Chapter 95

Chapter 95
## Chapter 95

“I didn’t expect you to reject the request so firmly. Don’t you usually accept most assignments as long as there is a reasonable reward?”

“Not necessarily. I do not accept requests that I believe are not right.”

Dereck rejected Trisha’s request and dismissed her.

Although it might have been quite annoying, it was difficult to deny that Trisha’s request was dangerous, so she left without saying another word.

“Well, if you accept all requests and then cannot manage them, it would only cause trouble.”

“That’s right. Knowing how to correctly evaluate assignments is one of the important qualities of a mercenary.”

As the sun began to set, Siern quickly entered a carefully prepared private room in a secluded area of the baron’s mansion.

Ellen, who was heading toward the main hall following Dereck, tilted her head, apparently surprised that there was a room reserved specifically for Siern to use whenever she wanted.

“Is Lady Siern staying here?”

“I understand there is a separate mansion in the noble district, acquired with Rochester family funds. However, since she often comes for magic training, a room has been reserved for her here.”

“…Did the Duke of Rochester allow this as well?”

“Yes. From the beginning, the title of baron was granted to me to elevate my status so I could properly attend to Lady Siern. Given that Lord Melverot has received much, he must take good care of Lady Siern so she faces no inconveniences.”

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Dereck headed toward the training grounds, swinging one arm from side to side.

Despite being busy all day with his baronial duties, lessons, and receiving visitors, he never seemed to neglect his magic training.

“The more I see him, the more mysterious he seems. He doesn’t appear much older than me, but he gives the impression of someone who has lived many lives.”

Ellen, stroking her chin, spoke.

“Even so, sending your daughter alone to a mansion managed by a young baron… The Duke of Rochester must trust you quite a bit, Dereck.”

“…May I ask what you mean by that?”

“Exactly what I said.”

In reality, Ellen had noticed that Aiselin’s gaze toward Dereck was unusual.

Whether it was something romantic or not, it wouldn’t be strange for someone as attractive as Dereck to suddenly awaken subtle emotions in another person.

“I’ve heard from Lady Denise… that the wife named Pheline was brought in simply as a decorative figure to receive the title.”

“Yes. She is not interested in noble life and simply enjoys earning money working as a mercenary. She is probably drinking at the Tears of Beldern pub right now.”

Having seen Pheline a couple of times, Ellen already knew her well.

She laughed out loud, drank several rounds, and then collapsed into a drunken mess; she was simply an ordinary mercenary.

In fact, she was a person with no desire for social advancement, which made her the perfect candidate to occupy the position of wife as a mere decorative element.

“Well… leaving that aside, Dereck, you are still a man. Do you not dream of a predestined romantic encounter or a partner who awakens your protective instincts? Given your profession, you are surrounded by many women.”

“…Even so, would I ever see Lady Siern as a romantic interest?”

All those who had faced Siern in all her glory felt the same.

*Lower your guard and you will die.*

In that intense sensation of danger, someone might mistake a racing heart for love. But at least Dereck was not one of them.

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“…I cannot deny it.”

“Don’t worry too much. I am not one of those who cannot distinguish between public and private matters. Even if I met a woman and felt a special connection, I would follow the rules that must be followed.”

“It’s true. Hearing you say that, Dereck, reassures me…”

In reality, Dereck had traveled to the far north with the enigmatic Aiselin, but he did not seem to have crossed any boundaries with her.

In a noble society full of scoundrels and libertines, a decent man like Dereck was a rarity.

He was a truly passionate mage who had dedicated his entire life to magic.

“Even so… touching the hair of the most famous lady on the Northern continent without a second thought, or taking her hand without feeling anything in particular… isn’t that a bit dangerous?”

Despite Dereck being a decent young man, there was no way to know how Siern, who was in the midst of a turbulent adolescence, would feel.

As the saying goes, one does not realize their clothes are getting wet in a drizzle.

A relationship that seems comfortable and harmless is, in reality, the most dangerous.

There was no advantage in allowing scandals to spread in Ebelstein’s noble society, so Ellen looked toward Siern’s room with concern.

“Lady Ellen knows very well that I am a harmless person, right?”

“Mmm… it’s true. Being able to relax without pretension is only possible because this is the Barony of Ravenclaw.”

Ellen laughed and toyed with her unadorned hair.

She found it strange not to wear anything on her head, which was always adorned with jewels and floral ornaments.

For a lady of renown, ornaments were like an extension of the body, so not wearing them was uncomfortable.

“Well. Today’s magic lesson was productive, so I should return to the Belmierd estate. This place is further away than I thought, so it’s difficult to visit often.”

