Chapter 85

Chapter 85
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## Chapter 85

The original purpose of debuting in high society was to foster cultural, artistic, and magical exchanges with people of high status, as well as to cultivate and refine oneself.

However, those were merely superficial reasons. The true reason young women gathered in one place to showcase their beauty and fine manners was, in many cases, to secure a good marriage proposal.

Especially in the case of lower-ranking nobles or those with ambiguous status, the sole intention was to capture a good nobleman and achieve social advancement.

These individuals focused more on attending balls and banquets to network with the nobility than on debating philosophical discourses or honing their magical skills in cultural centers.

If they managed to catch the eye of a man from a ducal family and marry him, it meant a radical change in their lives; thus, families often pressured their daughters in various ways. That was, in essence, the logic of social circles.

Between high-ranking territorial nobles and lower-ranking nobles, there existed an unbridgeable gap.

There were practically no marriage proposals between the two social strata, so the gaze of powerful nobles naturally turned to the elite of the Ebelstein social circle, rather than to the lower-ranking noble ladies obsessed with marriage.

Those at the top were clearly defined.

They were Aiselin de Duplain, Ellen de Belmierd, and Denise de Beltus.

If someone managed to marry one of the three, even a peripheral noble of little importance could rapidly rise to power.

For this reason, from frontier nobles to influential lords, they often wrote passionate letters or sent fresh and expensive flowers as gifts to the three members of the Rosea Salon to make a good impression.

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The competition was so fierce that the daily routine of a designated maid began with the task of collecting letters filled with flirtatious words and organizing the flowers that arrived at the mansion’s entrance to plant them in the garden.

That is the volume of marriage proposals that rained down upon the daughters of powerful families.

In the Ebelstein social circle, there were also many daughters of lower-ranking nobles who were obsessed with receiving a marriage proposal.

And once one reached the level of being among the top three of the Rose Salon, countless nobles directed seductive glances toward her. Knowing this, it was not difficult to predict what would come next.

“The Duplain family is no longer worthy of being at the top of the Rose Salon.”

Denise thought that, finally, the inevitable had arrived. This was said during a late-afternoon meeting at the Elfontaine Salon.

When the Duplain name stood at the top, such words would have been considered blasphemy, but none of the young women present at the salon meeting could refute it.

The story of the Duplain family’s decline had long since ceased to be a mere rumor and had become a known fact.

It was common knowledge that Aiselin had gone north to earn money and that Diella was going door-to-door asking for loans.

They had lost all the dignity that a prominent noble family should possess.

Even if a wealthy family falls into disgrace, it is said that their fall lasts for three generations, but at least in noble society, where justification and dignity reign, they could no longer raise their voices.

Therefore, it was considered absurd for the Duplain family to retain one of the three coveted positions in the Rose Salon.

“So, I believe we should choose someone to occupy that position in place of the Duplain family.”

Ellen, who was sitting quietly by the refreshment table, frowned, and Denise, listening from the other end, also sighed.

The speaker was Trisha, daughter of Viscount Renouel.

Her beautiful wavy hair was charming, but her occasional freckles slightly ruined her elegant aura.

She was a person with a strong desire to climb the social ladder by securing a good marriage proposal, rather than dedicating herself to studies or personal development.

“It is a predictable story even without having heard it.”

Denise felt she could understand Trisha’s intentions without needing her to finish speaking.

She wanted to remove Duplain from the podium and occupy that spot herself. The motive was more than evident.

Denise was already fed up with the young ladies who only thought about getting married.

They believed that Aiselin, Ellen, and Denise had reached their positions solely thanks to the prestige of their families.

They thought that if they managed to displace Duplain and leverage the prestige of their own family, they too could ascend to a position where they would receive the flirtatious attention of all the nobles.

“Is there anyone who disagrees with me?”

Trisha, standing on the podium with her hands on her hips, wore a triumphant expression.

Viscount Renouel, who stood behind her, held considerable influence despite his rank.

If Duplain lost, one of the three families—Renouel, Pellobel, or Logwalz—would take its place. She seemed more than ready to participate in that competition.

*‘None of them compare to Belmierd or Beltus in power, but Duplain’s fall seems inevitable.’*

Denise observed the situation with her arms crossed. Looking at Ellen, she realized she was thinking the same thing.

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Ultimately, noble decisions were primarily influenced by the struggle for justification.

“…No, one of you will oppose it.”

When Trisha said that, all eyes turned toward a corner.

Diella, who was sitting at the back of the meeting room drinking black tea, received their gazes.

*‘…So that’s how they want to play it.’*

Diella set down her tea and stared fixedly at the podium in silence for a moment.

Everyone who knew her personality swallowed nervously.

