Suddenly Reincarnated Into R-19 Novel

"Where's the Duke?"

"I'm sorry, Father, but the Duke is missing. He successfully escaped from—" The servant was abruptly silenced by a powerful slap that landed on Peneloppe's cheek.

"HOW!? DOES THE DUKE LOVE YOU!? THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE!" The Emperor shouted at Peneloppe, causing her to cry from the force of her father's blow.

"You're as useless as ever; you can't even do your job as a princess." He sat down on his throne, rubbing his temples in frustration.

"Get out of my sight!" he yelled, and she quickly left the room. Peneloppe hurried to the garden, releasing all her pent-up emotions.

"Lukas, I need you." She whispered until she felt him wrap his arms around her.

"It breaks my heart to see you like this." He hugged Peneloppe while flashing a venomous smile. She embraced him tightly.

"I can't wait to rid this empire of your father. I will kill him and take you away." He stroked her hair and pressed his lips against hers.

Henny's PoV

When I woke up, I immediately noticed that breakfast was already prepared on our table.

"Good morning, master! Let's eat," the Duke cheerfully said. However, I ignored him and headed to the bathroom to get dressed.

"I'm going to work. I'll eat outside," I replied coldly before leaving our apartment. I bought some bread and made my way to the theater to clean the stage.

"You really are hardworking, Henny," one of my coworkers said as she cleaned alongside me.

"Not really... I just want to do my job well," I replied, managing a smile thanks to her company.

"The show starts soon. I'm sure many will be captivated by Claudia's voice." Claudia was the singer at this theater; her voice was soothing and delightful to hear.

"Did you know that Claudia has many suitors? She's always receiving gifts from men. How lucky she is! I wish I could be like her."

"Henny, can you sing too?" she asked, causing me to pause and look at my hands. Memories of my past life flooded back—I didn't want to think about that anymore.

"No," I answered, and Sienna nodded in understanding.

We finished our tasks and headed to Claudia's dressing room to clean up her things.

"M-Miss Claudia!" Sienna stammered as she bowed. I followed suit.

"We're just here to clean this room," Claudia shot us a harsh glare, so I hurriedly got back to work. Finally, we finished and left the room.

"Henny!" Someone called out to me. I turned and noticed one of my coworkers approaching.

"This is for you." I noticed her cheeks were flushed as she handed me a container with "To my master" written on it.

"Thank you." Tsk! That guy again?

I opened it to find delicious food inside. As I began taking a small bite, I felt an odd sensation in my body but dismissed it.

I could hear noise coming from the stage and recognized Claudia's voice. I looked down at my hands—that was my dream once, but it felt shattered now.

Henny hadn't played the piano for a long time since her death. In her past life, she had been a skilled musician. Besides being a top student, Henny had won many competitions in various countries due to her musical talent.

Third Person Perspective

Felix watched Henny as she stared at her hands. It was difficult for him to read what was on her mind. When Henny stood up from her seat and walked away, he followed her with his gaze.

She spotted an old piano inside and stepped into the room. Felix changed his position so he could see what she would do next but suddenly froze when he heard the music begin.

He watched as Henny started playing the piano, sadness evident on her face as she lost herself in the melody.

(Play the song: "Lovely" by Billie Eilish)

Thought I found a way

Thought I found a way out (found)

But you never go away (never go away)

So I guess I gotta stay now

Oh, I hope someday I'll make it out of here

Even if it takes all night or a hundred years

Need a place to hide, but I can't find one near

Wanna feel alive; outside I can't fight my fear

Isn't it lovely? All alone

Heart made of glass; my mind of stone

Tear me to pieces; skin to bone

Hello, welcome home

Walking out of time

Looking for a better place (looking for a better place)

Something's on my mind

Always in my head space

But I know someday I'll make it out of here

Even if it takes all night or a hundred years

Need a place to hide; but I can't find one near

Wanna feel alive; outside I can't fight my fear

Isn't it lovely? All alone

Heart made of glass; my mind of stone

Tear me to pieces; skin to bone

Hello; welcome home

Whoa, yeah

Yeah, ah

Whoa, whoa

Hello; welcome home

Felix was too stunned to speak when Henny began singing. He watched as tears streamed down her face while she played passionately with delicate fingers. Her voice touched his soul; he didn't understand why his heart started skipping beats while he stared at her.

If everyone were listening to Henny sing at that moment, they would cherish their lives anew.

Felix quickly hid when he realized he had stood up from his seat. He successfully concealed himself from Henny's view.

His love for Henny deepened even more during this moment. He stared at her as if surrounded by flowers despite traces of sadness in her eyes. He could feel his heart pounding louder with each melody Henny created.

Henny left the room without realizing that Felix was watching her closely. She had discovered a hidden talent that shouldn't go wasted.

At the same time, Henny felt better because after such a long time, she could still move her fingers skillfully across the piano keys. The only difference now was her voice.

She knew that the true Henny had a beautiful voice. If only she were in the modern world now, perhaps she would be one of the famous singers since singing came effortlessly for her. In contrast, during her past life, she had taken vocal lessons daily but struggled immensely due to breathlessness—especially when asked to hit low or high notes.

After saying goodbye to her coworkers, Henny stepped outside only to be confronted by the Duke. Her mood instantly soured at his sight.

Felix couldn't shake off his admiration for Henny's talent; in fact, she could easily outperform skilled musicians in the empire with her abilities.

"What are you looking at?" Henny interrupted his thoughts with a question that halted him in place.

"Nothing, master." He couldn't tell Henny what he had witnessed; he feared it would only push her further away from him.

He longed to hear Henny's voice again—could he ever listen to it once more?