The Arranged Suitor Was the Kidnapper

The man overseeing the proceedings gestured toward Sienna.

“Sienna Hashir, you may begin.”

As Sienna stepped onto the central stage, thousands of eyes turned toward her.

The first illusion magic round was designed to comprehensively assess a sorcerer’s abilities.

The more realistic the imagined world appeared, the higher the skill level.

Sienna was confident in her illusion magic prowess.

After all, she had been trained in it by Marquis Hashir since childhood.

As Sienna summoned her magic power, a fiery red glow emanated.

Soon, the surrounding scenery transformed with her at the center.

The enclosed indoor space gradually blurred, revealing an azure sky with drifting white clouds. Below stretched an emerald sea and white sandy beaches.

The vividly lifelike scenery, as if the southern resort had been plucked and transplanted here, drew gasps of wonder from the audience.

A faint smile ghosted across Sienna’s lips.

But it was too early for them to be impressed.

Sienna channeled more magic power, gradually layering in fresh elements upon the foundation.

“Woah!”

Exclamations of awe erupted from all around.

A sculpted ship sailing through the skies, geysers spouting from the seaside, mermaids straight out of fairy tales.

Though surreal, the scenery appeared so vibrant and lifelike that it seemed not a fantasy, but reality.

Even the senior sorcerers nodded in approval of the high-level illusion.

Having exerted herself with the elaborate illusion display, Sienna stole a glance at Laria.

Though surely witnessing the illusion Sienna had conjured, Laria’s reaction remained impassive.

Was she feigning nonchalance?

Or did she simply not find it remarkable?

Ever since childhood, Sienna had found Laria’s thoughts inscrutable.

Sienna directed a shower of water spray toward the audience. Those struck by the waves flinched before realizing they felt no sensation, relieved laughter ensuing.

As Sienna withdrew her magic power, the illusion dissipated, restoring the original surroundings.

“An excellent demonstration of illusion magic.”

Though officials weren’t supposed to offer personal commentary during duels, the man naturally praised Sienna.

Sienna stole a glance at the judging panel seated in the front row.

Seeing their satisfied expressions, she inwardly smiled.

Even to herself, it had been an illusion of exceptional quality.

Finally, she observed Marquis Hashir.

The Marquis wore a displeased expression.

Her heart jolted before he gave an approving nod, allowing her to breathe a sigh of relief.

Sienna steadied her resolve.

She still fell far short of fully satisfying her father.

“As expected of Sienna.”

“She’s tipped to become the next Head of the Sorcery Office, truly remarkable.”

Compliments for Sienna arose from the surroundings, accompanied by sympathy for Laria.

“I’ve heard Lady Rohan only manifested as a sorcerer a few years ago… Isn’t this an overwhelmingly disadvantageous matchup?”

“How pitiable.”

It was as if she were pitted against an opponent of vastly superior weight class.

Of course, a part of Sienna still felt uneasy.

Ever since her sorcery awakened, she had been incessantly told she must defeat Laria Rohan, yet Laria had failed to manifest as a sorcerer.

Sienna had pitied Laria and felt reassured, no longer needing to face her.

So when news later came of Laria’s manifestation, Sienna grew apprehensive, fearing she would be pursued.

However, by then, the gulf between them had already widened to an insurmountable chasm.

The day would never come when Laria could defeat Sienna.

Thus, this event wasn’t truly a duel for Sienna, but merely a stage to prove her worth to her father.

Laria was simply a spectator, a sacrificial lamb. Her taunting words to Laria earlier in the waiting room had been in hopes she would forfeit…

Yet here they were, regardless.

‘At least I won’t be using the potion Father gave me.’

Whenever she felt the weight of the vial in her pocket, discomfort gripped her heart.

Marquis Hashir had instructed her to use the potion to sabotage Laria, but she wouldn’t.

She would defeat Laria solely through her own strength.

“It is now Lady Laria Rohan’s turn.”

At the official’s words, Sienna refocused her attention on Laria.

With a serene expression, Laria released her magic power.

Simultaneously, Sienna felt an oddly familiar sensation from that magic power.

“!”

In an instant, Sienna found herself standing in an unfamiliar place.

Startled, she whirled around to survey her surroundings.

