“Oh… my head.”

How much did I drink?

My head was throbbing as if it would split open. My stomach felt queasy, and my back felt like it would break. My whole body ached and felt heavy, as if I had come down with the flu.

Water, I need water.

As I unconsciously reached out my hand, my fingertips touched something soft. Like someone’s hair…

Huh? Hair?

Riley suddenly sat up.

Gasp!

Startled, Riley quickly covered her mouth.

Unfamiliar room, unfamiliar bed, unfamiliar blanket.

And an unfamiliar person lying next to her. Not just any person, but a man. And naked at that.

The man’s toned, bare body caught her eye. It was so explicit and stimulating that the effects of alcohol instantly disappeared, sobering her up.

‘No way… no way.’

The explicit nude scene she didn’t want to remember at all flashed through her mind like a panorama. A slightly flushed face, damp with sweat.

‘More, give me more. A little more.’

I’m crazy!

If it was an accident caused by being drunk, why couldn’t I at least not remember it! Why is last night’s event so vividly clear in my memory!

Realizing she had truly caused an accident, Riley recalled the events of last night in a daze.

How was her first night with a stranger?

Her first time in bed, a single transgression. Rather than being scary, it was ecstatic; rather than painful, it was thrilling. She felt as if something pent-up had been released. A sense of relief washed over her entire body, along with an indescribable refreshing sensation.

Is that all? The pleasure she had never felt before in her life squeezed her entire body to the point where her reason became hazy. In that moment, she felt so satisfied that she thought she wouldn’t mind dying like this.

It really was good… Despite being complete strangers, the act itself was overwhelmingly satisfying.

To be honest, she felt like she could do it again if asked.

However, apart from that pleasure, there was also considerable self-loathing to deal with.

The face of Count Ermeints, furious to the point of explosion; the gazes of countless strangers as she walked across the wide party hall. And then Uncle, Aunt, and Claire. The faces of those she would have to face immediately came to mind.

Things had become much more complicated than expected. And in the midst of all that, this accident…

‘Should I wait until His Grace wakes up? No… he might not remember anything. He ended up like this while trying to help me… He’s bound to be embarrassed.’

His reaction probably wouldn’t be favorable. The fact that someone of his status as an Archmage had spent the night with a mere adopted daughter of a lowly baron’s family… The chances of it being received positively were low.

Riley hurriedly gathered her clothes strewn on the floor and got dressed. She thought about finding the dress she wore yesterday but soon gave up. She just wanted to get out of there as quickly as possible.

After changing, Riley ran out of the room without looking back, ignoring the staff trying to offer assistance as she left.

As she stepped outside, she could see the sun just beginning to rise. It was early. Perhaps because of that, the street in front of the hotel was empty.

Feeling relieved that she hadn’t woken up in the midst of a crowded afternoon, she was about to move when she realized,

‘But… where should I go?’

She had nowhere to return to.

The reality that would hit like a tsunami was frightening. It had grown too big for her to handle alone. She couldn’t even begin to grasp where to start or how to clean up this mess. She was just dazed. What on earth was all this…

“…In this wide world, there’s not a single place for me to stand.”

However, fortunately or unfortunately, Riley’s worries didn’t last long.

Because two men suddenly appeared and surrounded her.

“Miss, the master is waiting for you.”

“…”

“Let’s go quietly without causing a scene.”

They were people sent by Ryan.

Riley let out a bitter laugh. No matter what she did, wouldn’t the outcome always be like this? No matter how desperately she tried to escape from there… In the end, she was in a position where she had to return under Ryan Eadalin’s wing.

She couldn’t escape, could she? Not unless she died.

“Let go, I’ll walk on my own.”

“Then let’s go.”

At this point, Riley didn’t care anymore. She followed obediently without resistance.

It was strange. Despite the aftermath she would have to face immediately, she felt refreshed rather than afraid.

Was it because it was her first transgression? Because it was the first time she… rebelled of her own will?

Her steps returning felt strangely light.

Just like in the old days when she used to live and play with her father.

***

Givnen, who had been lying with his eyes closed, slowly opened them.

