As Penelope approached the window, the garden ca into full view. Freshly sprouted green foliage and flowering trees harmonized beautifully with a serene pond.
“This place is truly stunning. How could you live in a place like Halo when you had this?” she remarked.
“Well, it just sort of happened while I wasn’t thinking... Ahem. Anyway, if this is about Sane, what’s the reason?” Ahwin asked.
“Sane’s been on his own for over two weeks now. I think it might be better to bring him here. What do you think? Would it be too dangerous?”
“If that’s all, it’s really no big deal.”
Ahwin shrugged and sighed, turning his head. Before Penelope could respond, a ripple of light ford in the air. It quickly shaped itself into a glowing rectangle.
‘It looks just like a door.’
Penelope’s eyes widened as she saw Sane’s faint silhouette on the other side of the luminous doorway.
It was portal magic.
“...!”
Next to Sane stood his tutor, seemingly in the middle of an imperial language lesson.
“### ####!”
“#######!”
Both Sane and the tutor exclaid in surprise at the sudden appearance of the glowing door. Their words were inaudible to Penelope; it seed the sound didn’t carry through the portal.
Ahwin leaned into the portal, extending his hand toward Sane.
“#### ######.”
“#####.”
“#######.”
An exchange of unintelligible dialogue followed. Sane glanced at his tutor before making up his mind and grabbing Ahwin’s hand. With a swift pull, Ahwin brought Sane through the portal.
Sane stumbled into Ahwin’s room as if sucked through, instantly crossing the distance between them.
“Huh...?”
The boy blinked in confusion, looking around before his gaze landed on Penelope. His face lit up with joy.
“My lady!”
“Sane! I’ve missed you so much!”
Penelope ran to him, pulling him into a tight embrace. Sane stiffened, startled, but quickly relaxed.
“Have you been well? You weren’t too lonely, were you?” she asked, her voice full of concern.
“Damian kept company, so I wasn’t lonely. And there was Lola, too. The steward also looked after , so I was fine,” Sane replied maturely.
Children who had to rely on adults’ moods often grew up too quickly. Penelope felt a pang of sadness.
“But where is this place? Didn’t you say Mr. Ahwin was a wizard? Did he use magic to bring here?” Sane’s curiosity grew, and his questions beca more enthusiastic. By the end, his eyes sparkled with excitent.
There was nothing more captivating to children than magic.
“This is the capital. Ahwin used magic to bring you here,” Penelope explained.
“Wow! Really? Then does that an I can stay with you now? What about my imperial language lessons and swordsmanship training?”
Ahwin answered before Penelope could.
“There won’t be any swordsmanship training for now, but you’ll continue your imperial language studies.”
Ahwin leaned back into the portal, his upper body disappearing into the glowing doorway, which remained open.
Monts later, Sane’s tutor, Damian, erged through the portal. He carried a bag of teaching materials, a satchel with Sane’s clothes, and his own luggage.
It seed Ahwin had instructed Damian to pack Sane’s belongings.
Finally, the magical portal closed.
Damian looked around in bewildernt before speaking. “So, I’ve really co to the capital. I only had ti to inform the steward about this.”
“Well done,” Penelope replied. Sane, anwhile, was inspecting the room with fascination.
Penelope cleared her throat. “Now then, shall we go and introduce you both to the household staff?”
***
Giselle was overjoyed the mont she saw Sane.
“You’ve co, young master Sane! I’ve missed you so much! And look at you, you’ve grown so tall since I last saw you!”
“Really?”
“Of course! My eyes don’t lie.”
Sane’s face turned bright red as he fidgeted with excitent. It seed he was absolutely delighted by the idea that he had grown taller.
“If I’d known we’d et like this, I wouldn’t have worried so much,” Lucas said, his tone a mixture of astonishnt and joy. Glancing at Ahwin, he instinctively flinched and rubbed the back of his neck nervously. Judging by his expression, he had finally pieced together Ahwin’s true identity.
