When Penelope arrived at the heating guild, she immediately asked for Pablo.
One of the guild employees, recognizing her, quickly brought her a cup of tea.
“Please wait a moment. Mr. Pablo will be here shortly.”
The employee, a young woman, moved briskly and displayed a keen sense of awareness. Penelope made a mental note of her capable demeanor.
Pablo, who had been at his general goods store next to the heating guild, rushed over, panting slightly. Once he caught his breath, he greeted her.
“I heard you were looking for me.”
“Ah, sorry for disturbing you when you’re busy.”
“There’s no such thing as being too busy when my lady calls. If you’d summoned me to the castle, I would have come running.”
“I just came out for some fresh air, so don’t worry about it.”
Pablo visibly relaxed at her words. Penelope wasted no time and got straight to the point.
“I’ll be quick since you’re busy. Can you get me a recipe for cosmetics?”
Pablo’s eyes widened in surprise.
“A recipe for cosmetics? Are you planning to create a new product?”
“Now that the soap is officially on the market, I want to work on the next item. I’m thinking of using the green herb soap as a base for cosmetics.”
“Oh! That’s a fantastic idea.”
Pablo’s reaction was predictably positive.
“I’ve already heard glowing reviews from noblewomen who received the green herb soap as gifts. At this rate, it looks like the soap will become a hit among the nobility.”
“That’s great news.”
“It would be wise to start developing the cosmetics now. Even if we begin immediately, they likely won’t hit the market until the second half of next year.”
Pablo looked at Penelope with admiration. Her forward-thinking approach, preparing for the future instead of resting on her current success, was something he deeply respected as a merchant.
“The recipe might cost a bit, but I should be able to procure it quickly.”
“I’ll leave it to you.”
“You can count on me.”
The two then began brainstorming ideas together.
“Is there anything else we could make using the green herb?”
“For now, I’d suggest scented candles.”
“Scented candles might work to some extent, but I’m not sure how effective they’d be. Unlike products applied to the skin or consumed, it’s harder to guarantee results with candles. Let’s focus on cosmetics for now.”
“That sounds like the best approach. Oh, by the way, may I introduce someone to you? She’s been assisting me diligently.”
Pablo gestured toward the young woman Penelope had met earlier.
“It’s nice to meet you.”
“Please, call me Hesi,” the woman said with a polite bow.
“Alright, Hesi. I look forward to working with you.”
Pablo praised Hesi’s quick and capable nature, clearly impressed by her skills. Penelope couldn’t help but feel a pang of envy—she herself desperately needed a competent assistant.
Pablo continued, “I’ll be handling most of the heating guild’s affairs going forward, so Hesi will be managing the general goods store. If you need anything, feel free to reach out to her.”
“Got it.”
Penelope paused for a moment before adding, “By the way, do you think you could help me find someone suitable? I’m looking to hire a secretary.”
“For that, wouldn’t the wizard be more knowledgeable?” Pablo replied, glancing toward Ahwin.
Penelope turned to Ahwin, who had been quietly sipping tea. He blinked as the attention shifted to him.
“Me?” Ahwin frowned slightly, as if the very notion were troublesome.
“Everyone I know is... unconventional at best. Are you sure about this?” he asked flatly.
“Ah...” Penelope hesitated, suddenly realizing that anyone associated with the Master of the Magic Tower might be better left unknown.
“That’s alright. If all else fails, I’ll post an official recruitment notice.”
Ahwin nodded, seemingly satisfied with her decision, though he shot a warning glance at Pablo, who stiffened under the unspoken command to stay silent.
‘Why did I even bring that up? I swore I wouldn’t meddle in the affairs of the Magic Tower!’ Pablo thought, sweating nervously.
At that moment, Penelope stretched and stood up.
“Shall we get going?”
“You’re leaving already? I thought you wanted some fresh air,” Ahwin remarked, standing as well.
“I don’t want to keep busy people from their work.”
Ahwin rose from his seat as Penelope fussed over his hood, making sure it was securely in place.
“Take care of yourself instead of fussing over me,” he grumbled.
“I can wear whatever, but you need to stay completely covered,” Penelope replied with a grin.
“What nonsense is that?” Ahwin muttered, looking down at her incredulously before letting out a resigned sigh. Penelope couldn’t help but laugh at his reaction.
Watching the two, Pablo’s eyes narrowed slightly.
