Givnen’s resilience was beyond astonishing, reaching a level of wonder.

On the day of the welcome party, Givnen had recovered enough to move on his own. Of course, his gait was much slower than usual, but it took less than a week for him to go from being completely immobile to being able to walk fully.

Sack joked about this, saying that even if he were fed all the poisons in the world combined, he would not die.

Of course, this poison was quite lethal, so if the dose had been even slightly higher, or if he had been exposed to additional poison, his life could not have been guaranteed. It was a joke that could be made because his condition had improved.

Anyway, thanks to Givnen entering the final stages of recovery, Riley was able to join the welcome party with somewhat less worry.

However, Riley’s lightened mood became heavy again for an unexpected reason.

“Riley, look at this!”

Hila, upon seeing Riley, ran over excitedly and handed her something.

It was today’s hot-off-the-press daily newspaper. And not just any newspaper, but a tabloid that dealt with sensational topics without verifying their authenticity. It was also a publication where Givnen frequently appeared.

[Exclusive] Givnen Lianster on Fast Track to Marriage, Future Wife a Student at Horizon Academy? Full-fledged Wedding Preparations Underway.

Oh, so a marriage rumor had broken out.

Riley’s pupils shook as if an earthquake had struck. Seeing her very surprised expression, Hila added excitedly,

“Isn’t it amazing? They say the Magic Tower Lord is getting married! Has he finally come to his senses?”

As if the two-day schedule wasn’t nerve-wracking enough… A marriage rumor report on the day of the event, it couldn’t get any worse than this.

[This is the timeline separator]

“It seems to be the work of an outside reporter.”

Sack recalled how his heart nearly sank as soon as he received the tabloid.

‘…At least it’s not about this recent incident.’

If instead of the marriage rumor, an article about Givnen Lianster nearly being poisoned had broken out, everything would have turned stark white before his eyes.

Only a select few among the top brass of Horizon knew that the Magic Tower Lord position was currently vacant.

While it wouldn’t be a disaster if this fact were exposed to the outside world, it certainly wouldn’t be good either.

If it became publicly known that someone was under assassination threat, it would only provoke enemies who were already lurking in the shadows, waiting for an opportunity.

Moreover, after the murder of his mentor Yung, when the entire empire was turned upside down, Givnen became the subject of gossip and was torn apart by countless people for years. Of course, such conspiracies continued until this year when Givnen was appointed as the Magic Tower Lord.

Starting from conspiracy theories suggesting that he had deliberately killed his mentor out of desire for the Magic Tower Lord position, to conflict rumors about severe discord with Yung’s other disciples, allegations of embezzling Magic Tower slush funds, and even absurd conspiracy theories claiming it was the doing of the imperial family to check Horizon’s power – he endured all sorts of nonsensical rumors.

Now, there were even ridiculous rumors circulating that the Lianster family was aiming for the Emperor’s neck.

In such a situation, if the fact that he was nearly poisoned became known, all those conspiracy theories that had quieted down would resurface, and he would be torn apart again. There was also a small but existing anti-Givnen faction within Horizon, so one way or another, nothing good would come out of it.

Who would have thought there would come a time when a marriage rumor would be so welcome?

“I guess it’s time to set a wedding date.”

As expected, Givnen was calm about the marriage rumor report.

Well, there was no reason not to be calm. Marriage wasn’t a big deal, rather it was a joyous occasion. They were at the stage where they just needed to set a date and hold the ceremony, and it was a fact that needed to be revealed anyway.

“I’ve already checked the schedule, and it seems difficult this year. It looks like it might be possible next year.”

“That’s too late.”

“How about we hold a simple covenant ceremony right away, then file for marriage registration and have the wedding ceremony next year? Since Miss Riley is also attending the academy, it might be difficult to arrange time for an immediate wedding.”

“I suppose there’s no choice.”

“How should we respond to the report? Shall we not respond as usual?”

“Let’s do that.”

Having been embroiled in various rumors so often, he had consistently maintained a no-response policy for quite some time now. He knew well that responding would only fuel the rumors.

In fact, from this perspective, he wondered if there was really a need to remain silent about the already decided marriage rumor. However, he decided against it, thinking of Riley attending the academy. She wanted to graduate as quietly as possible.

There was no need to add a huge scandal like a marriage rumor to her, who seemed to attract incidents and accidents without doing anything special.

‘She must be quite troubled.’

Riley would have seen this article by now. It was obvious what expression she would have. Imagining that expression made him smile involuntarily. Her troubled look was both pitiful and cute at the same time.

“Why are you suddenly laughing like a madman?”

Givnen immediately put on a serious face at Sack’s question.

“I did no such thing.”

“…I must have seen wrong.”

“Go and do your work.”

“Yes.”

Sack hastily fled, sensing the mood.

Left alone, Givnen managed his expression before curling up the corners of his mouth again.

Ah, he should have seen that troubled face in person.

[This is the timeline separator]

“Did you hear? Did you hear? The Magic Tower Lord is getting married!”

“Who could the partner be?”

