Chapter 27

Chapter 27
## Chapter 27

“Since this is a formal magic duel, there are more restrictions than expected. Most importantly, with so many nobles watching, we must at least maintain our dignity.”

Dereck always wore a serious expression.

That serenity was contagious. Ellen felt ashamed of her emotional outburst from a moment ago. No matter how cornered one was, physically or mentally, a noble lady was always expected to maintain her composure and dignity.

However, Dereck seemed imperturbable.

“Even so… as much as it pains me to admit it, Lady Aiselin is superior to me.”

“Not in every way. You only need to find one area in which you, Lady Ellen, excel.”

Dereck spoke with confidence, without a trace of doubt or anxiety.

It was as if he had anticipated Ellen’s emotional reaction. To her, Dereck, a commoner, now seemed like a seasoned veteran.

“All the extreme magic training performed until now was not in vain. It was the necessary foundation to defeat Lady Aiselin. Now we move on to the main process.”

“What? Do you have something else planned?”

“Didn’t I tell you that I needed to test your determination?”

When Dereck looked at Ellen with greater seriousness, she swallowed hard.

Despite Ellen’s reaction, Dereck spoke calmly.

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“From now on, it will be a true hell. So pay close attention.”

If what was coming now was truly hell, then what had all the previous training been?

Ellen began to see the boy before her as a lion wielding a scythe.

But after having made such a fuss, she could no longer turn back.

***

Riding through the vast prairies of Prince Belmiard’s lands, one could easily observe the peasants working in the fields from early morning. The wheat fields, now at harvest time, stretched across the entire plain.

After crossing the plains of Boleron, the largest granary of the western continent, a great fortress finally appeared on the horizon. This imposing military fortress, which controlled the entire southwestern coastal border, was in an excellent state of preservation.

*Clip-clop, clip-clop.*

Felmier had been riding for some time.

Given that the mercenary would take charge of the magic instruction for the time being, there was no role for him.

It was only a brief detour. Given the circumstances, he had stopped at the Belmiard estate to finish some pending matters and inform the Count about the current situation.

Unlike the tranquil atmosphere that reigned in the cultivated fields, the environment turned somber as he approached the fortress.

Along the ridge bordering the southern coast, watchtowers stood tall. Upon spotting the imposing mountain ranges, flags fluttered along the path and soldiers patrolled with their weapons on their shoulders.

As he entered the fortress on horseback, the guards ceased their attempt to stop him.

*Neigh!*

As he headed toward the tower situated in the heart of the fortress, a man stood in front of some soldiers performing parade drills for the festival.

He appeared quite young for his position. Fine wrinkles betrayed the passage of time, but his eyes still shone with vitality—much more than those of other nobles of this world. His broad shoulders and robust build bore witness to his years of active service.

He was Tristan Anelt Belmiard, Count of these lands.

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Even the heads of the noble houses of the capital bowed and showed respect before this frontier noble, a man of great renown in the Western Empire.

“Oh, Felmier! Are you back from Ebelstain already?”

“I see you are well, Count. I thought you would be at the noble manor, not here at the fortress.”

“Are you inviting me to idle away in some corner with a quill? A man should exercise his body from time to time.”

Count Belmiard was known for his generosity and concern for his subordinates, but, as a former soldier, he also possessed an innate charisma. He was the kind of man who stood firm and faced his enemies with determination.

“It has been a long time since I’ve seen my treasure, Ellen. When she is around, laughter is always present. How is she doing in Ebelstain?”

“Quite well. Lately, she has faced many challenges and is now focusing more on her magic training.”

Felmier hesitated for an instant, opting not to report on the mercenary named Dereck yet. He decided to keep it a secret for the time being.

He could not predict how the Count would react upon learning that his daughter Ellen was learning magic from a mere mercenary. Felmier considered Ellen’s relationship with Dereck as a temporary distraction.

After all, Ellen had hired the mercenary primarily out of a competitive spirit against Aiselin. Falling behind a commoner in magic training would be a blow to her pride.

“I am glad to hear that. I have matters to attend to in Ebelstain related to the tariffs on the southwestern trade route. Originally, I was going to send a message through a high official of the noble manor, but with you here, Felmier, it is not necessary.”

“Really?”

However, unbeknownst to Felmier, Count Belmiard was already preparing to visit Ebelstain.

