Chapter 35

Chapter 35
## Chapter 35
### “I Knew It Would End Like This.”

Denise, of the Beltus family, silently read the letter her father had sent her, her crescent-shaped eyes opened wide.

It was something everyone had expected since the duel between Ellen and Aiselin.

Whether it was the border noble Belmierd or Grand Duke Duplain, when it came to their own children, they were all too willing to intervene.

If Aiselin and Ellen were to start a tense competition to recruit a mentor to their side, the situation would most likely escalate into an intra-family conflict.

“Bella, when did this letter arrive?”

“It arrived early this morning. It has been a long time since the head of the family sent a letter directly, so I remember it perfectly.”

“Considering that someone who normally doesn’t bother to worry about me is suddenly looking for me, it must be something urgent.”

Although the sun was already high in the sky, Denise lay flat on her back in the bed of her room. She stretched while yawning loudly.

Her pajamas, adorned with lace here and there, suggested it was still midnight, but in reality, she was simply too lazy to get up. On her days off, she used to stay in bed until the afternoon.

She was tired of having to constantly maintain the image of a noble, beautiful, and refined lady throughout the week.

Her maid, Bella, sighed with concern every time she saw her like this, but over time, Denise adopted an indifferent attitude. Denise was not one to change just because someone scolded her.

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Lying back in bed, she listlessly held up the carefully written letter and read it several times.

Although it was quite long, its content was not very substantial. Denise tossed the letter onto the tea table with a sigh and said:

“I had planned to finish reading *A Love More Mysterious Than Death* today, by the great writer Reilly…”

“Are you going to get up? Then I will prepare your food.”

“I’m not hungry… Is there anything light? I want cherry tart…”

“Please maintain a balanced diet. You will punish me if you have skin problems…”

Bella, the head domestic worker, had been with Denise since childhood.

Although there was a clear distinction between nobles and commoners, both had lived together almost all their lives, so there was little formality between them.

Denise groaned as she forced her stiff body to rise.

“Ugh… I feel like every muscle in my body is tight.”

Having said that, she opened her crescent-shaped eyes wide and quickly raised her head. Grand Duke Beltus had ordered her to find out about a man named Dereck in the social circle and, if possible, to consider hiring him. Denise had already foreseen this.

She hated tedious tasks, but she could not deny that it was better to quickly face the inevitable. Therefore, Denise had proactively gathered information about Dereck.

She was the first of the three great families to send a request to the Beldern Mercenary Group and had been discreetly monitoring Dereck’s movements.

She could have contacted him directly if she had been more proactive, but any other action might have aroused the suspicions of Ellen or Aiselin.

That was why, until now, Denise had made all possible preparations.

Now that Grand Duke Beltus had given his orders, it only remained to quickly finish the rest.

“If you get up, I will open the window. The room needs to air out.”

“Ahhh! My eyes!”

When Bella opened the curtains, a beam of light suddenly startled Denise, who rubbed her eyes in shock.

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“They say he only has one star, but I think he could easily be considered a two-star. Otherwise, why would Lady Aiselin seek his advice so seriously?”

Accompanied by two guards and three maids, Denise left the noble district.

It was rare for a noble lady to leave her residence, so everywhere she went, the gazes of the citizens of Ebelstain followed her. Denise, with her impeccably arranged dress, smiled gracefully and walked serenely toward the tavern district.

She opted not to travel by carriage because she wanted to have time to organize her ideas during the journey.

“It has been approximately a week since his disappearance, so it is likely that the Belmierd and Duplain families have already begun an exhaustive search for the wandering mage. I need to act quickly.”

Denise was born with an exceptional talent for transformation and search magic.

Especially in search magic, she had almost reached the level of two stars. However, she had not told anyone except her childhood friend, Bella.

Being the center of attention, like Aiselin, could be important in high society, but sometimes it was more effective to hide one’s own abilities. Furthermore, for Denise, who did not like to get involved in unnecessary matters, hiding her true capabilities was usually more convenient.

