Who Spent the Night with the Tower Master (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 13
“Pleased to make your acquaintance, my lady. I am Alisa Bayrixid.”
Formal home tutoring began ahead of the marriage.
The tutor Ryan brought was Alisa, the mistress of the Bayrixid household—a family that had once been noble but had since fallen into commoner status.
Though she was of a mature age, she had only recently begun working as a tutor and was thus an unknown newcomer in the field.
Claire had received private instruction from Lady Hilbrin, the most renowned etiquette instructor in the territory, but Riley could not do the same.
Even though Riley’s and Claire’s circumstances had now diverged, Lady Hilbrin—who frequently visited the manor—was well aware of Riley’s standing within the Eadallin household and thus refused to take on the role of her tutor.
Moreover, nobles typically began their education at a very young age, so most tutors’ students were children.
Unlike easily managed children, hardly any tutors wished to specialize in educating fully grown adult women.
“Although her experience is brief, she was born a noble, so her instruction will not lack in quality.”
Ryan watched Riley carefully, worried she might complain about him hiring a tutor with no experience.
However, Riley genuinely welcomed Lady Bayrixid.
“I am Riley Eadallin. Due to personal circumstances, my education began late, but I will do my best.”
“The speed at which one learns matters little; what truly counts is the will to learn. If you trust me and follow my guidance faithfully, I shall teach you everything I know with utmost sincerity and care.”
After exchanging pleasantries, Ryan excused himself to let the two speak privately.
“Time is short, so I intend to focus only on what is absolutely essential.”
“Yes.”
“I will teach court etiquette, foreign languages, writing, and reading as fundamentals. If you wish, I can also instruct you in singing, harp, or dancing. For anything beyond that, it would be best to hire another specialist.”
“For now, given the lack of time, please focus on court etiquette, foreign languages, and dancing.”
Though nobles typically mastered one or two instruments, there simply wasn’t enough time to learn one now.
Prioritizing court etiquette first and then building inner refinement through writing or foreign languages would be the most efficient approach.
“I’ll do my very best—please guide me well.”
[This is the timeline separator]The scandal that had stirred up the capital reached this place, Rufla, precisely one month later.
“My lord, you ought to see this.”
Leo, the head butler, urgently handed something to Ryan. Riley, who had come out for a drink of water, witnessed the scene.
“What is this?”
“A gossip sheet that circulated in the capital a month ago.”
“Why are you giving this to me? Surely the marriage news hasn’t been reported?”
Ryan’s expression turned serious as he took the paper.
“What on earth is this—some grand romantic drama? How could such an article be published?”
“It appears the fact that the young lady was once engaged to Count Ermeintz has leaked out.”
“What? The engagement was already broken off—why is this being reported now?”
“I’m not entirely sure myself…”
“D-did the Archmage issue any official statement?”
“…No, from what I’ve gathered, he hasn’t released any statement and has consistently remained silent.”
“Then it must be that old Count Ermeintz! The engagement was meant to be secret—if it didn’t leak from that old man’s mouth, then where else could it have come from!”
That wretched old fool—has his senility truly driven him mad?
Ryan crumpled the tabloid and threw it to the floor. It landed right beneath Riley’s feet as she happened to pass by.
Riley picked up the crumpled tabloid and unfolded it, then began reading the article.
According to the report, the woman who had eloped with Horizon’s Archmage on the day of the reception was the daughter of a baron who had been secretly arranging a marriage with Count Ermeintz—and that very day, the two had met eyes and enjoyed a secret tryst.
Riley’s face turned deathly pale.
‘The real scum isn’t him… it’s Count Ermeintz.’
Claire approached Riley, who stood there in shock. Claire snatched the gossip sheet from Riley’s hands, read it quickly, and then burst out laughing, completely oblivious to the mood.
“You really should’ve known your place! Because of you, the Archmage is now in an awkward position!”
“…”
“If you were going to fall for each other, you should’ve broken off the engagement first! Meeting before even calling it off—that’s outright adultery! Isn’t that basic common sense? Now the Archmage of Horizon has been branded as the man who stole another’s fiancée! All because of you!”
Instead of Riley, Ryan shouted furiously in her place.
