“I was consulting with my teacher.”

At Riley’s words, Arpeggio bristled.

“Who’s your teacher? I just helped you out for a bit.”

“Why are you raising your voice? You’re scaring my sister.”

Givnen approached Riley and wrapped his arms around her.

“What could have been troubling you so much? If you have worries, you should confide in me.”

“You looked busy.”

“What could be more important than my sister’s worries, even if I’m busy?”

“Hmm, wouldn’t the important matters of the magic tower be more important than my worries?”

“To me, you’re more important than that.”

“Hey, both of you, stop this in my precious workshop and get out. Do you think this is your dating spot?”

At Arpeggio’s words, Givnen agreed and pulled Riley’s hand.

“Let’s go to my office.”

·

·

·

Sack recalled the conversation from just an hour ago.

− If you’re that concerned, why don’t you just re-enroll?

− Even if I re-enroll, there are no classes I can take together. My subjects are for fourth-year students.

− I’m shocked by the nuance that you were considering re-enrolling.

− I’m anxious

− Young lady is not an uncontrollable baby, Master.

− In society, she’s no different from a child left by the water’s edge. Have you forgotten what abuse she suffered from the baron?

− The young lady hasn’t lived completely cut off from society, has she?

− What’s the difference? She couldn’t even attend the academy that everyone else goes to, and was kept at home. All contact with people other than those involved was completely blocked. She wasn’t even debuted in social circles.

− Still, the young lady is old enough to take care of herself.

− Shut up.

‘You were so worried and concerned, yet you ended up bringing her here.’

“Sack, am I perhaps in the way?”

At Riley’s question, Sack smiled brightly and shook his head.

“Of course not. I’m glad to have you here, young lady.”

“Why?”

“Well… because it’s not often you get the chance to serve an obedient superior? Don’t mind me and go about your business.”

Sack tactfully got up from his seat and left. Then, after bringing out tea and cake for Riley, he quietly disappeared again.

“How was today?”

Riley answered in a somewhat excited voice, as if she had been waiting for Givnen to ask this question.

“It was good. I made a friend too.”

“Already?”

“Yes.”

“That’s impressive.”

“Actually, I was quite worried. I’m very shy and… not used to dealing with people, so I was worried, but it turned out fine.”

“Bring them home later.”

“Is that okay?”

“Of course, I should entertain my wife’s friend.”

Riley nodded excitedly.

“What kind of consultation did you have with Arpeggio?”

“Oh? It’s not really a big deal, but…”

“If it’s not a big deal, why can’t you tell me?”

Riley hesitated for a moment before speaking.

The story of having her seat taken despite claiming it first, complaining that the lecture was too difficult to understand a word of.

“Ah, is it normally inconsiderate to eat alone in the cafeteria?”

“Why would that be inconsiderate?”

“Because there are a lot of people, and hogging a table for two alone doesn’t look good?”

“What kind of forced logic is that? If someone comes first and claims a seat, that’s it. Why does it matter how many people there are?”

“Right? I’m not thinking wrong, am I?”

“Did someone say something?”

“There was a small conflict, but it was resolved well. Some guy helped me.”

“…A guy?”

“He was handsome. Not as much as you, but.”

The corners of Givnen’s mouth turned up crookedly.

“A guy?”

“Yes.”

“And he’s handsome on top of that?”

“Yes.”

Givnen glared at Riley with his chin resting on his hand.

“That’s troublesome.”

“What is?”

“Getting involved with a handsome guy on the first day.”

“I don’t even know that person’s name. But I bought him a meal because he helped me.”

“You ate together too?”

“It happened while eating. He said to buy him a meal if I was grateful.”

“That’s a typical pickup line.”

“No way. There was no sign of that at all. He was handsome, but his way of speaking was very… unpleasant. Like my teacher.”

“Arpeggio is unpleasant, that’s true.”

“Just his way of speaking. But teacher is a good person.”

“Since when did that guy become your teacher?”

“He taught me, didn’t he? I’d like to keep learning from him if possible. The academy curriculum seems too difficult for me to understand on my own through self-study.”

Givnen let out a laugh of disbelief.

“There’s a better teacher right in front of you, yet you insist?”

“Where?”

“Here.”

“You?”

“Yes.”

“But you’re the magic tower lord.”

