“It’s been a while since we last met, but as you can see, I already have prior engagements,” Penelope said, attempting to handle the situation diplomatically.
“It’s my fault for not sending word ahead of time. Please don’t worry about it,” Rianel replied smoothly. “I’ve brought a small gift to celebrate your move.”
“A gift?” Penelope asked, glancing at his empty hands with a curious tilt of her head.
Right then, Rianel turned his head, signaling to the back. A group of servants appeared, struggling to carry something into the house.
‘What... is that?’
Penelope’s eyes widened in disbelief. It was a grand piano—a massive one at that!
‘That’s not a small gift by any stretch of the imagination!’
As Penelope stared speechlessly, unable to close her mouth, Rianel spoke in a matter-of-fact tone.
“I assumed you wouldn’t have fully furnished the new house yet, so I prepared this.”
“This is far too extravagant for me,” Penelope protested.
“It’s a trivial gesture compared to what I’ve gained from Halo,” Rianel replied, his expression genuinely unbothered. To him, it seemed that a bouquet and a piano were on the same level.
‘It’s overwhelming for me, though.’
Despite her reservations, Penelope couldn’t bring herself to outright refuse the gift. Emily and Yvette were both watching, their eyes filled with curiosity—especially Emily, who was practically brimming with excitement.
Refusing such a grand and cumbersome gift in front of others would be incredibly awkward for the giver. It was better to quietly return it later if necessary.
And so, Penelope reluctantly decided to accept it for now.
The servants, sweating profusely, placed the piano in the drawing room and hurried out. Looking at the massive instrument, Penelope couldn’t help but think about the hassle of moving it out later. She felt an urge to scold Rianel.
“I’ve delivered my gift, so I’ll take my leave now. I’ll send word in advance next time and visit formally,” Rianel said, preparing to depart.
“No, wait...”
Penelope bit back her words, forcing a smile. She wanted to ask why on earth he had brought a piano of all things, but she held her tongue.
Whether aware of her inner turmoil or not, Rianel added casually, “I saw your newspaper advertisement. You must have been through a lot of trouble, but it seems everything was resolved. I’m glad.”
“Thanks to your concern,” Penelope replied politely, though her mind was still stuck on the piano. Why a piano?
Rianel rose from his seat and offered a light bow. “Then, I’ll be off.”
He hesitated for a moment, then flashed a radiant smile. “Congratulations on your new home.”
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His eyes curved upward in delight, as though he were genuinely thrilled for her, like someone who couldn’t contain their happiness.
Penelope nearly blurted out, I can’t even play the piano!
After Rianel left, the drawing room finally quieted down.
Penelope stared at the unexpectedly burdensome gift with a frown.
‘Why a piano of all things? Surely, he didn’t bring it just because it’s big and heavy.’
Perhaps Rianel had chosen something Penelope couldn’t easily refuse. Or maybe gifting a piano was just the current trend among nobles.
Without a way to read Rianel’s mind, she couldn’t figure out his reasoning.
Emily broke the silence, her eyes sparkling with curiosity and admiration. “We ran into His Grace, the Grand Duke of Rahinsel, at the front gate.”
“Ah, I see,” Penelope replied absentmindedly.
“To think he gifted you a Langtrand piano! That’s incredibly generous. Langtrand pianos are renowned for their exceptional sound quality, and they’re nearly impossible to purchase. They’re very popular among nobles these days.”
‘So it really is a trend?’ Penelope thought, finally receiving an explanation.
Deciding not to dwell on it further, Penelope rang the bell. Giselle promptly entered the drawing room.
“Could you prepare some tea? I’ll have coffee. What about you two?” Penelope asked.
“Do you have any recommendations?” Emily inquired.
“I recently brought in some coffee from the South—it has a lovely aroma. Giselle also makes excellent black tea. For relaxation, green herbal tea is a great choice.”
“Green herbal tea? I’d like to try that,” Emily decided.
“I’ll have coffee,” Yvette said with a smile.
Penelope nodded and turned to Giselle. “What’s Ahwin doing? He’d probably prefer the green herbal tea, right? Could you prepare a cup for him as well?”
“...”
“...”
The drawing room fell silent.
As Penelope looked around in confusion, Giselle leaned in to whisper in her ear.
“Ahwin isn’t here! Did you forget he doesn’t live with us anymore?”
