As Penelope had expected, the rumours has spread all throughout the empire within and is still famous and relevant even after several months passed already. There were various invitations for tea parties that passed by Penelope's desk that she chose to ignore, except for the few invites that will likely benefit her. She also began to work on winning the graces of the Count's servants and his partners in business. Some of them even had the gall to comment outright that Penelope will be a better head than the count.
In those several months, Penelope watched as the Count slowly loses his sanity with the various drawbacks that their business is currently experiencing, the rumours, as well as the sneers of the noble society. And in those months as well, Penelope and Diana had begun to exchange letters. Their letters containing nonsense things that ladies talks about and whatnot.
Oh and the crown Prince has taken a fancy to Penelope.
'Ah. Sooner or later, the Count will be insane. What a lovely day that would be.' Penelope thought, inhaling the bouquet that the crown Prince sent for her.
'I didn't know I made quite an impact to Anastacius. Should I reject him?'
[You like him, don't you, Host?]
'I simp for him.'
Penelope was pulled out from her thoughts when a knock sounded on her door. It was Keira.
"My Lady? The Count is calling for you and Lady Rosalia in his study."
Penelope sighed frustratedly before standing up, "Coming."
———
"Father. What is the reason that you have called for us?" Penelope asked politely, trying hard to not look disgusted at the word 'Father'.
The Count paced back and forth and Penelope will admit, she's quite getting dizzy from all of his pacing. And oh, would you look at that? The Count is haggard, with bags under his eyes, and ghostly complexion.
'Don't tell me you're dying already? The show's not yet over. So you better live, until then. It'll be quite a bother to resurrect you just to unleash my wrath again.' Penelope thought amusedly.
"I am leaving for somewhere. I'll leave the estate in the meantime to you, Penelope. Don't disappoint me." The Count said, glaring at the both of them.
'Eh. You'll probably go meet your partner in human trafficking aren't you? I'll get you both, soon.'
[Host... You're scary.]
'No. I'm not.'
[Whatever you say, Host.]
"Of course, Father. Rest assured, I'll handle it well." Penelope answered, forming a saccharine smile and inclining her head.
"Good. You're both dismissed."
———
"Oh it's you." A cocky voice said, Penelope raised a brow in confusion before looking around the garden.
'Huh?'
"Up here, you dumbass." The voice said again, Penelope then looked up at the three a few feet away from where she's sitting and saw Lucas.
"What are you doing here?" Penelope asked.
"I thought you were interesting, so I looked for you." Lucas said nonchalantly, hopping off of the tree.
[Host, maybe you can ask for his help?]
'Regarding Aethernitas? Huh, maybe.'
"Perfect timing! I need your help for something!" Penelope exclaimed, standing up from her seat and crossing their distance.
"Meh. What makes you think I'll help you?" Lucas retorted, flipping his silky hair.
"Because I'll make you." Penelope said sweetly, hooking her hand with the magician's arm.
"You're nuts, woman. Now, let go." Lucas snorted, shaking his arm to make Penelope go.
"Name everything that you want, and I'll provide it." Penelope bribed, letting go of Lucas to flick her fan open.
Penelope watched as Lucas blinked several times and a smirk formed on his lips, "Everything?"
"Yes. But of course, there's a catch." Penelope replied, tapping the tip of her fan against her lips.
"Deal." Lucas agreed instantly.
'For a smart man, he agreed easily. Dumb magician.' Penelope thought.
"Keira." Penelope called for her personal maid.
Keira appeared and though she's quite confused by the presence of a man, she kept quiet and just bowed.
"This is my, what do I call you? Ah, yes. This is Lucas, my bodyguard. Would you please bring us some pastries?" Penelope asked, gesturing at Lucas before nodding at Keira.
Lucas was about to rebuke Penelope's introduction, when the brunette placed her fan on Lucas's mouth to shut him up.
"This maid will do as you asked, My Lady." Keira said before turning away.
[Host, congratulations! You just shared an indirect kiss with the tower magician!]
'Indirect what?'
[Host. You were tapping your lips earlier with your fan, then you placed that same fan on Lucas's mouth. Indirect kiss!]
'Tongtong... Shut up.'
[Wow, Host. At this point, I won't be surprised if you gain a harem. All the best for Host!]
Penelope rolled her eyes at the system in her mind before turning to Lucas who's glaring at her.
"The hell you do that for? And really? Bodyguard?" He said in an annoyed tone, crossing his arms and taking a sit.
"That's the most plausible reason for your presence, do you have any qualms?" Penelope asked, raising a brow questioningly.
Lucas opened his mouth to reply but chose to close it.
"So what's this favor?" The magician asked, munching on a cookie that Keira brought just now.
'Should I go slow or be straightforward? Aight. Straightforward it is.'
"Do you remember Aethernitas? Yeah, he's alive. Well not really, but you get the point." Penelope said bluntly, taking a sip of her tea.
Penelope watched as Lucas's eyes slowly widened in shock and promptly choked.
"The fuck? How is that even possible?" He asked incredulously, Penelope hummed as she studies her fingernails.