“Claire! Go to your room this instant!”
Startled by his booming voice, Claire fled upstairs in a panic.
“Honestly, who on earth did she take after to turn out like this?”
Ryan sank into a chair, rubbing his weary face. His disapproving gaze fell upon Riley.
At this very moment, while Riley worried about Gibnen, Ryan wasn’t concerned for his daughter’s well-being—but for something else entirely.
“Surely… he won’t call off the marriage now, will he?”
Ryan, having unintentionally revealed his inner thoughts, flinched and quickly cleared his throat.
Even in this situation, he fretted incessantly over the possibility that the hard-won marriage might collapse. Seeing this, Riley returned to her room, still clutching the crumpled newspaper.
“…For a moment, I had the exact same thought.”
She worried about Gibnen, yet she also felt a sudden, sharp fear—what if the marriage fell through?
After all, her improved treatment was granted solely because of her impending marriage to ‘Gibnen Lianster.’ She felt disgusted with herself for thinking so materialistically, just like Ryan.
‘…It’s all because of me.’
Riley squeezed her eyes shut.
He had only tried to help her. He’d been dragged into this mess entirely by chance. Without him, she’d likely be a cold corpse beneath the Mage Tower by now.
In a single day, her benefactor had been engulfed in a vile scandal and reduced to trash.
Of course… it was true she had been formally engaged to Count Ermeintz, but still…
‘I was too greedy.’
Gibnen had clearly given her two choices:
Marriage or guardianship.
Though Gibnen seemed to prefer the former, she probably should have chosen the latter. That way, he wouldn’t have been dragged into this sordid scandal.
Riley took out a sheet of paper.
‘If I call off the marriage now…’
It wouldn’t be a major issue. Becoming his ward instead wouldn’t matter.
The procedure might be complicated, but it wouldn’t be difficult for him.
Riley pressed the quill down firmly, preparing to write a letter to Gibnen—but then hesitated.
‘…No.’
No. She didn’t want to cancel the marriage with him.
Selfish or not, she simply didn’t want to.
‘He was the one who proposed the marriage first, not me…’
If the situation was truly problematic, the other side would cancel it first. Since she hadn’t even expressed any intention to withdraw, why should she needlessly torment herself with guilt?
Riley clenched her fists and bowed her head.
She didn’t want to lose any of what she’d been given. Selfish and materialistic as it was, she couldn’t help it. Could she really go back to how things were before—losing everything granted through her promise of marriage to that man? Could she even adjust?
If he chose to become her guardian instead of her husband, her uncle would probably sell her off to any household immediately. After all, a son-in-law and a guardian were entirely different—her uncle would gain nothing from the latter.
If Gibnen tried to become her guardian, her uncle would surely oppose it fiercely with immense hostility.
Riley let out a bitter laugh.
‘…I really am trash.’
Even in this crisis, her selfish concern for her own safety made her feel sick to her stomach.
She didn’t consider herself a good person, but she still couldn’t casually ignore someone else’s distress as if it meant nothing.
Riley forcefully suppressed her self-loathing and guilt.
And in the end, she never picked up the quill again.
[This is the timeline separator]The reason a mere tabloid could spread across the entire realm so swiftly was, ultimately, due to the extensive network of contacts built over many years.
Count Ermeintz, infamous for his perverse tendencies and constant involvement in scandals, had inevitably cultivated close ties with those working in the press.
It was this network—carefully nurtured through lavish spending—that now proved its worth.
“Good work. I’ll settle your payment by tonight.”
“Thank you, sir.”
“Hahaha! Finally, I feel some relief.”
“But… are you certain this is alright?”
“What do you mean?”
“Your broken engagement was also exposed—it’s bound to damage your reputation.”
“Is it only the thief who steals another’s woman who deserves blame?”
In truth, a man who steals another’s woman and a shameless old lecher marrying a girl young enough to be his granddaughter were equally despicable—but the reporter swallowed his words and forced a smile.
“Then I look forward to working with you again in the future, sir.”
“Indeed, you’ve done excellent work.”
“I’ll be off now.”
“Wait—just one more question.”
“Yes, please go ahead.”
