Chapter 82
Chapter 82
Translator: XZY
Chapter 82: Siern (2)
***
Quite some time had passed since Aiseline had left for the Rochest Duchy in the north.
The sight of her declaring, “This unnie will go earn some money,” and dashing off with Derek had been so dramatic… Diella hadn’t even been able to think of a way to stop her.
“That’s roughly what happened, Orabeoni.”
The construction on the Duplein ducal mansion, which had been unsightly with its patched-up tents here and there, had been more or less completed, and the immediate urgent matters had been managed, allowing it to regain the appearance of a ducal family’s residence.
Miriella had fallen into a state of complete mental and physical weakness and had to be sent to her family home to recuperate, and it was the same for the other vassals who were in a state where it was difficult to return to their duties.
It was a situation where only bad news could be heard, but there had been a recent development that could be called good news.
“Is that so…”
Reigh, the second son of the Duplein ducal family who had been in a coma, had woken up.
It was Reigh, who had been struck by necromancy and, after being subdued by Derek, had been in a near-death state.
His short-cropped hair had grown out a bit in length, and with his rough beard and distant gaze, he was not the same as before.
Still, his burly physique was the same as ever, so the strange sense of pressure one felt in front of him remained.
“Father, and Hyung-nim… so that’s what happened… Aiseline also left for the north to earn money… Damn it… damn it…!”
Even as pain washed over his aching body, Reigh, who had raised his upper body from the sickbed, made a miserable expression.
“You must have gone through so much trouble while I was lying in this sickbed, Diella. Forgive this incompetent me.”
“I’m fine. All I did was go around bowing my head here and there. If anyone suffered, it was Aiseline Unnie who took it all on…”
“Aiseline… right, that child must have had a hard time too. She must have been running around with her feet on fire, trying to somehow hold onto this collapsing family and maintain our lineage. Keuk…”
Reigh held back a man’s tears and took a deep breath.
“I can’t even begin to imagine… how pessimistic and difficult it must have been for a child who has lived her whole life being cared for in a noble family to be cast out into such a harsh reality… Without even knowing that, I was just lying in a sickbed…”
The image of Aiseline’s expression as she looked up at the clear blue sky with a look of fulfillment after tilling the fields and shedding the sweat of labor came to mind.
Diella silently looked at Reigh, who was endlessly blaming himself, then averted her gaze and looked down as if feeling awkward about something.
It was certainly true that Aiseline had suffered, but from Diella’s perspective watching from the side, there had been a strange sort of suitability to it.
It sounded a bit strange to say… but it seemed that being a fallen noble lady suited Aiseline’s disposition.
But to say that it was nothing and not to worry felt a bit off… so Diella had to carefully choose her words.
“Forgive this unworthy second son! Far from correcting Hyung-nim, I was just mindlessly swayed and fell to necromancy… I was subdued and lost consciousness, only to make my younger sisters suffer during the most critical time…!”
“It’s alright. Please focus on recovering your body instead, Orabeoni. In any case, the Duplein family is in a situation where every single person is precious right now.”
Reigh was the only son among the direct descendants of the deceased Grand Duke Duplein.
Since the situation was such that it was most likely for Reigh to inherit the position of head of the family, his recovery had to be the priority for now.
However, Reigh spoke with his head bowed, his eyes having lost their light.
“With what face can I claim to be the master of the Duplein ducal mansion… I do not know how many will regard this common man, who was unconscious during the most important time, as their master and follow him.”
“…”
It would be polite to actively deny his words, but in reality, while Reigh had been bedridden, the other vassals had been moving with Diella or Aiseline as their focal point.
Reigh himself had lost confidence, so it was unknown if he had the spirit left to seize control of the mansion and step out to the forefront of the family.
The more time passed, the more difficult the situation became. Diella let out a deep sigh.
‘As I thought, the Duplein family needs Aiseline Unnie…’
It had only been a few weeks since Aiseline had left for the north, but she could only hope for her swift return.
Creeak—
It was then.
In the midst of the rather gloomy atmosphere, Head Maid Katarina entered, holding a letter.
When Diella looked at her, Katarina bowed her head deeply and said.
