Kill.
It’s as if the ghost of the already dead master is shouting like that.
Givnen loosened a couple of buttons neatly fastened up to his neck.
That proposal the master had urged, in a way, now might be the right time.
‘Should I kill her.’
Givnen contemplated as he looked at Riley, who was lost in thought.
The master originally left two choices. Either handle Ryston’s daughter, or kill Ryston’s daughter.
What to choose was up to Givnen. The master only presented options without forcing him to choose either.
In fact, the initial plan was to bring her in first. He hadn’t thought deeply about what would come after.
If he was going to kill her, he planned to keep her close and eliminate her as quietly as possible, disguising it as an accidental death. If he was going to keep her alive by his side, that wasn’t bad either. As long as he didn’t get sick of her.
She was the child of Archmage Ryston. Being the blood of an archmage alone made her a flawless woman to be the lady of the Lianster family.
Treating her kindly and putting in effort to seduce her was also for later convenience.
It would be troublesome if she ran away on her own. If she fell in love on her own accord and considered the predator’s den as her sanctuary, what could be more convenient than that?
“What are you thinking about?”
The innocent lamb asks with a naive face. What am I thinking about, she asks. Then I should answer. I’m pondering whether I should kill you or not.
If I say this out loud, what expression would she make? No, what expression would I be making while looking at her dying corpse?
Givnen smirked at Riley.
“Dangerous thoughts.”
“?”
“I’m such a bad disciple. The master entrusted the future of this place to me without knowing that.”
Along with a bomb that could go off at any time.
“?”
It wouldn’t matter if he killed her, but he didn’t particularly feel like killing her right away.
‘If I kill her now, it might cause more of a commotion. Should I postpone it until after the marriage?’
A relationship that started for convenience. This strange relationship that’s neither lovers nor friends. They’re not dating but promised to marry, they don’t whisper words of love but have shared their bodies.
This woman who seemed insignificant was quite an interesting existence to Givnen. This unprecedented relationship was more fun than he had expected.
Moreover.
“Ryston overlooked one fact.”
Master, you’ve also overlooked one thing.
“That I have a small capacity.”
That your disciple has too large a capacity.
‘I’m also curious to see what kind of power she has that made the master so agitated… If “they” are the ones who killed the master, as he said, maybe I can get clues about them through this woman.’
Unlike the master who prioritized safety and stability, Givnen’s nature enjoyed the thrill of danger and excitement.
I wonder why the master entrusted this woman to me despite knowing that.
Moreover, Riley Eadalyn currently has value to be used.
Master told me not to hand Riley over to ‘them’, right? Then surely ‘they’ who caused the master’s death will approach Riley. If I can catch the enemies who killed the master… that’s reason enough to keep her close.
“An indoor date, how thrilling.”
Givnen interlocked his fingers with Riley’s. As if he would never let go, with all his might.
“Now, let’s go sightseeing outside.”
[This is the timeline separator]‘Amazing.’
The magic tower wasn’t just a single building.
“Is all of this Horizon?”
“Yes.”
The magic tower Horizon was much larger in scale than she had thought.
A spectacle of densely packed buildings that could be called a village. It had everything – a dedicated library, academy, hospital, gymnasium, stadium, theater, research institutes, carriage parking lots, and more.
This could be considered a small city. Moreover, there was a dedicated area for selling and experiencing magic tools.
She understood why his usual spending was so outrageous. Owning such a magic tower, he must surely be rolling in money. So much that he couldn’t spend it all even if he played and ate until he died of old age.
“It’s quite large, so it’s difficult to see everything in one day.”
“How many people work here?”
“300 in the magic tower alone. If you count the academy, hospital, and library, it would be even more. I don’t know exactly since I’ve never counted.”
“Wow.”
Everyone was freely roaming Horizon wearing robes embroidered with the Horizon emblem.
They looked very free and comfortable, as if wearing well-fitted clothes.
