Chapter 19
“…… Not being allowed to do this kind of thing sure makes you want to do it even more! Haaah …… Haaah.”
Lowering the rope knotted with a bed sheet from the window door of my room, I underestimated what I failed to say in front of Leonard yesterday.
Climbing up to the window sill with all my strength, just doing the necessary steps already made me come up for air.
Today was the first day of the festival.
The day before I had waited patiently until Emily had finished serving and left the room, then immediately removed all my sheets and knotted them into a rudimentary piece of rope.
It was arguably the most classic way to escape.
“Now, let’s get started.”
Once my breathing was once again steady, I stood up from the windowsill.
I made all the preparations for today’s outing, and also put on a wide robe that could properly cover my face and hair.
In addition, I had some gold coins with me as well as the check that the Duke had rewarded me with for the events of the last few days.
All that remained now was to successfully climb down from my room, which was located on the second floor of the Duke’s mansion.
“Ha…… why do I have to go through this.”
While looking down from the window and grumbling, I then began to put it into action.
I gripped the rope section tightly and slid down it with great speed.
This was only the second floor, and after a few times of wandering around the Duke’s mansion, I had already come to the conclusion.
It was feasible to climb down safely from my room.
I’m pretty sure it can be done ……
“…… Crap.”
The sheet that I had knotted into a rope was shorter than I thought.
If I jumped from this height I might wake someone up. Moreover, if I chose the wrong step, I might even get hurt.
After realizing that the visual length of the rope section was different from the actual length, I panicked a little.
I looked up. It was a long way from where I was to the window of my room, and I didn’t have enough strength to climb back up.
Though I was gripping the sheets as hard as I could, I couldn’t hold on much longer.
My arms were already shaking. In a few moments sweat began to seep from my palms.
The worst part was that now my body was sliding down little by little.
I glanced at the ground and my forgotten fear of heights suddenly came to the forefront of my mind.
“Ah …… what am I going to do?”
Unavoidably, this inability to help myself caused me to start sobbing out loud.
Just then.
“Hey you, what are you doing now?”
The voice came from below.
I looked down and my eyes met someone’s.
“Ha.”
The other person finished the sentence, followed by a deliberate laugh.
“…… Leonard?”
Moonlight reflected off the tips of his pink hair.
Leonard looked up from underneath and looked at me with eyes like I was a fool.
“For, why did you come out of here.”
“Are you kidding? That’s my room underneath your room.”
“….. …”
I shut my mouth. How was I supposed to know that his room was under Penelope’s room.
“You’re in …… Ha, that’s too funny, I’m speechless. Are you running away from home now?”
“What running away from home!”
I was taken aback by his question.
“I… I was just going to go out for a walk.”
“A walk? It seems that walking over the wall is quite popular among girls your age.”
Unable to respond, I could only look at the mountains in the distance.
However, in the midst of my panic, I forgot that my arms were reaching the limit of their strength, and I couldn’t hold them up any longer.
I was afraid that I would run out of strength before I could slide down the rope.
“Ahh! ”
Before falling down completely, I tightened a certain grip on the end of the rope and shouted out.
“Ahhhh, ah……”
Now I’m holding on to the end of the rope, and what’s more unsupported I’m wobbling around as if I’m a spider dangling from a single thread in a spider’s web.
“Hey!”
Leonard, who had climbed up to the window ledge at breakneck speed, shouted.
Leonard took a long leap from the side of the window, which made his face look a little pale.
“Get loose.”
Leonard said as he now stood on the ground outside the mansion with his arms spread wide.
“Wh, what?”
“Let go and then jump to me, I’ll catch you.”
At that moment, I almost said ‘How am I supposed to trust you?’ Something like that.
“If you don’t want to jump, then you can keep holding on.”
Hearing his next words, I didn’t hesitate for long because I had no choice.
“…… Don’t miss, catch me properly.”
I commanded. Even though I’m the sister he hates, he wouldn’t intentionally let me die, would he?
After thinking over and over and being sure that I would be fine, I eventually let go of my hand.
“Hooooo-!”
Feeling a strong gust of wind blowing across my face quite, my heart went up and down, just like riding a roller coaster ……
Dang–!
“Gotcha.”
I opened my tightly closed eyes, and what I saw in front of my eyes, was Leonard’s devilishly hooked up bad smile.
“Put, put me down.”
Realizing how close my face is to his, panic rushes me to break free from his arms.
Just as I landed, hid my panic and tended to the robes on my body, Leonard inquired out loud.
“Where are you going with this?”
