WSNTM 23

Chapter 23. I’ll Take Responsibility, Noona

Kill her.

It felt as though the lingering spirit of his already-dead master was screaming those words at him.

Gibnen loosened a couple of buttons at his collar, which had been fastened neatly all the way up to his throat.

That proposal his master had repeatedly warned him about—looking at it now, this really was the right moment.

Should I kill her?

Gibnen stared at Lailly, who was lost in thought, and pondered.

From the very beginning, his master had left him with two choices: take responsibility for Raiston’s daughter, or kill Raiston’s daughter.

Which one to choose was entirely up to Gibnen. His master had only presented the options, never forcing him to pick one over the other.

To be honest, the original plan had simply been to bring her here first. He hadn’t thought much beyond that.

If he were going to kill her, he would keep her close, disguise it as an accident, and eliminate her as quietly as possible. If he were to keep her alive by his side, that wasn’t bad either—as long as she didn’t become tiresome.

She was the child of the Archmage Raiston. The fact alone that she was the Archmage’s blood made her an impeccable candidate for the position of lady of the Rianster family.

Treating her kindly, investing time and effort into seducing her—it was all for future convenience.

It would be troublesome if she tried to run away on her own. If she willingly fell in love, and came to regard the predator’s den as her own sanctuary, nothing could be easier.

“What are you thinking about?”

The innocent lamb, unaware of anything, asked him with a guileless face. What was he thinking about? Then he should answer, shouldn’t he? That he was debating whether to kill her or not.

If he were to say that out loud, what kind of expression would she make? No—what kind of expression would he be wearing as he looked at her dying body?

Gibnen let out a quiet snort of laughter as he looked at Lailly.

“Something dangerous.”

“…?”

“I’m quite the bad disciple. My master entrusted the future of this place to me without knowing that.”

Along with a bomb that could explode at any moment.

“…?”

He wouldn’t mind killing her, but he didn’t particularly feel like doing it right now.

If I kill her now, it’ll only cause a stir. Maybe I should go through with the marriage first and postpone it.

A relationship that had begun for the sake of convenience. Not lovers, not friends—this strange bond. They didn’t date, but they promised marriage. They didn’t whisper words of love, but they shared their bodies.

This woman, who seemed so ordinary, was actually quite interesting to Gibnen. A relationship he had never seen or heard of before—far more entertaining than he had expected.

And besides—

「Raiston overlooked one thing.」

Master, you also overlooked one thing.

「That my vessel is small.」

And that your disciple’s vessel is far too large.

Just what kind of power does she have for my master to react so violently? I’d like to see it for myself… And if the ‘they’ my master spoke of are the ones who killed him, then perhaps I can find clues about them through this woman.

Unlike his master, who valued safety and stability, Gibnen relished the thrill that danger and risk brought.

Why, knowing that, had his master entrusted this woman to him?

Moreover, Lailly Eadalin currently had value as a piece on the board.

His master had warned him not to hand Lailly over to “them.” Which meant that the very people who killed his master would surely approach her. If he could capture the enemies who killed his master… then there was more than enough reason to keep her close.

“A date between men, huh. How thrilling.”

Gibnen laced his fingers tightly with Lailly’s hand, as if he had no intention of ever letting go.

“Let’s go take a look outside now.”

Amazing.

The mage tower wasn’t just a single building.

“This whole place is Horizon?”

“Yeah.”

Mage Tower Horizon was far larger than she had imagined.

A dense cluster of buildings that could easily be called a town. A private library, an academy, a hospital, a gymnasium, an arena, a theater, research institutes, carriage parking areas—there was nothing it lacked.

It was practically a small city. On top of that, there was even a dedicated district where magical tools were sold and tested.

Now she understood why his spending habits were so outrageous. Anyone who owned a mage tower like this was bound to have more money than they could ever use—enough to live in luxury until old age and still not run out.

“It’s pretty big, so it’ll be hard to see everything in a single day.”

“How many people work here?”

“About three hundred in the mage tower alone. If you count the academy, hospital, and library, probably a lot more. I’ve never counted them all.”

“Wow.”

Everyone was freely moving about Horizon, wearing robes emblazoned with its emblem.

They looked remarkably free, comfortable, as if they were wearing clothes tailored perfectly to them.

What caught Lailly’s attention most of all were the women.

There’s not a single person wearing a dress.

The women looked free and confident. All of them had cast aside the traditional dresses of this place and wore comfortable trousers just like the men.

There were a few women in dresses, but even those were modified into simple designs that were easy to put on and take off—nothing like the restrictive, traditional dresses typically imposed on women.

An environment where no one cared about others’ gazes, where people roamed freely in clothing of their own choosing—it was a huge shock to Lailly.

It was nothing like the world she had known.

In her world, women were always expected to be modest. Proper posture, proper behavior, raised with the sole purpose of marrying into a good family—that was normal. That was the environment Lailly had grown up in.

