The day of departure for the capital city Blestige.

The Eadaline baronial household was in an uproar from early morning.

“No, why are you making her wear my dress!”

Riley, who didn’t have a dress to wear to the reception, was to borrow Claire’s dress.

Of course, it was a decision made without any consideration for Claire’s wishes. And as expected, Claire was in an uproar.

The Baroness Eadaline tried to soothe her young daughter, who was all worked up.

“What else can we do? Riley doesn’t have a dress to wear.”

“That’s her problem to deal with! She should go buy one at a shop! Have one custom-made, or make it herself! Everyone should take care of their own clothes, why is she wearing someone else’s?”

“Just bear with it this once, Claire. Who would want to lend their clothes? Given the occasion, we need to dress appropriately, but what can we do? It’s not like a dress can be made overnight. It would be a waste of money to buy a new dress just for Riley to wear once.”

“Can’t we just get any ready-made dress?”

“We need to dress formally for such an occasion. How can we let her wear just anything? It would tarnish our family name.”

“Her attendance itself is already tarnishing our family name! You should have persuaded Father!”

“It’s not something that can be solved by persuading your father. The Archmage sent an invitation directly to Riley. How could the Baron, your father, go against his orders? Hmm? Calm down. Just close your eyes and bear with it once.”

The solution they came up with was to have Riley wear Claire’s cherished dress, as it was too expensive to buy a new one, but they couldn’t let her go dressed in just anything.

It was clearly the best choice in the current situation, saving money while maintaining a proper appearance.

However, Claire was not easily pacified.

While it seemed her commotion would continue, it didn’t last long.

“What’s all this noise about?”

“Ah, Father.”

“Why is there such a loud noise? What’s going on?”

“…Ah, it’s nothing.”

The childish girl who was just a whiner in front of her mother became a demure lady in front of her father.

It was understandable, as Ryan was quite strict with his daughter. He had raised Claire very strictly and firmly to marry her off to a prestigious noble family. As a result, Claire was particularly afraid of her father.

As Claire stopped her commotion, the frozen servants finally relaxed, and the Baroness sighed deeply, looking as if she had aged ten years.

“Then let’s depart.”

It was finally time to leave for the capital, Blestige. As it was a trip with minimal personnel, they decided to bring only three maids to help with grooming and three guards.

Still, it was an embarrassingly small entourage for a journey to the capital and for a minor lord who was acting as a proxy ruler of a small territory, albeit with a representative.

Of course, for Ryan, who had succeeded as a philanthropist, even this appearance was perfect for portraying a common, frugal image that emphasized his modest lifestyle.

He may be called a philanthropist, but many people should know that he’s actually a scoundrel who exploits unfortunate people behind the scenes while appealing to sympathy and selling them out in front to make money.

“Father, are we using the teleportation device to go?”

“It’s too time-consuming to travel by carriage or train.”

“Wow, teleportation!”

This was the reason for bringing minimal personnel.

The teleportation device. A cutting-edge magical tool that had been introduced not long ago, the teleportation device was the most advanced means of transportation that could move anywhere desired.

Originally the exclusive domain of magicians, it had recently been commercialized, allowing ordinary people to use it as well.

The teleportation device was suitable for long-distance travel. Magicians with magical power could use it by expending their own mana, but most ordinary people had to pay money.

Of course, the usage fee for the teleportation device was ridiculously expensive, comparable to about two years’ worth of wages for the average commoner.

While it was said that prominent capitalists and upper nobility used it as casually as eating meals, it was an amount that would make even a baron, a minor lord of a remote region, bleed to pay.

“It’s my first time teleporting, I’m so excited!”

“Claire, I understand you’re happy, but calm down. There are many eyes watching.”

“Ah, yes, Mother.”

“And when we get to the capital, you shouldn’t show your true feelings like that. It’s a place full of not only teleportation devices but all sorts of magical tools and magicians. Don’t act like you’re from the countryside, just stay quiet.”

In other words, don’t embarrass us by acting like a country bumpkin.

Claire nodded, seemingly embarrassed, fiddling with her fingertips. Then she composed her expression.

It was quite amusing. It was obvious she was internally excited at the thought of experiencing teleportation, but outwardly she was pretending to be aloof.

On the other hand, it was also admirable. If nothing else, that ability to instantly change her expression was truly a skill unique to her that no one else could match.

“Riley.”

“…Yes, Uncle.”

“You pay with your magical power.”

“…”

“Your father was a magician, so you must have magical power too.”

Riley was genuinely perplexed.

“Do I have magical power? I’ve never been tested. I’m not registered as a magician.”