He sat up, rubbing his forehead as he blinked slowly. As the blanket covering his upper body slid down, it revealed his completely naked body.

He didn’t usually have the habit of sleeping naked. He liked to dress neatly wherever he was. Even in bed, it was the same.

The fact that he was wearing nothing meant only one thing.

He casually glanced to the side. Looking indifferently at the empty space beside him, he flicked his hand in the air. The clothes scattered on the floor were tidied into a laundry basket, and at the same time, a glass was filled with water.

Just then, the door opened and Sack entered, looking somewhat troubled.

“Have you forgotten the guideline to refrain from using magic unless necessary? Why are you wasting your magic power on unnecessary things, wearing out your body? The health guidelines for all magicians are something even you, Master, must strictly adhere to. No matter how minor and simple the magic, unauthorized use of magic is illegal.”

“Nagging first thing in the morning?”

“Morning? Surprisingly, the sun is high in the sky.”

“…I slept quite long. I must have been very tired.”

“If you were tired, you should have just slept alone quietly. How did you end up causing such a major incident?”

Sack handed over a newspaper. As soon as he opened the newspaper, the paper glowed faintly, and then the photos started to move.

The scene of Givnen and Riley entering the hotel side by side was vividly replayed before his eyes. After watching the moving photo, Givnen gave a brief review.

“They took a terribly bad photo. You can’t even see the faces properly.”

“…Even if the faces aren’t clearly visible, your identity has already been exposed. You made such a show in front of everyone yesterday. No, what kind of relationship do you have with that woman in the first place?”

“Is there any relationship? It was our first meeting.”

“Ah! I see! So you went to a hotel so blatantly and loudly with a woman you don’t know? And even consummated the act? How remarkable! Not only your private life, but you’re practically advertising to spread rumors nationwide! Master… do you really want me to die young?”

“It’s not like this is the first or second time. Shouldn’t you be used to it by now?”

You crazy bastard.

Sack barely held back the curse that was about to escape and pulled up a business smile with all her might.

“Why did you deliberately create such noise? Is this why you invited the Eadalin baron’s family?”

Givnen, who had been drinking water, paused. He slowly put down the glass and asked with a puzzled look.

“What do you mean by that?”

“Pardon?”

“Why is the Eadalin baron’s family suddenly being mentioned here?”

“Well… when I checked the identity of the woman you took with you, she turned out to be the first daughter of the Eadalin baron family, didn’t she?”

Givnen’s eyebrows twitched subtly, showing the first sign of emotion.

“Are you saying she’s Riley Eadalin?”

“Didn’t you know?”

He didn’t know. They hadn’t even exchanged names in the first place.

Who the woman was, how old she was, where she lived – there was no need to know such things. He wasn’t particularly interested or curious either. She was just a woman he would keep for a while and then send back. That was all.

Although they unintentionally spent the night together, Givnen didn’t actually care about that either. It was just an accident that happened under the influence of alcohol. Even the fact that she wasn’t beside him when he woke up didn’t bother him at all.

‘So it was Riley Eadalin…’

Givnen got up.

“Where is Baron Eadalin now?”

“I believe he’s staying at a nearby hotel, but I haven’t specifically checked where exactly.”

“Contact Baron Ryan Eadalin right now. Tell him I urgently need to meet and talk.”

“What? Right now?”

“By the way, what about what I asked for last time?”

“I’ve prepared all the documents needed for the guardianship application.”

“Discard all of that and prepare different documents.”

“…Pardon?”

“The plan has gone awry. We need to change the plan since there’s been a hitch in the proceedings.”

“What kind of documents should I prepare?”

“A marriage proposal.”

What’s with this crazy bastard?

“Are, are you really saying to prepare a marriage proposal? So suddenly? Out of the blue like this?”

“Hurry up, we don’t have time.”

Confused by his completely unexpected words, Sack tried to stop Givnen as he was about to enter the bathroom.

“Wa-wait a moment, Master. How should we handle the reports of the scandal?”

“Is Riley Eadalin’s personal information exposed in the article?”

“No, the woman’s personal information hasn’t been revealed yet.”

If it wasn’t Riley, he wouldn’t have cared whether her identity was exposed or not, but if it was Riley Eadalin, that was a different story.

