Penelope sighed, realizing she hadn’t properly explained her work or finances to Sein.
It was clear no one else had explained the intricacies of adult matters to him either.
“It’s true,” she said, “If you don’t believe me, you can check the account books yourself. You have the right to do so, Sein.”
Sein’s jaw dropped.
“I... I don’t know how to read account books.”
“I’ll teach you how to read them, then you’ll be able to. Would you like to look at them together?”
“Yes! I’d love to!” Sein’s eyes sparkled with excitement, and Penelope barely suppressed a smile.
“Alright, then. When we get home, we’ll look at them together,” she promised, giving him a light push on the back.
“Now, shall we go see if there’s anything else you’d like?”
“Yes!” Sein shouted enthusiastically before darting over to Damian, who gently took his hand with a kind smile.
“Looks like it’s working out well,” Damian said.
“Yeah,” Penelope replied, watching Sein’s radiant smile. Just looking at it made her heart feel warm and soft.
He’s so pure and kind, she thought, unable to hide her fond expression as she walked forward. Beside her, Ahwin kept pace, his mage’s robe billowing lightly in the breeze.
“So this is what a festival is like. There’s more to see than I expected,” Penelope remarked.
She wasn’t wrong. The marketplace, alive with the festival’s spirit, was full of colorful sights. Trinkets, jewelry, soaps, perfumes, sculptures, wallets—the variety was endless.
One side of the street was crowded with merchants selling exotic goods from foreign lands, their stalls swarming with curious customers.
Sein stopped every time something caught his attention, his eyes wide with wonder. Penelope observed him affectionately from a short distance.
“Are you really that worried about the kid when he’s surrounded by knights?” Ahwin asked, puzzled.
“It’s not that. Isn’t he just adorable? Like a baby squirrel gathering food,” Penelope whispered, standing on her tiptoes.
Ahwin flinched as her breath brushed against the back of his neck.
The warmth slowly spread up his nape, and he cleared his throat awkwardly as he turned his head away.
Not again.
To Ahwin, Penelope had a terrible habit:
She leans in close to whisper without even realizing it. I really need to put a stop to this.
But when he glanced back, Penelope was already darting toward a nearby stall, her movements as lively and cheerful as Sein’s.
“Rosemary oil! And argan oil too!” Penelope exclaimed, sniffing bottles of oil with enthusiasm.
Looking around, she spotted coconut oil and jojoba oil as well. They were undoubtedly imported from the southern continent.
All of them were perfect ingredients for making hair essence!
“Can I buy all of these?” she asked excitedly.
“All of them?” the merchant repeated in disbelief, his eyes wide.
Penelope pulled out her wallet, taking out a checkbook. With swift precision, she wrote down the amount and signed her name.
“I’ll give you my address. Please have them delivered there.”
“O-of course! Right away!” the merchant stammered, his face lighting up.
In less than an hour, all the goods he’d brought to market were sold. Such a stroke of luck wasn’t something that happened every day.
Watching from behind, Ahwin shook his head slowly.
“And she called him a baby squirrel,” he muttered.
Updat𝒆d fr𝒐m freewebnσvel.cøm.
By the time the sun set, the day had taken its toll on Sein. Exhausted from running around the streets all day, he had fallen asleep on Damian’s back, as if his energy had been completely drained.
Damian adjusted the sleeping boy on his back and commented, “It seems he got a bit too excited after such a long time out.”
“We should head back home now,” Penelope said.
“The sun hasn’t completely set yet. Why don’t you both enjoy the rest of the festival while I take Young Master Sein back?”
“But...”
“They say there’s even more to see at night. You’ve had a long day looking after Sein, so take some time to enjoy dinner and relax before returning home.”
With that, Damian placed Sein into the carriage and climbed in with the knights.
Penelope stood still, watching the carriage depart.
“So, where should we go now?” she asked aloud.
Grrrrrrk.
Her stomach answered before anyone else could.
Ahwin smirked. “First, we eat.”
Penelope bought skewers, large puffed bread, and orange juice, while Ahwin, as usual, simply followed her lead and purchased the same.
The two of them sat side by side on the steps near the fountain, eating their food as they watched the crowds pass by.
Is this... a date? Penelope thought, narrowing her eyes in suspicion. She couldn’t be certain.
After all, this had started with Giselle suggesting they take Sein out to play. Somehow, it had ended with her sitting alone with Ahwin, having dinner together.
Her lack of dating experience made interpreting such situations tricky for her.
But soon, her attention was drawn elsewhere.
It’s beautiful...
As magical lights began to illuminate one by one, the streets transformed into something entirely different from the daytime. The soft amber glow bathed the area, creating a warm and mysterious atmosphere.
Penelope found herself captivated by the enchanting night scenery. With Sein’s safety no longer her primary focus, she had the leisure to observe the bustling, lively streets.
Then, pop!
The magical lights lining the central street abruptly went out all at once.
A murmur of confusion rose from the crowd.
The darkness lingered for several moments, but the lights didn’t come back on.
What’s going on? Is this part of the festival, or did they just break down?
If it was the latter, the person in charge was definitely going to face consequences. The thought alone made Penelope shudder.
If these are magical lights, they’d be under the jurisdiction of the Magic Ministry... or maybe the Tower? No, it must be the Ministry.
The Magic Ministry, led by the Imperial Court Mage, managed all magical affairs in the empire, including public magical devices like these lights.
Whoever is responsible had better show up quickly before people start panicking.
A massive blackout in the central street was no small issue. If anyone got hurt, complaints would flood in.
Just then, Ahwin stiffened and ducked behind Penelope.
“What’s wrong? Is it... the Court Mage again?” Penelope asked, tensing up.
“Yeah. And there’s also a senior mage from the Magic Ministry with them.”
Judging by Ahwin’s reaction, it was obvious they’d come running as soon as they saw him. As the most capable mage present, Ahwin would likely be roped into resolving the situation swiftly.
But Penelope didn’t think this was Ahwin’s responsibility. His duties were limited to the Tower’s jurisdiction.
“We need to avoid them. Let’s head toward the alleys, and put your hood up,” Penelope instructed.
“...Alright,” Ahwin agreed without protest.
Penelope neatly packed up the leftover food, placing it in her bag, and maintained her composure as she prepared to slip away. She’d experienced something similar before and knew how to handle it.
“Let’s stand up slowly and head to the alley. I’ll count to three.”
“Got it.”
“Three, two, one.”
The two rose quietly and began walking at a calm pace toward the nearest alley. Ahwin followed Penelope’s lead, blending in naturally.
Fortunately, no one seemed to pay them any mind. Everyone was too preoccupied with the unexpected blackout to notice them.
Finally, they reached the shadowy confines of the alley. Penelope let out a sigh of relief.
“How about now? Are they following us?” she asked.
“No. Looks like they’re inspecting the magical lights,” Ahwin replied.
“Why would the lights suddenly go out like that?” Penelope wondered aloud.
Could it be sabotage? If so, what would the purpose be?
Her mind filled with questions.
If even the Court Mage is here, this must be a major incident.
When Penelope looked at Ahwin with concern, he quickly responded, “The mana in the magic stones powering the lights has been completely depleted.”
“...What?”
Penelope tilted her head, her confusion evident. Her expression seemed to ask if she had heard him correctly.
Ahwin nodded.
“It’s true.”
“Seriously?” Penelope asked again, utterly baffled.
“It’s true,” Ahwin confirmed.
Penelope was at a loss for words.
“They just needed to replace the magic stones on time! Why didn’t they do that? And why would the Court Mage get involved in such a trivial issue? What are the other mages even doing?” she exclaimed.