Magicians are registered as such along with their birth registration. So it’s impossible not to know if you’re a magician.

Riley thought she wasn’t a magician. After all, she wasn’t registered as one. Nevertheless, Ryan persisted.

“Just try it anyway. There’s no need to spend money we don’t have to.”

He was blatantly showing his unwillingness to spend money, making him look incredibly cheap. Riley felt disgusted with her uncle.

‘Why did I ever try so hard to be loved and acknowledged by such foolish people…’

Now, she wished to decline being bound as family with these people.

“Welcome, we’ll briefly verify the identity of the reservation holder. May I have your name?”

“Ryan Eadaline.”

The person who appeared to be the teleportation device management staff wore specially made glasses and looked Ryan up and down. The glasses began to sparkle, then soon stopped.

“Your identity has been verified. Teleportation to Blestige. You’ve reserved for a total of 9 people, is that correct?”

“That’s right.”

“How would you like to pay?”

“This child will pay with magical power, and the rest will pay with money.”

“I see, understood. Young lady, please come this way first.”

Following the staff’s guidance, Riley entered the teleportation device first.

“Do you have a magician’s ID?”

“No.”

“Did you leave your ID at home?”

Riley hesitated to answer the staff’s question. Instead, Ryan, who had been listening, hurriedly interrupted.

“She left her ID at home. The renewal period had passed, but she was sick and bedridden, so we couldn’t process the renewal…”

“Ah, I see. Then please process the renewal as soon as possible. A magician’s ID is essential for using magical devices, so please make sure to carry it next time. Young lady, please put your hand in this input port.”

Following the staff’s instructions, she put her hand into the input port. Inside was a small crystal ball, which began to glow red when she inserted her hand.

“Now, we’ll begin the teleportation.”

A hot sensation enveloped her body. At the same time, a burst of colorful sparks began to obscure her vision with vibrant colors. An indescribable strange feeling wrapped around her entire body, and as the sense of weight disappeared, she felt as if she was floating in the air.

And then the colorful, sparkling view suddenly turned white.

Blink.

Riley blinked a couple of times.

“Welcome, we hope you enjoy your time in Blestige.”

The teleportation device management staff connected to Blestige greeted her.

Riley blankly stared at the scene unfolding before her eyes.

An overwhelming splendor incomparable to the small town scenery of the minor territory with its mountains and small buildings clustered together.

Buildings that seemed to reach endlessly into the sky formed a massive forest. Dazzling night lights brilliantly illuminated the darkness of the night, and the enormous river surrounding the city rippled beautifully, holding the city’s splendid night view.

“So this is Blestige…”

A land where only the chosen are granted the right to reside. A land where famous figures leading the political and financial circles of the empire gather. A land dreamed of by those who crave power and wealth.

The dazzling illumination and brilliant lights sent shivers through her entire body.

Looking at the vast and grand cityscape of the metropolis, she felt her breath catch. She realized how narrow and dark the place she had been living in was.

How foolish her life had been, crouching and trembling in that small world…

…How much of a frog in a well she had been, she keenly felt, and it made her feel strange.

Her heart began to race madly. A desire to dive right into this beautiful metropolis, this vast world, welled up. Curiosity, desire, and joy for this unknown world she had never experienced swirled inside her.

She felt strongly that something was about to change.

Both externally and internally.

***

The reception celebrating the inauguration of the new Archmage, hosted by ‘Horizon Tower’.

As everyone had expected, this reception held in the central hall of the magic tower was grand and splendid in scale.

As soon as they got out of the carriage, people who had put great effort into their appearance came into view. The cloud-like crowd sparkled and dazzled more than the crystal lights decorating the air.

The red carpet stretching extravagantly to the entrance was intricately decorated with embroidery in gold thread, and the attendees, adorned even more lavishly than the red carpet, caught the eye like a painting.

“Wow, gasp!”

Claire unconsciously opened her mouth in admiration, then hurriedly covered it with her hand and looked around nervously.

She had worn the most luxurious and splendid dress she owned, but it paled in comparison to the people here who were as ornate as peacocks.

Of course, there was no need to mention the modesty of Riley, who was wearing even cheaper clothes.

‘It’s like a completely different world.’

She thought it might be a sight she’d never see again in her lifetime. That’s how splendid, luxurious, and at the same time extravagant the occasion was.

The tables set up in the central hall were adorned with the finest desserts and drinks, and befitting one of the top magic towers in the kingdom, the scale of the hall was so large and spacious that it rivaled any ordinary castle.

“Oh my, Mother! Look over there, isn’t that Robert Pelita? He’s such a famous and successful actor these days!”

Claire seemed to recognize many of the people here.

