It has already been a week since Penelope had read both of the journals's content. She may seem calm and composed, and polite while she interacts with the abomination of a man that she calls Dad; In truth, Penelope is seething and disgusted the longer she interacts with him.
It can't be helped though, Penelope can't run away from the manor because that will arouse suspicion and the Count may turn his ire to her little sister. Rosalia might be the brattiest ever, but she's Penelope's little sister.
'Rosalia and I will never be safe here in this manor. Who knows when that Count will erupt and kill us both. We can't run away either, knowing Rosalia, she won't be able to stand living a commoner's life. Gods, why is my life so hard.' Penelope thought, as she sat alone in the middle of the garden in a meditative pose.
Penelope sighs before shaking her thoughts away as she tries to clear her mind. Three days ago, Penelope also binge read the contents of the books that she purchased from a magic shop. She learned on how to control one's mana and etcetera.
Penelope remembered reading a text where a character said that everyone possesses mana, that's why she's hoping to take advantage of hers and learn something that will make her mana useful. From the book that she had read, it was stated there that one can draw mana from their surroundings aside from themselves.
That is why she's sitting here now, on the ground, with a straight and relaxed back as if she's in a meditative state.
The brunette closes her eyes as she relaxes both her body and her mind, her pose not faltering. Once Penelope is done with the first step, she focused on her surroundings where she might be able to draw her mana from.
Penelope let out a breath as she tries to imagine a cord of white light flowing towards her, and not long after, Penelope felt the energy coursing all throughout her body. Penelope then raised both of her hands and placed it on her chest, directing her mana towards her hands and successfully gathering it.
Penelope opened her eyes and raised both of her hands that held a ball of soft green light, Penelope's mouth parted in awe as she feels the warm feeling coming from the ball of energy.
Penelope decided to try to expand the little ball, and she did it successfully, now the little ball is of the same size as the largest watermelon she'd ever seen.
'Tongtong, I did it.' Penelope thought happily, shrinking and expanding her mana ball.
[Congratulations, Host! Now you can focus on learning Healing Magic!]
'Yes. Yes, I can. Should I seek professional help?'
[It depends on Host, of course!]
'If I do seek for a teacher, the count will find out. And I can't have that pig finding out I know magic.'
Penelope sighed before bringing down her ball of mana, shrinking it and eventually dissipating it.
"My Lady! My Lady! My Lady, Penelope! Where are you?" Penelope heard Keira calling out for her, the brunette sighs before patting off the grass that clung to her dress.
"I'm here, Keira. What is it?" Penelope asks, walking towards her maid calmly.
Keira breathed out a sigh of relief before bowing in her direction, "The Count has called for this maid to inform My Lady that you and Lady Rosalia are to accompany the Count Judith to the Imperial Palace. However, you and Lady Rosalia are going to ride with Lord Roger in his carriage."
Penelope froze the moment she heard Keira utter the words 'Imperial Palace'.
"My Lady, are you okay?"
Penelope snapped out of her daze before nodding at her maid, "Yes I am. Have you prepared my bath, Keira? Roger may seem patient but he's always strict with me and Rosalia."
Keira chuckled lightly at Penelope's words.
"But of course, My Lady. He's always acted like this ever since you were children, like an older brother."
Penelope just shook her head at Keira's words before walking away to prepare for their sudden visit to the Palace.
Once she finished bathing, Keira quickly brought three dresses that she can choose from. The first one is colored maroon; with short puffed sleeves, a corseted top that accentuates the upper part of her body, and a balloon skirt. The second one is colored dark green; with long sleeves, the upper part of the dress is fitted with a sweetheart neckline, while the bottom part is slightly puffed. The third one is blood red; it's sleeves are off-shoulders that will likely expose Penelope's sexy collarbones, the upper part of the dress is fitted while its bottom part is flowy.
"I'll take the third one, Keira." Penelope said, Keira nodded at her words before bringing the dress closer and helping Penelope to put it on.
Penelope then decided to go for a black festoon that is adorned with three large garnet gemstones, and a garnet stud earrings.
"Keep my make up as light as possible, Keira." Penelope informed.
Keira nodded her head before beginning her work, after several minutes, Keira is finally done and so she took a step back to admire her work.
"You look gorgeous, My Lady!" Keira praised.
'Nah, Diana's prettier than me.' Penelope debunked in her head.
Penelope checked her appearance in the mirror and she truly does look pretty, but gorgeous is a far stretch. Her long locks of brown hair has been styled into a twisted half updo, Keira has really outdone herself this time.
'I always thought lighter make up would suit Penelope more.'
"Here, My Lady." Keira said, giving Penelope a blood red fan with gold highlights and a dark tassel.
Penelope accepted the fan with a nod passing by her dresser and snatching the handkerchief that belongs to the Crown Prince.
'Maybe it's time to give this back.'
———
"I expect you both to be on your best behavior, Roger, look after them." The Count said the moment they arrived at the entrance to the Imperial Palace.
'Roger's not our babysitter, you good for nothing man.'
[Host...]
'What?'
[Nothing.]
"Penelope, aren't you coming in?" Roger's voice called when he noticed Penelope not moving an inch from her place. Penelope snapped out of her thoughts before quickly following them.
"You seem to be engrossed with your thoughts nowadays, Penny." Rosalia observed, and Penelope forgot that her little sister may be bratty, but this is the same sister who plotted for Athanasia's demise in the lovely princess, of course she's got to be smart and cunning.
