A character created by an author who dumped all the talent and skills into one being—that’s what Ahwin was.

‘Now that I think about it, Ar Ahwin and Ahwin… their names are quite similar.’

The overlap in abilities was oddly striking.

‘…Wait a minute, could it be? No, no way. That’s impossible.’

Penelope quickly dismissed the thought.

Ahwin might turn out to be someone extraordinary, but there was no way he was the Mage Tower Master from the original story.

The Mage Tower Master was described as having an ethereal, fairy-like appearance that enchanted everyone.

His beauty was legendary, with soft, honey-like platinum blonde hair. His personality was equally captivating, full of kindness and playful charm. Whenever he flirted with the heroine, readers swooned in agony.

‘You can’t compare the two.’

Ahwin’s hair looked like a botched bleach job, dry and scraggly. He hid his face under messy locks, and his clothes were so shabby they were practically falling apart.

Flirting? He could barely interact with others without picking a fight.

“Milady?”

Penelope snapped out of her thoughts at Giselle’s voice. The maid was looking at her with concern.

“Are you all right?”

“Yes, I’m fine. Nothing’s wrong.”

Despite her response, Penelope couldn’t help stealing glances at Ahwin. Beneath his unkempt hair, his jawline was sharp, and his lips were perfectly full and shaped.

Penelope was convinced that Ahwin’s hidden features couldn’t possibly be unattractive. It was something you could sense with even a bit of observational skill.

‘If only I could just get a glimpse of what’s under that hair… Should I ask him to lift it for a moment?’

She stared at him, her curiosity gnawing at her.

Noticing her gaze, Ahwin suddenly turned toward her. Penelope flinched.

He spoke in a low voice.

“What’s with you? Why do you keep staring at me like that?”

“Oh, it’s nothing. I was just startled and a bit out of it,” Penelope replied, struggling not to keep staring at him.

Now that she thought about it, his skin was pale and smooth, his shoulders broad, his height tall, and his build lean.

Ahwin folded his arms and said, “Well, I suppose it’s natural to be distracted. You’re stuck in the middle of nowhere with no one competent enough to replace those knights, so you can’t even fire them.”

“…That was just a mistake. I’m not firing anyone.”

“You might want to reconsider.”

“Please don’t say things like that. And if it’s really necessary, you could step in, couldn’t you?”

“Well, I suppose I could, but…”

Ahwin scratched the back of his neck, mumbling. Meanwhile, Penelope did her best to quell the nagging suspicion growing in her mind.

Just then, a voice called out.

“Milady, are you inside? It’s the steward.”

“Oh, come in,” Penelope replied, finally freed from her spiraling thoughts.

The steward entered, followed closely by Pablo.

Pablo bowed deeply to Penelope. “It’s been a while, Milady.”

“Oh, it has been. Please, come in.”

Despite Penelope’s invitation, Pablo hesitated at the entrance, his gaze darting around the living room.

The warm air hit him, and his expression wavered like a leaf in the wind.

The steward spoke sternly. “You’ll need to remove your shoes before entering.”

“I… remove my shoes?” Pablo echoed, glancing at Penelope and Ahwin, both barefoot, before hurriedly slipping off his fur-lined boots.

As his bare feet touched the floor, Pablo stiffened. The floor was warm—remarkably so.

“What kind of magic is this?” he asked, astonished.

“Ah, I suppose this is your first time experiencing the heated flooring,” the steward said, realizing the situation.

“Heated flooring? Is that what this system is called? How extraordinary…”

Pablo knelt and touched the floor with his hands, flinching again at the warmth. Before long, he became utterly engrossed in examining the floor, paying no attention to Penelope.

‘Tiles with heat circulating beneath them… Could it be? Surely they didn’t line the entire floor with mana stones?’

As Pablo estimated the cost of maintaining such a system, a sense of dizziness overtook him. If it required daily mana stones, the castle’s finances would be in ruins in no time.

Penelope, seeing his puzzled expression, intervened.

“I don’t know what you’re imagining, but just come sit down,” she said.

“Oh, yes! My apologies,” Pablo stammered, shuffling over on his knees.

The steward shook his head at Pablo’s antics.

Soon, the four of them were seated around a low table, where the maids brought tea.

Even with steaming tea in front of him, Pablo couldn’t take his eyes off the floor.

Before Penelope could speak, the steward scolded him. “What kind of behavior is this in front of the lady?”

“I’m sorry. But… how does it work?” Pablo blurted out, unable to contain his curiosity.

Penelope answered nonchalantly, “Pipes circulate hot water under the tile floor, warming the air above. The heat rises naturally through convection.”

“Hot water pipes? So there’s a mechanism to heat the water somewhere in the house?”

“Yes, and it was developed by our wizard here.”

“Truly remarkable! What an incredible idea!”

Pablo’s mind raced as he imagined the system—pipes circulating hot water beneath the tiles.

If the heating relied solely on water, the mana stone consumption would be minimal. It might not even require mana stones at all; wood could easily be used to heat the water.

“Could I see the mechanism for heating the water?” he asked eagerly.

“Before that, shouldn’t we hear why you’re here?” Penelope interrupted.

“Oh, I was delivering materials for the soap workshop and thought I’d pay you a visit. The steward mentioned you weren’t at the castle, so I followed him here…”

In short, he’d dropped by to say hello.

“I see,” Penelope said, cutting him off before he could ramble further. She got straight to the point.

“The heated flooring system is patented under my name and Ahwin’s. Production and installation are handled by the dwarves. If you’re interested in investing, you’ll need to negotiate with them.”

“Ah, understood!” Pablo’s eyes lit up.

This was a golden opportunity. This heating system could be even more lucrative than the soap business.

‘No, it’s definitely bigger than the soap business!’

Most northern homes relied on inefficient fireplaces for heating. The idea of floors so warm they could rival this room’s comfort was revolutionary.

“I’d like to meet the dwarves if possible,” Pablo said.

“They’re working at the main castle. You’ll find them there,” Penelope replied.

“Thank you for allowing me this opportunity!” Pablo said with a bright smile.

For the rest of the visit, Pablo fidgeted restlessly, clearly itching to see the heating project in action.

Penelope chuckled. “You can go now if you like. It was nice to see you again.”

“Oh, but before I leave, I brought you a gift. I hope you’ll enjoy it.”

Pablo handed over a bundle, which the steward unwrapped. As the ribbon came undone, a rich, fragrant aroma filled the room.

“Coffee beans?” Penelope said, surprised.

“You know of coffee? It’s a popular drink among southern nobles. The taste is a bit bitter at first, but once you develop a palate for it, you’ll love it. I’ve included instructions on how to brew it…”

“I’m already familiar. Thank you, I’ll enjoy it.”

“Oh, you are?” Pablo was taken aback. He hadn’t expected a northern noble like Penelope to know about coffee.