It seemed as if her thorough research and study of the list of people likely to attend this event was paying off, but soon she realized that wasn’t the case.

Not only were there figures from the political and financial worlds, but also many celebrities active in various industries.

Starting with the popular famous theater actor, there were painters, pianists, fashion designers, as well as ministers and journalists from media outlets. Faces often seen in media reports could be spotted here and there.

They all exchanged greetings naturally. There was a sense of familiarity, as if they knew each other well in their daily lives.

‘It feels like we’re completely out of place here.’

Claire, who had confidently come to find a fiancé here, looked thoroughly intimidated and cowed by the grandeur and splendor of this place.

She was clearly realizing firsthand how far removed the world she inhabited was from true high society.

Baron Ryan seemed to be trying his best to find someone he knew even slightly to strike up a conversation, while the Baroness was busy following her husband’s lead and keeping an eye on their surroundings.

Seeing them so dispirited was so ridiculous it made her want to laugh. To think these people she thought were tigers were actually just dogs pretending to be tigers. To think these people who acted so high and mighty were actually just frogs in a well.

‘Let’s just keep an eye out and slip away.’

It was rather fortunate that they were in such a dazed state. At this rate, there was a high chance they wouldn’t notice if she left quietly.

‘But what should I do after I escape…?’

The problem was where to escape to after leaving the party venue.

She had thought about running away without a plan, but what after that? She couldn’t live away from home forever. If Ryan filed a missing person report, there was a high chance she would be forcibly returned and have to go through with the wedding without any choice.

But she didn’t know the geography of this place well either. It was questionable whether she could find accommodation here with the money she had.

Now that she was actually here, she felt at a loss. The world she had vaguely imagined in her head was too different from the world she was actually facing.

That’s when it happened.

“The Archmage is entering.”

People became particularly excited and focused their attention on one spot.

And at the end of that gaze, a high-priced latest model floating stone carriage came to a stop. This was clearly the latest vehicle recently developed by Horizon Tower, a cutting-edge means of transportation that moved using floating stones attached instead of horses.

As it was a carriage that hadn’t been officially released yet, it attracted even more attention.

Meanwhile, the person who alighted from the top-class floating stone carriage immediately captured everyone’s attention.

‘So that’s the new Archmage of Horizon…’

A man stepping onto the red carpet wearing visibly expensive shoes. He caught the eye the moment one saw him.

A man I was seeing for the first time. Yet he was intense.

He was someone who captured people’s attention in many ways. It wasn’t simply because of the dazzling social positions he held – young Archmage, legitimate heir of the Lianster family, genius magician.

His relaxed and leisurely gait was elegant and dignified, making one wonder if this was the bearing of noble blood, and above all, he was too young. Even after hearing he was young, he had the appearance of a youthful man that was surprisingly boyish.

Moreover, while I had heard he was young, I hadn’t heard that his silver hair was dazzling, that he had smooth and fine white skin, or that he had eyes like cold steel blades.

I had often heard that he was handsome, but I didn’t know it would be to this extent. He was a man armed with a splendor that didn’t quite match mere handsomeness.

With his beautiful appearance combined with an unapproachable aura, it was only natural that he left onlookers at a loss for words.

‘…So people like this actually exist.’

Even if one didn’t want to look, one’s gaze naturally shifted towards him. It was an irresistible force. One’s gaze, interest, and curiosity kept being drawn to him.

This was not just for Riley, but for everyone gathered at the party venue. Eyes full of envy, jealousy, admiration, and curiosity were all poured onto this one person.

Feeling like she might lose her mind if she kept looking, Riley quickly averted her gaze. Then she noticed Claire, who already seemed to be half out of her mind.

Goodness, that was unmistakably the face of a girl in love.

While Riley thought there was nothing as romantic and nonsensical as falling in love at first sight, looking at some of the people here, it seemed that such an absurd notion might not be entirely implausible.

‘Ah, this is not the time for this.’

Just as Riley, belatedly coming to her senses, thought she should quickly leave this place, it happened.

“Well, who do we have here? Baron Eadaline!”

Someone approached Ryan. Riley, who was standing right behind Ryan, froze like a stone statue at the sight of the approaching figure.

A man who seemed to have difficulty walking alone, relying on a jewel-decorated cane in one hand and being supported by an aide on the other side.

A face and hands covered in wrinkles, an ugliness that even makeup and jewels couldn’t hide, rolls of fat that looked ready to burst out from between his clothes, and sparse, limp curly hair barely clinging to his head.

A man who stood out in a different way from the Archmage from earlier.

“Lord Ermeints, it’s an honor to see you.”

It was the dreadful appearance of her fiancé.