Chapter 83

Chapter 83
### Chapter 83

A considerable amount of time had passed since Aiselin departed for the Duke of Rochester’s territory in the North.

Her firm message of “I’m going to go make money” and her solemn departure alongside Dereck left Diella without the slightest idea of how to stop her.

“That’s more or less how it happened, brother.”

The Duplain estate, which had previously been dotted with scattered tents, had been partially rebuilt, and most urgent matters had been resolved, allowing the ducal family to recover part of its status.

Miriela found herself completely destabilized and had to be sent to her family to recover, and the other servants were not in any condition to return to work either.

Although the bad news was unceasing, at least lately, there was one piece of good news.

“Really…?”

Leigh, the second son of Duke Duplain, who had been in a coma, had awakened.

Leigh had been on the verge of death after being struck by dark magic and subdued by Dereck.

His short hair had grown a bit, and along with his unkempt beard, his eyes—once clear—were no longer the same.

Even so, his robust physique had not changed, and the simple fact of standing before him still conveyed a strange sense of intimidation.

“Father and brother… ended up like that… Aiselin went to the North to make money… Damn it… damn it…!”

Despite the pain racking his body, Leigh sat up in bed with an expression of anguish.

“You must have gone through so much while I was lying in this bed, Diella. Forgive this useless man.”

“I’m fine. I was just running from one side to the other, bowing left and right. If anyone had a hard time, it was my sister Aiselin…”

“Aiselin… Yes, she must have had a very hard time too. She must have been running from one place to another as if she were on fire, trying to hold this shattered family together… Ugh…”

Leigh held back his tears and took a deep breath.

“A girl who lived her whole life protected in a noble family, suddenly thrown into such a harsh reality… I can’t even imagine how desperate and difficult it must have been for her… And I, knowing nothing, lying here in bed…”

He imagined Aiselin sweating while working in the fields and gazing at the blue sky with an expression of satisfaction.

Diella, observing him in silence while he blamed himself over and over, looked away awkwardly.

It was true that Aiselin had a hard time, but from Diella’s perspective, there was something strangely appropriate about her.

It sounded strange, but… Aiselin seemed to have a gift for being a fallen noblewoman.

Even so, saying “It’s fine, don’t worry” sounded too insensitive. Diella had to choose her words carefully.

“Forgive this dishonorable second son! Incapable of correcting my brother, I was dragged along and fell into dark magic… I lost consciousness and made my sisters suffer at the most critical moment…!”

“It’s okay. Concentrate on recovering, brother. In any case, the Duplain family is in a situation where everyone is needed.”

Leigh was the only male son among the direct descendants of the late Duke Duplain.

Given that he was the most likely heir to the headship of the family, his recovery had to be the highest priority.

However, Leigh, with a somber look in his eyes, lowered his head and said:

“How could I dare call myself the lord of the Duplain estate…? Who would follow someone who lost consciousness at the most crucial moment?”

“…”

The right thing would have been to flatly deny those words, but the truth was that while Leigh was bedridden, the other servants sought guidance from Diella or Aiselin.

Leigh himself had lost confidence, so it was not clear if he had the necessary spirit to lead the family.

The situation was becoming increasingly difficult. Diella let out a deep sigh.

*«The Duplain family really needs sister Aiselin…»*

Only a few weeks had passed since Aiselin left for the North, but she could only hope she would return soon.

*Creak.*

In that moment—

In the midst of that somewhat somber atmosphere, the head of the maids, Katarina, entered with a letter in her hand.

When Diella looked at her, Katarina gave a deep bow and said:

“A letter has arrived from the Duchy of Rochester, in the North.”

It was an unexpected message.

***

The following day, as Siern was returning to the tower after finishing her meal, she encountered Dereck.

Dereck, dressed in his neat mercenary attire, was walking down the hallway from the opposite direction, his cape fluttering in the wind.

As always, he had an imposing appearance, but upon closer inspection, it could be seen that he was bandaged in several parts of his body. It was all Siern’s work.

“Ugh…”

Siern, who was walking with the help of her servants, shuddered and stepped back.

Only one day had passed since the incident in the mansion’s garden.

Although she had already been informed of Dereck’s intentions, she couldn’t help but feel uncomfortable.

The image of Dereck advancing through the snowy field with a chilling gaze still lingered in her mind like a nightmare.

For Siern, Dereck was a difficult and intimidating presence.

“…”

Dereck, who approached Siern, gave a slight bow as a greeting.

Siern stepped back in surprise, but Dereck showed no other reaction.

“D-D-Dereck… right?”

“I apologize for yesterday. Lady Aiselin has already explained the situation to me, so I have no more excuses.”

Siern felt dizzy. The image of a demon-hunting killing machine had vanished, replaced by that of a robust man who politely observed the norms of the nobility.

She found it hard to believe they were the same person; she had to rub her eyes several times to make sure.

