Reincarnation of The Villainess: She Has The Duke's Baby!-Chapter 135: #-Edmund Gerwyn’s Soul Fragment From First Life
Penelope sat in the garden while thinking about her dream last night.
She smiled happily. Her children grew up to be very handsome and beautiful. They came to her only to warn her of the upcoming danger to harm her. And now, Penelope grew impatient to see the twins grow up.
The wind blew hard, making Penelope’s blue hair flutter. The woman closed her eyes when dust got into her eyes. When Penelope wanted to fix her hair, someone had already done it for her. Penelope opened her eyes and froze. She was wide-eyed. She had seen Edmund Gerwyn in front of her thousands of times but... this was the first time she had seen her husband in such a transparent form. It was as if Edmund Gerwyn in front of her, who was currently kneeling in front of her and smiling at her, was a ghost.
"Ed...?" called Penelope. Not only did her voice tremble but also her hands when Penelope wanted to touch Edmund’s face. The woman gasped and covered her mouth with both hands when the hand that wanted to touch Edmund’s face actually penetrated it. Penelope’s heart was beating very fast and tears were already dripping down her face. She shook her head frantically. "No! No! What happened to you?! This is not possible. You couldn’t possibly turn into a ghost, right?! You’re still alive, aren’t you?!"
"Shh... calm down," said Edmund in a gentle tone. He looked at Penelope’s golden eyes which looked fearfully at him. The man smiled even more. "I’m already dead. But, I’m not the Edmund Gerwyn you know."
Penelope swallowed hard and tried to wipe the tears from her face. But, the more she wiped her tears, the more they dripped down her face.
"What do you mean...?"
"I... was Edmund Gerwyn from your first life, Penelope Askary. I am a piece of Edmund Gerwyn’s soul from your first life."
Penelope was silent. She was not surprised to hear information like this. At that time, she also met the soul fragment of the real Penelope Askary. But, it still felt scary enough to make her almost faint from shock.
"I missed you," said Edmund Gerwyn. His blue eyes were full of longing. "You are still as beautiful as the last time I saw you. But, of course, you have lived a different life now. Even though this life is a repetition of time for you and Edmund Gerwyn, your soul is new. Well, even though I know, sometimes your memories of your first life always come back to haunt you."
Penelope smiled faintly. She nodded. Sometimes, she still dreams of events in the first life of the real Penelope Askary. Sometimes, the soul fragments of the real Penelope Askary always visit her in her dreams when she is lost in the dream world.
"Why did you suddenly appear in front of me?" Penelope asked.
"To apologize."
"Yes?"
"Because I stupidly let myself be controlled by dark magic to the point where I killed you. Killed Penelope Askary in my first life." Edmund explained. The man smiled sadly and stood up. His action made Penelope stand up as well. The Duchess widened her eyes because of the information she had just received from Edmund Gerwyn in front of her.
"What are you talking about...?" Penelope asked. There is no such thing in the original novel. Goddess Elleia also never told her about this. What actually happened in their first lives? "Didn’t you kill the real Penelope Askary because you hated her? Because she bullied and hurt the woman you love, Isabella Lysander, right?"
Edmund Gerwyn chuckled and shook his head. The wind is blowing again. The man looked into Penelope’s golden eyes and longed to touch the Duchess’ beautiful face. However, he could never do it. This is no longer his place even though his body is in this world. His soul and the soul that is in the current Edmund Gerwyn are different. The man could remember events in his first life because he met the soul fragment of the real Penelope Askary and also because of his nightmares. The current Edmund Gerwyn has never met him in person, a soul fragment of the man’s soul from his first life.
"Penelope," called Edmund Gerwyn. "Did you know that you and I were friends when we were little?"
"Yes," nodded Penelope. "I found out through dreams and also through stories from myself, who had become a ghost."
"Then, did you know that we actually had a special relationship in our first life?" asked Edmund again.
Penelope Askary blinked. Her mouth was wide open. Seeing Penelope’s current expression, Edmund Gerwyn, who had become a ghost, smiled in amusement. Penelope’s expression was very funny in his opinion.
"Impossible."
"That’s the truth," shrugged Edmund. "I and the real Penelope Askary, we were lovers in our first life. Of course, that’s because we’ve been very close since we were little. Then, our relationship suddenly drifted apart because Penelope suddenly liked Sebastian De Louis. I don’t know what made her change. She was no longer the Penelope I knew. Then, I really hated her. Like, someone provoked me to hate her. Because of my hatred, I could barely control my anger. However, Isabella Lysander’s presence made me feel calmer and more comfortable. Suddenly, I started to get close to her and I didn’t like seeing her always suffering because of Penelope. When I came to, I had already killed Penelope." Edmund looked at Penelope. "I have killed you."