“Just taking a walk ……”
“If you say it’s a walk again, then I’m going to Father right now.”
I glared at the hateful brat who had interrupted me. Why did he have to be the one to catch me and not someone else from the dukedom?
‘No, at the very least it’s better than being caught by Derrick.’
I felt thankful for that and casually replied.
“I was planning to go to the festival.”
“Originally you had time to go during the day, but now you’re going out in the middle of the night?”
“I have my reasons, you don’t need to know them.”
“But that’s not a reason for you to go to the festival without an escort, is it, especially at nightfall!
Do you know how dangerous it is outside the ducal palace at this time of day? How can a girl be so bold and presumptuous ……”
“Leonard.”
I called out to him.
“I am very, very, grateful for your helping hand just now. But I’m going to ask you one last time, okay? Please leave me alone, I can take care of myself.”
“Hey, you ……”
I coldly drew the line so that Leonard couldn’t say another word.
I glanced at the [7% favorability] and spoke.
“I’m also an adult, no matter what happens is I will also take responsibility for myself. You, as my older brother, can ignore what’s happening right now if you want to just ……”
“Then I’ll go too.”
“…… What.”
Now it was my turn to be speechless.
Unlike the dumbfounded me, Leonard then added.
“It’s just a matter of going to the festivities together, that way I’m acting as an escort and accompanying you as an older brother, so all your problems can be solved.”
“……..”
“I will not tell father the secret. So, I’ll go with you.”
‘Ha.’
I was silent at his words that seemed so very righteous. Why would he do what he did?
‘Why would someone who hates Penelope’s guts every time he sees her ask me to go out with him to see the festivities?’
Now I try to convince him with a hesitant look.
“If you hate me, then why do you have to ……”
“Who are you saying hates you?!”
Leonard snapped cutting me off, and his tone sounded so irritated.
“Obviously you’re the one who shouted that you hated me a hundred, a thousand times!”
“Shhh!”
I raised my index finger in front of my mouth in panic and scanned the area in fear that someone would come along and hear him yelling.
Thank goodness no one seemed to have heard, and there was still dead silence all around.
“If I’m wrong, you can say so, but there’s no need to yell like that.”
I lowered my voice and frowned lightly.
‘And when did I ever say anything like that?’
Though I was going to tell him to stop his nonsense, now wasn’t the time to be able to dwell on it like that.
I had to find Ikris in a hurry. I plodded on while Leonard stubbornly made his decision.
“No matter what you keep in mind for me, we’ll go to the festival together. Even if you refuse, I’ll follow you.”
Sudden Quest! Do you accept this quest I – Dating with [Leonard] on [Yu-Gi-Oh Day]
(Reward: +3% to Leonard’s favorability, hidden quest)
[Accept/Reject]
The white prompt box lit up with the contents of the quest I rejected yesterday.
Making up my mind, I ponder back and forth before Leonard and the quest box before letting out a sigh.
I have no choice ……
“Fine. We’ll go together then, okay?”
Leonard followed me, walking silently through the knight training grounds.
When we stopped in front of the bush we found yesterday, Leonard wore an expression of ‘I knew it’.
Just after clearing the bush and getting ready to go out.
“What are you two doing now?”
A stern voice caused me to choke back the movement I was about to crawl through.
Leonard and I turned back around and instantly we both panicked. The first thing that caught my eye straight away was the favor bar that was still shining in the darkness.
“Where were you two planning on going in the middle of the night?”
“Big brother.”
Derrick walked towards us and simultaneously glared at me who was intent on getting into a dog hole.
“That, that ……”
I tried to find something to say in response, but Leonard was one step ahead of me and pointed his finger.
“She said she wanted to go to the festival, big brother.”
“The celebration ……?”
“That’s right, so I decided to follow her as her escort and keep a close eye on her so she doesn’t get into any more trouble.”
Derrick’s gaze shifted from Leonard to me. I couldn’t help but physically cringe a little under the scrutiny of his sharp gaze.
‘My plan for Ikris to go all out is now going to go down the drain.’
The Ikris route that had to be abandoned before it even started. I became downcast as a result.
“A noble needs to be equipped with two guards, that’s the basic requirement.”
Derrick said the indisputable rule in a cold tone.
“Then I’m going along.”
The unexpected words made me raise my head. At that moment, the white quest box suddenly popped up again.
Unexpected Quest! Do you accept this quest I – Dating with [Derrick] at [Celebration Day]
(Reward: +3% to Derrick’s favorability, hidden reward)
[Accept/Reject]
“This is the end, hahaha”
The only thing I can do now seems to be to force a smile.