WSNTM 18

18. Let’s Live Together

Claire sobbed in humiliation, but Gibnen didn’t so much as flinch. If anything, Ryan and the Baroness—who had come out wondering what the commotion was about—were the ones left flustered as they took in the scene.

Spotting the Baroness standing beside Ryan, Gibnen spoke to Ryan with thinly veiled mockery.

“So it seems the lady who went shopping with her eldest daughter has returned.”

“…Ahem.”

“You should pay more attention to your household’s upbringing. I was told you favored your second daughter, yet her behavior is remarkably rude for someone treated so specially. I’ll let it slide this time, but if I hear even one more remark that insults my wife, I will not remain idle.”

At that, Claire finally lost control and burst into tears.

The Baroness hurriedly pulled Claire into her arms, while Ryan swallowed down his boiling anger and saw Gibnen off.

“Please… take care on your way.”

Long after Gibnen had left, Claire’s wails and Ryan’s scolding echoed noisily throughout the mansion.

Count Hermainz collapsed into bed, unable to withstand the extreme physical exhaustion and mental shock. More than five physicians, including his personal doctor, came and went as they examined his condition.

And as always, the diagnosis was the same: a natural decline in health due to aging.

Enraged, Rosher Hermainz—the eldest son and heir of the family—lashed out at the doctors.

“How can someone’s health deteriorate this badly in such a short time?! What exactly is it that you people do?!”

“We are doing everything we can, but… weakness caused by aging is not something humans can reverse.”

“Do you think I called you here to hear that nonsense? Hah. Doctors are all the same… Enough. Leave.”

The physicians fled the room as if escaping. Rosher exhaled heavily, sat down, and tightly grasped his father’s hand.

“Please don’t worry too much. We’ve summoned a highly skilled mage-physician. There should be some improvement.”

The Count clenched his teeth, unable to respond.

Rosher had no idea what truly caused this.

He believed his father’s condition had worsened suddenly, but in truth, the Count’s collapse was due to the severe physical strain and mental shock from using long-distance teleportation.

The Count knew exactly why he had fallen ill—yet he couldn’t bring himself to tell his son.

It was too humiliating.

“…Leave me. I want to be alone.”

“Then I’ll return to Eldras first.”

“…Very well.”

Rosher was already incredibly busy, fiercely competing for the position of the next Tower Master of Eldras. Having wasted his son’s precious time only deepened the Count’s sense of frustration and self-loathing.

“Damn it… damn it all!”

Though he had prevented the incident from escalating further, he couldn’t recover the pride that had been utterly crushed.

Nothing made sense. What could the Tower Master of Horizon possibly lack that he would go so far as to shield her? What was that woman, exactly, that he would personally travel such a great distance for her sake?

Had they truly fled to a hotel together that day and become inseparably bound?

“…Those damn bastards.”

Not only had his attempt at venting failed—he’d been caught by the throat instead.

Worse still, the Tower Master of Horizon was not someone who would simply let this go. He had even bribed reporters in advance and summoned them to the scene. Before long, nationwide headlines would surely flood in.

Just as “Gibnen Lianster’s romantic scandal” had once plastered the country, this incident too would undoubtedly be exposed for all to see. That realization made the Count more anxious than ever.

This was a critical time—more important than any other.

His trusted eldest son was currently undergoing the evaluation period for the position of Tower Master of Eldras.

The Count had endured public criticism for his peculiar sexual tastes—marrying only young women—but had never cared much. Affairs and marriages were private matters, after all.

Among nobles, private scandals were common enough to be brushed aside.

But hiring someone to kill… that was different.

That was a crime.

“Gibnen Lianster has become the Tower Master. He’s the first among the Grand Towers to unify ownership and management. Horizon’s influence is skyrocketing. As the disciple of Archmage Jung alone, he was already a threat… but once Jung’s will was revealed and the next Tower Master named, the Lianster family immediately poured in enormous funds to acquire the tower—and His Majesty turned a blind eye to it. If this continues, Horizon will monopolize everything.”

“Jung dies, and an even worse monster appears. There’s always someone stronger… I wondered why they’d recklessly hand the Tower Master seat to such a young man. Turns out he’s an even greater beast than Jung himself.”

“The Hermainz family must hurry and achieve unification of Eldras as well. How long do you plan to leave the tower in the hands of hired managers? Other tower owners are spilling blood to raise capable heirs and preserve their line. Lord Rosher must ascend to the Tower Master position as soon as possible to solidify the foundation—so that your gifted youngest grandson may one day lead Eldras without difficulty.”

Rosher’s competition for Tower Master was more important than anything else.