Penelope didn’t say anything. This information was too surprising for her. Has this really happened in the past? But, why was all the information she received regarding her first life different? Which information should she believe?
"Duchess!"
The scream made Penelope flinch and turn her head around. Edgar ran toward her. Her face looked panicked and pale. Then, the man immediately stood in front of Penelope and pointed his sword at Edmund Gerwyn, who came from his first life.
"I—I don’t know who you are or why you look so much like my master but I won’t let you hurt my Duchess!"
Edmund snorted and laughed. "Edgar, you’re still as annoying as ever. Do I have the heart to hurt the woman I love?"
"Huh? Oh. That..." Edgar swallowed hard and shook his head. "But, you are a ghost!"
"Then, can your sword stab a ghost?" challenged Edmund.
"That’s true," Edgar nodded. "No! I can definitely defeat you even if you are a ghost! There must be a way!"
"You really are a very loyal knight. I really miss you." Edmund smiled and looked at Penelope. "I will go now. I met you only because I miss you. All this time, I have always been by your side to protect you. I will come if you need my help. If in the past I couldn’t protect you and couldn’t make you happy, then this time I will make sure you are safe and happy."
The wind blew again, making Penelope and Edgar close their eyes. When they opened their eyes, Edmund Gerwyn had disappeared. This made Penelope ponder all of his words.
"So... Penelope and Edmund were lovers...?"
###
Edmund Gerwyn leaned back and massaged the bridge of his nose.
He really wanted a peaceful life with his family. But, until now, the problems that must be faced by his family have never been completed. He is also always looking for information about Goddess Elleia and Goddess Oizys but has yet to get the right information. Where else should he look for information about the two Goddesses so he can protect Penelope Askary? Goddess Elleia may want Penelope’s happiness but Goddess Oizys wants the destruction of the woman she loves.
"Where else should I look for information about Goddess Oizys? I don’t know why but I really don’t trust the people at the temple," muttered Edmund.
"You really shouldn’t trust them."
Those words made Edmund straighten his back. He stared intently ahead, at a figure that appeared in the darkness of his study.
"Who is there?" asked Edmund in a sharp tone. He stood up from the chair and took out his sword. "Show yourself or I will kill you right now."
The sound of laughter made Edmund frown. He froze when the figure showed himself. The sword in his hand fell and the Duke took a step back until his waist hit the table behind him.
"You...."
"Hi, Edmund Gerwyn," said the man, raising his hand in greeting. He smiled broadly. "Are you surprised to see yourself right in front of you?"
"How could it be...?" Edmund rubbed his face with both hands. "No, no. This must be a dream. I must be exhausted."
"Your wife even cried when I met her and thought you were dead," chuckled the figure. His words made Edmund flinch and look at the figure, who looked very much like him, with a murderous gaze.
"What have you done to Penelope Askary?!" shouted Edmund.
"I didn’t do anything," the figure shrugged. "She’s my wife so I couldn’t possibly hurt her."
"Don’t talk nonsense!" Edmund pointed at the figure’s face. "Look, I don’t know who you are and why you look so much like me but Penelope Askary is my wife, not yours!"
"Hey, she’s my wife too," chuckled the man. "You see me, don’t you? I am shaped like this because I am just a piece of a soul. More precisely, I am a piece of your soul from your first life. I was Edmund Gerwyn in your first life. I was Penelope Askary’s lover in your first life and I killed her because of dark magic."
"What...?" Edmund Gerwyn swallowed hard. "Dark magic?"
"Yes." The figure nodded. He looked firmly at Edmund. "You are controlled by dark magic, Edmund Gerwyn. In your first life, Isabella Lysander had dark magic and she bewitched you without herself knowing. This dark magic was obtained by Isabella Lysander through Marquess Lysander, her Father."
Edmund frowned. Did she get Marquess Lysander’s dark magic because of his cult and human sacrifices?
"Be careful," said the figure. Slowly, the figure began to disappear. He smiled. "Don’t let yourself be controlled by dark magic ever again, Edmund Gerwyn. Don’t let yourself kill Penelope Askary ever again. There are people around you who betray you and intend to destroy you. This time, protect Penelope Askary, the woman you love with your own life."
