Ahwin’s sarcastic remark made Penelope tilt her head in confusion.

For some reason, Ahwin’s tone seemed unusually irritated, almost as if he knew the disheveled man standing before them.

"So, you’re saying you have no intention of attacking Halo Castle?"

The man promptly responded, "Not at all. If you are the lord of this territory, I humbly ask for your mercy. We are lost in the forest."

"…"

Penelope found herself momentarily speechless.

The northern winter forest was no place for amateurs—it was dangerous enough to keep even seasoned monster hunters away.

‘What’s this about? Is he pretending to be desperate to catch us off guard and attack later?’

Yet, no matter how much she doubted his words, the man’s pitiful appearance was hard to ignore. He looked as though he hadn’t had a drop of water in days, his haggard face and tattered clothes suggesting he’d been wandering the forest aimlessly.

He looked so miserable that Penelope couldn’t help but feel a pang of sympathy.

Besides, Halo Castle was far too impoverished to be an appealing target for any would-be invader.

Ahwin spoke up, his tone dismissive.
"He’s not dangerous. Just take him in, feed him, and then send him on his way."

"…Ah."

Penelope realized something then—Ahwin’s overly irritable demeanor likely meant he did know this man.

She turned to Sir Cain and gave her order.
"You may escort them to the castle. But their weapons cannot be brought inside the gates."

"As you command."

Sir Cain replied with a firm nod, then raised his voice.
"The knights will escort you. Be aware that any suspicious behavior will be met with immediate force!"

"Thank you for your kindness."

Lian expressed his gratitude sincerely, while his guards visibly relaxed. Finally, they would be able to eat a hot meal and sleep in a warm place.

Their long and grueling hunt had come to an end.

As they followed the knights toward the castle, Lian couldn’t suppress his growing curiosity.

‘Why is the Mage Tower Master here?’

A spark of realization flickered in Lian’s eyes.

Never in his wildest dreams had he expected to stumble upon the Mage Tower Master while lost in the northern forest.

Ahwin, for his part, hadn’t anticipated this meeting either. He certainly didn’t expect the Northern Grand Duke to show up looking like a vagabond.

***

Lian and his knights were escorted to guest rooms—ones that, unfortunately, had not yet been fitted with the newly installed Ondol heating system.

Meanwhile, as the maids brought out bedding for the guests, they subtly observed the newcomers with well-practiced discretion.

Years of service had honed their observational skills to an art. Without needing to stare directly, they could assess every detail: clothing, shoes, accessories, skin, nails, and even body language.

The maids exchanged knowing looks. Finally, Laura, acting as their representative, approached Penelope to share her observations.

"My lady, these are no ordinary guests. One of them is undoubtedly a noble."

"A noble?"

Penelope’s eyes widened in surprise.

A noble? Among those scruffy individuals?

"Which one?"

"The most handsome one," Laura said with confidence. "Judging by his mannerisms and speech, he’s definitely a noble. Also, the knights seemed particularly deferential to him."

"…"

"You can trust my eye for these things," Laura added confidently. When she described the handsome man’s features, her eyes sparkled like a child finding candy.

Penelope couldn’t help but marvel at how quickly the maids had picked up on such details amidst the chaos of unexpected visitors.

"What should we prepare for dinner, my lady?"

"Dinner?"

"Surely you’ll invite the noble guest? As the acting lord of the castle, you should at least introduce yourself."

"Yes, my lady, you should greet them," Giselle chimed in, even more excited than Laura.

It seemed the dull, monotonous winter had left everyone eager for any sort of excitement.

"I should consult with the steward about this," Penelope decided.

The steward, however, appeared just as flustered as Penelope.

"A noble among the guests?"

"That’s what the maids say. I’m not sure why they’d be out hunting in this weather, but if one of them truly is a noble, it would be proper to invite them for dinner, wouldn’t it?"

"Welcoming a visiting noble is the right thing to do, but… since they haven’t revealed their identity themselves, is it appropriate for us to assume and act on it?"

