Chapter 53

Chapter 53
## Chapter 53
‘Right now, Diella must be training.’

A separate mansion had been prepared for Aiselin. Numerous flowers swayed in the wind among statues adorned with beautifully carved lilies upon their pedestals.

*Crunch.*

Aiselin, sitting in the garden reading a book, nodded suddenly, worried about her younger sister.

Although the magic duel with Denise was to take place at Diella’s mansion, the result would surely spread throughout the Rose Salon.

“I just hope nothing serious happens… and that no unnecessary gossip is generated because of this…”

Comparing others was a social custom. Even when it held no importance, people evaluated and contrasted, deciding who was better or worse.

Beyond right or wrong, it was inevitable, and if one wanted to draw attention, it was something they had to endure. Aiselin understood this well.

Having recently gained notoriety upon entering Ebelstein’s social circles, she had practically become synonymous with the face of the Rose Salon.

Receiving glances from noble ladies, being the subject of whispers, judgments, and comparisons—it was as natural as breathing. And, of course, the figures she was most compared to were others equally prestigious and exceptional.

If one had to mention someone on the same level as Aiselin, it would be Ellen and Denise, the daughters of the three great noble families.

Ellen was transparent both inside and out, but Denise was quite the opposite.

‘She always maintains the appearance of an elegant lady, but her true nature seems more indolent than expected…’

Aiselin’s insight was sharp.

On occasions when their paths crossed in duels or academic challenges, she had managed to catch a glimpse of Denise’s essence.

At times, Denise’s gaze denoted disinterest, a clear sign of boredom with everything.

Even her passions seemed motivated solely by necessity.

Most noble ladies were unaware of Denise’s origins, but the perceptive Aiselin had discerned part of her true personality through repeated encounters and careful observation.

Regardless of the situation, Denise only wanted to resolve it quickly and move on, and if the burden became too heavy, she preferred to leave it all behind and live comfortably, armed with extraordinary survival instincts.

She had never wondered what would happen if Denise gave her all.

“…”

Aiselin and Ellen had always defeated Denise in magic duels.

Since Denise did not care about winning or losing, once the exchange of spells reached a certain intensity, she would simply surrender and end the encounter. Not only Aiselin and Ellen, who were relatively close to her, but no lady of the Rose Salon had ever seen Denise fight with all her strength.

In other words, no one in the Rose Salon truly knew her full potential.

Ironically, that fact unsettled Aiselin.

When she saw Denise simultaneously conjure five first-level combat spells—*Shockwave, Ice Spear, Magic Arrow, Rapid Freeze,* and *Thorn Bush*—she couldn’t help but be astonished.

Diella, furious, was trying to completely shatter Denise’s magical defenses without holding back.

If either of them were seriously injured, the situation could escalate into a conflict between families. Aiselin would deal with that when the time came. With that cruel thought in mind, Diella cast spells as if pouring them out without control.

***

Although her momentum was as threatening as a lunging tiger, Denise smirked and raised her left hand to form a magic circle.

‘The mages of the Duplain family certainly have strong personalities.’

Denise had already gathered information on the three great noble families.

In comparison to Aiselin’s magic, which followed a well-structured path, Diella’s was free and wild.

Although she used seemingly ordinary first-level spells, the way Diella modified them freely made them difficult to counter.

However, Denise’s specialty was bringing order to chaos.

By observing closely, she could clearly distinguish the patterns present in the scattered magic. Regardless of the freedom of the style, personal habits and temperament would always become evident.

*Bang!*

She easily dodged the falling ice spears and the pillars rising from the ground.

Dodging Diella’s magic was not difficult. But that did not mean defeating her would be easy.

*Boom! Boom! Boom!*

Overwhelming offensive power. The gap she created was not something easily overcome.

Denise had an exceptional talent for handling magic with precision, but she was not particularly skilled at defeating her opponents with brute force alone.

She simply perceived the opponent’s magic, dodged it, took advantage of it, and found opportunities.

Her combat style resembled that of a swordswoman who had perfected her technique to the limit.

‘It’s clear her intention is to give me no chance to attack. Does she know instinctively…?’

While Denise analyzed her opponent with calculated movements, Diella attacked like a natural disaster: wild and unrestrained.

