Chapter 30

Chapter 30
## Chapter 30

As Ellen stepped out into the hallway, everyone she encountered offered her words of consolation and encouragement.

While it was Aiselin who had captivated the crowd by manifesting second-level magic, Ellen had demonstrated her extraordinary magical abilities without reservation.

The nobles, who considered her performance valuable in its own right, smiled kindly at her and praised her, saying she had been truly impressive.

Many even approached Ellen before heading toward Aiselin.

Ellen was aware of this, yet she still greeted them all with a warm and gentle smile, responding with grace.

“I still lack magical achievements. Next time, I will have to work harder to defeat Lady Aiselin.”

“Even at your current level, there are not many in the social circles of Ebelstein who can match Lady Ellen. Lord Belmierd would be very proud if he saw you.”

“Thank you! Your words truly give me strength.”

With sincere gratitude for the comfort of the nobles whose names she did not even remember, Ellen headed toward the corridor.

Her companions, following closely behind, looked concerned, but surprisingly, Ellen maintained a lively expression.

To the nobles passing through the hallway, her departure seemed dignified. For someone who had prepared so thoroughly for the duel, her smile appeared unshakable.

It was then that Ellen, after a brief conversation, entered a corridor reserved for VIP personalities.

Before she turned the corner, Dereck, who had been sitting in a wooden chair against the wall, stood up and greeted her.

***

Seeing Dereck, Ellen’s face brightened as she said:

“Did you see the duel?”

“Yes.”

“Surprised? I am one of those who admits defeat when necessary.”

“…”

Ellen kept her head held high and spoke with an expression of satisfaction.

Was his seat too far away to see clearly? He should have seen Lady Aiselin’s face.

“How was it?”

“It was… uh… her eyes opened wide with disbelief. ‘Lose here?’, she repeated over and over, looking at me as if she couldn’t understand. Seeing Lady Aiselin—always so serene—with that expression of confusion was an amazing sight. It was much more satisfying than gritting my teeth to win!”

Ellen’s voice overflowed with excitement as she continued talking.

Dereck glanced at the attendants standing behind her.

Those who always worried about their lady returned Dereck’s gaze with awkward expressions.

When he looked back at Ellen, her face was still full of pride and her chest held high.

“So I had her cornered, right? Everything you predicted came true. You’re quite the expert, aren’t you?”

“You flatter me.”

“Thank you. Thanks to you, I felt superior to Aiselin… Today has been the best day of my life!”

Ellen, laughing loudly, brushed the dust off Dereck’s lapel and continued, unable to hide her joy.

“Yes, Dereck. I cannot deny your skill. I should pay you more than the gold coin I promised you.”

“…”

“What about the duel? The result wasn’t very good, but… my magical skills weren’t bad, right? You should know best, since you’ve been my mentor. I learn fast. But you will be the best one to judge, won’t you? If you want to criticize and suggest improvements, we can do that when we return to the palace…”

“You were perfect.”

Upon hearing those words, Ellen’s shoulders trembled slightly.

When she looked up at Dereck’s face, his expression, normally expressionless, seemed warm.

He was not one to lavish praise lightly. Even when dealing with nobles, he rarely spoke empty words.

Receiving such a sincere compliment left Ellen speechless. It was evident why Dereck was by her side. He had truly paid attention to her.

That meant the boy understood Ellen’s stubborn nature.

“You worked very hard.”

Ellen tried to respond, but instead she collapsed into a chair against the hallway wall, her head bowed.

Without caring that her dress was wrinkling, Ellen ran her hands over her face several times.

Soon, her shoulders began to shake slightly.

“I really wanted to win.”

“…”

“But when I cornered Aiselin, I realized. Even if I won here, I would never stop envying her. It’s just… it will always be like that… I’m that kind of person.”

To Ellen, even a cornered and panting Aiselin still looked like a noble flower standing tall.

Relying on luck to win a practice duel would not erase her envy. That ugly part of herself seemed immutable. Because the girl named Aiselin was an insurmountable wall.

“Perhaps inferiority is the only thing in which I can surpass Lady Aiselin.”

Ellen let out a soft chuckle, then lowered her head and remained silent. She feared that any more words would only make her voice tremble.

While Ellen sat trembling, her face buried in her hands, Dereck lowered his gaze in silence and finally sat down beside her.

After thinking a bit about what to say, he finally spoke bluntly, in a monotonous tone.

“Do you think I am different?”

“…”

Arguing pointlessly about not being wrong only led to unnecessary explanations.

Aware of this, Dereck simply stared straight ahead, accompanying her in silence.

That gave Ellen time to reflect.

What kind of thoughts crossed the mind of this slum-born mage when he saw a noble family’s library filled with expensive spellbooks, or a noble mansion overflowing with dazzling luxury?

It wasn’t hard to guess. It was just a matter of whether someone showed it or not, whether they accepted it or not. Perhaps that was what it meant to grow up.

Ellen looked at Dereck with teary eyes, but Dereck, as if it were nothing new, said:

“So what if it’s a bit ugly?”

“…”

“Everyone lives like that.”

Right or wrong. Good or bad. What did those judgments matter? It was what it was. Something natural.

Dereck said this, simply sitting in silence next to Ellen.

Consoling someone was not a grand gesture.

In the end, it wasn’t about finding a clear answer.

At the end of the empty corridor, the servants clustered together like a wall, worried that someone might pass, protecting their mistress.

