Who Spent the Night with the Tower Master (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 2
The news of Riley’s engagement, which had been kept secret until its official announcement, quickly spread among the servants of the Eadallin baronial household.
“Did you hear? The eldest young lady is getting married to Count Ermeintz!”
“That mad old man?”
“Yes, the senile old fool who’s gone crazy over that young girl!”
“He was once hailed as a hero and received everyone’s cheers—how could he end up like this? But even if Count Ermeintz has lost his mind, his family’s influence is still formidable. Why would he marry the adopted daughter of some minor frontier viscount? What’s he thinking?”
“You fool—it’s precisely because she’s the adopted daughter of a minor frontier viscount that this marriage is possible. No noble family would ever send their daughter to marry someone so problematic and flawed, no matter how prestigious Count Ermeintz may be.”
“Is he really that bad?”
“His terrible reputation has reached even this remote place—imagine how much worse it must be in the capital! Maybe if it were his son, but who would willingly send their fresh young daughter to marry Count Ermeintz?”
“True—just the fact that at his age he only seeks out young girls shows he’s completely lost it. Ugh! It’s truly disgusting.”
The servants seemed to be deliberately speaking loudly. Even though the door was closed, their entire conversation was clearly audible. They were obviously doing it on purpose.
Riley tried her best to appear calm and refused to listen to their words.
But since it wasn’t someone else’s problem—it was hers—she couldn’t possibly divert her attention elsewhere.
“I heard a rumor—it’s not just any young woman he’s after, but specifically inexperienced girls.”
“Ew, really?”
“That’s what they say. He’s apparently a sexual deviant—not just senile. His perverse tastes have apparently been well-known since he was young.”
“So all those former wives who were supposedly abandoned…”
“Anyway, the rumors are horrifying. Even those who were driven out alive are all considered insane. The other two have vanished without a trace.”
“So the second young lady…”
“She’ll probably end up no different from his previous wives. But didn’t everyone expect this? The young lady isn’t even the baron’s real family—he was just keeping her around to eventually sell her off to a suitable house! She’s probably the only one here who didn’t realize it.”
“How pitiful.”
“Pitiful? She’s an orphan with no parents—they took her in and let her live comfortably enough. It’s only natural she’d do this for the family.”
Not even once, not for a single moment, had she ever lived comfortably.
Was it really something she “naturally had to do” for the family?
She’d spent her whole life walking on eggshells. Meals were always eaten alone. Sharing a table was an unimaginable luxury, and even the menu was different.
While they enjoyed lavish, abundant meals three times a day, Riley was given only the leftovers after the maids had finished eating.
These were the people who locked her away out of shame for having an adopted daughter, yet spread ridiculous lies outside that she was too frail to be seen in public.
She never even received basic education. While her younger sister Claire attended the academy and received a higher education, Riley remained confined at home.
Moreover, they constantly hurled verbal abuse at her—not just her uncle, her aunt, and Claire, but even the household servants. They looked down on her as if she were vermin and mocked her as though it were only natural. To them, gossiping and ridiculing Riley had become a kind of sport.
‘Now that I think about it, maybe Uncle always believed I could run away at any moment.’
Perhaps that’s why he locked her up, oppressed her, and controlled her.
Maybe he’d been brainwashing and forcing her into obedience all along, planning to sell her off once the time was right.
But then again—was it really true that he was obsessed only with inexperienced women? If so, just how horrifying and repulsive a man was Count Ermeintz?
Just as she shuddered in disgust—
Thud, thud, thud—the loud footsteps drew closer, and the door burst open.
“Riley!”
Claire, legally her sister but actually her cousin.
“Is it true you’re also attending the reception?”
Riley nodded instead of answering. Claire, looking utterly exasperated, glared at her and jabbed a finger accusingly.
“What right do you have to go to the reception? You’re not even part of our real family—what makes you think you can?”
“…It’s Uncle’s decision. It has nothing to do with my wishes.”
“You should’ve refused! What makes you think you can attend alongside our family? Do you even know what kind of event this is?”