If it were an academic duel, logic and reason would be key to victory, but in a magic duel, momentum and intuition held more weight.

Ultimately, this duel in the training pavilion proved to be favorable ground for Diella.

‘Haa…’

A competent strategist never falls into the enemy’s trap. If Denise had truly wanted to win, she wouldn’t have allowed things to reach this point.

But since her original plan was to lose, that was how she ended up in this situation. Now that things had changed, the only thing she had to do was find the path to victory.

In the midst of the magical storm, Denise’s vision darkened for an instant and then brightened.

She understood the flow of thought, captured every detail as information, and meticulously observed the movements of her petite opponent.

Time slowed down. For an instant, even sound disappeared.

Her heart pounded; her mind raced. She clung to every thread waving in the ruffles of her dress, building the logic necessary to defeat her.

In the seconds that Diella’s spells lasted…

She saw Diella’s figure through the gaps between countless ice spears and magic arrows.

She was small and delicate. She had abundant blonde hair, skin like marble, blue eyes like Denise’s, the habit of slightly dragging her right foot, inhaling deeply when casting spells, and clenching her left fist when throwing ice spears.

“Lady Denise.”

“The ability to perceive magic can be perfected through constant practice. But the ability to perceive a person’s habits and essence before their spells cannot be taught. It is acquired through experience.”

Her piercing eyes followed the direction of the magic.

Her ruffled dress was a bit large for her, her left arm moved awkwardly, and the black rose hairpin she wore on her head sometimes obstructed her vision, forcing her to shake her head from time to time. When the tempestuous wind of her spells blew, she gripped her skirt firmly.

From the tips of her fingers to her toes, the girl named Diella had become information completely absorbed by Denise’s mind.

“Lady Denise’s powers of observation are a gift that no one else can learn. Do we not live in an era where countless mercenaries risk their lives in labyrinths to sharpen their senses?”

“Do not underestimate the value of that ability, Lady Denise.”

Dereck’s words, repeated many times during her classes, echoed in her ears, making her gaze turn serious.

While many of her peers in the Beltus family only cared about family prestige, it was the advice of her mentor—someone who knew how to see her true nature—that nurtured her talent.

Although his face always looked like someone chewing gravel, she engraved those words in her heart while feigning indifference.

*Thud!*

Diella’s spell impacted and a cloud of dust rose, but Denise’s magic barriers did not activate.

*Boom! Boom! Boom!*

Instead, Denise’s magic began to radiate from within the dust cloud.

Instantly, a magical explosion enveloped the area, dissipating the dust in the blink of an eye.

With her silver hair waving in the wind, Denise summoned the two-star tracking spell “Vigilance.”

It was the culmination of exploration magic, perfected under Dereck’s tutelage.

Denise’s magic circle spread throughout the hall in an instant, dominating the space.

“Oh!”

A spectacle of scattered stars appeared. Not only the servants, but even Diella, opened their eyes in surprise.

Denise was one of the three most respected ladies of the Rose Salon. Naturally, her magical ability was assumed to be considerable.

But no one expected her to reach two stars.

Even the renowned Aiselin had only recently mastered two-star spells and received praise for it.

However, Denise had reached a similar level and had hidden it until now.

“W-What is this…?”

Diella stared at Denise, who emerged from the dust, with a lost gaze. Denise was not in perfect condition.

Her skirt was torn, covered in dust, and the ribbon holding her hair had come loose and lay on the ground.

Her face was smeared with dirt, but most shocking was the streak of blood running down her temple.

It was hard to believe what she was seeing. Normally, magic duels between noble ladies always included high-level protective barriers.

Because no scratches or wounds were allowed on their bodies. But seeing Denise, it was clear that the barriers had not activated at all.

Diella’s gaze sharpened as she perceived the magical aura surrounding Denise’s body.

She could clearly feel a powerful magic barrier. It must be embedded in her jewelry, something that is not easily deactivated.

Only one possibility remained.

She… deactivated her own barriers!

In the dust, she had removed her enchanted jewelry and deactivated her barriers. The reason was clear: the outcome of the duel depended on whether the opponent’s barriers were activated or not.

