𝕁𝕖𝕕𝕚𝕟𝕘

She/Her 🇺🇦 The user is sad and artblocked. Healthy sleep? No, we haven't. But I have a beautiful husband-wife 🫰 𝘾𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙞𝙤𝙥𝙚 & 𝙍𝙚𝙮𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙤𝙗𝙨𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙚𝙙 :')

[the-mad-dog-of-eckhart]

Villains Are Destined to Die, preview of Ep. 210!

“I'm so sick and tired of lies now. Let's end this, Ivonne.”

[jeding-png]

The concept of broken glass, comparing them both from both modes, and finally those legendary dresses... Yes, it's the chef's kiss.

SUOL-nim cooked again!

[jeding-png]

Carefully! You can catch a heartbeat from the piercing gaze of two hot people!

The same soulmates who individually look extremely scary in the eyes of other people, but together they are silly and cute :D

Wife and husband fr

[jeding-png]

Deja vu.

[jeding-png]

Carefully! You can catch a heartbeat from the piercing gaze of two hot people!

Oh, wait... I think I've written this before. This just confirms that they are THE couple.

Callisto went to reduce the number of members of the imperial family with the same smile, so Penelope decided to smile the same way before defeating Laila. It seems like this is the secret formula for a successful victory! ✨️

Wife and husband, fr.

[jeding-png]

Spoilers for chapter 207!

Chapters 207 & 121

The years go by, but it's nice to know that some things remain the same. Especially when it's the chaotic duo of Penelope and Callisto 🙂‍↕️✨️

[jeding-png]

What about...

Mr Verdandi and Duke Eckhart, when they were young 🔮⚜️

The original art belongs to SUEUN (@A_Sueune on Twitter). What Marquis Verdandi looks like is just my guess!

Winter's father is mentioned only once, in chapter 68 of the novel (or chapter 63 of the manhwa).

All that is said is that Winter was still very young (I think around 18-22 years old) when he lost his father. Also, the good relationship between Winter and Duke Eckhart was explained by the fact that the duke was friends with the former Marquis Verdandi. But what was the cause of the elder Verdandi's death?

However... what if Winter's father died fighting the Laila clan? Could he also have been a sorcerer? Was he as ideological and charitable as his son?

Most people know what a powerful wizard Winter really is. But he couldn't have learnt everything on his own, could he? Someone had to guide him and teach him how to control magic. Could it have been his father or his wizard friends? According to Verdandi himself, people who have a lot of mana cannot be called wizards if they do not know how to control it.

Okay, I think Winter has taken a lot from his father, but I'm interested to hear your opinion on this and the interaction between the Duke and the past Marquis...

By the way, is Winter's mother dead too?

In this world, it's not enough that fathers don't have their own names, but all the mothers of the main characters are killed here???

P.S. (with spoilers) I just realised that the Duke had seen his wife, daughter, and best friend die, and then he had seen his son almost killed. That the duke himself was almost eaten by a monster, and that he also survived the war... and then realised how he had ruined the lives of his children...

Listen, we need a separate post about Duke Eckhart. He's also an interesting character, but he doesn't have his own name.

Imagine, there are actually many details in the VADD universe that have not yet been fully revealed. Many characters were not revealed, even though they would have little impact on the plot.

[jeding-png]

LMAO, back then, I imagined the previous Marquis Verdandi with long hair, so that later in the manhwa his son would have hair like that 😭😭

I just remembered this post. Thanks to the Tumblr user who liked this post. Now this image is forever fixed in my imagination.

[jeding-png]

A few spoilers for chapter 206 and a lot of my crying ToT

Sooo, I was genuinely happy to see the children in the last chapters. Yes, there was a lot of angst at first (ahem), but today's chapter gave us a little comedy with them! ✨️

YES, MY SHAYLA, YOU ARE WELL DONE, I ALWAYS BELIEVE IN YOU! And sorry, Laon, get well soon, babe 🙂‍↕️✨️

Although I was glad to see them, I still hoped until the last moment that we will meet the other two children that Winter took under his care during the Haunting Tournament. I thought maybe they were hidden behind a column, but apparently not.

WHAT DO YOU MEAN, that I've been hoping in vain all these years that the day will finally come when I'll see their smiles, not those empty eyes?!

