“I, uh... I’ll just head home now. If there’s anything you don’t like about the outfits, let Giselle know,” Lucas said, hastily preparing to leave.
“Will do.”
This chapt𝙚r is updated by freeωebnovēl.c૦m.
Quick-witted as ever, Lucas wasted no time. These days, he commuted to and from his home in the capital, clearly relishing the chance to see his wife and daughter every evening.
Ahwin turned to Penelope.
“Let’s head home too.”
“...Alright.”
***
On the way home, Ahwin remained silent, arms crossed, his expression tightly drawn. He looked as though he was staging some kind of protest, clearly biting back complaints.
With that attitude, he’ll never shake the reputation of being a cat, Penelope thought, suppressing a smirk.
“What’s your plan for the weekend?”
“What’s wrong with cats? Are you looking down on them?”
“...I just asked about your weekend plans,” Ahwin replied flatly.
Penelope coughed awkwardly, caught off guard. She had assumed he was still sulking about the cat comment, but it seemed he had other concerns on his mind.
The weekend.
“I’ll be going to the palace.”
At noon on Sunday, there would be a ceremony in the imperial palace to officially bestow her baronial title, followed by an evening banquet.
In other words, the entire weekend was dedicated to Penelope. She would be busy from morning until night, with no time to rest.
“How annoying. I already don’t want to go.”
Wealth and honor always seemed to come with endless obligations.
Penelope sighed internally, letting out a quiet groan of frustration.
Noticing her lack of enthusiasm, Ahwin clarified his question.
“What I mean is, have you found someone to accompany you to the banquet?”
“Hmm, if nothing else comes up, I’ll probably go with Lucas,” Penelope replied casually. Having her secretary accompany her seemed the most straightforward option.
Ahwin pursed his lips as if making a decision, then said,
“Remember how I asked what gift you wanted? I’ve decided what I’ll take instead. Be my partner for the banquet.”
“....”
Penelope froze. He wants to be my partner for the imperial banquet?
She couldn’t bring herself to answer immediately.
She was already drawing intense scrutiny from the nobles due to the various scandals swirling around her. If Ahwin were to attend as her banquet partner, it would be like pouring oil on a fire.
“Do we really have to go together that day?”
“Are there other banquets that day?”
“Well, not that I know of,” Penelope admitted, stealing a glance at him.
The idea of bringing Ahwin as her partner was... complicated, to say the least.
And yet, if she refused, she could already imagine the disappointed look he’d give her—ears drooping, tail dragging, lips pouting.
“But what about the aftermath of showing up with him?”
Not just the nobles, but even foreign royalty would be watching their every move, scrutinizing their relationship. It would practically be handing them a reason to gossip.
The potential fallout made her stomach churn.
“Do you even have a conscience, Penelope? He’s asking for this instead of a gift. Refusing would be heartless.”
Her inner voices clashed fiercely.
Penelope hesitated, then cautiously asked,
“Are you even allowed to attend an imperial banquet as the Tower Master?”
“I already received an invitation from the Emperor.”
“But haven’t you fallen out of favor with the court magicians? Didn’t you cause trouble in the palace before?”
“The Emperor invited me. They wouldn’t dare openly show their displeasure.”
Ahwin’s tone was calm, as if there was truly nothing to worry about.
Penelope sighed again and reluctantly nodded. “If this is what he wants as a gift, I’ll let him have it.”
She decided to set aside the potential complications for now. After all, it was a replacement for a long-delayed gift. Refusing would feel too cruel.
“Alright. You can come with me to the imperial banquet.”
“Really?”
Ahwin’s face lit up, his expression so radiant it caught her off guard.
She hadn’t expected him to be this happy, and the sight sent a strange, tingling warmth through her chest.
***
Five Days Later.
Finally, the first Sunday of the month arrived.
Penelope had been up since dawn, bustling about in preparation.
Washing thoroughly, shampooing her hair, applying scented oils, and dressing in the proper attire for the occasion were grueling tasks. Giselle, as always, devoted herself wholeheartedly to assisting her.
