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Chapter 286
Penelope Secret
Sitri's child, Penelope.
A.K.A Hestia's Devil.
It was a nickname she earned from traveling back and forth between Valdrova Castle and Hestia Village.
Of course, no one actually thought she was a real devil; it was just attached to her because she was the worst kind of human.
A devil is someone who deceives and manipulates people with cunning schemes, but she was far too transparent to be called a devil.
Wе bñӧṽеl .Е̄ n̈_um̊ ã
In vulgar terms, she was a mojiri.
Of course, she never thought of herself that way.
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
She always believed she was a genius.
Since she could turn trash into money, she praised herself saying there was no need for a separate alchemist.
In reality, she was selling off items that could make someone filthy rich for dirt cheap.
She thought even the tycoon Stefan Pascal drooling over her was because she was just that charming.
W̆ ӗ bṅо̆vе̃l̂ Ê n û m̌ ȧ
For all her willfulness, there was one thing she knew well.
If you pull any nonsense with Valdrova, you die.
It was a lesson etched into her after having her neck snapped dozens of times by Ruri Silverwind.
Penelope thought of Valdrova as a friend, yet simultaneously found her an uncomfortable existence.
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"I want to know how to get closer to Ferda-ssi."
That Valdrova came to find her and spilled such worries.
Еn̂ um̀ ā
To her, who was holed up in the castle because she had no money for womanizing.
"So that's why you came to see me?"
Penelope chewed it over several times before asking like this.
"Why on earth?"
It was a concept even a lacking guy who thought himself a genius couldn't understand.
"I thought Penelope would know well about the opposite sex... and would listen well to worries like this..."
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
Penelope looked at Valdrova's face.
An awkwardly worn smile and wavering pupils.
Even a fool like her could immediately notice.
"There was no one else but me?"
"...N-no, it's not exactly like that..."
She'd hit the bullseye.
Ӗ ňum̃a. і̆ d̂
She was close with Ludmilla too, but Ludmilla was married, and above all, had a child.
For Valdrova, who didn't desire children, she thought wishing for the same happiness as Ludmilla would be difficult.
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
So she needed someone who could understand even a little of these feelings, someone she could easily confide in, and that someone happened to be Penelope.
"Wasn't your relationship with the Regent good?"
"It is good, but..."
Valdrova quietly spilled her thoughts.
Еň ŭ m̄à.
"I guess I feel like there's something different with Ferda-ssi... thinking that makes it feel so awkward and hard... I wonder if I should say I'm curious how Penelope handled times like this?"
"Me? I don't care?"
"Really?"
"Yes."
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"How can you do that?"
"Since we're just people who see each other for a day and then it's over?"
W̄ е̂b́ ǹоv е̇ l̊ Е̃ ǹü.m ä
"Huh? I, I can't do that..."
Valdrova making a troubled expression.
Golden eyes
Skin glowing with health despite the dry, cold weather.
That expression was the fresh innocence of a virgin.
Penelope smacked her lips.
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What Penelope's gaze saw was like a pure white snowfield.
Snow piled neatly on a plain where no one had set foot.
Normally just watching it would make her laugh, but Penelope was a little different.
She couldn't control the desire to tap dance on that pure white snowfield with feet caked in mud.
A madness mixed with lust and conquest desire tried to eat away at Penelope.
"Is there no way to do something about it?"
Ẃe b ǹ о̄ v̇ е̄ l̄ Ëǹů mӑ
At her request, Penelope finally stopped thinking.
"Then... I have something really good for me..."
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She is a devil.
"Want to hear it?"
A devil doesn't hold back.
* * *
Е̊ nu̇m̌ а́_
A festival of blood unfolded in the Arken Empire's Imperial Palace.
"As expected, Grand Duke Golt is using it most effectively."
Garnet reported thus.
As Ferda thought, Valdemar succeeded in revealing the identities of many Dopplers with a small amount.
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Most high-ranking officials met their deaths on the spot, and some were captured and torture began in the Imperial Palace underground prison to extract information.
He didn't spare it not just for screening, but as a means to incite the public.
Ӗ n ūṁ а̂
"Public executions are being carried out over three days. As you'll know from the list..."
"The unpatriotic ones Valdemar speaks of."
"Yes. It seems they've decided to use it for propaganda."
Humans are social animals.
Society only functions properly when there is order.
The Imperial Capital, holding the continent's largest population, needs an order just as large.
