Chapter 48
I nodded to show I understood Heresdon’s warning.
Then I quickly moved to another seat.
Honestly, I just wanted to go up to my room.
But I didn’t want to skip dinner and listen to people whisper unnecessary things about it later.
“Haa…”
As I walked toward an empty spot away from the others, Idorian followed behind me and lightly tapped my shoulder.
“Penelope… You still don’t look good.”
He looked down at me with a puzzled expression.
“What’s wrong, hm? Did something else happen?”
“It’s nothing.”
Startled by his sharp question, I quickly forced a smile and sat down.
“Hmm. You’re really okay?”
Idorian, who I thought would let it go, instead took the seat beside me and asked again.
“But what were the three of you talking about? …I was worried that His Grace, Grand Duke Heresdon, wouldn’t let the matter slide.”
Instead of answering, I changed the subject.
I had thought Idorian was meeting Heresdon privately. But why had Lumi been included?
What could they possibly have discussed?
“Because you wanted it.”
There seemed to be more to it, but Idorian only shrugged lightly.
“He didn’t exactly let it go. He just decided to watch the situation a bit longer.”
“…What did Lumi say?”
“Not much at all… Come to think of it, you’re not sitting with him today.”
Idorian looked toward where Lumi was sitting in the distance.
Lumi, Uben, Lilia, and a few others were gathered there, but Lumi’s left side was empty.
If I wanted to, I could have sat there—just like always.
Worried that Idorian might find it strange I didn’t sit beside Lumi, I hurried to speak.
“I just… felt bad today. I think people misunderstood because of me.”
Idorian turned his head toward me.
He looked like he had plenty he wanted to say, but in the end, he pressed his lips together and swallowed the words.
✦ ✦ ✦
Idorian held back everything he wanted to say and looked away from Penelope.
Penelope had insisted that Lumi didn’t dislike her, and that Lumi wouldn’t gain anything from hurting her—but that didn’t explain everything.
“……”
There were people who revealed their possessiveness by caring for someone when they were weak.
He quietly exhaled.
That was likely why Grand Duke Heresdon reacted so sharply to this matter.
Because he himself had experienced twisted possessiveness.
Idorian’s eyes drifted toward Lumi again.
He hoped Lumi truly hadn’t harmed Penelope on purpose.
Even so, the way Lumi tried to quietly bury the whole matter with the Grand Duke bothered him.
It had been a situation where anyone would feel wronged if they were misunderstood, yet Lumi had chosen silence in front of them.
Idorian couldn’t understand it.
“Your Highness.”
Penelope’s voice pulled him from his thoughts.
“You said you’re going to clear out the zombie corpses at the front gate tomorrow?”
“…Yes.”
He nodded a beat late.
Penelope trusted Lumi.
Lumi was the person she spent the most time with in this fortress.
And that only deepened Idorian’s worry.
“Is everyone who can help going out?”
“Only the men. We’ll also keep watch and move as quietly as possible, so it shouldn’t be too dangerous. You girls stay here.”
His gaze shifted to the soup bowl in front of Penelope.
It was still full. He couldn’t tell if she’d eaten anything at all.
He wondered if she always ate this slowly, but he didn’t have many memories to compare with.
If I had paid more attention to Penelope, would things have turned out differently?
If he hadn’t ignored her and kept his distance, maybe he wouldn’t be hearing about everything secondhand like this.
“Then Uben is staying with us too, right?”
Idorian nodded again.
“Then what time are you leaving?”
“…Probably sometime in the morning.”
He looked at Penelope again.
Her soup still hadn’t moved.
“Your Highness, if you’re done eating, you can go ahead.”
“I’ll wait.”
He shook his head lightly.
If he left, Penelope would be alone, so he decided to sit a little longer.
“I’m fine.”
“Your Highness!”
Tap tap.
When he turned at the light tapping on his back, Uben was standing there.
“Your Highness, I think something’s wrong with the window in my room.”
“The window?”
“Yes. Could you check it?”
Idorian’s gaze drifted again to Penelope’s untouched bowl.
It looked like she’d take a long time to finish it.
“All right. I won’t forget. Don’t worry—just go do what you need to do.”
Uben rolled his eyes and plopped down beside him.
“Then I’ll wait here. I don’t really have anything else to do.”
Idorian gently stroked Uben’s head as the boy leaned close to him.
“Your Highness, really, it’s fine. You can go first.”
“Hmm… Does she always eat this poorly?”
“No.”
Penelope’s brows lowered slightly, uncomfortable with him waiting for her.
“…All right. I’ll go first. Take your time eating.”
As soon as Idorian said that, Uben jumped to his feet and grabbed his hand.
“Your Highness. I think the Lady has heatstroke.”
“What?”
Uben tugged lightly on his hand and whispered, so Idorian bent his head closer.
“She’s been standing in front of the fire all day lately.”
Uben pouted and continued.
“It got worse after the newcomers arrived.”
His voice was full of annoyance.
“They won’t even let her come near the food. They all say she makes them uncomfortable.”
“The new people?”
“Yes. They don’t say anything, but you can tell by how they act. They don’t welcome her at all.”
Idorian’s gaze naturally returned to Penelope, sitting alone.
He thought things had gotten better.
But it seemed distrust still lingered between her and the newcomers.
“Didn’t I clearly tell them they’re part of our group now?”
“……”
“But the Lady keeps bothering them. Everyone’s on edge. And even when someone tries to help, she refuses so bluntly it’s embarrassing.”
Uben’s voice was full of frustration and resentment.
“But Uben… don’t take it too negatively.”
Idorian gently stroked his head again.
He knew Uben disliked Penelope.
And that was something Penelope had brought upon herself.
So Idorian couldn’t force Uben to forgive her or try to get along with her.
But this time, he didn’t want to blame Penelope.
He knew better than anyone that she had been trying, in her own way, to get along with the newcomers.
“A little caution isn’t a bad thing.”
“Huh? What do you mean?”
“They’re strangers. It’s natural for Penelope to be cautious at first.”
At least Idorian didn’t feel she was trying to keep the newcomers from adjusting.
She often greeted them first or offered help when she could.
“But…”
“Let’s not rush things. Slowly—little by little. Penelope and the newcomers both just might need more time.”
Uben still didn’t look convinced.
“So let’s avoid speaking too harshly, all right?”
Idorian gave a soft smile and added:
“And Uben—if others overhear what you’re saying, they might misunderstand Penelope. So whatever it is, you must be careful with what you say behind someone’s back.”
Uben’s face reddened instantly.
“Understand?”
“…Yes.”
Uben nodded quietly.