A woman receiving an education wasn’t about becoming a capable member of society or developing her own abilities. It was merely a means of increasing her “value” so she could marry into a better family, become the wife of a successful man. A well-trimmed flower, a pretty flower. Her only role was to make a man shine.

They’re amazing.

The women here had all earned their places themselves.

They had forced their way through Horizon’s overwhelming competition rate with nothing but their own skill and ability, and it showed in their confidence. Surrounded by people who were independent and proactive, Lailly felt her mind go blank.

What have I even been doing with my life until now?

Voices echoed in her head.

“Don’t act stupid.”

“Do nothing. Just do as you’re told.”

“Honey, shouldn’t we at least educate her a little?”

“Tsk. It’s like pouring water into a bottomless jar. What’s the point? No matter how much you teach her, who would take that child? Just send her off to some decent family.”

“If you want to get married, behave yourself. Don’t rebel. Face your reality. An immodest woman will never be loved by her husband. To think you don’t even know something so basic—tsk.”

She had thought it was only natural that she wasn’t allowed to do anything.

She believed the best thing she could do was obey quietly. She had merely begged for affection, knowing she could never truly become family, yet still following their orders in the hope of being loved. Those years now felt unbearably empty.

“This is the library where we keep magical texts.”

A library with tens of thousands of books.

“This is the hospital. Not ordinary doctors, but researchers and professors who study magical medicine work here.”

A hospital where mages capable of healing magic worked as doctors, professors, and researchers.

“This is the sample development center. We test magical tool prototypes here. The building next door is for design, and the one after that handles distribution.”

The tour continued, one place after another.

What should she do? The more she saw of the mage tower, the more she watched people working diligently in their own places, the more a restless yearning stirred inside her.

They’re amazing. I want to be like that too.

They couldn’t tour every building—it was far too vast and diverse. After visiting several places, Lailly quickly ran out of stamina.

Just then, a park came into view. The benches, used as a resting area for the people here, were packed with those taking a break.

“Shall we rest for a bit?”

“Yeah.”

Would there even be a place to sit? It was a foolish worry.

Every time he strolled forward, the people who noticed him turned pale and hurriedly vacated their seats.

“Why do some people run away when they see you?”

“It’s a natural reaction.”

“…?”

“No one welcomes a lunatic boss.”

Ah—so he was someone too burdensome to face directly. His reputation wasn’t exactly good either…

Lailly nodded in understanding. Thinking back to how overwhelming he had been when she first met him, she could sympathize. And since these people worked here, it must be even more intimidating.

Those who fled didn’t even look back. They didn’t whisper or gossip about the situation either.

It was clearly a striking sight—the master of the mage tower walking side by side with an unknown woman—yet they treated her as if she didn’t exist and ran off in a panic. It was oddly fascinating.

“Sit.”

In an instant, it became spacious. There wasn’t just one empty bench—there were several. Lailly sat down.

“I thought this wouldn’t be very fun.”

“……”

“But it looks like you’re enjoying it quite a bit.”

At Gibnen’s words, Lailly nodded.

“I came thinking it wouldn’t be fun, but it’s more interesting than I expected. To be honest… it’s kind of shocking.”

“What is?”

“Everything. It’s so different from the world I lived in… This place is so dazzling.”

What would life be like for the people here?

I want to live a dazzling life like that too.

“Hey… the mages here must make a lot of money, right?”

“It depends on how you look at it, but at least I think we offer the best待遇 in the industry.”

In reality, Horizon’s turnover rate was extremely low. The nickname “iron rice bowl” didn’t come from nowhere.

“…That’s amazing. Everyone here came on their own merits.”

At Lailly’s murmured words, Gibnen stared at her and asked,

“What about me?”

“Huh?”

“I came to this position on my own merit too.”

“You? You don’t even need to ask… what’s there to say? It’d just make my mouth sore.”

“Even if it does, say it.”

“Say what?”

“That I’m amazing.”

What was this—this uncharacteristic childishness?

Lailly blinked, then burst into laughter.

“You’re amazing. Really. I thought so from the very first moment I saw you.”

Only then did he smile, satisfied.

“So, where should we go next?”

“The academy. What do they do there?”

“It’s where we gather promising seedlings and educate them. All graduates from the magic department automatically join Horizon—assuming there are no special issues.”

“…Is it hard to get in?”

“The competition is fierce. We don’t accept many.”

“I want to see it.”

Instead of answering, Gibnen held out his hand. When she placed hers in it, he naturally interlaced their fingers.

“If your legs get tired, we can use teleportation.”

“No, let’s walk. It feels nice, like a stroll.”

Pleased with her answer, he led her forward.

“That’s the model answer. I was waiting for you to say that.”

The academy students reacted quite differently from the people in the park.

Whisper, whisper. They exchanged hushed words among themselves, their curiosity-filled gazes fixed on one spot.

A tall, handsome young man and a rather pretty woman wandering through the academy buildings side by side—it wasn’t a common sight.

Most of them, or at least a significant number, recognized Gibnen. Especially those who looked like older professors, or long-time students who had that “veteran” air about them.