“You have every right to be upset. But please understand that it was necessary.”

“N-no… it’s not that… it’s not that…”

Dereck, as if to show he was listening, silently observed Siern’s face.

Even that made her feel suffocated.

In any case, Siern held the upper hand in the conversation. No matter how intimidating Dereck was, a commoner was still a commoner.

He couldn’t be harsh with the Duke’s daughter, so if Siern wanted to scold him, she could. If she wanted to praise him, she could do that too.

However, Siern could not act freely. She felt like prey in front of a predator.

“…”

Siern took a deep breath and looked at Dereck. Then she noticed the wounds still on his body.

They were marks of having endured all her magic to make her regain her sanity. The head of the servants had treated them a bit, but they couldn’t have healed completely in such a short time.

Seeing those wounds made it impossible for Siern to feel at ease.

“I, I…”

“…?”

“I’m sorry… I think… but at the same time, I’m not…”

“…”

Dereck looked at Siern with a bewildered expression.

“If it’s too difficult, you don’t have to apologize. Truly, I don’t mind.”

“…I’m sorry.”

“…”

“You already know… I can’t even pretend to be human. Even now, I might try to kill you again someday.”

Siern spoke while looking at the ground.

“If you want to teach me, you have to be stronger than me. That’s why I don’t accept just anyone as a teacher.”

— *I heard you are going to teach me magic.*

— *Then you have to be stronger than me?*

Dereck suddenly remembered the day he drove the wagon north to the Rochester territory, when Siern threw the corpse of a monster at him and attacked him.

Now that he had seen Siern lose her sanity once, he understood. Back then, she still retained her reason.

And yet, she attacked him.

For no reason at all, she lashed out at the one who had come to teach her, scared him, and drove him away.

Perhaps it wasn’t the childish arrogance of a noble, but something else. Something she had learned from countless experiences: that if someone insecure tried to teach her something, they would end up stained in blood.

So she drove them away with threats right at the gate of the estate.

Perhaps it was the conclusion she reached by resisting her nature in her own way. Trying to explain it with words would be useless.

That girl, sitting alone at the top of the tower, silently contemplating the snowy landscape, knew no other reality. That wasteland was a place ruled by savage laws, where only the logic of force prevailed.

That is why Dereck looked her straight in the eyes and spoke. She needed security, so he did not hesitate for a second.

“Don’t worry. I am stronger than Lady Siern.”

“For now, yes.”

Siern also stared back at him. The meaning of that brief response was deeper than it seemed.

The blood of Noir running through Siern’s veins made it impossible to predict what she would become.

Dereck had been born with extraordinary magical talent, blessed by the heavens, but it was not clear if that could overcome the potential of the great monster Noir, which ravaged the North.

Someday, if Siern, at full speed, were to surpass Dereck and stain her hands with his blood… it would leave a much deeper wound in her heart.

That was what she feared. Not the world, nor some indescribable evil.

She feared herself.

That is why Dereck crouched down a bit, looked her in the eyes, and gave her a firmer sign of security.

“Lady Siern will never be stronger than me. So don’t waste your time worrying.”

It was a statement without foundation, but in Dereck’s eyes, there was no room for doubt.

Who worries about gaining muscle before even starting to train? Let’s face reality!

“…Now I feel a little bad.”

“It’s the same as worrying about being pretty before buying cosmetics, or about becoming a great mage before learning magic. Honestly, isn’t it a bit funny?”

“Hey! You’re only saying that to make me feel bad!”

“All learning begins with objectivity. I am simply trying to help you achieve it.”

Dereck’s words were biting, but he always said only what he believed to be true. That was one of the reasons why high-ranking nobles trusted him: he never uttered empty words.

“If you are afraid of killing me, it’s a useless worry, so let it be. I will always be stronger than Lady Siern.”

At that reaffirmation, Siern was left speechless. That was Dereck.

Feeling the weight of that reality, Siern had no choice but to relax and nod with a resigned expression.

It was something truly strange.

“Then I suppose we will start training tomorrow.”

“Well… I understand… but is there anything I should prepare?”

A vast training plan unfolded in Dereck’s mind.

As for the intensity of the training… there were no words to describe it. Only those who had lived through it could understand it.

If Diella, Ellen, or Denise had been there, perhaps they would have given her some hint, but unfortunately, this was the Rochester estate, isolated on the northern frontier.

“Nothing in particular. Don’t worry.”

Seeing the gleam of confidence in Dereck’s eyes, Siern responded with certainty.

“Understood!”

That was her last testament.

***

*‘Eh… why did I get a chill…?’*

Ellen, who had just received a letter from a maid, felt a sudden chill as the hair on her arms stood up. Her bright red hair also shook slightly.

It was probably because she saw Dereck’s name written in the letter.

