Suddenly, a proverb popped into Penelope’s mind: “A leaking vessel leaks both inside and out.”

She shot Ahwin a look, silently urging him to behave, but he paid no attention to her subtle warning.

‘What am I supposed to do with this walking disaster?’

She couldn’t find an answer. Thankfully, the ever-perceptive steward stepped in.

"Perhaps it would be better to continue this in the drawing room? I’ll have dinner prepared for the three of you to enjoy together."

"I am truly honored by your invitation," Lianel replied, placing a hand over his chest in an elegant gesture. His refined display of noble etiquette was flawless.

‘So effortlessly graceful. I should take notes.’

Penelope responded with a slight curtsy as a polite acknowledgment.

"This is absolutely ridiculous," Ahwin muttered, his tone as dismissive as ever.

Penelope ignored him entirely. The steward, well-accustomed to Ahwin’s prickly nature, did the same.

"This way, please. I’ll guide you," the steward said, stepping forward to lead the group.

With Lianel following graciously, Penelope and Ahwin trailed behind, the tension between them palpable but contained—for now.

***

“Hmm…?”

The moment Lian stepped into the drawing room, he looked perplexed.

‘How strange. Why is the air so warm here?’

He didn’t yet realize that the floor beneath him was heated—it was a sensation completely foreign to him. Instead, he merely thought, ‘This castle must be wealthy to use mana stones so generously.’

Meanwhile, Penelope and Ahwin, accustomed to the warmth, casually removed their outer garments, which the servants promptly collected. Lian, trying to remain inconspicuous, began observing the room.

‘For such a wealthy estate, the furnishings are quite outdated.’

Thinking back, the guest room hadn’t looked particularly grand either. In fact, ‘impoverished’ might have been a better description.

A servant gestured for him to sit.

“Please, have a seat here.”

As the servant also took his coat, Lian realized the room was warm enough to render outerwear unnecessary.

Soon after, the maids brought in aperitifs—wine the steward had been secretly saving for special occasions.

Penelope hesitated for a moment before taking a sip.

‘It’s not every day I get to try something like this. All thanks to having a grand noble guest at the castle.’

This fleeting thought crossed her mind as she savored the drink.

The atmosphere at the dining table was quiet. Penelope wasn’t the most talkative person around strangers, and it seemed that both Ahwin and Lian shared a similar disposition.

Still, as the host, she couldn’t remain silent forever. Summoning her courage, Penelope spoke.

“I heard you came here while out hunting.”

Then, curiosity getting the better of her, she added, “How do you know our resident wizard?”

“……”

Penelope hesitated, unsure of how to respond. Should she start by explaining how she’d “found” Ahwin buried under a pile of books? But that seemed unnecessary given the apparent familiarity between the two men. Was it even appropriate to bring up such details?

Before she could gather her thoughts, Lian spoke first.

“I must admit, I got lost in the forest. After wandering for three days and nights, I was fortunate enough to stumble upon your outer walls.”

“I see.”

Penelope nodded politely, her expression neutral. But Lian seemed embarrassed by her reaction.

“To be honest, I originally just wanted to ride my horse across open fields. But the forest was more tangled and dark than I expected, and the monsters—well, they’re so cunning in winter it’s astounding. Looking back, it was reckless of me.”

Even in hindsight, Lian was baffled by his own impulsiveness. He hadn’t realized he was capable of such careless actions.

“That must have been a dangerous situation,” Penelope replied, at a loss for anything else to say.

Lian’s predicament in the northern forest had already played out, and asking him why he’d ventured there would only be rude—especially in noble circles.

Deciding to change the subject, Penelope asked, “Earlier, you mentioned our wizard. What about him?”

“Yes, I was curious about how you came to associate with him.”

“Ah, well… I formally hired him under contract.”

“How so?” Lian asked, his expression now one of genuine interest.

Penelope found herself momentarily at a loss.

