Chapter 84
Chapter 84
Translator: XZY
Chapter 84: Marriage Proposal (1)
***
Originally, the reason for debuting in the social circle was to cultivate and refine oneself by maintaining cultural, artistic, and magical exchanges with various high-ranking people.
However, that was just a superficial reason, and in many cases, the reason for young women of marriageable age to gather in one place and show off their beautiful appearance and refinement was, in the end, to secure a good marriage proposal.
In particular, lower-ranking nobles or nobles of ambiguous status were often full of the ulterior motive of catching a good nobleman to rise in status.
Such individuals, rather than spending their time sitting in cultural centers discussing philosophical discourse or further elevating their magical realm, were hell-bent on attending balls and banquets to have more contact with noblemen, even if just a little.
If, in the process, they managed to snatch a man from a ducal family and get married, that would be a complete reversal of their life, so there were many cases where families would support their daughters in various ways.
In fact, that was how the social circle worked.
Even so, there was an unbridgeable gap between the nobles of high-ranking territories and the lower-ranking nobles.
Marriage proposals were rarely exchanged between the two, so the eyes of the influential noblemen were naturally directed not toward the lower-ranking nobles obsessed with marriage proposals, but toward the top of the Ebelstein social circle.
In the end, the figures at that top were already decided.
Aiseline of Duplein, Elente of Belmeade, and Denise of Beltus.
If one could win even one of the three, even a weak noble from the frontier could instantly rise to the ranks of the powerful.
That was why, from frontier nobles to the sons of influential families, it was common for them to write letters full of all sorts of passion or send expensive fresh flowers as gifts to make a good impression on those three of the Rosea Salon, even if just a little.
The competition was so fierce that the daily routine of a dedicated maid began with clearing away the letters filled with flirtatious words and organizing the flowers that had arrived in heaps at the mansion entrance to plant them in the garden.
That was how many marriage proposals poured in for the young ladies of influential families.
That there were many lower-ranking noble ladies in the Ebelstein social circle who were obsessed with marriage proposals.
And that once one reached the position of the three of the Rosea Salon, numerous noblemen would make advances.
Knowing these two facts, it was not difficult to predict what would happen next.
“Duplein is no longer a family worthy of sitting at the top of the Rosea Salon.”
Denise thought that what was bound to come had come.
It was a statement made at a meeting in the Elfontaine Hall in the late afternoon.
When the name of Duplein was soaring to the heavens, it would have been considered a reckless remark, but not a single young lady present at the salon meeting could refute this statement.
This was because the story of the faltering Duplein family had already gone beyond rumors and become an established fact.
The fact that Aiseline had left for the north to earn money, and that Diella was going around to various noble houses to borrow money.
They had already lost all the dignity that the most influential family should have.
They said that even a rich man could last for three generations after his fall, but they would probably no longer be able to raise their voices in the noble social circle, which was ruled by justification and dignity.
Therefore, it would be considered unreasonable for the Duplein family to occupy one of the three coveted spots of the Rosea Salon.
“Therefore, I believe we must choose someone to take that position in place of the Duplein family.”
Elente, who was sitting demurely on one side of the tea table, frowned, and Denise, who was listening from the opposite end, also let out a dry breath.
The speaker was Lady Trisha of the Renuel viscounty.
Her pretty, wavy hair was beautiful, but the occasional freckles detracted from her elegant atmosphere.
She was a person with a strong desire to rise to a higher status by securing a good marriage proposal, rather than having an interest in scholarship and cultivation.
‘It’s an obvious story without even looking.’
Denise felt like she knew all of Trisha’s ulterior motives without having to listen to her story to the end.
She intended to bring Duplein down from the position of the three and rise to that place herself. The reason was obvious.
She was already sick and tired of the characteristics of the young ladies who were obsessed with marriage proposals.
They thought that Aiseline, Elente, and Denise had risen to that position solely on the prestige of their families.
They believed that if they could somehow push Duplein out and borrow just a little of their family’s name value, they too could rise to a position where they would receive the advances of all sorts of noblemen.
“I assume no one disagrees with my words?”
It was Trisha, standing on the podium with her hands on her hips, wearing a triumphant expression.
