I Don't Know the Original, I'm Too Busy Trying to Make a Living-Chapter 158

Baron Rencer's gaze wavered like a candle flickering in the wind. He swallowed dryly and managed to speak.

“Well, hearing that my daughter was seeing someone, I thought it best to at least meet him face-to-face.”

“Oh, I see! I thought you were leaving the castle because you couldn’t stand the sight of me,” Ahwin said, his tone bright and shameless.

“...That is absolutely not the case,” Baron Rencer replied, struggling to maintain his dignified expression.

Ahwin’s face lit up with delight. How audacious.

Still, this was bad. The more Ahwin spoke, the more his true nature would be revealed.

That he could be childishly petty, recklessly honest, and inexplicably erratic in ways only a genius could manage. That despite being the Tower Master, he lived entirely by his own rules.

The rumors were already rampant throughout Halo’s lord’s castle, to the point where even Penelope’s maids weren’t afraid of him in the slightest.

Ahwin set his teacup down and suggested, “Baron Rencer, why don’t you and your family stay at Halo Castle for a while? We could enjoy tea and meals together on occasion. Penelope would surely be happy to spend some time with her family after so long.”

...When did I say that?!

Spend time with her family? Was this a new form of torture?

Ahwin, ignoring the trembling in Penelope’s gaze, sipped his tea elegantly. It was clear he was still sulking over her earlier remark about not knowing if she’d marry him until the wedding day.

Baron Rencer nodded after a thoughtful hum. “If you are inviting us, we will gladly accept.”

Florin, unable to take her eyes off Ahwin, asked hesitantly, “Then... are the articles in the newspaper true?”

“Ah, the one about me courting your daughter? That’s an understatement, really. I chased her around for months,” Ahwin replied without hesitation, sounding almost regretful that the article didn’t capture the full truth.

He’d been annoyed in the past when the papers had given Rianel far more coverage.

Clara spoke up, her voice trembling. “S-so... are you saying Penelope rejected the Tower Master’s confession?”

“Of course. She said she’d put off answering until her territory was operating normally. Isn’t that right, Pepe?”

“Something like that...” Penelope answered, avoiding his gaze.

Since finishing breakfast, Penelope had been enduring what felt like an interrogation disguised as a tea party with her family. Every other sentence felt like a loaded question.

For the most part, she avoided answering outright, either pretending not to remember or hiding behind sips of tea. Each time she deflected, Ahwin casually dropped another bomb.

“And then she didn’t respond to my confession for three whole months, right?”

“....”

Penelope once again avoided Ahwin’s gaze. She had no excuse for that. In hindsight, it really did seem like she’d kept him dangling in limbo on purpose. Whatever her intentions, the result was undeniable.

Her family’s eyes bored into her, their expressions accusing her of being utterly indifferent. Penelope downed the now-lukewarm herbal tea in one gulp, her throat parched from the tension.

“Penelope’s always been a bit oblivious when it comes to other people,” Florin remarked. “She was always clumsy as a child.”

“She hasn’t written a single letter since she got married, either,” Clara added sharply. “Even if she’s part of another family now, would it kill her to send one letter saying she’s doing well?”

“She was quite the troublemaker, even for our family,” Baron Rencer said with a sigh.

The family whispered among themselves in hushed tones, seemingly oblivious to the fact that every word was clearly audible to Ahwin—and even to Penelope.

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Riding the wave of enthusiastic support from her family, Ahwin turned to Penelope and said, “How can you not even remember what you did? When you rejected my confession, I couldn’t sleep for days. I was completely heartbroken.”

That was the final blow.

Her family’s gazes turned colder than ever, and Penelope felt utterly dejected. She had no allies here.

‘Who’s the one really fixated on appearances here?’

At this point, the true “looks-obsessed” individuals weren’t Penelope but her family. Ahwin’s stunning appearance was so striking that anyone seeing him for the first time would lose their composure. Dressed in his luxurious suit and carrying himself with impeccable posture, he looked every bit the part of a high-ranking noble or even royalty.

Clara, her eyes glistening with admiration, said in a soft voice, “To think, he patiently waited by her side for so long, all because she asked him to. Such a noble and virtuous gentleman—I’ve never heard or seen anyone like him. He’s like a protagonist from a love ballad.”

