Chapter 55
Chapter 55
Translator: XZY
Chapter 55: The Bloodstained Ball (2)
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Derek was an outsider.
When he came to his senses, he had been dropped into a world where he had no connections at all, and had to struggle his entire life just to get by while wandering the slums.
There were several connections to which he had grown quite attached, but there were not many people who had stayed by Derek’s side for a long time. Because the path of life was a law that stretched out into various branches, it was rare for those paths to overlap for a long period.
If one were to ask him what the most important element in his life was, he would answer that it was achievement.
Valerian was the eldest son of the Duplein family.
Born with a noble bloodline, he received everyone’s expectations and, as if to meet them, became an excellent and good person.
He lived in a wealthy environment, enjoying many things without lacking anything, and he loved the family who had always been with him in his life more than anyone else.
His father and mother who believed in and supported him, his reliable second younger brother, his lovely younger sisters... if one were to ask him what the most important element in his life was, he would answer without hesitation that it was family.
The two men had different origins, had lived in different environments, had different values, and had different goals in life.
—Therefore, their ends were also bound to be different.
Drest Wolftail, who had set out on a journey to the north, stared blankly at the vast coastline spread out before him.
Although the path of life was a law that unfolded in different ways for each person, the vast, open sea without a route was a law that sometimes made a person feel helpless.
It was a natural thing to sometimes get lost on it while living.
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The social debut of a young lady with a great family like the Dupleins as her backing was not just splendid, it was magnificent.
The ball held at the family’s mansion was also held on a scale that went beyond what one could normally imagine.
Not only the magnificent main building of the mansion, but also the spires on all four sides of the mansion, and all kinds of annexes were scheduled to be mobilized as spaces for the event.
The attendees were also all tremendous.
First, for the lower-ranking nobles, the heads of each family attended. When attending a social event of a high-ranking noble like the Dupleins, it was a great discourtesy for a lesser family to send a representative.
There were cases where they had no choice but to send a representative due to military or imperial family duties, but... in fact, if they could attend, it was better for them for the family head to attend in person.
This was because a ball like this was not held often, so all sorts of famous people from each region of the empire would gather.
Even if they could not build a special connection, it was a chance to at least make their face known.
In fact, just looking at the faces of the known visitors was so splendid that it was dazzling.
From the Belmeade county house, where the Margrave of Belmeade was the family head, the most prestigious heir, Lady Elente, was scheduled to attend in person as a representative.
It was a choice typical of the Margrave of Belmeade, who tried to send Elente to all such valuable occasions.
And a rumor was widespread that the Beltus family had also sent Lady Denise in person.
In fact, Derek had intended to attend as a representative, but Denise had rushed in like a fiend and personally persuaded the Grand Duke, saying she would accompany him.
Clatter, clatter—
In the end, Denise was riding along in this carriage heading to the Duplein mansion.
“A rumor is widespread that the Duplein family is covetously eyeing you, so would I send you directly into such a tiger’s den? Derek. I will participate myself, so you just assist me.”
In fact, if she was that worried, she could just not send Derek, but looking at Derek’s connections, it was not something she could completely block either.
He was a person treated like a distinguished guest in the Duplein family, and a person whom the Belmeade family also considered themselves to be greatly indebted to.
In any case, his influence could not be ignored. This was because there was no telling how it would all play out later.
Therefore, Lady Denise had permitted Derek’s attendance on the condition that he assist her.
“As for me, I have received a lot from the Duplein family, so... it’s good if I can show my sincerity on an opportunity like this.”
Derek just spoke with an indifferent expression, without any particular thoughts.
In any case, going to the Duplein family meant that he could see several quite welcome faces.
“I hear a great many distinguished guests are attending. I’ve only met nobles from the empire’s southwest, so I don’t know much about what kind of people the nobles from other places are.”
“How would I be any different? Still, there probably aren’t many families as influential as the ones in the southwest. Maybe the nobles from the central imperial capital are a bit numerous...”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. In the first place, it’s not common for three noble families to have a power struggle in one region. From what I hear about the situation in other regions, there are many cases where one influential family ends up eating up everything.”
Denise ran her fingers through her silver-gray hair, and then, before long, she began to braid it, one strand at a time.
It seemed she had gotten bored from being tired on the long journey. In the end, the only thing she could do was chat.
“Well, it’s impossible to memorize the list of all the numerous attendees. We just have to remember the big figures. It seems a fellow named Lord Roylark is coming from the north... and from the Elbester county house in the east, a person named Lady Freya of Elbester is coming.”
“...The Elbester county house?”
“Yes. Why? Do you know them? I doubt you’d know a noble who lives on the opposite end of the continent...”
In fact, Derek had almost never left the southwest of this continent.
However, the Elbester county house was a place he had heard of once. It had been quite some time ago now.
— ‘A letter has arrived from the Margrave of Elbester. He has sent a request asking me to be a private tutor in his county.’
“...It is the family where my master is staying.”
“Master? Derek’s master? Are you talking about Drest Wolftail?”
“No. Before him, there was a master who helped me awaken to magic.”
“I-is that so? Derek’s past seems to keep popping up the more one digs into it.”
There was a fallen noble named Katia Flameheart.
She was a person who had once stayed in Ebelstein and looked after Derek’s magic, and after living like that for a few years, she had left for the Elbester family.
