Reincarnation of The Villainess: She Has The Duke's Baby!-Chapter 182: #-Let’s Have A Picnic Again After Winning This War
Penelope Askary ran towards Edmund Gerwyn and immediately hugged him from behind.
The Duke gasped and blinked. He looked back and smiled when he realized it was his tiny wife who was hugging him. Edmund rubbed Penelope’s hands on his waist, then patted her hands gently several times.
"What’s wrong, Penny?" asked Edmund in a gentle tone. "Do you need anything?"
Penelope closed her eyes and leaned her head on Edmund’s back, which felt warm and comfortable. She nodded but shook her head too. This made Edmund chuckle and get out of Penelope’s arms. He turned his body, then hugged Penelope from the front. The woman hugged the Duke’s waist, then looked up to look into Edmund’s blue eyes which looked as beautiful as the sea and sky.
"So, do you need something or not?" asked Edmund in a gentle tone. He stroked Penelope’s cheek and kissed her forehead.
"No. But, I need you." Penelope smiled sweetly. "Ed, how about we have a picnic with the others?"
"Picnic?" Edmund frowned. "In the midst of a tense situation like this? Penny, this is too dangerous. What if something bad happens to you and the twins? I also care about the safety of others but the safety of you and the twins is most important to me."
"We can do it here, Ed. In the backyard of this mansion. Isn’t the backyard of this mansion still fine? The courtyard wasn’t destroyed because of the explosion caused by Sebastian at that time, right?"
Edmund looked thoughtful. Then, the man nodded. "You are right. But—"
"Pretty please?" said Penelope. The woman looked at Edmund with pleading eyes. The expression on her face looked sad, making Edmund groan softly and hit his forehead with his palm as he looked up so he didn’t have to look at his wife’s beautiful face. "Can’t I?"
If it was like this, how could Edmund refuse his wife’s request?
"Of course, you can do it. You are free to do whatever you want and you know I can never stop you or forbid you from doing so." Edmund looked into those golden eyes that were shining with happiness and then smiled. He cupped Penelope’s face, then kissed her lips quickly. "You can always make me speechless like this, Duchess."
Penelope chuckled. "I will tell Isabel about this. She must be very happy. Pregnant women shouldn’t be stressed and have a lot on their minds, Ed, that’s why I want to make Isabel feel comfortable and make her happy. I need that too."
"Take Jellal with you," said Edmund. "I’ll follow you when my work here is finished."
After calling Jellal and the shadow knight following her like a duckling following its Mother, Penelope met Isabella Lysander and Ethan Askary in one of the rooms in Gerwyn’s mansion. After attending the Crown Prince’s funeral, Ethan took Isabel to Gerwyn’s mansion because the woman wanted to always be near him. Initially, Ethan refused and told Isabella to stay at the Askary mansion. However, because Isabella was sulking and crying, Ethan had no other choice. Duke and Duchess Askary also advised Ethan to always stay by Isabella’s side because she was pregnant.
"Older brother?" called Penelope when she knocked on the room used by Ethan and Isabella. Then, the Duchess opened the door and peeked in. She smiled broadly. "Am I bothering you guys?"
"Of course not," answered Ethan. The man stood up from the bed and so did Isabella. The two approached Penelope and Isabella immediately hugged the Duchess.
"But, I saw you two sitting on the bed," said Penelope. The woman cleared her throat. "If I, err, disturb both of you who had intended to—"
"No, no," Ethan said, cutting off Penelope’s sentence. "Not like that, Penny. Isabel and I just sat and chatted. Sitting on a bed doesn’t mean you’re going to do, well, you know what I mean."
Penelope chuckled and looked at Isabella. "Isabel, I know you are very anxious and afraid about the things happening in the empire right now."
Isabella nodded. She rubbed her still flat stomach. "I’m more worried about the safety of my future child. I want to protect her and want her to live. I want my child to find happiness in this empire."
"She’ll get it," nodded Penelope. "So do my children. I will ensure these children find happiness in the De Louis empire. But, before that, how about we have a picnic?"
Ethan and Isabella looked at each other. Then, both of them looked at Penelope.
"I want to make all of you laugh happily. I want to erase your sadness and fear, even if only for a moment." Penelope hugged Ethan and Isabella. "I will wait for you in the backyard of this mansion in an hour. I will get ready right now."
After saying that, Penelope met Sarah and Edgar who were looking after the twins. The Duchess asked Sarah and Edgar to prepare everything Raven and Ocean needed.
"Duchess, you’re not hiding anything, are you?" Jellal asked carefully when it was just him and Penelope.
Penelope stopped walking. She turned her head and smiled softly at Jellal.
"What do you mean?"
"No, I..." Jellal didn’t know what to say. To be honest, he also didn’t understand why he could think like this. However, every day on duty to protect Penelope Askary meant that Jellal could guess the Duchess’s expression. "Forgive me for being presumptuous in asking you such a thing, Duchess. I just... feel like you’re hiding something."
Penelope was silent. She looked down and remembered the conversation between her and Helios when Sebastian De Louis’ funeral ended yesterday. Then, the woman smiled and looked up.
"I’m fine, Jellal. I’m not hiding anything. So, you can rest assured. Now, help me to prepare for this picnic. Oh, and please tell His Highness Helios about the picnic. Tell him that I invited him. If I remember correctly, His Highness Helios is still in the De Louis imperial palace now."