Though, Penelope vows to not let her little sister be the same as the Rosalia in Lovely Princess.
"I just have a lot on my mind. Nothing to worry about." Penelope replied, flicking her fan open and fanning herself gently.
Rosalia looks like she didn't believe her reply but just chose to ignore her and pester Roger instead.
"We're here." Count Judith announced, as he nodded at the guards guarding the doors.
Moments later, the door to the audience room opened and the four of them went in together; Penelope, Roger, Rosalia, and The Count.
'Look at all of these haughty nobles. Man, when there's a gathering like this, of course there'll nobles sucking up to the other higher nobles just to increase their influence. Great.'
And since Penelope didn't care to ask about what this meeting would be about, she relied on her comprehension skills to be able to understand what everyone would be discussing.
When the Emperor arrived everyone paid him the proper curtsies and greetings, Penelope noted that he truly does look like Anastacius and Claude. With his straight golden hair, and jeweled eyes.
'He looks inferior to his sons though.'
[If the Emperor heard you, Host. You will be beheaded.]
'Well he didn't, right? Unless you tattle to him.'
[I would never, Host.]
Penelope listened as the Emperor began to talk about many things regarding the empire, the rumours, problems, and many other things, and so she deduced that this is just a normal political meeting.
'Boring.'
"There will be more matters to be discussed, but for now, let the children head to the imperial garden to mingle with each other, and we may proceed further." The Emperor announced, nodding at a butler.
Said butler bowed back and began leading the young lords and ladies towards the garden.
"Look, Penny. It's time to mingle with them!" Rosalia said excitedly, for reasons that Penelope doesn't know.
Penelope just hummed as a response as she quietly observes the nobles who were interacting with one another. But what caught her attention is Roger walking towards her with a beautiful looking lady beside him.
'Could that be Kiel's future Mommy?' Penelope thought, flicking her fan open to cover the half of her face.
"Cousin." Roger called with his deep voice, Penelope turned around before inclining her head.
"Roger." She replied, looking at him briefly before eyeing his companion with interest.
"Henriella, this is my cousin Penelope. First Daughter of Count Judith. Penelope, this is Henriella Agresté. Third daughter of Marquis Agresté. She is my fiancée." Roger introduced, Henriella gave her a soft smile before bowing her head lightly.
"It is very nice to meet Roger's little cousin, My Lady." Henriella said softly, and now Penelope knows where Kiel got his softness from.
"And to meet my cousin's betrothed is an honor as well, Lady Agresté. Pleasure to be of your acquaintance." Penelope said, inclining her head.
"Roger's about to get married?!" Rosalia shrieked from behind them, catching the attention of the other nobles.
"Rosalia." Roger sighed tiredly, massaging his temples. Penelope stifled the bubbling laughter within her with her fan.
Not moments later, they are already being approached by many other nobles, likely congratulating and sucking up to her cousin, Roger.
Penelope found this the perfect time to make her escape, and with perfected ease, she managed to get away from the garden.
Though she quite got lost the longer she walks the Imperial Palace, Penelope turned around when she heard a rustling sound. Only to see a bush.
Penelope walked closer to the bush, eager to see what was in there when all of a sudden a squirrel jumped out and snatched her fan.
"What– Hey!" Penelope lightly yelled, jogging after the squirrel to get her fan back.
Penelope was so engrossed in chasing the squirrel that she didn't notice that she's already ran so far from the Imperial Palace and she's now standing infront of another beautiful looking palace.
'This Palace, it looks familiar. Ah, this is Athanasia's residence in WMMAP. The Emerald Palace.'
Penelope heard another rustle and saw the squirrel who snatched her fan away going deeper into the bushes.
"Fucking squirrel. Get back here!" Penelope hissed quietly, still chasing the squirrel.
"Christ why is this happening to me?" Penelope grumbled, totally losing her cool, "I only wanted to look around the imperial palace, and I certainly did not wish for a squirrel to suddenly jump out and steal my fan!"
When the squirrel finally stopped running, it turned to Penelope and dropped the fan on the ground before bolting for a tree.
'The hell?'
Penelope picked her fan up from the ground and only then did she realize the place she's in. She quickly turned around and saw a floating glowing bubble of mana where a man is currently sleeping.
'Oh look, it's Lucas. The sassy bitch who denied Aethernitas that resulted in Aethernitas being the biggest bitch.' Penelope thought, crossing her arms and staring at the bubble.
[Host. You should be excited, though. Others would've been.]
'Yes, but I'm not others, Tongtong.'
[Yes, Host. You're like a dragon.]
'Huh?'
Penelope took a step closer to the bubble cautiously, she then placed a hand on the bubble that caused it to glow brightly, making her shield her eyes.
When the light subsided, Penelope saw the magician still sleeping soundly on the ground. Penelope kneeled beside him and contemplated whether to poke him or flick him or pull his hair.
Penelope then decided to poke him with her fan but no reaction came, she then proceeded to flick his forehead lightly, but still, no reaction came.
'You leave me no choice.' Penelope thought, cracking her hands. If Rosalia and Roger were here, they would be looking at her in a horrified manner.
Penelope then reached for a few locks of black hair and pulled it with force. At that moment, Lucas jolted awake immediately, looking at his surroundings before bringing his attention to the one who disturbed his sleep.
And at that moment, Penelope's emerald eyes met Lucas's ruby ones.
———