“…”
“You haven’t properly learned a single thing—if you go with us, you’ll only bring shame to our house! How am I supposed to introduce you to others? Just thinking about it is horrifying. Don’t you feel sorry for me, stuck having to introduce my pathetic older sister? Go tell Father right now that you won’t attend the reception.”
“The Master of Horizon’s Mage Tower sent me a personal invitation. Uncle can’t do anything about that.”
“Ugh! Who doesn’t know that? Stop being so obedient for no reason—this is exactly when you should rebel! Don’t you have any will of your own? Do you just do everything you’re told? That’s why even the servants look down on you. Go tell Father right now you won’t attend! Throw a tantrum if you have to—just show some backbone for once! Are you really going to ruin my grand debut into high society?”
Claire had already made her debut as a debutante. Yet she clearly considered this reception—attended by the capital’s most prominent nobles—as her true debut.
Just like her father, she burned with ambition and thirsted for honor.
“Riley, please? You know as well as I do that this isn’t a place for you. Know your place.”
“…Then you tell Uncle.”
“Are you insane? Do you want me to get scolded by Father for asking something like that?”
“It’s obvious he won’t grant your request—why would he grant mine?”
“How is it the same for you and me? You’ve been scolded by Father countless times—it’s practically routine for you.”
Riley said nothing.
To be precise, she didn’t feel the need to respond. Arguing against such unreasonable demands and misplaced anger would only invite even more unreasonable demands and anger in return.
“That’s exactly why you’re in this state. You just play the fool, pretending to be kind, obediently doing everything you’re told—no wonder you never improve. Tsk. Do you really think that’ll make anyone love you? Do you think you’ll ever become part of our family? No matter how hard you struggle, that’s as far as you’ll ever get. It’s pointless.”
At Claire’s words, Riley lifted her head and stared straight at her.
Claire, flustered, snapped back, “What are you staring at? Did I say something wrong?”
“…No, everything you said is right.”
“…What? Ha! Have you finally realized how foolish you’ve been?”
“Yes. Hearing your words made me realize just how foolishly I’ve lived until now.”
Claire stepped back in surprise. Riley, who had always kept her head bowed and avoided eye contact out of timidity, was now meeting her gaze directly for the first time.
Unwavering, resolute eyes. Eyes filled with determination.
They weren’t the dull, lifeless, cloudy eyes she always had—they were sharp and burning with fire.
Startled by this sudden change, Claire quickly masked her fluster and pressed Riley even harder.
“If you’ve finally realized how foolish you are, then go to Father yourself and tell him you won’t attend the reception. Make your stance clear.”
“No.”
“…What?”
“As you said, I’ll now live the way I want to. I won’t let others control me anymore.”
“…”
“I want to go to the reception. You know I’ve never taken part in any public events, right? Living locked up at home is suffocating—I want to see the outside world too.”
“Oh my, listen to you! Did our family imprison you? From the way you talk, it sounds like we—the kind family who took in a poor orphan with nowhere to go—are the villains of the world!”
“We didn’t lock you in a prison on purpose, but we did impose many restrictions. You couldn’t go out without permission, and even when you did, you were followed by guards. You had to report everywhere you went, and your outings never lasted more than an hour. You were kept locked in your room all day.”
“That’s ridiculous! We did all that because we were worried you’d disgrace our family name with your ignorance!”
“…If you were so worried about my ignorance, wouldn’t it have been more efficient to focus on educating me instead of controlling me?”
“Where do you get off talking back? Where would we even find the money to educate someone like you? Educating you would be like pouring water into a bottomless barrel. Teaching the daughter of a mountain-dwelling hermit? It’d be a complete waste of money.”
Riley lowered her head.
She couldn’t confidently retort against Claire’s words. She was the daughter of a hermit, raised without proper education. Until her father died, she’d lived her whole life in the mountains. She’d never even learned the basic education everyone else received.
In contrast, Claire excelled at everything. Ambitious for success, she was equally eager to learn and possessed remarkable scholarly dedication.
Standing before such a person, Riley couldn’t help but feel small and intimidated.
