Chapter 89

Chapter 89
## Chapter 89

Those who had been Dereck’s students knew it well.

The young noblewomen who were his disciples not only improved their magic skills but also developed a peculiar tendency to be more direct in their thinking and behavior.

It was evident they had been influenced by Dereck, a former mercenary of tough character, yet they never went so far as to ignore the basic etiquette rooted in noble society.

However, Diella was not bound by such things.

She had been the first to receive lessons from Dereck—the girl most influenced by him, learning to suppress her personal feelings for the greater good—but she did not hold back when it came to her sister, Aiselin.

If someone struck her, she struck back twofold. She would pounce, crush, bite ears, and gouge eyes to ensure they never dared to do it again.

That was her style.

“With the achievements of the Viscounty of Renouel on the rise, you think it’s all your merit, don’t you? You think you’ll be promoted soon and the whole world will bow to you, right?”

“Ah!”

She lifted her skirt and stomped on Lady Trisha’s chest with her boot, looking down at her with the eyes of a beast.

Trisha was a girl who excelled at suppressing others in an insidious and subtle way.

She was an expert at evading consequences by claiming it was an accident or that she had no such intentions, all while undermining the other person’s self-esteem.

At least in noble circles, where grace and dignity were fundamental, such tactics could prove useful.

But this time, her opponent was the wrong one.

Diella knew it.

Living in the luxurious world of the nobility, it was common to forget that one could be attacked at any moment.

Those who did not understand this cold and logical fact—who became obsessed with superficial authority and crossed the line—had to be trampled upon to be brought to their senses.

Those who have received blows know how to strike well, and Diella knew exactly when to pounce and shatter her opponent’s psyche.

When she was convinced her opponent believed themselves untouchable, when their arrogance reached its peak… that was the moment to crush them into the ground and make them see reality.

“That’s why you can’t do it.”

*Slap!*

When she delivered another slap to Trisha’s cheek, the latter finally reacted, clenching her teeth as she stood up.

She grabbed Diella’s hair, casting aside all dignity, and screamed as she lunged at her.

“What… what are you doing?! Aaah!”

“Let go of me! Let go!”

She pushed Diella, snarling in fury, but Diella kicked her in the lower abdomen with her boot.

*Crash!*

Trisha fell to the ground again but did not let go of Diella’s hair.

Diella, also dragged down, bit Trisha’s wrist with her teeth.

“Aaah!”

Trisha screamed and released her hand. Diella stood up and tried to grab her by the neck again.

In that instant, the alarmed servants came running in and grabbed Diella’s arms to stop her. If she were seriously injured, no one would escape unscathed.

*Bang! Crash!*

“Lady Diella! Please, calm down!”

“Let go of me! Let go! That’s an order!”

Diella, growling and never breaking her gaze from Trisha, was restrained by the servants.

Seeing her like this, Trisha slowly sat up, panting. Her hair was half-undone and soaked in sweat. Her pupils were trembling—a mixture of confusion and fear.

“W-what is this…? No matter what happens, this is so undignified…!”

“Dignity? Sure. I don’t give a damn about dignity or whatever if someone touches my ‘inverted scale.’ But do you think *you* have dignity?”

Diella looked at Aiselin, who was too shocked to speak.

Drops of tea were still trickling down her cheek. Seeing that, Diella’s rage resurfaced, and she spoke with a cold voice.

“Instead of attacking people behind their backs and conspiring, it is much more dignified to give them a slap. Talking about dignity while being a hypocrite is ridiculous.”

“Do you think you’ll get away with this?”

“And if I don’t? Has the House of Renouel already been promoted?”

Trisha brushed off her clothes and stood up, regaining her composure.

“It seems you want me to be direct, so I won’t beat around the bush. You had better bow your head and apologize to me right now.”

After catching her breath, Trisha fixed her hair and looked on with wide eyes.

“At least within the Rose Salon, I can easily expel Duplain.”

