I Don't Know the Original, I'm Too Busy Trying to Make a Living-Chapter 201

Penelope’s kisses never came with a warning. They always struck like a bolt out of the blue.

Each time, Ahwin found himself utterly defenseless against her.

Just that morning, he had been sulking, feeling as though his beloved had been stolen by her own estate.

If it’s a date, it should be a proper date! Taking a detour to check on the estate felt like cheating.

Whenever Penelope had something on her mind, it always turned out to be about the estate. As if skipping responsibilities for a single day would cause the entire territory to collapse.

Maybe I should just crush it all...

With just a flick of his finger, the Halo Estate could crumble like dough under his immense power. A glint of gold flickered in his eyes.

However, it was as if Penelope could sense his stray thoughts. She locked eyes with him, sharp and knowing.

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“...Pepe?”

“What are you thinking about while kissing me?”

“It’s not that... but how about giving me a little warning before you kiss me?”

“Are you saying I should declare war or something? Are we at war now?”

Penelope pouted her lips, and they looked maddeningly tempting. Ahwin thought he was beginning to understand her timing for kisses. This time, he took the lead and captured her lips.

“...!”

Penelope’s eyes widened in surprise before she slowly closed them.

After a while, Ahwin broke the silence.

“I’ve thought about it, and I’ve decided you don’t need to give me a warning before kissing me.”

“Pfft, is that what you’ve been pondering so seriously?”

“You don’t understand how important this is,” Ahwin replied, furrowing his brows. It was the most serious expression Penelope had ever seen from him.

Penelope quietly changed her tune.

“I’ll give you a heads-up every now and then, if I feel like it.”

“I think I’ve figured out your timing now anyway.”

He added a dramatic line, the kind you’d hear in a pop song: I’m not the clueless rookie you used to know anymore.

Penelope barely managed to hold back her laughter.

A knock interrupted their moment.

Penelope flinched as if struck by lightning, while Ahwin frowned.

“Baroness, it’s Emily. I’ve come with Violette. May we come in?”

“Ah...”

Penelope glanced at Ahwin before hurriedly getting up from the sofa and moving to a seat opposite him.

“Ahem, come in,” she said, trying to sound composed.

At her invitation, the door opened, and Emily and Violette entered the room one after the other.

Penelope discreetly shifted to a single seat, attempting to appear casual.

“Please, have a seat.”

“Thank you for your kindness.”

The two women curtsied gracefully before sitting down. Penelope called for Giselle to bring tea.

The tea cups on the table soon began to steam gently.

Before speaking, Emily glanced between Penelope and Ahwin.

“I hope we aren’t intruding on your private time together.”

“If you know that, then next time—”

“That’s fine,” Penelope quickly interjected, cutting off Ahwin’s remark. “What brings you here?”

She didn’t forget to flash Ahwin a warning glance.

This socially inept golden child. I can’t let my guard down for even a second.

Emily cleared her throat awkwardly before replying.

“We thought it was thoughtless of us to visit like this. We plan to return to the capital soon.”

“So soon? Didn’t you just arrive yesterday?” Penelope asked, puzzled.

It took two full days just to travel from the capital to Halo Estate. Staying for only one night before departing didn’t make much sense.

And they even passed through two other locations to get here. Even with a plane, such a rushed departure would be unusual.

Emily hesitated, looking slightly crestfallen.

“We thought staying here might inconvenience you, Baroness.”

“It’s no trouble at all. You’ve come all this way—take your time to rest at the manor.”

“But...”

Emily fidgeted nervously, a stark contrast to her usual lively demeanor.

Could yesterday’s incident have shaken {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} her that much?

If Penelope had to guess, the reason was clear: Countess Corindel and the Duchess of Rahinsel tailing them secretly and causing trouble. It seemed Emily felt responsible.

“If it’s about yesterday, you don’t need to worry. It wasn’t your fault. The blame lies with those who followed you without permission.”

“...Really?”

Emily’s expression brightened noticeably.

“Baroness, you think so too, right? The ones at fault are those who sneaked after us.”

It seemed like she was directing her words more toward Violette than Penelope. As if on cue, Violette let out a resigned sigh.

“The truth is, my younger sister can be so reckless... I couldn’t help but worry she might cause you similar trouble in the future.”

“Well, you’re the one who liked the idea too,” Emily muttered under her breath, earning a sharp look from Violette.

“Emily.”

“You know how hard it was to get Father’s permission. If that’s your stance, why don’t you return alone?”

“...”

It seemed the sisters had come without fully agreeing on their plans.

Before Ahwin’s expression could darken further, Penelope stepped in with a decision.

“You traveled for two days to get here, so stay for at least a week. Ivetta can keep you company after work.”

“Is that really okay?”

“We’ve also received prototypes of the new dryer and iron. You can take a look at those too.”

“Are they magical tools you’ve invented this time, Baroness?” Emily asked, her curiosity piqued. Penelope nodded, and Violette’s ears seemed to twitch slightly.

“I’d like to see them right away!” Emily exclaimed.

“They’re in the laundry room if you want to take a look now,” Penelope offered.

“This time, they’re laundry-related magical tools, aren’t they?” Violette asked, her eyes shining with interest.

Penelope turned to Giselle.

“Could you guide them to the laundry room?”

“Of course. I’ve been wanting to see them myself. The other maids have all crowded into the laundry room already.”

“Really?”

“I even saw the chief steward heading there. Would you like to join us, Baroness?”

The thought of the overcrowded laundry room made Penelope feel like she was boarding a packed subway train. She shook her head.

“I’ll go later with Ahwin. Is that okay with you?”

“I don’t mind,” Ahwin replied indifferently, clearly uninterested in magical tools.

It wasn’t as though they were looking at a state-of-the-art washing machine or dryer. A mere spinner could wait.

Emily, her patience already worn thin, sprang to her feet.

“Then we’ll head to the laundry room. Thank you for your hospitality, Baroness.”

“Thank you for your generosity,” Violette added, clearly unable to hide her curiosity.

The sisters left the office together.

“I don’t know why they even came,” Ahwin grumbled.

***

As Penelope had expected, the laundry room was packed. Nearly every servant in the manor had gathered there.

The prototypes Lecter had delivered included two large spinners, one standard iron, and two steam irons.

The maids handling the laundry placed soaked blankets into one spinner, while the other held wet shirts, pants, and skirts.

Swishhhhh!

With a satisfying sound, the water was wrung from the items. After 20 minutes, as programmed, the spinners slowed to a halt.

Dorothy, trembling with anticipation, opened the lid of the spinner holding the blankets. Her eyes widened.

“...!”

“How is it?” someone asked.

“The blankets are completely dry! It’s as if all the water has been drained out!”

Dorothy lifted the blanket from the spinner, prompting the other maids to swarm around to inspect it.

Meanwhile, others opened the spinner containing the clothes.

“This is incredible! This will make laundry so much easier!”

“With these spinners, we’ll finally escape the nightmare of laundry day!”

The maids shook the dried clothes and placed them into baskets, ready for air drying. With so little moisture left, even drying in the shade wouldn’t be a problem.

No more struggles, even on rainy days!

The maids couldn’t help but laugh in amazement, their excitement bubbling over.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the room, the laundry room’s staff tested the irons.

“Look at this! The steam just pours out of the iron! The performance is amazing!”

There was no need to heat coals; a single button press sufficed to smooth out clothes.

The irons were lightweight and safe, with no risk of burns if handled carefully. The steam eliminated the need for water sprayers entirely.

The staff’s faces lit up with unrestrained joy as they marveled at the new tools.

“Spinner!”

“Iron!”