Reincarnation of The Villainess: She Has The Duke's Baby!-Chapter 88: #-The Fight Between Edmund And Philleo!

"Edmund Gerwyn."

The call made the Duke open his eyes and blink. This time, he woke up in a beautiful place filled with warm pink light. Edmund frowned and glanced around. Where was the person who called him in that gentle tone just now? This place is only filled with various types of flowers that are so beautiful. Most of these flowers were Penelope’s favorite roses.

"Who are you?" asked Edmund with a doubtful voice. He was sure that the voice that had called his name earlier was not the mysterious voice that was trying to control his mind at that time and was showing him that horrible dream. "Do I know you?"

The voice laughed softly. "You know me. Everyone in the De Louis empire knows me. And, your wife inherited my two powers. I am Goddess Elleia."

"Goddess Elleia?!" shouter Edmund in disbelief. The man started to panic. "Wait a minute. If I can talk to the Goddess, does that mean I’m already... dead? Did I fail to save Penny and my children? I even met my children in a dream and they said it was the Goddess, who ordered them to help me save Penny."

"Calm down, Duke," chuckled Goddess Elleia. "You are not dead. I only made you faint after you and your friends almost arrived at the mansion where Penelope Askary was being held captive by Philleo Aaron. I deliberately knocked you out because I have something important to tell you."

Edmund, who didn’t know how to react as he was still too shocked by this development, could only nod awkwardly.

"Listen to me carefully, Duke," said Goddess Elleia in a firm tone. "The mansion is surrounded by high-level magic which does not allow others to infiltrate it. Penelope Askary was also handcuffed using magic in a room and deprived of food for two days."

"What?! That jerk didn’t give Penny any food?! Didn’t that mentally ill psychopath admit that he loved my wife? Is he trying to kill my Penny?!"

"More precisely, Philleo Aaron intends to kill your children in Penelope Askary’s womb, Duke," replied Dewi Elleia. "That man hates you and doesn’t want Penelope to bear your children. He only wanted Penelope Askary. He wants her to conceive and bear his children."

"Bastard!" growled Edmund. His hands clenched tightly at his sides. The man didn’t even care if at this moment he spoke in harsh language in front of the Goddess Elleia even though Edmund couldn’t see the woman’s form. "I will kill him!"

"Therefore, I will help you to save Penelope Askary," said Goddess Elleia. "I will give a bit of my power to you and your sword. That way, you will be able to cut anything that Philleo Aaron has enchanted."

Edmund blinked as he saw his body as well as his sword being filled with pink light.

"Hurry up, Duke," said Goddess Elleia. "Or, you will lose the people you love."

###

Edmund Gerwyn opened his eyes and could see the worried and panicked looks on Ethan Askary and Helios Rune Abelavish’s faces.

The Duke groaned softly and held his aching head. The man looked at the people around him and raised an eyebrow. "What’s wrong with all of you? Why are you guys looking at me as if I’m going to die?"

"You passed out again, Duke," Ethan said in a worried tone. "I really don’t know whether I should be worried about your condition or not. I want to ask you to rest but I know we don’t have much time and you definitely won’t do that if I told you to rest."

"It’s good that you realize that," nodded Edmund. The man stood up and almost fell again if Ethan and Helios didn’t hold his hands immediately. "I’m fine. Goddess Elleia is the one who made me faint on purpose."

Ethan and Helios looked at each other. "What?"

"An explanation can wait later," grumbled Edmund. He stared at his sword which gave off a pink glow. "The point is, the Goddess gave a bit of her power to help us save Penny so we can get into the mansion filled with high-level magic."

Helios glanced at the mansion not far in front of him. "No wonder I can feel the magic pressure that is far above average. Did you know that he has magic power on par with the people in the magic tower?"

Edmund shook his head, and so did Ethan.

"Even I, who has been close friends with him, didn’t know that Philleo Aaron had been hiding his magic power all this time."

Edmund glanced at Edgar. "Edgar, you and Jellal are standing guard around the mansion along with the Askary family’s knights. Me, Ethan, Crown Prince Helios, and Jeremy will be going in to save my wife."

After getting their share of tasks, Edmund immediately ran into the mansion. Just as the Goddess Elleia had said, the mansion was completely impenetrable. When Edmund tried to enter, he was thrown out. The Duke growled and thrust his sword into the ground. He stood up and stared intently at the mansion where Penelope was being held.

"Your Highness," called Edmund. The man approached Ethan, Helios, and Jeremy. "Are you able to unlock the magic surrounding this mansion?"

Helios shrugged and opened his palms. He smirked. "There’s no harm in trying because I like a challenge."

From Helios’ palm and under Helios’ feet, a golden circle appeared and had magic symbols on it. Then, that golden light came out of Helios’s palm after the Crown Prince recited some incantations. The golden light collided with the purple light from Philleo’s magic surrounding the mansion, causing an explosive sound. Edmund gulped and tried to get back in. This time, he succeeded.

"It was not in vain that I asked for your help," said Edmund in a firm tone. "I owe you, Your Highness. I don’t want to use the power given to me by Goddess Elleia as much as I can until I really need it when I face that bastard."

Helios chuckled and waved a hand. "You don’t have to think about it. I’m glad I could help you. Moreover, this concerns the Duchess’ life."

