The Villain's Ending is Only Death Chapter 82
Derek raised his voice unusually. His jaw tightened as he clenched his teeth.
"Just because of such a reason, you engraved a magic rune on the crossbow...!"
"Seeing how much you were affected by the incident in the training ground after Lady Donna's passing, I understand your distress."
The duke abruptly cut off Derek, who was about to protest.
"That slave choked a knight and openly slandered Penelope in front of everyone. Did you know about this?"
He had learned about it later.
He had headed to the training ground after receiving a hint from the butler that he was going there to practice with the crossbow.
He intended to inform him about the disrespectful slave who had insulted the duke's daughter.
But when he saw the slave half-hugging him while shooting the crossbow, his vision turned red.
In the end, he couldn't convey any of the words he wanted to say.
"Since he came back with insults, I would rather he be confined to his room. Would you scold a child who doesn't want to attend the hunting competition? What would you do?"
"Instead, I comforted him and gave him the crossbow. You can't keep him locked up at home forever, can you?"
Derek remained silent for a moment at the duke's words.
"...I immediately dismissed that scoundrel Mark and his gang."
After a long pause, he spoke in a chilling voice.
"If he had told Father or me... or even the butler, it would have been easily resolved."
"Yet, the one who always pushes things to the worst possible scenario is... that child."
The unspoken words vanished at the duke's call.
"Don't hate that child too much."
"Penelope's unruly behavior is, in a way, all my fault. I brought her here to satisfy my own desires and failed to take proper care of her."
"Now that she seems to be coming to her senses, take good care of her. She is your only younger sister, after all."
Derek clenched his fists tightly at the duke's final words.
"I only have one younger sister, and that is Yvonne."
The sound of his clenched teeth echoed through his tightly pressed lips.
The duke gazed at him for a moment, then sighed and turned his head.
"Let's stop worrying about Yvonne now."
Derek turned to look at the duke, his face showing disbelief.
How could he say such a thing? Their own father, Yvonne's and his.
"Yvonne's disappearance was an unavoidable accident."
But the duke didn't stop.
"I haven't stopped searching for her all these years, but no one has even claimed to have seen her. It's time to accept that she is no longer in this world."
"Penelope has been in the duke's residence for six years now."
Pain was evident in the duke's eyes as he looked at his son's distorted face.
"I admit that I brought her here without consulting you and made a hasty decision, so I didn't interfere with what happened in the household."
"But how long will you continue to torment and hate her because of your guilt over Yvonne?"
Derek's blue pupils widened at these words.
If he had ignored her, he would have, but he had never thought of doing so.
Perhaps Renald might, but not him.
He wouldn't have resorted to childish tantrums against a girl who had taken his sister's place.
"I... I have never hated or tormented Penelope, Father."
He disliked her solely because of her outrageous behavior and actions.
Now that she had become more human, there wasn't much to dislike.
That's why he hadn't shown much of his dislike...
A dry voice flashed past his ear.
- Did Emily ever make such a request to you, Young Master?
- I will gladly accept any punishment you give, Young Master.
The child who used to call him 'big brother' had started calling him 'Young Master' at some point.
She still called him 'big brother' in front of others, but when they were alone, she was meticulous about the distinction.
Every time she called him 'big brother' with affection, it made him feel nauseous...
- From now on, I will live like a mouse, without causing you any trouble.
Now, she always stiffened her face and drew a line whenever she saw him.
Derek was newly shocked by this realization.
"On the contrary, the one who dislikes me... is..."
Just as he opened his mouth to say something, looking a bit bewildered,
The door to the study was roughly opened, and Renald rushed in.
"A witness has come forward who claims to have seen Penelope."
Both the duke and Derek's eyes widened at Renald's rapid, breathless words.
"Lord Tullet? Who is he...?"
"He is the fiancé of Lady Kellin."
Derek quickly spoke, recalling the vague memory the duke couldn't easily bring to mind.
He was a minor noble who had barely obtained his title through connections with the empress.
However, early this year, his sudden engagement to a viscount's family caused a stir in society.
Rumors circulated that the two families, both with only daughters, had forced an awkward alliance through distant kinship.
It was a plausible theory since both families supported the second prince.
"So, where did Lord Tullet see Penelope?"
The duke urged Renald with an anxious voice.
Renald hesitated for a moment with a subtle expression before speaking.
"He was hit by a crossbow bolt shot by Penelope in the forest and lost consciousness."
"Since he was discovered, he has been drooling like an idiot and searching for a pink-haired goddess of the hunt."
The duke opened his mouth but couldn't continue.
"Moreover, several nobles who are believed to have lost consciousness and then regained it have also appeared."
The situation Derek had feared had finally come to pass.
I suddenly felt a chill and woke up from my sleep.
It seemed to be early morning, as the cave was filled with a blue dawn.
The bonfire that had burned all night was now extinguished, leaving only a smoky haze.
Beyond it, I could see Calisto leaning against the wall, asleep.
'I need to put on clothes quickly while he's still asleep.'
I was still naked under the cloak, and the slight breeze blowing into the cave made me feel even colder.
I tried to get up without making a sound.
Fortunately, the clothes I had laid out near the bonfire were dry.
Just as I was hurriedly putting them on before the prince woke up,
A cold wind blew, accompanied by a eerie vibration, like a ghostly wail.
My bangs fluttered in the wind.
I paused, locking the buttons of my jacket, remembering the unease I felt before waking up.
It wasn't coming from outside but from inside the cave.
I held my breath and stared into the dark depths of the cave.
The wind blew again, and I took a step back.
It wasn't a hallucination. The cold wind was indeed coming from inside the cave.
'Is there an opening on the other side of the cave?'
If the wind was blowing from the opposite side, it meant the cave was short and straight.
But all I could see was pitch-black darkness.
The cave didn't look short at all, even with the faint light.
Then, another cold wind, accompanied by a ghostly wail, blew from the other side of the cave.
I turned and quickly approached the prince.
"Your Highness, wake up."
He didn't wake up immediately, as if he was in a deep sleep.
Reluctantly, I grabbed his shoulder and shook him, despite the bare skin.
But Calisto didn't open his eyes at all.
Suddenly, I noticed how cold his skin felt under my palm.
'Did he give me his cloak and sleep naked all night?'
Moreover, the prince had kept his wet pants on last night, perhaps out of consideration for me.
"Your Highness, Your Highness?"
I was frightened when he didn't open his eyes even after shaking him a few more times.
I suddenly remembered that he had been hit by a javelin and a sword yesterday.
I hurriedly placed my head on his chest.
Thump, thump. Fortunately, his heart was beating steadily, so he wasn't dead.
I lifted my head and lightly slapped his cheek to wake him up.
'Since shaking him didn't work, I have no choice.'
"Your Highness, open your eyes!"
My gentle taps became more forceful.
It wasn't out of malice; I really had no other choice. Even gentle taps didn't wake him up.
"Your Highness, Your Highness!"
Finally, the sound of a proper slap echoed in the cave.
Calisto furrowed his brow.
His eyelids twitched, and then his bright red pupils appeared.
"Your Highness, are you okay? Are you hurt anywhere?"
I quickly hid my hand, which was about to slap him again, and asked with a worried face.
"Did you... just slap my cheek?"