The Renuel viscounty behind her was powerful for its rank.
Perhaps after Duplein fell, her Renuel viscounty, the Felobel county, or the Logwaltz viscounty, one of the three, would occupy that position. She seemed to be already prepared to jump into that competition.
‘Whichever it is, none of them are a force to be compared to Belmeade or Beltus, but it seems impossible to prevent Duplein from falling.’
Denise was observing the situation with her arms crossed. Glancing at Elente, it was the same on that side.
In the end, what mattered most in the decision-making among nobles was the battle of justification.
“…No, I suppose one person will object.”
As Trisha said that, the public’s attention turned to one side.
Diella, who was sitting at the edge of the meeting place drinking black tea, received all that attention.
‘…Right, so this is how you’re going to play it.’
Diella put down her black tea and then stared silently at the podium for a moment.
Those who knew her personality all swallowed dryly.
Derek’s first disciple and the youngest of the Duplein family, she was the owner of a fiery temperament.
She was a reckless person who would charge at even Lady Denise, the treasure of the Beltus family, if she didn’t like something.
However, that was all possible because she had the name of Duplein.
A young lady from a family that was struggling to the point of being unable to pay the servants’ salaries could not show the same authority as before.
“You say some interesting things, Lady Trisha. It’s as if you see the Duplein family as a tiger with its fangs pulled out.”
“Am I wrong?”
It was a tone that was openly challenging. A few young ladies who still had a fear of Diella swallowed dryly.
However, Trisha just smiled arrogantly with her arms crossed.
“History flows. If the time has come to disappear into the back alleys, one should just disappear calmly.”
“Even if Lord Marcus of the Renuel viscounty is that powerful, I doubt that authority is enough to be rude to a ducal family.”
It had been quite some time since rumors had circulated in the imperial capital that the Renuel viscounty would be granted a larger territory.
Duplein was a setting star, and Renuel was a rising sun. There was no one here who did not know that fact.
Still, Diella was Diella.
She probably wouldn’t cause a rampage by firing magic all over the meeting place, but it didn’t seem like she would stay quiet either.
Diella, who was sitting with her arms crossed in the tense meeting place, looked up and said.
“Well, there’s nothing wrong with what you’re saying.”
‘…!’
Everyone sitting in the room was startled in their hearts.
Even Trisha, who had openly made a hostile remark, was just as surprised. This was because she had come to this place expecting Diella to raise her voice.
However, Diella spoke calmly in a subdued voice.
“I’ll admit that the name of Duplein is not what it used to be. However, to think of us as a tiger with its fangs pulled out might be your arrogance, Lady Trisha.”
Diella, who had stood up, leaning on the table, said with her eyes flashing.
“If by some chance the power of Duplein were to return, you should be prepared to have your arm torn off by those fangs.”
“…”
“Please remember the fact that the name of the Renuel viscounty has been clearly engraved in the mind of this Diella Catherine Duplein.”
While acknowledging the decline of her authority, the young lioness was glaring with eyes that even felt murderous.
Although she knew that Duplein was already faltering as much as it could, looking at Diella’s spirit, it really seemed as if she would rise again and bite the neck of the Renuel viscounty.
What power did an influential family have that had lost its head, had no proper successor, and had lost most of its territory and privileges?
Nevertheless, looking at Diella, it seemed that the scarred lion would someday rise again.
Trisha, who had intended to mock her to her heart’s content, saw Diella’s spirit and for a moment swallowed dryly.
A single bead of cold sweat running down her cheek was a bonus.
Thud!
Passing through the main gate of the Elfontaine Hall, Diella looked up at the sky where the sun had already risen.
As she twisted the ends of her blonde hair, revealing her discomfort, the surrounding young ladies were all swallowing dryly and stepping back.
“Ehyu…”
Diella, who let out a sigh as if lamenting, covered the sunlight with her fingertips and silently monologued.
‘Things are a mess in so many ways. It’s even more uncomfortable that this is happening when Unnie is not here.’
Aiseline, who had left for the north with Derek, would also be returning soon.
