Chapter 37

Chapter 37
## Chapter 37
**”Miss Denise, are you serious?”**

“I was the first to discover the mage’s location. We have the most advantageous position in this competition. We must persuade him as soon as possible, before the other families find out and go after him.”

“But… but staying here like this… The mistress of the house will be furious when she finds out.”

“Don’t worry about the servants; I will make sure they remain unharmed. Just say it was my decision.”

After Dereck’s rejection, Denise had no choice but to return to the cave entrance.

Bella thought about getting into the carriage and returning to the mansion to report, but Denise shook her silver-gray hair and shook her head.

Then she ordered various supplies to be gathered before nightfall and instructed that a simple camp be set up at the mouth of the cave.

They brought top-quality firewood, a thick tent, high-quality rugs, and a soft emergency bed; by the time everything was ready, night had already fallen. Everything was so luxurious that it hardly looked like a camp, although it was clearly not appropriate for a noble lady to stay there.

However, Denise seemed completely indifferent.

***

The next morning, right at dawn, Lady Denise entered the cave again where Dereck was training.

Dereck was alone in the open area, perfecting his magic power. Denise approached him with a demure smile, leaving all kinds of food and provisions, and said:

“Training is important, but it is not good to push yourself so hard as to be so haggard. I will help you so you can focus on your magic training, Lord Dereck!”

Dereck looked at Denise strangely. She blinked her innocent eyes and folded her hands, smiling broadly.

“I may not be able to do much, but at least I can help you focus on your magic training.”

“This will not change my mind.”

“I was inspired by watching you train, Lord Dereck, and that helped me achieve my own magic progress. Please do not worry, it is all my fault!”

Denise clenched her fists and smiled.

There are many ways to win someone’s heart, but generosity is the most fundamental.

Denise trusted her strategy of winning hearts openly, though she wasn’t sure if it would work with someone like Dereck.

To persuade someone, the most effective method is to make them feel indebted first.

Even if your gifts have ulterior motives, the recipient feels gratitude, fully aware of them. That is how deals are closed.

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‘I must notify the maids at the mansion to bring all the necessary supplies for magic training.’

It was a common strategy among merchants who came to the mansion in search of provisions. It didn’t matter if their intentions were obvious or not. The important thing was to have the courage to act.

As she maintained that connection, his heart would gradually soften, as if moistened by a drizzle. Human hearts cannot remain hard forever.

“Then I will accept it with gratitude.”

Dereck had been thinking about going out for provisions, so he didn’t worry too much. In fact, he felt uncomfortable rejecting the humble gesture of a noble lady.

So he calmly accepted the supplies Denise brought him every day. But Dereck was stubborn in his own way.

“Today I have brought food and magic crystals.”

“Thank you. However, working for the Beltus family is a bit difficult.”

“Good morning! I brought you exquisite fish from Ebelstein. The house chef prepared it; try it!”

“I greatly appreciate it. But this does not mean I am going to work for the Beltus family.”

“Mr. Dereck, look at this. It is a Light Crystal, a stone that helps observe surrounding magic energy more effectively.”

“This valuable object… Thank you. But working for the Beltus family is another story…”

“Mr. Dereck! I brought hygiene items. You must stay clean even during training!”

“Thank you for your kindness. But still…”

Days passed, and although Denise tried to be as close to Dereck as possible, he erected a barrier so absolute that she began to wonder if he even had a human heart.

Honestly, by then one might feel overwhelmed or even regretful, but Dereck, without hesitation, accepted all of Lady Denise’s kindness and continued focusing exclusively on his magic training. He was not one to reject hospitality just because.

After about five days, it felt as if she had been aimlessly trying to chop down a sturdy tree with an axe.

‘I didn’t expect it to take this long…’

The noble lady of the Beltus family, setting aside her pride, visited the cave daily to chat, offer provisions, and bow her head, but he stood firm in his convictions.