Above all, what caught Riley’s attention were the women.
‘Not a single person is wearing a dress.’
Free and confident-looking women. They had all thrown off the traditional dress of this place and were wearing comfortable pants like the men.
Occasionally there were a few wearing dresses, but even those were modified into simpler forms that were easy to put on and take off by oneself, unlike the cumbersome designs. They were different from the dresses traditionally and generally required for women.
The environment where people moved around freely in liberated attire without minding others’ gazes shocked Riley greatly.
It was so different from the world she had seen until now. They always only demanded propriety. Proper conduct, being raised just enough to marry into a good family. That was the typical environment Riley had lived in.
For women to receive education was not to contribute to society as a member or to display individual capabilities… it was merely a means to increase their value as merchandise to marry into a better family, to a successful man. A well-trimmed flower, a pretty flower. The only given role was to make men look good.
‘How cool.’
All the women here had fought for their positions themselves.
Perhaps because they were people who had broken through Horizon’s overwhelmingly competitive admission process with only their skills and abilities, they looked overflowing with confidence. Among these proactive and initiative people, Riley’s mind went blank.
‘What have I been doing all this time?’
“Don’t act stupid.”
“Don’t do anything. You just need to do as you’re told.”
“Honey, shouldn’t we educate her to some extent?”
“Hmph, it would be like pouring water into a bottomless pit, so forget it. No matter how much we educate her, who would take her? Just think of sending her off to a decent family.”
“If you want to get married, behave yourself quietly. Don’t rebel, and face your circumstances. A woman who isn’t modest cannot be loved by her husband. It’s pathetic that you don’t even know such basics, tsk.”
She thought it was natural that she shouldn’t do anything.
She thought it was best to quietly do as she was told. She just whined, craving affection. Even knowing she could never be a real family, those years of doing as they said just to be loved now felt empty.
“This is the library where magic books are collected.”
A library with tens of thousands of books.
“This is the hospital. There are researchers and professors studying magical medicine, not just ordinary doctors.”
A hospital where mages who can use healing magic work as doctors, professors, and researchers.
“This is the sample development center. It’s where magic tool samples are tested, the design room is right next door. And next to that is distribution.”
The tour continued one after another.
What should I do? The more she toured the magic tower, the more she saw people working hard in their respective positions, the more she felt a desire stirring inside.
It’s so cool. I want to be like that too.
They couldn’t tour all the buildings. There were too many types and it was too wide. Riley’s stamina quickly hit bottom after looking around a few places.
Just then, a park came into view. The benches in the park, used as a resting area for the people here, were packed with people taking breaks.
“Shall we rest for a bit?”
“Okay.”
Will there be a place to sit? This was a very foolish worry.
With each casual step he took, people who spotted him all turned pale and fled their seats.
“Why do some people run away when they see you?”
“It’s a natural reaction.”
“?”
“No one welcomes a rascal boss.”
Ah, so he’s too burdensome to face directly. And his reputation isn’t that good either…
Riley nodded as if she understood. Thinking of the pressure she felt when she first met him, she could empathize with their feelings. Moreover, they work here, so it must be even more burdensome.
Those fleeing didn’t even look back. There was no whispering about the situation among themselves.
It was strange to see them frantically running away, treating the situation as if it didn’t exist, even though the sight of the magic tower lord walking side by side with an unknown woman was clearly eye-catching.
“Sit down.”
In an instant, it became spacious. There wasn’t just one or two empty benches. Riley took a seat on a bench.
“I thought it would be boring.”
“…”
“Looks like it’s quite fun.”
Riley nodded at Givnen’s words.
“I came thinking it would be boring, but it’s more fun than I expected. To be honest… it’s a bit shocking.”
“What is?”
“Everything, it’s so different from the world I lived in… this place is too dazzling.”
What would the lives of the people here be like?
I want to live such a dazzling life too.