It was not unusual for the nobles of the southwest to visit Ebelstain, but such a sudden trip was uncommon.

“Perhaps I don’t need to send any message. Sometimes, surprising my dear Ellen with a gift is not a bad idea. There’s no need to announce it. Though I do need to think about what gift to bring her.”

“Even so, perhaps it would be better to let her know… I am sure Lady Ellen would be delighted.”

“I also want to see how Ellen is adapting to her life in the foreign manor. A father’s concern is always present, right?”

Count Belmiard had visited the noble district of Ebelstain several times. In appearance, it was an enchanting paradise for the nobility, but beneath the surface reigned fierce competition and psychological warfare.

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It was hard not to worry about his daughter in such a place. He frequently sent her gifts, provisions, and competent officials to help her, but a father’s heart is never satisfied with just that.

Ellen, who visited the noble manor, always seemed cheerful when recounting her days in Ebelstain.

However, Count Belmiard knew perfectly well that his daughter had grown up. It was not impossible that she was pretending to be cheerful to prevent him from worrying about her life away from home.

From Count Belmiard’s perspective, concern was inevitable. He knew well that while Ellen had matured intellectually, she still retained many childish traits on an emotional level.

If Duke Duplain was a strict and thoughtful patriarch, Count Belmiard was a generous but direct father. He was the kind of man who would not hesitate to rearrange his schedule just to look after his daughter, and he was a fool when it came to matters concerning her.

“Given the circumstances, let’s move up the schedule. You, Felmier, will accompany me to Ebelstain on the day of my departure.”

“Will that be alright?”

Felmier could only offer a worried expression.

***

“Time is like an arrow, Dereck.”

So began the letter from his mentor, Katia.

Dereck had always liked the expression “time is like an arrow.”

Like an arrow launched with precision, time also moves forward without ever retreating. And before you know it, a day, a season, a year has passed; he felt that phrase summarized his life perfectly.

The feeling he had while giving lessons to Ellen was quite similar. Without realizing it, more than two weeks had passed.

Dereck had promised Ellen that he would help her win, but in the end, what mattered most was her own will. It remained to be seen if she would assimilate his lessons well.

*Crack, crack.*

Leaning his head against the wall of the swaying wagon, quietly reading the letter, Dereck looked at Ellen out of the corner of his eye.

It was not the noble carriage she was used to, but an old, dusty, and ramshackle mercenary cart.

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Inside that dilapidated vehicle—a place where a noble lady from a count’s house would normally never set foot—she lay, not in her usual ruffled dress, but in simple and comfortable clothes under a cloak.

To passersby, her appearance was so disheveled that they might doubt her true status as a noble, lying there exhausted and panting. In reality, her noble status was being kept secret.

Dereck looked at her again, and then fixed his gaze back on the letter.

“It seems that almost two years have passed since I left Ebelstain, and my communication has been shamefully delayed. Since I arrived in the Elvester domain, I have been very busy with work, and only now do I feel a bit of relief. Countess Freya, whom I instruct, has a greater spirit for learning than I expected, and it seems I have dedicated my time exclusively to teaching her magic.”

“Now that I have some free time, I reflect and feel that those days when I walked the streets of Ebelstain, filled with taverns, teaching you magic, were much more liberating. I couldn’t live with such comfort then, but I could go wherever I wanted.”

“You look like someone reading a love letter.”

“Are you awake?”

“What do you mean? I’ve been awake this whole time.”

Ellen tried to maintain her composure, but she couldn’t sit up. It was understandable.

During the last two weeks, Dereck had taken her through the labyrinth that stretched to the outskirts of Ebelstain. It was not an experience that a noble lady could easily endure.

Even veteran adventurers had to prepare thoroughly to venture into the deepest sections of the labyrinth, the cradle of demonic races.

Although the area where Dereck led her was not the deepest part, it was enough for Ellen to feel a fear close to death.

Of course, if there had been real danger, Dereck would not have risked it. He took Jayden with him, a more experienced mercenary than himself, and also Pheline, just in case, to help them through. Dereck could enter the labyrinth alone, but he didn’t want to take risks.

Even so, what Ellen saw in those two weeks was a true hell.

‘…’

In reality, the method to turn Ellen into a true combatant was quite simple. It all came down to real combat experience.