“It would be great to meet in Ebelstein, but as you can see, lately I’ve been so busy that I can’t frequent the noble district. Besides, it’s a bit far.”

“Well, it’s understandable. Come to think of it, doesn’t Lady Siern receive lessons in etiquette and manners from Lady Aiselin? Lady Siern must also be very busy. Traveling between both places must be exhausting…”

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Aiselin’s mansion was in the noble district of Ebelstein, while the Barony of Ravenclaw was located on the inner border.

In practice, moving between both places to receive classes was too complicated. Therefore, a solution had to be found.

“We made the preparations when the two Duplain ladies visited us previously.”

“Ah, really?”

“We decided to reserve a room for Lady Aiselin to stay in.”

“…”

In the end, Ellen’s expression hardened again.

It was inevitable to think that the proposed solution was somewhat delicate.

“It’s a shame, but the Duplain family will inevitably fall behind in Ebelstein’s main noble competition. As a result, she will have plenty of free time, so it seems she plans to visit the baron’s residence regularly and stay to instruct Lady Siern.”

“Is that… truly alright?”

“Actually, isn’t this the most efficient way? Why do you think the Duke of Rochester’s residence featured such a mansion? It is to house Lady Siern.”

“Well, it’s true, but… Lady Siern and now Lady Aiselin too…?”

What baronial residence could house the two most famous ladies of the high nobility?

It was a scene that would leave the lower-ranking nobles, who spent all day trying to catch the attention of the high nobility, completely speechless.

“Well, since she is coming to give classes, there shouldn’t be a major problem.”

“Lady Aiselin is also very diligent…”

“The compensation offered by the Duke of Rochester’s residence is considerable. Not even Lady Aiselin, who needs money urgently, could refuse it.”

“Money… yes, money is important…”

Dereck was leaning against the wall near the training field, firmly pressing an arm while checking his magical state.

“Thus, while she gives classes to Lady Siern, we have decided to accept more requests from those who wish to learn etiquette and good manners from Lady Aiselin. Undoubtedly, there will be much demand for etiquette lessons taught by someone who was practically the queen of high society.”

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“You did something like that?”

“Yes. If you’re going to give classes at the baron’s residence anyway, why not give classes to more students? From lower-ranking nobles in the outskirts to some high-ranking nobles, many debutantes will come. It should generate some income.”

Dereck had no great intentions with this, but he started it to help Aiselin, who found herself in a difficult economic situation.

“I owe Lady Aiselin a lot, so I thought about helping her a little.”

“…”

“To make it more organized, I plan to give her a classroom in a wing of the baron’s residence. It’s a fairly large room… and it wasn’t being used anyway. Since I am providing the space, it wouldn’t hurt to prepare a simple blackboard, desks, and writing materials.”

“This is more serious than I thought.”

“It’s no big deal. Most of it will be managed by the servants.”

Dereck spoke while checking the state of his staff.

“Well, if among the visitors there is a noble with knowledge of magic, they could help me with that. It would be good to expand my network of contacts and it could even help me in my magic research, so it’s a positive thing, isn’t it?”

“Yes. What you say isn’t wrong, but… Dereck…”

Ellen, resting her chin on her hand, reflected for a moment and then spoke, sweating slightly.

“This building is used as the residence of the baron who rules the Barony of Ravenclaw, right?”

“Eh? Sure. Why do you ask?”

“…No, it just seems that the purpose is changing; forget it, it’s an unnecessary concern.”

Ellen shook her head firmly.

It seemed that the direction the Barony of Ravenclaw was taking was subtly changing, but it wasn’t something that could be judged as right or wrong at that moment.

“Well, as good as public opinion may be, the number of people willing to come to learn something at such a remote barony will be limited. There is no need to carry too much responsibility.”

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Having made that decision, Dereck seemed much calmer.

***

The following week.

In a single day, a total of seventeen noble ladies visited the Barony of Ravenclaw.

“…”

*Murmur.*

*Chatter.*

*Bang! Crash!*

“We have no Glenford Mountain tea left! Is there any other suitable option to serve the guests?”

“The lady from the Sidmore Viscountcy is approaching the main gate!”

“There is no more room to park the carriages inside the mansion! It is a great lack of courtesy, but tell them to hitch the carriages outside the wall!”

“It’s a mess! We’ve run out of the cookies we prepared for the guests! Should we… should we go get more right now?”

“Clear the room in the outer wing of the second floor! It’s a bit modest, but we have to use it as a VIP waiting room anyway.”