“Hey… the mages here must earn a lot of money, right?”
“People might perceive it differently, but at least I think I offer the best treatment in the industry.”
In fact, Horizon’s turnover rate was very low. It wasn’t for nothing that it was called an iron rice bowl.
“…It’s cool. They all came here with their own abilities.”
At Riley’s murmur, Givnen stared at her and asked.
“What about me?”
“Huh?”
“I also climbed to this position with my abilities.”
“You? There’s no need to even mention you… it would just be a waste of breath.”
“Even if it’s a waste, tell me.”
“Tell you what?”
“That I’m cool.”
What is this uncharacteristic childishness?
Riley, who had just been blinking, burst into laughter.
“You’re cool, really. I thought you were cool from the moment I first saw you.”
Only now did he smile, seemingly satisfied.
“Where should we go next?”
“The academy. What do they do there?”
“It’s where they gather promising buds and educate them. All graduates of the magic department from the academy are set to join Horizon. Of course, assuming there are no special issues.”
“…Is it difficult to get admitted?”
“The competition is fierce. We don’t admit many.”
“I want to go see it.”
Instead of answering, Givnen held out his hand. When she placed her hand on his, he naturally interlocked their fingers.
“We could use teleportation if your legs are tired.”
“No, let’s walk. It feels nice, like we’re taking a stroll.”
Satisfied with Riley’s answer, he led her.
“That’s the model answer. I was waiting for that response.”
[This is the timeline separator]The students at the academy had quite different reactions from those seen in the park.
Whispers. They exchanged hushed words among themselves, but their curious gazes were all directed at one place.
It wasn’t a common sight to see a young man with a handsome appearance and tall stature walking side by side with a rather pretty-faced woman, poking around the academy building.
If not most, a considerable number of people recognized Givnen. Especially the older-looking professors. Or the students who seemed to have been at the academy for a long time, smelling like ‘old water’.
These people were surprised, their eyes almost popping out, while those who didn’t recognize him generally had youthful appearances, clearly having just entered the academy recently.
The gaze that seemed about to pour down might have been burdensome, but the man who had been the center of attention his whole life continued the campus tour as if used to it.
“This lecture hall is where Division 1 classes are held, mainly studying humanities unrelated to magic like philosophy, logic, history, archaeology, geography, etc.”
“I see. So they don’t just learn about magic?”
“The type of talent Horizon aims for is someone with broad knowledge. If you focus only on one field of study, your perspective becomes narrow.”
They said various subjects are taught here.
Not just humanities, but science, engineering, agriculture, medicine, and various other subjects are covered, and students can choose the subjects they want to study at their discretion. They also cover sports and arts, so it seemed like an optimal environment for building knowledge in various fields.
The more Riley toured the academy campus, the more thoughts she had.
The academy was truly an attractive place to her. A place of learning where you can learn and master anything. Riley felt a longing deep in her heart at the sight of the students who all looked intelligent, clever, and even sophisticated.
And Givnen clearly saw Riley’s eyes sparkling.
“Do you want to learn?”
“Huh?”
“Your eyes are burning with academic enthusiasm.”
“Um… to be honest, I am envious. I’ve never properly learned anything. I’ve never experienced academy life, and when I was young I was in the mountains… After my father passed away, I only stayed inside the Eadalyn mansion.”
The only education she had received was the brief etiquette training from Madame Beyrickseed before coming here.
“Then you can learn.”
“…Me?”
“What’s stopping you? If you want, I can arrange the admission procedures for this place.”
“Here? But everyone here is knowledgeable and amazing. I don’t qualify for admission here.”
At Riley’s words, Givnen slightly frowned.
“Elder sister is also that type of person.”
“…That can’t be.”
“The entrance exam for Horizon Academy, especially for the magic department rather than the general department, is very simple yet fair. Take the test. Then you’ll know.”
“…”
“That’s great, while studying here, you can also receive magic management training.”