“It’s a good thing you invented that hairdryer, my lady. It’s cut our preparation time in half! What a lifesaver.”
To Penelope, however, Giselle’s comment didn’t feel like a joke at all—she was already exhausted just from getting ready.
Thus, dressed in an elegant teal gown with a black cape draped over her shoulders, Penelope set off for the imperial palace.
The emperor’s audience chamber was filled with Halo’s retainers and a host of nobles from the capital, all eager to witness the ceremony.
Penelope felt her throat dry up with nerves.
“Breathe in, breathe out. Stay calm.”
Finally, the emperor and empress made their entrance, prompting the nobles to rise in unison to pay their respects.
“Be seated, all of you. It pleases me to see you gathered here on this most glorious day,” the emperor announced, his voice resonating through the chamber.
The nobles’ gazes toward the emperor were curious, even probing. Having seized the throne by beheading his own father, the emperor had largely avoided drawing attention with any notable actions.
But today, he had taken his first significant step—bestowing a baronial title upon a widow who had singlehandedly revitalized her territory.
The emperor called out,
“Penelope Ash Halo, step forward.”
Swallowing hard, Penelope approached and knelt on one knee before the emperor. Her legs trembled beneath her.
The emperor’s gleaming ceremonial sword lightly touched her shoulder before lifting away.
“Today, Penelope Ash Halo stands before us for her accomplishments...”
The emperor’s authoritative voice flowed in one ear and out the other as Penelope found herself in a slight daze. The aftermath of her early morning preparations was finally catching up to her.
“...And so, I hereby grant Penelope Ash Halo the baronial title of Halo.”
Clap, clap, clap!
Thunderous applause erupted throughout the chamber.
Penelope snapped out of her stupor and rose to her feet, bowing respectfully to the emperor.
“This is an unparalleled honor.”
Halo’s retainers beamed with pride, their faces alight with emotion. Penelope had clearly performed her role flawlessly.
Letting out a quiet sigh of relief, she reminded herself,
“It’s not over yet.”
The imperial banquet awaited.
***
The grand banquet hall, resplendent with opulent decorations, was teeming with nobles by early afternoon. All had gathered to celebrate Penelope’s elevation to baroness.
Now dressed in a pristine white gown, Penelope walked through the palace corridors with Ahwin escorting her.
Her expression made it clear she wasn’t pleased.
“Seriously, showing up this late to the palace? That’s too much.”
“...I’m sorry,” Ahwin muttered, looking genuinely contrite. His face still bore traces of fatigue, as if he hadn’t been awake for long.
Annoyed from the day’s events, Penelope pressed him further.
“What exactly made you so late?”
“I was working on the schematic for the magical device you drew. Lost track of time and ended up oversleeping.”
“....”
Penelope was momentarily speechless. Of all excuses, his was working on the curling iron design. There was no way she could argue against that.
“Well, the curling iron is important.”
Clearing her throat, Penelope tightened her grip on his arm. Ahwin flinched slightly.
But Penelope had little time to dwell on his reactions. They were nearing the grand banquet hall. The thought of the incoming wave of nobles made her want to turn around and flee back home.
“Since you’re my partner, stick close to me,” she said firmly.
“I don’t have anywhere else to go. I’ll be glued to your side,” Ahwin replied without hesitation, as if he’d already decided this.
He had his own plan for the evening. Today, he resolved to approach Penelope not just as a companion but as a man.
“I am absolutely not a cat.”
Ever since learning how Penelope saw him, Ahwin had been quietly reeling. A cat? Of all things, a cat? Not a tiger, not a lion, but a cat.
The blow to his pride had been immense, though he’d worked hard not to show it. Adding insult to injury, Penelope had even asked him mockingly if he looked down on cats.
“Tonight, I’ll make sure to dance with her.”
As he made this internal vow, the two arrived at the banquet hall.
“Baroness! You’ve finally arrived!”