Chapter 70

Chapter 70
## Chapter 70

“Yes. To be frank, our Beltus family will not stop you from leaving.”

Denise spoke with her usual indifferent expression.

The hem of her fine silk dress brushed against the floor. She was preparing for her afternoon philosophy class.

Even after finishing her morning training with Dereck and eating breakfast, she showed hardly any signs of fatigue. Even Denise herself noticed that her stamina had improved considerably.

“My father’s thoughts are obvious. The Belmierd family has already begun supporting Ellen as their successor, and the Duplain family no longer holds much power… so your value, Dereck, has diminished quite a bit.”

“That is true.”

The primary reason the Beltus family wanted to retain Dereck was to prevent him from going to another house. At this point, there was no reason to tie him down with a large sum of money.

However, if Denise had firmly insisted on renewing the contract with Dereck, the situation might have changed.

“And I have no intention of holding you back, Dereck.”

Nevertheless, Denise stated this firmly. She was gathering her beautiful platinum blonde hair and fastening a brooch necklace over her bare nape.

She spoke without even looking at Dereck, who remained standing in a corner of the room with his hands behind his back.

> As I already said, I am just a puppet of the Beltus family. Even if you talk about my value, there is nothing to gain by being with me right now.

—

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“For someone who says that, you certainly crushed Diella with all your strength when she challenged you to a duel.”

“Ugh…”

Denise flinched as if a sensitive spot had been touched, and then let out a long sigh.

“Dereck, you are strangely clumsy where you should be sharp, and sharp where you could afford to be clumsy.”

“…”

“Well, my pride was a bit involved with Lady Diella, and in the end, the Duplain family suffered quite a bit… so staying with the Beltus family was the right decision, don’t you think? You should be grateful.”

“I am. Thank you.”

“I didn’t expect you to thank me so sincerely… ugh…”

She tried to hide her discomfort with arrogant words, but Dereck never acted the way Denise wanted.

She placed some butterfly-shaped hairpins in her hair, smoothed the hem of her dress, and finished grooming herself.

Then she approached Dereck, put her hands on her hips, and looked at him with her lips slightly pursed.

“It’s obvious without needing to ask. You’re going to be Lady Siern’s tutor, right?”

“…”

“No matter how much I tried to stop you, you can’t resist anything related to magic. I don’t know what you intend to get from Lord Melverot, but if you can get involved with a six-star mage, you’ll do whatever it takes.”

Denise was the one who saw Dereck’s ecstatic expression up close when he mastered magic under Drest’s tutelage.

Lord Melverot had a somewhat arrogant bearing, but if Dereck decided to take advantage of him, the reward would be enormous.

And Dereck was someone who never missed an opportunity. That’s why Denise had no intention of slowing him down.

He was a trustworthy person, who always supported his allies regardless of the circumstances.

Even when the Duplain family found themselves in a desperate situation, he continued to help Diella and Aiselin.

But he was also someone who could not be easily tied down. He could not be retained by stifling his ambition. His pure, almost noble passion could not be broken so easily.

—

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Denise closed her eyes for a moment and let out a hollow laugh as she thought:

*’Now I understand why the Duplain family let this man go.’*

The first student Dereck had taught was Diella. Denise had never understood why Diella let Dereck go to Ebelstein.

She thought perhaps he had made some excuse, or that there were internal family problems.

But now, she seemed to understand. Denise, who had gently closed her eyes, sighed deeply and raised her head to speak.

“The North is a dangerous place, very different from the Southwest. Unlike the peaceful plains of the Southwest, it has many mountainous areas and the climate can be harsh. Monsters appear much more frequently… sometimes, even some really dangerous high-level ones.”

“Yes. The harsher the place, the harsher the people, and they tend to be wary of outsiders.”

“People who live in such dangerous territories, where threats to life are common, cannot be the same as those who live in peaceful big cities like this one.”

Denise gestured to the servant who had helped her dress and whispered something in their ear.

After nodding, the servant quickly headed to the jewelry storehouse.

Shortly after, they returned with a large bracelet and handed it to Dereck.

“What is this?”

“It is one of the magical accessories manufactured by the Arendelle Society and sold to high-ranking nobles. Its main function is to indicate the location of the person wearing the corresponding object.”

“…”

“It’s worth dozens of gold coins. Be careful not to have it stolen.”

Denise rarely gave Dereck gifts. He took the bracelet and, with a sense of déjà vu, tried to organize his thoughts.

*«It is a magical accessory sent by the Arendale Society as a coming-of-age gift. It comes along with this ring, and by wearing them, they can indicate each other’s location.»*

He remembered receiving a similar object from Lady Freya during the disaster at the Duplain mansion.

Although he carried it in his inner pocket, he had never had the chance to return it, despite it being an expensive item.

When Dereck pulled it out, Denise’s eyes widened in surprise.

—

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—

“Wait, someone else gave you one besides me?”

“Lady Freya gave it to me. It’s so small I had no reason to take it out, so I just kept it.”

“…”

Denise suddenly looked at him with narrowed eyes. While Dereck watched her with a puzzled expression, she sighed and sat back down in front of her vanity.