"Apparently, he dabbed in black magic, altered the historical records, and looked for people who will possibly pass as his vessel." Penelope replied.
"He's a spirit then. So who's he possessing now?" Lucas asked, tilting his head lightly as he rests his chin on his hand.
"The crown prince. I believe that Anastacius is trying to fight him." Penelope replied.
'Well, because of the fact that Anastacius is not that crazy bitch that he's supposed to be in manhwa. Also, his relationship with Claude is not strained as well, so he may be fighting that bitch-who-started-it-all.'
"Huh." Was what Lucas said.
"Also, teach me basic magic." Penelope said suddenly, Lucas crossed his arms before huffing at her.
"I'll have you know, I don't take students." Lucas said.
"Well sucks for you, then, bodyguard. I'm your mistress so you should heed my orders." Penelope said, smirking in amusement.
"Damn. What did I get myself into?" Lucas mumbled, scratching his head.
———
It's been two weeks since the Count went away, and Lucas has been staying at the Judith Manor for about a week now. Surprisingly, even with his crabby attitude, he quite got along with the household maids and butlers.
As for Rosalia, she was quite suspicious at first but she learnt to let go of it and just continued on annoying Penelope. Now, there's two pests that keeps on annoying her.
"Ah. I'm craving for french fries and a burger right now." Penelope mumbled into her pillow.
[Just make one, Host. You know how to make them right?]
'Good idea, Tongtong!'
It's a good thing that Penelope is dressed decently when she was rolling on her bed, and all she had to do was to smoothen the crease on her dresses with magic.
Lucas has told Penelope that she can't do excessive magic since her mana is not that large, but she can do many things with her healing magic. Since healing doesn't require that much mana, Penelope can do many kinds of healing. Though, only she and Lucas knows that she's a healer.
"Lucas! Open up!" Penelope said, knocking on Lucas's door.
Penelope heard grumbling from inside of the room and some rustling before the door swung open revealing a very annoyed Lucas.
"What?" He grumbled.
"Let's go to the market, like, right now." Penelope demanded, Lucas looks confused by her demand before groaning in frustration.
"Atleast let me get ready first?" The black-haired magician said, opening his door wide and stomping off to the bathroom that's connected to his room.
Penelope didn't wait for that long. After several minutes, Lucas came out of the bathroom looking refreshed and neat. He's wearing a white tunic with black pants and boots.
"I'm not in the mood for carriage riding so let's go right away." Lucas said, snapping his finger.
The moment Lucas snapped his finger, instead of standing infront of Lucas's door, Penelope found herself standing in an alley with a very annoyed Lucas.
Penelope grinned before walking away and heading towards the market, when she's already done gathering and paying for all the ingredients. Lucas teleported them again at the estate's kitchen.
"What will you be cooking, anyway?" Lucas asked curiously, taking a sit on one of the stools in the kitchen.
"Just watch." Penelope said, as she began to peel the potatoes and cut them in long pieces.
She, then, brought out a long paper and laid the already cut potatoes for drying.
"Lucas, dry these potatoes and then we can fry them." Penelope instructed the magician before turning towards the other ingredients to prepare it.
"Why do I need to dry them anyway?" Lucas grumbled but did as what he's been told.
By the time Penelope was done with preparing the ingredients for the beef burger, Lucas is already done with drying the potatoes.
Penelope gathered all the cut potatoes that are about to be fried and threw them into the sizzling oil. She then, began to grill the patties in the kitchen's griller.
'Thank god for long grillers.' Penelope thought, eyeing the long griller that is filled with sizzling patties.
When everything's done, Penelope asked Lucas to put out the fire with magic and placed the perfectly fried fries into a bowl and assembled the burgers that they made.
Lucas was about to take one when Penelope slapped his hand away, "You wait."
"This isn't fair, woman! I helped you!" Lucas grumbled, Penelope ignored his antics and before asking the butlers to distribute the burgers to every household staff.
"Can I have one, now?" Lucas grumbled impatiently, Penelope rolled her eyes at her childish companion before placing a plate of burger and fries.
"You're so childish." Penelope replied, crossing her arms.
"After we exorcise Aethernitas, we'll put him here." Lucas said suddenly, opening the palm of his hand as a small glass jar appeared on his palm.
"A jar?" Penelope asked in confusion, studying the jar.
"Yesh. Itch a majwik jwar." Lucas replied with his mouth full of burger. Penelope winced at him before swatting at his face.
"Don't talk with your mouth full. Christ, why are you like a child?" Penelope asks.
"Yeah, and you're a mom. Anyway, about that count. What are you planning?" Lucas asked again, taking another burger to shove into his mouth.
"Drive him even more crazy." Penelope replied curtly. Taking a seat on the stool infront of Lucas and leaning her chin into her palm.
"And how will you do that?"
Penelope smirked at his question as a dangerous gleam flashed in her eyes, "With your help, of course."
A similar smirk started to form on Lucas's face as his ruby eyes gleamed dangerously, mirroring Penelope's look.
"And our fun begins."
———
A/N: aaaaaaaaand! we got to see our chaotically dangerous duo, Lucas and Penny!