“Then leave it be. There’s no need to respond separately.”

“…Ah, I understand.”

“Make sure the reporters don’t find out Riley Eadalin’s personal information. If any articles containing her personal information are published, report to me immediately.”

“Understood.”

Sack pondered over Givnen’s orders again and again.

The woman Givnen spent the night with, Riley Eadalin. A marriage proposal. The urgent meeting with Baron Eadalin that needed to be arranged immediately.

This feels ominous. I have a feeling something shocking is about to happen.

“No way, it can’t be. No, surely not. Right, it couldn’t possibly be that.”

Sack tried to shake off the ominous premonition spreading in her mind. For now, arranging the meeting with Baron Eadalin was the priority.

She opened her palm and took out a communication nightingale the size of her palm, infusing it with magic. The nightingale, which had been keeping its eyes closed, suddenly opened them and fluttered its wings, taking flight.

Sack gave an order to the nightingale.

“Go to Baron Eadalin right now and tell him that the Archmage of Horizon wishes to meet him immediately.”

***

Slap-

With the pain of skin being torn, her head turned to the side. Blood dripped from her burst and split lip.

Riley cupped her reddened cheek with her hand and looked straight ahead. She saw Ryan’s figure, breathing heavily and raging.

“You insolent thing! Do you know what you’ve done? How dare you, someone like you… throw ashes on a done deal?”

The engagement had been called off.

“Why! Why should I suffer such humiliation from that old man because of you! Why!”

With the cancellation of the marriage, the business funds provided as a dowry were also reclaimed.

It was only natural for him to be furious, having lost such a massive amount of business funds in an instant.

“You ungrateful wretch, is this how you repay the kindness of feeding, raising, and sheltering you all this time?”

“Do you really think that?”

“…What did you say?”

“Uncle, did you really take me in out of kindness? Or was it just to sell me off at the right moment?”

“How dare you run your mouth like that!”

Slap-

This time, the opposite cheek burst. Fortunately, it wasn’t as strong as the first slap, so her lip didn’t split.

It hurt. Yet she felt like laughing and felt relieved. The fact that the engagement had been called off was so exhilarating and liberating that it overshadowed the immediate pain on her cheek and the annoying scolding from her uncle.

“You’re laughing? You find this funny?”

“Of course, the marriage I desperately didn’t want to go through with has fallen apart, how can I not laugh!”

“You stupid X! You’re kicking away good fortune that rolled in? Do you know what kind of family the Ermeints are! I told you repeatedly it was too good a match for you, yet you stupidly pull this stunt?”

“…I have nothing to fear anymore.”

She meant it. She wondered why she had been so afraid of these people all this time, trembling and walking on eggshells. Now they seemed ridiculous and pathetic.

Rather, they looked cheap and shabby, frothing at the mouth and rolling their eyes over something like this.

Now that she had actually experienced it, it didn’t seem like much. She realized that firmly saying no to what she disliked and standing up for herself wasn’t as scary as she had vaguely imagined.

The marriage to Count Ermeints itself had been the source of extreme terror. Compared to the prospect of having to take care of an old man and live as his plaything for the rest of her life, what was so scary about getting slapped a few times?

“What will you do now? Are you going to throw me out, now that I’ve become like a worn-out shoe?”

“…”

“…Remove me from the family register. Now that the situation has come to this, there’s no reason to keep playing family, is there?”

Ryan, who had been staring at Riley, suddenly burst into laughter. Then he quickly stopped laughing and said seriously,

“Why should I do that? Do you know how much I’ve invested in you! Who would benefit from me doing such a thing? Besides, what would people say if I disowned you?”

“…”

“Yes, I’d like nothing more than to throw you out of here right now. Is that all? I’m so unsatisfied that I want to kill you on the spot. But what good would that do? I brought you in as something to sell off eventually, so I need to sell you somewhere, don’t I?”

“…”

“Don’t misunderstand. You’re nothing but a consumable item to be sold. Do you know how much money has been spent on you? At the very least, I need to recover the money invested in you to break even.”

“I wonder, now that the marriage to Count Ermeints has fallen through, who are you going to send me to? Is there an even better match than that?”