The sky was pitch-black, yet there were lights all around.

Below a towering clocktower reminiscent of the Sorcery Office spire, various plants and flowers bloomed.

Heavy snowfall drifted down upon the lush greenery.

A mystical scene where summer and winter coexisted, captivating Sienna’s awestruck gaze for a moment.

People bundled in thick clothing strolled the streets.

The melodious peal of bells and a merchant’s beckoning calls echoed from afar.

Standing alone in the middle of the street, Sienna grew bewildered.

“Where is this place?”

A snowflake alighted on Sienna’s nose.

As it melted from her body heat, a belated chill washed over her.

Shivering violently, Sienna clutched her arms around herself.

‘Why did she not use illusion magic, but transport me here instead?’

Surely failing to perform the assigned magic would result in disqualification.

She considered using teleportation to return to the Sorcery Office, but had no idea where this place was.

Braving the biting winds, Sienna wandered the streets.

Though freezing to the point of tears, the breathtaking scenery repeatedly arrested her steps.

She had no idea such a place existed within the Empire.

Exiting the central plaza surrounding the clocktower, Sienna lifted her gaze.

In the distance, snowcapped mountains loomed.

Despite the night, the full moon shone so brilliantly that the mountains’ silhouettes were starkly etched.

“Could this be the North…?”

She had heard that even in summer, snow never fully melted there.

Sienna shook her head.

It couldn’t be the North.

The distance from the capital to the northern region was unthinkably vast.

Impossible for Laria Rohan’s abilities.

Sienna trekked out of the town toward the mountains.

Traversing the snowy expanse, she spotted an imposing black castle perched upon a peak.

So renowned that no explanation was needed, she instantly recognized it.

The Krassium Grand Duchy’s castle.

She really had been transported to the northern region.

“Nonsense.”

Her legs gave out, and she collapsed onto the snow.

Not only was she struggling to accept that Laria had brought her here, an overwhelming sense of helplessness washed over her.

‘How do I get back home?’

As she sat dazed, her surroundings gradually whited out.

Snowfall befitting its name of blizzard began pouring down.

Caught in the onslaught, Sienna hurriedly rose to her feet.

Just as she made to head back toward the town, something caught her eye.

The moon hanging in the sky was steadily swelling in size.

“The moon…!”

Sienna stood rooted, powerless to do anything but watch as the moon ballooned.

Upon closer inspection, it wasn’t growing larger but plummeting toward the earth.

Faced with this cataclysm impervious to magic, Sienna was gripped by profound terror.

The primal instinct for survival warred with a sense of utter helplessness.

Finally, when the moon collided with the ground:

Kaboom! The world shattered with a deafening roar.

“Gah!”

Gasping desperately like one surfacing from water, Sienna gulped down air.

Still panting heavily, she looked down at the floor beneath her feet.

Her mind was in disarray.

Did I die? Did I end up in the afterlife? As she lifted her head with that thought, Sienna momentarily blanked.

This was neither the afterlife nor the northern region… but the dueling arena.

Only then did her frozen mind begin to function again.

She had never truly traveled to the North, nor witnessed the moon’s descent.

‘Everything I saw was…’

An illusion.

If Sienna’s illusion appeared realistic, Laria’s illusion was reality itself.

So intricate that the line blurred, she had been utterly deceived.

Moreover, the verisimilitude was on an entirely different level.

Where Sienna had replicated a single scene, Laria had crafted an entire world.

So perfect that deception was inescapable.

In a daze, Sienna stared at Laria.

Despite the immense magic power expenditure, Laria showed no signs of fatigue whatsoever.

Like Sienna, Laria addressed the stunned official.

“I ended it abruptly since I wasn’t sure how long to demonstrate, but is there a time limit?”

Upon hearing those words, Sienna’s eyes gradually widened.

‘She didn’t withdraw the illusion due to depleted magic power?’

It felt as if someone had delivered a crushing blow to her head.

The overwhelming magic power she had sensed at the fox clan gathering was no coincidence or mistake. Laria Rohan had been concealing her true strength.

Power beyond imagination.

But an even graver realization consumed her thoughts.

‘Why does Laria Rohan’s magic power feel identical to sir Liri’s?’