declined, was restored.
"Thank you, Miss! Really, thank you!"
With Emily's voice, repeatedly bowing, as the background, I thought the same thing as always.
I wished things could stay this way.