“Oh, right. I got mixed up,” Penelope admitted.
Of all the things to mix up! Giselle fought to keep her lips from trembling as she maintained her composure.
“I’ll go prepare the tea right away,” Giselle said before practically fleeing the drawing room.
Penelope cleared her throat and awkwardly turned her attention to the piano. She had to change the mood somehow, and there was only one way to do it.
“The weather is lovely, isn’t it?”
“You’re right, Baroness. It feels like summer is just around the corner,” Emily responded quickly. When there’s nothing to say, talking about the weather is always a safe fallback.
Right on cue, Giselle returned carrying a tray of tea. The pale green hue of the herbal tea caught Emily’s attention immediately.
“Is this the green herbal tea?”
“Yes, it has a pleasant taste. Please give it a try.”
“Oh my, the aroma is delightful! Wait, what am I saying? I didn’t come here just to drink tea—my sister! Her skin is improving!”
“Really?”
For the first time that day, Penelope’s face lit up with unguarded joy.
“Yes, truly! Ever since she started using the ointment you sent, her condition has noticeably improved. The redness and swelling on her face have gone down significantly!”
“It worked that quickly?”
“Yes! This morning, she was clinging to the mirror, crying because she didn’t know how to thank you!”
“That’s wonderful to hear. Ahwin will be pleased as well.”
“Ahwin...” Emily trailed off, rolling her eyes as she tried to figure out who this “Ahwin” was. The name had been mentioned casually by the Baroness several times now, but who on earth was this person?
Before Emily could ask, Yvette, who had been quiet until now, spoke up.
“Baroness, have you considered increasing production for the hairdryer? Demand seems to be growing.”
“Oh, starting next month, they’ll be available for purchase at the . We’ve expanded production by hiring not only lower-ranked mages but also a number of alchemists. We’re aiming to increase output by several dozen times, possibly up to a hundredfold.”
“A hundredfold?”
“That’s excellent news!” Emily exclaimed, practically bouncing in her seat.
Having borrowed a hairdryer from a noble friend, Emily had been eager to purchase one of her own.
“How do you come up with such innovative inventions, Baroness? Is your mind constantly overflowing with ideas?”
“It’s not quite like that...” Penelope chose her words carefully as both Emily and Yvette leaned in, their eyes sparkling with curiosity.
“I think I just take inspiration from inconveniences in daily life,” she explained.
Penelope suddenly felt a pang of guilt.
Emily and Yvette now sat with their hands clasped, gazing at her as if she were a celebrity. Their eager expressions made Penelope feel the need to clarify.
“Of course, I only draw the designs. It’s Ahwin and other mages who actually integrate the magical engineering to create the devices.”
“Even coming up with the designs is impressive!”
“Absolutely. Most magical tools from the Tower are absurdly expensive and nearly impossible to obtain unless you’re nearby,” Yvette added.
“And honestly, what mage would bother thinking about drying hair?”
The two women praised Penelope in unison, their enthusiasm verging on reverence.
Penelope felt her head spinning from all the attention.
Just then, the door to the drawing room burst open.
“...”
“...”
Penelope’s eyes grew wide. Standing in the doorway was none other than Ahwin.
His golden hair was disheveled, hanging loosely around his face, and he wore a blue robe over his pajamas, paired with simple fabric slippers.
Rubbing his drowsy eyes, Ahwin looked at Penelope. He had clearly just woken up.
“Pepe, did you call me?”
“I didn’t! And don’t call me Pepe! Also, did you just open the ‘door’?”
“Oh...”
Ahwin glanced behind him, realizing only then that he had magically opened the door without meaning to.
Emily and Yvette both gasped as they saw the unfamiliar bedroom visible beyond the doorway.
Ahwin scratched his tousled golden hair and blinked.
“I thought you called me...”
“I didn’t! For the last time, I didn’t call you!” Penelope snapped, though technically, she had. She’d mentioned preparing tea for Ahwin earlier, but it was absurd to think he could have overheard her from ten minutes away on foot.
“You’re drinking coffee? I’ll have some too,” Ahwin said casually.
“Ask Giselle to get it for you—and put on proper clothes!”
“Bossy as always,” Ahwin muttered.
What was he even saying? Seriously.
The half-asleep Tower Master was proving to be quite a hazard.