I Don't Know the Original, I'm Too Busy Trying to Make a Living-Chapter 162

The next morning.

The Rencer family gathered in the main hall of the lord’s castle.

Penelope, alongside Ahwin, was there to see her family off. To her surprise, she felt uncharacteristically hesitant. Sending them off didn’t feel as freeing as she had imagined.

Baron Rencer turned to Penelope and said, “I hope the next time we meet will be at your wedding.”

“Ah, um... That might take longer than you expect, Father,” Penelope replied, glancing at Ahwin. His expression darkened slightly, but he remained silent.

Baron Rencer continued, “The timing of the wedding doesn’t matter, but remember to carry the weight of your responsibilities, as someone who governs an estate should.”

“Y-yes,” Penelope stammered, scratching the back of her neck. She felt her cheeks heat up as a strange mix of pride and exhilaration filled her. Her father’s acknowledgment was oddly uplifting, sparking a stronger sense of duty within her.

“Milord, the carriage is ready,” one of the attendants informed him.

“Well then, we’ll be off. You should head back inside.”

Despite her father’s words, Penelope stayed rooted to the spot.

Baron Rencer turned and climbed into the carriage, followed by Abe and Clara. Clara hesitated, glancing back uncertainly, before walking over to Penelope.

“I owe you an apology, my lady. That day, I spoke harshly without understanding the situation. My brother feels the same way.”

“Is that so?” Penelope responded with a faint smile. From behind, Abe’s voice rang out.

“Ahem, Clara, hurry up and get in the carriage.”

“I’ll see you again,” Clara said quickly, bowing before rushing to the carriage.

Finally, only Florin remained.

Florin looked at Penelope and Ahwin, a quiet smile gracing her lips. Her gaze lingered warmly on Ahwin, full of kindness and approval.

“You two make a wonderful pair.”

“Th-thank you, Mother.”

Florin smiled once more before offering Ahwin a small nod, which he returned politely.

With grace, Florin stepped into the carriage. Moments later, the vehicle set off.

And just like that, her family was gone. Penelope felt a pang of sadness.

“They’ve left,” she said softly.

“They have,” Ahwin replied.

“We’ll see them again, right?”

“Of course. I’ll fly to them in an instant if need be.”

Ahwin’s tone was as resolute as if he were making a vow. Penelope clicked her tongue in exasperation.

“Just use teleportation magic.”

“Teleportation magic only works for places you’ve already been to. Next time, I’ll make it happen.”

“Fine.”

Ahwin extended his hand. Penelope placed hers in his, their fingers intertwining.

***

The moment of bittersweet longing didn’t last long—it couldn’t.

Taking a light breath, Penelope said, “It’s time to tackle all the work I’ve been putting off.”

“Should I help? You’ve got quite the workload,” Ahwin offered.

“No, you should rest. I know how much effort you put into dealing with my parents,” she replied.

Ahwin’s eyes widened as he turned to look at her. “You knew?”

“Of course I did. I’m not completely clueless,” Penelope said, placing her hands on her hips. Did he think she was oblivious?

She was fully aware that Ahwin had gone through no small amount of trouble, acting as a buffer between her and her parents. She had watched enough dramas and movies in her previous life to know how exhausting it was to deal with the families of a partner or spouse.

Even without knowing the details, Penelope could tell how much effort Ahwin had put into winning her parents over.

Even using that embarrassingly sweet tone of his—it didn’t suit him at all, she thought, both amused and touched by his awkward yet endearing attempts. Every time he tried to present himself favorably to her family, a warmth spread through her heart.

Just then, Ahwin narrowed his eyes and took a step closer to her. “Is just saying thank you enough?”

“What?”

“I mean, you could show your gratitude a bit more... proactively,” he suggested.

What is he, my boss? Penelope almost blurted out. Instead, she instinctively pouted, her lips protruding in annoyance. She would have appreciated it more if he hadn’t said anything, but alas, ✪ Nоvеlіgһt ✪ (Official version) his lack of tact was infuriating.

Still, that doesn’t mean I’m not grateful, she admitted to herself. She truly was. It was the first time she had felt so close to her family, and the walls she had always sensed between them seemed to have come down, thanks entirely to Ahwin.

He had swept them off their feet, dressing as elegantly as a fairy and charming them effortlessly.

Maybe it’s time I stopped just saying thank you and actually did something, Penelope reflected.

She fell into quiet contemplation, feeling a bit guilty. She had taken so much from Ahwin without giving back. Even a thief might have felt ashamed in her position.

“Um...” Ahwin began hesitantly, glancing at her. “So, if you have time, maybe we could... go on a date—”

Before he could finish, Penelope stood on tiptoe and pressed a kiss to his cheek. Or at least, that was her intention. However, Ahwin’s sudden movement caused her lips to brush against his instead. His face turned as red as an apple, and Penelope’s face flamed in response.

Oh no, our lips touched!

Her heart raced so violently that it felt like it would break through her ribcage.

Initiating physical affection as a former novice at relationships took enormous courage, and today, Penelope had used up all of hers. Struggling to maintain composure, she managed to speak.

“Ahwin, g-go rest in your room. I’ll call you if I need anything.”

Ahwin, completely frozen like an ice sculpture, didn’t respond. He looked as though he had even stopped breathing.

Meanwhile, Giselle, who had been observing the scene from a distance, smacked Laura on the back.

“Did you just see that?” Giselle asked, her voice trembling with excitement.

“I... I did,” Laura replied, her face blank with shock.

Giselle grabbed Laura’s hand tightly. Laura returned the gesture.

Giselle’s grin stretched so wide that it almost reached her ears. Overwhelmed with a sense of duty to spread what she had witnessed, she and Laura exchanged a glance before heading straight for the laundry room, where most of the maids gathered.

Back in the hall, Penelope fled to the elevator and ascended to her room. She tried to stand still, but her body fidgeted restlessly. She stomped her feet as if performing a tap dance, her heart still pounding erratically.

Does that even count as my first kiss?

After some thought, she decided it didn’t. While their lips had touched, it was only a brief brush, and Ahwin hadn’t even closed his eyes.

No, a proper kiss happens in a romantic setting with both people closing their eyes.

Recalling scenes from movies, Penelope nodded to herself. She decided to chalk the moment up as a gesture of thanks, nothing more. This thought helped calm her a little.

The elevator arrived at the third floor, and Penelope stepped out, making her way down the corridor to her study.

Time to finally catch up on all the work I’ve been putting off in the name of family visits.

She felt a faint surge of motivation.

“Alright!” Penelope said, throwing open the door to her study with determination—only to be met with a shocking sight.

“Ahh!” she shrieked, slamming the door shut immediately. Clutching her chest, she took deep breaths, trying to steady herself.

What did I just see?

Her heart pounded like she had seen a ghost in a horror movie.

I must’ve imagined it.

Tentatively, she cracked the door open and peeked inside.

“Nope,” she muttered, slamming it shut again.

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After silently counting to ten, she opened the door one more time.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t a hallucination.

The study was completely buried under mountains of documents. Piles of papers covered the desk, tables, sofas, and even the floor. There wasn’t a single spot free of paperwork.

This is way too much, even for me!

Balancing on tiptoe, Penelope weaved through the paper stacks and somehow managed to reach her chair. Sitting down, she felt as if the sheer weight of the documents might suffocate her. If one of the stacks collapsed, it seemed her life might genuinely be in danger.

Then, there was a knock at the door.