“Could it be that woman from the recent scandal? There was a photo of them entering Ingrissinia together, right?”

“Ah, that veiled woman?”

“This time too, nothing is known about the other party. At this point, it makes you wonder. Just how amazing must this woman be for the Magic Tower Lord to keep her hidden?”

“Well… it’s a bit different from the previous romance rumors, isn’t it? Until now, the lineup was quite glamorous. They were all well-known people.”

Ah, I want to go home.

Riley was feeling herself rapidly aging in just a few hours.

All the students from the magic department had gathered in the academy’s main auditorium to use the large-capacity teleport, and everyone was buzzing about Givnen’s marriage rumor.

Perhaps because it was the magic department, they were more interested in Givnen, the Magic Tower Lord, than anyone else.

Too interested, in fact.

“You know what, Riley? I heard a rumor that the person the Magic Tower Lord is marrying isn’t from Blestige.”

“…Is that so?”

“Yeah, seeing that none of the Blestige graduates here know anything, they’ve concluded she’s not from the same affiliation. Well, if there had been marriage talks with an influential family, people wouldn’t be able to not know, right?”

“…Yeah, that’s true.”

“Who could it be? I’m curious.”

“…Why? Why are you curious?”

“Well, other people’s love stories are the most interesting, aren’t they? Plus, a young Magic Tower Lord getting married at this time? A man who even rejected the princess’s proposal? At this point, it’s curious. Just how amazing must this woman be for the Magic Tower Lord, who even refused a princess, to decide to get married?”

I see, so other people’s love stories are interesting.

Riley awkwardly curled up the corners of her mouth. Overwhelmed by the reaction that was more intense than expected, Riley could only nervously gauge the situation. The thought of their attention being directed at her made her feel nauseous and dizzy.

If the fact that she was marrying him became known, her quiet and peaceful life as it is now would be over.

Would she even be able to attend lectures properly? Would the Blestige kids, who have been quiet lately, start bullying her again?

Unlike Givnen, who had lived off public attention his entire life, Riley had no immunity to such overwhelming interest. The pressure made her feel sick to her stomach.

Moreover, she felt bad about deceiving Hila.

I should probably tell Hila in advance… Come to think of it, we’ve only known each other for barely a month, and it’s questionable whether she would even believe me. She might treat me like a crazy person and distance herself. Then I’d become a perfect loner.

“But whoever it is, they’re going to have a tough time.”

“…Why?”

“Well… the Magic Tower Lord’s private life is a bit messy, isn’t it?”

“…”

“There have been countless romance rumors from the start.”

It wasn’t a small number.

Of course, he said that eight out of ten of them were false. Still, the ‘two-tenths’ that were true might seem proportionally small, but in absolute terms, it’s not a small number.

“Well, to put it nicely, he’s a free spirit, and to put it badly, he’s a scoundrel… To be honest, I’m a bit… If my husband was someone who was constantly embroiled in romance rumors with other women, I’d be a bit reluctant. Doesn’t it sound exhausting just thinking about it?”

Riley was about to retort angrily to Hila’s words, but then closed her mouth.

‘…He’s a good person though.’

“I don’t mean any ill will towards the Magic Tower Lord. It’s just… as a woman, living as his wife would be difficult. Would just anyone be able to endure that position of being a sacrificial lamb for gossip?”

Thinking back to when the adultery rumors broke out, it was certainly tough.

Even though Riley herself wasn’t even mentioned by name, seeing Givnen’s name being gossiped about all day long made her think that the countless sharp gazes and attention must be quite burdensome.

Not just anyone could endure it. It certainly wouldn’t be easy.

“Besides, the 9th Princess was so devoted to the Magic Tower Lord…”

“I heard she even sent a marriage proposal and was rejected, isn’t that right?”

“She was rejected. But I bet she didn’t give up. She’s been chasing him for years.”

“…”

“Anyway, whoever it is, I feel sorry for them. All the previous protagonists of romance rumors with the Magic Tower Lord disappeared without a trace at some point.”

“…Really?”

“Yeah, some became penniless beggars, some went missing, and even the daughters of somewhat prestigious families got embroiled in all sorts of rumors and incidents, ending up buried in high society and unable to show their faces.”

“…”

“This led to rumors that all women who meet Givnen become unhappy. In fact, some even started saying that Givnen Lianster might be cursed. There were also rumors that the princess was behind it all. That the 9th Princess was secretly dealing with women who got involved with the Magic Tower Lord… Of course, these are unconfirmed rumors, just rumors!”

Hila quickly added that it was ‘unfounded rumor’, perhaps worried about being accused of insulting the imperial family. She also strictly warned not to talk about such things in front of others.

Riley nodded, trying to suppress her troubled feelings.

It wasn’t because of the baseless rumor that all women who meet Givnen become unhappy. It was just sad that Givnen was perceived more negatively by people than she had thought.

“We will now activate the teleport to Lurat. Please gather in the center of the magic circle.”

The teleport activation preparations were completed, followed by explanations about possible side effects when using the teleport.