Although Ellen fully recognized Dereck’s skills, she still felt a chill every time she remembered his lessons.

Despite being a reliable person, Dereck’s syllabus had the power to push anyone to the limit.

Even the exceptional Ellen couldn’t help but turn pale at his instructions.

“Are you cold? Should I ask the maids to add more wood?”

“Oh, no, it’s fine. There’s nothing to worry about regarding me.”

Ellen brushed off the maid’s concern and focused back on the letter.

Since it came from the Duchy of Rochester in the North, she thought perhaps it was from Dereck. She had heard that he had gone to the North.

However, to her surprise, the sender was Lord Melverot, lord of the Duchy of Rochester.

Receiving a letter directly from one of the great mages of this era was something exceptional.

*They say six-star mages are all unpredictable… and I guess it’s true.*

Drest, the wanderer of the southwestern continent.

Melverot, the guardian of the North.

Kohella, the magic counselor of the central continent.

Each had a strong and unique personality, which made them difficult to control, but even so, it was worth establishing relationships with them.

Thus, determined to respond with the utmost courtesy, Ellen opened the letter… and found something totally unexpected.

“…”

After reading the entire letter, Ellen set it aside and sank into deep thought, resting her chin on her hand.

The letter proposed granting Dereck an estate with a vineyard in the Rodelen region and awarding him the title of Baron.

In fact, the granting of a title was a matter for high nobility, but the procedure was not simple.

Although small in scale, the territory of Rodelen still belonged to the southwestern continent.

Before persuading the central nobility and the imperial family to grant the title to Dereck, it was necessary to obtain the consent of the powerful nobles of the southwest who would border the territory.

And the influential figures of the southwest were already well established: Duplain, Belmierd, and Beltus.

Lately, Duplain’s power had diminished considerably, making them less relevant.

Even if they had wanted to oppose it, they likely lacked the means, and knowing the personality of the Duplain family, it didn’t seem anyone would particularly oppose Dereck receiving a title.

Belmierd didn’t pose any major problem either.

The Margrave of Belmierd had already delegated much of his authority to Ellen and was cultivating her administrative skills. She could make decisions on such matters independently.

Furthermore, the Margrave of Belmierd also held Dereck’s skills in high regard, so even if the decision fell to him, it is likely the outcome would not change.

*«Lord Melverot would be surprised by how well things are turning out.»*

Dereck’s disciples were already scattered throughout the southwestern continent.

Although Dereck might have seen them simply as useful contacts during his time as a teacher, if he had truly started getting involved in aristocratic circles, he would have deeply noticed the difference.

However, what worried Ellen was the Beltus family.

“Mmm…”

The Grand Duke of Beltus was very cautious and distrusted other nobles.

No matter how small or remote the land, he was reluctant to allow a new power to take root in the southwest.

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However, there was a positive aspect: Denise, a disciple of Dereck, belonged to the Beltus family.

If she came forward to persuade the Grand Duke, the situation could change… but the problem was that, unlike Aiselin or Ellen, her position within her family was not very important.

*«Lady Denise is an intelligent person, so she will surely express her opinion in some way…»*

In any case, the Beltus side was a problem Ellen couldn’t solve. She could only hope to count on their support.

Ellen put the letter away in the drawer.

“It’s almost breakfast time. Do you want the servants to prepare the food?”

“No, I want to go out early today. I want to check the situation at the Rose Hall.”

“Understood.”

Dereck had left for the North, Aiselin was absent, Duplain was in shock, and the labyrinth of the White Zone was a chaos.

Even so, the world kept turning. The situation always changes, and those who adapt survive.

The social circles of Ebelstein were also returning to their usual coldness, as if nothing had happened. If a noblewoman fell behind, she would have nowhere to lean.

Ellen thought as she adjusted her clothes.

*‘By the way, is Dereck really teaching that famous Lady Siern?’*

Given that there was no bad news, perhaps he had actually managed to tame that lunatic, Lady Siern.

If that were the case, would it mean she would debut in high society? Ellen couldn’t imagine such a scene.

However, rumors said her magical talent was unparalleled among her peers.

That almost unfair talent, inherited directly from Noir, was something other families couldn’t comprehend.

For that reason, Ellen couldn’t help but be somewhat skeptical regarding her magical abilities.

She thought the rumors might be somewhat exaggerated. Handling 3-star magic at such a young age was a talent incomparable to that of other noble ladies.

If someone like that claimed to be Dereck’s disciple and entered high society, it was impossible to predict how it would revolutionize things.

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*‘It’s a bad habit. I always end up imagining unnecessary things.’*

Ellen let out a giggle, stood up, and walked down the hallway with the help of her maid.

In any case, it was time to focus on the Rose Hall.

With the absence of Duplain, the tiger of the mountain, the social circles of Ebelstein were in chaos.

If she didn’t stay alert, she would be the next one left behind.