As Dereck’s first disciple and the youngest of the Duplain family, she was known for her explosive temperament.

If something displeased her, she did not hesitate to lash out; an example of this was her outburst against Denise of the Beltus family, the treasure of that house.

But that had only been possible thanks to the Duplain surname.

Although she was still a noble lady, in a family struggling to pay its servants’ wages, she could no longer exhibit the same grandeur as before.

“What an interesting statement, Lady Trisha. You speak as if you see the Duplain family as a toothless tiger.”

“And is it not so?”

The tone was openly defiant. Some young women, who still feared Diella, held their breath.

But Trisha simply crossed her arms and smiled arrogantly.

“History takes its course. If the time has come to disappear in silence, then let them disappear in silence.”

“Even if the family of Lord Marcus, Viscount of Renouel, is considered powerful, I wonder if that authority is sufficient to disrespect a ducal family.”

Rumors had been circulating for some time that the family of Viscount Renouel would receive more extensive territory in the capital.

Duplain was a falling star and Renouel a rising sun. Everyone present knew it.

But Diella was still Diella.

She wouldn’t cause a scene by using magic recklessly in the middle of the meeting, but she wouldn’t sit idly by either.

Sitting with her arms crossed in that tense atmosphere, Diella looked up and said:

“Well, there is nothing wrong with what you say.”

“…!?”

Everyone present was internally stunned.

Even Trisha, who had launched openly hostile attacks, seemed surprised. She had come to the meeting expecting Diella to speak out on the matter.

But Diella spoke calmly, with a measured tone.

“I acknowledge that the Duplain name no longer carries the weight it once did. However, considering it a toothless tiger may be nothing more than Lady Trisha’s arrogance.”

Diella stood up with her hands resting on the table and her eyes shining.

“If Duplain regains power, be prepared: they might bite your arm off.”

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“…”

“Remember that the name Renouel, Viscount of Renouel, has been etched into the memory of me, Diella Katherine Duplain.”

Even while admitting the decline of her authority, the young lioness raised her head with a strength bordering on murderous violence.

Although everyone knew Duplain was faltering, witnessing Diella made it seem as if the wounded lion would one day stand up and bite the neck of Viscount Renouel.

What strength remained for a noble family whose head had died, had no legitimate successor, and had lost almost all its lands and privileges?

Even so, seeing Diella made me feel that the wounded lion might one day rise again.

Trisha, who had tried to mock her, swallowed hard at Diella’s spirit.

A single drop of cold sweat slid down her cheek—the final touch for that moment.

*Click.*

Crossing the main door of the Elfontaine Salon, Diella looked up at the sky, where the sun had already risen.

While twisting the ends of her blonde hair uncomfortably, the young women surrounding her swallowed nervously and backed away.

“Sigh…”

Sighing as if lamenting something, Diella shielded her eyes from the sun with her fingers and murmured softly.

*What a disaster! And all this is happening while my sister is away…*

Aiselin, who had departed for the north with Dereck, would soon return.

When she returned to Ebelstein and saw that there was no longer a seat for her at the top of the Rose Salon, what would she think? From Diella’s perspective, it was a deeply uncomfortable situation.

*‘I… also miss Dereck…’*

Diella felt completely alone.

There was much to be done, no clear path forward, and the situation only grew worse.

This incident would not benefit Dereck either.

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The three people at the top of the Rose Salon were disciples of Dereck or were linked to him.

However, if Duplain were to step down from that position, whoever replaced her would likely have no relationship with Dereck.

“The odds of someone favorable to Dereck sitting there are extremely low…”

To occupy the position left by Duplain required not only family prestige but also an exceptionally outstanding quality.

At least in Ebelstein’s current social circle, there were not many families capable of aspiring to that position.

If Lady Trisha actually occupied that position, it would be impossible to know what impact that would have on Dereck.

It was a moment fraught with bad news.

***

“Yesterday, Lady Siern called me ‘Sister Aiselin’ again. It was the eighth time. Now she calls me sister naturally, and I don’t know… my heart is overflowing… Is this romance…?”

As for Aiselin, she already had that “stray cat collector” air, and she felt a pang of excitement at earning the trust of the lost Siern.

The next morning, she went to find Dereck and boasted so enthusiastically that Dereck, still half-asleep, scratched his messy hair and sighed.

“Ah… I arrived too early, didn’t I? I wanted to show it to someone… but there is no one else but you, Lord Dereck…”

“No, it’s fine. I had to get up anyway and wanted to go over the schedule.”

Dereck shook his head, opened the door to his private room, invited Aiselin in, and stretched.

He sat across from Aiselin, who had already settled at the table, and, as expected, served tea.