There was a small chance of experiencing nausea and vomiting, and they were instructed to report immediately if they felt any physical discomfort.

The students gathered in the auditorium moved to the center of the magic circle. Most were excited about the trip and experiencing a large-scale teleport for the first time.

“Please remain in your positions without moving. We will begin the teleport.”

The magic circle began to glow and the ground started to shake.

Riley tightly grasped Hila’s hand, trying to maintain her balance on the shaking ground.

The massive magic circle disappeared, and a huge hole appeared. Then, hundreds of students were sucked into it.

·

·

·

The first thing visible upon opening her eyes was the interior of a hotel room.

Hila looked around and her eyes lit up.

“They must have teleported us to our assigned rooms!”

“Seems so. I wonder if that’s why they made the partner list in advance.”

“This is my first time experiencing multi-person teleportation, it’s so fascinating, isn’t it?”

“Yeah. Looks like they can set even specific locations one by one.”

“It must have consumed an enormous amount of magical power.”

Riley and Hila started unpacking in the room. Actually, there wasn’t much to unpack. Most of the necessities were already provided in the hotel.

As they were unpacking, an announcement soon echoed.

「Attention to all students of Horizon Academy. There will be a welcome party at 7 PM. Until then, you are free to use your time as you wish. Please gather in the banquet hall in the hotel basement before 7 PM. Once again, we announce… At 7 PM…」

“It’s free time! That means we can go out, right?”

Riley nodded with a smile at Hila’s excited look.

“We should be able to go outside.”

“Awesome, Riley, let’s change clothes quickly! Time is gold. We don’t know when we’ll come here again, so we need to use it wisely!”

It was really enjoyable when I had a date here with Givnen.

I wonder what a date with a friend would feel like? Riley decided to put aside her worries about the marriage rumor and Givnen for a while.

It would be a waste to stay gloomy after coming all the way here for a trip.

“Let’s go, to the sea!”

[This is the timeline separator]

Free time given until 7 PM.

Riley diligently went around with Hila.

They went to the sea first. Wearing the clothes they had prepared in advance, they played in the water with Hila. The seawater was as warm as the weather, perfect for playing.

After that, they came out of the sea and played with sand on the beach, then went around picking up seashells. After playing like that for about three hours, they got hungry and headed to a pub by the beach to order fish and chips and cocktails.

“Is it okay to drink alcohol from daytime?”

“Riley, alcohol is actually more delicious when you drink it during the day. And we’re going to drink again at the welcome party that starts in the evening anyway, right? Alcohol is the answer to break that awkward atmosphere. It’s just a difference between getting drunk earlier or later.”

“I see.”

“Besides, is a cocktail really alcohol? It’s a beverage. Are you not good with alcohol?”

Well, when did I drink a lot of alcohol… Surely it was that day when I went to Hotel Ingrissinia with Givnen.

It was the first time I drank on that day when I followed him as if escaping on the day of the reception.

Since I don’t know what kind of alcohol I drank with him at the hotel then, I have no way of knowing how strong it was. But thinking about how I became unconscious and caused such an incident…

Riley covered her suddenly flushed face and answered.

“I think I’m on the weak side.”

“What? Your face suddenly turned red.”

“Huh?”

“…Did you get heat stroke? It’s not that hot today though.”

“My face just turns red easily.”

“Really?”

“Yeah.”

It wasn’t like she could say that her body heated up remembering that day.

Come to think of it, everything was a first with Givnen.

He was the first person I drank alcohol with… the first person to help me when I was in trouble, the first person to reach out his hand, the first person I went to a hotel with, the first person I traveled with, all of these firsts were with Givnen.

When I came here with him, it was really amazing. Enjoying the finest cuisine at a top-class hotel and receiving the best treatment.

And then suddenly bullets flew while walking down the street…

“Ah.”

“What’s wrong? This time your complexion has turned pale.”

“Just remembering old times.”

“Have you been here before?”

“Just once.”

It’s not that long ago, it’s actually quite recent.

Sitting here like this keeps making me think of Givnen. Perhaps because it’s a travel destination I went around with Givnen, every time I see something familiar, memories of the time spent with him come to mind.

‘…I wonder if he’s resting well now.’

What should I do, even though we’re apart for just a very short while, I miss him.

Even though this moment playing with Hila is very enjoyable, it seems that the time spent alone with Givnen was a little more fun.

Riley, who was immersed in memories of Givnen, paused.

What am I doing now! To be lost in thoughts of him even after coming all the way here to have fun! This was not a good sign.

“…If I fall too deeply into this, it could be really bad.”

“What could?”

“No… it’s nothing.”

The ordered fish and chips and cocktails arrived.

Riley tried to shake off her idle thoughts about Givnen. At least while I’m here, I shouldn’t think about him. Absolutely not!

It was just as they were about to start eating.

Two men sitting at the next table slowly approached. Wondering what was going on, she looked up to see a man with tanned skin revealing his snow-white teeth as he placed his hand on the table.

“Would you like to join us and have fun together?”