Maybe it's because I named them all five years ago, which is why I became too attached to each child, even though in the canon we only know the most about Laon, but I still feel a little sad...

I would have liked to see Winter reunite with his students in the side stories, that's what I found most lacking in the novel. Cuz I don't want to believe that this is their last appearance *sobs* 🥹

Yes, I love secondary characters who are only mentioned around four times in hundreds of chapters. And?

NEVERTHELESS, WE WAVING THE CHILDREN WITH OUR HANDS AND FINISHING LOOKING AT THE UNCONSCIOUS LAON!

The next chapters will be intense as Penelope and Callisto will face off against Laila and the Dragon!

The finale of the main story is near!

[black-rosarium]

I'm highly motivated to write a Vinter x Reynold fic just because I need to see that white haired bunny freak whimper and moan.

[jeding-png]

You have my blessing.

[bluebutterflyrose]

After 2 Years The Kiss Scene Cross Stitch Is Finally Complete!

Any idea what I should do with it?

[jeding-png]

Awesome work of a beautiful frame from amazing hands, ngl.

[callisto-regulus-my-beloved]

Callisto Regulus in episode 204♦️🌹

[jeding-png]

His happy smile in the last frame, I'm meltingggg 😭✨️

But also his crazy smiles in the first two frames are MAJESTIC too—

[jeding-png]

It's so strange to be on Tumblr again, but I'm sure I'll disappear again, lol 💀

[eloise175]

someone take me out of rendering jail, why do I do this to myself

y’know what, anything for mother Penelope 🧎🏻‍♀️

[jeding-png]

Mother 🛐

[leila-li-rui]

Debunking the Grooming & Emotional Abuse Accusations Against Penelope

Warning: This post contains novel spoilers and sensitive content!

Introduction

One of the biggest debates among Villains Are Destined to Die fans is the nature of Penelope’s relationship with Eckles. To be more specific, people discuss whether Penelope groomed and/or emotionally abused Eckles or not. The answer is no: Penelope is not a groomer.

These accusations often come from those who have never read the novel, have only read it through low-quality, pirated translations, or have only read the comic adaptation without the full depth the novel has. Others form their opinions on small fragments of the story on social media (e.g. TikTok), while some are simply too young or inexperienced to fully understand the story’s themes and grey morality.

According to the Metropolitan Police,

[g]rooming is when a person builds a relationship with a child, young person or an adult who’s at risk so they can abuse them and manipulate them into doing things. The abuse is usually sexual or financial, but it can also include other illegal acts.

And according to Justice Canada, “[e]motional abuse happens when a person uses words or actions to control, frighten or isolate someone or take away their self-respect.” If Penelope were truly a groomer or an emotional abuser, her actions would fit these criteria. But they don’t, despite some of her actions looking suspicious at first glance.

Context

The story takes place inside an otome game. An otome game is a type of dating simulator, often as a visual novel, where one of the main goals is to develop a romantic relationship between the female main character and one of the male love interests.

In Daughter of the Duke – Love Project! game, there are two difficulty modes: Normal Mode and Hard Mode. Normal Mode has “Ivonne” as the heroine and it’s easy for players to complete it. But Hard Mode has Penelope Eckhart as the heroine. And players, including Siyeon Cha (main character of the series), always fail to get a happy ending. Instead, they always obtain a game over, which means Penelope dies.

After failing over and over again, Siyeon mysteriously appears into the game world, where she finds herself in the body of Penelope Eckhart. As someone who always died in Hard Mode, Penelope is constantly on her guard and desperate to survive. Her mentality is shaped by the memories of her gameplay and fear of dying.

The game system is present in this world, showing her notifications, affection score updates, quests, rewards, and penalties. These constant reminders reinforce the idea that the world around her is just a game but with her life on the line.

Because she only views the game world and its characters as fictional, it means Penelope doesn’t apply our modern-day morals and ethics in the same way she would in the real world inside this dangerous environment. This also means buying Eckles as a slave, which she sees more as a strategic decision, rather than a real-world ethical choice.

What Is Grooming?

Grooming is a form of manipulation where a person gradually gains one’s trust to exploit them, often sexually or emotionally. This means that person will use methods to lower the victim’s defenses like isolating them, giving them special attention or gifts, creating emotional dependency, and slowly crossing personal boundaries. (NSPCC, n.d.)