“Is there any truth to the rumor that he’s actually going to marry that woman?”
“No, of course not. That part was exaggerated purely for sensationalism.”
It was common practice to embellish facts with falsehoods when trying to tarnish someone’s reputation.
“I see. Understood.”
Right—what could that man possibly lack that he’d marry the daughter of some insignificant baron?
“…I suppose I really am getting old. All sorts of useless thoughts keep coming to mind.”
This scandal report, like the other women who’d lingered around him, clearly involved someone he’d briefly kept around just for amusement.
That meant the girl was already out of Gibnen’s hands.
“Has the Horizon side responded?”
“They’ve remained consistently silent.”
“No official statement either?”
“No.”
“So they don’t even consider it worth addressing.”
“They seem to have dismissed it as mere tabloid fodder.”
Fine—being dismissed as tabloid gossip didn’t matter. His reputation was already tarnished anyway.
Besides, he had another true objective.
“I must repay the humiliation that wench inflicted upon me.”
This romantic scandal wouldn’t harm the girl at all. It wouldn’t severely damage Gibnen either, but at least one thing was now certain.
Horizon’s complete silence on both the scandal and the affair confirmed that, to Gibnen, she was nothing more than a woman he’d spent one night with and then discarded. After all, they’d only met that day—there was no way a deep relationship could have developed.
So why should he leave that girl alone?
If Gibnen Lianster saw her as nothing more than a woman to be replaced after one night, then he could do whatever he pleased with her without worrying about Gibnen’s reaction.
‘…Didn’t you say you’d rather die than marry me, you wretched fool? Then you really should die!’
This alone wouldn’t satisfy his rage.
For Gibnen Lianster, this minor retaliation was all there was—but for that insignificant girl, it was different. Regardless of anything else, he absolutely had to take her life. Only then might the bitter resentment inside him finally ease.
Count Ermeintz struggled to his feet.
“Gather everyone at once!”
[This is the timeline separator]Gibnen frowned at the suspicious movements of Count Ermeintz, reported barely a month after the scandal broke.
“Did he reserve teleportation to Soboster?”
Sak nodded and continued his report.
“Yes. He booked it under multiple names, and it appears Count Ermeintz covered all the expenses.”
“Isn’t Soboster part of the Kiev Marquisate?”
“Yes, it’s near the border.”
Count Ermeintz was elderly and suffered from chronic illness, making travel difficult. Even with teleportation, journeying to such a distant place would be a considerable burden.
Yet he’d brought not just a few, but many people with him to a territory near the border?
“What business could the Count possibly have there?”
“I’m not certain… but it seems he departed two hours ago.”
Gibnen set down his pen and leaned back in his chair.
A bad feeling. A very bad premonition.
These instincts were annoyingly accurate. Had he missed something? Gibnen considered every possible scenario before suddenly remembering Riley.
「What is your destination, madam?」
「Soboster.」
Right. She’d clearly stated Soboster as her destination when registering for teleportation.
But where she actually lived was definitely…
“Baron Eadallin doesn’t live in Soboster.”
“Huh? Ah, yes—but it’s quite close.”
“Close?”
“Yes, Rufla, where Baron Eadallin resides, is near Soboster.”
The Kiev Marquisate had never been of interest to Gibnen and held no personal connections for him. All he knew was that Baron Eadallin lived there.
“Wasn’t Baron Eadallin the local lord there? Why is he in Rufla instead of Soboster?”
“The Kiev Marquisate has a rather unusual system of governance—it’s divided into districts, each managed by multiple minor lords. The territory isn’t very large, after all.”
“Is there no teleportation circle in Rufla?”
“Probably not—it’s the smallest district within the Kiev Marquisate. It’s unlikely such a remote area would have a teleportation circle installed.”
So they must have gone through Soboster to reach Rufla.
‘Could Baron Eadallin have secretly contacted him behind the scenes?’
No—that wouldn’t make sense. If it were about the marriage, the old man wouldn’t personally travel all that way.
Besides, the Count must have already seen the scandal. Considering his obsession with virginal women, he’d have no reason to force a marriage with Riley.