They looked as if their eyes might pop out in shock. Those who didn’t recognize him tended to have youthful faces—clearly students who hadn’t been at the academy for long.

The flood of attention would have been uncomfortable for most, but the man who had lived his entire life in the spotlight continued giving introductions as if he were used to it.

“This classroom is for Division One lectures. They mainly teach humanities unrelated to magic—philosophy, logic, history, archaeology, geography, that sort of thing.”

“I see. So you don’t only study magic?”

“Horizon values people with broad knowledge. If you devote yourself to just one field, your perspective becomes narrow.”

Here, they taught a wide range of subjects.

Not only humanities, but also science, engineering, agriculture, and medicine. Students could choose courses freely at their discretion. They even offered sports and arts, making it an ideal environment to build knowledge in many directions.

The more she toured the academy, the more thoughts filled Lailly’s mind.

The academy was deeply appealing to her. A place of learning where you could study and master anything. Seeing the students—each of them bright, intelligent, and even sophisticated—she felt a longing that had been sleeping deep inside her stir awake.

And Gibnen clearly saw the sparkle in Lailly’s eyes.

“Do you want to learn?”

“Huh?”

“You’ve got the look of someone burning with academic desire.”

“Um… to be honest, I am a bit envious. I’ve never really learned anything properly. I’ve never experienced academy life either. When I was young, I lived in the mountains… and after my father died, I stayed inside the Eadalin estate.”

The only education she’d received was a brief etiquette lesson from Lady Beiricsid before coming here.

“Then learn.”

“…Me?”

“Why not? If you want, I can arrange the admission process for you.”

“Here? But everyone here is so knowledgeable and amazing. I don’t qualify to enroll here.”

At her words, Gibnen narrowed his eyes slightly.

“You’re one of those people too, noona.”

“…That can’t be.”

“The Horizon Academy entrance exam—especially for the magic department rather than the general department—is very simple and fair. Take the exam. You’ll see.”

“……”

“Perfect timing. While you study here, you can also receive mage supervision.”

Lailly shook her head.

“I wouldn’t even make it past the threshold. I’ve never had a proper education. I don’t know anything, and I’m not smart.”

This wasn’t low self-esteem talking.

It was a cold, realistic assessment.

As the daughter of a mountain warden, Lailly had never studied when she lived in the mountains. All she did was read a few nameless books they had at home. After being registered under her uncle’s household and living with him, she received no basic education at all.

She never attended an academy like everyone else. She didn’t know what they studied. She learned about the world only through conversations between the maids and servants.

For someone like her to receive education at the empire’s top higher-learning institution—it made no sense.

She wouldn’t even reach the threshold.

“There’s no way you’re not smart.”

“……”

“Intelligence is hereditary. Especially for mages—it’s even more strongly influenced by bloodline. That’s why mage families obsess over lineage. Are you really unaware that you’re the daughter of an archmage?”

“…I still can’t believe my father was an archmage from Horizon.”

“If Raiston was that level of archmage, there’s no way he left you without passing anything on.”

“He didn’t leave me anything.”

“Are you sure?”

“I’m sure.”

“Well, you never know.”

“…What do you mean?”

Gibnen shrugged.

“He was a man who thoroughly prepared even to entrust his daughter to my master in advance. I can’t believe someone that meticulous wouldn’t have prepared for the day you’d be left alone in this world.”

“My father didn’t teach me anything.”

“He doesn’t necessarily have to teach you directly.”

Lailly couldn’t understand what he meant. Regardless, Gibnen seemed to have already decided that she would attend the academy.

“I’ll prepare the admission documents. It’s the beginning of the year and before the semester starts, so the timing is perfect. The application period for the mage-track exam is already over, but if we apply through the recommendation track, scheduling the exam won’t be a problem.”

“I can’t do it.”

“Try first, then say that.”

“……”

“You haven’t even tried. How can you be so sure you can’t?”

“I know myself well.”

“Are you going to live your entire life giving up before you even try?”

At his sharp words, Lailly fell silent, staring at him.

“Enjoy things when you can. Do things when you can. Live while you can—so you don’t regret it later.”

“……”

“You really don’t know yourself at all, noona.”

Recalling his master’s will, Gibnen smiled brightly.

“And I’ve got a strong contrarian streak.”

“…?”

“I’m terrible at following instructions.”

Keeping alive someone who was supposed to be killed—and that wasn’t even the end of it…

“I’m curious what would happen if you could freely wield magic. Wouldn’t it be possible for you to become an archmage who surpasses Raiston?”

He was deliberately nurturing the seed of disaster.

Of course, my master might burst out of his coffin in a rage.

But so what? He was curious.

And if nothing else, Gibnen was weak to curiosity.

“Go here. To this academy.”

“……”

“I told you to think about what you want to do.”

“……”

“If there’s something you want, I’m more than willing to support it—whatever it is.”

A madman with more money than sense was doing something insane.

He had just restarted the timer on a ticking time bomb that had briefly stopped.

“I’ll take responsibility, noona.”

I want to take responsibility for this woman.