The Count’s other sons were ordinary men born without magical power. Only Rosher had been born a mage.

Moreover, it had been confirmed that Rosher’s youngest son possessed talent on par with a grand mage. To eventually pass the Tower Master seat of Eldras to that grandson, Rosher first had to secure the position himself.

After towers—originally state institutions—began to be privatized, a condition was imposed: only an “outstanding mage” could become a Tower Master.

As a result, although the Hermainz family owned Eldras, they were forced to appoint a mage-manager, leaving them in a half-crippled position.

Most towers were the same—but Horizon, the industry leader, had now successfully unified ownership and management, effectively monopolizing the system. This heightened the sense of crisis among the remaining towers.

Rosher was currently undergoing an evaluation period to prove his qualifications as Tower Master. This was the most crucial moment—a moment tied directly to the family’s prosperity.

Even laying low wouldn’t have been enough, yet he had been caught by the most troublesome opponent of all.

Clutching his head, the Count regretted his actions. But regret came too late. The water had already been spilled.

After agonizing in silence, he suddenly shouted:

“Victor! Victor, come at once!”

Moments later, a man named Victor rushed in.

“You called for me, my lord?”

“Contact the Tower Master of Horizon. Tell him I wish to meet as soon as possible.”

“Understood.”

He no longer had the power—or the leeway—to brush this off as nothing.

The days when his authority reached the heavens as a “war hero” were nothing more than fading glory.

A toothless tiger survives only by bowing low to a young, sharp-fanged one.

Even if it meant humiliation.

Riley slowly opened her eyes.

How long had she been asleep?

Her body, once unbearably heavy, now felt as light as a feather. There was no headache, no chill, no clammy sweat—only a slight stiffness from sleeping too long. Wanting to move even a little, she rose from bed and stepped outside.

This isn’t Rufla… it must be Soboster.

Rufla didn’t have hotels like this.

Though compared to the Insignia where Gibnen had stayed before, even calling this place “luxurious” felt a bit forced.

“What seems to be the matter?”

Someone approached.

A stunningly handsome woman? Or a strikingly beautiful man?

Their gender was oddly ambiguous—and strangely familiar. As Riley stared, the person smiled and introduced themselves.

“My apologies for the late introduction, miss. My name is Sak Bendom. I belong to Horizon and serve as Lord Lianster’s aide, as well as a member of Horizon’s executive team.”

Ah—right. The person who had stood behind Gibnen when he arrived with the marriage proposal.

“I’m Riley Eardalin.”

“Yes, Miss Riley. Is there anything you need?”

“No… I just felt stiff and wanted to walk around.”

“How are you feeling?”

“I’m fine.”

“His lordship stepped out briefly. He should be back shortly—”

“What are you two doing here?”

Speak of the devil. Sak took a step back.

“You’ve returned.”

Gibnen studied Riley’s complexion.

“You okay?”

“Huh? Yeah…”

“I’ll prepare for departure.”

Sensing the moment, Sak excused himself.

Once he was gone, Riley asked,

“Where did you go?”

“To see the baron.”

“My uncle?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“To tell him I have you safely with me.”

“…You didn’t have to do that.”

“Turns out you’re right. It was a wasted trip.”

“What do you mean?”

“Nothing.”

Gibnen chose his words carefully. Telling her what had happened at the Eardalin estate would only burden her.

“…What happened to them?”

He hesitated, clearly thinking. From his silence, Riley inferred that no real punishment had been handed down.

“It’s okay if you don’t answer. I… expected as much.”

“The count aside, those men were punished properly, so don’t worry. And something like that will never happen again.”

“Did the count go back?”

“I heard his health worsened and he collapsed. Considering he dragged himself all the way out here, the incident must have left quite a grudge. He’s not usually someone who’d act so recklessly—even out of his mind. It was uncharacteristically foolish.”

Riley gave a small, hollow laugh and clasped her hands behind her back.

Gibnen noticed her fingers trembling.

“Want to come with me?”

“…Huh?”

“Don’t stay here. Come to Blestige with me.”

“My uncle won’t allow it.”

Ryan was desperate to educate Riley into a presentable noble daughter within the allotted time. Riley knew that all too well.

As much as she loathed her family, she also acknowledged that she was a daughter unfit to be shown to society.

I can’t do anything well. I’m good at nothing. If I married like this, I’d only be a burden…

That was why she had thrown herself so desperately into her lessons—ashamed of her own incompetence, wanting to learn even one thing more.

“To hell with what that bastard thinks.”

“……”

“Do you want to stay here?”

“Well…”

“From where I stand, there’s no reason for you to remain.”

Riley hesitated.

