Reincarnation of The Villainess: She Has The Duke's Baby!-Chapter 175: #-Saintess Awakening! Purifying Darkness With The Power of Love!
Penelope Askary sat on top of a tall building, crossing her right leg over her left leg, and smiling happily at the chaos unfolding below her.
Fires broke out everywhere. The monsters went on a rampage and ran here and there to kill innocent people. Screams full of fear, cries full of agony, they were all very beautiful melodies for Penelope. She had never felt happiness like this before. And, Penelope is sure that Goddess Oizys will also be happy with this. Even though Penelope didn’t know where the Goddess was, the Goddess would definitely gain strength from the fear and suffering of the people in the De Louis empire.
"This is a bit boring," Penelope muttered. The woman in black dress played with her hair and snorted. "I have to do something to relieve my boredom. Do I just go down there and start killing people? Maybe I should look for people who have holy power so I can give it to Goddess Oizys."
Penelope stood up and let the wind blow her hair. The woman closed her eyes and grinned. Then, she turned her head when she felt someone approaching her. Penelope raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms.
"You managed to survive apparently."
Edmund Gerwyn chuckled. He still couldn’t stand straight and he wasn’t wearing clothes properly either. Penelope could clearly see the bandages on his chest, making the woman click her tongue in annoyance.
"You are very stubborn, Edmund Gerwyn. You should just give up and die! Why do you want to destroy all of my plans?!" Penelope grumbled. "Besides, how did you know I was here?"
"I have many ways to find you, Penny," answered Edmund in a choked tone. He coughed and took a deep breath. It still hurt but Edmund didn’t care. He had to succeed in bringing Penelope back into his arms. "I have to do this to make you open both your eyes!"
"What do you mean?" Penelope laughed mockingly and pointed at Edmund. "You don’t think you can beat me in your condition, do you?"
"I can do anything, even sacrifice myself if it’s for you."
"Nonsense!" Penelope shouted. The woman clenched her hands at her sides. "When you did that disgusting thing behind my back with that bitch named Isabella Lysander!"
"I never had an affair," said Edmund in a firm tone. "I just love you and deep inside your heart you also know I love you very much. I’ve never looked at another woman, Penny. You are controlled by Goddess Oizys, by her dark powers. She’s playing with your mind."
"SHUT UP!" Penelope shook her head firmly and covered her ears. Her black eyes looked at Edmund with a murderous look. "Only Goddess Oizys understands me! She will give me everything I want!"
"This is going to hurt," said Edmund in a stiff voice. He couldn’t imagine how much pain his wife would experience. If possible, Edmund is willing to swap places with Penelope. However, all this was done to make Penelope return to normal. "So, just bear with me for a moment."
"What?" Penelope frowned. "What are you—"
Penelope couldn’t finish her words when she saw a purple and black magic circle appear under her feet. The woman was wide-eyed. She couldn’t move. And, what made Edmund even more worried was when Penelope screamed in pain. Edmund had indeed been told by Philleo Aaron that the magic circle he had created would stop Penelope’s movements. However, the woman will also feel intense pain because there will be an electric current from the magic circle he created.
Initially, Edmund Gerwyn did not agree with Philleo Aaron helping him. When he woke up, Ethan Askary was near him and explained everything he did while the Duke was still unconscious. Ethan also tried to explain his plan. Of course, Edmund was angry. The man went berserk. How could Ethan Askary order him to collaborate with Philleo Aaron who intended to take Penelope Askary from him? Philleo Aaron even kidnapped Penelope and almost killed the woman and the twins!
Luckily, Helios Rune Abelavish arrived on time along with Chris. Likewise with Claude Sylvester. The Crown Prince of the Abelavish empire immediately calmed Edmund and said that the man really needed a lot of people who had above average magical powers. And, Philleo Aaron is one of them. Ethan’s decision was the right one because they were fighting Penelope Askary, who was controlled by the great dark power of Goddess Oizys.