“Is there a law that says a magic tower lord can’t take disciples?”

“That may be true, but you don’t have time to teach me, do you?”

Givnen let out a groan.

“Still, I don’t like you being that guy’s disciple.”

“Why?”

“I just don’t want any men hanging around you.”

Riley blinked blankly for a moment before understanding his words and smiling.

“It’s okay, I only have you.”

“…”

“I keep my promises well. I haven’t forgotten my promise to you. I’m supposed to marry you, so I shouldn’t look at other men.”

“But you told me to let you go if you find someone you love or want to end our marriage.”

“Hmm, that’s true.”

“There’s no law saying you can’t fall in love with the guys hanging around you. Especially since you said they’re handsome. Both of them.”

“Both of them?”

“Arpeggio and that nameless guy.”

“Is teacher handsome? Teacher looks like a shaggy Sapsaree dog.”

“He may be like that now.”

Givnen warned her with a serious face.

“You don’t know how dangerous handsome men are. Those guys always live up to their looks. Like me.”

“Okay, I’ll be careful. But I don’t know anything about that person and I don’t think I’ll meet him again.”

“Not just him, don’t associate with any men. They’re all beasts.”

“You too?”

“…”

“Well, you too…”

“I’m the exception.”

Givnen rubbed his forehead. It was a habitual action he often did when feeling displeased, but Riley was still innocent. Givnen didn’t like Riley’s naive face very much.

It seemed to be written all over her face: ‘Anyone can take me away, you can fall in love with me.’

To be honest, it seemed like she would follow someone if they gave her candy. Not that she’s that stupid, but as a metaphor.

She didn’t seem to have the ability to distinguish men approaching with ulterior motives. With a very high probability.

“Don’t even let men approach. What if you end up falling for someone?”

“…Me?”

“No, him.”

When Riley made a dumbfounded expression, Givnen warned her seriously.

“Humans are more vulnerable to visual stimuli than you think. People prioritize all values on things that look good to the eye. Dresses, jewelry, handsome men, beautiful women, puppies, cats – they’re all things we think are pretty or beautiful or cute when we see them with our eyes.”

“That’s true. But what does that have to do with me? The examples you mentioned don’t apply to me. I’m not in the category of visually appealing things like jewelry or dresses, puppies or cats, am I?”

“Who’s saying such nonsense?”

“…”

“You’re pretty. Are you unaware of how beautiful you are?”

“I’ve never been told that in my life. I don’t think so either. I think I’m just… average.”

“Average my foot.”

Givnen let out a laugh, as incredulous as Riley.

A situation unfolded where neither could understand the other, but Riley nodded and promised.

“There probably won’t be any men approaching me anyway, but I absolutely won’t let any men get close.”

“If some weird guy tries to get close, tell me. I’ll take care of it myself.”

Riley thought this wasn’t something that needed to be ‘taken care of’, but she nodded and changed the subject.

“By the way, I heard there’s an incredible genius at our school. Someone who broke the mana measuring device. I heard he’s your disciple?”

“…My disciple?”

“Yes, they say you brought him personally. It’s amazing. To think I’m attending the same academy as someone like that. I’m struggling to understand the lectures, but for that person, these lectures must be easier than eating cold porridge, right? I need to work hard not to fall behind. At this rate, I’m guaranteed to be last in the class. I wonder if I can keep up with the lectures…”

“…”

“But if you have a disciple, you should say so. Who is it? I’m curious, what kind of person is your disciple? Since they’re a new student, we must be the same age. I wonder if we could be friends?”

The talent at the level of an archmage who broke the mana measuring device was now seriously worried about whether she could keep up with the lectures or not.

The sight was so amusing that Givnen quietly covered his face with his hand and barely held back his laughter.

“Why are you laughing?”

“Just thought you were a bit cute.”

“…What is?”

“You, sister.”

What’s cute? As Riley was flustered, Givnen burst out laughing, even shedding tears. After laughing for a while, he seemed to calm down a bit as he took a deep breath and blinked slowly.

“Ah, it’s funny. It’s so funny I could die.”

“?”

“Anyway, work hard. And that disciple thing is just a false rumor. I don’t have any disciples.”

“Really? I would have been disappointed if you had a disciple but didn’t tell me…”

“Anyway, work hard. Who knows? Maybe you’re the archmage-level talent.”