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But right now, everything was chaotic.
The Emperor's death and the Doppler's appearance.
Valdemar became the center of that chaos.
If not for his reputation and support, he would've disappeared long ago, but he didn't.
The tower he'd built up wasn't so shoddy, and neither was his ability.
That Valdemar put the unpatriotic ones and Dopplers he disliked on public display and carried out executions.
Е̊ n̈ u m å . іd
The speech's content was simple.
That until now, the worms claiming peace were the ones eating away at the people's livelihood.
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With that plausible story, the public grew their hatred and condemnation toward demons.
The moderates who didn't desire war could only lose power, and nobles busy saving their own skins could no longer run away.
Even with the Empire in danger, those who didn't fulfill their noble duty must die, demon or not.
"How about the Far East?"
Е̇n̄ ũ m а . і̆d́
"In the Far East, there doesn't seem to be a single one."
Not a single one.
So rather, it became unsettling.
If even one had been found, one would've thought there were enemies in the Far East too.
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For now, one could only suspect the enemy was hiding even deeper.
"For now, I understand."
Е n ǔ m̃ а . і́d̂
"Yes, the Empire's situation is like this... and there's something I need to say in place of the Administrator - the Refugee District Representative wishes to see Regent Ferda."
"Madame Decalia?"
"Yes. She has a proposal, and says she must tell you directly..."
"Hmm..."
He knew the Refugee District was running well.
Men's entry was strictly forbidden, but women could approach men, so they were doing various activities to find new nests.
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
"Tell her to come in."
Ferda permitted the visit, and shortly after, Madame Decalia arrived.
"I greet Regent Ferda."
"Have you been well, Madame Decalia?"
"Yes. Thanks to the Regent's care, I can now live as a member of Hestia rather than a refugee, and it's truly joyful."
"That's a relief. You said you have something to tell me, what is it?"
W̊ ё ḃ ṅо_ve.l̈ Е n̆ů m̈ а
"Well, that is..."
Ferda read a slight shame on Madame Decalia's face.
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
"What I'm about to say is spoken on behalf of the refugee women."
"Yes."
"It's a story related to a person named Penelope, who is a member of this castle."
The moment those four syllables pierced his ears, Ferda's face turned fierce.
Е nũḿа̊ . і̀ d̄
"What the hell did that devil-like bitch do? Did she arbitrarily enter the refugee district or pull something like that?"
Penelope.
She was already infamous in the village as a troublemaker.
Her notoriety was such that there was even an incident where a Hestia Village priest flared up and struck Penelope's head with the scripture he was holding.
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That day, Penelope had said she wanted to become Alte's dog, meaning she'd convert.
If she'd caused trouble this time too, Ferda planned to use her as propaganda material.
Еn u_m_а
But unfortunately, Madame Decalia shook her head.
"No. She didn't particularly cause a commotion."
"Then why that woman...?"
"What I want to say is, please permit Miss Penelope entry into the refugee district."
"...Huh?"
Ferda wondered if he'd misheard.
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"So... you're saying to permit Penelope's entry, meaning it's okay for that woman to come and go?"
"That's right."
Ferda thought briefly at the clear answer, then asked.
"That bitch, no, did that woman say to request that?"
"That's not it. As I said, this is a formal request made after a meeting with the refugee district women."
No way...
E̊ ńu m а
Ferda thought.
Just what charm magic did she use to make the refugee district women say such things?
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
Did she secretly create a hypnotic creature similar to Trauma like Director Linne?
As such suspicions grew in his heart, Madame Decalia spoke.
"By any chance, does the Regent know about something called Penelope Secret?"
"...You mean Penelope's secret?"
Е̌n̆ûmӓ
"It's a brand. It's what women's..."
Madame Decalia tilted her head in a gesture and trailed off.
Ferda could pull out something buried deep in the drawers of memory from that action.
"I know what it is."
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
There was something Penelope always said.
Once her items hit it big, she had a business she wanted to do.
Ӗn um̆ a
That business was lingerie.
Actually, most products made from Penelope's ideas did at least moderately well.
Even Garnet and Stefan said it wasn't a bad attempt and rather persuaded Ferda, so he had no justification to stop it.
"As you know, there are quite a few women and young ladies of marriageable age in the refugee district."
"That's right."
"Their dowries are meager, and they don't even have parents to back them, so standing alone is their reality."