While grooming is often discussed in cases involving adults and minors, it can also happen between adults when there is a clear power imbalance, or the victim is particularly vulnerable. (NSPCC, n.d.)

People who are groomed often don’t realize what’s happening. They may believe they are in a caring relationship. Victims usually feel a mix of emotions like shame, fear, guilt, and confusion. They may feel scared of what the groomer will do if they speak out, blame themselves for what’s happening, or worry about “getting the other person in trouble.” (NSPCC, n.d.)

Grooming isn’t simply about having power over someone; it’s about how that power is purposefully used to gradually control and exploit the victim. This is the difference between grooming and other difficult or unequal relationships: grooming is not accidental or mutual, it’s calculated and intentional to gain control over someone.

As for emotional abuse, it happens when a person uses words or actions to control, scare, or isolate someone, or to take away their self-respect. This can include threats, insults, constant criticism, destroying belongings, humiliation, or preventing someone from seeing friends or practicing their faith. While not always a crime, emotional abuse is still harmful, and the goal is to dominate or degrade another person. (Justice Canada, 2021)

Now let’s look more closely at Penelope and Eckles’s relationship to see if she’s truly grooming him or emotionally abusing him.

Penelope’s Actual Treatment of Eckles

Penelope doesn’t groom, nor does she emotionally abuse Eckles because she avoids forming emotional bonds with anyone in the game world, including him. She views the characters as NPCs, not as real people, and her goal is to survive and escape the game. To do that, she has to raise the affection scores of the love interests, Eckles included, in Daughter of the Duke – Love Project!. Her interactions with him are short-term, influenced by the game’s mechanics. She neither tries to reshape his personality nor keep him under her control; he is simply one of several “game characters” she needs to win over for a good ending.

She never attempts to isolate Eckles or demand loyalty from him. When she brings him to the Eckhart mansion, she asks him to be useful to everyone, not just her: “You heard what I said earlier, right? I brought you here to protect me. […] Your first mission is to prove to everyone here at the manor that you’re capable of doing just that.” (Web novel, chapter 25) Even while she’s still wary and afraid of him, she allows him to spend time with his compatriots:

“You can use that [extra] hour however you wish. Do whatever you need to.” […] I was giving him permission to meet with his people and help them if he liked. Should Derrick find out about this, I would no doubt also be punished. “But no longer than that,” I insisted firmly. (Web novel, chapter 137)

This is the opposite of isolating a victim like groomers or emotional abusers do. She even empathizes with his “distress” after his people were attack by monsters: “Frankly, I couldn’t even begin to imagine how awful it must have felt for Eckles to see his people in danger […].” (Web novel, chapter 137)

Although she technically holds power through the magical slave choker, she barely uses it. The only time she uses its power is when he attacks an auction-house guard. (Web novel, chapter 21) After that, she wears it only as a precaution, not to constantly threaten him. She also doesn’t apply a “reward-and-punishment” system; when she gives him gifts, it’s either to raise his affection score or because he hasn’t caused trouble. Unlike real groomers, who often give presents in secret, she gives gifts publicly, in front of witnesses like the Eckhart knights. (Web novel, chapter 111) In the greenhouse scene, she even considers removing the choker as a reward, despite still fearing him. (Web novel, chapter 106) Even her verbal threats aren’t actually being carried out. Eckles himself notices this: “She’d say mean things and threaten to send [Eckles] back to the auction house, but she always forgave him in the end.” (Web novel, chapter 159) She never threatens to kill him; when she says “betrayal means death,” she means cutting ties with him, not ending his life: “I told you that betrayal means death. […] You are now dead to me, Eckles.” (Web novel, chapter 158) She never humiliates Eckles, mocks him, or tries to break down his self-respect. Even when she destroys the magical choker, it’s not to punish or intimidate him; it’s to end their toxic relationship.