The steward, looking troubled, called in the treasurer for advice.

"A noble among them?"

"Laura’s eye for detail is reliable, as you know," the steward said.

"But if they haven’t disclosed their identity, why should we go out of our way to acknowledge it?"

The treasurer, unconvinced, summoned the administrator.

The administrator had a different opinion.
"If one of them is a noble capable of leading knights on a hunt, offending them by treating them casually could have serious consequences."

"But they haven’t revealed who they are!"

"Maybe they didn’t feel the need to. Nobles often assume their status will be recognized."

"So you’re saying we should invite them for dinner?"

"Of course!"

"Even if they haven’t stated their rank?"

"They shouldn’t have to!"

The discussion quickly turned into a heated argument, with each side insisting their stance was correct. Voices grew louder until the steward, having had enough, shouted,

"Silence! Show some decorum in front of the lady! Watch your tongues!"

"Ah, yes, of course…"

The administrator and treasurer sheepishly glanced at Penelope.

Just then, a voice cut through the tension.

"Why is everyone gathered here in the cold? What’s going on?"

It was Ahwin, passing by in the corridor. The commotion must have been loud enough to catch his attention.

Penelope answered on behalf of the group.
"According to the maids, one of the guests might be a noble."

"And?"

"We’re debating whether I, as acting lord, should invite them for dinner."

Ahwin frowned deeply, clearly displeased with the idea.

"There’s no need to treat them so kindly. Just give them a meal and send them on their way."

"How can we just send them off like that? The snow outside is knee-deep."

A low, resonant voice interrupted the conversation.

"Your thoughtfulness is much appreciated."

Startled, Penelope turned to see the man from earlier standing in the middle of the corridor. He was the same man who had arrived unexpectedly with his knights at the outer barrier.

Had the castle guards not confiscated his weapons, he might easily have been mistaken for an invader.

The man was tall, broad-shouldered, and powerfully built. Even Ahwin, who was quite tall himself, seemed slightly shorter by comparison. And the man’s strikingly handsome features only added to his commanding presence.

The plain servant’s clothes they had given him to wear did nothing to diminish his noble aura. He was undeniably the noble Laura had mentioned.

‘So this is the man Laura was talking about?’

The answer was obvious.

Ahwin, already aware of the man’s presence, wore an unmistakably displeased expression.

The man spoke directly to Ahwin.
"It’s been a while. Won’t you at least greet me?"

"I didn’t realize we were on such familiar terms."

"How unfortunate. I thought we shared a strong bond."

"I’ve heard plenty of madmen in my time, but this takes the cake."

Ahwin replied curtly, his tone dripping with disdain. The man, however, simply smiled faintly, his lips curving into a small, unreadable grin.

‘Was that tension just now? Or am I imagining things?’ Penelope thought, sensing an unspoken animosity between the two.

One thing was clear: the relationship between Ahwin and the man was far from amicable.

Since Ahwin was unlikely to handle the situation diplomatically, Penelope stepped forward.

"I am Penelope Ash Halo, acting baroness and current lord of this castle. You may address me as Lady Halo."

"I am Lianel Leobant," the man introduced himself politely.

"Hah, Leobant, is it?" Ahwin scoffed, as though the name itself was laughable.

Lianel remained composed, standing tall and unshaken.

The surname Leobant was indeed that of a noble family—one of considerable renown in the central regions.

Realizing this, the steward and other officials turned pale. The corridor fell into an icy silence.

It wasn’t every day that a grand noble appeared in a rural fiefdom like Halo. Their tension was understandable.

Lianel, noticing the discomfort, offered a slightly apologetic smile.
"I seem to have caused some unease, Lady Halo. Please forgive my intrusion and any offense I may have caused."

"There’s nothing to forgive. I’m sure this was not your intention."

"Hah," Ahwin scoffed again, loud enough for everyone to hear.

It was clear from the start that he harbored no fondness for Lianel, and he wasn’t bothering to hide it.