“That kind of person doesn’t exist. Really, where do you even get such ideas from…” Penelope began to answer but then paused mid-sentence.
There had been one man who showed her questionable intentions last night—Ortega Hilos.
As Penelope furrowed her brow, Ahwin’s sharp gaze shifted instantly. “Who was it?”
“Oh, you’ve seen him before. The man we ran into on the train…”
“Ah, that foolish and slimy human. Don’t mind him.”
“I’m not,” Penelope replied firmly.
After all, last night, she had been escorted by Rianel and even had a private audience with the Empress. The nobles’ focus had completely shifted, leaving soone like Ortega entirely forgotten.
“Ah, so that’s why all these gifts arrived. It’s their way of saying they want to get along with .”
Penelope finally understood the aning behind the gifts and felt a bit dispirited.
“I never wanted this much attention.”
Her dream of a quiet and peaceful retirent was slipping further away. She had envisioned a future where she handed over the lordship to a successor early and lived comfortably in a well-appointed villa.
“Traveling across the empire, experiencing romance as much as I want…”
Attention, however, inevitably attracted hostility. The more people showed interest in her, the more enemies she was likely to gain.
Penelope sighed deeply and shook her head.
“No point dwelling on it. What’s done is done. Worrying won’t change last night.”
She had anticipated this outco the mont the Empress sent her an invitation. She just hadn’t expected the aftershocks to co so quickly.
“So, what exactly happened last night?” Ahwin asked.
“…” Penelope clamped her mouth shut, her silence betraying her hesitation. Ahwin’s gaze turned more suspicious.
There was no part of last night—whether being publicly escorted by Rianel or having a private eting with the Empress—that Ahwin would be pleased to hear about.
“I think I’m hungry. Shall we eat first?” she deflected.
“…Fine,” Ahwin agreed with surprising compliance, knowing how seriously Penelope took her als. She couldn’t help but smile faintly at this side of him.
“This part of him is cute, honestly.”
Trailing behind her as they headed toward the dining hall, Ahwin resembled a large puppy wagging its tail, eager for its owner’s attention.
Sitting across the table from Ahwin, Penelope suddenly found herself wondering aloud, “But why are my gifts being delivered to your house?”
“...You’re just now wondering that? All the dresses you ordered from the boutique under your na were sent here too,” Ahwin pointed out, folding his arms.
“Oh, so that’s why… Nobles really do work fast,” Penelope muttered, still amazed at their efficiency and proactivity.
“So, what happened last night?” Ahwin pressed again.
“Well… I had a private eting with the Empress,” Penelope finally admitted.
Ahwin’s gaze instantly grew colder.
“I knew he wouldn’t like it.”
She had expected this reaction and could already sense his irritation. She empathized with him, though, understanding his perspective.
“If soone who rejected started interacting with another person, I’d feel the sa. Anyone would.”
Still, the woman in question was the Empress, and Penelope had no choice but to accept the summons.
“This is what happens when you’re caught in the crossfire of giants.”
Penelope sighed inwardly, fully aware of the position she was in.
Just then, the servants began setting food on the table. Ahwin remained silent, his arms crossed, while Penelope stared down at the dishes.
After a long pause, Ahwin asked in a low voice, “What did Betty promise you?”
“Nothing. She didn’t promise anything at all.” Penelope’s answer was imdiate and sincere.
Ahwin raised an eyebrow as if he’d just heard sothing utterly bizarre.
"The Empress didn’t promise you anything or give you a gift?"
"No, she didn’t."
"Then what did the two of you even do together?"
He looked genuinely curious, prompting Penelope to answer.
"Um… we just talked about random things? She said managing a territory must be hard and that she’d like to learn from . Oh, and she ntioned she’s been enjoying the green herb soap!"
Ahwin looked at her, visibly unimpressed.
"That’s it? Betty called you over just to make small talk?"
"Yes, well… she said she wanted to get closer to ."
Ahwin furrowed his brow, his expression tinged with disbelief. Penelope could understand why.
Elizabeth wasn’t the type to et people unless it benefited her in so way. She wouldn’t waste her ti on trivial conversations.
"So, what did you say to that?"
"What else could I say? Of course, I told her I’d be happy to. What else would you say to the Empress—‘No, thanks’?"
Ahwin let out an exaggerated sigh. "What did you spend the entire week learning from Lady Linda? You should’ve used the noble’s way of speaking—keeping things vague, so no one knows whether it’s a yes or a no. That kind of maddening ambiguity."
Penelope let out a soft "Ah," covering her mouth with her hands as her eyes widened with realization. They darted around nervously, clearly troubled.
"What’s wrong?" Ahwin asked, narrowing his eyes.
"I ssed up. When I t the Empress last night, I couldn’t rember a single thing about court etiquette. I ended up greeting her as casually as I greet you," Penelope confessed, looking horrified.
Ahwin sighed deeply, propping his chin on his hand. After a mont of thought, he said, "The food’s getting cold. Let’s eat first."
"Do you think I’ll be okay? It’s the Empress, after all. What if she gets upset with later?"
"Don’t worry. Betty isn’t the type to care about things like that," Ahwin replied casually.
Penelope, reassured by his words, nodded and picked up a sandwich, chewing it thoughtfully.
Why does this feel… strange?
For so reason, hearing Ahwin refer to Elizabeth so familiarly as "Betty" grated on her nerves. It was like a tiny thorn pricking her chest, making her want to scratch it away. But expressing that would make her seem petty.
Well, they are close, after all, she reminded herself.
After all, wasn’t Elizabeth his first love? Ahwin probably knew everything there was to know about her.
Does he even realize how openly he calls her Betty? He’s not even trying to hide it. Typical Ahwin.
Penelope felt her lips purse into a pout before she could stop them.
"Was there anything else that happened?" Ahwin asked, breaking her train of thought.
"No, not really… I was too busy dealing with all the nobles crowding around ," Penelope replied vaguely.
"And…?"
"And… nothing," she said as she avoided his gaze, pretending to focus on her sandwich.
Ahwin squinted at her, clearly trying to figure out what she was hiding.
Like you’ll figure it out just by looking.
Penelope nonchalantly took a large bite of her sandwich, ignoring his probing stare.
Ahwin glanced at her lips as she chewed and suddenly looked away, his ears noticeably reddening.
Is he… blushing?
Penelope almost laughed but held it in, continuing her al. Strangely, her mood improved a little.
Just then, the sound of footsteps echoed from outside the dining room. Monts later, Lucas entered, looking utterly disheveled. His dark circles and sunken cheeks were so pronounced that Penelope froze in shock, unable to even greet him.
What on earth happened to him in just one night?
Lucas spotted Ahwin and Penelope together and imdiately rushed over, blurting out, "Was Lord Rianel really the Grand Duke of Rahinzel?"
"…"
Penelope gave a sheepish smile.
Oh, right. Rianel’s identity was revealed last night.
The chaos of the evening had left her too overwheld to properly process the revelation, especially since she’d known his identity from the start and hadn’t thought much of it.
Ahwin, catching onto the situation, turned to Penelope with an expression of dawning comprehension, as if everything now made sense.
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