“You’re absolutely right, Clara,” Florin chimed in, dabbing her eyes with a handkerchief.

...A noble and virtuous gentleman? Did that really describe Ahwin?

This was the same man who, just the day before, had stared at a list of potential suitors for Penelope, then incinerated the entire envelope with magic. Not even ash had been left behind.

If her family had seen that, they wouldn’t be calling him a paragon of virtue or the hero of a love story.

Penelope was reminded once again how much appearances mattered.

“Everything is in the past now, so please don’t blame Penelope too harshly. I’ll make sure to treat her even better from now on,” Ahwin said, smiling warmly.

“Oh my,” Florin said, blushing deeply with admiration. Baron Rencer gave a faint nod of approval, a clear sign that Ahwin had earned his favor.

Ugh, what a schemer!

Every time Ahwin opened his mouth, Penelope felt a shiver run down her spine. He was so insufferably polite in front of her parents that if she hadn’t known better, she might have mistaken him for someone else entirely.

At that moment, there was a knock at the door.

“Come in,” Penelope called.

The castle’s steward entered the drawing room, and for the first time since tea began, Penelope’s face brightened.

“Please, come in. What brings you here?” she asked, her tone laced with hope. Please let something urgent have come up.

The steward surveyed the room before clearing his throat with a cough. The corners of his mouth twitched as if suppressing a smile.

“Headmaster Bake has arrived. He wishes to speak with you, my lady. How should I proceed?”

“Professor Bake is here?” Penelope asked, her expression lighting up as she rose to her feet. Ahwin gave a faint scoff, but she chose to ignore him.

“A lord’s duties are never-ending. I’ll go meet him briefly, all right?”

“I’ll stay here. Take your time,” Ahwin replied casually, waving her off with a lazy hand.

Though she felt uneasy about leaving Ahwin and her family alone, Penelope excused herself and left the room.

The moment she stepped out of the drawing room, she felt an overwhelming sense of relief. Truly, adults needed to establish independence from their families. She reaffirmed this truth she had learned in her past life.

Bake was waiting for her in the newly renovated reception room. When Penelope entered, he stood and bowed respectfully.

“I haven’t seen you in a while, my lady. I’m so glad to see you looking well,” he greeted warmly.

“Likewise! Professor, I’ve heard you’ve been working tirelessly these days,” Penelope replied, unable to hide her smile. Seeing Bake again felt just as comforting as reuniting with her loyal retainers.

“What I’ve done is nothing compared to what you’ve accomplished, my lady. I must thank you for your kind reception despite my sudden visit,” Bake said with a kind smile.

Sensing the moment, Giselle brought in tea for the two of them. Penelope raised a hand and said, “Giselle, could I have something sweet and refreshing instead? Alcohol would be even better.”

“What’s the occasion?” Giselle asked, tilting her head.

“I just feel like it,” Penelope replied with a shrug.

Giselle, as if reading Penelope’s true intentions, nodded knowingly and returned with a glass of apple juice. Penelope drank it down in one go, then placed the glass on the table with a satisfied sigh. She wiped her lips with the back of her hand, finally feeling like she could breathe again.

Bake watched her with a gentle smile. “It seems you have something weighing on your mind, my lady.”

“Oh, it’s nothing serious,” Penelope replied quickly. “But may I ask what brings you here today?”

“I wanted to ask if you could visit once the construction of the middle and high schools is completed. Everything is ready, and it would be an honor to have you there,” Bake explained.

Without much hesitation, Penelope said, “I’ll make sure to increase the budget for the schools. Recruit as many scholarship students as you can, and if you need more facilities, don’t hesitate to build them. The cafeteria isn’t finished yet, is it? Should we start with that? Or maybe the library?”

“...Did my expression give me away, my lady?” Bake asked, looking slightly bewildered.

Penelope chuckled softly before regaining her composure. “It just seemed like the kind of thing you’d want to discuss. I’ve already informed the treasurer, so feel free to speak with him directly. I’ll visit the schools soon.”

“Please, my lady, continue to stay with us for a long time,” Bake said sincerely, his tone filled with earnestness.