Even so, she was one of the three members of the Hall of the Rose. Neglecting her duties as a noble lady out of simple annoyance would make her a burden to her family. Therefore, maintaining balance was essential for a comfortable life.

Sometimes, one simply had to roll up their sleeves and do things, even if reluctantly.

Denise took a deep breath and, guiding her maids, continued to organize her thoughts.

A spark of life appeared in her eyes, which were usually apathetic. Her serene countenance and her thoughtful posture, with her chin resting in her hand, made her look like a small porcelain doll, drawing repeated glances from passersby.

Upon leaving the noble district and crossing the commercial district to reach the tavern alley—given the extent of the city of Ebelstain—the walk was long. However, throughout the entire journey, Denise remained absorbed in her thoughts, without changing her posture.

Denise had only seen the man named Dereck from afar. She had never spoken to him.

Even so, she could deduce his character from the descriptions Aiselin and Ellen gave her.

His confidence in teaching noble ladies, despite being a commoner, demonstrated great confidence in his own capabilities. And the results he obtained proved that, indeed, he possessed exceptional talent.

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He was not excessively stout, but the muscles and veins visible in his arms showed that he was accustomed to physical labor.

He was not excessively arrogant; he knew when to bow his head and yield if necessary. Furthermore, he seemed to like money.

However, he was ambitious. He never seemed to neglect his magic training while teaching Ellen and Diella.

He also knew how to maintain at least some dignity. Aiselin did not approve of vulgar people, so he surely understood noble etiquette well.

He was fundamentally calm, with a deep inner conviction. However, he rarely let it show.

He was an expert at hiding his thoughts behind an impassive expression. If someone tried to reveal his true intentions, they would likely find many hidden emotions.

In Denise’s mind, a portrait of Dereck began to form.

Curiously, the initial image constructed from a series of conclusions and inferences was almost identical to that of the real Dereck.

*Nobody underestimates money, so there is no reason to be stingy with a noble’s offer. But to disappear like that… there must be another reason to reject a noble’s request. Identifying that reason seems to complete the picture.*

To track someone’s whereabouts, it is necessary to fully understand their mental process.

“Miss Denise, we have arrived at the tavern district. It is not the safest area, so please stay close to the guards.”

“…”

“Miss Denise?”

Bella, who had been respectfully following Denise, asked again.

But Denise did not respond. She touched her chin in silence, muttering to herself.

Seeing this, Bella concluded that it was best to give instructions to the guards to be more attentive.

“Ambition.”

Denise had already followed more than half of Dereck’s trail. No one had told her, but she had sensed his character and discovered the principle that motivated his actions.

“A magic mentor who does not reject money must value something more than money. But this is strange.”

“Whether he found a great magic mentor or a powerful spellbook… In any case, something must have happened that contributed to his mastery of magic. Otherwise, a disappearance like this makes no sense.”

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“But… isn’t he the one who left the Duplain house to practice magic on his own? It seems unlikely that he would obsess over something without a clear reason…”

He was someone who had even left the Duplain residence, home of a five-star mage, to dedicate himself to magic in his own way.

What kind of mentor could teach him, and what kind of spellbook could excite him so much?

Denise’s mind began to spin.

From there, she had to gather all the scattered information in one place. Every seemingly unconnected piece of data that accumulated in the world entered and left her mind.

News published in newsletters. Information about the duel between Ellen and Aiselin. Updates on fee agreements between the three main families, market prices of various products, rumors about a certain high-noble mage…

All the news and information Denise had heard in the last week came together, separated, grouped again, and then fell apart.

Even upon arriving in front of the “Tears of Beldern” tavern, Denise continued to touch her chin in silence, muttering to herself. At that moment, she already had a hypothesis in mind.

“Miss Denise, we have arrived at our destination.”

“Mmm…”

Without changing her expression, Denise entered “The Tears of Beldern.”

It was the headquarters of the mercenary group where the magic mentor was based.

