Chapter 76

Chapter 76
## Chapter 76

Siern sat with her knees drawn to her chest, her head buried in them, in a corner of the central tower of the Rochester mansion.

While she had been away, the sheets on the plush bed had been changed for clean ones. Even in such a terrifying situation, the servants of the Rochester family continued to fulfill their duties until the end.

Feeling that uprightness, Siern remained motionless, with her head bowed, not moving an inch.

In the silence, the only sound in Siern’s room was the rattling of the window panes, shaken by the storm raging outside.

The desolate landscape stood in sharp contrast to places like the Duplain mansion, located in the middle of a fertile meadow. This girl had always grown up in such a somber environment.

And so, she recalled her earliest memory.

At an age when she did not even know how to read, she killed an entire pack of wolves in the snowy fields of the north.

Even at a preschool age, she had already reached a level where she could kill beasts using only her immature magical senses.

Covered in blood in the snowy field, when she suddenly regained consciousness, the entire world was drenched in the smell of blood.

A cold body that didn’t even feel the cold. When she saw the half-dead wolf whimpering, her father, Melverot, ran over and grabbed her by the wrist.

In this way, the girl was dragged by Melverot’s strength and walked back through the snowy field. They did nothing but return directly to the Rochester mansion.

*Tap, tap.*

The back of Melverot, whom the girl observed from below, remained firm. His expression was not visible.

The back of her father, simply dragging her forward, was the first image Siern could remember.

***

“What an audacious request! You should know better than anyone that titles in this era are not something that can be easily exchanged.”

“Yes. No one is ignorant of that.”

“You know perfectly well how many years it took your lord, Drest, to receive the title of baron without even owning land, right?”

“Yes, but Master Drest’s situation was quite different.”

Dereck continued speaking without changing his expression. It seemed that all his tension and anxiety had transferred to Aiselin, who was standing behind him.

In fact, Aiselin appeared quite nervous, as if she had not expected Dereck to say something like that.

“My master Drest did not get along with the nobility. I, on the other hand, maintain links with several prestigious families, and I do not lack magic skills.”

“It seems you are not aware of how hermetic the high nobility in the capital is.”

“I am very aware of it. That is why I am asking for your help, Lord Melverot.”

No one would deny that this is the era of the nobility.

And magic was nothing but a symbol of that privilege. Their survival strategy consisted of preserving pure bloodlines, protecting acquired interests, and pushing aside those who did not deserve them.

To grab them by the ankles, one needs good backing.

If Dereck managed to obtain the support of Duplain, Beltus, Belmierd, and even Melverot, then the idea of him receiving a title would not be so far-fetched.

Even a minor title, the lowest one, would be enough. Once he managed to enter 그 world, his ascent would depend exclusively on Dereck’s skills.

Melverot, who quickly understood Dereck’s intentions, let out a dry laugh.

Ambition must be proportional to ability, but if it is too excessive, it only leads to ruin.

If the high nobility of the capital heard this, they would not hesitate to reprimand him for such blasphemous words.

However, Melverot, resting his chin on his hand, limited himself to looking at him coldly.

“I cannot promise you a title. Beyond my will, granting an important title to a commoner from the slums would be considered a dishonor by the elders of the capital. And let’s not even talk about His Majesty the Emperor.”

Melverot’s magical power was legendary, but not everything in this world could be achieved by force.

Especially in the world of noble culture, where justification and tradition were deeply rooted.

Even so, Melverot did not adopt a totally negative stance.

“But I can support you.”

“…”

“In political judgment and magical ability, you far surpass those who have good blood but nothing else. Yes. As long as there is a justification, it is not impossible to get a position. So I promise you.”

Melverot spoke in a resolute tone.

“If your proposal for a title is taken seriously, I will write a letter of recommendation with the utmost courtesy. A letter written directly by Melverot of the North would be a powerful weapon.”

“…”

“Do you want to overthrow the arrogant nobles of the capital? Or become a figure who dominates this era?”

“I don’t have those thoughts.”

Those who had suffered poverty for a long time often harbored resentment toward the nobility, even if they hid it.

It was natural to curse the country and the era when suffering in misery.

But Dereck did not harbor such petty thoughts.

“I only want to become a higher-level mage. The title is simply a means to achieve that end.”

He was a man of remarkable consistency.

Melverot had lived as a monarch for many years. He had his own way of evaluating talent.

To achieve great things, it was necessary to know the current reality and the times, but people who were too enthusiastic often failed to fulfill their duties because they were too distracted by those matters.

A swordsman must excel with the sword, a mage must perfect his magic, a chancellor must master the economy, and a servant must know how to manage the house.

The situation, the era, the ambition, the aspirations, the broad vision, sociability, the study of governance, support—those things often arose naturally once the basic qualities were possessed.

True talent needs no introduction.

Dereck.

He was a mage.

“I see… Now I understand why you came to negotiate.”

“Thank you for considering it favorably. Now, I will resume my duties.”

“Is that all you’re going to ask?”

When Dereck was about to leave after saying goodbye, Melverot called him again.

Dereck turned in silence and looked at him. Melverot let out another chuckle, still with his chin resting on his hand.

“You aren’t asking me the most important thing. Aren’t you curious to know why I have monsters in the main hall of the mansion?”

“I don’t meddle in matters outside of my work. However, if you think it would be useful for me to know, I don’t mind hearing it.”

“I see. That may be your stance, but it seems the young lady of House Duplain thinks differently.”

Aiselin was looking sideways, trying to catch the tone of the conversation.

In fact, it was strange that Dereck showed no curiosity. In a situation like this, anyone would want to know Melverot’s true intentions.

