Chapter Text
“She pleaded for a crossbow to be made just for her, only to rave around claiming she would shoot Count Kellen’s daughter to death,” Derrick reminded, “The royal guards had to take her out while she was crazed, and you still want to permit her to attend this year?”
“Enough, Derrick,” the Duke ordered coldly, “Penelope has repented, as well as matured considerably since then. Isn’t that right, child?”
“Yes, Your Grace.”
Derrick was still staring her down with a cold glare, but Reynold only looked to the side with an annoyed expression she could see right through. The only one who knew even close to the true extent of her abuse. It made sense why he was uncomfortable.
Try living it , she snarked in her head.
The rest of dinner and dessert were a quiet affair, though the whole time it looked as though the Duke had something to say. He cleared his throat once they had all finished.
“The fireworks are today. There are talks of this year’s finale being even more magnificent than last year’s to commemorate the victory battle.”
The three of his children were silent as he talked, all confused about where he was going with this (though Ada was pleasantly surprised to hear of fireworks).
“I remember the first year you were here, Penelope,” his tone and face both conveyed a sad nostalgia, “you watched the fireworks from the attic window…”
Derrick’s cold gaze grew even harsher, meanwhile, Reynold only looked more uncomfortable.
“...The attic has been cleaned... You may watch them there this year as well, Penelope…”
Ada was silent for a moment, registering the full extent of that. Though he still believed she had stolen Ivonne’s necklace, he was willing to push past that to reconcile.
Perhaps she’s been a bit too harsh…
No, he definitely deserved it, but this is a welcome olive branch.
“I will be sure to watch the fireworks from there, Your Grace.”
The Duke smiled a warm smile and looked down, “You all may be excused. This was a wonderful lunch.”
After dinner, Ada found herself following Pennel up the steep stairs to the Attic, passing by the boarded-up room of Ivonne Eckhart on the way.
Opening the door to the attic revealed one of the most beautiful rooms Ada had ever seen. The whole room was dyed by the warmth of the sun, with a beautiful round patterned window in the center which in the middle had something resembling that of a rose.
“Do you like it, Miss?”
“It’s breathtaking.”
“Shall I bring some tea and refreshments?”
“Have Sophia bring them up, would you?”
“As you wish, Miss. Please enjoy yourself, then.”
Left alone, Ada took a big breath in and slowly let it out. The calm washed over her like the waves on a shore, constant yet tranquil. She walked to the raised platform in front of the window and sat down, admiring the view of the grounds.
It was moments like these that reminded her that this world was truly beautiful.
A creak suddenly sounded out, and Ada looked back to be met with the curious sight of one Reynold Eckhart. His face was scrunched, and the setting sun illuminated the sweat dripping on his forehead, yet he continued into the attic. His affection metre now stood at 18% , somehow up two percent from lunch.
Ada silently watched as he stood there awkwardly for a moment before he walked up to her and sat down beside her, looking out the window. He kept opening his mouth as if to talk, then giving up before even starting.
Ada took pity on him and began the conversation, “So, you asked Father to let me train in the training hall.”
He looked at her suddenly with wide eyes before blushing and looking away.
“Well, you never would have been able to without me…” he grumbled.
Taking the opening she gave him, he finally spoke what was on his mind, “I’ve been thinking. About that day and what you told me.”
Reynold brought his arm up to rub the back of his neck, continuing, “I thought about it more and realized that you were… not wrong.”
Really, he can’t say the word ‘right’?
“I haven’t really figured out when I started looking back on how I treated you and regretting it, but I know it was before we talked. If we hadn’t… I don’t know if I ever would have confronted it.”
“Confronted what?” she egged on.
He huffed out an annoyed breath, turning away once more and mumbling, “That I was wrong. That you never deserved to be treated like a replacement.”
There was silence, which stretched on for minutes before he gathered the courage to continue, still not looking her in the eye. As they talked with one another, the sun lowered farther and farther down until the night began to bloom.
“I was an asshole. I thought I was doing the right thing, all because of that wish… but now I realize I was never doing the right thing. I was just hurting someone who didn’t deserve all my crap.”
Finally, Reynold looked her in the eye and opened his mouth, stuttered, then said, “I’m sorry… for that day and– and– all of it.”
Immediately, he looked down, perhaps avoiding confronting her reaction. Ada was sure her face was bittersweet. On one hand, it’s like the childish man in front of her changed completely in only two weeks, and on the other, did he really deserve her– Penelope’s– forgiveness? A week of openly regretting the abuse versus over 5 years of dishing it out. Were they truly comparable?
That’s why, despite affection metres and game endings, Ada was honest.