“Anywhere will do. Be thankful that your face is half-decent. If your appearance had been unsightly too, I would have killed you long ago, tsk.”

Ryan pressed his foot on Riley’s leg, as if even looking at her irritated him.

“Ugh.”

“If you pull this kind of stunt one more time, I’ll cripple you and sell you to human traffickers.”

“…”

“Don’t provoke me.”

Ryan called for the head maid, McDallin.

“You called, master?”

“Get this eyesore out of my sight immediately. When we return to the mansion, she’s to be confined for a week. Give her nothing but water!”

“Understood.”

Head maid McDallin called for other servants. Just as they were about to grab Riley’s arms and drag her to her room,

Another servant hurriedly approached.

“Master.”

“What now!”

“I just received a message that the Archmage of Horizon is coming here.”

“What? The Archmage? Suddenly?”

“Yes, I just received the notice. It seems you should prepare to welcome the Archmage.”

“Is that so? Then go immediately and bring my wife and Claire here. What are you waiting for? Hurry up and get Riley out of here!”

Ryan seemed to have no intention of presenting Riley before the Archmage. It was always like this. He would leave Riley out of important occasions and encourage Claire to participate in social activities instead.

He probably didn’t want to show his insignificant adopted daughter to someone as important as the Archmage.

‘Why would the Archmage come here? Surely it’s not because of what happened last night…’

Riley became anxious at the news of Givnen coming here.

That’s why Ryan’s order to go to her room immediately was so welcome. Rather than facing him in this state, being confined to her room was preferable. She thought she would just stay quietly in her room like a dead mouse.

However, unfortunately, the situation unfolded differently from Riley’s wishes.

“Master, the Archmage has expressed his desire to meet Lady Riley specifically.”

“What are you talking about? How does the Archmage know Riley?”

“I’m not sure about that either… but given that he mentioned Lady Riley by name, not Lady Claire, I think he might have business with Lady Riley.”

Ryan looked at Riley with a troubled expression. Then he signaled to the maids. The servants holding Riley stepped back.

“Change her clothes immediately. And fix her hair.”

As soon as Ryan’s order was given, the maids dragged Riley away, forcibly changed her clothes, and tidied her hair. Then they brought her back to Ryan’s room.

The Baroness and Claire, who had been staying in another room, also arrived in Ryan’s room.

Claire sneered at Riley’s swollen cheeks.

“Hah, that’s what you get for causing such trouble.”

“…”

“How stupid, did you think you could find a better match than that? Why did you do such a foolish thing? Aren’t you a real idiot for kicking away the position of a Countess?”

In the past, Riley would have silently endured Claire’s mockery, but now, irritated, she smirked and replied,

“If you like the position of that old pig’s concubine so much, why don’t you take it?”

“…What? What did you just say?”

Just as Claire was about to flare up,

“The Archmage is entering.”

The door opened, and Givnen entered, followed by Sack.

Stepping into the room that seemed somewhat shabby compared to the luxury hotel room he had been in just minutes ago, he looked around and then extended his hand to Ryan.

“I am Givnen Lianster.”

“Ah, welcome! Lord Givnen! I am Ryan Eadalin. It’s an honor to meet you. Please, come this way.”

Ryan offered him a seat, and after sitting down, Givnen looked at Ryan’s family members one by one, his gaze stopping on Riley.

At that moment, Riley raised her head, and their eyes met in the air. Riley quickly lowered her gaze.

“These are my family members.”

The Baroness and Claire introduced themselves in turn, and Riley spoke in a small voice.

“…I am Riley Eadalin.”

Riley felt her heart shrinking with anxiety.

What could it be? Why had he come here? Surely he hadn’t come to confront her about last night’s incident?

As all sorts of anxious thoughts swept through her mind, Ryan threw out a topic.

“So, what brings the Archmage here…”

Givnen, with his gaze fixed on Riley rather than Ryan, said,

“I’ve come to propose marriage.”

An icy silence fell over the room at this completely unexpected statement.

Regardless, Givnen approached Riley, took her hand, and added a bombshell statement.

“I would like to marry Lady Riley.”