Since the rule was that if a barrier was activated, it meant defeat, she momentarily deactivated it when no one could see. And when she regained visibility, she could resume the charade of having her barriers activated.

That action not only exploited a loophole in the rules but mocked them.

Until now, no one had avoided defeat in that way. Of course, noble ladies were considered too delicate, and even a small wound could cause a scandal.

What importance did honor have in a magic duel between nobles? Resorting to tricks like this was unheard of.

Therefore, the idea of removing jewelry to deactivate barriers was unthinkable. But Denise did not let herself be bound by conventions. Although winning in that way lacked honor, she had done it without hesitation, risking serious injury.

The reason was simple. It wasn’t just about honor. The fate of her mentor, Dereck, hung in the balance in this duel.

“An insect caught in the web.”

With blood dripping down her temple, Denise smiled mischievously and activated a massive magic circle. What did it matter if it was a cowardly or dishonest act? In the end, only victory mattered.

If Diella thought it was cowardice, she could do the same and deactivate her barriers.

In fact, if she wanted to, Diella could reveal her own barriers. But if the duel reached that point, it would turn into a bloody fight that went far beyond a legitimate magical contest.

Even so, if the case arose, the servants would surely intervene to prevent it. It wasn’t a bad option, but Denise didn’t want to risk the situation worsening.

Then she activated the two-star spell “Vigilance.”

It hadn’t worked against Dereck, but against a mage like Diella, things were completely different. Once caught in Denise’s magic circle, the world would be hers until her magic was exhausted or the circle faded.

Like a poisonous spiderweb, there was no escape. As proof, Diella’s movements began to slow down.

***

“W-What… what is this…?”

The sensation of every part of her body being pierced by energy.

Even the smallest movement of her fingers, the slightest tremor of her feet, everything seemed to be under Denise’s conscious perception. It was terrifying.

Shocked, Diella tried to summon an ice spear, but a magic arrow was already flying toward where it would have formed. The arrow had been launched before the spear even existed. The consequences were enormous.

That meant Denise knew all of Diella’s movements seconds in advance.

“Ah…!”

No matter what she did, the countermeasure was already in motion. Denise’s gaze, focused to the maximum, was that of a hunter effortlessly capturing a clumsy beast.

“Ha… Ha…”

The owner of the web, crouching to cast her spell, slowly stood up. Her messy silver hair fell over her shoulders.

Her gaze was that of a sinister creature approaching its poor trapped prey.

Diella understood immediately. Within that circle, it was impossible to create any variable that escaped Denise’s expectations.

She had to escape the circle and use her wild, unpredictable magic to counter Denise’s advantage.

She quickly looked around to assess the range of the spell.

“…This is ridiculous.”

Unfortunately, Denise’s magic circle covered the entire pavilion. Although she had learned the two-star spell “Vigilance” some time ago, its original range was only a few meters.

But after training with Dereck in the art of magical detection, her limits had expanded.

‘All mages trained by Dereck exceed their own limits.’

She had heard that rumor in the salons. And Diella had overlooked the fact that Denise was also one of his students.

“What is this…?”

No matter how brilliant Diella’s talent was, she was still a gemstone in the rough.

But her opponent was already one of the most prestigious figures in the Rose Salon, and the best student of the best teacher Diella knew. Denise had always thought she could never match Aiselin, but in terms of magical skill, she was already comparable.

As soon as Diella noticed this difference, the duel was already over.

*Bang!*

“Ahhh!”

A magic arrow elegantly slipped through a blind spot in Diella’s perception and activated her barriers.

She hadn’t even had time to react.

“Ah!”

As soon as her protective barriers instantly activated and enveloped her, her pupils finally dilated.

It was Diella’s defeat.

“…No, it can’t be…”

“How could she… reach such a level…?”

The assistants who witnessed the duel were drenched in sweat. They knew Denise’s magic level was high, but they never imagined it was *that* high.

In the silence that followed, Denise calmly brushed the dust off her dress and spoke.

“It was a good duel.”

Denise, regaining her elegance, smiled.

The silence lasted a moment longer. As the atmosphere slowly calmed, Diella bit her lower lip hard.

Tears welled up in her bright eyes.

Such was the world of competition.