Lianel greeted the frozen Pablo with a calm demeanor.

"It's been a while, Pablo."

“D-da-da… khh…”

Pablo’s complexion turned pale, as if his throat was constricting. It was due to the faint, chilling aura Lianel emitted.

Lianel maintained a gentlemanly smile, as though he had never threatened Pablo.

“I’m Lianel Leovant. I’ve heard you’ve had a tough time in the North, Pablo.”

“N-no, it’s nothing. It’s been a long time since we last met.”

Pablo blinked several times in disbelief. But no matter how hard he tried, the Grand Duke didn’t vanish from his sight.

‘Why? Why is the Rahinsel Grand Duke here?! For what reason?’

No matter how much he racked his brain, Pablo couldn’t think of a plausible reason for the Northern Grand Duke to be at Halo Manor.

‘Leovant? That’s his maternal family’s name, isn’t it? He hasn’t even revealed his true identity yet. What in the world is going on?’

Despite the short span of time, cold sweat drenched Pablo’s back.

Fortunately, Penelope appeared before long. To Pablo, her arrival felt like the descent of a savior.

“Sorry I’m late. Could we get started with the meal?”

“Yes, my lady.”

The servants quickly placed the dishes on the table—stew, bread, mashed potatoes, roasted turkey, and meat pie. Each dish looked delicious, a testament to the effort the chef had put in.

Penelope picked up her wine glass and asked, “Where’s Ahwin?”

“He mentioned he might be a bit late and suggested starting the meal without him.”

“Oh, really? Then shall we begin?”

“Of course,” Lianel agreed.

Pablo, still pale, hesitated before picking up his fork and knife. When they had parted earlier in the day, he had seemed energetic enough. Now, his trembling hands told a different story.

‘Why does Pablo look so uneasy? Is he unwell?’

Penelope stifled a wry smile.

‘Ah, he recognized the Grand Duke.’

It made sense. As a prominent merchant from the capital, Pablo was bound to recognize the Grand Duke. He must have been utterly shocked to encounter him here.

‘And it looks like he’s been silenced, too.’

Penelope could practically envision the events that had unfolded before her arrival.

Lianel, elegantly setting down his wine glass, broke the silence. “I greeted Pablo earlier. It seems we’ve crossed paths in the capital.”

“Ah, is that so?” Penelope replied, feigning ignorance. Lianel’s expression grew slightly amused.

“Pablo appears to be assisting with your business ventures. Floor heating, was it? It’s certainly an appealing innovation. Are you considering expanding this heating project to other regions?”

“…Yes. I hadn’t yet shared a meal with my business partner, so I invited him this time. I’ll be relying on him frequently, so I thought it best to make a good impression.”

“A truly considerate gesture.”

Pablo managed to speak after sipping some water to steady himself. Seeing him like this made Penelope feel parched herself.

‘Just like in the original story—Lianel’s observational skills are impeccable.’

Even though Penelope had never discussed the boiler project in front of him, Lianel had effortlessly grasped her plans.

He had spent his days seemingly idle, yet he had undoubtedly pieced together nearly everything about her.

‘While the Mage Tower Master can sometimes seem endearingly clumsy, the Grand Duke feels utterly untouchable.’

That was Penelope’s impression of Lianel thus far.

Even though he had never been cold or arrogant toward her, there was an undeniable line she dared not cross. He was a natural-born aristocrat, destined to rule over others.

‘Well, at least this will soon be over.’

With the snow letting up, Penelope would part ways with the Grand Duke. Ideally, she wouldn’t see him again. Life was hard enough without having a ticking time bomb like the Grand Duke around.

Penelope quietly prayed as she scooped up a spoonful of soup. Lianel spoke again.

“The chef seems to be quite skilled.”

“Oh, I’m glad you think so. I’ll be sure to pass along your compliments.”

Penelope responded politely.

“The ingredients don’t seem particularly special, yet the depth of flavor is remarkable.”

“It seems the chef put a lot of care into it. He takes great pride in his cooking.”

It was likely because of Ahwin. Every time the wizard left his plate untouched, the chef’s determination to improve was reignited.

Penelope suddenly found herself worrying about Ahwin, who still hadn’t arrived.

‘What could be occupying the wizard this time?’

Perhaps he’d gotten distracted by something peculiar and lost his appetite again.

“Is something bothering you?” Lianel asked.

Startled, Penelope shook her head. “It’s nothing.”

She glanced briefly at the door before taking another sip of wine. Lianel remarked, as if recalling something, “The wizard seems to be late for dinner.”

“Yes. He’s been punctual lately, so I wonder what’s keeping him.”

Lianel studied Penelope’s expression, a peculiar look crossing his face. From the beginning, she hadn’t been focused on the meal.

‘Could she be worrying about the Mage Tower Master? Such an unnecessary concern.’

In Lianel’s eyes, Penelope was a rare type of woman.

Despite her noble status, she was unpretentious and straightforward. At the same time, she had an exceptional talent for managing people.

‘If even Pablo, who’s like a bloodhound for profitable ventures, has attached himself to her…’

Now that he thought about it, the Mage Tower Master also seemed unusually fixated on Penelope. That temperamental man rarely took a liking to anyone, let alone a human.

Lianel observed Penelope as he continued eating. For a while, the table remained silent, with each person lost in their thoughts.

Then, the door to the parlor opened.

Finally, Penelope thought, her face lighting up as she turned toward the entrance.

Thunk. Clatter!

Penelope dropped her spoon.

‘What—what—what is this?!’

The maids attending the table froze in place as well.

Standing at the door was a man so breathtakingly handsome it was almost frustrating. He looked around the room as if he had wandered in by mistake, like an angel who had lost his way.

The man absentmindedly fiddled with his hair, looking slightly out of place.

Golden hair softly framing his forehead, a small, pale face, broad shoulders, and a lean figure—his appearance was utterly flawless.

His long eyelashes shaded pale green eyes, which briefly met Penelope’s before shifting to Lianel. His red lips pressed into a tight line, as if displeased.

“Who are you?” Penelope blurted out.

The man’s expression shifted to one of incredulity.

“Who am I? Are you serious?”

‘Who am I?’ Who… wait, no way—

“S-seriously, Ahwin?”

“Why are you so surprised?” Ahwin asked, visibly annoyed.

Penelope’s jaw dropped.

‘Unbelievable! It’s really Ahwin!’

She had always known he was good-looking, glimpses of his features visible through his unruly hair. But this was beyond imagination.

“You… you cut your hair?”

“As you can see. Fortunately, there was a skilled barber in the estate. It turned out decent enough.”

Ahwin ran his fingers through his now-short hair with evident satisfaction.

So that was why he had been late—he had gone to get a haircut.

Penelope swallowed hard, unable to speak.

The impact of Ahwin’s appearance was almost too much to process.

‘No way. I didn’t expect him to look like this!’

“Why are you staring at my face like that?”

“How could I not? Is this… some kind of transformation? Magic?”

“Transformation? It’s just a haircut.”

Ahwin frowned deeply. While he had anticipated some admiration for his appearance, he hadn’t expected Penelope to look so utterly dazed.

He felt a slight sense of pride. Perhaps even a touch of satisfaction.

“Can I start eating now?” Ahwin asked.