Edmund and the others ran into the mansion. Several times, Helios had to open the magic in the mansion and it was enough to drain his strength and mana. Helios’s magic power was indeed as high as the people in the magic tower and might as well be on par with Philleo Aaron. However, when it came to stamina, it was likely that Philleo had the upper hand since the man was a knight.

"Are you all right, Your Highness?" Ethan asked.

"He’ll be passed out in a minute," said Jeremy mockingly.

Helios snorted. "Shut up or I’ll fire you, Jeremy!"

Edmund stopped walking suddenly and this made Ethan, Helios, and Jeremy also stop their steps. The Duke growled and shot the man in front of him with a murderous look.

"Philleo Aaron!" Edmund took out his sword and pointed it at Philleo. "Where’s my wife?!"

Philleo clenched his fists and glanced coldly at Edmund. "How did you know this place? I’ve used magic on Penelope’s body so no one can trace her whereabouts!"

"Do you think you have power over this whole world, Philleo Aaron?" asked Edmund mockingly. "There are still far greater powers in this world! The power of Goddess Elleia! It was the goddess Elleia herself, who came to me in my dream and helped me so I could save my wife!"

"Nonsense!" shouted Phileo. He took out his sword and pointed it at Edmund. "But, this is much better. I don’t need to look for you to kill you. Now, when the life of your child inside my woman’s womb is dying, I can kill you right here this second and send you and your child to hell!"

Philleo ran and immediately attacked Edmund with his sword. Automatically, Edmund resisted the man’s attack. The two men’s swords clashed. They both gave each other a sharp look. Edmund glanced at Ethan, Helios, and Jeremy.

"Ethan, hurry and find Penny! Let me take care of this bastard!"

Ethan nodded and ran away from Edmund and Philleo. Helios followed him and told Jeremy to stay there so that the man would help Edmund if things went wrong.

"ETHAN! YOU WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO SAVE YOUR LITTLE SISTER! I LOVE HER, ETHAN! WHY DO YOU PREFER TO GIVE MY PENELOPE TO THIS CRUEL DUKE?!" shouted Phileo.

"Of course, because I’m way better than you in every way, Philleo Aaron!" growled Edmund. The man thrust out his sword with full power, causing Philleo and his sword to be sent flying. Philleo’s back hit the wall and the man coughed up blood.

"Dammit!" shouted Phileo. He opened his palm and black light shot out of it. Just like that night, Philleo attacked Edmund and the others when he kidnapped Penelope. "I will destroy your heart, Edmund Gerwyn!"

Edmund had prepared for the worst. He could endure any pain as long as he could make sure Penelope Askary was okay and safe. However, Edmund blinked and frowned when he didn’t feel any pain in his body. The pink light came out of Edmund’s body, making Philleo widen his eyes.

"How could that be?!" shouted Phileo. He stood up and spat blood-stained saliva onto the floor. "I will not let my plan fail! I will marry my Penelope!"

"It seems I have to shut your mouth once and for all, Philleo Aaron!"

Edmund ran toward Philleo while aiming his sword. The man almost succeeded in stabbing Philleo’s left chest but the man managed to block it with magic power. Even so, Edmund still tried to break Philleo’s magic. Philleo also didn’t stop reciting the incantation in his heart. Finally, both men were thrown and hit the wall.

"Duke Edmund! We managed to find Penny! The condition is very worrying! She’s passed out, Duke!" Ethan shouted.

Hearing that, Edmund gasped and froze. He turned his head and widened his eyes when he saw Penelope’s condition in Ethan’s arms. Her face was very pale. Her wrists and feet were red and she looked like she was having trouble breathing even though she was in an unconscious state.

"Penny!" shouted Edmund. He ignored the pain in his back and immediately took Penelope’s helpless body from Ethan’s arms. Edmund kissed Penelope’s face and hugged her tightly. "Honey, open your eyes. You must be strong. Hang in there a little bit. We’ll be home in a bit. You’ll be fine. You’re safe. I’m here, Penny."

As if Edmund’s presence and the man’s voice were medicine for Penelope, the woman slowly opened her eyes. Her heart pounded and she cried loudly while holding the Duke’s cheek.

"Ed... is it really you...?" Penelope asked in disbelief. "Ed... even if this is a dream, I don’t mind if I can’t wake up forever. I just want to be with you."

"Shh... this isn’t a dream, Honey. I came to save you and our child." Edmund stroked Penelope’s stomach gently and lovingly.

Meanwhile, Jeremy immediately held Helios’s body that almost fell, and looked at him with panicked eyes. Helios just laughed and said he used up too much mana to unlock all the magic shields in this mansion as well as the magic cuffs on Penelope’s hands and both legs.

"Looks like I’ll have to back off and rearrange my plans to have Penelope for now," said Philleo.

Hearing that, Edmund and the others turned their heads. They widened their eyes when they saw that Philleo was already in the air and under his feet was a magic circle. Philleo’s purple eyes stared at Penelope, who was in Edmund’s warm embrace. The woman looked like she didn’t want to let go of Edmund’s body.

"I’ll come back to get you, Honey," said Edmund. The man grinned and looked at Penelope with adoring eyes. "Until then, I will train to get stronger than I am now so I can separate you from that bastard Duke."

"Wait! Stop right there, Philleo Aaron!" shouted Edmund. The man throws his sword. However, the man failed. His sword stabbed into the wall while Philleo Aaron had already disappeared into his magic circle.