“A letter has arrived from the Rochest Duchy in the north.”
It was unexpected news.
<><><>
The next day, on her way back to the spire after finishing her meal, Siern ran into Derek.
Derek, dressed in his mercenary attire which he had quickly and neatly arranged, was walking from the opposite end of the hallway, the hem of his cloak fluttering.
He looked as gallant as ever, but upon closer inspection, his body was wrapped in bandages here and there. It was all Siern’s doing.
“Eut…”
Siern, who was walking with the assistance of the servants, flinched and took a step back.
It had now been a full day since she had caused that ruckus in the mansion garden.
She had already been informed of Derek’s intentions, but she couldn’t help but feel a sense of discomfort somewhere.
The image of him striding toward her in the middle of the snowy plain, his eerie eyes gleaming, remained like a nightmare.
To Siern, Derek was a difficult and frightening person.
“…”
Derek, who had walked right up to Siern, then slightly bowed his head in a silent greeting.
Siern’s shoulders flinched and she stepped back, but Derek did not show any particular change in his demeanor.
“De-De-Derek… was it…”
“I was very rude yesterday. Since Lady Aiseline has explained the circumstances, I will not make any further excuses.”
Siern’s head felt dizzy.
The image of him looking like a slaughtering machine that hunted and killed demonic beasts was gone, and in its place was only a dependable man who politely observed the etiquette of a noble.
It was to the point where she doubted if the two were really the same person, so Siern had to rub her eyes several times and examine Derek’s face.
“It is understandable that you are displeased. But please understand that it was a necessary thing to do.”
“Ah, no… well, that’s fine… that’s fine, but…”
Derek silently studied Siern’s face as if to say he was listening intently.
That alone made Siern feel as if her breath was catching in her throat.
In any case, the initiative in the conversation was with Siern. No matter how scary and fearsome a person Derek was, a commoner was still a commoner.
He was in a position where he could not treat the young lady of a ducal family carelessly, so if she wanted to scold him, she could scold him, and if she wanted to praise his achievements, she could praise them.
However, Siern could not do anything rashly. She looked just like prey standing before a predator.
“…”
Siern took a moment to catch her breath and observed Derek. Then, once again, the various scratches on his body came into view.
They were the traces of him taking all her magic to the very end, just to make her regain her reason once. The head maid had treated them to some extent, but it seemed the wounds could not heal completely in such a short time.
Looking at those traces, Siern’s heart was not at ease either.
“S-so…”
“…?”
“Sorry… I think I am, but I also think I’m not…”
“…”
Derek looked at Siern with a dumbfounded expression.
“If it is difficult for you, you do not have to apologize. I do not particularly mind.”
“…Sorry.”
“…”
“As you must know well enough, I can’t be called very human, even with empty words. I’m like this now, but someday, I will aim for your life again.”
Siern spoke as she was, her gaze fixed firmly on the floor.
“If you are to teach me, you must be stronger than me. That is why I do not accept just anyone as my master.”
— ‘I heard you’re going to teach me magic.’
— ‘Then you must be stronger than me, right?’
Derek suddenly recalled the words of Siern, who had charged at him while throwing a demonic beast’s corpse on the day he had first arrived in the Rochest territory on the northbound carriage.
Having seen Siern in a state of complete loss of reason, Derek could now understand. At that time, Siern had been maintaining her clear reason.
Nevertheless, Siern had charged at Derek.
Without any reason, she would charge at the person who came to serve as her teacher, intimidate them, and chase them away.
The intention behind that action might have been, perhaps, not in the arrogance of a childish noble lady, but somewhere else.
She had already realized it through countless experiences. If an ambiguous person reached out their hand, claiming they would teach her, that hand would inevitably be stained with blood.
Therefore, she had been putting on a threatening front at the entrance of the territory and chasing them away.
Perhaps that was the conclusion she had reached after resisting her own nature in her own way. It was obvious that explaining with words would not get through to them.
This girl, whose daily routine was to sit alone at the top of the spire and silently look down at the snow-covered plain, did not know any other way.
This was because this snowy plain was a place ruled by the laws of the wild, a place where only the logic of power held sway.