“I’m not ready to forgive you yet,” she stated, “I don’t know if I ever will fully.”
Reynold looked sullen at that, keeping his head down and holding back an obvious frown.
“But…” he looked up, eyes hopeful, “One day, I will forgive you. Never fully… but enough that it matters.”
Ada smiled at him genuinely, pitying the young boy who lost his sister and was told to readily accept a new one. It never, ever would excuse what he did. But life wasn’t black and white, and Ada knew that better than anyone.
Reynold stared with a parted mouth and wide eyes, before lighting up in a red blush, trying in vain to cover it with his arm, and she supposed this was his first time seeing his sister smile at him so genuinely.
With a sudden and loud bang , the fireworks exploded in front of them in a flash of pink, then another sounded off with an audible pop in a flash of green, then another flash of yellow. The ring of his affection metre was enveloped by the sound of the fireworks.
The fireworks continued popping and exploding in a myriad of colours, casting down on the two of them and creating a vivid glow.
Ada turned to Reynold and saw his jaw-dropped expression, perhaps having never watched the fireworks from here, or perhaps it was of their allegedly grander nature– whatever the reason, it caused him to look like a kid in a candy store.
His affection metre now stood at 22% .
Ada couldn’t help but snicker at the sight, to which Reynold looked at her with an affronted expression before it swiftly morphed into an unwilling snort; and with the fireworks shining down on them, they giggled stupidly, tension bleeding out of their shoulders.
For the first time in a long time, Ada felt the remnants of her youth alight in the hollow of her chest, entirely unaware of a smiling Sophia behind them.
The next day, she found herself back in the training hall with Eckles patiently watching. They were almost entirely alone in the morning light, with only a few stragglers practicing well away from them.
It was for that reason that Ada jumped up and roundhouse kicked the punching bag, observing Eckles out of the corner of her eye.
It was going exactly as she had practiced hundreds of times when she suddenly stumbled on the landing with a twist of her ankle. Falling fast and hard, she was as grateful as she was frustrated when Eckles caught her.
“Careful, Miss.”
Ada blew out a large breath, pushing her bangs out of her face in an agitated manner, “Thank you, Eckles.”
Moves that were as natural as breathing to her in her past, she was now stumbling through like a bumbling fool. Ada lived and breathed to fight; to gracefully traverse the dangerous dance that was combat. To have that taken from her–no, ripped from her clutches, left her yearning for before .
Before wasn’t something she could afford to miss.
And yet…
She ached for her old body, her old life . Most of all, she ached for him .
Ada physically shook her head, just now realizing she was still in Eckles' hold. Eckles, who was looking at her with an odd look. It was subtle, but it almost seemed like concern. She stood up fully and escaped his hold.
He stared at her for a moment more before opening his mouth, “Fight me.”
Ada raised a brow, “Really now?”
“Fight me,” he continued, “Show me.”
Eckles’ words were short and clipped, but Ada got the distinct feeling that he was trying to help. As if fighting him would improve her mood somehow, but was framing it like an opportunity for her to show off. It was clever, though she saw right through it. Might as well play along.
“Fine,” she smirked with practiced carelessness, “Be prepared to lose.”
Ada got into a ready stance, meanwhile, Eckles stood practically still, though she could tell he was ready to pounce at the drop of a hat. There was silence as they sized one another up before Ada darted towards him with all the speed she could muster.
He was ready for her as he dodged her punch and evaded her knee, artfully putting distance between them. They circled one another while analyzing the other.
Eckles abruptly rushed her with all the speed of a swordmaster, aiming for her seemingly uncovered gut. Ada moved to the right in quick movements before grabbing the arm he tried to strike her with and painfully twisting it behind his back, to which he flipped her over. On the ground, Ada flipped herself upright and away before the kick he began could make contact.
Not going easy on her, it seems. Good, she thought with a thrilled grin as she leaped at him and aimed a kick for the side of his arm. He blocked it, but the kick still connected as he grunted, pushing her leg away harshly. Trying to regain her balance, Ada was helpless as he kicked her leg out from under her and pinned her down with all his strength in an eerie imitation of her own moves on Mark.
Catching her breath with wheezing coughs, Ada yielded, “You win.”
Eckles stared at her intensely, still pinning her down, quietly whispering, “You let your guard down, assuming your kick would connect harder. The whole fight, you were attacking me as if you had more strength than you actually did. It would be better to approach me with the intention of quickly immobilizing me and prioritizing defence.”
Ada blinked in quick succession. I think that's the most she’s ever heard him speak. He’s right, though; she’s been fighting how she would have in the past, stubbornly not accounting for her new body’s limits.
