Everyone held their breath.

A silence as heavy as lead settled in the exam hall. It was a silence where no one dared to even make a sound of breathing. Everyone stopped breathing and lost their minds at the sight before their eyes.

Everyone looked at one place and thought the same thing.

‘I saw death.’

It was true.

Everyone in the exam hall momentarily saw death.

As the runaway magic power exploded, the magic power meter was shattered, and the explosion that occurred even shattered the barrier that the professors had painstakingly created. In just a moment, it rendered the most powerful level of barrier useless.

They blinked and looked towards Givnen.

The barrier was broken, but a faint protective shield surrounding the people remained. This was not created by the professors, but a protective magic that Givnen had deployed himself.

If he hadn’t been here, everyone gathered would have been caught in the explosion and disappeared without a trace.

“What on earth is this? Where did such a monster…”

“We almost… died.”

“Isn’t this the first time the barrier has been shattered?”

“It is… This is unprecedented.”

Amidst everyone’s amazement, Rivne’s legs gave out and she sat down.

‘What exactly happened?’

There’s no way she wouldn’t have known if she possessed such tremendous magic power. But including the day they first met up to the day of the family meeting, she seemed like an ordinary person. Usually when meeting someone with strong magic power, you can feel that magic power somehow, but I couldn’t feel anything from Riley.

It was nothingness.

She was no different from an ordinary person, to the point where you wouldn’t even know she was a magician unless she said so. Even when she entered the exam hall, I didn’t feel any particularly tremendous magic power.

Yet she caused a large-scale explosion magic.

The meter, which induces maximum magic power measurement by providing a controlled environment and limiting conditions, exploded without being able to contain all that magic power. In other words, it was immeasurable.

Those with immeasurable magic power have appeared throughout generations. Just thinking about the most recent case, there was Givnen. But there had never been a case of not just breaking the barrier, but blowing it away entirely.

‘So that’s why brother and father…’

Rivne unconsciously turned her head to look at Givnen and flinched.

‘No, brother didn’t know either. He didn’t know it was to this extent…’

Givnen was holding the fainted Riley, looking at her as if she was adorable. It was like the expression of someone appreciating a mesmerizing work of art. What dwelled in his always cool and calm eyes was chilling obsession, possessiveness.

He who never showed interest in anything ordinary now openly displayed his interest.

And it’s not just a light interest. That’s… the look of someone who has decided they want to possess something.

I thought she would only be embarrassed.

It’s fortunate that she didn’t suffer embarrassment.

‘…What should we do about that guy, he really seems to have gone half mad.’

Now she was worried in a different sense.

[This is the timeline separator]

Givnen immediately returned to the mansion.

Richelle couldn’t help but be startled when Givnen appeared carrying Riley, who was pale and limp.

Unlike Richelle, who looked anxious and uneasy, Givnen’s expression was very calm as he laid Riley on the bed. Rather, he looked at Riley, who was lying like a corpse, as if she were adorable.

From Richelle’s perspective, that warm expression that didn’t match the situation was quite bizarre.

“Sh-should I call a doctor?”

“No.”

“…”

“She won’t wake up for about two days. It’s not serious enough to call a doctor, so just keep an eye on her.”

From Givnen’s perspective, it was natural that she couldn’t wake up.

‘Arpeggio was right.’

Even though the core had been pierced once, it wasn’t completely pierced.

This time, it was properly pierced.

Arpeggio had pierced half, and this time the core was 100% pierced, so it was natural that her body couldn’t withstand the tremendous mana circulation and was strained.

However, Givnen was certain that this wasn’t everything.

Because Riley is amazing, but there’s no way the master would be so alarmed by just this much. There must be something more. Something… that shouldn’t be known.

“I’ll call you again, so go out. I’ll keep watch for now.”

“Ah? Yes, understood.”

After Richelle left, Givnen stroked Riley’s face.

“It was beyond expectations.”

“…”

“I’m glad I kept you alive by my side.”

If I had just killed her, I wouldn’t have felt this kind of fun.

By the way, Master is also quite cruel.

“To say to get rid of someone so adorable, isn’t that too cruel?”

Too dangerous so she must be eliminated.

Maybe I unnecessarily developed a rebellious spirit towards those words I heard so often in the past that it became tiresome.

When they whispered that sprouts that couldn’t be handled should be cut off, it was my master ‘Yung’ who stepped up saying he would handle it. Isn’t it funny that this same master said this woman should be killed because he couldn’t handle her?

Because of abuse, she doesn’t know how to love herself, weak, timid, cowardly… a woman with no dangerous aspects no matter how hard you look for them is said to be a calamity.

It makes me laugh. She seems like a woman I could snap in half with one hand.

To say she’s a monster just like me.

‘I’ll tame her well, Master.’

Just as you did to me.

[This is the timeline separator]

“What, is that really true?”

“Yes, it’s certain.”