Therefore, Derek looked straight down at her with unwavering eyes and told her. What she needed was certainty, so he did not show even a hint of hesitation.
“Do not worry. I am stronger than you, Lady Siern.”
“For now, you are.”
Siern, too, looked straight up at Derek. The meaning of that short answer was deeper than one might think.
It was impossible to know what the trace of Noir flowing through Siern’s blood would make of her.
Derek was born with a ridiculous level of magical skill, blessed by the heavens, but it was unknown whether that would surpass the potential of the great demonic beast Noir, which had laid the north to waste.
If one day, Siern, running at a fast pace, were to overtake Derek and stain her hands with his blood… it would leave a much bigger scar on her heart than now.
The girl was afraid of that.
What she feared was not the world, nor some huge, indescribable evil. It was herself.
Therefore, Derek lowered his posture, met her eyes, and… declared more certainly.
“At any time, it will be impossible for you to be stronger than me, Lady Siern. So please do not worry about unnecessary things.”
It was a declaration without any basis, but the light in Derek’s eyes was unwavering.
“Where is there a person who worries about becoming muscular all over before they even start exercising? Please face reality.”
“…That’s kind of offensive.”
“It is not much different from the behavior of worrying about becoming a beauty before buying cosmetics, or worrying about becoming an archmage before learning magic. Honestly, isn’t it a bit ridiculous?”
“Eek! You’re saying that to be offensive, aren’t you!”
“Originally, all learning begins with objectifying oneself. I am only trying to help you do so.”
Derek’s words were scathing, but he always spoke only what he believed to be the truth.
That was one of the reasons Derek earned the trust of high-ranking nobles. He did not make empty promises carelessly.
“If you are afraid of killing me, I am telling you to set aside that unnecessary worry. At any time, I will absolutely be stronger than you, Lady Siern.”
At Derek’s words, which he declared once more, Siern was finally at a loss for words.
Derek was this kind of man.
As if that fact was vividly felt, Siern could only relax her heart and nod her head with a look of emptiness.
It was truly a strange thing.
“Then, I will assume that we will begin training from tomorrow.”
“That… I understand… but is there anything I need to prepare?”
A vast plan unfolded above Derek’s head.
As for the intensity of that training… there was no appropriate expression to describe it. Perhaps only those who had experienced it would know.
If Diella, Elente, or Denise had been there, they could have given her a hint… but sadly, this was the Rochest territory, tucked away in the northern frontier.
“There is nothing in particular. Do not worry.”
Looking at Derek’s eyes, which shone with reliability, Lady Siern answered boldly.
“Alright!”
Those were her last words.
<><><>
‘Heok… why am I getting the shivers…’
Lady Elente, who had received the letter from a servant, suddenly felt a shiver run down her spine and trembled. Her glossy red hair also shook along with her.
It was probably because she had seen Derek’s name written on the letter.
Although Lady Elente fully acknowledged Derek as a person, even now, when she recalled the times she had classes with Derek, there were times when a chill went down her spine.
Separate from the fact that Derek was a reliable person, his class curriculum had the power to push a person to their limits. Even the extraordinary Elente could not help but turn pale when she was being rolled by Derek.
“Are you perhaps cold? Should I instruct the maids to add more firewood?”
“Ah, no, it’s fine. You don’t need to mind me.”
Elente waved her hand at the worried maid and then focused her mind back on the letter.
Since it was a letter that had flown in from the Rochest Duchy in the north, Elente had wondered if it was a letter from Derek. This was because she had heard the news that he had gone to the north.
However, unexpectedly, the sender was Lord Melverot, the master of the Rochest Duchy.
It was a rare thing to receive a letter directly from him, who was called one of the greatest mages of this era.
‘They say that 6-Star mages are all unpredictable, and it seems that saying is true.’
The wanderer of the continent’s southwest, Drest.
The guardian of the continent’s north, Melverot.
The magical advisor of the continent’s central region, Kohella.
They were all individuals with strong personalities and exceptional talents, so there were many cases where they could not be controlled, but it would be good to maintain contact if it was possible.
So, thinking of being as polite as possible, she opened the letter, and it contained unexpected content.
