I Don’t Know the Original, I’m Too Busy Trying to Make a Living

This clueless mage was pouring cold water on the serious mood.

"Do you even sleep at all?"

"I slept on the way here. On the train, in the carriage."

"That means you didn't sleep at night! What on earth are you so busy researching every night?"

Penelope bit her lip, suddenly realizing she’d overreacted. She caught herself getting more worked up than necessary.

"What’s the point of asking? He’s probably been thinking about how to build a camera again."

She regretted mentioning "cameras" to Ahwin during Seine's middle school entrance celebration.

It had sparked the unquenchable curiosity of a mage. He looked as if he’d sell his soul just to invent one.

"That dogged persistence of his—it's what got him to the top of the Mage Tower. I shouldn't have said anything."

Since that day, Ahwin had neither slept properly nor eaten well, devoting himself to his new research.

The fact that he now had dark circles and yawned endlessly was a natural consequence.

When Penelope crossed her arms and glared at him, the steward timidly intervened.

"Perhaps we should calm down and focus on passing through the gates first? You’ll be meeting Duke Quantis soon, so maintaining composure might be wise."

"Ah, yes. You’re right."

Penelope quickly regained her composure and straightened her posture.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw that Ahwin had fallen asleep again, head drooping. After nearly ten sleepless days of research, he seemed ready to pass out the moment his head hit any surface.

Trying not to roll her eyes at him, Penelope sat up straight as the carriage stopped before the castle gates.