“…Just leave. I have nothing more to say.”
“Hey! I told you to tell them you won’t go to the reception!”
“I’m going, no matter what.”
“Are you insane?”
“Yes, I am.”
“Hey!”
Just as Claire huffed in frustration, the door opened and one of the servants entered.
“Um, Miss Claire, your custom-made dress has been finished.”
“Oh? Got it.”
Claire calmed down slightly, then sneered at Riley.
“The reception at Horizon is where all the political and financial elites gather. Do you even have anything decent to wear? Know your place. You’ll just look provincial if you show up there. Well, think it over carefully—I’m only saying this because I worry about my sister!”
Claire giggled mockingly and walked out. Exhausted, Riley sank to the floor and laughed emptily.
“…To them, whether it’s you or me, Claire, we’re both equally provincial.”
No matter how beautifully she dressed, could she possibly shine among people whose lifestyles and social standing were worlds apart?
She seemed to delude herself into thinking she was high nobility—when in truth, she was merely the daughter of a minor frontier viscount temporarily managing a small territory.
‘…I’ll run away then.’
For Riley, the reception at Horizon was her only chance to escape the name Eadallin.
The moment when her uncle’s control and restrictions loosened, when no guards followed her—the only moment she’d be granted freedom of movement.
If she missed that chance, there would be no other.
‘No matter how hard I try my whole life, I’ll only ever be a member of this household—not a true family member. So there’s no reason for me to desperately seek their approval anymore. I won’t live another day walking on eggshells, trying to earn their love.’
She would start anew.
From the very beginning.
Just as she had been back then—alone, with nothing.
[This is the timeline separator]The Mage Tower ‘Horizon’ was one of the four major towers safeguarding the kingdom. Though it had the shortest history among the four, it had shown consistently steep growth since its founding and had become one of the most prominent mage towers, fiercely competing for the top position in the industry.
Horizon, bright in prospects and solid in foundation—so much so that every mage ranked it as their top choice for employment—was widely regarded as the mage tower with the brightest future. However, its meteoric rise was abruptly halted by the sudden death of its former Master, ‘Yung.’
Moreover, the discovery of his will naming his disciple ‘Gibnen Lianster’ as the next Master threw the entire kingdom into chaos, as he was far too young to assume such a critical position.
Gibnen Lianster, known as Yung’s prized disciple and direct successor, was originally the legitimate heir of the Lianster family, a lineage of mages.
Born into a pure-blooded mage family, he displayed exceptional talent far surpassing his peers from a young age and possessed striking good looks, earning him early fame.
Yet despite this, people remained concerned about entrusting such a weighty responsibility as Master of the Mage Tower to someone still so young.
At merely twenty-four years old, he was about to become the youngest Master in the tower’s history.
Upon becoming Horizon’s new Master, Gibnen immediately launched his official activities by hosting a reception to celebrate his inauguration.
Public attention focused not so much on the reception itself, but precisely on the key figures invited to it.
A party inviting only a select few prominent individuals—merely receiving an invitation carried an honor comparable to being invited to a royal event.
Thus, it was clearly exceptional that a baronial family, merely minor frontier viscounts, had been invited to such an event.
“Master, Baron Ryan Eadallin has confirmed his attendance.”
“I see. Good work.”
Sak Vendom, who served as aide to the newly appointed young Master, felt puzzled as he reviewed the reception’s guest list.
An unfamiliar, completely unknown name stood out conspicuously on the list.
Ryan Eadallin. What was this unfamiliar name, this obscure family?
“But Master, may I ask why you’re inviting the Eadallin baronial family? As far as I know, you’ve had no prior acquaintance with them… And is it really necessary to invite their children as well?”
“We’ve had no prior acquaintance, yet they are the most important guests at my reception.”
“There must be some hidden reason… Still, I’m a bit concerned. Although this is meant to commemorate your inauguration, Horizon’s grandly hosted events rival royal ceremonies in scale and significance, and it’s customary that only the kingdom’s leading figures attend. Inviting a lowly baronial family hardly presents a favorable impression outwardly.”