Trisha glared at Diella.

The current secular power might place the Duplain family well above the Renouels, but everyone knew that gap would soon be reversed.

High society’s attention was not focused on explicit titles, but on who held the true power.

The ladies of the Rose Salon watched Trisha. Perhaps some still sympathized with Aiselin’s character, but no one would side with the reckless Diella.

And once one earned a bad reputation in high society, the bullying that followed was indescribably insidious.

Aiselin, who had experienced that ostracism firsthand, knew it better than anyone.

It was a mistake to believe that all the ladies of the three great families were open-minded and fair.

People follow power and authority more than you think.

Especially the lower-ranking nobles, whose thirst for power and social climbing made them easily influenced.

“Even so, Lady Diella is young and inexperienced, so her mistakes are understandable. We could interpret her hasty decision as an act of love for her family. However, an apology is necessary.”

“Do you want to die? If you keep talking nonsense, you won’t be walking home today.”

“I didn’t expect much from Lady Diella. But you, Lady Aiselin, should be ashamed of your only sister’s mistake.”

All eyes turned to Aiselin.

Denise, who had been observing the situation while fiddling with her dress, frowned.

Trisha seemed to have calculated perfectly how to handle the situation. She thought that pressuring the gentler Aiselin would be much more effective.

“Lady Aiselin, you know how hard it is to be excluded by the salon ladies in this cold social world. I know it, so I want to forgive Lady Diella’s rudeness as much as possible.”

From the beginning, Trisha only wanted one thing: to crush Aiselin and ensure she never interfered in her social climb again.

The message was clear: bow your head and apologize, and I’ll let it go.

Aiselin, who always tried to resolve things peacefully and quietly, would surely surrender soon. Trisha had already made up her mind about her.

“Aiselin, sister! Stay still! We didn’t come to Ebelstein to worry about what the Rose Salon thinks! Don’t lower your head!”

She was of the same blood as Diella, but she had a completely opposite personality.

Thinking it would be easy to break her, Trisha smiled with satisfaction.

*Drip, drip, drip.*

Cold tea began to run down Lady Trisha’s hair.

Not only Aiselin’s white dress, but also Trisha’s navy blue skirt were stained with tea.

“What, what…?”

In that moment, Trisha locked eyes with Aiselin.

The gaze she directed from above while shaking the empty tea cup over Trisha’s head was frigid.

Her lips were tight, her eyes wide and furious… It was an expression no one had ever seen on Aiselin before.

Aiselin was furious to the core.

*Drip, drip, drip.*

“What, what is this…?”

“Do not cross the line, Lady Trisha.”

Though her voice was just as cold, it was different from Diella’s perpetually angry tone.

Aiselin, who always greeted everyone with a warm and kind expression, now seemed shockingly cold. Even Ellen and Denise opened their eyes wide, though this time for a very different reason.

She tried to maintain her dignity, even while soaked in tea.

Carefully, she placed the empty cup on the table and set it with the saucer to make cleaning easier for the servants.

“I am fully aware of the merits Viscount Renouel earned on the island of Rodentz. In the upcoming Imperial anniversary celebration, he will undoubtedly receive a higher title. On the other hand, our Duplain family is a fading star. I will not deny it.”

The way Aiselin spoke, as if refuting point by point, was so unusual that everyone present at the table swallowed hard.

“But that does not give you the right to threaten me using Diella’s condition as an excuse.”

“Ha…”

“The apology must come from Lady Trisha, not from me. If you do not, I will have no choice but to be angry.”

Though her tone was calm, there was an inexplicable pressure in her words.

The intensity of anger varies from person to person.

Aiselin, always positive and energetic, seemed to have her anger under control. Because of that, her fury had a weight that cut deeper than anyone else’s.

In that moment, Trisha should have backed down.

But she made the wrong decision, driven by her family’s growing prestige, the arrogance of the nobility, and her ambition to rise in the Rose Salon.