“This is usually given as a token of trust. Do you think a high-ranking noble lady would give an object that reveals her whereabouts to just anyone?”

“Well, the situation was urgent… I thought it would be best to know where we were.”

“I understand the situation, but… it’s better not to do something like that in front of other women.”

“Is it a problem?”

“Usually it’s given to someone you want to pair up with for dances or events. Well, Lady Freya and I gave it to you for practical reasons, but… the fact that you can track each other’s location could be interpreted more romantically than you think.”

Denise looked Dereck up and down again. She knew he was handsome, but now that she observed him closely, he seemed truly attractive.

His well-maintained mercenary attire gave him a rugged air, but that was part of his charm.

“What will people think if they see a handsome man carrying several magical objects gifted by noble ladies?”

“…”

“Well… there are some vulgar young nobles who collect those kinds of things and brag about their conquests, but even as a joke, it doesn’t look good. The ladies who gave gifts to such a promiscuous man would also be ridiculed.”

“I suppose that’s true.”

“I trust you because you aren’t that type. If you use it at the right time, you will show that you have the recognition of the Beltus family and you can use that authority.”

Denise spoke in a light tone with her arms crossed, but in reality, she was telling him she would support him.

“As you well know, high society is based on connections. Knowing some influential figures can be a great help. Even if the North is far away, the name of one of the three great noble families is widely known.”

“You have been very considerate of me. Thanks to you, I won’t have much trouble proving my identity wherever I go. Thank you.”

—

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“Ugh…”

“…?”

“No, it’s just… sometimes you thank me so sincerely, but when you teach magic you are like a beast, and it’s strange… I’m not used to it.”

In short, she felt a bit embarrassed. From Dereck’s perspective, being considered kind was somewhat uncomfortable, so he simply accepted it in silence.

Even that reaction was so typical of him that Denise could only look at him out of the corner of her eye a few more times.

“Sigh… Well, no matter how crazy Lady Siern of the North is, she won’t beat you that easily. You are skilled in both magic and social skills, so I won’t worry.”

“I will do my best.”

“But… things like feminine etiquette and high society culture? You can’t teach those, right?”

“I already found an assistant. Someone with a solid background, great knowledge of the aristocratic world, capable and willing to take on those tasks.”

“I knew your network of contacts was wide, but did you have someone like that? That kind of talent is not common…”

“There’s no need to look far. It’s Lady Aiselin.”

“…What?”

Denise, who had been listening to Dereck’s story with relaxed shoulders, pricked up her ears and opened her eyes wide again.

Her feminine intuition was screaming at her. She knew instinctively that Aiselin’s affection for Dereck was not just admiration for his exceptional talent.

“Oh, are you going north with Lady Aiselin?”

“I might not be able to go to the Rose Salon as often, but Lady Diella said she would take on more responsibilities.”

“Ah, no… why would Lady Aiselin go to a place like that?”

“She said she needed money urgently.”

It wasn’t an entirely far-fetched situation. No matter how noble and beautiful a woman in the southwest of the continent was, if money was tight, she had to do something.

Denise was not unaware of Aiselin’s situation, but the fact that she was accompanying Dereck immediately gave her a bad feeling.

—

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*Is something really going to happen…?*

Aiselin seemed wise and thoughtful, but having been raised as a precious jewel, she had realized her romantic feelings too late. That’s how girls raised in greenhouses were.

If it had already been decided that she would go north with him, then Denise only had one option left. Even if it was drastic, she needed to apply shock therapy.

“Dereck.”

Denise looked at him seriously.

“I think Lady Aiselin likes you.”

“I also like Lady Aiselin. In times like these, such a steadfast person is truly exceptional. I should consider myself lucky to have someone like her as an acquaintance.”

“I don’t mean it like that. I think she likes you as a man.”

Denise went straight to the point, without hesitation. Once she made a decision, she didn’t beat around the bush when it came to doing what was necessary.

“…”

Even Dereck, a man of steel, was left speechless for an instant.

He wasn’t entirely oblivious to the matter, so he hadn’t overlooked Aiselin’s strange recent behavior.

Even so, he hadn’t linked it to romantic feelings. There were many handsome and high-status men around Aiselin. Her standards had to be high.

After all, the three main ladies of the Rose Salon received marriage proposals whenever they were bored. One of their daily tasks was to reject the sons of nobles of dubious reputation who hung around them.

Why would someone like that be interested in Dereck? He was well aware of this. That’s why he answered frankly.

“You’ve been reading too many romance novels.”

“Are you underestimating my intuition?”

“I knew Miss Denise had a good eye… but this seems like too big a logical leap to me.”

Dereck crossed his arms with an expression of total disbelief.

“I knew you’d react like that, Dereck. But my instincts never fail. Aiselin likes you, and if you go north together, who knows what might happen.”

—

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“…”

“So I’ll tell you directly. If you don’t stay calm, something serious could happen. I’ve never seen a relationship between a commoner and a noble lady end well.”

It wasn’t uncommon for heads of families or young lords to keep concubines in secret or touch their maids.

However, for a noble lady, getting involved in that kind of scandal represented an enormous burden. If it was a rumor, it could still be controlled, but if it was true and not just gossip, the problem became much more serious.

