"You're here? As you can see, I'm deciphering a magic book."
"I'm reading a magic book as well."
"Me too."
"Oh, I'm reading an introductory history book."
Following Ahwin's response, his followers chimed in. The final answer came from Sain.
Penelope was momentarily surprised.
"Sain is already reading an introductory history book?"
"He finished all the picture books last month."
"Already? Has he mastered the Imperial language?"
"Yes! That's right!"
Sain proudly raised his voice. His tutor, Damian, gave a kind smile. Penelope couldn't help but offer some praise.
"Really? That's amazing!"
Sain nodded with a proud expression.
It felt like just yesterday that he'd started learning the Imperial language from his tutor. And now he was already diving into history books. Could Sain be a genius?
'It looks like it's almost time to send him to school.'
Penelope felt grateful and proud that Sain had grown so well on his own without needing constant attention.
This time, Penelope turned to Ahwin.
"So, how's the deciphering going?"
Ahwin furrowed his brow deeply.
"I don't know."
"What do you mean, you don't know? You said you could read the messy handwriting."
"The more I read, the more it feels less like a magic book and more like a diary."
"Ah..."
At a loss for words, Penelope sat down at the desk.
She vaguely wondered if Rianel might have swindled her, but she kept that thought to herself.
Ahwin placed the magic book on his lap and looked up at Penelope from an inverted angle.
"By the way, what's all that stuff you’re carrying?"
"Oh, Professor Orlan finally finished developing the hair iron. At this pace, we'll be able to start selling them in the shop soon."
"Well, that’s good news."
Ahwin responded absentmindedly. Penelope's eyebrow twitched.
"That response is so lifeless. This is a jackpot product for opening the second and third soap shop locations!"
"Calm down. You've never failed when you set your mind to something. This will probably work out too."
Ahwin hastily rephrased his words after seeing her sharp glare. Penelope sighed and leaned her head against the desk.
"Just because I put my mind to it doesn't mean it will always succeed. I need some way to advertise it to people."
"Do you really have to work so hard? Can't you take it easy?"
"I have to. I wasn’t going to say this, but I plan to start dating only after becoming incredibly wealthy."
Thud!
Suddenly, there was a loud crash.
Penelope craned her neck to see Ahwin sprawled on the floor beside the sofa. The magic book, as thick as an encyclopedia, was haphazardly lying on the carpet.
"Ah... Ahwin?"
"So, what do I need to do to help you?"
"...!"
Penelope flinched. Somehow, Ahwin was now right in front of her. His eyes were blazing like flames.
She wanted to ask if his sudden change of attitude wasn’t a bit too much.
"W-Weren't you deciphering the magic book? Didn't you say it was written by the first Tower Master?"
"Seems more like his diary. It's full of pointless scribbles. Might as well use it as firewood in winter."
Ahwin's indifferent remark made his followers flinch.
To think he would suggest using a magic book that had been auctioned for 2.1 million gold as firewood. Even Penelope was taken aback.
"Firewood... Let’s reconsider that."
"Forget that. What should I do to make you incredibly wealthy in no time? Or should I just give you money? Want to manage my assets instead?"
It was a truly terrifying proposal.
Penelope reflexively crossed her arms in an "X" shape.
"I don't need money."
"Why not? It's the quickest solution."
Ahwin asked, genuinely puzzled.
Penelope wanted to pinch the Tower Master’s lips for his complete lack of financial sense.
Saying something so reckless—what if she had agreed?
"I already have plenty of money. Every business I've started so far has been a success. Do you really think I wouldn’t have money?"
"That doesn't make sense with what you just said. You said you’d date once you became wealthy."
"I said I’d date once I became incredibly wealthy."
"'Incredibly wealthy' is a very subjective term. Depending on how you interpret it, the criteria could change entirely."
Ahwin pointed out sharply.
"So, you're saying your answer could change depending on your mood?"
Penelope avoided his gaze and mumbled, "Well, maybe, I suppose."
"Then date me right now."
"I'm not in the mood for that right now."
"Then when will you be in the mood?"
Ahwin pressed her, determined not to let the opportunity slip by. Penelope, flustered, opened and closed her mouth without finding the right words.
'Why is the conversation suddenly heading in this direction?'
No matter how she thought about it, she couldn't understand. Of all the things to slip up on, she had let Ahwin seize on her mistake.
"Hiccup!"
A sudden hiccup startled Penelope. Ahwin also frowned and closed his mouth.
When they turned to look, Damian was smiling wryly, patting Sain's back.
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"Sain, couldn't you have held on a little longer?"
"Hiccup, hiccup!"
But Sain's hiccups didn't stop.
Deciding it was impossible to make him stop, Damian gently grabbed Sain's arm.
"We'll take our leave now."
With that, Damian led Sain out of the study. Meanwhile, Ahwin's followers, Katherin and Lub, exchanged uneasy glances.
Ahwin growled at them, "You two, leave as well."
"Y-Yes."
"We were just about to."
Katherin and Lub quickly scurried out, eager to avoid being caught up in the tension.
Penelope sighed and pressed her forehead. Yet Ahwin didn’t back down. His eyes burned with determination, as if this time he was resolved to settle the matter.
"Stop sighing and say you'll date me."
"How can I not sigh when you're acting like this?"
"Was that dating you mentioned meant to be with someone else, not me?"
Ahwin grasped her hand with both of his.
"Is it true?"
Despite the suspicious tone in his voice, his grip was gentle, even trembling slightly—though perhaps that was just her imagination.
Caught off guard, Penelope answered truthfully.
"Probably not, I guess?"
"Probably?"
Ahwin's eyebrows shot up again.
Penelope looked down at her captured hand and then back up at him. In his eyes, she saw a glimmer of desperation. It was a look that made it impossible for her to say anything harsh.
Inside, Penelope was quite flustered.
'How did things escalate to this?'
Saying she'd date someone after becoming incredibly wealthy had been a spur-of-the-moment remark, blurted out because she’d been annoyed at Ahwin casually flipping through the magic book.
'It wasn’t a lie, but still.'
She had vaguely thought that if she ever did date someone, it might be Ahwin.
But it was nothing more than a fleeting thought, not a decision to start dating him right here and now.
Ahwin sealed the deal with his next words.
"Let’s do it. Date me."
"Ah, fine, okay, let's date then."
Caught off guard, Penelope answered and immediately bit her lip. Did I just agree to this?
Ahwin's face lit up like the sun. He looked like he had just won the world.
Smiling sweetly, like he had candy in his mouth, he confessed, "I like you, Pepe."
"...!"
Penelope felt her heart plummet. Her cheeks heated up, and the back of her neck felt warm. Her entire body tingled as if she might twist into knots from the sensation.
Unable to bear the awkwardness, she cleared her throat and said, "Anyway, I need to focus on product promotion."
"We just started dating, and you're already saying that?"
Ahwin abruptly grabbed her hand and pulled her up from her seat.
"Let’s go on a date."
"Right now?"
"If brainstorming here would give you an answer, I'd help you. But it's not like the answer will come just by thinking, right?"
"Well, that's true, but..."
"You might come up with something while we’re on the date."
At his confident reply, Penelope found herself thinking, He might have a point.
Following behind Ahwin, who was already striding ahead, she snapped back to reality and asked, "Where exactly do you want to go? Don’t tell me it’s up in the sky?"
"Not there. You seem to have a fear of heights."
"..."