“But she’s not aware of it. The familiar knowledge that she seems to have heard somewhere, and feels like she learned without learning, must be traces of the inheritance, but she thinks her brain function improved greatly when she unsealed her magic.”

“Is magical use at a feasible level?”

“Her innate magic is tremendous, but she doesn’t know how to implement it as magic. She seems to understand the formula, but can’t deepen it to an application level. Magic implementation is completely impossible. Honestly, this is…… there seems to be some other problem.”

At Arpeggio’s words, Gibnen muttered as if troubled.

“If she can’t use magic even after unsealing her magic, she won’t be able to take the test. You need to use magic to measure the magical power.”

“That’s her part, I can’t do anything about it up to there. Actually, her learning speed is monstrous. She’s working hard too.”

“…….”

“Why are you trying to get her admitted to Horizon Academy? The more I think about it, the more insane it seems. Even hiding her would be insufficient. If Yong saw what you were doing, he would burst out of his shell.”

At Arpeggio’s words, Gibnen responded with a giggle.

“You and Master are both hiding something from me.”

“…….”

“If you won’t tell me, I have to find out for myself. What her power is, what her secret is. Why the master ordered me to thoroughly protect her, or to thoroughly destroy her.”

Arpeggio let out a trembling sigh.

“……You’re marrying her, right?”

“Yes.”

“Why go as far as marriage? A guardian relationship would be sufficient. Once you marry her, all eyes will be on her in an instant. You know what that means, don’t you?”

At Arpeggio’s concern, Gibnen laughed joyfully. But he did not specifically answer. A little frustrated, Arpeggio frowned and asked him.

“Do you plan to use her?”

“What if I do?”
“Arthur… You, a mere pawn, don’t have the power to handle this. Stop this futile effort and hide her. Whether you hide her deep within the tower so that no one knows of her existence, or send her abroad.”

“To confine the helpless girl, or send her to a distant foreign land? How cruel.”

At Gibnen’s words, Arpeggio laughed sarcastically.

“You’re the cruelest. Using your dazzling face to entice a naive child and cook her to your taste. As if her wellbeing is not in the least of your concerns.”

“You may not know, but all this is a choice for her wellbeing. A strategy to protect her as efficiently as possible.”

“You really don’t make sense.”

Arpeggio got up, not wanting to talk any further. Then Gibnen looked out of the window and spoke.

“The master gave me two options. To take good care of her, or if I can’t, to kill her with my own hands. I chose to keep her alive rather than kill her. Just because. It’s fun. The marriage… The scandal erupted at just the right time, and I thought it convenient to keep her by my side through the institution of marriage. Of course, I know that both the master and my brother fear the power she possesses. But rather than hiding it in fear, it’s better to trim it well and put it to good use. I am indeed investing in this regard. And then…”

“And then?”

“It’s also useful in finding the ones who made the master like this.”

“…You bastard.”

“Even without that, a lady of a declining family possessing the magic power of an Archmage. Who else could be a more suitable wife? She has a weak background, so I don’t need to restrain her, and she possesses immense magic power, fitting for the Leinster family that values the ‘pureblood mage’s legitimacy.’ With Riley Aedalyn alone, I can catch several rabbits. How could I kill her? Of course, taking care and nurturing her is quite bothersome and annoying.”

At Gibnen’s words, Arpeggio shook his head in disgust.

“You trash, treating her like a toy.”

“Toy treatment? I like her. More than any other woman. Do you know how much I pamper and treat her well? That’s only possible with affection.”

Arpeggio recalled Riley’s words.

“I have nothing to lose now.”

“Every moment is better than a terrible hell, a heaven pretending to be hell.”

“I told her to run away.”

“So, what did she say?”

“She doesn’t want to.”

“I figured.”

“She’s not refusing because she likes you.”

“Then?”

“She’ll stay knowing it’s hell. Preferring a heaven pretending to be hell or something. She seems to doubt to some extent that you might not be a normal person.”

At Arpeggio’s words, Gibnen shrugged his shoulders, laughing.

“Really? She’s entertaining as expected. We go well together.”

“Because she doesn’t want anything from you? Or doesn’t yearn for affection?”

“Both? I rather feel impatient wanting to give.”

Arpeggio tilted his head.

When he heard that Riley and Gibnen were getting married, he thought it was strictly business on both sides, or that Riley might have deeper affection for Gibnen.

To call ‘Savior’ to such trash, even packaging it with kindness, consideration, and meticulousness, he thought Riley must have a special meaning for Gibnen, but looking at him now, it seemed…

‘…Rather, the one who seems more affectionate is this guy.’

He wasn’t a person prone to smiling in the first place, but just looking at that sincere smile…

Arpeggio turned around with a serious expression.

‘The situation is not good, really…’

It was really not good.

(This is a time divider.)

Quite some time had passed since the formal meeting, and Claire spoke up timidly when she felt that Ryan’s anger had somewhat subsided.

“I want to go to the academy too.”

“What?”

“Riley is studying, isn’t she! I want to study too!”

Ryan grabbed his neck, looking at Claire as if he was stunned.
“Do you know how much the tuition fee that has gone into you is? What you’ve received so far is excessive, isn’t it? You want to attend the Academy?”

“Father! All the nobles here in Prestige are of high standard! Unlike Ruphla where we used to live, they also look at a woman’s education and abilities! It’s said that only women who have at least been to the outskirts of the Academy get a chance in the marriage market!”

“…….”

“That foolish Riley is going to the Academy, why can’t I go? The standing of the Adalin family isn’t solid, and if I want to marry into a good family, I have to hone my abilities to be an excellent bride!”

“Do you think just anyone can go to the Academy?”

“So you want me to marry into just any family, Father? You’re getting on in age, and I must increase my abilities to match you. It’s not like I’m bad at studying.”

At Claire’s insistence, Ryan showed a troubled expression.

Of course, it would be nice. It’s a valid point, but the Academy’s tuition isn’t a small amount…

“When is the exam?”

“In a week.”

“What? The exam is in a week, and what preparation can you do! Just the exam fee is expensive! If you want to go, go next year.”

“No, it will be too late next year. And I am confident. I’ve heard that the exam is based on what we learned at the Academy.”

“You may have been the smartest child in Ruphla! But this isn’t Ruphla! It’s Prestige. It’s a different ball game.”

“I’m doing this to blend into that different ball game as quickly as possible. Even if I fail, I want to test my abilities! That’s how I’ll properly prepare next time! We have a lot of money now!”

“……Let me think about it.”

Ryan had no choice but to contemplate.