“…”
Elente, who had read the entire letter and put it down, propped up her chin and fell into deep thought.
It was a proposal to grant Derek the territory with a vineyard on the Rodelen side and to bestow upon him the title of baron.
In fact, conferring a title was a matter to be decided by high-ranking nobles, but the procedure was not that easy.
Although its scale was insignificant, the Rodelen territory was, after all, a land belonging to the continent’s southwest.
Before persuading the nobles of the central region and the imperial court to grant Derek a title, he first had to ask for the consent of the powerful figures among the southwestern nobles whose territories bordered his.
And the real powers of the southwest were already determined. Duplein, Belmeade, and Beltus.
Duplein, whose influence had recently been greatly diminished, was not very significant.
Not only was it highly likely that they would not have the luxury to oppose it, but considering the disposition of the Duplein people, there seemed to be no one who would oppose Derek’s conferment of a title.
There was no big problem with the Belmeade side either.
The Margrave of Belmeade had already delegated most of the real power to Elente and was trying to develop her administrative skills. The decision on a matter like this was at a level she could conclude on her own.
In the first place, the Margrave of Belmeade also thought highly of Derek’s abilities, so even if the decision-making authority were to pass to him, it seemed the conclusion would not change.
‘Lord Melverot might be surprised at how easily things are resolved.’
Derek’s disciples were already embedded in various places throughout the continent’s southwest.
When he was teaching, he might have vaguely thought of it as just a good network of connections, but if he were to truly begin to set foot in the world of nobility, the difference would be vividly felt.
However, what Lady Elente was worried about was the Beltus family.
“Hmm…”
The Grand Duke of Beltus was very cautious and kept other nobles in check.
No matter how small a piece of land in a remote frontier, like a place of exile, he would maintain a stingy attitude toward a new power setting up camp in the southwest.
Still, if there was a positive aspect, it was that there was Lady Denise, Derek’s disciple, in the Beltus family.
If she were to step up and persuade the Grand Duke, the situation might change a bit… but the problem was that, unlike Aiseline or Elente, her position within the family was not at a level that could be called great.
‘Lady Denise is a bright person, so she will probably express some kind of opinion…’
In any case, the Beltus side was a problem that Elente could not do anything about. She could only hope that she would do her best.
Elente pushed the letter into a drawer.
“The time for breakfast is approaching. Shall I have the servants finish preparing the meal?”
“No, I’ll leave early today. I want to check on the situation at the Rosea Salon.”
“Understood.”
Derek had left for the north, Aiseline was absent, Duplein was faltering, and the labyrinths of the White Zone were stirring.
Still, the world moved on. The political situation was always bound to change, and those who adapted to it were the ones who survived to the end.
The social circle of Ebelstein was also returning to its usual, ice-cold state, as if it did not care what was happening in the world. If one fell behind there, there would be no place for them as a noble lady.
Elente thought as her clothes were being adjusted.
‘By the way, is Derek really teaching that rumored Lady Siern?’
Considering that no particular bad news was being heard, it might be that he had really tamed that so-called madwoman, Lady Siern.
If so, did that mean a day would come when she would make her debut in the social circle? Elente could not quite imagine such a scene.
However, regarding her magical level, rumors were rampant that among people of her age, she was completely beyond comparison.
The almost cheat-like aptitude of having directly inherited the energy of Noir was unknown to people from other families.
Therefore, Elente could not help but be somewhat skeptical about her magical aptitude. She even wondered if the rumors were a bit exaggerated.
To wield 3-Star magic at an age where her coming-of-age ceremony was still a long way off was an aptitude that did not even allow for comparison with other noble ladies.
If such a person were to fall into the social circle, claiming to be Derek’s disciple, it was completely unpredictable how that would affect the political situation.
‘This is a bad habit. I’m letting my imagination run wild for no reason.’
Letting out a dry laugh, Elente stood up from her seat and, attended by a maid, crossed the hallway.
In any case, now was the time to focus on the Rosea Salon.
The social circle of Ebelstein, with the mountain tiger Duplein absent, was in a state of chaos.
If she did not keep her wits about her, the next one to fall behind would be herself.