“The Lord speaks the truth!” exclaimed an elderly man with snow-white hair, his voice steady and firm. “Didn’t Baron Halo die while hunting monsters? How can that possibly be the current Lord’s fault? Do you know how much she suffered cleaning up that mess afterward?”
“He’s right!” another citizen chimed in. “The newcomers might not know, but if not for the Lord, Halo Territory would’ve fallen apart completely!”
“That’s true! My Lady, don’t pay attention to that scoundrel’s nonsense!”
The chapel erupted with loud and boisterous agreement. Those who had lived in Halo for a long time were well aware of the estate’s history and the hardships Penelope had faced.
Halo was a small, rural territory where the castle’s staff and knights had their families and relatives living within the land. Barely a year ago, the territory had been on the brink of collapse, and everyone knew it.
‘At least there are plenty of people who recognize my efforts,’ Penelope thought, feeling a warm glow of gratitude as a small smile crept onto her lips.
“Don’t worry about it,” she said reassuringly. “I’m fine.”
“Stay strong, my Lady!”
“We’re always rooting for you!”
The citizens’ cheers filled the chapel once more, and Sir Lance looked deeply moved. Having arrived from the capital not long ago, he was both impressed and surprised by the close bond between the Lord and her people.
“Shall we go?” Penelope said as she began walking again.
The moment she stepped into the carriage, her expression turned cold.
Ahwin, who had followed her for security, sat across from her and pulled back the hood of his robe.
“Who could it be?” Penelope asked.
“We’ll find out soon enough, but the mastermind’s obvious,” Ahwin replied casually.
“Of course,” Penelope said with a sigh. She had anticipated that something like this would happen eventually, but she hadn’t expected Baron Halo’s distant relatives to make a move so soon. A bitter feeling welled up inside her.
It infuriated her that those who hadn’t lifted a finger to help when the territory was falling apart now swarmed like a pack of hyenas.
“Do you think Sain might be in danger?”
“There’s a chance,” Ahwin said matter-of-factly.
“Then I’ll assign a guard to him,” Penelope decided firmly.
Ahwin shrugged indifferently. Penelope suddenly fixed her gaze on him and asked, “The pearl pin you gave me... if I wanted to buy one, would it cost a lot?”
“The one in your hair? You could probably buy a pair if you sold Halo Castle,” Ahwin said flatly.
“...Excuse me?!” Penelope gaped in shock. She had known magical artifacts were expensive, but she hadn’t realized they could be that expensive.
“What exactly did you give me?” she asked, still stunned.
“Are you really that surprised?” Ahwin replied, his tone teasing. “You’re only realizing this now?”
“Of course I’m surprised! How could you give me something so expensive? Now I’m even more stressed about what to give you in return! I haven’t decided yet!”
“Are you sure you’re actually thinking about it?” Ahwin asked, raising an eyebrow skeptically.
Penelope nearly bit her tongue in embarrassment. His sharp gaze seemed to pierce right through her.
‘How does he know I completely forgot about it until now?! Just play it cool!’
“Of course I am! I’ve been thinking hard about it. Do you think I’d accept such a valuable gift without feeling responsible to give something in return?”
“Don’t overthink it,” Ahwin said, his voice softening. “Giving you something like that is only natural for me. Your life is more precious to me than anything else.”
“...”
Penelope’s lips trembled, and her face flushed bright red. Her ears felt like they were on fire.
‘He’s seriously saying things like that so casually?’
Ahwin seemed to have no hesitation anymore when it came to expressing his feelings. Was this what people called a “confession blitz”?
Ahwin narrowed his eyes slightly and stared directly at her.
“Why are you so surprised? Did you really not realize I had feelings for you?”
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“Ugh... How was I supposed to know that?!” Penelope exclaimed, feeling a shiver run down her spine.
With no prior romantic experience, she found herself utterly unprepared for such overtly affectionate words. Her embarrassment was reaching its breaking point.
‘Even if it’s Ahwin, this is too much!’
Without thinking, Penelope leaned forward, closing the gap between them.
Ahwin’s green eyes widened as she moved closer, his pale face flushing bright red.
Then, without warning, Penelope pinched his lips firmly.