“You will regret this, Lady Aiselin. Don’t think you will continue to prosper in this Rose Salon. Like it or not, I will be the one to kick out Duplain and take your place.”

“…”

“When that happens, you will bow your head to the ground and beg for forgiveness for today’s disrespect. I already feel the pity I’ll have imagining how miserable you will look. That is how it will end for the daughter of a disgraced family.”

With that, Trisha let out a burst of laughter.

In any case, the minor nobles would side with Viscount Renouel’s family. Many had already convinced themselves.

The taste of power was sweet. Leading others, using them, having followers—all of it produced an irresistible pleasure in this noble’s heart.

Trisha was about to fix her disheveled clothes.

‘I can’t stay silent any longer.’

Just as Ellen was about to stand up and rebuke Trisha’s arrogance, someone else spoke. It was a voice she had never heard before.

“Is the weather here so good that everyone takes pride in unimportant things? It must be because the threat of death seems like a distant fairy tale to you.”

“…?”

“The fact that the land is rich and fertile doesn’t mean the people are always noble and good.”

Most of those present had not noticed the arrival of the new person.

She was an expert in transformation magic, capable of moving at extreme speeds with only a small amount of mana.

Only someone versed in detection magic—the natural enemy of transformation—could notice her presence. That was why only Denise noticed the girl’s sudden appearance.

*Swish!*

When Denise turned her head, the unknown figure was already sitting in the chair Trisha had occupied moments before.

She was small in stature, similar to Diella.

Although her face was hidden under a mage’s robe embroidered with gold thread, the shimmer of her dress through the fabric revealed it was beautiful and ornate.

“W-what? Who are you…?”

Trisha started and turned sharply upon seeing the girl suddenly sitting behind her.

The girl in the mage’s robe slowly raised her small hand and pulled back her hood. Her white hair fell like waves.

Her skin was like white jade, and her eyes as pale as the snowflakes of the North.

A lock of hair falling between her eyebrows gave her a slightly clumsy air, but even that was transformed into elegance thanks to her purity.

She looked like a finely dressed porcelain doll come to life.

However, the moment Denise recognized the girl’s face… she had no choice but to stand up with a serious expression.

It was a student Dereck had trained during his journey to the distant northern lands.

Since Denise was the first to learn of Dereck’s trip to the North, she couldn’t help but swallow hard.

“A… no… Lady Siern… why are you here…?”

“Do you know me?”

Siern had no interest in famous noble figures.

She had accompanied her father to some social gatherings on the outskirts, but she had no interest in other young noble ladies besides herself.

However, Siern’s bad reputation was already well known even in the southwest.

Her personality was vile and her arrogance had no limits. If something displeased her, she killed without hesitation.

Although the facts were not yet clear, at least the high nobility had heard of Siern’s atrocious nature.

Siern Alaina Rochester.

Hearing that name, the others present also froze.

It was rare for the girl, generally confined to the Rochester family tower in the northern continent, to appear in the noble district of Ebelstein.

“I finished checking the mansion, so I thought I’d come see sister Aiselin’s face…”

Her voice was youthful, but the tension it conveyed was intense.

She called her “sister Aiselin.” It seemed strange to refer to the daughter of a completely ruined family that way, but it didn’t seem odd to anyone.

Siern stood up slowly and, seeing Aiselin’s ruined state, narrowed her crescent-shaped eyes.

She approached Aiselin and, seeing her completely trashed, bit her lower lip.

At her side was Diella, still boiling with rage. To the left, Diella. To the right, Siern.

Just seeing that scene made one swallow hard. One wondered if there was anyone in the world capable of controlling those two girls, except for their teacher, Dereck.

However, surprisingly, the girl, soaked in tea and looking like a drowned rat, showed no sign of fear.

In fact, she seemed a bit confused. She didn’t expect Siern to suddenly intervene in this situation.

“Lady Siern… you said you were going to inspect the mansion where you will stay…”

“I finished earlier than expected, sister Aiselin. But even so…”

Siern turned her gaze toward Lady Trisha.