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
"...What does that have to do with Penelope Secret right now?"
"It's greatly related."
Madame Decalia spoke with a rather serious expression.
"To survive alone in a world rampant with political marriages made of power and politics, charm is needed. Do you know where that charm comes from?"
"Where?"
"It's confidence. Only when you know you stand out more and have charm can you walk with your head high. Penelope Secret can become that factor of charm."
Wе b̃ n оv̈еľ Е̃ ǹ üm̄ å
"...So what does that have to do with Penelope's entry?"
"Miss Penelope said she wants to make a design office inside the refugee district. That way, keeping secrets would be easier, wouldn't it?"
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"Just that?"
"She promised to provide custom-made lingerie for free to unmarried women, lessening their economic burden too."
"..."
Ferda couldn't understand.
Е n̂ ù m̊а
He'd banned entry to protect women who knew nothing, but those very women were asking for it instead.
'Sounds like a story I've heard somewhere.'
Isn't it no different from making a contract with a devil for happiness?
The difference is, the price that devil wants is something like a pubescent teenager's boiling lust.
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Trivial and irrational, but Ferda couldn't refute it.
Madame Decalia is the refugee district representative, and simultaneously a female noble.
Е̇ǹu ṁ а̃
She came representing women and is boldly saying embarrassing things before a man - how could he say he won't approve?
'That devil bitch used her head a bit.'
Hatred for Penelope grew today too.
"Understood. You came representing women and say it's for the refugees, so I have no reason to refuse."
"I made an uncomfortable proposal as a refugee, and you're so considerate, truly thank you."
Madame Decalia bowed politely and went out, and Ferda said to Garnet waiting outside.
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
"Bring Penelope here."
"Yes."
Shortly after, Penelope came in, caught in Garnet's grasp.
Penelope knelt before Ferda with a face that said she didn't know what was going on.
"Wh-why? I haven't done anything yet?"
"You mean you're going to from now on?"
W̌ е b́ n o vel Е n̊u̇ m̊a
"Eh, would it mean that? Hehe!"
Penelope wagged her tail.
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"Your story came from the refugee district."
"The refugee district!? Those guys are total thieves! I showed them underwear I'd put on mannequins for a little business presentation, and they took them and haven't returned them yet! If those bastards sue me, I'll sue them for theft!"
"Shut it. At the business presentation, you said you'd make custom underwear, right?"
"Yes, I did. After all, don't we need a lot of samples? It's necessary work."
Ӗn̆ǔmă
"And peek at naked bodies while you're at it?"
"Uhehe, that's just a bonus."
Penelope making a vulgar expression.
Ferda desperately hid the emotion rising from his chest and spoke.
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"I plan to permit your entry. But actions threatening the chastity of the refugee district women are completely forbidden. The moment you lay a hand on them, I'll ban all your activities. Understand?"
"Aigoo! Of course!! I've clearly remembered it in this third-rate devil's head! But you see..."
Ěn úm а̃ .і̂ d̂
"What?"
"If that side also makes gestures like they want me, I..."
"..."
"Aigoo, of course this lowly one would push them away. Would I accept that, crazy? It's a business joke, a business joke!"
Penelope putting up her thumb and trying to gloss over it.
Even her sheepish smile was displeasing.
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"No need to worry! Our products can satisfy all women! Even Your Highness was satisfied, so it's certain!"
Ferda's body stiffened.
With the feeling he'd just heard something strange, he raised his head again.
"What does that mean?"
"Huh? No, it's nothing—."
"I asked what you just said, Sitri's child, Penelope."
Е̂ n̆um̌ã. іď
Ferda felt a bad vibe and pressed hard.
Penelope answered.
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
"No! It's just that Your Highness has something you're worrying about, and I also have something I need to investigate a bit, so with a mind of mutual help... I gave a gift for Your Highness's custom use..."
"...What?"
Ferda's voice sank coldly.
Penelope's face turned deathly pale.
Е ǹ ûm̈ а . і ď
"Wait a minute. Please don't look at me like that! It wasn't that kind of obscene thing!"
"..."
"You must believe me! Look! This face packed tight with trust!!"
Ferda, hearing those words, looked at Penelope's expression.
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The trustworthy face she spoke of pulled up the emotion in Ferda's chest.
"I'll kill you. Sitri's child, Penelope."
Ĕ_n̄ ŭ m а
It was anger.