Count Ermeints painfully raised his body that had been lying down.

“That wench… was a magician?”

“And not just any magician, but one with immeasurable magic power, likely at the level of an archmage.”

“What? How…”

Count Ermeints couldn’t hide his shock.

There were already rumors spreading that an incredible talent had entered Horizon Academy and that Givnen was behind it, but he hadn’t expected at all that the protagonist would be Riley Eadalin.

Except for her pretty face, she was an unremarkable woman. A lowborn with nothing to boast about. She didn’t look like an archmage-level talent at all. No, he had never even thought she was a magician.

If she was an archmage-level magician, why did she just stupidly let herself be kidnapped?

Someone of that skill level would have found dealing with those assassins laughably easy, wouldn’t they?

‘Givnen Rianster, that damned brat…’

Now the puzzle pieces were fitting together.

He understood why that flawless bastard wanted to marry the adopted daughter of an insignificant baronial family. That cunning bastard knew all of this from the beginning.

‘Don’t tell me inviting Baron Eadalin to the reception was also… Then was that whole situation planned from the start too! Did this bastard deliberately induce the broken engagement to take that wench from me?’

“Damn it!”

“M-my lord, please stay still, you’ll collapse like that.”

“Why did it have to be that bastard? Why! Damn it, if I had known first, I wouldn’t have been fooled so stupidly.”

I wouldn’t have thought of her as just another woman to play with for a while like my previous wives.

To lose such a precious talent right under my nose.

Count Ermeints pounded the table with his fist, venting his frustration. The expensive plates in his hands flew in all directions and shattered with a crash.

‘Oh no, what a waste of those precious things!’

The servants frantically started sweeping up the broken glass shards while stomping their feet.

“If only I hadn’t broken the engagement, if I had married that wench as planned and had an heir…”

If he had married Riley Eadalin as planned, if he had had an heir from her body, the Ermeints family might have produced the greatest archmage.

To think she was just a lowly wench, but she was actually a woman possessing archmage-level magic power? Such women are not easy to find anywhere… why did she have to fall into the hands of that damn unlucky brat of all people?

From now on, continuing the bloodline of magicians would be more important than anything else.

This was why the bride price for magicians, especially female magicians, was skyrocketing in the marriage market. Whether a family could produce magicians or not was directly linked to the future of the family.

As magicians are high-level, irreplaceable talent, their value will only increase and their existence will become more precious as time goes on.

The more strong magic power holders are matched together, the higher the probability of producing outstanding magicians from their union. Because magic power is greatly influenced by heredity, talents called archmages among magicians were popular regardless of gender, with their popularity soaring to the heavens.

In that sense, Givnen Rianster was a talent coveted by all families, and even by the imperial family.

If only Givnen Rianster’s reputation wasn’t so terrible, especially if his woman problems weren’t so complicated, the imperial family would have already marked him as a son-in-law candidate.

‘He must have deliberately built up a licentious image and caused trouble in preparation for times like this. Pretending not to know, acting like he doesn’t know about something appetizing that he’s hiding… Then trying to monopolize it all for himself.’

They say the one who has it all wants even more, but to be this lacking in conscience!

Count Ermeints could barely stand the pain in his stomach. If Givnen, an archmage-level talent, marries Riley who has archmage-level magic power and they have an heir…

‘This is a disaster.’

The future of the Rianster family would become even brighter.

On the other hand, what about the future of the Ermeints family?

It was gloomy at best. Unlike the Rianster family, they were not originally a legitimate magician family, and they had entered the industry late by acquiring the Eldras Magic Tower, being considered latecomers in the field.

As the era where ‘magic’ is distributed in the form of ‘magical tools’ has arrived, the influence of the Rianster family is growing day by day, while the Ermeints family is not what it used to be.

The eldest son had a lot of ambition and willingness to revive the family, so he worked hard at everything, but objectively speaking, his innate talent couldn’t keep up. The rest of the children were even more pitiful.

What the Ermeints family needed more than anything right now was ‘bloodline’.

They needed a ‘woman’ who would thicken the blood of magicians, create an outstanding bloodline. And that woman needed to have very strong magic power.

It’s lamentable that right now he has to keep his mouth shut and lie low. Count Ermeints covered his face and ordered in a weak voice.

“Investigate Riley, that wench, thoroughly. There’s no way such an archmage bloodline could exist in Baron Eadalin’s lineage. Find out everything in detail. There must be something more.”

[This is the timeline separator]

Riley regained consciousness exactly two days later.

“Young lady, are you feeling a bit better? Can you see how many fingers this is?”

Richelle fussed over Riley, who had regained consciousness after two days, showing her outstretched fingers.

Riley, who had been blinking her eyes blankly, sat up.

“…What happened?”

“You were unconscious for two days.”

“…Me?”

“Yes!”

“Why?”

