I Don't Know the Original, I'm Too Busy Trying to Make a Living-Chapter 168

Hmph, no reason to feel inferior, Penelope thought, puffing out a small breath through her nose. At least I can read and write in Hangul.

She was also fluent enough in English to hold conversations. Adding the Empire’s language to the mix, that made three languages she could use—though two of them were entirely useless in this world.

What a waste of all those years studying English!

She had spent nearly 20 years on it. No wonder she had hated studying so much as a child—it must have been the lingering memory of her previous life weighing her down.

Feeling an irrational surge of frustration, Penelope pursed her lips and turned to Ahwin. He flinched.

“W-What is it?”

“I feel drained after that scare. Let’s eat some plums. Wash them for me,” she demanded.

“Oh...”

Ahwin glanced down, startled, as if he had only just realized he was holding the bag of plums.

Penelope’s legs were starting to ache.

“Is there anywhere to sit around here?”

“Over here,” Ahwin said, leading her to a cozy chair and a small table, clearly meant as a reading nook.

Penelope hesitated. There was only one chair.

Ahwin gently took her wrist and said, “Sit here.”

“What about you?”

“I don’t mind sitting on the floor.”

Without another word, he sat on the ground, plucked a plum from the bag, and began washing it with a small stream of magic water. He carefully placed the cleaned plums back in the bag.

Penelope grabbed one and plopped down beside him, crouching on the floor.

Ahwin blinked, his ears turning red.

“There’s a perfectly good chair. Why are you sitting here?”

“You’re on the floor, so I’ll sit here too.”

“...”

Penelope took a bite of the plum. It was tangy and sweet, just right. Ahwin stared at her, seemingly entranced, as she finished the plum in one go and placed the pit on the table with a quiet cough.

“It’s delicious. You should have one too,” she said.

“Okay.”

But instead of eating, Ahwin turned to look out the window. The sky had deepened into a rich purple as the sun disappeared beyond the horizon.

With a small flick of his hand, Ahwin conjured a magical light, hovering it near the ceiling. The library transformed under its warm, mystical glow.

Penelope tilted her head up, watching the soft light in wonder. The surreal feeling of being in the Tower of Magic with Ahwin left her slightly dazed.

Ahwin studied her intently before asking, “Can I kiss you?”

...

What?

Penelope’s chest tightened in sheer surprise. Of all times, why would he ask now, so suddenly and so directly?

The sourc𝗲 of this content is freēwēbηovel.c૦m.

I thought I’d have to be the one to make the first move forever. But no, Ahwin’s been expressing himself in his own way. Come to think of it, he asked for a kiss once before, didn’t he?

Wait, no—this is not the time to be reminiscing!

She struggled to rein in the chaos of her thoughts.

Her heart was pounding like crazy, and even the act of breathing felt deliberate.

In the movies, moments like this always happened in a cozy, intimate space, with the two characters locking eyes and naturally leaning closer...

Wasn’t this one of those moments?

“...”

In the end, Penelope nodded cautiously, and she heard Ahwin sharply inhale.

Ahwin tilted his head down, his gaze fixating on her lips. Penelope closed her eyes.

Moments later, soft lips brushed against hers. She held her breath. The brief contact ended with a light smack, only for his lips to meet hers again.

Thump, thump, thump...

She realized the loud, drum-like sound was coming from Ahwin’s chest, his heartbeat echoing like a drum in the stillness. His cheeks were flushed as he looked at her, and she was sure her own face was no different.

Ahwin murmured softly, "Sweet."

"That’s probably because I just ate a plum..."

"Penelope, please, do me a favor and don’t talk at a moment like this."

"..."

Penelope shut her mouth. She never imagined the day would come when her own words would be thrown back at her. Feeling embarrassed, she shot him a glare, only for him to lean in again. His lips brushed hers once more, this time repeatedly, each gentle touch sending tingling shivers through her entire body.

Ahwin gently [N O V E L I G H T] pulled her closer by the small of her back. Their hair brushed together, and the kiss deepened. Penelope involuntarily shivered, and her shoulders tensed as if ticklish.

"Are you okay?"

"Y-Yes..."

When Penelope cracked her eyes open, Ahwin was staring at her intently, his gaze unwavering and full of emotion. Her embarrassment hit its peak.

"I-I feel like I’m suffocating," she stammered.

"So do I," he whispered.

"But I don’t mind. It feels so good, I wouldn’t care if I ran out of breath and died like this."

"That’s impossible—"

Ahwin cut her off by sealing her lips once more. For a long while after that, she didn’t get the chance to say another word.

Who knew how much time had passed?

Penelope, now dazed, lifted her head to glance out the window. Night had fallen completely.

They were still in the Tower Master’s library, and she was cradled in Ahwin’s arms. His embrace was warm and comforting, so much so that she never wanted to leave.

Suddenly, she remembered the maids waiting for her at the lord’s castle.

"Wait, what time is it?"

"Penelope, let’s just stay like this a little longer," Ahwin pleaded, nuzzling his forehead against her shoulder like a kitten. He gently pressed his lips to her cheek, making her heart ache from how adorable he was.

Penelope began to wonder how he’d managed to hold back from kissing her all this time.

"That’s enough. My lips are swollen," she protested.

"I’ll put a potion on them," he replied immediately. His casual mention of potions had become something of a habit by now.

He wastes potions like they’re water, Penelope thought, beginning to suspect he might be possessed by some sort of kissing spirit.

"We should head back now. Giselle is probably waiting for me."

"Giselle wouldn’t mind if we returned in the morning."

"The knight commander wouldn’t agree with that."

"..."

Ahwin fell silent, his lips pressing together as though he’d finally remembered Penelope’s position as the lord of Halo Territory.

"Alright, it’s time to go home," Penelope said.

She planted a quick kiss on his lips before standing up. Ahwin froze for a moment before suddenly grabbing her wrist and pulling her back into his arms.

"Ah—!"

She fell against his chest, and Ahwin held her tightly, covering her neck and cheeks with a flurry of kisses.

Smack, smack, smack.

He was like a horse freed from its reins, completely swept up in his emotions now that he’d let them loose. Ahwin expressed his affection with every ounce of his being.

"I love you, Penelope," he murmured.

"I love you too," she replied.

Ahwin hugged her even tighter, a joyous laugh escaping his lips—the sound of the happiest man alive.

Patting his back lightly, Penelope said, "But we really do need to leave now."

"...Okay," he sighed reluctantly.

Still holding her, Ahwin stood up in one swift motion.

I told him I don’t like being carried like a princess... I guess he didn’t get the message.

Penelope decided not to protest. It would ruin the mood, and honestly, being held by him like this felt nice.

Ahwin strode to the door of the library and pushed it open. Beyond it lay Penelope’s bedroom.

"Wait... I can go straight from here to my room?"

Morning at Halo Territory, afternoon at the Tower of Magic, and now her bedroom.

The seamless transition between spaces left her awestruck. She couldn’t help but wonder how this spatial magic worked, though she doubted she’d understand Ahwin’s explanation even if she asked.

Just then, a familiar voice reached her ears.