Instead of emotionally controlling him, Penelope spends much of their time together being afraid of him:

I’ve risked my life so many times. […] I’d quiver with fear, worrying [Eckles’s] affection score might drop. I hadn’t dared to utter a single word that might upset Eckles. I’d force myself to stay silent, only barely managing to restrain myself from spilling the words on the tip of my tongue. (Web novel, chapter 136)

Even after cutting ties, Eckles continues to pursue her aggressively, even going as far as trying to kidnap her, which genuinely scares her: “Eckles seemed overcome with rage, and I suddenly felt like I was suffocating. His eyes were so red, I was afraid he might start crying tears of blood.” (Web novel, chapter 204) Her discomfort is obvious when he initiates physical contact. These moments don’t fit the grooming tactic where the groomer controls physical intimacy:

I momentarily forgot to breathe as I felt the tickling sensation of his lips pressed against my palm. […] I felt his eyes on my face, and my fingers tingled upon seeing the raw affection he was wearing so openly on his face. An odd chill ran down my spine. Trying not to show my discomfort, I smiled awkwardly. (Web novel, chapter 148)

She doesn’t give Eckles false promises of love. The closest she comes to emotional intimacy are remarks like “always be on his side” (Web novel, chapter 106), calling him her “one and only knight” (Web novel, chapters 50, 58, 113, 148), or saying he’s “very important” to her (Web novel, chapter 138). And yet, even this last statement is misinterpreted; in his mind, “very important” becomes “precious,” showing he projects his own feelings onto her. (Web novel, chapter 138) She touches him either to calm him or check his affection score. The only time where she considers kissing him is when there’s only a few days before Hard Mode ends and she’s desperate to raise his affection score quickly, not because she seeks intimacy or is trying to manipulate him. (Web novel, chapter 148)

During the final battle, Penelope rejects Ivonne’s suggestion that she should have promised false love to gain Eckles’ loyalty:

“I’m not like you.” […] I might have used Eckles, but my intentions and purpose for doing so were different from Ivonne’s. “I had no intention of turning him into my pawn and then killing him when I was done with him. So of course I acted the way I did,” I said through gritted teeth. (Web novel, chapter 228)

She even admits she’s not a good person for him: “Eckles needs the real main character, someone who’s warm and angelic, not a cold person like me.” (Web comic, chapter 97) Her goal is to escape the game, not to keep him forever. When she lashes out at him for bringing Ivonne back early before the end of Hard Mode, it’s a genuine reaction to his betrayal, not a calculated grooming tactic nor an emotional abuse tactic: “That’s a fucking lie, you bastard. […] It wasn’t the House of Eckhart that saved you, it was me! I’m the one who bought you at the god damned auction house!” (Web novel, chapter 150)

Eckles’s obedience comes from his past abuse at the auction house, not from Penelope’s reinforcement. She benefits from it temporarily, but she doesn’t reinforce it for pleasure. Eventually, she treats him more like a person and ultimately cuts ties when he becomes too dangerous. These actions are different from typical grooming: long-term emotional manipulation, false promises, isolation, and control. While Penelope eventually blames herself for playing a role in Eckles’s blood red affection score, the situation is more complex. She amplifies his already existing dark side rather than creating it. In other words, Eckles is ultimately responsible for his obsession and twisted feelings. This is important because Penelope’s later apologies show she genuinely acknowledges the pain she caused to Eckles when she used him for survival, but it’s important to know these apologies are not confessions of grooming:

You are no longer my slave, Eckles […] I’m sorry. I tried to use you, knowing you had feelings for me. […] But no matter what happened in the past, our relationship is over now. I don’t love you. So please, get it together and go live your life. Don’t let Ivonne control you anymore, either. If you can do that much, I can let go of my resentment for you. (Web novel, chapter 206)

This moment shows that she recognizes his feelings and admits her part in contributing to the unhealthy relationship between them.

Finally, it’s important to remember that Eckles isn’t innocent. A groomed victim is usually unaware they are being manipulated. Eckles, however, is fully aware of Penelope’s motives:

Eckles knew better than anybody that she had some greater purpose in mind when she’d bought him for such an enormous amount of money and taken care of him so diligently. And despite the way her pretty lips always claimed she was worried for him, she hadn’t once looked at him with warmth in her eyes. (Web novel, chapter 138)

He was never oblivious about her intentions; instead, he chose to obsess over her anyway, which proves further that he’s not some helpless, manipulated victim.