That’s why Denise was warning Dereck, for Aiselin’s sake.

*Do you understand what I’m telling you, Dereck?*

“To be honest, I don’t have enough confidence in myself to think that a high-born lady would be personally interested in me. If I did, I would be an extreme narcissist.”

“…”

“Even so, if Miss Denise says so, I can’t stand idly by. I will do something about it in my own way.”

“Are you going to do something? What do you plan to do?”

At that response, Denise showed an ambiguous expression.

It wasn’t a smile, nor a frown, nor was it expressionless… It was truly peculiar and indescribable.

***

“Miss Aiselin, do you like me romantically?”

“Pffft!”

Seeing the sun rise in the west or seeing Aiselin spit out her tea in an inelegant way and nearly choke were equally unreal scenes.

Seeing her lose her composure like that was something extremely rare.

Even so, Aiselin, sitting in the half-ruined reception hall, looked away and spoke with Dereck.

“D-Dereck. I’m sorry. Did I hear you wrong? I’ve been busy with family matters all day lately… I think I’m hearing things…”

“I asked you if you like me romantically. I know it’s an extremely presumptuous and disrespectful question, but I think it’s better to clear things up.”

Asking directly. It was an answer only Dereck could give.

How could someone with a heart do something like that? Despite those questions, Dereck seemed immune to emotions like shame or humiliation.

Even when Diella covered him in dirt, or when he recited the novel written by Denise… he was a man of steel, immune to any emotion.

Raised in the slums, walking a blood-stained path, the delicate sensitivity of a young girl seemed like stories from another world to him. They didn’t even graze his emotional coldness.

That absolute rationality was a blessing for a mercenary.

However, for a woman trying to get close to him, it was an impenetrable fortress. Gaining psychological ground over him was not easy, even for those who had seen it all.

For Aiselin, who was practically a novice in these matters, it was an unbearably hard test.

“T-that…”

Aiselin’s eyes began to shake uncontrollably, unable to focus, as if they had taken a hit.

Although she was witty, her thoughts seemed blocked. Her tongue moved on its own and, somehow, she managed to respond as naturally as possible.

“Nooooo!”

Though in reality, there was nothing natural about it.

Her tone was absurdly blunt. She concluded that, given the situation, it was best to deny it flatly.

In fact, that was the most appropriate response when dealing with common people. The elegance that had been instilled in her since childhood finally came out.

“That can’t be! Mr. Dereck, of course I’ve always thought you are trustworthy and that you are incredible in both appearance and skills, but thinking of you romantically is something completely different!”

“I see. I apologize. It seems my self-esteem got too inflated due to my recent achievements. I am embarrassed.”

“We all make mistakes! It’s okay! Don’t be embarrassed!”

Aiselin’s behavior, acting like a soldier on high alert, was excessively unnatural.

Although Dereck was supposed to be the one embarrassed, her tone and behavior made it difficult to tell who was more nervous.

“Anyway, I’ve come to talk about the travel itinerary to the north, so let’s get to the main topic.”

“Let’s!”

“But first I’ll go get the map. I’ll be right back, please wait a moment.”

“Yes!”

As soon as the door closed, Aiselin collapsed into the chair as if she were melting. Her shallow breathing lasted for a while.

Silently, she thanked heaven that Dereck was so clueless in these matters.

***

“…”

After closing the door, Dereck walked silently down the hallway, sat on the windowsill, and rubbed his chin.

*’I shouldn’t take lightly what Miss Denise said. I should be careful.’*

Aiselin, who knew little about relationships between men and women, thought that Dereck simply wasn’t interested in them.

But that was a naive view. Growing up in the suburbs, one saw all kinds of murky, twisted, and unhealthy relationships.

Those scenes might be far from glamorous social culture, but at the very least, they were an environment where masculine awareness inevitably developed.

*«It’s a good thing I checked in advance. I need to stay calm.»*

It is naive to think that Dereck has no interest or knowledge about women.

Rather, he was someone who even evaluated feminine affection with logic. He was exactly the type of man that noble ladies would call “a dangerous man.”

For the naive Aiselin, trying to deal with him alone was extremely difficult.

*’Let’s finish the preparations soon.’*

After straightening his clothes, Dereck crossed the hall.

Whatever it was, he just needed to quickly finish his business in the north and return.

***

*Scratch, scratch!*

Late at night, Denise, who had been writing in silence, suddenly stopped.

She put down the pen and looked at the moon in the sky, with her arms crossed.

“Thinking that Dereck’s contract is about to end gives me a sense of emptiness.”

After all, she was very fond of him. She was worried about him going north because he had given her so much in many ways.

Although she was worried about him traveling with Aiselin to teach Lady Siern, it wasn’t a good idea to interfere with a bird that had already left its cage.

*«Perhaps I should have meddled a bit more? I’m worried something might happen…»*

In any case, Denise had already done almost everything in her power.

Even so, she still felt a strange frustration over Aiselin’s situation. It was as if she had something stuck in her chest, unsettling a corner of her mind.

It wasn’t even that serious… but it was a truly strange matter.