3rd Person pov
Everyone gaped at the scene before them.
Penelope Eckhart, the supposedly Mad Dog of the Duchy, had knocked out Reynold, the Second Young Master of the Duchy, without breaking a sweat!
Hinata relaxed with a sigh, bringing her hands back to her sides and respectfully bowed to her unconscious opponent.
She then looked at the Duke and smiled.
"It looks like Brother Reynold went easy on me. After all, he is the Second Young Master of the duchy. There is no way a person like that could be so weak." - Hinata
The knights and maids stiffened and gulped audibly.
The Duke looked as if he couldn't decide between looking proud or shocked.
Derrick on the other hand, narrowed his eyes at the ground.
Everyone knew what had happened. Reynold, in no way went easy on her.
He was, in fact fighting too rough. It was supposed to be a friendly match but the way Reynold fought seemed as if he actually wanted to hurt her.
The Duke almost intervened, if it hadn't been for Hinata, who chose to knock Reynold out at the exact same moment.
"Its getting too late, isn't it? I apologize for troubling you all." - Hinata
She looked at the Duke.
"Please do not worry, I shall take care of Brother! After all, it is my fault, though he shouldn't have gone easy on me! I don't like being rendered as weak, you see." - Hinata
"Then, I shall excuse myself!" - Hinata
She looped Reynold's left arm around her neck and carried him to his chambers.
While she was walking, Reynold regained his consciousness.
He blinked several times before his eyes snapped open.
"W-What?! H-Hey! What do you think you're doing?!" - Reynold
"You got knocked out. I decided to take responsibility and take care of you, unlike your father." - Hinata
Reynold couldn't look her in the eye. He glanced out the window. It was almost noon.
".... Good Match.....? - Reynold
Hinata looked at him weirdly.
"You fought as if you wanted to kill me!" - Hinata
He blushed a dark red, flustered.
"Th-That's just how brothers fight with sisters." - Reynold
Hinata spoke grimly in a low voice.
"Not unless they believe in something known as 'Fate' or 'Destiny'." - Hinata
She then let go of Reynold and started to walk faster as he staggered to keep up with her.
"You can walk to your room, right? I'll be right back." - Hinata
She then left, without waiting for a response.
Honestly, she didn't care. It was common courtsy to at least apologize or maybe send a gift to your sparring opponent after you hurt them. Especially if your opponent is a close friend or relative.
And under normal circumstances, she would've. But, she knew what the original Penelope had gone through.
These people were the very cause of Penelope's tragic life. Followed by the knight and the damn Crown Prince.
Hinata shook her head to get rid of those negative thoughts.
She reached her room and brought out the first aid kit that Penelope used to treat her needle wounds.
Hinata's expression darkened.
She didn't want to go back.... but Hinata never went back on her word.
She walked back to Reynold's room and knocked thrice.
"Go away!" - Reynold
She entered the room, nonetheless.
He was laying on his bed, with an arm covering his face.
"Didn't you hear me?! I said- !" - Reynold
His words died on his tongue as he saw who the person was.
"Penelope?! Wh-What are you doing in here?!" - Reynold
"I said I'll take care of you, didn't I? I'll never go back on my word." - Hinata
A few moments later
She gently bandaged his forearm, where she had hit him.
"Where'd you get the kit from?"- Reynold
"I had it in my room. For emergency purposes." - Hinata
A silence stretched for almost 10 minutes before Reynold decided to break it.
"I didn't know you could fight." - Reynold
"You don't know anything about me. No one does. Because no one ever tries to know me. And you.... well... you only see me as a stupid slave, don't you?" - Hinata
Thats what you always called Penelope, didn't you?
He opened his mouth in denial but Hinata cut him off.
"I have finished wrapping the bandages. I'm sure you'll be fine on your own now. Then I'll leave." - Hinata
She left his room, not noticing his stretched out hand.
Time skip
Hinata sometimes received glimpses of Penelope's past lives.
This was Penelope's way of sharing her memories with Hinata.
Out of all the nobility, the only one who never badmouthed her was a white haired, purple eyed man. Even though he was the one who brought Yvonne to Penelope's Coming of Age Ceremony.
But there was something only she noticed...
Vinter 's eyes....... were really......dull. As if they were empty.....
As if he was nothing but a..... puppet.
Hinata Pov
I don't understand....
According to Penelope's memories of Vinter before the Leila arrived were really nice. As if she respected him.... Because he was the only noble who didn't look down on commoners.
But why would a person like Vinter choose to bring back Yvonne on Penelope's birthday....?
I receive only glimpses of Penelope's lives. Not answers...
So I have to figure everything out on my own.
I don't know what kind of powers the Leila has. One of them is that she can possess bodies...
I doubt she needed to do anything else....
She was in Yvonne's body and everyone loves Yvonne. But everyone hates Penelope.
It's obvious who'd win in a one sided match like this.
Aaah.....
It seems like I can't do this on my own...
I need an ally.
"- lady." - ???
Eclise and Callisto.... I doubt they are good choices....
Derrick and Reynold have hated Penelope since the beginning.
"- lady?" - ???
So the only choice I have left is to bring the magician on my side....
"- lady!" -???
Marquis Vinter Berdandi.......
Here I come.
"My lady!" -???
I snapped out of my thoughts. I turned around and was met with Emily's concerned gaze.
"My lady..... I have been calling you for a really long time.... You have already passed your chambers.... Is something worrying you...? Please tell me.... I'll do my best to help you...." - Emily
...
You were one of the main reasons Penelope was always on edge.
If a maid was able to harm a noble lady, obviously she'd be afraid of the nobles who had more power than a maid....
Don't act all friendly with me.
Never. Never. I'll never forgive any of you!
"Forget it. A coward like you won't be able to help me anyways." - Hinata
(I may have made Hinata act a bit different. But I think its fine because nothing originally happened for her to be mad. So in a situation like this even the kindest person would be mad.)
I heard her gasp as I made my way to my room.
"My lady....! My-!" - Emily
I looked at her over my shoulder.
Her eyes were wide in horror.
"M-My lady... Your eyes....!" - Emily
It took me a second to realize what she meant.
In the heat of the moment, I accidentally activated my Byakugan!
I turned towards the door.
Deactivating my Byakugan, I put on a polite smile.
"Could you get me something to eat?" - Hinata
"Of course....!" - Emily
She left but she kept glancing back at me. Probably concerned.
But when Yvonne comes back, she'll probably be the first one to turn her back on me.
I can't trust anyone from the duchy. The closer they are to me.... the easier for them to stab me in the back.
So I can only trust someone who's not from the duchy.
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Do comment you guys!
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I do not own 'Death Is The Only Ending For The Villainess' and 'Naruto'.
See you all in next chapter! 👋
–ItsKateD