“Mmgh... Wha—?!”
“It seems your mischievous mouth is the problem,” Penelope said with a smirk. “Why don’t you keep it shut for a while?”
***
Ahwin stepped out of the carriage with a sulky expression, his pinched lips visibly swollen.
“Stop pouting. How long are you going to stay mad?” Penelope teased.
“‘Mischievous mouth,’ you said. That’s the first time in my life anyone’s called me something so outrageous,” Ahwin grumbled. With his puffed-up lips and grumpy tone, he looked both comical and oddly endearing.
‘At least this should stop him from spouting any more embarrassing lines for a while.’
Feeling a sense of relief, Penelope headed back to her office.
When she arrived, Lucas was already there, having returned from the local guard station where he had gathered information. He had spoken to the captain and was now waiting to report.
As Penelope removed her coat, she asked, “Did you find out who was behind it?”
“It was an anonymous request submitted through a guild. The man himself doesn’t know who the client is,” Lucas replied with a grim expression.
“So, he’s part of a guild, then?”
“Yes,” Lucas said, his voice firm. “A guild that doesn’t hesitate to do filthy work as long as they’re paid.”
“That guild—does it have ties to Halo?”
“No, my lady. They’re outsiders. The guards have already decided to expel them from the territory, and measures have been taken to ensure none of their members can set foot here again.”
“Good. You’ve done well,” Penelope said with a sigh, releasing the tension that had built up over the day. “Please summon Sir Cain for me.”
“Right away, my lady,” Lucas said, bowing before leaving the room.
Moments later, Sir Cain entered the office. Having witnessed the commotion at the chapel, his expression was as rigid as stone.
“You called for me, my lady.”
Penelope nodded and spoke. “I’d like you to focus on guarding Sain.”
“...Understood. Is there anything else you require?”
“Not for now. The most vulnerable person in the castle right now is Sain.”
“If you wish, I can assign additional guards to your protection as well, my lady.”
“Oh, that won’t be necessary. Ahwin is usually by my side,” Penelope replied with a faint smile.
“Ah, that’s true,” Cain said after a brief pause, nodding in agreement. Upon reflection, Penelope’s security was already sufficient, especially with Ahwin around.
‘No one but a Grand Mage—or perhaps even the Master of the Mage Tower himself—could pose a threat to her while he’s here,’ Cain thought, amused by the idea.
Although Ahwin’s sharp tongue could be irritating, Cain couldn’t deny that he was reliable.
‘He may talk back more than anyone else in the castle, but there’s no denying his skills in magic and swordsmanship.’
Cain recalled his first impressions of Ahwin, who had once roamed the castle like a pale ghost with his long hair flowing. But after he cut his hair and cleaned up, his striking appearance had turned heads across the castle.
‘Are they truly in that kind of relationship?’
Cain nodded slightly to himself. While he dismissed much of the maids’ gossip as idle chatter, he was secretly convinced about the nature of Penelope and Ahwin’s bond. After all, he had witnessed the two of them together on numerous occasions.
‘I may not like the mage’s personality, but there’s no helping it if they’re close.’
Though Cain didn’t want to meddle in his lord’s personal affairs, he couldn’t shake his dislike for Ahwin’s sharp attitude and the way his appearance captivated every woman in the castle.
“Thank you for your time, Sir Cain. I’ll trust you with Sain’s protection,” Penelope said with a small bow.
“Of course, my lady. I’ll take my leave now.” Cain bowed deeply before exiting the room.
That night.
Under the dark sky, with the crescent moon perched above the castle spires, a group of maids gathered in a room lit by magical lamps.
Having finished their day’s work, they had changed into their casual clothes, but their expressions were unusually serious.
It was Laura who called the meeting, and she began in a solemn tone.
“I’ve supported Sir Ahwin from the start.”
“‘From the start,’ you say? Don’t lie. Laura, you were on Lord Lianel’s side at first. I’m the one who’s been rooting for Sir Ahwin all along.”
“Excuse me? I’ve always been on the mage’s side, thank you very much.”
“Ha! What nonsense! You’re just changing your story now!”
The maids glared at one another, their heated argument filling the room. It seemed that Halo Castle had gained another layer of intrigue that night.