Riley shook her head.
“I won’t even be able to set foot on the threshold here. I’ve never received proper education. I don’t know anything, and I’m not smart.”
This wasn’t said out of low self-esteem.
It was a statement made from a purely realistic perspective.
Riley had never studied when she lived in the mountains as the daughter of a mountain keeper. She only read a few unnamed books in the house. Moreover, after being registered in her uncle’s family registry and living together, she lived without receiving any basic education.
She didn’t attend the academy that everyone else went to, didn’t know what they learned, and learned about the world through conversations with Claire and the servants.
With that background, it didn’t make sense to receive education at the empire’s top higher education institution.
It was obvious she wouldn’t even reach the threshold.
“There’s no way you’re not smart.”
“…”
“Intelligence is hereditary. Especially for mages, they are even more influenced by genetics. That’s also why mage families are obsessed with bloodlines. Don’t you realize you’re the daughter of an archmage?”
“…I still can’t believe that my father was an archmage from Horizon.”
“An archmage of Ryston’s caliber wouldn’t have left without passing anything on to his daughter.”
“He didn’t pass on anything.”
“Are you sure?”
“I’m sure.”
“Well, you never know.”
“…What do you mean?”
Givnen shrugged.
“He’s a man who thoroughly prepared to entrust his daughter to my master in advance. I don’t think such a meticulous man would not have made preparations for when you were left alone in this world.”
“Father didn’t teach me anything.”
“It doesn’t necessarily have to be taught.”
Riley couldn’t understand what Givnen meant. Regardless, Givnen seemed to have already concluded that Riley would enter the academy.
“I’ll prepare the admission documents, it’s a good time since it’s the beginning of the year and before the semester starts. The application period for the mage selection has already ended, but if we put you in through the recommendation selection, there shouldn’t be much problem in setting the exam schedule.”
“I can’t do it.”
“Try it first, then say that.”
“…”
“You haven’t tried, so how can you be so sure you can’t do it?”
“I know myself well.”
“Are you going to live your whole life giving up before even trying, saying you can’t do it?”
At Givnen’s pointed remark, Riley looked at him, dumbfounded.
“Enjoy it while you can. Have fun while you can. Do it while you can. Don’t regret it later.”
“…”
“Elder sister, you don’t know yourself at all.”
Givnen smiled brightly, remembering his master’s last wishes.
“And I have a strong contrarian nature.”
“?”
“I’m terribly disobedient.”
Keeping alive someone who should be killed, and not stopping there…
“I wonder what it would be like if elder sister could use magic freely. Couldn’t you become an archmage surpassing Ryston?”
He was trying to nurture the seed of disaster himself.
‘Of course, master might burst out of his coffin in a rage.’
But what can I do, I’m curious.
If nothing else, Givnen was weak to curiosity.
“Try it, this academy.”
“…”
“I told you to think about what you want to do.”
“…”
“I’m willing to support whatever you want, no matter what it is.”
The madman with rotting money is doing something crazy.
He has started moving the timer of a time bomb that had been stopped for a while.
“I’ll handle it, elder sister.”
I want to try handling this woman.
__________
He Said He’s Pregnant, and It’s My Child (Female-dominant)
Intro 1
Something seems a bit off about this world.
Wang Zhao thought as she watched a pregnant man walking towards her…
Intro 2
Female lead finds herself in a world where the men who possess the ability to bear children.
As she navigates this unfamiliar reality, she is caught off guard by the sudden appearance of her boyfriend, who reveals that he is pregnant.
Is this truly her boyfriend?
Why can’t she recall any details about their time together?
She begins to doubt whether the child her boyfriend is carrying is even hers.
Is there a hidden reason behind her amnesia, or could it be a side effect of her sudden arrival in this strange new world?
Just when it seems the protagonist’s life couldn’t become any more entangled, her ex-boyfriend makes an unexpected appearance, raising questions about the protagonist’s past.