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“I wonder if someone like that even exists,” Denise reflected. But then she thought that perhaps that was precisely why he could teach magic without feeling intimidated by the ladies of the nobility.

‘If I had known it was going to be this much trouble, I would have left him alone…’

Denise was sitting in a corner of the camp, holding her hair with her hands. Her rule was to finish tasks quickly and then relax for the rest of the time.

However, despite having tried everything over the last week—flattery, concessions, even slight pressure—the man remained impassive, completely absorbed in his magic training all day long.

To him, Denise was simply a secondary element, visiting the cave once in a while. And not just any figure, but the most noble lady of the Beltus family.

He was obsessed with magic. Dereck was the type to discard anything in order to improve his mastery of magic.

‘Now that I think about it… I haven’t seen any sign of Drest. Surely if he met that mage, Dereck, they would train together…’

Dereck had had a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and now he wanted to dedicate himself entirely to magic training.

It was obvious that the opportunity referred to a meeting with Drest. However, the mage Drest Wolftail never appeared to Denise.

In reality, Drest Wolftail was not someone you could meet simply by wishing for it.

Since his relationship with the nobility was not good, it was no wonder he avoided showing himself to Denise.

‘If he is Drest’s apprentice, he must know where I am and when to meet… He isn’t avoiding me deliberately. That could be a good sign.’

It felt strange to think that.

If he truly wanted to avoid Denise, with Drest’s help, he could easily avoid her in the labyrinth of the cave.

‘The fact that he has still met with me doesn’t cause me much concern… So there is still hope. At least he isn’t intentionally avoiding me.’

Convincing Dereck had become more than a family matter: it had become a point of pride for Denise herself.

Still, applying authority wouldn’t work. He was someone who could join the Belmierd or Duplain families if he wanted.

A method had to be devised as soon as possible for him to join the Beltus family and teach Lady Denise, without offending him too much, before the other families discovered him. Not much time was left, and enough had already been lost.

While Denise was deep in thought, the moment arrived.

“Miss Denise! The butler of the Duplain family is at the entrance of the cave!”

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“What does he want?”

Although Denise had located Dereck’s position first, she did so only slightly before the other families.

With the passage of time, that initial advantage began to fade.

However, another thought crossed her mind.

‘Despite all my efforts, he remains unimpressed. Could another family have a better chance?’

He was a man obsessed with magic.

He wouldn’t teach anyone until he was satisfied with his own training. It seemed impossible that even the Duplain family could break his stubborn dedication.

His firm obstinacy now comforted Denise. Until a method was found, he wouldn’t be swayed by any relative.

“Did Lady Aiselin send the message personally? Hmm…”

‘…Why hesitate?’

Hidden behind Delron, the butler of the Duplain family, Denise grit her teeth in frustration.

Sitting on a rock, Dereck, who seemed to know the butler Delron, greeted him affectionately and began to read the letter he had brought.

Denise expected him to reject the Duplain family’s request with the same firmness he had rejected hers, but there he was, resting his chin on his hand, tired from training but deep in thought.

Aiselin, Ellen, Denise.

Of the three members of Rose Hall, Aiselin was the one Dereck respected most.

She was a young woman who had reached two-star rank before her coming-of-age ceremony, with exceptional mastery of the magic school’s discipline.

Teaching Ellen had made Dereck realize that the act of teaching itself contributed greatly to his own magic development. Exchanging magic with someone as expert in her field as Aiselin would also provide him with valuable perspectives.

‘Lady Diella has shown results after your magic classes, so the Duke has high expectations. And as you know, the Duke rewards generously those who meet expectations.’

Dereck knew the nature of the Duke of Duplain well. He was the type of man who would unhesitatingly hand over a three-star grimoire to a commoner, as long as he produced results.

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“It is an honor, but as you can see, I am totally immersed in magic training. I have seized a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and am completely absorbed in it.”

