"Perhaps you’re misunderstanding something—it’s not going to be just any ordinary soap. I’m planning to add green herbs to it.”

“Wait, wait a moment.”

Ahwin raised his hand abruptly, and Penelope paused, waiting for him to continue.

“What’s so special about making soap with green herbs?”

“Well, for starters, it’ll have a fresh, clean scent. Plus, it will add properties to make the skin clearer and more moisturized.”

It would completely differentiate itself from the soaps currently on the market.

‘Even commoners who can’t afford expensive scented oils will be able to experience benefits just by washing their hands with it.’

Confident, Penelope continued, “I think since green herbs are an ingredient used in recovery potions, they might also have some effect on skin regeneration. We’d need to test it with a control group to confirm, of course.”

“That’s ridiculous….”

‘Or maybe not entirely absurd,’ Ahwin thought, snapping back to rationality. Green herbs did have wound-healing properties, after all.

Deep in thought, he clamped his mouth shut. If green herbal tea could have beneficial effects, then herbal soap might work as well. It was a plausible theory, even by common logic.

Meanwhile, the dwarves were working on the high-temperature, high-pressure boiler unit and pipes for the Ondol heating system. Ahwin planned to inscribe magical formulas into the completed boiler. For now, he was in a holding pattern until their work was done.

Suddenly, a glint of curiosity—enough to drive even a wizard to madness—sparked in Ahwin’s eyes.

“Alright, we’ll split it 50-50 this time. No exceptions.”

“…Fine.”

Penelope agreed.

Though she could have asked someone else about soap-making, incorporating green herbs required the expertise of an alchemist or a wizard. A 50-50 split might even be a losing deal for the wizard.

“Now, how about lying down on the bed for a bit?”

“What kind of bizarre request is that?”

Ahwin, pulling his collar closed defensively, glared at her. Startled, Penelope quickly explained, “Well, you look like you might faint any moment now.”

“…Stop talking nonsense and just come in. Oh, and we’ll need materials. Caustic soda and fruit oil. Let’s start with that.”

Ahwin’s voice grew more focused as he ushered her inside. His gaze sparkled with the sharp glint of a blade, fueled by his relentless curiosity.

If only his hair weren’t falling into his eyes, it would have been a perfect picture.

Once again, Penelope felt an overwhelming desire to see him with his hair brushed back.

***

That afternoon, Ahwin sat at his desk, surrounded by piles of books. He was working to translate Penelope’s hypothesis into a magical formula.

As he jotted down the necessary equations in his notebook, he muttered to himself, “Hm, maybe I should approach it by stripping away the reagents one by one during the potion-making process?”

The potion-making process was already well-documented, so modifying its intermediate steps seemed the most logical approach.

In conclusion, creating the herbal extract for the soap shouldn’t be overly difficult. It would require time and effort, but it was manageable.

‘Ah, and here comes the boredom again.’

Now that he’d solved the problem, life felt dull once more.

Glancing at the sprig of green herbs in a glass jar on his desk, Ahwin rested his chin on the back of his hand.

The fresh, vibrant greenery immediately brought to mind a certain woman.

The mistress of Halo Castle.

Ahwin’s lips involuntarily jutted out in a small pout.

‘No matter how I think about it, she’s definitely clever. A bit eccentric too.’

He reflected again.

‘Maybe her sharp mind makes her thoughts veer into strange directions.’

A woman who seemed to be cautious of him yet also didn’t seem to care about his opinion. A woman who acted like she feared him but showed no real signs of it.

“She’s fascinating. Normally, people can’t even look me in the eye.”

Though Ahwin was currently living a life of indifference, he remained a top predator on the human hierarchy pyramid.

Ordinary humans instinctively recoiled in his presence.

Even emperors had once been unable to treat him lightly. For a woman without even a speck of magical power to stand before him unfazed was undeniably remarkable.

“It’s more fun because I can’t figure out what she’s thinking.”

Ahwin lightly tapped the green herb with his fingertip. In an instant, the buds of the herb blossomed into full flowers. Their lush petals released a subtle, sweet fragrance into the air.