Although she remained sitting and sobbing for a long while, no passerby saw her.

***

“Wow, she really had her cornered.”

From her seat among the spectators, while sipping tea served by her servants, Lady Denise of the Beltus family was discreetly surprised.

Although all eyes were on Lady Aiselin, the protagonist of the duel, Lady Denise’s gaze was fixed elsewhere.

With a bored expression, she watched the duel, internally convinced that Ellen could not match Aiselin.

Lady Denise was one of the three members of Rose Hall, so she had a very close relationship with both. Furthermore, she knew their magical abilities better than anyone. Ellen’s magical prowess was impressive, but she clearly could not compete with Aiselin on equal terms.

Her gaze followed the white-haired boy as he left the training grounds with Ellen.

It was evident that the magic expert Ellen had brought had influenced her in some way. There was no other factor that could have allowed Ellen to exchange blows with Aiselin in such a short time.

As she played with the tips of her silver-gray hair, she was momentarily lost in thought.

She should have stood up from her seat and gone to talk to Aiselin, but since Aiselin was surrounded by people, she felt no urgency.

‘The price of that mercenary is surely going to go up. Ugh… I hate this kind of trouble…’

Denise forced a refined smile to hide her lack of enthusiasm. But inside, all she wanted was to collapse in her seat and sigh deeply, sensing the inevitable.

To what extent was the presence of a magic expert valuable in Ebelstein’s social circles?

His humble origins might be an obstacle, but given his ability, he seemed destined to soon overcome those prejudices and rise. If that were the case, Duke Beltus, Denise’s father, would not let him escape.

Unlike Duke Duplain, who valued material possessions, or Count Belmierd, who was generous, Duke Beltus was an ambitious man who would do whatever was necessary.

If a magic instructor began to stand out in Ebelstein’s social circles, Duke Beltus would stop at nothing to get him.

And often, it was Denise who suffered, dragged into the Duke’s ambitions, as she was the front-line representative of House Beltus.

Unfortunately, she perceived this situation as a heavy burden.

‘Ugh… If the three families start competing for that guy, my headache is only going to get worse…’

Denise was an ordinary person, and essentially lazy.

Born into the great and noble House of Beltus, she behaved like a greenhouse rose, but at home she spent her days lying around doing nothing.

Sometimes she devoured third-rate romance novels or wandered aimlessly, thinking that time would simply pass, and with no other achievements, she could only rely on her lineage.

Even so, she could not afford to become a burden, so she occasionally acted as a noble, practicing her old-fashioned smile in front of the mirror and exchanging meaningful words so that others would mistakenly think she was a mysterious figure.

In that sense, she was very meticulous with her self-discipline. She was willing to endure difficulties now to avoid future inconveniences.

However, having recognized Dereck’s potential before anyone else, there was nothing more she could do.

After all, he was currently working for Ellen.

‘I hope this doesn’t become a problem…’

With a sigh, she rose from her seat.

The crowd that had gathered to congratulate Aiselin had mostly dispersed.

As a member of the Rose Hall, it was natural for Denise to add her own words. Despite her internal complaints, she knew she had to fulfill her duty as a lady.

So she approached the podium, a noble smile on her face, and said:

“Lady Aiselin, you have reached another milestone. Witnessing the duel was exciting from beginning to end.”

“Oh, Lady Denise, your praises are too generous.”

“I should learn from your humility. I wish I could master second-level magic as fast as you.”

After exchanging more compliments, she thought it was time to return to her mansion and finish the book she was reading. *Lord Valepus’s First Love*, a third-rate romance novel, was considered cliché to the point of nausea, but sometimes its witty dialogue was moving, offering a peculiar charm.

“You noticed, didn’t you, Lady Denise? That this duel wasn’t really my victory.”

Lady Denise, who had been looking forward to lying down with her book upon returning home, was suddenly startled by a question that brought her back to reality.

Looking around, she noticed that most people had left, and it was then that Aiselin posed her question directly.

Just as Denise knew Aiselin and Ellen well, Aiselin also knew her.

She understood not only Denise’s insight but also, to some extent, her lack of enthusiasm. That was why, from time to time, she skipped the usual formalities and went straight to the point.

The girl might seem elegant and kind, but she should not be underestimated. Denise knew this, but she did not expect such a sudden insistence on getting to the point.

“…”

“Since you haven’t responded, I will assume you agree.”

“It seems Lady Ellen worked very hard. However, the truth is that your magical power far exceeds hers, Lady Aiselin. At least, that’s what I believe.”

“Well… I was quite surprised during our match. She has improved a great deal in a very short time…”

Aiselin narrowed her eyes as if perplexed, and then spoke more clearly.

“She learned magic from Lord Dereck, didn’t she…?”

“…”

A certainty seemed to shine in her eyes, and Denise had to take a deep breath. She felt the situation was becoming complicated.

“Margarita.”

When Aiselin politely bid Denise farewell and began to leave the corridor, she called her personal maid.

The servant, following closely behind, gave a respectful bow and answered, and Denise, as always, continued in her soft voice.

“I have to prepare to send a letter home.”

“Yes. I will prepare the pen and ink for you.”

Denise watched with a worried expression as Lady Aiselin walked away.

The magic duel between the Duplain and Belmiard families, which had captured everyone’s attention, concluded without a hitch.

However, Denise felt that all these events were only the beginning of something much larger.