‘Well, of course. Sane, who was back at Halo Castle, is suddenly here in the capital. If he didn’t figure it out now, it’d be like admitting he has no brain.’
Penelope chuckled inwardly and extended her hand to Sane.
“Shall we go explore the house together?”
“Yes! I’d love to!”
Hand in hand, Penelope and Sane toured various parts of Ahwin’s ho. The knights, watching them with kind smiles, seed to enjoy the sight.
Sane marveled at the flowering trees in the garden before his eyes caught sight of the beautiful streets of the capital. His eyes widened in wonder.
“This really isn’t Halo Castle, is it?”
“It’s amazing, isn’t it? If we have ti, we’ll go out and explore. Maybe this weekend.”
“Yes!”
Sane nodded enthusiastically and moved toward the front entrance. Standing on his tiptoes, he peered at the bustling street where carriages passed by.
His feet began to tap lightly to the cheerful music floating through the air, likely played by a street violinist nearby.
At that mont, Lucas’s voice called from behind them.
“My lady, if you plan to attend the banquet tonight, it’s ti to start preparing.”
Penelope swallowed a sigh.
Even with Sane here, I can’t spend as much ti with him as I’d like.
As if sensing her feelings, Sane spoke up cheerfully, his tone resolute.
“Have a good ti! I’ll be waiting. Besides, I like it here much better. Whether it’s night or morning, I get to see you, my lady.”
Penelope smiled, relieved by his words.
“I’ll be back soon.”
***
That evening, Penelope attended a ball hosted by Countess Hinas.
She wore a soft apricot-colored dress selected by Giselle, her hair styled into a half-up look secured with a ribbon. A pearl hairpin was placed neatly at the center of the ribbon.
Her partner for the evening was Lucas, who escorted her as he had during the imperial banquet.
“Welco, Lady Halo. We’ve been expecting you,” Countess Hinas greeted her warmly.
“It’s a pleasure to see you again, Countess Hinas. I’m truly honored to be invited,” Penelope replied, bowing politely.
“You rember ! Please, co this way. All the other ladies have been eagerly waiting to et you.”
The Countess led Penelope to where the noblewon were gathered.
As Penelope approached, a collective murmur of admiration spread through the group.
“Oh my! It’s Lady Halo!”
“Welco! We’ve been waiting for you.”
“I was so disappointed that I couldn’t properly greet you at the imperial banquet.”
“Thank you so much for the warm reception,” Penelope said shyly, her polite response eliciting smiles from the gathered noblewon.
One of the ladies soon addressed her.
“About the green herb soap—I heard you personally created it, my lady. It’s been such a great help to .”
“Just one wash with it, and my skin feels so much brighter. I can’t imagine how you ca up with the idea of making soap with green herbs.”
“Exactly! I’ve been aning to thank you in person, my lady!”
Penelope found herself surrounded, exchanging pleasantries with the noblewon. Countess Hinas watched on, her face beaming with pride.
The Countess took it upon herself to introduce Penelope to those she deed important connections, helping her settle into the ball’s atmosphere with ease.
At that mont, a tall nobleman approached Penelope and bowed.
“My na is Enrique Elrn. May I have the honor of a dance?”
“Oh, I’m not very good at dancing…”
“You’re at a ball, my lady. Surely, you must have at least one dance,” Countess Hinas encouraged enthusiastically, placing Penelope in a difficult position. It would be impolite to decline the host’s suggestion, especially when the Countess had gone out of her way to assist her in nurous ways.
Enrique stepped in again. “Please don’t worry. I’ll lead the way.”
“Then… please don’t laugh if I step on your feet,” Penelope replied hesitantly.
Her answer elicited laughter from both Enrique and Countess Hinas.
‘What did I say that was so funny?’ Penelope wondered, her face turning red as she looked at Enrique, who spoke with a warm smile.
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