Already, many voiced concern over this young man assuming the Master’s seat due to his age.
Especially outsiders.
Within the tower, no one doubted his practical competence and genius, so there was little internal resistance. However, investors from the financial sector and conservative nobles hostile toward mages were particularly vocal in their criticism.
Given this situation, avoiding any misstep was more important than anything.
“If we’re judging by appearances, is a green, inexperienced boy sitting in the Master’s seat any better of a picture?”
At Gibnen’s calm remark, Sak broke into a cold sweat in alarm.
“That’s not what I meant!”
“I know.”
“…”
“Don’t worry about external perceptions. After all, hardly anyone will pay attention to some obscure baron whose origins no one even knows.”
“Might there be a reason you can’t tell even me?”
Gibnen stopped moving his quill.
「Gibnen, should anything ever happen to me, I want you to immediately find the daughter of Laiston and bring her to Horizon. Handle this matter in absolute secrecy—let no one know. This is something only you and I are aware of, so proceed with utmost caution.」
“…I’ll just consider it an annoying chore my master dumped on me.”
Was this the late Master’s final wish?
Sak still had doubts, but decided to hold his tongue for now.
“By the way, what about Count Ermeintz?”
“Oh, Count Ermeintz has also sent confirmation of his attendance.”
“As expected. That old man, desperate to unsettle me, must be thrilled. I wish he’d at least learn to distinguish between places he belongs and places he doesn’t.”
Gibnen, who had maintained a blank expression all along, clicked his tongue in clear displeasure at the mere mention of Count Ermeintz.
Then, as if suddenly remembering something, he turned to Sak and gave an order.
“I nearly forgot to mention it. Right after the reception, I intend to take on a ward. Prepare all the necessary documents properly so we can begin the process immediately.”
“A ward? Suddenly, a ward…?”
“Is there a problem?”
“Not exactly a problem, but… Could it be you’re already planning to take on a disciple?”
It was quite common for mages to take on wards.
They often formalized master-apprentice relationships as guardian-ward relationships. Thus, a mage taking on a ward essentially meant officially appointing their successor.
“For a disciple… Master, you’re still far too young.”
“Must a ward only be a disciple?”
“…Then who?”
“You’re awfully curious.”
Seeing Gibnen’s clear lack of intention to answer, Sak scratched his head and stepped back.
‘Who is this Eadallin baron, and what’s this about a ward…?’
Geniuses were often said to be eccentric—but the actions of this young prodigy Master, who had stirred up such a commotion in society, were proving impossible to predict.
Male lead is reincarnated to save his wife
I’ve also read this one twice already. The female lead is kinda soft and gets embarrassed easily—not really my type, but the plot is definitely worth reading. Hurry up and read it, y’all!
Intro
When Shen Yuan encountered Su Jin again in his previous life, she had already become the Prime Minister of the current dynasty. As for him, the former top young master of the capital, he had long since fallen into the abyss, becoming a singer on a pleasure boat.
After a song ended, he was redeemed and sent to the Su Residence.
Su Jin respected and cherished him, gave him a roof over his head, and bestowed him with warmth. Shen Yuan fell deeper and deeper, but before he could express his feelings, Su Jin passed away.
Shen Yuan died to follow her in death, but instead, he returned to when he was fifteen years old.
At that time, he was not yet engaged, and Su Jin was just a poor scholar.
Shen Yuan gritted his teeth, casting aside all his pride, and thought of ways to coax and entice her every day.
The colder and more indifferent Su Jin was towards him, the more proactive Shen Yuan became.
He was not afraid of being mocked by the world, only wanting to marry his Wife-master early, to hold her hand and never let go for a lifetime.
[Note: This story will not specifically point out the male lead’s reincarnation time point; it’s all in the details. Whenever you feel that the male lead is acting strangely, he has most likely been reincarnated.]
[Touch the gear icon in the bottom right corner of the screen to move to the next chapter if you want.]
Calling her sister while discussing how she will be treated as your wife is so weird
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?