If it was Lady Freya of the Elbester county house, it was clear that she was Katia Flameheart’s disciple.
“So she is a person who shares the same master as me. I feel like I would like to meet her once.”
“You mean Lady Freya? She’s certainly famous as a benevolent person in the empire’s east, but... I haven’t met her in person, so I don’t know for sure. An event like Lady Diella’s social debut is not something that happens often.”
A ball of a similar scale had been held during Lady Aiseline’s debut, but it seemed she had not attended at that time.
“In a way, she’s a person who is your martial sibling, isn’t she? Though you’ve never seen her face.”
“That is the case. If she has received Master Katia’s teachings for a long time, there is a high possibility that she is a person of considerable skill.”
“I don’t think I’ve heard much about what her magical realm is...”
Occasionally, a letter from Katia would arrive from the Elbester county house.
Although it had become much less frequent recently, they had reported on their current situations to each other about once a year. Since she had been full of praise for Lady Freya, he did not think she would be a bad person.
Other than that, it seemed that Robenkheim, the uncle of the northern hegemon Lord Melverot, Lady Adelen, who was visiting as a representative for the southern leader Lord Delos, and from the imperial family side, Chancellor Polonkart and Chief Magic Advisor Kohella had been dispatched.
Each and every one of them was a big shot who commanded hundreds and thousands of people.
Most of them were those who had come as representatives, but even with just them gathered, it was a level where they could decide the major direction of the country.
“Lady Elente is also said to be at the ballroom, and I will also have to give my greetings to Lady Aiseline separately. I won’t be able to give my greetings directly to His Grace, the Grand Duke Duplein, but... if I have the chance, I’ll have to greet Lady Diella, the protagonist of the event, once as well.”
“...”
“I’m also indebted to the head butler, Delon, and the head maid, Katarina, so I’ll have to make my face known once... If possible, it would be nice to ask Lady Freya about Master Katia’s well-being, but since I have no prior acquaintance with her, I won’t be able to strike up a conversation...”
“Derek... just from hearing you talk, it seems like you’re already a noble.”
“...I wonder. It wouldn’t be good to overstep my bounds.”
“No, it seems like your connections are wider than even most lower-ranking nobles.”
Denise said while grumbling with her arms crossed.
Certainly, while being active in the Ebelstein noble circle, Derek had come to know various people.
Since he also occasionally built friendships with the people of the Veldern Mercenary Corps and other mercenaries on the tavern street... it might be that even the lower-ranking nobles of Ebelstein would be envious of Derek’s connections.
On top of that, his magic skills were also reaching a considerable level.
Although it was not widely known yet, Derek was already a person who had surpassed the 3-Star realm. Considering his age, he had reached a level where even high-ranking nobles would narrow their eyes and be wary. He was entering a stage where he really had to worry about his personal safety if he did not have a large family as his backing.
“His magic skills, and how he naturally blends into the noble circle... if he achieves some merits later, he might really receive a title.”
“I wonder... it’s not something to say in front of a noble, but I’ve heard that high-ranking nobles are originally conservative and exclusive, so even the emperor is quite stingy in bestowing new titles.”
“Well, the rumor that Emperor Gutrel is constantly watching the high-ranking nobles’ faces is now a public secret, but... you never know.”
Derek was contemplating with his chin propped on his hand, then, before long, he spoke.
“I wonder. I don’t think acting like a noble suits me well.”
“I think so too.”
What was so funny, Denise burst into laughter with a ‘kareureu’.
Although she did not particularly like social activities, in any case, it was the first time she was going to an official event while accompanying Derek.
She didn't know the reason, but she was getting excited for no reason and was puffing out her nostrils. That appearance, lacking in grace, was a considerable gap from her usual self.
Derek smiled awkwardly while looking at such a Denise.
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“It has been a while, Miss Katarina.”
As Derek greeted her while handing over the luggage, the head maid, Katarina, bowed her head and accepted it.
In fact, she was not a person who would bow her head to a commoner-born mercenary, but in any case, in the Duplein family, they were treating Derek almost on par with a lower-ranking noble.
Perhaps because she keenly felt that fact, Denise, who had gotten off the carriage with Derek, was surprised.
“For the head maid of the Duplein family to personally show courtesy, you certainly have some name value, don’t you?”
Someone like the head maid of this mansion was not even allowed to bow her head carelessly. This was because she was one of the faces that represented the mansion.
“It is truly a great honor for a young lady of the Beltus family to visit in person. His Grace, the Grand Duke Duplein, is currently receiving a guest in his office. It would be good if you could visit and give your greetings during the ball, but since it is crowded now, we recommend that you visit after the banquet.”
“Yes, thank you. It seems the ball has not started yet, are you preparing a separate room for us?”
“Yes. You can rest comfortably in the lounge area on the west wing side. We will provide a separate private room, so please receive guidance through the west wing side servants.”
The main gate of the Duplein mansion was bustling with a procession of all sorts of luxurious and magnificent carriages.
The sight of each family sending their most splendid carriage to somehow not be outdone looked as if they were boasting of their clothes to each other.
Derek quietly watched that sight, then quietly nodded his head and entered the Duplein mansion, which he was visiting after a long time, as if being sucked in.
Although it was a mansion with a structure he already knew well, it looked a little unfamiliar today for some reason.