When she returned to Ebelstein, what would she think when she saw that her seat at the head of the Rosea Salon was gone? From Diella’s perspective, she couldn’t help but feel quite uncomfortable.
‘I miss Derek too…’
Diella felt as if she had been left all alone.
There was much to do, she couldn’t see a way, and the situation was only getting worse.
This incident did not seem to work out well for Derek either.
All three who sat at the head of the Rosea Salon were either Derek’s disciples or had a connection to him.
However, with Duplein stepping down from that position this time, whoever rose to it, it was highly likely that it would be someone with no connection to Derek.
‘It seems he’s been running around trying to get a title, so this will be bad news.’
To rise to the position that Duplein had vacated, one had to have not only the prestige of the family but also an overwhelmingly outstanding aspect.
At least in the current Ebelstein social circle, there were not many families that could aim for that position.
If Lady Trisha were to really sit in that position, it was unknown what kind of impact it would have on Derek.
‘The possibility of a person favorable to Derek sitting in that position seems extremely slim…’
It was a time full of bad news in many ways.
<><><>
“Yesterday, Lady Siern called me Aiseline Unnie again. That’s the eighth time in total. It seems she’s really starting to call me Unnie naturally now, so how should I put it… my heart is overflowing… what is this feeling… love…?”
“…”
As for Aiseline, she was already exuding the aura of a stray cat collector and seemed to be feeling a thrill from gaining the trust of the lost Lady Siern.
The way she came to find Derek in the morning and boasted was so majestic that Derek, who was not yet fully awake, ended up scratching his messy hair and letting out a sigh.
“Oh my… I came too early, didn’t I? I wanted to boast to someone… but then again, Mr. Derek is the only person I can say these things to, so I just…”
“No, it’s alright. It was about time for me to get up, and I also wanted to talk about the schedule.”
Derek ruffled his hair and opened the door to his private room, then gestured for Aiseline to come in and stretched once.
Sitting on the opposite side of Aiseline, who had sat at the table, he offered her some tea and spoke.
“Let’s return to Ebelstein within the next week.”
“…Really?”
“Yes. Lady Siern hasn’t attacked anyone with her slaughter instinct for the past few weeks, has she? Once she starts to control her slaughter instinct to some extent, there isn’t much more to teach her in the magical aspect.”
Derek’s skill in making tea could not be considered excellent, so Aiseline naturally took out the tea set and began to make the tea herself.
In fact, it was something she could have asked a maid to do, but since becoming a fallen noble lady, Aiseline had often stepped up to do things herself.
Since it was a rather uncomfortable situation for a commoner without a title, Derek had told her several times that there was no need for that, but Aiseline had not listened at all.
“If we are to have Lady Siern debut in the Ebelstein social circle, we will have to take her there eventually.”
“Still, if the blood of Noir were to run rampant again, it could turn into a big problem.”
“That’s something we’ll have to be on our toes about. Fortunately, I’m a person who works as a mercenary while residing in Ebelstein, and since you, Lady Aiseline, also frequent the social circle there, we can look out for her.”
Derek sat opposite her, brushed off his clothes, and pressed down the ends of his messy hair. Seeing this, Aiseline let out a small laugh.
“…Is there a problem?”
“No. When I see you, Mr. Derek, you always keep your appearance neat, so it’s refreshing to see you looking so relaxed.”
“It’s unavoidable as my job often involves interacting with nobles. When I work as a mercenary, there are many cases where I look even more shabby than this.”
When he went on subjugations with Felinne for several days, there were often cases where he couldn’t wash his body or change his clothes for days.
In fact, this level was not enough to be told that his appearance was untidy.
“Perhaps if the authority of Duplein were still the same, you wouldn’t be able to treat me so comfortably, Mr. Derek.”
“I am trying to treat you with the courtesy due to a noble even now. I do not change my attitude according to the prestige of a family.”
“Well, I feel that I’ve become quite comfortable with you, Mr. Derek. You must be feeling, without realizing it, that the gap in our statuses has decreased a lot compared to before. It’s bound to show through subconsciously.”
“If I have been rude, I apologize.”
“No, on the contrary, I’m quite pleased. It seems that falling down once is a good thing in this aspect.”
