"Are there cars powered by magical engineering too?"
"Ah, I’ve heard they’re currently in development."
"That’s amazing. Should I move to the capital? Does your house have any spare rooms, Ahwin?"
"What nonsense are you spouting? Let’s move. If we don’t hurry, the sun will set," Ahwin urged, his voice flustered.
However, Penelope couldn’t immediately follow. Her gaze had met Lianel’s as he stepped off the train.
Lianel offered a warm smile and said, "You must be tired from such a long journey."
"You as well, Lord Lianel."
"I’ll send someone to the wizard’s residence the day after tomorrow. Lady Linda will teach you court etiquette."
"Thank you so much for your help."
"Think nothing of it. It’s a small favor compared to the assistance I’ve received. I’ll see you again at the imperial banquet."
With graceful politeness, Lianel bowed. Penelope quickly bent her knees in response, matching his respectful gesture.
As Lianel strode away with measured steps, it almost seemed like everyone on the platform was watching him.
"......."
Penelope thought she caught a faint murmur about "His Grace the Grand Duke," but she naturally pretended not to hear it.
Her philosophy was simple:
"Too much hassle! I’ll feign ignorance for as long as I can."
She wanted to delay any troublesome matters as much as possible.
With a bright expression, Penelope turned back to Ahwin and said, "Shall we go?"
But Ahwin didn’t respond. His expression suddenly stiffened.
Penelope tilted her head in confusion. "Ahwin?"
"Shh..."
"......!"
Penelope flinched as Ahwin moved behind her, lowering his head abruptly. Their entourage also looked startled.
"Why, what is it?" she asked in alarm.
"Just stay still for a moment. I spotted someone I know."
"Ah..."
Penelope finally understood the situation. Somewhere on the platform, one of Ahwin’s followers must have appeared.
"Persistent as ever," she thought, recalling the original story. "If they find him, it’ll definitely be a hassle."
Still, it was the first time she had seen Ahwin look so utterly exasperated. No matter how brazen Ahwin usually was, even he seemed powerless against the relentless apprentices desperate to learn magic.
"Those creepy bastards. They’re such a pain," Ahwin muttered under his breath, barely audible. Penelope, of course, pretended not to hear.
"Something tells me this is all going to hit at once later, but I’ll ignore it for as long as I can," she thought, sniffing and avoiding her entourage’s gazes.
The only one smiling was Giselle, unable to hide her amusement.
***
Fortunately, the capital didn’t look drastically different from Pellar, the Grand Duchy’s territory. It seemed a bit more refined, perhaps.
Well-maintained roads carried carriages, and the buildings were more modern than those in Pellar, lined up neatly along the streets.
But as night fell, a stunning sight unfolded. The magical streetlights along the roadside lit up all at once. Their brightness and performance were leagues beyond those of gas lamps.
Penelope gazed at the scene with envy.
"Would those be expensive? I’d love to install magical lamps in my territory."
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Lost in her admiration of the streetlights, Penelope hardly noticed the time passing as they rode in the carriage.
By the time they arrived at Ahwin’s house, night had fully descended, cloaking everything in darkness.
Penelope’s entourage disembarked from the carriage with tired and hungry faces.
And then, they all stared, speechless, at the small, one-story house in front of them.
"This is the wizard’s house?"
"Isn’t it... a bit small?"
"Indeed. Will there even be enough room for all of us?"
Questions poured out endlessly, and Ahwin made no attempt to hide his irritation.
"It’s the house next door."
"...Oh, I see."
"Thank goodness."
Ahwin pointed to the neighboring two-story house. The group visibly relaxed.
"It’s more ordinary than I expected," Penelope thought. She assumed this was just one of Ahwin’s residences—there was no way the Tower Master’s home would be this modest.
At the front door, Ahwin placed his hand on what appeared to be a keyhole. Suddenly, a golden light shimmered, and a complex magical circle appeared.
To her surprise, the door was locked with magic. Though the house was small, its security was state-of-the-art.
"......."
Without a hint of awe, Ahwin casually opened the door and stepped inside. Penelope, now too tired to be surprised, followed him, with the others hesitating briefly before doing the same.
