The next day.
From early in the morning, Penelope shut herself in her office.
A bundle of ledgers had arrived from the Halo Territory.
Through the records, Penelope could feel just how much the Halo Territory had changed.
The main roads had been renovated, various government offices relocated, and additional security forces established. Construction on both a middle school and a high school was nearing completion.
Plots for a hotel and large retail stores had been prepared near the site of the upcoming train platform.
‘The financial officer and vassals have worked hard during my absence. I’d like to visit the territory and see it all for myself.’
Penelope was beginning to feel a strong urge to return to the Halo Territory.
Life in the glamorous capital was nice, but her true home was the Halo Lord’s Manor. The joy of transforming that place into a better place to live was incomparable to her life in the capital.
Just then, the butler entered her office and spoke.
"A messenger from the Grand Duke of Rahinsel has arrived."
"A messenger?"
"The Grand Duke has sent a card."
"Would you bring it here?"
At Penelope’s request, the butler respectfully handed her the card.
She quickly read through its contents. As Penelope did so, Giselle, who was serving tea nearby, couldn’t hide her curiosity and asked nervously.
"Um, what does the Grand Duke say?"
"He wants to invite me to his residence."
"To his residence? Why? What for?"
"He mentioned an antique auction that will be held there. Apparently, it’s an annual event held in the hall of his estate, and most of the capital’s nobles attend."
"Will you be attending, Baroness?"
Giselle asked with a worried expression. Penelope thought for a moment before nodding.
"If most nobles are attending, then I should go as well. Please prepare for it."
"If you’re going, I’ll make sure you’re the most dazzling person there," Giselle replied with determination, her eyes sparkling.
"I don’t think I need to stand out that much..."
"Please, just leave it to me this time."
"Alright."
***
Rianel greeted Penelope like someone receiving an unexpected but delightful gift.
"Thank you for accepting my invitation."
"And thank you for inviting me," Penelope replied politely. She then presented a neatly wrapped box adorned with an elegant ribbon.
"This isn’t much, but it’s a gift to show my gratitude for the invitation."
"I’m curious to see what’s inside."
"It’s really nothing special. I recently sourced some high-quality coffee beans from Caferune, and I thought you might enjoy trying them."
"You seem to know exactly what I like," Rianel said, bringing the box close to his nose. A faint smile appeared on his lips as he caught a hint of the coffee’s aroma.
Penelope felt a sense of satisfaction at that moment. But then a thought struck her.
‘It’s so easy to choose gifts for Rianel. Why is it so difficult when it comes to Ahwin?’
The issue probably lay in the timing. The "gift window" had passed—long ago.
As the topic of gifts lingered in her mind, Penelope suddenly remembered something.
"Forgive me for bringing this up out of nowhere, but would you mind taking back the piano you gave me?"
Rianel’s expression froze.
"Did you not like my gift?"
"It’s not that. I just can’t play the piano."
"..."
"I’ve heard that the piano you gifted me is incredibly expensive and the work of a renowned artisan. It’s so valuable that even those who want to buy one might not be able to. I just think it would be better if someone who can actually play used it."
"If that’s your only concern, you can always learn to play. Please, keep it," Rianel said firmly.
"Honestly, I feel burdened accepting such an extravagant gift from you," Penelope admitted, her bluntness causing Rianel to suppress a sigh.
"You are truly a difficult person to gift to. You lack nothing and have no reason to depend on me."
The source of this c𝓸ntent is frёeweɓηovel.coɱ.
"..."
"And you’re so busy that the only way I can meet you is by organizing an antique auction and sending you an invitation."
Penelope was at a loss for words. She hadn’t expected Rianel to be this forthright.
‘Coming at me this directly? Really?’
Desperately, she tried to think of a response. The words that finally escaped her lips, however, were completely off-topic.
"I don’t recall ever giving you permission to call me Penelope."
"I think this conversation is best continued another time," Rianel interrupted abruptly. He was now looking past her, his gaze fixed on something behind her.
Startled, Penelope turned around and found herself face-to-face with a nobleman carrying a bundle of gifts. Behind him, several ladies and young noblewomen stood, their cheeks flushed as they watched the scene.
‘Oh no... what am I doing here?’
She realized she was blocking the path in the grand lobby of the duke’s estate. She had been so engrossed in her conversation with Rianel that she hadn’t even noticed.
‘We were talking about gifts, and then the piano came to mind...’
Flustered, Penelope quickly stepped aside.
"Baroness Halo, you’re here too!" a cheerful voice called out.
"It’s been so long, Baroness," another chimed in.
Penelope’s eyes widened as she saw Emily and Yvette approaching her, both looking genuinely pleased to see her.
"You two are here as well. It’s good to see you," Penelope greeted them warmly.
"If we’d known you were attending, we would have come together," Emily said with a smile.
"Shall we move inside for now?" Yvette suggested, her quick instincts cutting through the awkward moment.
The three of them headed toward the auction hall. The spacious room was filled with rows of chairs and a stage at the front.
"I didn’t know such a grand auction was held here every year," Penelope remarked.
"This is our first time being invited, too," Emily replied, lowering her voice conspiratorially. "Normally, only the most prestigious nobles get invitations. It seems the Grand Duke expanded the guest list significantly this year."
"I see," Penelope said, forcing a polite smile. She had a feeling that the increased guest list was likely because of her, but there was no need to bring that up.
As they chatted, most of the nobles settled into their seats.
The high-ranking nobles present maintained their distance, avoiding overt familiarity with Penelope. It seemed that approaching a stranger with too much enthusiasm was considered poor etiquette among their ranks.
Just then, Emily leaned forward excitedly.
"It looks like it’s starting."
"The first item is a painting by Derkan, one of his final works," the auctioneer announced.
A large painting was placed on the stage, and the auctioneer began explaining the background of the piece.
The nobles pulled out their small binoculars to examine the artwork closely or listened intently to the auctioneer’s description.
"And now, the bidding for the painting begins."
As soon as the auctioneer finished speaking, nobles began raising their numbered paddles with surprising fervor, a sharp contrast to their earlier composed demeanor.
"Ten thousand gold."
"Twenty thousand gold."
"Twenty-five thousand gold. Do I hear more?"
The auctioneer’s voice rose with excitement, almost as if he were stoking the nobles’ vanity and competitiveness.
Penelope watched the scene from afar, somewhat detached.
‘This is less exciting than I thought it would be.’
To her, the painting—which looked more like a doodle—fetching 25,000 gold was incomprehensible.
The next item elicited a similar reaction. Despite being described as a rare artifact, it looked no different from the junk one might find discarded in an alley. It certainly didn’t spark any desire to own it.
Time passed, and then the auctioneer introduced a particularly unique item.
"Our next piece is a magic tome from the ancient magical era. It is said to have been authored by Ino, the first Tower Master himself. While the text within remains undecipherable, its value as a collectible is undeniable. Bidding starts at ten thousand gold."
Penelope’s eyes lit up.
‘A magic tome written by the first Tower Master! Any mage would go wild for something like this.’
She immediately had an idea.
‘That’s it! I’ll get this tome as a gift for Ahwin!’