If he were an ordinary man, she wouldn’t be worrying like this—but in a world where everything about Gibnen Lianster became gossip, marrying him carried an entirely different weight.

And yet—

I want to be with you.

Simply being with him felt better than living under the same roof as her uncle’s dreadful family.

“…I want to be with you.”

If he was offering his hand first, there was no reason to refuse.

At her honest confession, Gibnen smiled.

“Then let’s live together.”

“Aigoo… my head…”

Baron Ryan collapsed into a chair, utterly drained.

In just one day, he felt as though he’d aged ten years. Pale and haggard, he rubbed his brow and let out a dry sigh.

“At this rate, I’ll die young without ever restoring my name.”

There were too many problems demanding his attention.

No one had noticed the kidnapping—or even the intrusion itself. That alone had angered Gibnen, and then Claire, his own daughter, had poured oil on the fire.

Wondering just what she could have said, Ryan confronted her—only to be stunned.

“I only thought the broken engagement had gone well, so I offered my condolences!”

Out of her mind!

He knew she was immature, but never imagined she couldn’t even tell when to keep her mouth shut. What did she have to cry so hysterically about? He was certain he hadn’t raised her to be such an idiot—so how had she turned into such a moron?

Ryan was shaken in more ways than one—enough to feel his affection for his daughter drain away.

The Baroness spoke gravely.

“What should we do? He may be blinded by infatuation now, but if he keeps that uneducated girl by his side all day… the affection will vanish sooner or later.”

Ryan agreed.

If even he, who had raised Claire for twenty years, could lose affection over one foolish act—how much worse would it be for Gibnen, a complete outsider?

With a resigned sigh, Ryan said,

“…We’ll have to rush the wedding as much as possible. There’s no other choice. All we can do is pray the infatuation doesn’t fade before then.”

Riley wasn’t even given time to pack.

Gibnen had already sent people to the Eardalin estate to prepare everything. She only needed to move herself.

He covered the cost of the teleport device, and the moment they arrived in Blestige, she was ushered into his levitation carriage and taken somewhere else.

Riley was tense.

We’re going to his estate, right? Does he live with his family? How should I greet his elders? What if they don’t like me? What if they throw me out immediately? The difference in status is so great… will they even welcome this marriage?

“Why are you so scared? I’m not going to eat you.”

The word not yet seemed implied.

“Where are we going?”

“My estate.”

“So… I’ll be living there from now on?”

“That’s right. Think of it as starting newlywed life early.”

“Then… your family…?”

At her question, Gibnen tilted his head, then burst out laughing.

“So that’s what you were worried about.”

“……”

“I live alone. I moved out long ago.”

“Oh.”

“I’ve lived apart from my family for a long time.”

So she wouldn’t have to face them—at least until a formal meeting.

Riley let out a quiet sigh of relief. She wasn’t ready to meet them yet.

“Have you thought about what you want to do once you’re here?”

—

“Rather than worrying about what you must prepare, it’s better to think about what you want to do.”
“There must be many things you’ve never tried.”

—

He had said that over dinner the day they parted.

But she hadn’t thought about it. She’d been too focused on what she had to do—hence the tutoring.

“No… not yet.”

“I’m just saying, just in case.”

“……”

“Don’t try to be good at something. Especially if it’s for my sake.”

The carriage stopped. He stepped down first and offered his hand.

“Don’t shrink back for no reason.”

“……”

“Do what you want. I can support you however much you need.”

Instead of answering, Riley took his hand and stepped down.

“Wow…”

A magnificent estate greeted her.

Was this really a place where people lived?

Calling it a mansion felt insufficient—it was closer to a castle. The garden was meticulously maintained, with lush lawns, sculpted trees, and dozens of flowers—tulips, roses, and more—painting the grounds in brilliant color. An angel statue atop a fountain enhanced the garden’s elegant, classical atmosphere.

Floating mini-clouds drifted through the air, watering the flowerbeds. Butterflies flew along a blue-lit path, scattering glittering dust. Trash bins that autonomously ate leaves and litter roamed about.

And then—

“Th-that… what is that?”

A massive wolf covered in black fur—nearly the size of a house—was tethered nearby.

One glance at its overwhelming size made it clear this was no ordinary animal, but a magical beast.

“Oh, that? A trophy.”

“…A trophy?”

“It’s a magical beast called the Moon-Devouring Wolf. I captured it during a monster suppression expedition.”

“You’re not… keeping it as a pet, are you?”

“It seemed good for guarding the house.”

That thing? One loose leash and it looked ready to reduce not just the estate, but all of Blestige, to ruins.

“Scared? Want me to get rid of it?”

“N-no…”