Penelope’s Role & Responsibility

What Penelope does is understandable in her situation, but not justifiable. And it’s normal to feel uncomfortable about her buying a slave, especially when romance fantasy manhwas often either romanticize or oversimplify the problems and complexities of slavery. It can also be uncomfortable to see a morally grey female protagonist who manipulates others, particularly when female characters like Penelope are still rare in fiction.

However, manipulation isn’t the same as grooming. Penelope’s actions toward Eckles come from her determination to survive and return to her own world, which is something she makes very clear from the start: “I will do anything I need to survive. I will most definitely survive and return to my life without fail.” (Web comic, chapter 5) This isn’t just empty talk like in many other otome isekai stories, where heroines declare they’ll “use any method” to survive, only to quickly form bonds with the fictional characters and live comfortably in their new world. Penelope’s goal remains the same until the very end of the main story: surviving and escaping the game.

Her manipulation is circumstantial; she never seeks to keep Eckles dependent on her for her own pleasure. In fact, she tries multiple times to push him away and cut ties entirely. And she’s not blind to the harmfulness in their relationship. In the side story, she admits: “We hadn’t been good for each other for the entirety of the game – ours had been a toxic relationship, built on lies, secrets, and manipulation.” (Web novel, Side Story - Chapter 34) She even questions her own role in the color of his affection score: “Perhaps the dark red affection score bar had been of my making, not because of the Laila’s brainwashing.” (Web novel, Side Story - Chapter 35)

It kind of makes me laugh, though, that some readers are furious at Penelope for manipulating Eckles. a literal game character, while so many readers give a pass to male protagonists in other survival-game stories who manipulate real women, fellow players, for their own benefit. Those male characters often have far less of a moral compass, and yet, they still walk away, easily forgiven and accepted. If that doesn’t show how deep misogyny runs in fandoms, I don’t know what does.

Conclusion

To conclude, while some of Penelope’s actions look suspicious at first, they don’t meet the criteria for grooming. Throughout both the main and side stories, she never has full control over Eckles; in fact, she often fears him. Even when she initially sees him as a tool to escape the game, she still treats him as a person on several occasions. If anything, the evidence shows that Eckles is closer to being a “groomer” – or more accurately, an “abuser” – in their relationship, given his manipulative and selfish behavior, particularly after his betrayal.

Where to Read the Series Legally

If you wish to read Villains Are Destined to Die (novel and/or comic), please support the official release. It will mean a lot to the original author, Gwon Gyeoeul, and the artist, SUOL.

Reading the series legally not only will support the creators, but it will also help you understand the story without confusion. Many pirated versions of the web novel found online are machine-translated with unreadable sentences and have significant plot misunderstandings.

You can read the series here:

Official web format: Tapas (both comic and novel), Tappytoon, Pocket Comics, and Manta.

Official physical editions: Ize Press (Yen Press), both comic and novel.

Other languages: Visit the Villains Are Destined to Die Wiki homepage for links.

Thank you for supporting the creators.

References

Gwon, G., & SUOL. (2020-present). Villains Are Destined to Die (Tapas ed.). Tapas Media. https://tapas.io/series/villains-are-destined-to-die/info

Gwon, G. (2023-2024). Villains Are Destined to Die (Tapas ed.). Tapas Media. https://tapas.io/series/villains-are-destined-to-die-novel/info

Justice Canada. (2021, December 8). Emotional Abuse. Government of Canada. https://www.justice.gc.ca/eng/rp-pr/cj-jp/fv-vf/fe-fa/p5.html

Metropolitan Police. (n.d.). Grooming. Metropolitan Police. Retrieved August 16, 2025, from https://www.met.police.uk/advice/advice-and-information/gr/grooming/

NSPCC. (n.d.). Grooming. NSPCC Learning. https://learning.nspcc.org.uk/safeguarding-child-protection/grooming

Wikipedia contributors. (2025, October 3). Otome game. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Otome_game

[jeding-png]

I'll always say this, but I really like Leila Li-Rui's analyses. I am delighted with the sources used, starting with official websites of institutions and ending with the novel.