"I’ll be right back, Duchess." Jellal nodded and immediately disappeared. Being alone in the hallway of Gerwyn’s mansion made Penelope smile faintly and take a deep breath.
"Is this the right decision, Goddess Elleia?" Penelope muttered in a sad tone. "Does... my destiny really has to be like this?"
###
The picnic held in the backyard of Gerwyn’s mansion was lively.
Even though dark skies were still visible in the De Louis empire and most of Gerwyn’s mansion was still in chaos, this did not make Penelope Askary and the others afraid or sad. They actually use this opportunity to rest and gather their energy. They also used this opportunity to repair their mentality which had been destroyed due to the never-ending attacks of the monsters. The knights of the Gerwyn family, the servants of Gerwyn’s mansion, all enjoyed food and drink at the picnic held by Penelope Askary.
"Are you happy, Honey?" asked Edmund. The man kissed Penelope’s cheek and the woman nodded.
"I’m happy that everyone seems to be enjoying this picnic and looks happy," said Penelope. She sat beside Edmund, hugging the man. The Duchess looked up. "Ed, let’s have another picnic after winning this war."
Edmund raised an eyebrow and chuckled.
"Of course. Whatever you wish, my Duchess."
"Ugh! Do you have to show off your affection in front of this pathetic man?" Helios grumbled. The Crown Prince of the Abelavish empire ate the cake with a sullen face. "It seems like I’m the only one here who doesn’t have a lover."
"You can show off your affection with Jeremy," said Edmund in a lazy tone.
Helios tilted his head. "Should I?" the man muttered and looked at Jeremy.
Jeremy, who was eating pasta, shook his head firmly. "I hope you don’t think strange things about me, Your Highness. I already have a lover."
"Huh?!" This was not only said by Helios but by everyone around Jeremy. Of course, Jeremy snorted when he got a reaction like this. 𝙛𝒓𝒆𝙚𝒘𝒆𝓫𝙣𝓸𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝒄𝒐𝓶
"Why do you guys act like me having a lover is such a big surprise?"
"Because I don’t know about that!" Helios exclaimed. He pointed at Jeremy. "You were always with me so I thought you didn’t have a lover! You’re a workaholic too, Jeremy! Your attitude is very childish. Which woman would want a man like you? No, you can’t date anyone, Jeremy! Cut your ties with that woman right now! You are mine!"
"You are abusing your power right now, Your Highness," said Edmund. The Duke shook his head in disbelief and it made everyone laugh.
"Aw, I can’t believe His Highness is so possessive of me."
"I’ll rip your mouth out, Jeremy," Helios growled. "You know that’s not what I meant!"
"Penny," Isabella called. The woman looked at the Duchess with a worried look. "How are Claude Sylvester and Philleo Aaron?"
"They’re fine," Penelope answered. "Claude has regained consciousness and is sulking because he wasn’t allowed to join the picnic but Philleo is still unconscious even though I have healed his wounds."
"I guess it depends on his will to live," Ethan said. He took a strawberry and fed it to Isabella. "If a person’s wounds have healed, then that person’s will to fight for life determines the rest."
Everyone is silent. Then, it was the sound of the twins crying that made Penelope and the others jump in surprise. Penelope immediately carried Raven and Edmund carried Ocean.
"As usual," chuckled Helios while watching Ocean’s tiny foot kick the Duke’s handsome face. "Princess Ocean doesn’t like being held by her very possessive and annoying Father."
"Shut up, Your Highness," grumbled Edmund.
"Duke, since I can’t get Duchess’s love even though I really like her, how about you give Princess Ocean to me?" Helios asked, smiling broadly.
Everyone froze. Isabella hiccuped and the cake in Ethan’s hand just fell. Penelope blinked and muttered, ’Oh, Dear’. Meanwhile, Sarah was ready to swing a fruit knife at Helios and Edgar immediately held her back. Chris, Jellal, Ren, and Brandon, Edmund’s shadow knights that were always with him, his wife, Ethan, and Isabella, suddenly appeared and prepared to attack Helios.
"Hm?" Helios tilted his head and scratched his non-itchy cheek. "Why are you guys acting like this? Is there anything wrong with what I said?"
"Hey, Jeremy," called Edmund. The Duke smiled eerily, making Jeremy tremble in fear. "Is it okay for me to kill your master? Oh, how about this? What if you go back to the Abelavish empire and tell Emperor Abelavish that Duke Edmund Gerwyn will wage war with him after all this chaos caused by Goddess Oizys and Gabriel Brown is over?"
Jeremy immediately prostrated himself in front of Edmund.
"Forgive my master, Duke Edmund! I will scold him and promise that unreasonable things like this will never happen again in the future!"
"Unreasonable thing?" Helios frowned and rubbed his chin. Then, he blinked and snapped his fingers. His mouth was wide open. "Oh! You mean—haha, no, no. You guys misunderstood."
However, when he saw that Edmund was still giving him a murderous look and everyone was looking at him as if he was a mentally ill man, Helios immediately panicked and shook his hands. Only Penelope Askary laughed in this situation.
"No! Really, I didn’t mean to make Princess Ocean my future Empress! What I mean is, I want Princess Ocean to be my future daughter-in-law! Oh, Duke Edmund, control your gaze! I’m not a pedophile, dammit!"