“Once this task is done, I wonder what astonishing idea she’ll come up with next.”

Leaning back in his chair, Ahwin murmured lazily. The afternoon sunlight spilled over his pale green eyes, making his golden irises shimmer like radiant halos.

For some reason, he found himself looking forward to it.

***

That afternoon, Penelope headed to the castle’s provisions warehouse.

She had heard that a merchant was visiting the castle today.

Outside the warehouse, servants were sweating as they carried supplies.

The goods included food and daily necessities to sustain the castle through the winter.

The administrator, along with the butler and head maid, was meticulously inspecting each item.

The faces of the staff were lit with an unmistakable joy. The simple prospect of spending the winter warm and well-fed was cause for celebration.

When the administrator spotted Penelope, his face brightened.

“Welcome, Baroness.”

“How are the supplies?”

“They’re slightly more expensive than last year, but the quality is much better.”

That was good news. Penelope nodded in satisfaction.

“Don’t forget to distribute winter fabrics to the staff.”

“Of course, Baroness. This afternoon, we’ll gather all the staff to provide them with thick winter fabric. Thanks to your efforts, we’ve also managed to pay their overdue wages.”

Hearing the administrator’s words, the servants exchanged surprised glances.

Overdue wages? Was this some sort of miracle?

Smiles spread across their faces, and the pace of their work quickened.

After surveying the area for a moment, Penelope asked, “Where is the merchant?”

“He’s over there. Pablo, come here for a moment.”

At the administrator’s call, the merchant Pablo approached quickly.

“What can I do for you?”

“The Baroness wishes to speak with you. Introduce yourself.”

At the administrator’s instruction, Pablo bowed deeply and introduced himself.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, my lady. My name is Pablo.”

“…”

Penelope blinked and thought to herself, His name sounds like Pavlov’s dog… She quickly straightened her expression.

Hm?

Gray hair, bluish-gray eyes, and a face that seemed both cold and miserly—he looked oddly familiar.

Pablo? Where have I heard that name before…?

It clicked. He was the merchant who had worked alongside the heroine in the original story, serving as her accomplice and supporter.

But what’s he doing here? Wasn’t he supposed to have become a tycoon?

In the original story, Pablo had flourished under the heroine’s guidance. For him to now be wandering the northern wilderness was baffling.

Naturally, Penelope had no way of knowing what happened after the events of the novel.

“Um, is there something you need?”

Pablo asked hesitantly, his tone almost timid. Was he feeling nervous, or was she imagining it?

“Oh, it’s nice to meet you, Pablo. I have a specific item I’d like to ask about. Would that be alright?”

“Please, my lady, there’s no need for formality. Whatever you need, I’ll search the ends of the continent to find it.”

Search the ends of the continent? His enthusiasm was oddly excessive.

Could it be… his business failed?

Clearing her throat, Penelope got to the point.

“Could you procure some materials for soap-making?”

Without much hesitation, Pablo replied, “Caustic soda and fruit oil, I assume. Depending on the quality you’re after, it shouldn’t be difficult to obtain mid-grade materials.”

“Then please get me about 2,000 gold worth of mid-grade materials. I’ll test them first and order more if needed.”

“I can deliver them as early as tomorrow.”

Pablo answered cheerfully, clearly excited that the Baroness was interested in something beyond basic food supplies.

Judging by his demeanor, it seemed likely that his business had indeed failed, and he had been driven out of the capital.

Well, he’s a merchant. It’s not unheard of for them to fail from time to time.

Penelope quickly brushed off the thought and turned to the administrator.

“Once the materials arrive, please have them delivered to the workshop.”

“Understood.”

The administrator responded promptly.

He was well aware of how hard the Baroness was working to sustain the territory and considered it his duty to assist her wholeheartedly.

“If there’s anything else I can do to help, please don’t hesitate to ask.”

“Thank you for your attention to detail,” Penelope replied with a small smile.

The administrator felt fortunate to serve such a diligent and capable Baroness.