When Dereck remained silent for a few seconds, Melverot let out a hollow laugh and said:

“It may be a late revelation, but Siern is not my biological daughter. She is the legacy left by an old friend of mine.”

Aiselin was already swallowing hard, shocked, but Dereck already partially suspected it.

Having fought her just once, he had realized that her way of handling magic was completely different from Melverot’s.

“Although countless years have passed since that bloody war ended, I remember it with the same intensity as if it had happened yesterday. That damn demon, Noir, who killed my old friend Kalimford… he and I fought the final battle in the Great Snowy Field of Rosenhaven.”

“…”

“The insane magic that demon wielded was far beyond human reach. If you look at the scars still visible in the Rosenhaven snowy field, you will see that he unleashed magic so powerful that maps had to be redrawn countless times.”

Aiselin’s expression gradually hardened. It seemed she had no idea what Melverot was about to say.

“Yes… the realm forbidden to humans… the 7-star level mentioned in the records of the great mage Adelbert… If it truly exists, it must look like that.”

Melverot slowly stood up.

The “Dawn War,” recorded as the most horrible demonic war in the history of the continent.

It was Melverot, the historical figure who put an end to it, who was now speaking directly.

“I am going to reveal a surprising fact to you. Not even the high nobles of the imperial capital, nor Emperor Gatrell himself, know it.”

Why was he telling them? To make it clear to them that they were already in the same boat, with no way out.

“Noir… I couldn’t kill him.”

***

The great demon Noir is a monster that parasitizes humans.

In the form of a fist-sized spirit, he infiltrates directly into a person’s soul, awakens demonic instincts, and furthermore, grants magical talents that go far beyond human capabilities.

When his core power fully blooms, he begins to use magic that truly surpasses human levels and, in the end, transforms into a colossal demon visible even from the horizon.

When Melverot dealt the final blow to Noir… the monster turned into a spirit and possessed the body of Feria, Kalimford’s late wife.

Feria, a renowned priestess, had joined the subjugation squad to help avenge her husband Kalimford.

***

*Tap, tap.*

Aiselin and Dereck, who had left the office, walked down the hallway.

They went down the spiral staircase of the tower, crossed the frozen garden, and returned to the annex without exchanging a single word.

Both reflected on Melverot’s words.

“At that time, Feria, who was already pregnant, asked to wait until she gave birth to Kalimford’s daughter. As a high-ranking priestess, she could somehow resist Noir’s influence.”

“Then… she gave birth to Lady Siern?”

“Yes… Then she entrusted her to me and left, apologizing. When I later heard of her… it was not good news.”

Melverot had not bothered to explain Feria’s fate. It was not hard to imagine what kind of end awaited Lady Siern’s mother. She probably wished to end it all herself.

In the end, only Siern remained.

A daughter without blood ties, without connections. In fact, for someone of Melverot’s level, caring for a girl without relatives was no burden.

He possessed immense wealth, glory, status, and power. Even if he couldn’t give her love, he could provide her with an environment that no one would envy.

However, Siern was no ordinary girl.

Before learning to read, she tore a pack of wolves apart. By the time she was old enough to understand, she had already killed servants, and before her initiation ceremony, she had already begun to wield three-star magic.

Melverot must have felt it.

The murderous impulse and the desire for slaughter etched in her blood were not human emotions.

It was evident that she had inherited them from the mythical demon Noir of the “Dawn War,” who had killed countless humans.

If he had realized, he should have killed her at that very moment.

He should have killed that little girl who stood among the mutilated corpses of the wolves in the snowy field.

“Why do you protect Siern?”

But Melverot didn’t do it. His choice was completely different.

Instead, he assigned her several tutors and tried to integrate her into human society in some way. He is the legendary hero who saved the North. He was also the one who witnessed Noir’s great massacre up close.

Why would someone with such a history not make the right decision? Was it out of compassion, because she was the daughter of his old friend Kalimford? Was it in honor of the late priestess Feria?

Or did he simply think it was wrong to take the life of an innocent from a humanitarian point of view?

None of those were true. None came close to the correct answer.

“There are no six-star mages who are sane.”

It was Melverot himself who said it.

Was it not clearly written in Adelbert’s memoirs? That there is a limit to what a human being can achieve.

“So, if someone wants to reach the realm of seven stars, what is the first thing they must abandon?”

Mages are those who, even if only a little, seek to reach a higher level.

No matter how enormous the wall imposed on them is, their symbol is the almost morbid curiosity that drives them to climb it.

“Humanity.”

In Siern, he glimpsed a fragment of seven-star magic.

*Whistle.*

Before entering the annex, Dereck and Aiselin looked up toward the central tower that could be seen in the distance.

The tower, visible from any point of the Rochester mansion, stood firm that day too, under the blizzard.

Inside, Siern surely watched the blizzard in silence, with her elegant hair falling over her forehead and dressed in a nightgown.

“Master Dereck.”

Finally, Aiselin spoke.

In the midst of the freezing cold, Aiselin hesitated, thought about what to say, and finally spoke with difficulty.

“I… my thoughts are a mess.”

“Don’t overthink it. The tasks we have haven’t changed. However…”

Dereck frowned as he looked toward the tower.

“That war hero… it seems he is still hiding something.”

“What?”

Aiselin asked with a puzzled expression.

“After telling us all that… do you still think he is hiding something?”

“He has served as a ruler of that level for countless years. We cannot underestimate him.”

Dereck never lowered his guard.

Melverot seemed to have laid everything bare, but something remained hidden. His intuition told him clearly.

“It’s cold. Let’s go inside.”

In any case, the promised reward was still fair and the tasks assigned to them had not changed.

Dereck was a magic tutor. The job of a teacher is to teach his students.

And that essence had not changed in the slightest.