Though beastly, his noble and imposing presence inspired awe rather than disgust.
For once, Penelope’s usually half-distracted expression finally filled with genuine tension.
“I won’t forget.”
“Good. If you, as the master of the tower, take appropriate action, Preses will ensure a fitting reward.”
“I look forward to it.”
“The feeling is mutual.”
Adrian immediately gave a sharp nod toward Penelope.
Though she had been flirting with Seton the entire time, standing firm before someone who had even revealed the power of a dragon was impossible.
Penelope quietly excused herself and left.
Click.
The door closed behind her, and a heavy magical barrier settled into place.
Penelope narrowed her eyes and scanned the dense golden mana that blanketed the office.
So thick it seemed to crush everything around it—an oppressive force of pure magic.
Seeing such power lingering on the ground, something not of human origin, never failed to inspire awe.
She reached out a hand and swept through the golden mana surrounding the chamber.
Cold, firm, unwavering.
“...Not my taste.”
Penelope preferred something soft, warm, and gentle.
And pretty.
Her repeated infatuation with Seton’s magic wasn’t deliberate madness—Seton’s dazzling, multicolored mana perfectly matched her preferences!
After coming back to her senses, she usually ended up making a fool of herself…
“...Right?”
“No, it’s perfect when it’s cold.”
Penelope clenched her fist and panted, but her gaze was drawn to a passerby in the hallway.
“But usually, ice cream is best in the heat of summer.”
“Oh, Your Grace, you really don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“...”
Pretty.
Penelope’s eyes fixed on the glossy black hair.
“Do you even know where the empire’s most famous ice cream comes from?”
A sweet voice, and soft, pale skin that looked as tender as it felt.
Her neck was slender enough to fit in a single hand.
“What…”
Penelope’s voice trembled slightly. She was close to losing her composure.
She swallowed dryly.
“Your Grace the Grand Duchess, the most famous place isn’t always the best, you know?”
“Oh, Catherine. You just sounded really smart.”
Emerald eyes flashed brightly as she passed.
Pretty!
“Your Grace the Grand Duchess.”
Penelope carefully pronounced the title she had just heard.
The previously chattering ladies immediately fell silent and turned around.
Their cheerful faces drained of color, going pale.
“Wh—what…”
“Just now…”
A wide-eyed maid fumbled with her words as the Grand Duchess began to tremble.
Oh dear. Cute and pretty, but so fragile! Even better!
Penelope stepped forward in a single stride and stood before the trembling Grand Duchess.
“May I give you a hug?”
“Just now, what did you say...?!”
“Your Grace the Grand Duchess.”
Just as Penelope spoke the title, a piercing scream ripped through the air.
With a scream that seemed to tear eardrums, the Duchess grabbed the maid and ran off.
Her thick skirt was no obstacle—her slender frame moved with incredible speed.
“Wow…”
Penelope awkwardly withdrew her outstretched arms.
“The Emperor wouldn’t have brought anything suspicious.”
She was usually crazy protective of her younger brother, but she always acted like someone mentally unstable…
As that thought crossed her mind, Penelope’s face betrayed a look of exasperation.
“Oh no!”
Invisible!
She had completely forgotten that she had cast an invisibility spell to avoid being seen.
“Your Grace the Grand Duchess!”
Since the Western Tower’s master was officially supposed to be in the Northern Mountain Range, Penelope had visited the mansion while invisible.
All magic is useless against a higher-ranked mage than the caster, so only Seton, the Duke, and the Duke’s advisor equipped with a Dispel magic tool could see Penelope.
She had just forgotten herself.
Imagine how shocked they must have been to suddenly hear a voice out of nowhere!
“Damn it!”
Penelope quickly dispelled her invisibility and ran after the Duchess, who had vanished from sight.
She could have teleported or warped, but suddenly appearing beside a frightened, fleeing Grand Duchess might cause her heart to stop.
“Your Grace!”
Penelope hurried along, swishing her long robe behind her.
“Eek!”
