ushernet Chapter 47
Chapter 47
Ahwin responded with a detached question, his disinterest evident. The man hesitated, realizing that Ahwin wasn’t the least bit intimidated or flustered.
“Isn’t that Lance over there? What’s going on?” A new voice chimed in as a young man approached.
Ahwin narrowed his eyes slightly and crossed his arms, as though curious to see how things would unfold.
The arrival of the newcomer reinvigorated the man called Lance.
“This crazy woman ruined my clothes and is pretending like nothing happened! She’s downright vile!” Lance shouted, his confidence swelling.
“Leave it to me, boss. I’ll make sure she learns her lesson so she won’t dare to be disrespectful again,” the younger man declared, rolling up his sleeves. His aggressive demeanor caused murmurs to ripple through the crowd.
“That scummy gang’s growing, huh?”
“They showed up a few weeks ago, right?”
“Yeah. Halo used to be full of kind folk, but now we’re getting more and more nasty types.”
“Shh! Quiet! If Lance’s gang hears you, it’ll be trouble for your business.”
“What are you gawking at? Scram!” Lance bellowed, his voice echoing. The spectators quickly scattered, while more gang members, presumably Lance’s crew, began to gather.
“What’s going on, boss?” one of them asked as they arrived.
“Perfect timing. Get some hefty compensation from this woman for the damage to my clothes. Make sure she understands she’ll be walking around in rags if she doesn’t pay up,” Lance said with a smug grin, leering at Penelope.
At that moment, Ahwin spoke up.
“Is everyone here now? Or are we still waiting for more of you?”
“What the hell is this guy going on about—”@@@@
Ahwin didn’t let Lance finish. With a casual flick of his fingers, Lance and his gang were suddenly lifted into the air.
“Argh!”
“What’s happening?!”
“He’s a wizard! A wizard!”
“Let me downnnnnn!”
The gang rose higher and higher until they were mere specks against the sky. Anyone who fell from such a height would undoubtedly meet a gruesome end.
The onlookers erupted into chaos, pointing and staring at the sky with fear plastered across their faces.
“What’s going on here?” A loud voice finally broke through the commotion as the long-awaited city guard arrived.
Penelope removed her hood and turned to face them with a calm demeanor.
The guard captain, Sir Ralph, gasped when he recognized her.
“Acting Baroness! What brings you here? Are you alone?”
“As you can see, I came with the wizard. But someone started a fight with me in the street,” Penelope replied, gesturing toward the sky.
Sir Ralph followed her gaze upward and gaped in astonishment.
“Why are those people up there?!”
“The leader is named Lance. He bumped into me and demanded I pay for his clothes,” Penelope explained. When she finished, Sir Ralph sighed heavily, pinching the bridge of his nose.
Encouraged, the citizens began voicing their gratitude. Penelope nodded in acknowledgment, her smile warm.
“I’d love to chat more, but I’m quite busy today. Please excuse me.”
“Good luck, Acting Baroness!”
“My husband got a job with the heating installation team—we’re so grateful!”
“My mother works at the soap workshop now!”
“Thank you for your kind words. I hope to hear more good news next time,” Penelope replied, waving to the crowd as she moved on. Ahwin walked beside her, his presence radiating an air of authority that drew respectful stares.
Once they were out of earshot of the crowd, Ahwin asked, “So, are we still shopping for my gift?”
“How can we, after making such a spectacle?” Penelope replied with a sigh. Ahwin looked genuinely puzzled, but she ignored him and began adjusting his hood meticulously.
“Is this some kind of revenge for earlier?” he asked, bending slightly as she tugged at the fabric.
“You used magic so blatantly out in the open. You already attract enough attention as it is. I told you not to show your face in public.”
“And what exactly about me stands out so much?”
“That remark was insufferable. You know exactly what I mean!” Penelope snapped, narrowing her eyes.
“What?” Ahwin asked innocently, though his expression suggested otherwise. Penelope pursed her lips. He was definitely playing dumb.
“Do I really need to spell it out for you?”
“Spell out what?”
“That you’re handsome! Happy now?” Penelope said irritably.
“Hmm...” A faint smile tugged at Ahwin’s lips. As she suspected, he’d wanted to hear it outright. He clearly hadn’t appreciated her brushing it off the last time.
‘How childish,’ Penelope thought, rolling her eyes. She deliberately pulled his hood down further and resumed walking. Ahwin muttered something under his breath but quickly fell in step behind her.
After walking in silence for a while, Penelope spoke up. “We seem to have fewer people managing the territory than I thought.”
“You already said you’re hiring more. Just hire a ton of them,” Ahwin replied indifferently, his tone betraying a faint sulkiness—no doubt because they weren’t shopping for his gift.
Penelope stifled a laugh and responded, “It’d be nice if we got a lot of skilled applicants.”
“Why wouldn’t you?”
“Do you have a suggestion?”
Her curious gaze made Ahwin pause, and he cleared his throat.
“How do you attract skilled people?” she pressed.
“Simple. Offer higher pay. Skilled people will flock to you,” Ahwin replied bluntly.
“...Do you think I didn’t already know that?” Penelope muttered, biting her lip as she quickened her pace. Of course offering high salaries would attract talent—it was common sense.
‘Do you think someone from a capitalist society wouldn’t know that?’ Penelope fumed silently. As a baroness, she’d grown to appreciate the desire to get the most out of people for the least cost.
Ahwin, oblivious or simply unconcerned, strolled beside her and delivered another infuriating remark with a straight face.
“If you’re not going to pay handsomely, who in their right mind—besides me—would work in a remote territory like this?”
“Stop pointing out obvious things!” Penelope snapped, throwing up her hands in frustration.