Chapter 6

Chapter 6
## Chapter 6
“You’ve probably never heard of my little sister, Diella, have you?”

Compared to the wagons used to subdue the monster tribes, this one was several times more luxurious on the inside.

The carriage, which bore the seal of the noble Duplain family, was packed with gilded details and ornate decorations; simply entering it felt overwhelming.

Inside, seated among the attendants, was Lady Aiselin of the Duplain family. Across from her sat Jayden, representative of the Beldern mercenary band and Dereck’s companion. Dereck remained silent by his side, observing his surroundings.

With the sound of the carriage wheels in the background, Jayden and Lady Aiselin engaged in conversation.

“Lady Diella… I believe I’ve seen her name on the Duplain family tree.”

Jayden was no longer laughing without reason. The noblewoman of the Duplain family sitting before him was not someone to be taken lightly. It was easy to joke and smile when their identities were hidden, but the situation had changed.

“But she isn’t someone often seen in public.”

“Yes, that is true.”

Dereck observed Lady Aiselin’s expression for a moment.

Apparently, speaking of her sister, Lady Diella, was not a pleasant topic.

*«The Duplain line of succession… Yes, two sons and two daughters.»*

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Under the command of Grand Duke Raymond Oswald Duplain, a five-star mage, there were four children.

He had heard that the third and fourth were considered ladies of House Duplain, preparing for their social debut.

However, while many stories circulated about the third daughter—the elegance and kindness of Lady Aiselin—very little was known about the fourth, Lady Diella.

“Lady Diella needs a magic instructor.”

“…So you’ve assigned several mercenaries to evaluate their qualifications?”

“Yes. I apologize for having hidden our identities. As you know, revealing them benefits us in no way.”

Silently at her side, the maid Katarina served tea respectfully.

The carriage wheels were as tall as a person, and six horses pulled it. It was so stable that one could drink hot tea without spilling it.

Upon the small table between the seats, teacups filled with a rich aroma were lined up.

However, no one picked up their cup.

“It’s strange, isn’t it? I didn’t expect a simple magic instructor to be fit to teach a noble lady of House Duplain.”

Jayden’s comment was accurate. Dereck himself nodded, finding the situation odd. The nobility’s sense of privilege and authority exceeded any expectation.

It was unheard of for a noble lady to seek a magic instructor among low-ranking mercenary mages.

As already mentioned, nobles would sell their souls for a good tutor for their children.

With the authority of the Duke of Duplain, they could easily hire a famous and cultured mage. Was this not one of the most prestigious families in the empire?

In fact, they wouldn’t even need to look beyond the household: there were many people within the family with deep magical knowledge.

The fact that Lady Aiselin herself came in search of an instructor meant that this was not a normal situation.

Dereck spoke in a low voice.

“I’ve heard that House Duplain has at least three or four recognized four-star mages. Why look among mercenaries if you already have such talented instructors?”

“…Being skilled in magic and being able to teach it well are very different skills.”

“…That is true.”

“And of course, I have already tried many instructors of that type. But things have not turned out as I hoped…”

It had not turned out as expected.

It was an implicit expression, but Lady Aiselin’s face reflected internal conflict.

However, her underlying emotion was clear. It was love for her only younger sister.

“Diella has… no magical talent.”

“…”

Jayden fell silent for an instant upon hearing her words. He didn’t fully understand them.

House Duplain was a renowned magical lineage; those born into it rarely lacked magical talent.

“If this continues, she will be treated as a burden even before integrating into society. I cannot allow Diella to be treated that way.”

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In the Velkos region, it was common for young noblewomen to travel to Ebelstein to prepare for their entry into society once they reached adulthood. Generally, they were gifted a mansion and even served as hostesses.

Lady Aiselin herself, sitting across from Dereck, was already immersed in the aristocratic society of Ebelstein, not just by her title but by her way of life.

Beyond the northern walls, in the prosperous district where the nobles lived, they participated in various exchanges and studies, perfecting the qualities of a true lady of the nobility.

But only if they met the minimum requirements. For someone born into House Duplain but unable to use magic, it was a fatal flaw for a noble.

Instead of being the pride of the family, she would likely be its stain. This was common knowledge in the mansion.

It wasn’t hard to imagine how a girl like Diella would be treated.

“I understand. But I’m not sure that resorting to mercenaries is justified. If she struggles to learn magic, wouldn’t it be better to find a more capable instructor?”

“…”

*Did I say something inappropriate?*

“No. It’s just… I’m thinking of how to respond.”

Lady Aiselin, her face full of concern, spoke calmly.

“Diella has had more than twenty instructors in the last eight months. There is no one left who can handle her.”

“…”

“But I cannot give up.”

As she said this, Lady Aiselin’s expression turned more serious.

“Sir Dereck is different from the mages of the past, both in his mentality and his magical approach, so who knows what might happen? I am willing to try everything.”

Gradually, Dereck began to understand. In short, the girl named Diella did not seem easy to teach.