He thought that might be a bit too optimistic, but maintaining that kind of mindset even in small things would be a good thing for someone in a crisis.
Derek nodded his head appropriately at Aiseline’s words.
“I can’t deny your words either, Mr. Derek. You are not a person who changes his attitude according to the prestige of a family, but… hmm… there’s no guarantee that the people of the Rosea Salon will do the same.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“You said we should return to Ebelstein, right? If we go back… it’s highly likely that my seat at the head of the Rosea Salon will no longer be there.”
At those words, Derek was at a loss for words for a moment.
To be demoted in status as a noble lady and be ousted from the head seat was a shocking thing.
The despair of falling in status was always much stronger than the joy of rising. That was how the world worked; the reverse experience was always more intense.
“Who do you think will take that seat?”
It would be decided after consultation among the people in the salon, comprehensively considering the prestige of the family, magical achievements, refinement, dignity, and so on.
“At this point, I think it would be either Lady Trisha of the Renuel viscounty or Lady Prim of the Felobel county… but on second thought, it might be something else entirely.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. A person like a whirlwind is scheduled to debut in the Ebelstein social circle soon, isn’t she?”
“…”
He had no choice but to say that her words were indeed true.
Derek’s new disciple, Siern Aleyna Rochest, was none other than the daughter of Lord Melverot.
The young lady of the Rochest ducal family, able to wield 3-Star magic at this young age, and had received refinement directly from Aiseline.
Although it was not apparent when she was roaming the snowy plains, when she was dressed in a pretty frilly dress and sat demurely, she was also a pretty and petite person like a bisque doll.
Although she had a strangely gloomy impression because of the single strand of white hair that came down between her eyebrows, in any case, it was safe to say that there were almost no individuals who could match Siern in terms of overall aspects.
Since Derek and Aiseline had rolled up their sleeves for the entire month and earnestly worked on making her a person, even her flaws had been almost improved.
If she were to sit at the head of the Rosea Salon, she would side with Duplein and Derek more than anyone else.
“However, there are times when I feel a strange sense of something…”
“Is that so?”
Aiseline, who spent a lot of time with Siern, was having a lot of emotional exchanges with her.
However, from time to time, whenever she looked at Siern, Aiseline would feel an unknown chill or shiver.
Siern was a person. Aiseline was the one who affirmed that fact more strongly than anyone else.
However, from time to time, when she talked with Siern, it was often revealed that her way of thinking and logic did not align with that of a person.
Once, while bathing with Aiseline, she had been held in her arms and said something strange.
— ‘Aiseline Unnie. What is your relationship with the magic teacher, Derek?’
— ‘Y-yes? Me? I am, well… just someone I got to know in the social circle…’
— ‘Is that so…?’
— ‘Yes, that’s about it… Why? Have you become curious about many things regarding Mr. Derek?’
— ‘Yes… Since he’s popular in the Ebelstein social circle… I feel like he might not look after my condition or magic properly when we return to Ebelstein…’
— ‘Oh my, you don’t have to worry about that. Mr. Derek is a very responsible person.’
Although Aiseline had declared it, Siern, who was blowing bubbles in the bath, had still spoken with a dissatisfied expression.
— ‘Still, I definitely want him to look after only me… To do that, what kind of method would be good…’
— ‘I-is there such a thing as a method? Isn’t it a matter of working hard… and trying your best to follow the lessons?’
— ‘I can’t help but feel anxious. There are… more certain methods, aren’t there? Like locking him in a spire… or tying him up…’
— ‘Do you… have such scary thoughts?’
— ‘I-it’s just a joke… And I’m also pretty much confined to a spire myself…’
To casually bring up thoughts of tying someone up or locking them away out of the blue had a chilling effect that made one flinch.
In any case, looking at her appearance alone, she was just a cute and adorable girl. It was just that her way of thinking had become a bit grim since she had been confined to a spire during her stormy and stressful period.
Aiseline had thought so and laughed it off, but now that she was in front of Derek, she felt a sense of foreboding again.
“Mr. Derek…”
“Yes?”
“Just in case, please be careful.”
“…?”