After tracking Penelope’s whereabouts, even though Edmund still didn’t accept Philleo helping him, the Duke told Chris to send him to the Duchess. And, this is where Edmund is now. Restraining the urge to run towards Penelope and save her from the magic circle created by Philleo. Claude Sylvester can indeed reduce someone’s mana but Philleo knows how to make someone immobile or paralyzed, even if only for a moment. And, Philleo’s magic is needed so that Penelope doesn’t struggle when Claude lowers the mana inside her.
"Argh! Dammit! All of you are really assholes!" Penelope shouted. The woman struggled and groaned in pain. Tears streamed down her beautiful face and she tried to catch her breath. Her body hurt so much. It felt like being electrocuted and burned. "Do you think you can defeat me with just this kind of magic?!"
Edmund froze when he saw Penelope still had the strength to snap her fingers. Philleo’s magic circle was destroyed and Edmund didn’t know that Philleo was currently coughing up blood down there. Edmund clenched his jaw and gritted his teeth. He looked at Penelope who was laughing and grinning. The woman was sweating and still trying to catch her breath.
"You underestimate my strength, Edmund Gerwyn!" Penelope growled. "You and your annoying people!"
Penelope opened her palm and the black light shot out quickly from it. Then, the black light formed an arrow and hit Edmund’s right chest. The Duke groaned and fell to his knees. He coughed and vomited blood.
Penelope snapped her fingers once again and made Edmund disappear. Then, the woman jumped down and landed perfectly in front of everyone. She could see Edmund being treated by his knights. Now, Penelope faces Ethan Askary, Helios Rune Abelavish, and Philleo Aaron. The woman grinned.
"Hey, aren’t you on Goddess Oizys’ side?" Penelope asked, pointing at Philleo. "Ah, you apparently betrayed the Goddess. You only used Goddess Oizys to get what you wanted and now you are on their side against me and Goddess Oizys."
Philleo smiled. "If only it were that easy. But, you are very wrong, Penelope. I love you. I just don’t want you to get hurt or anything like that. If you destroy this empire and kill everyone, you will be put to death and I don’t want that to happen. So, I have no other choice." The man shrugged.
Penelope snorted. Her black eyes were on Ethan Askary now.
"The older brother, who let the woman he loved become pregnant with another man’s child. And, that other man was his own brother-in-law. How pathetic," Penelope scoffed.
"Watch your mouth, Penelope Askary," Ethan said in a low and dangerous tone. "Isabella Lysander and Edmund Gerwyn never had that kind of relationship. The child Isabel is carrying is my child. And, you are the woman who is pregnant with Duke Edmund’s child, Penelope." Ethan pointed at his little sister. "All this time, I have always loved you and protected you. But, for now, I will fight you so that you can come back to me. To us."
Penelope didn’t know that Claude Sylvester was hiding with Jellal. The man was tasked with making a magic rope with enormous power. That’s why Claude had to concentrate. And, Jellal was by Claude’s side to protect the man from any attacks.
"Duchess, I know you are not a weak woman," Helios said in a firm tone. "You can fight that dark power in your heart, Duchess. If you don’t fight it, the child in your womb will be in danger. That child will also turn evil."
"Shut your mouths, you bastard men!" Penelope growled. "I will teach you how to treat a woman well."
Penelope read the incantation and opened her palms. The black light appeared and headed straight for Ethan. Ethan was silent. He took out his sword and absorbed the black light from Penelope. Ethan knew he would really regret this but he had no other choice. After his sword absorbed Penelope’s dark power, the man swung his sword, and the black light came out of the sword again. The black light aimed at Penelope, making Penelope widen her eyes and quickly activate protective magic. The black light hit the protective magic she activated and made a small explosion sound.
"Perhaps, I should remind you that I also have magic powers and that my sword can absorb any magic power and then be used to strike back at the attacker, my dear little sister." Ethan snapped his fingers and Penelope, who didn’t expect Ethan to attack her, was thrown and rolled on the ground. In Penelope’s memories, Ethan was a man who really loved her. So, why did that man have the heart to attack her?!
"I’m sorry, Duchess!" Helios made a symbol with both hands and golden light began to appear. "I’ll lock you up for a while."