What Dereck wanted to instill in Ellen was the crude and untamed reality of the battlefield, something that those who had been subject to strict rules all their lives would never experience.

One thing was to kill the monsters that occasionally lurked near Ebelstain, but entering the labyrinth and committing a massacre was something completely different.

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Bloody scenes, with axes and swords flying through the air.

No matter how many layers of magical protection one put on before leaving home, witnessing the sickening brutality of such scenes would make anyone tremble. This was a far cry from Ellen’s personal safety.

What Dereck ultimately wanted to cultivate was Ellen’s “vision.”

More precisely, the breadth of her perception.

The important difference Ellen had perceived during her debate with Dereck came precisely from that perception.

For Dereck, who had survived countless fierce battles, this debate enclosure—so orderly, so concerned with dignity—was nothing more than a playground for children playing in the dirt.

Once someone experiences a wider world, they often quickly master the basic concepts of more specific fields.

Someone who can run 1,000 meters will surely know how to run 100 meters.

Of course, running the 100-meter sprint has its nuances, but the foundation is already mastered. That was the difference between Dereck and Ellen.

Naturally, mastering these apparently basic skills was not easy.

The process of acquiring them was not something a delicate noble lady could easily endure.

That’s why Dereck had repeatedly asked and confirmed with Ellen if she was truly prepared.

On the first day, Ellen vomited upon seeing the blood-stained labyrinth. She leaned against the wall, fingers trembling, and turned pale at the sight of pus adhering to the surface.

The same happened on the second and third days. For three full days, she could do nothing.

For a noble lady who had lived in a grand mansion filled with artistic antiques, walking through scenes bathed in blood was like going to hell. It was like a kind of shock therapy.

But Ellen did not give up. Having reached that point, it seemed she couldn’t give up even if she wanted to.

On the fourth day, she grit her teeth and managed to cast a spell on a monster. On the fifth day, she killed a monster for the first time.

The figure of Ellen, contemplating the dark blue blood with trembling hands, stood out. Despite being a noble lady, she had finally understood how even the humblest mercenary could kill monsters.

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On the fifth and sixth days, she began to show signs of adaptation, but on the seventh day, when a giant minotaur appeared in the labyrinth, she had to hold back the tears that made her dizzy again.

Seeing the noble lady collapse that way, Pheline hugged her and burst out laughing for a good while in the tavern. In front of Ellen, she pretended to be an experienced mercenary, but deep down she seemed to enjoy watching the nobility crumble.

Even so, Ellen persevered diligently. Every morning, she waited for Dereck, put on her cloak, and left the mansion. Without allowing any servant to accompany her, she mingled with the streets near the taverns to discover what a battlefield was really like.

And so, Ellen became someone capable of conquering the entrance to the labyrinth.

Of course, after fighting all day, it was understandable that she was exhausted.

“Miss Ellen, I brought you some water.”

“T-thank you… You are very kind…”

Pheline, sitting in a corner of the wagon with a kind smile, handed her a thermos of cold water, which Ellen immediately took and drank from.

Was Pheline happy to see Ellen working so hard? She laughed with a light “ho-ho.” To a stranger, she might seem like a kind-hearted girl, but Dereck, knowing her true nature, could only shake his head.

Dereck looked at the letter again.

“How much have you advanced in your magic progress? Sometimes I wonder if you are still a student. No matter what they say, you are the most talented mage I have ever met. As a magic instructor, many would dream of having a student like you.”

“Although it is unlikely, have you mastered high-level magic? Perhaps it is an exaggeration, but I believe you could. Countess Freya has recently reached a high level of mastery of one-star magic. Her cheerful attitude reminds me of your childhood and fills me with joy.”

“If we ever have the chance to meet again, please show me your wonders. If I ever visit the western empire, I will be sure to contact you. Your former mentor, Katia Flameheart.”

*Mastery. I too have dedicated my life to teaching others, just like you.*

With that silent monologue in his heart, Dereck silently folded the letter and sank into contemplation.

Teaching and guiding someone was a rewarding task and, surprisingly, one that positively influenced Dereck’s own magic achievements.

Reviewing what he already knew was beneficial to him and, occasionally, in his eagerness to help a student’s magic mature, his own magic became more refined.

the 1-star spells, Ice Spear and Fire Arrow, seemed more sophisticated to him as he taught them to Ellen, as if he were searching for a more elegant way to use them.