“You’re right,” she conceded before giving an unimpressed look, “Now let me go.”
His eyes widened as he scrambled to let her up.
“I have been fighting as if I were stronger,” she admitted, squashing down her pride, “Immobilizing and defending… I can do that.”
She looked at him with narrowed eyes and a growing smirk, “Again.”
Getting in a ready stance, she let him come to her this time. Eventually, though he spent a while simply staring at her, he dashed at her and grabbed her in a side-neck hold. Ada viciously bared her teeth as she swiftly pushed the arm holding her and freed her neck, holding his arm behind his back again, but widening her stance and planting her feet. With Eckles unable to flip her over, she locked her arm around the one behind his back and forced his head down, putting her leg between his and tripping him. Arm locked behind him and head held down, he was unable to do much but swing at her with his other arm. Seeing as even when being hit, she refused to let him go, he yielded quietly.
Ada smiled, “One to One.”
The morning continued much like that, with Eckles and Ada immobilizing one another in turns, evenly matched despite Ada’s disadvantage.
“One to Two.”
“Two to Two.”
“Three to Two.”
“Three to Three.”
Upon hearing the knights steadily pour in, they stopped.
Ada was sure she looked absolutely awful, hair everywhere, somehow having fallen out of the ponytail she put up, and clothes mussed. It was unfair how good Eckles still looked. Perks of a male lead, she grumbled mentally.
Ada stared at the hair that fell around her and contemplated it the whole walk to her room. They met Sophia at the door to her room, and her maid stared at her nonplussed, probably used to this by now.
Ada looked back at Eckles, whose affection metre now stood at 19% , and smiled at him knowingly.
“Thanks for today,” she voiced genuinely, “It helped.”
With that, she turned around into her room with Sophia in tow, not before witnessing the 20% above him.
“What was that about, Miss?”
“Well, Eckles began teaching me how to defend myself,” Ada remarked thoughtfully.
Sophia hummed as she set out to make Ada look presentable. When she got to her hair, however, Ada paused her with a hand on her arm. She stared at the reflection in the mirror and had an idea she probably shouldn’t have had.
“Cut my hair.”
Sophia's brows raised, but she readily obliged with a question, “What length?”
For dramatic effect, Ada began at the tips of her hair and steadily raised her hand until it reached halfway to her neck, “Here.”
Sophia’s brows raised even higher, “You want me to cut it that short?”
“It’s time for a change,” Ada shared while looking into her maid's eyes through the mirror, “Is it not?”
“I suppose it is,” Sophia said, doing what was asked of her. The hair fell around Ada in large clumps, literal weights lifted off her shoulders.
The end product was short, wavy hair that looked certainly new on Penelope but held a certain charm. It was familiar, however wavy and dark pink, and beautiful ; Ada gazed at her reflection with rosy cheeks and a splitting smile.
Sophia looked at her expression and couldn’t help but smile as well at the utter joy on her mistress’ face.
We’re back, baby, Ada thought as her grin turned mischievous, already picturing the reactions she was going to get from the Eckhart men.
It seems the universe shared her humour, as not even a minute later the door to her room rudely burst open with Reynold’s indignant face on the other end. 22% was still displayed above him.
“I heard something interesting recently,” he started in a testy voice, his eyes narrowed but not really looking at her, “Apparently you went back to the training hall and instead of fighting me, fought that slave .”
Despite the derogatory word, Ada smiled coyly, “What, are you jealous?”
The pink-haired man sputtered, finally looking at her clearly, “What- no! I– what… happened to your hair…”
“Well–”
“Don’t tell me that slave cut it while fighting you!” he was shouting at this point, “How dare he lay a finger on an Eckhart!? I’ll kennel that dog if it’s the last thing I do–!”
“I cut it,” Ada shared with an amused lilt to her voice.
Reynold stopped short as he stared at Ada like she had gone mad.
“Or, had Sophia cut it that is,” Ada continued, “It was time for a change. Does it not look good?”
“...You loved having long hair,” he said in lieu of answering her. His voice was quiet, and his face was as confused as it was some other, almost hurt expression. Above him, his affection metre began blinking.
Ada let her face turn serious, “How many times do I have to tell you, Reynold? People change. I changed. That’s all there is to it.”
Reynold continued staring at her almost searchingly; as if he was searching for the Penelope he thought he knew. As if she wasn’t metaphorically 6 feet under. As if he never framed her. As if he loved her like a sister.
For the first time, it appears her change in demeanour really was setting in. He was letting himself believe it, and hating it all the same. It was written in the frown on his face, and the furrow of his brows.