*—Creak.*

“Welcome… My God, such a distinguished guest in such a humble place…!”

“…”

Upon opening the door and entering, the owner, Jayden, greeted her with a smile. It was rare for a noble lady to venture so far into such a hostile environment. However, Jayden did not seem as nervous as might be expected.

Lately, researchers from noble families had been frequently visiting the area in search of the wandering mage.

At first, he had surely been surprised, but now, perhaps accustomed to receiving nobles, he might even be bored by it.

Seeing Denise, he immediately served her a glass of cold water in an old, clean cup.

“Lady of the Beltus family, it is an honor to meet you in person.”

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“…”

“…”

Denise entered the tavern but remained silent.

Jayden also adopted a somewhat awkward expression. It was the first time someone had stood there, observing in silence, after a week in which nobles were looking for Dereck.

Receiving no news from Denise, Jayden also said nothing, limiting himself to sketching a forced smile.

Jayden had already predicted how the conversation would unfold. They would ask about Dereck, but Jayden had little concrete information to provide.

After asking, they would inquire about Dereck’s whereabouts and then continue investigating the area.

Accustomed to the routine, Jayden remained quiet. They would surely ask him many questions about Dereck.

However, Denise’s next question caught Jayden completely off guard.

“Did a mage named Drest Wolfetail visit this tavern?”

It was a shocking surprise.

The question felt like a dagger suddenly plunged into his chest, but Jayden barely moved his fingertips on the table, betraying a brief silence that lasted less than a second.

Jayden’s expression did not change.

It was a fleeting oversight that the average person would not notice. But Denise did not overlook it.

Before Jayden could respond, she raised the corner of her lips and said:

“He was here, right?”

With amazing speed and certainty, she cut off Jayden’s retreat, and even the veteran had to swallow hard.

If he rushed to deny it now and it was discovered to be a lie, it would be difficult to remedy the situation.

***

From there, things moved quickly.

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After leaving Beldern’s Tears, Denise’s next destination was the Coachmen’s Guild in the Commercial District.

She donated dozens of gold coins as a contribution to access internal records, a measure that even common noble researchers would not dare to take with such certainty, leaving the guild members stunned.

Among the high nobility, rumors were already circulating that Drest, the six-star search mage, was haunting Ebelstain like a ghost.

It was very unlikely that Drest, with his complex links to the nobility, would stay in the aristocratic district. Without a doubt, he would be on the outskirts of the commercial district or in the slums.

Dereck was someone who had even declared independence from the mansion of Duke Duplain, a five-star mage. To attract someone like him, one would literally need a six-star mage.

Therefore, Denise posed the following hypothesis: could his departure be related to the six-star mage Drest Wolfetail?

After observing Jayden’s reaction and confirming her theory, she immediately checked the list of wagons leaving Ebelstain.

If Dereck had truly met Drest, it was unlikely that they had stayed in the city.

Drest was someone many sought. If he had decided to pass his magic on to Dereck, they would have gone to the outskirts of Ebelstain, where few dared to go.

However, every day more than a hundred exit requests were received from Ebelstain.

The Coachmen’s Guild processed such a volume of requests that it was impossible to review them all quickly. But Denise condensed all that enormous amount of data into a single event.

After all, most carriages leaving Ebelstain followed established trade routes. If regular commercial and business trips were added, almost nine out of ten entries proved irrelevant.

Evidently, Drest and Dereck, practicing magic in secret, would not take the usual commercial routes. They would surely head to a “special” place where common people would not go.

The timeframe was also more or less defined: approximately one week since the disappearance.

With a clear deadline and an unusual request, plus a known description of the applicant, it did not take long to isolate the key data. After several hours of analysis with her domestic workers, a pattern emerged.

“A huge cave on the outskirts of Ramhel Hill.”

Exactly one week earlier, a case was recorded of a coachman who received a request from a boy and an old man with a cape.