“Let’s go back to Ebelstein next week.”

“…Really?”

“Yes. Lady Siern hasn’t attacked anyone with her murderous intent in the last few weeks, right? Once she controls it to a certain extent, there won’t be many more magical instructions to give her.”

Since Dereck was not particularly good at preparing tea, Aiselin, as expected, took out the teapot and began serving herself.

In fact, she could have asked a maid to do it, but since becoming a disgraced noble, Aiselin had taken many responsibilities upon herself.

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From the perspective of a commoner without a title, it was quite uncomfortable, and Dereck had told her so many times, but Aiselin did not mind.

“If we want Lady Siern to debut in the Ebelstein social circles, we first have to take her there.”

“Even so, if the Noir blood goes out of control again, it could become a serious problem.”

“We simply have to stay alert. Luckily, I am a mercenary stationed in Ebelstein, and you, Lady Aiselin, frequent those circles, so you can keep watch.”

Dereck sat across from her, shaking out his clothes and smoothing his messy hair with his fingers. Seeing this, Aiselin burst out laughing.

“Is something wrong?”

“No. It’s just that usually you are so impeccable, Dereck, but seeing you relaxed like this is refreshing.”

“Due to my job, I often deal with nobles, so I have no other choice. When I work as a mercenary, I’m even more disheveled than now.”

When he and Pheline went hunting for days, they often didn’t wash or change their clothes.

In fact, this level of dishevelment couldn’t even be considered “dirty.”

“If Duplain’s prestige were still intact, you wouldn’t dare address me with such familiarity, Dereck.”

“Even now, I try to show you the due respect your nobility deserves. I do not adapt my attitude based on a family’s prestige.”

“Honestly, I feel I’ve become very close to you, Dereck. Unconsciously, the difference between our statuses has narrowed compared to before, and it shows in everything.”

“If I have been disrespectful, I apologize.”

“No, on the contrary, I like it. Sometimes, a fall can be beneficial in that sense.”

It might be too optimistic a view, but maintaining that attitude even in small matters proves beneficial in a precarious situation.

Dereck nodded slightly at Aiselin’s words.

“I cannot deny your words, Dereck. One does not change their attitude for family prestige, but… hmm… there is no guarantee that the people of the Rose Salon will do the same.”

“What do you mean?”

“You said we should return to Ebelstein, right? If we do… there is a high chance that my seat at the top of the Rose Salon will no longer belong to me.”

At those words, Dereck fell silent for a moment. For a noble lady, being demoted and expelled from the top is a shocking event.

The loss of status weighs much heavier than the joy of promotion. That is how the world works; loss always hurts more.

“Who do you think will occupy that spot?”

The people present in the salon would make the decision after considering the family’s prestige, their magical achievements, their culture, and their dignity.

“At this point, I think it could be Lady Trisha of the Viscount Renouel family or Lady Prim of the Count Pelobel family… but, well, who knows.”

“Oh, really?”

“Yes. Soon, someone like a storm will debut in the Ebelstein social circles.”

“…”

Those words were undeniably true.

Dereck’s new disciple, Siern Alaina Rochester, was none other than the daughter of Lord Melverot.

She was the young lady of the Rochester ducal family, capable of handling three-star magic at such a young age, and she had received direct cultural education from Aiselin.

While wandering the snowy plains, it wasn’t noticeable, but dressed in a pretty ruffled dress and sitting modestly, she looked like a beautiful and delicate porcelain doll.

Although the single white lock falling over her forehead gave her a somewhat melancholy look, it could be said that practically no one could equal her overall.

Over the past month, Dereck and Aiselin had worked tirelessly to make her a suitable person, and most of her flaws had already been corrected.

If she were to occupy the top position in the Rose Salon, she would support Duplain and Dereck more than anyone.

“However, sometimes I feel a… strange sensation…”

“Really?”

Aiselin, who spent much time with Siern, had had many emotional exchanges with her.

But sometimes, when she looked at Siern, she felt an inexplicable chill or her skin crawled.

Siern was human. Aiselin affirmed this with more conviction than anyone. However, sometimes when talking to Siern, human logic and reason did not apply.

On one occasion, while bathing together, Siern said something strange while in Aiselin’s arms.

— Sister Aiselin. What is your relationship with Dereck, the magic teacher?

— Me? Well… we know each other from the same social circles…

— Really…?

— Yes, of course… Why? Are you curious about Dereck?

— Yes… He is quite popular in the Ebelstein social circles… I’m worried he won’t pay enough attention to my condition or my magic when we return…

— Oh, you don’t have to worry about that. Dereck is a very responsible person.

Although Aiselin tried to reassure her, Siern, while blowing bubbles, spoke with a displeased expression.