‘How so, indeed…?’

If she explained that the head of the Mage Tower’s northern branch had notarized the contract and that both parties had signed it in good faith, it would only raise more questions.

‘Isn’t that how other estates hire wizards?’

She couldn’t help but feel uncertain.

‘Wait… is this what they call “noble euphemism”?’

That thought only added to her confusion. Growing up in a poor household, Penelope hadn’t interacted with many nobles, let alone grand ones like Lian. Her two months of marriage to her former husband had hardly provided any insights either; their conversations had been minimal, focused solely on their respective duties.

After some deliberation, Penelope finally decided to just say it plainly.

“I requested a wizard from the Mage Tower and signed a contract. Is there a problem with that?”

“No, not at all. I was just curious why, out of all the wizards available, you chose him and how you met him.”

“There wasn’t anything special about it…” Penelope trailed off.

At that moment, she was struck by a realization: Lian already knew who Ahwin truly was.

There was no other explanation for his persistent curiosity.

‘If even a grand noble like him is so focused on Ahwin, then… could he really be the Mage Tower Master?’

Oh no.

‘Ahwin is the Mage Tower Master. It all makes sense now. A wizard with power like his doesn’t just appear out of nowhere.’

What she had dismissed as mere speculation had crystallized into certainty.

But what was she supposed to do now? Judging by Lian’s behavior, he was clearly trying to probe their relationship, and she’d have to play dumb.

If she were knowingly employing the Mage Tower Master as her territory’s wizard, it would be an enormous scandal—practically unthinkable. After all, even the Emperor himself couldn’t command the Mage Tower Master as a subordinate.

‘Why doesn’t he just stay in the tower like a proper Mage Tower Master? Why come to the northern wilderness of all places?’

Feeling frustrated, Penelope stole a glance at Ahwin, who remained cold and aloof.

Ahwin suddenly broke his silence.
“Are you talking about me?”

His tone, though calm, carried a subtle edge of irritation. Penelope panicked internally.

‘Stop! This is not the time for that attitude! He’s already suspicious of us!’

Hastily, Penelope interjected.

“I just happened to cross paths with the wizard, but how do you two know each other?”

“……”

Both men fell silent. Penelope had expected as much—both seemed eager to dig into others’ affairs but reluctant to divulge their own.

It was clear that neither wanted to explain their relationship. Penelope had no desire to press further. She didn’t want to know, and she certainly didn’t want them to think she did.

Lian suddenly chuckled. At first, it was a quiet laugh, but it soon grew into a hearty one.

His bright, cheerful laughter filled the room, and for a moment, it felt as if the space itself lit up.

As both Penelope and Ahwin turned their attention to him, Lian finally spoke, his amusement still evident.

“I apologize. It’s just that I’ve never seen the wizard interact with someone so… warmly before.”

Ah…

Penelope covered her mouth with her hand, trying to hide her embarrassment. Once again, that proverb about leaking vessels came to mind.

Ahwin, on the other hand, stared at Lian with a blank expression before finally speaking.

“You can call me Ahwin.”

“Ah, understood. Please call me Lian. Lady Baroness, feel free to address me however you wish.”

Lian’s words brought Penelope back to her senses. She glanced at him before offering a polite smile.

“I’ll call you Lianel.”

Ahwin, however, remained as cold as ever, clearly displeased with the situation.

‘What on earth happened between them to make him dislike this man so much?’

Penelope didn’t know, and she wasn’t sure she wanted to find out.

After all, Lianel shared a name with none other than the Northern Grand Duke himself.

Penelope felt a cold sweat trickle down her back. ‘Surely, it couldn’t be him… could it?’

‘Nope! I don’t want to know! I’ll pretend I don’t know anything!’

Lianel broke the silence again.

“If it wouldn’t be an imposition, I have a request for you, Lady Baroness.”

“Oh? Please, go ahead.”

Penelope quickly regained her composure and responded.