'And you aren't going to be the male lead I'll choose see an ending with so don't you worry.'

I once again told him to take his mind off this matter.

"So you don't need to mind my business, Rennald."

I'll take care of my business myself. Just take your mind off my things, insult me or whatever, and leave.

"I have to take a shower. Can you leave now?"

I said, glimpsing at the room door.

Rennald frowned.

I was surprised because it was an expression I've never seen in the game before. And at the same time, my heart dropped in a sudden thought that was brought up in my mind.

'Wait, is the interest level going to drop lower now? No-!'

I didn't act like how Penelope did in front of Rennald. Instead, I carefully chose the words he would accept, but why!

It was then. The empty gauge bar above Rennald's lovely pink hair started to sparkle...... .

[Interest 3%]

'What the.'

My mind went blank.

'Why did it just rise?'

It rose 6% at that.

I was dumbfounded as I kept looking back and forth at the gauge bar and Rennald. It was then when Rennald opened his mouth and muttered.

"...... I'm the idiot here to show consideration for you even for a short moment."

The blue eyes that glared at me seemed to hold heavy sadness.

He walked towards the door after finishing his sentence.

'I was probably seeing things.'

I decided that it was me seeing things while watching him leave the room.

Thud-!

The door slammed shut and silence followed soon after that.

I supported myself leaning an elbow on the table, and started to think.

Something felt weird. It was not bad seeing the character's, whom I thought I had no hopes in, interest rate rising with my own two eyes.

"Are my lines better now with the choices turned off?"

Since not all of the interest rate of the brothers who hates me dropped to a negative.

"I should keep it off all the time."

I stood up from the spot after deciding on that. It wasn't a lie when told Rennald that I had to shower.

While pulling on a string that signals the maids to come up, a thought went through my head.

That I couldn't call Rennald a negative anymore.

***

The timeout that seemed as if it would last forever, stopped sooner than I thought it would.

"An invitation from the palace?"

"Yes, lady. The eldest young master told me to tell the lady to prepare for it."

"The eldest youn...... No, the eldest brother did?"

I stopped myself from calling him the eldest young master like how the workers here calls him, and reminded myself to call him the eldest brother in front of them.

I was this family's daughter, the youngest member after all.

'Anyways, to think Derrick actually told me to do so...'

He didn't tell me directly but this meant the end of my timeout.

"This is the invitation, lady."

Emily handed me the invitation in mannered way.

The name Penelope was written the paper that had the golden dragon that was the symbol of the royals drawn on it.

The second prince's birthday ceremony. It was tomorrow.

"I should hurry and prepare for it...... ."

Even while muttering that, I still didn't feel so glad that my timeout was over.

The days were so nice during the timeout without having to face the 2 brothers, and being served well by Emily.

Basing on the game plot, Derrick, Rennald and I would continue to intervene with each others' business...... .

'Wait.'

I was thinking about the events that will occur in the future when a sudden thought interrupted.

'If I'm going to the palace...... Then I might see the crowned prince!'

No, not even 'might', it's certain.

There wasn't a scene that showed Penelope going to the palace, but I was sure about the fact that I'll be meeting the crowned prince because it was the first episode of the crowned prince route.

I subconsciously screamed as I remembered the illustration where the crowned prince sliced Penelope's neck multiple times.

"No-!"

"L, lady?"

Emily looked back at me in surprise.

'I mustn't go. Should I just say that I'm sick so I can't go?'

That was the only choice left if I were to avoid that crazy brat.

I panicked as I asked Emily who looked down, probably thinking if she did anything wrong.

"Emily. Is father also attending the ceremony tomorrow?"

"His grace is busy with work tomorrow so the first young master is escorting the lady there."

Shoot...... .

_______