It was often said that noble girls could be rude or stubborn. In Diella’s case, it was hard to know what she was really like.

***

*Bang!*

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In the Velkos region rose the majestic mansion of Grand Duke Duplain.

The door to the Grand Duke’s office burst open, as if it were about to break.

Very few people could open the door to the Duke’s office in that manner; something that not even the nobles could do.

“Father! Brother Valerian! I apologize for interrupting your conversation!”

Inside the office, Raymond Oswald Duplain, the Grand Duke, was seated behind a large desk, and before him, a young man with messy blond hair was talking about the quarterly tax revenues of the duchy.

Valerian, the eldest son, was a tall, burly, and handsome man. Designated as the next head of the family, he had reached adulthood the previous year and, during his initiation ceremony, had mastered the fundamentals of two-star magic: a true prodigy. The elders of House Duplain held him in high esteem.

He placed the report he was going to present on the desk and spoke in a calm voice.

“Leigh. What is all the fuss about? Please, behave with dignity.”

“Please listen to me, brother! I really can’t take it anymore!”

The young man named Leigh dragged a servant from the hallway and threw him onto the office floor.

*Crack!*

“Aaah!”

As the servant fell to the floor, a pungent smell filled the room, which had previously had a light scent of incense.

The servant was soaked in dirty cleaning water. His uniform was torn in several places and his hair was disheveled. It was evident he had been mistreated.

“That damn Diella went so far as to lay hands on my personal servant!”

“Leigh. Lower your voice when you speak.”

“I’m speaking because I can’t take it anymore! Last month, the number of employees who resigned because of that brat reached double digits. The dishes she has smashed in her tantrums must be over a hundred. She destroyed a building because she was bored… How much longer are we going to tolerate this criminal? Just because she’s young and the youngest?”

Leigh walked toward the center of the office and raised his voice toward Grand Duke Duplain, who was reviewing documents on the other side of the desk.

“Father! Please answer me!”

The Grand Duke silently set aside the newspaper he was reading and fixed his gaze on Leigh.

Leigh knew those eyes well.

“Father…”

He caught his breath for an instant and finally spoke in a monotone, as if he were venting a complaint:

“Can she really behave like a Duplain? We’ve done enough… as a family… and as nobles. We have fulfilled our duties.”

“It is not for you to judge, Leigh.”

“No, father. Even if I cannot compare to my older brother, I am also a member of House Duplain. I have a right to speak. It is time to accept it. Diella, that girl, is a disgrace and a burden to our family.”

Unlike the princely Valerian, Leigh had a sharp and imposing face, like that of a general.

If one had to guess which of the two was the elder, many would have chosen Leigh, but in reality, he was the younger son of House Duplain.

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“Father. Even if Diella doesn’t belong to this family… we have Aiselin. It’s as if the gods bestowed upon Aiselin all the noble grace intended for Diella. So let us free Diella from this burden.”

“Leigh. Choose your words better in front of Father.”

“Brother. I’m sure you think the same, right?”

Leigh’s biting retort left Valerian speechless for an instant. Seeing his older brother’s look of discomfort, Leigh, encouraged, spoke softly to the Grand Duke.

“…I already asked a servant to investigate a monastery in the Anhel region.”

“Leigh!”

“Someone has to be firm! If no one else is, then I must be.”

Leigh raised his voice again to the Grand Duke.

“It is a place where many children of nobles gather, with excellent facilities and under constant imperial supervision. It is better for Diella to serve the will of the gods than to stay here as a burden. Instead of risking the ruin of our family…”

*Bang!*

Leigh couldn’t finish his sentence.

The Grand Duke grabbed Leigh’s head and slammed it against the desk.

“Argh!”

While Leigh screamed, the Grand Duke lowered his head and whispered in a cold, icy voice.

“I believe I already told you: it is not for you to judge.”

“Uf… Father…”

“Do I have to repeat it?”

Even though his face was pressed against the desk, Leigh did not yield.

“Father. When the time comes to decide… you must choose…”

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*Crack!*

True to the blood of a ruler, Leigh did not bend easily. Pinned under the Duke’s hand, he resisted until the Duke’s overwhelming magical pressure caused him to lose consciousness.

“…”

A brief silence followed.

In the office, only the sobs of the terrified servant echoed. The Duke leaned back in his executive chair and massaged his temples for a moment.

Worries and burdens were constant companions of any ruler. However, one never quite got used to them.

Valerian silently observed the Duke with a tired face, and then gently held the unconscious Leigh.

He also patted the sobbing servant on the shoulder, downplaying the matter.

“You must be exhausted. I will speak with the butler; go bathe and rest in your room for today.”

With a soft voice, he comforted the servant and, without letting go of Leigh, spoke to the Duke.

“The taxes are not urgent, so I will retire for today. Rest, father.”

“Very well.”

At that moment, when Valerian was about to leave the office with Leigh and the servant…

“Valerian.”

“…Yes?”

The Duke, still seated and rubbing his temples, spoke in a low voice.