His affection metre stopped blinking. It read a defeated 20% .
“The other ladies are gonna laugh at you, you know,” he rushed out, trying for curt but missing the mark by several steps.
“Let them.”
His shoulders slumped and lips pressed together as he stared not at her, but at a ghost.
Surprisingly, he shook it off with a large breath and tightly closed eyes, before going for casual and actually succeeding somewhat. Ada doesn’t know what she expected– perhaps for him to argue with her? No, he was far too defeated for that. For him to lament? Again, no. Despite wearing his emotions on his sleeve, he kept thoughts like those tightly wound. She supposed this was in line for him and the way he was raised.
He cleared his throat before continuing like nothing happened.
“I told you to come to me, not that sla –” he stopped at her pointed look, “ him .”
“Well, he is a master swordsman. I don’t suppose you’re one and have just been really adept at hiding it?”
Reynold stubbornly looked to the side for a moment before looking back at her. Once again, the sight of her short hair stopped him in his tracks as he stared at her for a long moment, eventually rolling his eyes and turning away.
“Whatever. It’s not like I care or anything.”
As he walked away, Ada called out to him, “Reynold.”
He stopped without turning around, looking down.
“I’d be happy to spar with you anytime.”
With a ring, his affection metre shot up to 25% , and he turned around with an expression of thinly disguised hope. Catching himself, he made sure he looked haughty as he said, “Of course you would, I’m an excellent fighter. Far better than him , master swordsman or not!”
Ada smiled with an indulgent expression before realizing herself and forcing her smile to turn tight. It was irrelevant as he hurried off as soon as he finished his little display. Still, Ada frowned.
“Your relationship with the Young Master seems to be improving,” Sophia suddenly began.
Ada looked back at her with a raised brow.
“I suppose it is, yes.”
Sophia stared at her with an indecipherable expression before continuing to style her hair like she had before Reynold came rushing in. Ada turned around determinedly.
“He seems to be trying, despite it all.”
“What are you getting at?”
Sophia paused behind her for a moment, before finally; “I’m saying it’s okay to let yourself enjoy your time with him.”
Leaving her with that, Sophia declared she had finished and dismissed herself in a shocking display of unprofessionalism, all with an awkward tilt of her lips.
Ada was left alone to think about what she said.
Was it okay to smile genuinely at him? When he ruined Penelope’s life? Sure he apologized but–
“One day, I will forgive you. Never fully… but enough that it matters.”
Ada stared down at her hands quietly as she remembered the hope in his eyes upon her saying that.
Was it fair to Penelope?
‘This was her life now.’
Did it matter if it was fair to her?
It was selfish, yes, but Ada found herself enjoying Reynold’s surprisingly sharp wit and snarky comments. And while it was true she could never forgive him fully, not for herself but for that young girl he framed; she said she would still partly forgive him, no?
Ada looked out the window for longer than she ought to, surrounded by the silence with only her thoughts to fill it. No matter what she decided, it made her uneasy.
Already, Ada had decided to treat this like her own life, and already, Ada was having troubles. It was hard when she’d been forced into the body at the ripe age of seventeen, with only her espionage skills to get her through. In actuality, she was a stranger masquerading as Penelope, but Ada Wong set her heart on it, and so she would not give up. She could deal with the uncomfortableness if it meant living .
‘ As long as she is Penelope Eckhart, she will not die.’
Ada smiled forlornly.
Later in the evening, she found herself face to face with the Duke. The man’s expression was searching as he stared at her new haircut and yet awkward, and despite calling her to his office, he hadn’t said a word yet.
“You asked for me, Your Grace?”
He cleared his throat, “Yes. Uh– Shall we have some tea?”
“I would be most grateful,” she answered as she smiled sweetly.
A nondescript maid entered eventually and set down steaming tea in ostentatious porcelain.
“Do have some.”
“Thank you,” she said as she grabbed the tea and drank out of it primly, all while eyeing the man in font of her. Would he ever get over the awkwardness? Ada had succeeded in rendering his every glance as guilt inducing, and yet it was annoying actually having to live with it. Surely he would man up and begin to better himself soon, yes?
“...Penelope.”
“Yes, Your Grace?”
“I heard you have been training in the training hall.. How has that been?”
“Rewarding,” she started with a genuine smile, “I feel as though I am bettering myself every time I stop by. It is a great feeling.”
The Duke smiled back at her, “I’m glad.”
That’s not what she came here for though, is it?
The room was blanketed with awkward silence once more as he continued staring at her new hair.
