Contrary to Penelope’s expectations, unfortunately, there was nothing worthwhile to take away from the afternoon auction.
"Everything’s a bust, huh?"
Feeling mentally and physically drained, Penelope slowly rose from her seat.
"Did Ahwin leave already?"
After the magic book auction ended, Ahwin had vanished without a trace. It seemed he’d taken the core of what he wanted and then made his escape.
"He didn’t even say goodbye. How rude."
While watching Rianel bid farewell to the departing nobles, Penelope suddenly widened her eyes. A tall man slipping out through the back exit looked exactly like Ahwin!
Without realizing it, Penelope, as if enchanted, began following Ahwin.
As she exited through the back door, the surroundings turned eerily quiet, almost as if she had stepped into another world.
"Where did he go?"
Penelope anxiously turned her head, looking around frantically.
"Ahwin?"
At that moment, someone tapped her shoulder. Penelope jumped, startled.
"Isn’t that a bit of an overreaction?"
"Ahwin! It really was you!"
Ahwin raised an eyebrow, his expression faintly exasperated. Penelope noticed that when Ahwin was annoyed, he always furrowed his right eyebrow.
"I cast magic to make sure no one would recognize me. How did you figure it out so quickly? You must be overly interested in me."
"Even from behind, it was obviously you. How could I not recognize you?"
"Let’s just call it what it is—you’re very interested in me."
Ahwin extended his hand, and Penelope instinctively flinched.
In the next moment, Ahwin plucked a leaf off her shoulder with his fingertips.
"What’s got you so startled?"
"I-I wasn’t startled!" Penelope stammered, then firmly pressed her lips together. Her heart raced wildly, and her face felt uncomfortably warm. For some reason, she found herself acutely aware of Ahwin.
"What’s wrong with me all of a sudden?"
Penelope anxiously averted her gaze, trying to piece together her thoughts.
"It’s because of that night!"
Ever since she and Ahwin had danced alone on the roof, her body had been acting this way. It must have been the fear of falling that made her heart race whenever she saw him.
"Who are you trying to fool!"
Penelope cut off her own internal rationalization, feeling a twinge of frustration. Another reason crept into her thoughts, but she refused to acknowledge it.
"But why are you suddenly so interested in the magic book? Because of you, I had to bid much higher than I’d planned," Ahwin grumbled, completely unaware of Penelope’s inner turmoil.
Of course, Penelope had her own grievances.
"I wanted to give it to you as a gift!"
"For me?"
"And I made the first bid. You were the one who butted in later."
"......."
Ahwin’s expression froze for a moment, and then his earlobes turned red.
"I guess I shouldn’t have bid for it."
"You could’ve just told me you’d be here. If I’d known you were participating in the auction, I wouldn’t have bothered!"
"The Grand Duke of Rahinsel didn’t invite me."
With that, Ahwin abruptly turned his head, as if even admitting that he had sneaked in was an affront to his pride.
Even in her confusion, Penelope drew a firm conclusion.
"So Rianel didn’t invite him, and he still came..."
In other words, Ahwin’s obsession with the magic book written by a former Tower Master had outweighed his pride.
At that moment, a low voice interjected between them.
"Indeed. I never invited him, but he found his way here nonetheless. One could call this trespassing."
"......!"
Startled, Penelope turned her head.
Descending the stairs, loosening his cravat with a weary expression, was Rianel.
"As far as I recall, Penelope, you had a prior engagement with me."
"Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t expect to run into Ahwin here."
"I’m sure you didn’t. Now, if the uninvited guest could kindly leave?"
Rianel addressed Ahwin, his tone as dismissive as if he were ejecting a peddler from his premises.
Ahwin glared coldly at Rianel.
Rianel did not avoid Ahwin’s gaze, though his face still bore an unmistakable weariness.
“Did I perhaps make an unreasonable request?”
“I’ll be leaving with Penelope.”
“How impolite. Are you planning to eavesdrop on our conversation while you’re at it?”
“If necessary.”