Destination, form of payment, arrival time, date, and information about the applicants—all of it briefly documented.

Seeing the record, Denise smiled.

Hardly half a day had passed since she had rolled up her sleeves to find Dereck’s whereabouts.

***

“Bella, the more I think about it, the more I realize how competent I am. What should I do?”

“…”

“Being too competent means getting into annoying trouble. Sometimes I need to be a little more incompetent… Mmm… What should I do…?”

Denise always behaved with elegance and nobility in the Rose Hall, but her personal attitude was quite the opposite.

Bella had to admit that Denise was proactive, quick-witted, and had a sharp intuition.

Her strengths were precision in classifying data, the ease of interpreting others’ expressions, and proactivity in work. But linking the rumors about Drest with Dereck’s ambition was practically a masterclass in deductive reasoning. She had an exceptional instinct.

Inside the wagon heading to Ramhel Hill.

Reclining in a luxurious seat and fanning herself, Denise spoke with satisfaction.

“I need to finish this fast and read the new work by the great writer Reilly. Tonight, I will convince that magic mentor and make him part of the Beltus family. My father will be happy and will not bother me for a while.”

“But… even if we go there, will we be able to find him easily? If he really is with a six-star search mage… if they decide not to meet with us, it is unlikely…”

“Don’t worry. Do you really think they won’t show themselves after we go to some remote place and make a scene?”

Denise let out a mischievous giggle and spoke as if she had a plan.

“Even if we don’t get to meet them, the impression will be engraved in their memory. If someone makes such an effort to find a secluded place to meditate, the sincerity will be noticed, won’t it?”

“But… even Lady Aiselin and Lady Ellen, whom it is not easy to ignore… will they really be so compliant…?”

“Don’t worry, Bella. Didn’t I tell you? I have a plan.”

“May I ask what the plan is?”

When Denise rolled up her sleeves, success was guaranteed.

Bella knew it well, but she still had a worried expression. When Denise got serious, sometimes her attitude could take unpredictable turns.

“A beauty trap.”

“…”

“You know as well as I do, Bella, that with my charming appearance, anyone would fall at my feet. Everyone knows that I am a captivating woman.”

“…You realize that Lady Aiselin and Lady Ellen are your rivals, right?”

“And so? I am prettier than them.”

To smile with such confidence in comparison to Lady Aiselin, compared to a lily, or Lady Ellen, compared to a radiant rose, was not something just anyone could do.

Where did that confidence come from? It was Bella’s eternal question.

“I feel pity for Lady Aiselin and Lady Ellen. But… relationships are like nature: to be conquered and to conquer is natural. Mmm.”

“…”

“As a representative of the Beltus family, this is a necessary measure. But I must also consider how to act if things get complicated… The Hall of the Roses must always remain in harmony…”

“…”

Bella did not answer.

Although they had been friends since childhood, they were still a noble lady and her maid. Fearing that harsh words would be uttered, Bella quickly closed her mouth.

***

“Someone is coming.”

Deep in the cave, Drest Wolfetail, perched on a rock with his eyes tightly shut, muttered while tuning his magic.

Before him, Dereck, also concentrated on the flow of magic, slightly opened his eyes. He had not eaten much in a week. His ration bag was almost empty.

With a haggard and unwashed appearance, Dereck looked almost like a hermit.

Still, there was a glint in his eyes that recalled his days in the slums.

He was used to those conditions. Hunger and thirst were simply the natural difficulties of an expedition.

“Is someone coming? Are there horses at the cave entrance?”

“It seems to be someone from the Beltus family. Perhaps it’s a good time to go out and meet them. The place needs to air out.”

“…”

When Dereck rose from his seat, his whole body protested angrily. It was the result of having pushed his magic senses to the limit for almost a week. The level he had reached was incomparable to the one he had when he trained Ellen.

Dereck closed his eyes tightly and released his magic.

Even without resorting to any spells, the structure of the nearby cave was clearly engraved in his senses.

He had reached a higher level.