The murderous look in her eyes was not that of a simple troublemaker. It was the look of a lunatic who had already killed countless people.

At times, the intent to kill emanates an oppressive force, as if it had physical weight.

The rumors about Siern had already spread among the high nobility. And when Trisha felt that bloody intent coursing through her entire body, her legs almost gave out.

Siern’s magic level was already extraordinary. Her movements were impossible to follow.

Perceiving murderous intent is an instinct etched in the realm of the senses.

It is more like facing a giant bear alone in the middle of a snowstorm than standing before a strong lady in a refined social circle.

Suddenly, you close your eyes and when you open them you find yourself in the middle of a snowy field.

Red eyes glowing in the darkness, white breath rising with each shallow gasp.

The bright red flesh seen between the beast’s roaring fangs seems to symbolize your future.

“…”

While Trisha stuttered, not knowing what to say, Siern looked toward Aiselin and whispered.

The questions she asked were not the kind you would expect from someone kind or gentle, like asking if she was okay or telling her Trisha was mean.

“Should I kill her? Considering the location.”

There was no deep meaning or great intent behind those words. It was simply a direct expression.

It wasn’t a threat or an empty phrase. She was actually asking for permission.

If Aiselin shook her head, she would really do something. Trisha’s face went completely pale.

“Lady Siern, please, calm down. I’m fine. Surely Lady Trisha had her reasons. It’s hard to judge by appearances alone. That’s how social relationships are.”

Finally, Aiselin began to defend Trisha.

If Siern really lost her temper in anger, no one there could stop her unless they brought Dereck.

“L-Lady Trisha… right? It’s not that you really wanted to hurt me… it was just… a mistake… right?”

“Y-Yes…?”

“Eh? Yes?”

“Oh, really? Yes…”

Siern grabbed the edge of her robe and looked at Trisha again.

She watched her for a few seconds as she stuttered, and finally remembered the rules of etiquette Aiselin had taught her.

When she tilted her head due to her small stature, her messy hair swayed.

“Nice to meet you. I am Siern Alaina Rochester.”

It was just a simple greeting, but the words that followed struck Trisha like a lightning bolt.

“I believe that before spring ends, I will make my debut in Ebelstein’s social circle. We will see each other often.”

It was news that the young lady of the Rochester family, headed by the northern hero Melverot, would make her debut in Ebelstein’s social circle.

It was obvious she would enter the Rose Salon.

Trisha’s expression began to harden.

***

“Here, wear this for now.”

“…”

When Dereck handed her the ring, Pheline looked at it with an expression of revulsion.

It was like receiving an engagement ring from a brother she had been fighting with for years: she reacted as if she were breaking out in hives all over her body.

Of course, Dereck felt the same way, so he couldn’t say anything. It was evident he was trying hard to endure the discomfort washing over him.

“Dereck… When you give something like this, shouldn’t you say something romantic…?”

“Would you like that?”

“…Just imagining it made me dizzy.”

“Yes, you’re welcome…”

The tavern “Tears of Beldern.”

The two were sitting side by side at the counter. For anyone seeing them, it would have been hard to believe they were nobles in training.

*Thud.*

“A toast to celebrate. Take it! It makes me very happy that members I considered my own children are getting married and starting families.”

“…”

“…”

Jayden, who had served them Pheline’s favorite apple wine and mead, burst out laughing.

He knew perfectly well those two looked nothing like a couple, so the situation was hilarious to him.

Of course, Dereck and Pheline only stared at their drinks with expressions as if they were chewing sand.

“Relax a bit. Since you’re doing something necessary, try to approach it with a positive attitude.”

“Yeah… Anyway, I’ve finished all the preparations to receive the title… I should try to think positively.”

“Since you’ve expanded your contacts and caught the attention of many nobles, our Beldern Mercenary Company has benefited greatly. We have a lot of work and an endless supply of commissions from nobles… It’s a gold mine. I’ll never charge you for drinks, so remember that.”