I’ve never heard of this being a horror story!
Ione ran like crazy at the voice echoing through the air.
Her heart felt like it might burst at any second, but if she died, it might as well be here...
“Your Grace.”
“Ahhh! She’s following me!”
The Grand Duchess’s dignity, image—none of it mattered anymore.
Ione flapped her arms wildly, running like chasing a fly.
Catherine was no better.
But no matter how much they flailed, they made no progress.
Realizing this, Catherine let out a scream in a completely different tone.
“Ahhh!”
“Ow! My ears!”
Now it was ultrasound attacks, after ghosts!
Ione was at her wit’s end.
Then, suddenly—
“Everyone? Please calm down.”
A woman appeared before them, politely and firmly speaking in a voice eerily similar to a ghost.
“Wh-who?”
“Ahh! It’s a ghost!”
“Excuse me.”
To Catherine’s frightened stammering, the woman responded with a gentle but firm bow.
“I apologize for the surprise. I am Penelope, mage of the Western Tower, here to greet Your Grace the Grand Duchess.”
“Mage?”
Ione blinked in bewilderment.
Penelope bowed gracefully again.
“Yes, Your Grace. Please, just call me Penelope.”
Didn’t I just hear something weird?
But she couldn’t say it—not when Penelope offered such dignified, elegant courtesy.
A mage wasn’t supposed to be bound by noble society’s rules, right...?
Though Ione was flustered, she hurriedly accepted the greeting.
“Your Grace, it is an honor to meet you.”
Penelope took Ione’s hand and brought it to her forehead with confident nobility.
“May I beg your forgiveness for the earlier rudeness?”
“Rudeness?”
“I cast invisibility for security reasons, and inadvertently frightened Your Grace and your poor maid.”
“Ah.”
Ione finally understood what had happened.
Penelope had tried to greet them, but the fleeing reaction must have embarrassed her as well.
I understand.
She could also sympathize with why Penelope had chased after those running away to clear the misunderstanding.
But still, having her limbs bound and unable to move was awful.
“Then will you undo this first? Asking for forgiveness like this is novel, but I still prefer to be free.”
“Oh, Your Grace!”
Penelope snapped her fingers, and a heavy but stabilizing weight pressed on Ione’s body.
Her uncontrolled body slowly adjusted to gravity.
Ione silently accepted as Catherine lightly smoothed down her swelling skirt.
“I...”
“I accept your apology. But words alone aren’t enough.”
Ione tried to use the refined tone she’d read about in books.
She understood the situation, but a mage who tied up the Grand Duchess to keep her from running? It was unheard of rudeness.
Disputes were unwelcome, but ignoring outrageous behavior only made one a fool.
It was right to call it out sharply.
“As compensation for emotional distress, pay 100,000 gold.”
Ione held out her hand without preamble.
“100... 100,000 gold?”
“Yes. That’s the least you should pay for the disrespect I suffered.”
The most expensive townhouse in the city cost 850,000 gold.
The 100,000 gold Ione demanded was a staggering sum.
It could buy a magnificent building anywhere in the capital except for the townhouse nobles used when they came to the city.
Of course, she had no intention of receiving the money, but a fine was the surest way to make Penelope realize how grave her offense was.
Having gathered her thoughts, Ione straightened her back and lightly clasped her hands in front of her waist.
Standing fully tense made her feel a little more confident.
The mage before her looked so shocked that her eyes were wide and frozen.
“If 100,000 gold is too much, then I accept a sincere ap—”
“Would it be possible to pay with a magic tool?”
What?
Penelope’s unexpected question made Ione’s demand for a sincere apology falter.
“I’m deployed on a mission, so all I have with me are magic tools… oh, and magic stones. Would that be acceptable, Your Grace?”
Penelope pulled out a small, black orb from her fluttering sleeve.
“Whoa!”
Catherine recognized the black orb and gasped in admiration.
Penelope looked quite pleased with herself.
‘Sorry, but I have no idea what that is.’
Regrettably, Ione could only blink in confusion.