— But I’d actually prefer it if he only cared about me… What should I do to make that happen…?

— Is there even a way? You just have to work hard… and follow the classes, isn’t that enough?

— I can’t help but feel uncomfortable. There are more… secure methods, you know? Like locking him in a tower… or tying him up…

— Do you really think such… terrifying things?

— No, it’s just a joke… Besides, I practically already live locked in a tower…

The mere fact that she said something like that so naturally was enough to cause chills.

In any case, judging by her appearance, she was a charming and adorable girl. It was just that her way of thinking had become somewhat uncontrolled due to the confinement she suffered during her stormy adolescence.

Aiselin didn’t give it much importance, but upon returning to Dereck, she again felt an indefinable unease.

“Dereck…”

“Yes?”

“Just in case… be careful.”

“…?”

Dereck could only look at Aiselin with a puzzled expression as he took a sip of tea.

***

“Yes. Before her social debut, it wouldn’t be bad to show Siern the noble circles of Ebelstein. Allow her to accompany you.”

As always, Lord Melverot didn’t even bother to look at those under his command.

Without even looking at them, he simply stared at the landscape through the window, maintaining his arrogant posture, paying hardly any attention.

Aiselin and Dereck reported on Siern’s status and confirmed that her conditions were sufficient for her to accompany them to Ebelstein.

There were still some dangerous aspects, but they were manageable if both parties were careful.

“If Lady Siern debuts in the Ebelstein social circles, it will be like a great storm, attracting a great deal of attention. Lady Siern deserves it.”

“It’s fine to praise her, but attention isn’t always favorable.”

“That… is true, but…”

Aiselin, well aware of the somber atmosphere reigning in the Ebelstein social circles, could not refute Melverot’s words.

“On the way back, pass through the territory of Rodelen. You can take a quick look if you cross the lands of the Duke of Beltus.”

The Rodelen territory was the land that would belong to Dereck if he were granted a title of ownership.

It was so small it was almost embarrassing to call it a “territory,” and most of it was vineyards, so there wasn’t much to see except delicious wine.

Even so, it would be the place he would lead if he were granted a title.

“I’ve heard there is a mansion, but it is old and dilapidated, so it’s not much. Simply be grateful it exists.”

“I am grateful.”

“I have informed the territorial management staff of your appointment, so there should be no major problems with the handover. However, the problem lies in the granting of the title itself.”

Melverot, resting his chin on his hand and crossing his legs, sighed deeply as if he had a headache.

“I expected a lukewarm response from the central nobility, but the Grand Duke of Beltus, in the southwest of the continent, has voiced his opposition.”

It was not expected that Duplain or Belmierd would oppose granting a title to Dereck, but Beltus was completely different.

Mainly because the territory of Rodelen, where Dereck would settle, bordered the lands of the Duke of Beltus. It was inevitable that they would react with greater sensitivity than other families.

“This is a problem I must solve myself, so do not worry too much. However, there is another matter that you two must resolve.”

“What is it?”

“The fact that you are an orphan.”

Melverot dropped the sentence coldly.

It was a direct comment that startled Aiselin, but Dereck did not flinch. It was an evident truth.

“If you want to receive a title and claim to be the head of a noble house, you must have a family and a house. However, you are only known as Dereck, with no surname to represent you. Furthermore, you have no connection to any family.”

“Is the problem of receiving the title that serious?”

“Of course it is. If the formal requirements are not met, the process cannot continue, right?”

Whatever they say, this is an era of lineages. The existence or absence of a family was an essential criterion for determining eligibility for a title.

If one wanted to take into account magical lineage, political stability, succession of duties, economic base, education, reliability, and reputation, in the end, one had to examine the family the person belonged to.

For this reason, for an orphan like Dereck, entering the closed aristocratic society was like reaching for the stars.

“Even if they aren’t too strict when granting a minor barony on the outskirts, you still have to meet the minimum requirements.”

“Then, can I choose my own surname?”

“That is not enough.”

Aiselin thought Siern’s social debut would be a bomb for Ebelstein.

But the reality was even bigger.

An even larger bomb was about to explode in the Ebelstein social circles.

“Find a suitable partner. Even if only for formality, form a community and prove that you belong to it.”

That was the marriage proposal for Dereck.

Aiselin’s eyes opened wide like full moons upon hearing the conversation between the two.

Looking at Dereck, who was sweating profusely, he also seemed lost in thought, with his chin resting on his hand.

“…”

It was the first time in her life Aiselin had seen Dereck sweat.

She could not foresee what would happen if this news reached Ebelstein’s ears.

Unfortunately, their departure was scheduled for next week.