“I see you cut your hair…” he spoke as if he was walking on a tightrope, one wrong move and he’d face her wrath, “…May I ask the reason?”
“Truthfully, It has been hindering my exercise. At the same time, I feel as though this new hair reflects this new chapter in my life. I will soon be coming of age, after all.”
His gaze was curious as she spoke, and finally he smiled a small satisfied smile as she finished, but Ada could tell there was more to it. His eyes were somber and his smile was perhaps too tight.
“Well, don’t rush. There is still time before you come of age after all. Plenty,” he looked down for a moment, eventually continuing, “What I asked you here for, is to give you something. You will be attending the hunting tournament this year, and as such, you will need something to hunt with. I trust that you know more of the consequences of your actions now.”
“Your grace?”
“Here, Penelope. Take this,” he declared as he grabbed and placed a black wooden box down on the table
between them. Opening it revealed a sleek and shiny crossbow with an emerald diamond adorning it. It was befitting that of a noble .
“Is this…”
“Here, take a look,” he said as he opened the black bag beside the crossbow, “These enchanted beads are to replace the arrows.
Enchanted beads, or bullets… how familiar
, Ada thought amusedly.
“Upon striking your quarry the bead will burst with lightning and make it pass out for some time. It’s not enough to cause death. Even if a human were struck, they should not suffer great harm.
Recalling the tiger she stunned, Ada was quickly realizing these beads were the exact same. Meaning she already owned something similar to them, and the Duke may have acquired these through less than savoury means.
Ada let her smile morph into a smirk as she continued listening to his enthralled explanation.
“And one more thing. The beads are also magicked to cause instant erasure of the target’s immediate memories on impact,” His expression turned sly as he looked thoughtful, “...If you truly cannot tolerate someone, you may lure them somewhere isolated and use it.”
Ada felt her brows raise into her bangs as she took in the extent of what the Duke was saying. It seems the man was not some pure noble like she initially assumed.
“Of course, Your Grace. I will be sure to follow your advice,” she remarked with a wicked grin.
He coughed into his fist, “Don’t tarnish the family name by running amok where everyone can see you, like you did last year. They won’t recall it as long as you hit them, so there’s no excuse for any witnesses. Understand?”
“Yes, Your Grace. I will use this gratefully,” she hummed, “Perhaps I may even go hunting.”
His brows slightly raised but he made sure to smooth out his expression, “That would be interesting. If you do go hunting, I wish you good luck.”
“Thank you.”
“Now, that was all I wanted to say… I will have the bow sent to your room.”
“I would appreciate that,” Ada said gratefully as she began to rise. The Duke was still staring at her with a funny expression as he often did these days.
Just as Ada was about to walk out, the Duke called out, “Penelope…”
Ada stopped and turned around with an inquiring brow, “Yes?”
The Duke looked all around the room panickedly before taking a deep breath and calming himself down.
“I have long since forgiven you for that day… the day you took Ivonne’s necklace.”
I see, so we’re going there. She can’t exactly share the truth, can she?
His eyes were earnest as he continued, “I know now that you took it not because you wanted to tarnish her memory, or because you simply wanted jewelry. You wanted to… belong . Didn’t you, my child?”
She felt a lump form in her throat despite not even being the real target of this conversation. Ada made sure to conceal it completely as she simply nodded quietly.
The Duke looked down regretfully, then looked up with a determined glint in his eye, “It’s not my place to ask, but… I hope one day you come to forgive me as well. I miss you.”
Ada looked away to avoid the tears in his eyes as she contemplated what to say. These men were always capable of change, Ada recognizes that now.
Why was it her to bring it out, and not the child they really love?
Ada swallowed painfully before looking back at the forlorn man.
“I miss you too… Father.”
He wasn’t her Father, what right did she have to say that? Ada panicked in the depths of her mind. Why am I– Why…
Ada clenched her teeth together tightly as she finally noticed the free flowing tears on the man’s face.
“You… you called me–”
He rushed out of his seat and all but ran to her, staring at her for a second, then hugging her tightly in a frenzy of movement.
“My child.. I’m so very sorry. I can’t say it enough.”
He continued his apologies and continued hugging her for longer than Ada should have let him.
Having unwittingly hugged him back at some point, she was realizing with a sadness familiar to her that this was her first time truly hugging someone in years. Even before waking in this body.
<SYSTEM>
“Your relationship with the occupants of the manor has improved!
Reputation has increased +15 points.
TOTAL POINTS: 35”
Ada stared at the message.
She knew she had to push him away, and yet couldn’t bring herself to do it. Tightly, she held onto him, shut her eyes, and tried in vain to ignore the implications of what she was doing.