"Wow!" Giselle exclaimed first, her reaction loud and genuine as usual.
Despite the modest exterior, the entrance hall was quite spacious. A spiral staircase led to the second floor, and there was an indoor balcony. The house, though unassuming on the outside, was well-furnished and far more impressive inside.
At that moment, a voice greeted them politely. It was an elderly man in a black suit.
"Welcome home, Master. We’ve been expecting you."
"It’s been a while, Martin," Ahwin replied, nodding to the man, who smiled warmly. Martin appeared to be the butler of this house. Behind him stood other staff members who seemed to be servants.
Martin addressed Ahwin, "You’ve changed quite a bit since I last saw you, Master."
"Let me warn you—don’t even think about saying anything strange. This is Penelope and her entourage. They’ll be staying at my residence for the time being."
"Please call me Martin. I’ll do my utmost to serve you," Martin said, bowing deeply. The servants followed suit, bowing in unison.
"Hello, thank you in advance," Giselle quickly responded, her tone cheerful as she returned the bow. Lucas and the knights followed suit, each offering their greetings.
Penelope stepped forward and said on behalf of the group, "It’s a pleasure to meet you. We’ll be imposing on you for just a few days."
"I hope your stay is comfortable. If there’s anything you’d like to eat, please let me know at any time. I’ll ensure it’s prepared immediately," Martin replied.
"That’s so kind of you. Thank you," Penelope answered, smiling.
Martin gave Penelope a kind smile in return.
Ahwin turned to the group and said, "The dining room is on the first floor. I’ve already told them to prepare a meal, so you can head there right away. The men will use the first-floor rooms, and Penelope, you’ll stay upstairs with Giselle."
Penelope nodded, adjusting the strap of her handbag. Though she wanted to sleep immediately, she decided to eat first. Giselle picked up her own belongings and prepared to follow.
As Ahwin began ascending the staircase, he paused and asked Martin, "Has anyone visited this house?"
"No one has. This location remains undiscovered."
"If Orlan comes, tell him I’m not here."
"Understood."
Martin answered obediently. Just as it seemed Ahwin would head upstairs, he stopped again and asked, "Did you make the reservations for the dress shops?"
"I’ve secured appointments at five different locations. Given the time constraints, I’ve also pre-ordered ready-made dresses that suit Lady Penelope’s measurements."
"Good work," Ahwin said, looking satisfied. Penelope, however, blinked in confusion as she processed the conversation.
"You’ve already ordered my dress?"
"Be ready to wake up early tomorrow. We’ll have to visit all five places, and time will be tight."
"Uh... sure," Penelope replied, her words slow as she nodded hesitantly. With so many eyes on her, she couldn’t bring herself to question how he even knew her measurements.
"If he’s buying it for me, I should just be grateful," she thought, resigned.
Since receiving the empress’s invitation, everything felt like a whirlwind, carrying her to unknown destinations.
Two days after the invitation had arrived, they were already in the capital. Tomorrow, she would pick out dresses, and the day after, she would learn court etiquette from Lady Linda.
"After that, I’ll finally attend the imperial banquet. Will I meet the empress there?"
Somehow, she felt certain she would.
"She wouldn’t have sent me a personal invitation without reason."
Even the thought of meeting the empress made her feel drained. The inevitability of it all only added to her fatigue.
All Penelope could do was brace herself, trying not to be swept away by the current. Clutching her handbag tightly, she made her way upstairs.
***
The next day.
"My lady, you must wake up," Giselle said in a loud voice.
"Mmm, just a little longer..."
"You need to visit the dress shops today. Please get up!" Giselle’s persistence finally roused Penelope from her slumber.
Half-asleep, Penelope allowed Giselle to help her wash and get ready.
Once everything was prepared, Penelope stood in front of the mirror, dressed in a gown. The style was old-fashioned and far removed from the trends in the capital.
When Giselle handed her a coat, Penelope reached out and put on the thick outerwear. While she wasn’t particularly sensitive to fashion, she could at least tell that her outfit seemed out of place for the season.