‘Just as I imagined…’

Although his tone was much more polite than with Denise, Dereck was still rejecting them.

As expected, his magic achievements were his top priority. He would not be easily swayed.

However, Dereck’s next words were not what Denise had anticipated.

“Then, once I finish my training, could we resume this conversation? It would also benefit Lady Aiselin. The higher the level of the instructor, the faster the student progresses, right?”

“Hmm… For a reason like that, the Duke could be convinced. For the family, the most important thing is to find a good magic mentor for Lady Aiselin.”

It is evident that Dereck had a much more favorable attitude toward Lady Aiselin.

He hadn’t even mentioned to Denise that they would talk about certain things after training.

After all the support, the help, even having had to swallow her pride to come here, now he was offering to help Aiselin without hesitation.

Denise frowned, letting out a groan of frustration.

It was true: closing that gap would not be easy. In any case, urgent measures were needed.

***

“Have we confirmed Dereck’s location?”

“Yes. The butler delivered the letter in person. I heard he is near the Raspah cave.”

“Training in a dangerous place… Well, that’s typical of Dereck.”

Some time had passed since the Ebelstein customs agreement ended.

Lady Aiselin, who had returned to the Duplain estate to chat with her family, was very happy to hear the report brought to her by the stewardess Katarina.

Since their last magic duel, Dereck’s desire to learn magic had suddenly resurfaced. She had suggested sending him a request some time ago.

“I’ve heard that other families have also contacted him, so there’s no guarantee the mercenary will join House Duplain. However, Butler Delron is an expert in these matters, so have faith and wait.”

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“No. Simply waiting is difficult. I am busy with social activities, but now that I have time, it seems better to act on my own.”

“Really?”

Aiselin occupied a privileged place in Ebelstein’s social circles. Her schedule was always full, but during her stay at the Duplain estate, she could find some time.

“Actually, if I want him to teach me, it’s better to go in person. If it’s the Raspah cave, I can easily divert the carriage on the way to Ebelstein.”

“Oh… it’s a bit dangerous to go alone.”

“I am a two-star mage now. I won’t lose to simple magic beasts, and I will bring many guards, so what is there to worry about?”

Aiselin already had a feeling.

Dereck might not be interested in teaching now, but he would undoubtedly become a prominent figure around Ebelstein.

In the future, when his skills were better known, more rivals would come looking for him.

Not only Diella and Ellen, but also other young women he had taught, could be considered proven talents.

Before, she simply wanted to learn more magic. Now, it made sense to seek his instruction directly.

“Please, prepare the carriage. I must go directly to the Raspah cave. The sooner I act, the better… I will greet my family and depart immediately.”

Rarely was Aiselin so pressing.

Before Katarina could respond, she had already stood up from the tea table.

“First… should I say goodbye to Diella before I go?”

“Lady Diella is not available to receive greetings at this time.”

“Is she busy? I heard she’s preparing her debutante party.”

“Also… after immersing herself in magic training, she does not want to be disturbed.”

After receiving magic instruction from Dereck, Diella’s magic skills had skyrocketed at an astonishing rate.

The Duplain lineage was already known for producing high-level mages, but even by those standards, her development was astounding.

“Then… there is nothing that can be done about it…”

Aiselin had been watching silently from afar.

Sitting serenely on the pavilion terrace, her gaze fixed on the horizon and her eyes overflowing with magic power, the young mage’s aura was singular and extraordinary. Perhaps she would even rival the achievements of Valerian or Aiselin herself.

Diella Katherine Duplain.

The world did not yet know that name, but her younger sister, Aiselin, watched closely.

She was Dereck’s first student.

Soon she would debut in Ebelstein’s social circles.

As Dereck’s first magic masterpiece presented to the world.

The second was Ellen, but Aiselin wanted to be the third.

Before the world recognized Dereck’s value as a master of magic, she wanted to claim him first.

When you discover a hidden treasure before anyone else, it is natural to feel joy.