33. I Will Tame You Well, Master
Everyone held their breath.
A leaden, suffocating silence settled over the examination hall. It was so heavy that no one dared even to breathe. Everyone froze, completely mesmerized by the scene unfolding before them.
All eyes were fixed in the same direction, and the same thought crossed everyone’s mind.
“We’re witnessing death.”
It was true.
In that instant, everyone present in the hall had faced death.
The rampaging magic erupted, shattering the mana-measuring device, and the ensuing explosion obliterated even the barriers painstakingly prepared by the professors. The most powerful level of magical barrier had been rendered useless in a single moment.
Blinking, they turned to Givnen.
Though the barrier was destroyed, a faint protective shield still enveloped the people. This wasn’t the work of the professors—it was Givnen’s own protective spell.
Had he not been there, everyone gathered would have been caught in the explosion and erased without a trace.
“What… what is that? Where did such a monster come from…”
“I almost… died.”
“This is the first time a barrier has been broken like this, right?”
“Yes… it’s unprecedented.”
Amid the astonishment, Libne’s legs gave way, and she sank to the ground.
“How… how is this possible?”
There was no way she could have missed detecting such immense magical power. Yet, from the first day they met to the day of the formal introduction, Riley had seemed completely ordinary. Normally, encountering someone with strong magic leaves an unmistakable trace—but from Riley, there was nothing.
It was… nothing.
She was indistinguishable from a normal person unless one knew she was a mage. Even when she stepped into the examination hall, there was no extraordinary magic emanating from her.
And yet, she had unleashed a massive explosion spell.
The measuring device, designed to draw out maximum magic under controlled conditions and within limitations, had failed completely—unable even to contain her power. In short, her magic was unmeasurable.
Such unmeasurable magic occasionally appeared across generations. Even recently, there had been Givnen. But no one had ever obliterated a barrier entirely, let alone annihilated it completely.
“So that’s why… my brother and father…”
Unconsciously, Libne turned to look at Givnen—and flinched.
“No… even my brother didn’t know. He just didn’t realize it would be this intense…”
Givnen held the unconscious Riley in his arms, gazing at her with an expression of adoration, as though she were a magnificent work of art. In his usually cold, composed eyes was a chilling obsession, an all-consuming desire to possess.
He, who rarely showed interest in anything, now openly displayed it.
And this wasn’t mere curiosity. That was… pure, deliberate desire to have her.
I thought it would just be humiliating.
It was a relief it wasn’t humiliating…
“…What do I do with this guy? He’s half-crazy, I think.”
Now, she worried for an entirely different reason.
Givnen returned to the mansion immediately.
Richel, Riley’s personal maid, couldn’t help but be startled when Givnen appeared, holding Riley limp and pale in his arms.
Unlike Richel, who looked anxious and uneasy, Givnen’s expression as he laid Riley on the bed was calm, almost serene. He gazed at her lying like a corpse with a tender, loving expression.
To Richel, that warmth was unsettlingly out of place.
“Sh-should I call a doctor?”
“No.”
“……”
“She won’t wake for a day or two. There’s no need for a doctor; just keep a close eye on her.”
From Givnen’s perspective, it was natural that she wouldn’t wake.
‘Arpeggio was right.’
Even though the core had been pierced once before, it hadn’t been completely opened. This time, it had been fully pierced.
Arpeggio had opened half, and now with the core fully unlocked, it was natural her body couldn’t handle the extreme mana circulation and was under strain.
But Givnen was certain that wasn’t the whole story.
Riley was remarkable, but there was no way her teacher would react so drastically to only this. There had to be something more. Something… she shouldn’t discover.
“I’ll call you again. Leave now. I’ll watch over her.”
“Ah? Y-yes, understood.”
Richel left, and Givnen caressed Riley’s face.
“You exceeded expectations.”
“……”
“I’m glad I kept you alive and by my side.”
Had he killed her, he would never have experienced this kind of enjoyment.
And still, the master was cruel.
“To think she’s this lovable… and you want to eliminate her? That’s too cruel.”
She was far too dangerous to leave alive.