A box appears and traps Penelope in it. Helios knew the magic he was using was high but the box he created was starting to shake and crack. This was because Penelope hit the box repeatedly while screaming in anger. And, there was a black light coming out of Penelope’s body when she hit the golden box created by Helios.
"Because she gained great power from Goddess Oizys," said Helios. "I can’t match that dark power of hers. I am facing the power of a Goddess here, not the power of an ordinary human!" The man looked at Philleo. "Philleo Aaron, now create another magic circle to stop the Duchess’ movement!"
"Don’t give me orders! You are not even the Prince of my empire!" Philleo grumbled. However, the man carried out Helios’ orders. He made a symbol with both hands and the black and purple magic circle appeared again under Penelope’s feet.
Penelope Askary growled and started to panic. The woman couldn’t move anymore. She struggled but that only made her scream even more because the pain was so intense. Her white skin was injured and bleeding. But, Penelope didn’t care. She had to be able to free herself from Helios and Philleo’s magic, then escape from this place.
"Argh! Let me go!" Penelope shouted.
Suddenly, Edmund Gerwyn stood between Helios and Philleo. The Duke held Philleo and Helios’ shoulders but did not look at them even though Edmund knew they were looking at him.
"Give me access to get in there," said Edmund in a firm tone.
"Duke, that’s not a good idea," Helios said in a sharp tone.
"I agree." Philleo nodded. "Well, I don’t care if you die from the pain of my magic circle but I wouldn’t suggest that. You probably have little mana, you’re a swordmaster, and you can use a little bit of magic. But, you are now much weaker than Penelope Askary because she has the dark power of Goddess Oizys."
However, Edmund paid no attention to Helios and Philleo’s words. He kept walking towards Penelope and he knew the two men would give him access to get inside. Before entering Helios’s box and Philleo’s magic circle, Edmund looked at Claude.
"Claude Sylvester, tie me together with Penelope with that mana-reducing magic rope."
"Huh?" Claude blinked. "But, this will be very painful. For people who have a lot of mana, maybe they will just faint. But, for people who only have a little mana, they can—"
"I don’t care," said Edmund, cutting Claude off. He smiled. "For my wife, I am willing to do anything."
When Edmund had entered the box and within the magic circle, the Duke felt as if his body was being stabbed by thousands of knives. The man hugged Penelope tightly. The woman was still screaming. She started crying. When Edmund could feel his body being tied together with Penelope, Edmund lifted Penelope’s chin with his right hand and smiled.
"I love you."
Edmund kissed Penelope’s lips gently and lovingly. Penelope was wide-eyed. The pink light suddenly emerged from Penelope’s body and enveloped the woman and Edmund. The pink light was so big and spread to the surrounding area. A pink light that can make collapsed buildings stand up again and make monsters die suddenly.
Everyone looked at the incident with shocked eyes. When the pink light began to disappear, Penelope Askary had changed. The woman wore a pink dress. When Penelope opened her eyes, the black eyes had returned to their original color, gold. Helios, Ethan, Philleo, and Claude looked at each other and smiled.
But, there’s something strange. 𝐟𝐫𝕖𝗲𝘄𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝕧𝐞𝚕.𝕔𝕠𝐦
Edmund Gerwyn passes out on Penelope Askary’s lap! The Duke was also bleeding from his mouth and nose, making everyone freeze and immediately approach them.
"Duke Edmund!" shouted Ethan. "Hey, don’t be kidding! You’re fine, aren’t you?! Open your eyes!"
Penelope was silent and looked down at Edmund. She stroked Edmund’s handsome face and smiled. Then, the woman kissed Edmund’s forehead and also his lips.
"Thank you, for loving me this much," whispered Penelope.
Edmund’s body suddenly filled with pink light. Likewise with the bodies of the people around Penelope. The pink light made their strength increase and they could also feel the warmth inside their bodies.
"This is..." Helios swallowed hard. "A Saintess’s power."
"The Duchess has awakened," said Claude. "She has truly become a real Saintess."
Then, Edmund’s body began to move. The man slowly opened his eyes and looked at Penelope. He smiled at her.
"Hi, there."
Penelope smiled back.
"We will win this fight, Ed," Penelope said. "I will protect you and everyone."