Ahwin responded shamelessly, and Rianel’s eyebrow twitched.
Penelope looked at Ahwin, now seemingly a precious golden child, with an incredulous expression.
This chapter is updat𝓮d by freēwebnovel.com.
“Just go back ahead. I have something to discuss with Rianel.”
“...What?”
Ahwin’s eyes widened in shock, and the emotions flickering in his jewel-like eyes were unmistakably jealousy and hurt.
Penelope felt her resolve waver. She softened her tone in an attempt to soothe him.
“Wait for me at the main gate. If you wait patiently, I’ll leave with you.”
“Do you really have to talk to this man alone?”
“I don’t think that’s something the Tower Master has the right to interfere with.”
“That wasn’t directed at you, was it?”
The two men sharpened their tones at each other again, ready to clash at any given moment.
Penelope inwardly sighed, exasperated by their constant squabbling.
“If you’ve shown up uninvited, you could at least behave quietly!”
“That’s... fine.”
“Don’t cause any trouble. Just wait quietly at the front gate.”
“...Alright.”
Ahwin nodded sullenly.
Finally, once Ahwin disappeared from sight, Penelope felt all the strength drain from her body. Every time Ahwin caused a scene, she couldn’t shake the urge to grab him by the collar.
Rianel, meanwhile, silently observed her.
‘It’s time to say it. Dragging this out would only make it harder.’
Steeling herself, Penelope spoke.
“It’s about the answer to the request you made to me last time.”
“...”
“I’m grateful for your feelings, Rianel, but I have to decline.”
“Did my stepmother offend you?”
Penelope sighed before answering.
“I can’t say that’s not part of it. After all, she is your family.”
“I see.”
Rianel lowered his eyes, falling silent as if mulling over her words.
“You’ve said before that we can’t choose our families.”
“That’s your story, Rianel. It’s not my situation. Whether it’s a husband or a lover, I can choose freely.”
“I didn’t realize Penelope could be so pragmatic.”
“When it’s about me, being practical is the only option.”
Especially in a world like this one, where love so often led directly to marriage.
She wasn’t reckless enough to tread a thorny path under the scrutiny of a future mother-in-law who was staunchly opposed to her.
‘Why is the charming Grand Duke of the North still single? His stepmother must be blocking every potential match.’
It was clear that even the women of this world detested domineering, controlling mothers-in-law. Otherwise, it made no sense that no eligible women were circling Rianel.
‘Still... Was I too harsh?’
Penelope glanced at Rianel cautiously.
She regretted speaking so bluntly after the fact. After all, Rianel had just been rejected by the woman he pursued, and her response had been undeniably cold.
On top of that, it wasn’t fair to blame the actions of a parent on their child.
Clearing her throat, Penelope continued.
“I’m sorry if I gave you false hope, Rianel. That wasn’t my intention. And about the Duchess of Rahinsel... I know that’s not your fault.”
Rianel didn’t reply.
In truth, he believed that his stepmother’s outrageous behavior was indeed his fault.
Until he found evidence that Karla Ren Rahinsel had killed his mother, he had resolved to tolerate any cruelty or schemes she devised. That resolve had not wavered.
‘I’ve prepared everything else. As soon as I find the hidden ledger Karla has stashed away, I’ll drag her down in one fell swoop.’
But he couldn’t explain all of this to Penelope. It was, after all, his own business to deal with.
“So you’re telling me to rein in my stepmother.”
“You’re the one who has the ability to do so, Rianel.”
Penelope’s words, spoken so plainly, cut deeply into him.
‘It’s something I could do but haven’t. Is that really my fault?’
Rianel sneered inwardly, deriding himself. Even after hearing Penelope’s rejection, his feelings remained unchanged, and that fact disgusted him.
Nonetheless, his ultimate priority was perfect revenge. If enduring today’s humiliation meant he could drag Karla down into ruin, he would gladly bear it.
“May I ask if you’ve said the same thing to the Tower Master? Did you also turn him away?”