Perhaps the needless defiance she had felt long ago—when told to cut off what could not be controlled—was now echoed by this woman. The teacher, ‘Yung,’ had stood up and said they would handle it; now the woman said to eliminate it if it could not be managed.
A woman who had endured abuse, who did not know self-love, who was weak, timid, and cowardly… and yet, she was considered a calamity.
Libne laughed. This woman could probably be snapped in half with one hand.
A monster just like me.
‘I will tame you well, Master.’
Just as the master had done with me.
“What? Is that true?”
“Yes, it’s certain.”
Count Ermeinz struggled to sit up from where he had been lying.
“That girl… was a mage?”
“And unmeasurable—her power is at an Archmage level, it seems.”
“What? That… what…”
Count Ermeinz was in shock.
A prodigy had entered the Horizon Academy, and rumors spread that Givnen was behind it—but he had never expected that the prodigy was Riley Eadalin.
She looked like an ordinary, unimpressive girl—hardly someone to boast about. There was no indication she could be an Archmage-level talent. In fact, he hadn’t even thought she was a mage.
If she were truly Archmage-level, why had she been so helpless when kidnapped? Someone of her caliber would have dispatched those assassins effortlessly.
‘Givnen Lienster, that damned brat…’
Now the pieces fell into place.
He understood why Givnen wanted to marry the adopted daughter of a minor baron. That cunning man had known everything from the beginning.
‘Could it be that inviting Baron Eadalin to the reception… and that whole situation was planned from the start? Did he deliberately orchestrate the engagement to take that girl from me?’
“Damn it!”
“Sir, please stay seated, you’ll collapse otherwise.”
“Why him? Why now? Damn, if I had known sooner, I wouldn’t have been so foolish.”
Unlike his former wives, he wouldn’t have treated her as a mere plaything.
To lose such a precious prodigy right before his eyes…
Count Ermeinz slammed his fists on the table. Expensive dishes flew in all directions, shattering.
‘Oh no, those precious things!’
The servants scrambled to sweep up the broken glass.
If we hadn’t broken the engagement, if she had married and produced heirs…
Had Riley Eadalin married as planned, she might have produced heirs, and the Ermeinz family could have produced the kingdom’s greatest Archmage.
She had seemed ordinary—but Archmage-level magic in a woman? Such women are exceedingly rare… yet now she was in the hands of that unbelievably lucky brat.
From now on, securing strong magical bloodlines became more important than anything else.
The value of a mage—especially a female mage in the marriage market—was enormous. Producing mages directly affected the family’s future.
Powerful mages marrying one another increased the likelihood of producing exceptional magicians, as magical power is heavily influenced by heredity. Archmage-level talents were highly sought after, regardless of gender.
Givnen Lienster, in this sense, was a coveted prodigy across families—and even by the royal family.
Had his reputation not been tarnished, and if his romantic affairs weren’t so complicated, he might already have been selected as a royal consort.
‘No wonder he built a notorious reputation, causing trouble to hide his intentions… then snatch everything for himself.’
They say the more you have, the more greedy you become. Count Ermeinz was in pain at the thought. If Givnen and Riley, both Archmage-level, married and produced heirs…
‘Utter disaster.’
The Lienster family’s future would shine brighter than ever.
Meanwhile, the Ermeinz family’s future was bleak. Unlike the Liensters, they weren’t a pure magical bloodline and had entered the business world late. Even after acquiring the Eldras Tower, they were considered latecomers in the industry.
Magic was now widespread in the form of magical tools, and the Lienster family’s influence was growing, while the Ermeinz family’s had waned.
The eldest son had ambition, but objectively lacked talent. The other children were worse.
What the Ermeinz family needed most was blood—a woman capable of strengthening the magical lineage, ideally with immense magical power.
For now, they had to quietly endure. Count Ermeinz, covering his face, ordered weakly:
“Riley, investigate that girl thoroughly. There’s no way such Archmage blood exists in the Eadalin line. Find out every detail. There’s more to this, I’m certain of it.”
Riley regained consciousness precisely two days later.
“Miss, are you awake? Look how many fingers I’m holding up!”