“Well, I don’t know either… I was so shocked when I saw you return like a living corpse after going to take the academy entrance exam.”

“…Ah.”

There’s no memory at all.

I remember going to take the exam, but I can’t recall the moment of actually taking the exam at all.

“The master said it wasn’t serious enough to call a doctor. He said you’d be fine after resting well. The master was right.”

Judging by the lack of any memory, it seems the exam must have been a complete disaster. Right, there’s no way I could have taken the exam properly when I can’t do any magic or anything. Just fainting like an idiot.

What an embarrassment.

‘But I feel relieved inside.’

Is it actually good that I’ve been freed from the pressure of the exam?

There’s another exam next year, so I can prepare until then, right?

“Would you like to eat?”

“Yes, I’m a bit hungry.”

“Of course you are! You’ve been lying down for two whole days! I’ll tell the chef to prepare something right away.”

As Richelle disappeared to tell the chef to prepare food, Riley lay back down.

‘I feel weak.’

She was pressing her forehead tightly, even feeling dizzy, when it happened.

Knock knock.

There was a sound of knocking on the door.

Riley, who thought it would be Richelle, raised her head.

“My, your complexion is so pale, you look like a corpse about to die.”

It was Givnen.

Riley checked outside the window. It’s clearly daytime now, and he should be at the magic tower at this time.

“Are you alright?”

“Yes, I’m fine.”

Riley frowned, looking troubled.

“…I don’t remember anything.”

“It’s quite common to not remember taking the exam. So don’t worry about it.”

Givnen handed Riley some documents.

“What’s this?”

“The exam results.”

Cruel guy.

Even without checking this, I already know I failed, yet he brings it right to my face.

Unnecessarily kind.

Riley carefully received the documents. Just as she was wondering if they now notify of failure by document as well.

“Congratulations on passing.”

Passed? Me?

Riley just blinked her eyes in bewilderment.

“…But I didn’t do anything.”

“You probably don’t remember doing it.”

“…You’re not teasing me, are you?”

He chuckled and took out a small box from his chest, holding it out.

“This is an admission gift.”

It felt so unreal, as if he was deliberately messing with her.

Riley hesitantly opened the box. Inside the box, a pair of earrings made of black pearls were neatly nestled.

“Don’t take them off, keep wearing them all the time.”

“…Thank you.”

“Give them to me, I’ll put them on for you.”

“But I don’t have my ears pierced.”

“I’ll pierce them for you. Don’t be scared, I’ll make sure it doesn’t hurt.”

Can piercing ears be painless?

When Riley looked at Givnen with a doubtful gaze, he chuckled and fiddled with her earlobe. Then he took out one earring and carefully put it in her ear.

“It doesn’t hurt, right?”

“…Did you pierce it?”

“Yes.”

“I didn’t feel anything.”

“I made sure you wouldn’t feel anything while piercing it.”

He put in the other earring as well.

“It suits you well.”

“…You’re really not joking? This feels so unreal to me right now.”

Of course, meeting Givnen and playing house here feels even more unreal.

“These are specially made earrings, so don’t take them off. They’ll help stabilize your mana.”

He smiled and patted Riley’s head.

“You did well, it was impressive.”

“But I didn’t do anything…?”

“No, you did a lot in that short moment. You almost blew up Horizon. It was scary for a moment thinking my precious asset could have been completely destroyed.”

“…?”

“Well, that bloodline can’t be hidden.”

He smiled proudly as if she had done something praiseworthy.

Is this really something to be praised for? Having no memory makes this whole situation embarrassing, but seeing the admission notice and certificate, it doesn’t seem like he’s joking.

“Was my magic not too shabby?”

At Riley’s words, Givnen burst out laughing as if he couldn’t believe what he was hearing.

It seems like she didn’t register his words about almost blowing up Horizon. The magic stone for measurement couldn’t even measure the absolute value before shattering to pieces.

Givnen barely managed to answer while holding back his laughter.

“We did have trouble measuring it.”

“…I see. Yet I still passed. Did you pull some strings?”

“?”

“Like… getting me in through connections?”

At Riley’s question, Givnen burst into laughter again. After laughing for a while, he wiped the tears from his eyes and said,

“What an incredible string-pulling that would be.”

“?”

“It’s not string-pulling. The magic you showed was excellent. All the evaluators there were so moved they couldn’t close their mouths. Like baby birds waiting for food with their mouths open. It was quite a sight to see.”

At Givnen’s words, Riley’s eyebrows drooped.

It seems she showed some truly astonishing magic. Yet she still passed, so it must be due to Givnen’s influence… Though he denies it, it doesn’t make sense otherwise. Passing without doing anything? And passing despite showing magic so terrible that all the professors were shocked?

“Keep tomorrow free.”

“Why?”

“Let’s go on a trip to celebrate your admission.”

A trip? What’s this about?

“For one night and two days.”

“?”

“Just the two of us.”

“!”