Derek could only sip his tea and look at Aiseline with a puzzled expression.
<><><>
“Right. It wouldn’t be a bad idea to let Siern see the noble world of Ebelstein once before she makes her debut in the social circle. I will permit Siern’s accompaniment.”
As always, Lord Melverot did not make eye contact with those who were reporting to him.
Without even a hint of looking at them, he just stared out the window, maintaining an arrogant posture as if he were only half-listening.
Aiseline and Derek had conveyed Siern’s situation and confirmed that the conditions were met for her to accompany them to Ebelstein.
Although there were still dangerous aspects remaining, it was a problem at a level that the two of them could handle if they were careful.
“If Lady Siern debuts in the Ebelstein social circle, she will receive the attention of many, as if a great whirlwind has struck. Lady Siern is a person of that much value.”
“It is a good thing to give words of blessing, but attention does not always work in a good way.”
“That… is true, but…”
Aiseline knew well about the desolate state of the Ebelstein social circle, so she could not refute Melverot’s words.
“On your way back, stop by the Rodelen territory as well. If you pass through the Beltus Duchy, you will be able to look around quickly.”
The Rodelen territory was the territory Derek would be responsible for if he were to be granted a title.
Its scale was so small that it was embarrassing to even call it a territory, and most of it was vineyards, so it was a land with nothing to see except for its delicious wine.
Nevertheless, it was a place Derek would have to take responsibility for if he were to be granted a title.
“I heard there is a mansion, but it will be old, shabby, and insignificant. Just be grateful that it exists at all.”
“I am nothing but grateful.”
“I have given a heads-up to the management personnel of the territory about your appointment, so there will be no big problem with the transfer, but the problem lies in the conferment of the title itself.”
Melverot, who was resting his chin on his hand with his legs crossed, let out a deep sigh as if he had a headache.
“I expected the central nobles to react lukewarmly, but the Grand Duke of Beltus in the continent’s southwest has voiced his opposition.”
He had thought that Duplein and Belmeade would not oppose Derek’s conferment of a title, but Beltus was completely different.
In particular, the Rodelen territory where Derek would settle bordered the Beltus Duchy. It was inevitable that they would react more sensitively than other families.
“This is a problem that I will have to solve, so you don’t need to worry too much about it, but there is another problem. This one, you will have to solve yourself.”
“What is it?”
“The fact that you are an orphan.”
Melverot threw a straight ball.
It was a point that cut like a knife, enough to make Aiseline flinch, but Derek’s heart was not particularly shaken by that fact. It was because it was an obvious fact.
“If you are to receive a title and call yourself the head of a noble house, you must have a family and a house. But you are only called by the name Derek, and you have no surname to symbolize a family. On top of that, you have no connections whatsoever.”
“Is that a big problem in receiving a title?”
“Of course, it is a problem. Isn’t it natural that the procedure will not proceed if the formal requirements are not met?”
No matter what anyone said, the current era was a society of blood ties. The existence of a family was an important criterion in judging disqualifying factors in the procedure of conferring a title.
If one were to consider magical lineage, political stability, succession of responsibility and duty, economic foundation, education, reliability, and reputation, in the end, one had no choice but to examine the family and house to which that person belonged.
That was why it was like plucking a star from the sky for an orphan like Derek to break into the closed noble society.
“They won’t be too picky about conferring a minor barony in a remote frontier, but you must at least meet the minimum formal requirements.”
“Then, should I decide on my own surname?”
“That will not be enough.”
Siern’s debut in the social circle would be a bomb dropped on Ebelstein.
Aiseline had thought so, but reality was even more than that.
A bigger bomb… seemed about to be dropped on the Ebelstein social circle.
“Find a suitable partner. It can be just a formality, but form a family and prove that you belong to it.”
—It was Derek’s marriage talks.
Aiseline’s eyes, who had been listening to the two’s conversation, widened like a full moon.
As she looked at Derek, sweating profusely, Derek was also stroking his chin, deep in thought.
“…”
Aiseline saw Derek sweating for the first time in her life.
It was impossible to know what would happen if this news were to leak to Ebelstein.
Unfortunately, they were scheduled to depart next week.