Jayden would never abandon his materialistic nature.

Dereck, whose prestige grew day by day, was like a magnet for gold coins.

That’s why Jayden’s always cheerful laughter sounded even more lively lately.

Dereck also liked seeing that satisfied face, so he said nothing.

“By the way, the last time you brought those young noble ladies, and when the Duke of Belmierd came to look for you personally… Since you started associating with the nobility, more nobles have been coming to Tears of Beldern.”

“Well, most of the people I know are young nobles from the noble district…”

“Really? Recently a young noble came to drink… Don’t you know him?”

There’s more than one young noble out there.

Of course, nobles are easy to recognize, so Jayden couldn’t underestimate them.

“If they come to our tavern to drink, I assumed they must be related to you…”

“Well… Don’t you know his name?”

“No. But he always leaves an open tab, which is a nuisance. He has a strangely noble aura… It makes me wonder if he’s broke… And he seems to have high status, so I can’t treat him carelessly… It’s a dilemma.”

It was the first time he had heard of a noble who, instead of leaving a generous tip, left the bill unpaid.

Dereck scratched his head, trying to remember, but he didn’t know any noble who had come here and left unpaid tabs.

It was then, while he was sitting at the counter…

“Oh, what an insensitive owner. I always pay on time. *Hic*.”

When had he entered the tavern? Even Jayden, with his expert eye, shuddered. In that instant, he couldn’t help but feel something was wrong. Jayden was a mercenary who followed his instincts.

Weren’t they just gossiping about nobles?

Despite the awkward situation of eavesdropping, the man flopped down next to Dereck, swaying and with hiccups letting out cheerfully. He didn’t seem to care at all what Jayden had said.

With long red hair pulled back and a scruffy beard.

His clothes looked expensive, but his appearance was far from neat. Suddenly, he threw an arm over Dereck’s shoulder, took the mead in front of him, and toasted.

“*Hic*… I thought I was friends with the owner… How sad… Very sad…”

“Oh, I’m sorry. I’m just trying to survive day to day…”

“I’ve been gambling for seven years… I have a feeling I’ll strike it big soon. When that happens, I’ll pay all my debts and invite everyone, so cheer up! *Hic*…”

Then he downed the mead in one gulp and belched without even wiping the liquid from his lips.

“Oh… I’m getting drunk. It’s sweet but strong. Ladies would get drunk without realizing it. Wow, this is Ronen mead.”

“…”

“Ah, right. Dereck. You’re Dereck, right? I’ve heard a lot about you. Your name is well known in Ebelstein’s social circle. Wow, what an honor to see a celebrity in person!”

“Who are you?”

“Didn’t the owner tell you? Have I never mentioned my name? *Hic*…”

Jayden exchanged looks with Dereck and shrugged.

“Sure I said it once… Hmm… Did I dream it? Everything is blurred by the alcohol… Maybe I slurred my words too much for anyone to understand me…”

The man, who already stank of alcohol, scratched his greasy head hard, then pulled his arm away from Dereck’s shoulder and collapsed onto the counter.

“Linus, that’s it, Linus. Yes. Dereck. I always wanted to meet you. *Uf. Uf.* I am Linus, you are Dereck.”

Dereck, who had been silently watching the man too drunk to stay conscious, looked at Pheline with an expression of amazement.

Pheline also looked disgusted.

She hated nobles and she hated drunks. A drunk noble was practically her natural enemy.

‘That name sounds familiar…’

Linus. He had the feeling he had heard it before somewhere, but he was sure it was the first time they had met.

If he could trigger his memory, maybe he would remember, but for now, nothing came to mind.

“…Just a favor, Dereck. You can’t resist magic, right? Then maybe this will interest you.”

Even so, he was a customer.

That meant his attitude had to change.

Of course, it was also necessary to check his ability to pay.