The beginning explains about grooming, its main characteristics, how it manifests itself and in what cases it mostly occurs. And this is very good, because some people do not always know the definition or subtleties of certain words, especially when we are talking about types of manipulation. The analysis itself is divided into subsections, each of which contains quotes from the novel and chapter notes (I understand the author's choice to quote the novel; in it we see the most of Penelope's thoughts and actions, not all of which make it into the manhwa).

In recent months, I've noticed a new wave of discussions among manhwa community users (I think this is a bit beyond the boundaries of the VADD fandom) about Penelope's actions, calling her a "groomer" while defending Eckles and his actions. And this is a misunderstanding of the characters.

I see a lot of work that went into this post, so I would be happy if you would support and read it. If you want, of course—

Thanks, Leila! <3

[red-hot-temper]

Yeah, I'm pecsfectly fine about this

[eloise175]

Just got volume 7 of Villains Are Destined to Die today!! My collection grows, and I couldn’t be happier ^^

Masterpiece through and through—I’m talking about Penelope, that is hehe >:)

The main color for vol.7 seems to be a sage green; well suited for the season(s) and the plot points it’s featuring *nods nods*

Page of the cover’s artwork and the title when you open it, same as for every volume

✩ ┈┈*∘*┈ ☾ ┈*∘*┈┈✩ ☾ ✩ ┈┈*∘*┈ ☾ ┈*∘*┈┈✩

Some of the volume’s highlights!!

➺ Calliope kiss during the Soleil arc!

➺ First sighting of The Dress™ and the sillies that ensue

➺ Family get-together before the Crown Prince’s birthday banquet

➺ The star (or better, sun) of the show has appeared and swept Penelope right off her feet *dies*

➺ Penelope in pink!!

➺ Unexpected return of Ivonne—or well, earlier than anticipated. ‘People died,’ and it’s just Ivonne making a comeback from the dead

✧ End of highlights! Maybe I’ll make a separate post about other moments featured in the volume :D

✩ ┈┈*∘*┈ ☾ ┈*∘*┈┈✩ ☾ ✩ ┈┈*∘*┈ ☾ ┈*∘*┈┈✩

Vol. 7 picks up where vol.6 left off, with the beginning of chapter 121 in the manhwa and finishing with the beginning of chapter 141 in the midst of Penelope’s meeting with the Duke, and before she sneaks into the dungeons to confront Eckles

All in all, solid volume as usual! May be biased but the print is just superior, argue with the wall I don’t want to hear it.

Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★

10/10 would devour again *explodes*

[red-hot-temper]

For whoever is planning to buy this merchandise, I just let you know that this is its size:

... LMAO

[an-angel-so-called-satan]

Seeing as how the theme of magic in VADTD is kind of popular these days, it makes me feel a little excited to see Penelope's magic wand in season 5. If I remember correctly, it has a little mirror on it.

[jeding-png]

Yeah, especially the way she uses it both with magic and just hits it on someone's head, lol

[kuroneko1815]

Dress up day, Birthday boy

All Reynold wanted for his birthday was to spend time with his adorable little niece. He thought of the chubby round cheeks and pudgy hands of the empire’s only little princess, she was mischief incarnate, his compatriot in chaos, the vengeance dealt to the thieving dragon emperor who had stolen his sister. Yes, little Judith was the one person the emperor never stood a chance against. He had seen his brother-in-law argue and fail against Penelope, but the man could never say anything or look angry in the face of his daughter. Not that anyone but Penelope could anyway.

His sister was the only one who could control the little hellion he’d trained, the hell spawn husband she’d chosen, and the whole of the imperial court as an extension. Often bringing two of the three to tears, mostly the courtiers who piqued the Emperor’s anger, or the Emperor himself, rarely so, Judith when she’d been particularly naughty. The courtiers often preferred their metaphorical tears of blood form her scolding rather than the literal blood bath that the Emperor would unleash should he be left to deal with the court on his own, which he had been before he’d married Penelope.

“Unca!” The little princess said happily as he’d finally made it to her playroom.

“Your highness!” He said happily as he lifted the little girl that ran into his arms. He spun around, letting the upper half of her body fall through as she laughed.

“Happy Birfday!” She said when they had stopped spinning, still in his arms. “Come pway wif me!”

Reynold nodded. “That’s why I’m here.” He agreed easily.

“I wanna pway wif daddy and Win-win.” She decided.

