Chapter 56.

I panicked.

“Why is he here?”

With the exception of Leonard and Derrick, two male leads meeting at the same time is a rare occurrence in the game.

The unexpected unfolded, and I panicked. At that moment, he said in a lower voice.

“Penelope Eckhardt.”

Cold chills came from the back of my neck.

‘This isn’t good.’

No matter what happens, it’s important to break out of the status quo as soon as possible.

I hurriedly tried to escape from Ikris’ arms.

But the warm palms overlapping the back of my hands didn’t budge.

“Ikris?”

I called to him, moving my wrist once more.

But the more I struggled, the more I felt Ikris’ strength increase.

“Ikris, let go of your hand. It hurts a little.”

I lifted my head and looked at him.

Gray eyes looked at me and rolled.

They locked gazes with me for a moment before relaxing their grip on me.

The hand that had just been released was a little cooler than it had been earlier.

I hurriedly escaped from his arms and curtsied to Derrick.

“I asked what you’re doing now.”

But all that came back was an icy stare.

‘Why is he so angry?’

Not long ago, relations with the knights didn’t deteriorate any further, and relations with the Duke were handled well.

A few days after that incident, Derrick didn’t say anything either. He hadn’t committed anything since then, and hadn’t been taught a harsh lesson.

I looked at that Derrick guy’s not-so-good aura and obediently answered.

“I was practicing my stone bow with the guards.”

“Are the family archers for show?”

The cold line of sight crossed me and reached Ikris behind me.

“Can’t bother the soldiers who are training.”

Just like protecting Ikris from Derrick, I quietly stood in front of him and added.

“Also, my guard knows a lot about stone bows, and I’m being taught by him.”

“Teaching?”

I don’t know what touched him, but a spark appeared in Derrick’s eyes.

Dangerous flickers began to appear on the top of his head.

But more than good sense, I found his darkening face more frightening.

Derrick scanned between Ikris and me, muttering contemptuously.

“What can you learn without even basic common sense?”

“Since I don’t have basic common sense, I’m trying to learn a little before I compete, young Duke.”

What I did didn’t create a big blow, but it couldn’t be helped. I sighed.

“If you think I’m giving you a hard time by using the practice field, I’ll go somewhere else.”

“Come on, Ikris.”

I wanted to take Ikris and hurry away.

The moment I was just about to pass Derrick.

Pah-…

“Go where.”

My arm was gripped so tightly that I couldn’t move my feet.

Surprised, I turned around to see his face full of gloom.

“If you need such instruction, I will teach you myself.”

“…… What?”

“You.”

He suddenly turned to me and looked at Ikris.

“If there is no further training, return to your quarters.”

Derrick barked orders arrogantly, bossing me around. I couldn’t say anything.

I was going to make him my escort no matter what. But in any case, thanks to the tacit approval of Derrick, the headmaster, Ekris was able to participate in the training.

As in all armies, Eckhardt knights obey orders very thoroughly.

So I expected him to return to his quarters obediently.

But instead of leaving, Ikris tenderly grabbed my wrist that wasn’t grabbed by Derrick and was holding the stone bow.

“…… Master wants me to teach.”

Then tilted his head in reply.

“Why on earth are they like that?”

Turning into a situation where both hands were grabbed, I shook my eyes and looked at the two men’s eye color.

Seeing Ikris defy him, Derrick’s expression turned menacing all of a sudden.

“How dare a slave get close to the Lord of the Earth Religion?”

“The Imperial Army was also defeated by Delman’s bow skills in the battle of Rivius.”

My jaw dropped in the face of Ikris’ answer.

It was an obvious hold.

From a certain point, I felt the murderous aura rolling off my skin. I wonder who spilled it.

“I wish I could let go before I say ……”

I peeked at my wrists, both of which were motionless.

“…… Delman?”

After a moment of silence, staring at Ikris, Derrick lifted one side of his mouth and scoffed.

“Ah.”

“Betrayed by a small country that was plundered and wiped off the map without even getting a chance to do anything about it, is it a shallow barbarian country?”

At that moment, the wrist that was grabbed felt Ikris push a little harder.

“Damn, this is going to be a fight!”

I don’t grunt, my eyes darting between the two crazy guys.

Honestly, wishing Ikris would stop talking was risky. There’s a huge gap between his status and Derrick’s in the Empire.

But unlike my pleading wish, Ikris glared angrily at Derrick and spoke.

“Then come and see it today.”

“What?”

“A shallow barbarian will teach the empire’s male daughter how to shoot arrows.”

“This kind of cheeky ……”

Derrick’s face grimaced and he said in a sneering tone.

Danger flickered dangerously above their heads.

Unease was slowly rising.

If they fought, no matter which side it was, surely only I would be swept away and ushered to a deathly end.

Inexplicably standing out, I felt like my back was going to burn. Having been holding my breath, I couldn’t hold it in any longer.

“Stop! Stop!”

Desperately, I shook off the two men’s clenched wrists and shouted.

Due to the negligence of the two men who had been furiously staring at each other earlier, my wrists finally retracted.

I could be grabbed again and hurriedly put my hands on my chest.

“I’m going to leave. Suddenly I don’t want to practice.”

Then, turning towards Derrick’s direction, he panicked and fled.

‘I have to get out of here right now!’

I left them behind and went straight away from the archery target.

Probably surprised by this behavior of mine, the two immediately tried to catch me.

“Penelope.”

“Master.”

Ikris, who had always been obedient, also slowly approached me like she had practiced.

I frowned and calmly pushed him away.

“Don’t follow me, I want to go to my room alone.”

That was what I wanted to say to Ikris, but also to Derrick.

‘Please, if you want to fight, go out and fight by yourself, both of you!’

“Well then, that’s the end of it.”

Fearing that the two would catch up with me, I hurriedly left the martial arts practice area.

I felt the burning sight at the back of my head.

The footsteps grew faster and faster, getting farther and farther away from them.

“Ha, ha ……”

The only thing in the forest path was my breathing. Without stopping to look back, luckily no one was coming after me.

So slowly slowed my pace.

“Whew…… was so tightly gripped that I almost died.”

The sense of unease always managed to hit.

The cold chill I felt earlier came back up and shivered.

It must have been hilarious for me to be carrying a stone bow in the midst of all the chaos, muttering to myself.

“Ah …… escaping is so unimaginative.”

I wonder if the two will start fighting if I quit.

Even then, it doesn’t matter now.

There won’t be a matter of the two fighting, and there won’t be an inexplicable drop in favorability towards me, right?

Let’s have the Duke find me a bow art tutor alone and practice by myself in the backyard.

I made up my mind many times not to go to the martial arts practice grounds for the time being. Then, resumed walking.