At Givnen’s words, Riley firmly shook her head.

“No way, I might not even be able to graduate… But the process of learning something seems fun. So I’m going to try hard. You’re even paying the expensive tuition… I shouldn’t be lazy.”

That tuition, it’s really nothing more than pocket change, but who’s worrying about whose money now? Givnen held back his laughter.

Why is she so cute?

The more he looked at her, the more cute aspects she had.

Thinking she might be the cutest creature in the world, Givnen indulged in joy.

[This is the timeline separator]

“Hi, Riley. I saved you a seat.”

She met with Hila almost every day. It was because they had surprisingly many overlapping lectures.

Riley attended the lectures that didn’t overlap with Hila alone, but for the lectures they shared, Hila always saved her a seat.

Riley thought she was really fortunate to have Hila. She was a friend who was very cute, cheerful, and bright, making Riley feel happy and excited just by looking at her.

“I went on a blind date yesterday?”

Riley tilted her head at Hila’s words?

“A blind date?”

“Yes, I met a man my mother introduced through an acquaintance. He’s from Asland. He’s a student at Eldras Academy.”

“Isn’t Eldras the competing magic tower of Horizon?”

“Yes, their academy is quite good too. Not as good as Horizon Academy, but still.”

“So did you like him?”

Hila shook her head indignantly.

“No? His tone of subtly looking down on me was unpleasant. He pointed out that I’m a late bloomer student. He seemed to subtly look down on me for failing the entrance exam three times. He said he passed on his first try. And he said Eldras is better than Horizon. It’s not even funny.”

“I see.”

“This is why I hate blind dates. They look down on our family because we’re rural barons! Even though our family is quite prestigious in our region!”

“What kind of family is the other side from?”

“He’s also from a baron family in Asland. But Asland is a much more developed region than Azure where I live. But that family wasn’t originally a noble family. They were originally a merchant family. Asland is under Count Brodian’s territory, and apparently they sucked up to Count Brodian with a ton of bribes? They’re nouveau riche who bought their title with money. But they have an inferiority complex about it, so they subtly pointed out how poor our family is and said things like their rich family is better than poor nobles who are noble in name only… Why should I take time to meet such a person and be insulted like that?”

After venting, Hila soon muttered gloomily.

“This is why I hate intentional meetings. Putting in marriage proposals to similar families and having political marriages… What meaning does that have for lower nobles like us? To be blunt, political marriages only benefit the highest nobles. For lower nobles like us, is there any meaning unless we meet a better family? We’re just going to end up with similar families anyway.”

“So the marriage talk is off?”

“Yes, I’d rather give up the name of Durrele than marry such a jerk.”

“I envy you.”

“What?”

“That you have the choice to refuse marriage talks.”

“What about you? Are you married?”

“…No.”

But I was almost sold off to an old man.

Of course, somehow I ended up engaged to a very young magic tower lord with a bright future.

“But I understand how you feel. I almost married someone older than my father.”

“What? Really? No, how… that’s absurd! So did you get engaged to that old man?”

“No, fortunately the engagement was called off.”

“That’s really great! You know, I don’t want to have a marriage based on money or conditions. I want to live happily with someone I love. What’s important about money or status? What’s important is that I’m happy. Don’t you think?”

Riley didn’t answer.

She had imagined living happily with someone she loved many times, but perhaps she had realized too early how big the gap between reality and ideal is, and how difficult it is.

“For me, I’m more important than love.”

“Huh?”

“What’s important is that I live comfortably and in luxury.”

“Don’t you want to meet someone you love and live while being loved? A loveless marriage would be too lonely.”

“I want to live like that. I want to love and be loved. But I’ve given up.”

“…Why? We’re still young. Why give that up?”

“Because I know it won’t happen.”

“Why not even try?”

Riley thought of Givnen.

She might be able to love him, but she wouldn’t be able to receive love from him.

Riley knew well how difficult mutual love is. How slim the chances are for two people to love each other.

“Because hoping only brings pain?”

“…”

“I always want to be loved, but I don’t want to love.”

I want love, but I distrust love.

“The one who loves loses. The one who gets hurt isn’t the one being loved, but the one who loves.”

“…Hmm, is that so.”

Riley nodded and said,

“I will never do something like love.”

This was a kind of pledge and reminder to herself.