‘What’s going on here? The Magic Tower Master seems... softer somehow. No, no. It’s none of my business. My life is too valuable to get involved.’
Penelope waved goodbye and left the store, with Ahwin naturally following behind.
Before exiting, Ahwin glanced back at Pablo, his lime-green eyes glinting coldly.
Keep quiet.
Pablo paled instantly, the unspoken warning unmistakable this time. He silently vowed once again to steer clear of their affairs.
‘If I want to stay alive, I’ll forget everything I just saw,’ Pablo thought, mentally reaffirming his decision to leave their matters well alone.
Pablo promptly sent the cosmetics recipe through Hesi, as promised.
The moment Ahwin received the recipe, his eyes sparkled with excitement, and he retreated to his room, making it clear he wouldn’t emerge until the final product was completed.
About a week later, the Halo estate was abuzz with activity early in the morning. The announcement of a large-scale recruitment had drawn a flood of applicants.
The steward informed Penelope, “The candidate for your secretary position is scheduled for an interview today.”
“Oh, is that today?” Penelope replied, taking the resume the steward handed her and skimming through it.
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“The candidate is a graduate of the Imperial Academy but appears to have struggled to find work after being dismissed from their previous position.”
“Really?” Penelope raised her eyebrows in surprise and turned to the administrative officer.
“The Imperial Academy is quite prestigious. Why couldn’t they find another job?”
“That, I’m not sure of. You might have to ask the candidate directly.”
Not long after, a man entered Penelope’s office. He froze briefly upon seeing her.
It was evident he hadn’t expected the lord of Halo to be such a young woman. Quickly regaining his composure, he bowed.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you. My name is Lucas.”
“Nice to meet you. Shall we have some tea before we begin?” Penelope gestured for him to sit, and he took the seat across from her.
She observed him carefully. His pale skin suggested he hadn’t seen much sunlight, his curly blond hair was slightly unkempt, and his long, narrow eyes were partially obscured by glasses. He looked like the quintessential scholar.
Though his resume listed his age as 29, the dark circles under his eyes made him look at least five years older.
Penelope broke the silence. “If you graduated from the Imperial Academy, does that mean you’re a noble?”
“I’m not a noble. I was fortunate enough to attend thanks to the sponsorship of Count Lanteon,” Lucas replied.
“Ah, I see.”
Just then, Giselle entered with tea. After taking a sip of her coffee, Penelope continued.
“Your resume mentions that you worked at the Imperial Library. Forgive me for asking, but could you tell me why you were dismissed?”
Lucas hesitated, his expression darkening momentarily before he finally spoke.
“The Count who sponsored me, Count Lanteon, was a known supporter of the late Emperor.”
“Ah...” Penelope immediately understood. Lucas had been caught up in the political fallout from factional disputes.
‘What a tangled mess. He’s lucky he made it this far.’
When the previous Emperor passed, many nobles who had supported him were dismissed, had their properties confiscated, or were even executed. Among the great nobles, not a few had lost their heads.
No matter how skilled Lucas was, his association with the previous Emperor’s faction would make him persona non grata in the Imperial Palace. It was an unfortunate but inevitable result of political strife.
“Count Lanteon wasn’t particularly fond of the Emperor’s faction, but as His Majesty’s loyal subject, he couldn’t openly oppose them,” Lucas explained.
‘No matter the excuses, Count Lanteon was still part of the Emperor’s faction,’ Penelope thought, her mind racing as she considered the implications.
After a moment of contemplation, she spoke. “So, if I were to hire you, there’s a chance I could fall out of favor with His Majesty?”
“That’s... unlikely. While His Majesty dismissed Count Lanteon from his position as Chief Chamberlain, he didn’t strip him of his title or lands.”
“His life may have been spared, but everyone associated with him was expelled from the palace. None of them will ever be rehired.”
“...That’s true,” Lucas admitted with a somber expression.
Because of his connection to Count Lanteon, Lucas and many others had lost their jobs in the Imperial Palace. It wasn’t just Lucas—anyone associated with the late Emperor had faced similar fates.
Of course, such actions weren’t solely the Emperor’s doing. His Majesty’s many supporters would have sought to fill the palace with their own people. It was an inevitable aspect of the ruthless power struggles within the Imperial Court.
‘The scale of this mess is staggering,’ Penelope thought, feeling the weight of the situation.