After all, hadn’t he himself spread the romantic rumors to make the ‘broken engagement’ a public fact?
And Baron Eadallin had also stated that Count Ermeintz had formally called off the engagement.
Then could it be…!
‘…Revenge?’
It wasn’t impossible.
He was notorious for his brutal treatment of women in particular. Every one of his former wives had either been found dead or gone missing—without exception.
Of course, each time, there was no direct evidence linking him to their deaths or disappearances, so he’d always been acquitted.
Given his history of fixating only on young, immature women, this scenario wasn’t entirely implausible.
“I’m going out.”
“Huh? Suddenly? Where to?”
“I need to see my wife.”
“…You’ll go all that way alone? May I accompany you…?”
“No, it’s fine. I move more easily alone.”
“Then at least take a minimal escort.”
Sak was persistent. The previous Archmage had only recently passed away.
Naturally, he worried for his master’s safety.
The position of Archmage of Horizon was such that one could be assassinated by an unknown enemy at any moment.
“Even the great Archmage Yung was murdered by another. I cannot allow you to travel alone to such a distant place.”
“You’re stubborn.”
“I have no choice. It’s my duty.”
“Then come with me. Tell the knights to stand by in advance. Keep Horizon’s teleportation circle open so we can depart immediately whenever needed.”
“Yes, I’ll prepare and follow shortly.”
It never hurt to be cautious.
If his prediction proved wrong, that would be ideal—but if that old man harbored any malicious intent, disaster could strike.
“Well then, off I go to meet my lovely wife.”
He strode ahead cheerfully.
Sak watched his retreating back and sighed in exasperation.
…Was this really the same man who coldly declared marriage was merely business?
His face looked genuinely pleased as he put on his coat. He’d drawn a firm line, claiming he didn’t miss her—but for someone like that, he seemed far too excited.
No matter how he looked at it…
‘He clearly misses Lady Riley and is just using Count Ermeintz as a convenient excuse to rationalize it convincingly…’
Male lead is a clingy little husband
One-line summary: The male lead is initially an arrogant, noble, love-deprived brat, later a cute, clingy, scheming little jealous one.
Introduction:
One day, Lu Yuner’s soul transmigrates into a female-dominant world. She enters the Imperial Academy and takes up the position of a doctoral instructor, teaching classes and grading schoolwork.
One day, she encounters the young prince Su Qingwan secretly skipping class from the male academy.
As a result, Su Qingwan is punished.
From then on, Su Qingwan sees Lu Yuner as a “thorn in his side”.
But before long, this “thorn” becomes the person he cherishes most, and he goes to great lengths to win Lu Yuner’s affection.
Mini scene 1:
One day, the sun is high in the sky but Su Qingwan still hasn’t gotten up for class.
Servant Xiaoyuan: “Young prince, it’s time for class. You’ll be late otherwise.”
Su Qingwan says arrogantly: “I’m not going. I am the esteemed prince, my status is so noble, why should I suffer this hardship? Besides, isn’t learning all this just to please women? Hmph, they’re not worthy!”
Mini scene 2:
After Su Qingwan falls for someone, he completely changes. He no longer skips class and diligently learns how to be a good husband and father. But he discovers that Sister Yuner is always surrounded by admirers.
Drunk and overcome with jealousy one day, he clings to Lu Yuner, crying beautifully like a pear blossom in the rain.
Su Qingwan: “Qingwan likes Sister Yuner.”
Lu Yuner: “Young prince, you’re drunk.”
Su Qingwan: “Qingwan isn’t drunk. Qingwan likes Sister Yuner, likes you so much, likes you to bits…” Before he can finish, Lu Yuner’s eyes flash with emotion and she leans in closer.
[Reading Guide]
1. The female lead is gentle, gracious, humble and polite but not weak. The male lead is initially an arrogant, noble, love-deprived brat, later a cute, clingy, scheming little jealous one.
2. 1v1, a bit torturous in the beginning but definitely sweet later on.
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murder and torture, no question or hesitation, But this? This is where you flinch? I hope they all get whats coming to them
yikes girl, these are not good dreams. at this point is the sleep even doing anything?
A note that this should say “your father” as Clair is Ryans daughter not niece