*Was teaching someone also a way of learning oneself?*

That unexpected realization helped Dereck understand why magic instructors were so obsessed with good students.

“Lady Ellen.”

Of course, this was not the right time for such delicate introspection.

“The duel is in two days.”

“…”

“How do you feel?”

Lying in the carriage, Ellen stared silently at the swaying ceiling before answering with difficulty.

“It’s true, as you said, Dereck. I’ve had many extraordinary experiences these last few days. I have trained non-stop and I feel that my magic has matured more than ever.”

“…”

“Even so… I’m not sure I can win.”

Ellen could not help but express her doubts.

Of course, Dereck had rapidly improved her mastery of magic, but it still wasn’t clear if she was skilled enough to defeat Aiselin.

At least among the ladies of the nobility, no one could be sure.

For now, the only thing Ellen could do was trust Dereck completely. The duel was approaching rapidly, and Dereck was the one who understood her best.

As she lay there, Ellen took a deep breath and prepared herself. The duel with Lady Aiselin was imminent.

Leaning against the wall of the wagon, Dereck began to close his eyes, as if the world no longer mattered to him.

***

“Miss Aiselin, it is time for your watercolor lesson.”

The servant knocked politely on the door of Aiselin’s private study.

But there was no answer from within. One could still feel a presence, but the lack of response suggested she was deeply concentrated.

After hesitating for a moment, the servant decided to intervene, unable to delay Aiselin’s next appointment.

“Excuse me, I’m coming in.”

With that said, he opened the old wooden door, and as it opened with a creak, the interior came into view.

Inside, Aiselin stared fixedly at the sky with a lost gaze, muttering a spell. An unsettling aura surrounded her.

The servant, who had attended to Aiselin since her childhood, was left speechless, his voice breaking.

The room was permeated with a bluish magical energy. Her jet-black hair floated weightlessly. Traces of magic shone in her glowing eyes, reflecting the twilight itself.

The room was cluttered with thick books from the Academy of Ordered Magic. A total contrast to Lady Aiselin’s generally pristine environment. She was completely absorbed in the magical tapestry unfolding around her.

Her gaze was not fixed on the ceiling, but seemed to be focused much further beyond.

It was the sky. The sequence of glowing magic in the room resembled a starry night.

Aiselin was the prototype of a model student, devouring the Academy’s magic books at her whim.

Many of the principles and theories of Adelbert—founder of the Academy’s school and the first to define the magic hierarchy—lived and breathed in her mind.

She had internalized them, reading them over and over, until they became her own knowledge, which now flowed from her fingertips.

It was said that Adelbert, the first mage of the Ordered Academy, had built the magic hierarchy by observing the Big Dipper in the sky. That was the first chapter of Adelbert’s biography that Aiselin had read in her youth.

The structured magic system, organized according to the stars, pushed away chaos and emphasized the coherence of ordered theory. The spells he established became the foundation not only of the Academy, but of all magic.

Within that established order, the magic current flowing through Aiselin’s eyes merged and expanded.

Born of noble blood, endowed with exceptional talent, and persevering tirelessly in her efforts, her magic finally transformed into a Milky Way among the stars.

—*Whoosh!*

Suddenly, the magic accumulated in her hands spread throughout the room, and the sound of a large orchestra began to fill the space. It was Aiselin’s favorite symphony.

The image of a full orchestra playing in a small study would have made anyone doubt their eyes.

But the majestic sound continued for a while before… gradually fading, like a mirage, and then disappearing into silence.

The girl seemed exhausted from using such powerful magic. It was still a spell she could not fully control.

“Ha… Ha… I’ve failed again.”

Aiselin’s self-reproach echoed in her clear voice, now the only sound left in the silent room.

The servant, after witnessing the spectacle, could not help but open his eyes in amazement.

What she had just conjured was the two-star disorientation spell, *Auditory Illusion*. It was the same spell Dereck had learned on his own at the age of fourteen.

“Oh, my goodness, look at the time! I’ve been occupied too long. It would be rude to be late, so I must hurry.”

Only then did Aiselin notice the servant’s presence.

After quickly adjusting her dress, she ran out of the room, and the servant could do nothing but watch her in silence.