“Loving all your children equally is no easy task.”

“…”

With a bitter smile, Valerian gave a deep bow and left the office.

***

“Oh, brother Valerian.”

In the hallway outside the office.

Aiselin, who had returned to the noble mansion after some time, was about to greet Valerian cheerfully when he came out of the office.

However, seeing him carrying the unconscious Leigh, her expression hardened. The servant following him, covered in mud, reflected that same expression.

“Oh, brother…”

“Oh, Aiselin. What a joy to see you after so much time! Has Ebelstein treated you well?”

Valerian flashed a smile and returned Aiselin’s greeting.

“As you can see, things have gotten a bit complicated, so we’ll have to talk about it later.”

“…Yes.”

When Valerian, with Leigh in his arms, passed by Aiselin, several servants rushed to take Leigh from him. At that moment, Valerian spotted the people Aiselin had brought with her.

Beside her usual servant, there were two mercenaries who seemed to have come from outside the noble mansion: Jayden and Dereck.

“…”

Valerian knew that Aiselin worked tirelessly for her younger sister, Diella.

But he couldn’t help but feel a pinch of sympathy for the company she had brought. At first, Aiselin had brought instructors well-known among four-star mages.

But none could handle Diella. They were humiliated, injured, or gave up and left.

Thus, in high society, Diella’s reputation as a troublemaker spread, and fewer and fewer people offered themselves as tutors. Even so, Aiselin never gave up, kept asking, and somehow managed to attract three- and two-star mages, as long as they were persistent and sincere.

However, even those people became discouraged, and now things had reached the point where mages recruited from mercenary bands were entering the ducal mansion.

Her efforts were admirable, but from the perspective of a brother watching, it left a bitter taste. It really seemed like there was no one left to bring.

Valerian passed Aiselin in silence in the hallway.

He felt as if a great weight had settled on his chest.

“Aiselin. How is life in Ebelstein?”

“Thanks to my father’s care, every day has been pleasant. Lately, I’ve been learning to paint portraits, and if I have time, I’d like to paint one of my father.”

“Oh, really? When you finish it, we should hang it in the main hall of the mansion.”

“Father, please. I’m still not very skilled. I need to improve enough so that the servants don’t make fun of me, so give me a little more time.”

With a broad smile, Aiselin kept the conversation pleasant, and the Duke’s expression, weighed down by worry and anguish, softened a bit. No matter what others said, Aiselin was very well-loved by the residents of the ducal mansion.

Born with the dignity and grace of a noble lady, she was adored by her parents, her two older brothers, and even by her servants.

So much so that, upon reaching adulthood, they assigned her a large mansion in the wealthy neighborhood of Ebelstein, and she quickly began her social education. She was, without a doubt, the jewel of house Duplain.

“Ah, and before I forget, I’ve brought a mage from Ebelstein.”

“…I see.”

The Duke frowned slightly upon seeing Dereck. Aiselin had hired more than one or two people as Diella’s tutors. And, whoever they were, they never lasted more than a few weeks before fleeing.

It was already difficult to take seriously anyone she presented. But even so, it was a decision made by his dear daughter Aiselin.

“Very well.”

But that was all he said. For some time now, Grand Duke Duplain no longer expressed extensive opinions.

Aiselin silently observed his attitude and then smiled slightly, with a hint of resignation.

“Well, then I will freshen up after the trip and we can talk more in the drawing room. Father, there is much I would like to discuss.”

“Very well. See you later.”

With that, Aiselin bowed and turned to leave the office.

“Wait. You stay.”

The Duke asked Dereck to stay behind.

***

A silent office.

The Duke of Duplain toyed with his pen, reviewing documents attentively for a good while.

It seemed to be an important matter related to the administration of his lands. The Duke took nothing lightly and reflected deeply on every detail.

He seemed to live every day immersed in work.

After signing one of the documents that required immediate attention, the Duke spoke without even looking up, as if tossing his words into the air.

“You are very young.”

“Yes.”

“Sixteen, you said?”

“That is correct.”

The Duke briefly leafed through the next document, tracing a few lines with his pen.

While attending to his business, he continued speaking in his low, deep voice.

“To what extent can you endure magic?”

Hearing this while spinning his pen, Dereck answered without hesitation.

“I can handle first-level magic to some extent.”

“Ha ha…”

The Duke let out a short laugh.

It was not hard to guess the meaning of that chuckle. For a sixteen-year-old boy who had studied magic thoroughly and reached a level where he could teach others, it was something extraordinary for ordinary people.

It was a mixture of admiration and regret.

After all, it was still the level of an ordinary person.

Was it a laugh of regret, perhaps for having to entrust his daughter’s magical education to someone like that?

Dereck speculated, but his guess was only partially correct.

“Don’t bother lying.”

Before he realized it, the eyes of the Duke of Duplain, bright and piercing, fixed directly on Dereck. In them shone a residual magical energy.

“Modesty is not always a virtue.”

He had already realized that Dereck’s magical abilities were not limited to the first level.