“Why do we need them?” He asked. “I’m plenty fun all by myself.”

“No!” Princess Judith said stubbornly. “I wanna pway wif them!” She looked at him with big red eyes starting to water, her lower lip stuck out ready to cry.

“Yes, yes, let’s go get them, shall we?” He said immediately as he took off down the hall with his niece in his arms.

-

-

Emperor and mage secured, they all sat down around the little table that was in the playroom as they had a little tea party. “More tea, daddy?” She asked as she poured the sweet tea into the little porcelain child sized tea cups that Penelope had given her the day before.

“I would love some more, Princess.” The Emperor sipped the tea unabashed. There was a knock on the door as the maids entered with a few parcels.

“Here are the items you asked for, Princess.” The maids said deferentially as they bowed.

Judith grinned. “Fank you!” She said. “Please call mommy!”

“As you wish.”

When it was just the four of them again, Judith got up and ran to the parcels. “Dress up time!” She declared as she opened the packages and revealed… maids dresses, large ones.

“For daddy, Unca, and Win-win.” She said.

They all shared the same looks of horror as they tried to deny it. But alas, the power of her eyes and her tears was too much for them and they all gave in within a minute.

-

-

“Ahh, pwetty!” She said happily clapping as she gave them certain things to hold. For the Emperor, she gave him a bouquet of flowers, for the Marquis, it was jewelry for him to wear, and for Reynold himself, a box filled with chocolates. “Mommy will be so happy. Maybe no more crying?” She said thoughtfully.

“Penelope has been crying?” He asked sharply.

The emperor looked at him, face serious. “Don’t jump to conclusions when your fancifully empty brain will no doubt lead you. Ask her yourself.” He said as he tugged at the ribbon on their neck or whatever it was. Just as he’d said that, Penelope walked in, slightly red eyed.

“Baby…” She paused as she took them in and burst into laughter. Marquis Verdandi crouched down and his face. Reynold grumpily opened the box of chocolate only for more than half of it to tumble down.

The emperor walked towards her and handed her the flowers, unmindful of the shameful clothes they’d been forced to wear. He pulled her in close and Judith ran to them and hugged her as well. “No more sad, mommy. No more cry!” She demanded.

“Yes, yes Judy. Though it’ll be hard. You’ll always be there to make me laugh right?” She said as she burst into another fit of laughter at the sight of them. “I’m impressed she got all of you to do it.”

“Can you blame us? There’s no saying no to her. I don’t know how you do it.” Reynold said as he pulled at the dress in disdain.

“Easily.”

The emperor stroked her head. “Are you feeling better now?”

“Yes, though I suppose you know my emotions will be all over the place for the next few months just like it was with Judy.” Penelope replied as she leaned into his hand.

“Huh?” Reynold asked looking between the two. “Just like with Judy?” He thought back to when Penelope was moody and could only think of one that related to his niece. “Are you pregnant again, Penelope?”

“Your majesty.” The emperor reminded him firmly.

“Are you pregnant again, your majesty?” Reynold amended begrudgingly.

Penelope smiled at him. “Yes, I am.”

Reynold cheered. “Did you hear that, Judy?” He called out to the little girl who was now happily in her mother’s arms. “You’re going to be a big sister!”

“Big sister?”

“Yes, there’ll be a baby in a few months?”

“Like my dolly?”

“Like that but soft and squishy and someone you can play with.” Reynold told her.

Judith cheered along with him. “Hooray, baby!” Judith cheered and Reynold joined her, taking her from the Empress’ arms as they danced about the room. He could see the Marquis flee from the commotion as he used his magic to hide himself, his clothing in hand but he didn’t care.

The emperor and empress made their way to the door, the empress had the emperor’s own clothes in her arms while he had merely draped his mantle over the dress. Before Penelope was fully out the door she paused and turned back. “Oh and happy birthday, Reynold.”

And then the door shut closed but not before he heard the emperor say, “Happy Valentine’s Day, my love. Is that right?”

“It is.”

But he paid it no mind. He’d forgotten, in the whole commotion of Judith’s dress stunt and the announcement of a new niece or nephew, that it was his birthday today. What a wonderful day. He couldn’t wait to rub it into father and Derrick’s faces that he knew this before they did.