Richel, overexcited, spread her fingers to show Riley.
Blinking blankly, Riley slowly sat up.
“……What happened?”
“You were unconscious for two days.”
“……Me?”
“Yes!”
“Why?”
“I don’t know… I was shocked to see someone who went to the academy for exams return like a corpse.”
“……Ah.”
She had no memory. She remembered going to the exam, but the moment of taking it was completely blank.
“The master said it wasn’t serious enough to call a doctor. If you rest well, you’ll be fine. He was right.”
No memories meant the exam had gone horribly. Of course, she had fainted without doing any magic.
‘Still… it’s a relief.’
Freed from the pressure of the test, maybe it was for the best. She could prepare for next year.
“Do you want to eat?”
“Yes, I’m a little hungry.”
“After lying down for two days, of course! I’ll tell the cook to prepare something immediately.”
Richel left to instruct the kitchen, and Riley lay back down.
‘I feel so weak.’
Feeling dizzy, she pressed her forehead. Then there was a knock at the door.
Riley looked up, expecting Richel.
“Oh dear. You look pale, almost like a corpse.”
It was Givnen.
Riley checked outside; it was daytime, and he should have been at the magic tower.
“Are you okay?”
“Yes, I’m fine.”
Riley frowned, uneasy.
“……I don’t remember anything.”
“It’s common not to remember during exams. Don’t worry.”
Givnen handed her a document.
“What’s this?”
“Your exam results.”
That cruel man. She knew she had failed, yet he brought it before her face.
Riley carefully took the document, bracing herself.
Then Givnen said:
“Congratulations, you passed.”
Passed? Me?
Riley blinked in disbelief.
“……I didn’t do anything.”
“You just don’t remember doing it.”
“……You’re not joking?”
He smirked and handed her a small box.
“This is an enrollment gift.”
It felt unreal, like he was teasing her.
Hesitantly, Riley opened the box. Inside was a pair of radiant black pearl earrings.
“Wear them always, don’t take them off.”
“……Thank you.”
“Here, I’ll put them on for you.”
“But I haven’t pierced my ears.”
“I’ll do it. It won’t hurt, don’t be afraid.”
Can ear piercing really be painless?
Riley eyed him skeptically. Givnen smirked, fondly fiddling with her earlobe, then carefully attached one earring.
“Not painful, right?”
“……You pierced it?”
“Yes.”
“I didn’t feel a thing.”
“I made sure you wouldn’t feel anything.”
He put on the second earring.
“Looks good.”
“……You’re serious? This feels unreal.”
Meeting Givnen and playing house here felt even less real.
“These are specially made earrings; don’t remove them. They’ll help stabilize your mana.”
He smiled, caressing her hair.
“Well done. That was excellent.”
“I didn’t do anything…”
“No, you accomplished a lot in that brief moment. You nearly destroyed Horizon. Thinking that my precious asset could have been wiped out… I was scared for a moment.”
“……?”
“Well, that bloodline doesn’t go to waste.”
He smiled proudly.
Was this really something to be praised for? Riley felt embarrassed, having no memory of it, but seeing the acceptance letter and results made it clear he wasn’t joking.
“Was my magic that pitiful?”
Givnen laughed incredulously at her question. He must have ignored the fact she nearly destroyed Horizon; even the mana crystals used to measure her magic had shattered.
“It was tricky to measure, yes.”
“……I see. Still, I passed? Did you have a hand in it?”
“?”
“Parachute… something like that.”
At Riley’s question, Givnen burst out laughing again. After wiping tears from his eyes, he said:
“Parachute? It wasn’t that. The magic you showed was excellent. Every examiner there was stunned, mouths agape. It was like a baby bird waiting for food. Truly a sight to behold.”
Riley’s eyebrows sank. She must have performed some truly shocking magic. Even so, passing… must have been thanks to Givnen’s influence.
“Clear your schedule tomorrow.”
“Why?”
“Let’s go on a trip to celebrate your acceptance.”
“A trip?”
“For one night, two days.”
“?”
“Just the two of us.”
“!”