The servants and assistants, forced to attend to all sorts of distinguished guests, ran frantically with wide eyes.

Each carriage carrying a noble lady included, in addition to the coachman, an entourage of between three and twelve people.

It was an excessive amount for a modest frontier barony to handle.

Every person had to be treated as a distinguished guest. However, it was impossible to maintain protocol with everyone.

*Bang! Crash!*

“Kyaa!”

“Be careful! The more urgent it is, the calmer you must be.”

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“I-I’m sorry, butler!”

“Miss Rose, go help in the kitchen. Mr. Claes, guide the new guests through the garden.”

As for Dereck, who watched the servants scurry from one side to the other, he was soaked in sweat.

He was a man who did not change his expression even on a battlefield full of monsters, but this was the first time he had faced a situation like this.

“Oh, Dereck. Your face is completely pale. Hahaha, I never thought I’d see you like this in my life.”

Denise, of the Beltus family, pushed her way through the crowd and greeted him cheerfully.

She was a lazy person who rarely left her mansion, but today, for some reason, she had visited the Barony of Ravenclaw early in the morning.

“Or should I call you Sir Dereck? If you run a training center of this size, it’s hard to ignore your influence now.”

“…A training center?”

“Ah. Now that I think about it, you said you were too busy to visit us often due to Ebelstein’s noble district. The rumor has already spread through the Elfontaine Hall. They say you are establishing an independent training center in the barony. And that Lady Aiselin herself is teaching etiquette classes?”

Denise, aware of the gazes around her, lowered her voice a bit.

In public, she was an elegant and refined figure, so she strove to maintain a modest appearance.

—Look there… Even Lady Denise came in person.

—It’s hard to even sit near her in the Rosea Hall… I never thought I’d see her in a place like this…

However, the gazes were already fixed on them.

“There are quite a few eyes watching… Shall we go in to talk…? No, I suppose you must be quite busy right now with the affairs of the training center, right?”

“A training center… I had no intention of creating something like that.”

“Mmm… So it was just a rumor. I know you aren’t one to do those things… Although it did seem a bit strange to me.”

Denise laughed gracefully and maintained a dignified posture.

From afar, it seemed they were holding a polite and noble conversation, but up close it was an informal dialogue. Of course, no one could clearly hear what they were saying.

“However, whether that rumor is true or not might not depend on your will… Dereck.”

“…”

“On the way, I took a look and saw that the ladies of Baron Rodtek and Viscount Bleton were also here. They are from the far southeast of the continent, and yet they came all the way here… Are you going to send them all back now that the situation has reached this point?”

“…No, I don’t think it’s right for so many people to come to such a remote barony…”

“Oh, Dereck… You lack self-awareness.”

Denise let out a giggle and covered her mouth with a small peacock feather fan to hide her undignified smile.

“It is common in those who achieve extraordinary feats at a young age, absorbed in their interests. They are often unaware of their abilities or their reputation. It’s quite common.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“You know as well as I do, Dereck, what these times are like. Do you know how difficult it is for lower-ranking nobles to find a good magic instructor? It’s like trying to pluck stars from the sky.”

“…”

“And if we add to that the etiquette lessons of Lady Aiselin, who reigns like a queen in social circles… Do you think noble families with debutante daughters will sit idly by? It would be stranger if they didn’t come running here with wide eyes.”

Of course, Dereck could not fully understand the circumstances of those far-flung noble families.

The result was this hall filled with ladies and their companions from various houses.

There were even people from the other side of the continent, which was dizzying.

Seeing the exhausted servants receiving them, he decided at least to double their salary.

“No matter what happens, we cannot accommodate so many nobles. The building is too small and, more importantly… Lady Aiselin will get tired first.”

“Mmm… If that is your opinion, so be it. In any case, it has been an interesting spectacle after so much time. Even so, hang in there.”

Denise whispered and snapped her fan shut. Immediately after, she turned and spoke loudly, as if acting for the spectators.

“It has been a pleasure to see you again after so long, Sir Dereck. Next time, please give me another magic lesson in Ebelstein~. If I have the chance, I will make room for it~!”

That said, she looked at Dereck and smiled radiantly at him.

A young baron with a newly founded house and practically zero authority. Even the most prestigious duchess of the Rosea Hall greeted him with respect.

Seeing Denise like this, it seemed that the reason for her early visit to the Barony of Ravenclaw was to preserve Dereck’s image.

As a member of one of the three great families of the Rosea Hall, having a lady of her position arrive early to wish the event success was a great support, both politically and socially.

Of course, it was not Dereck’s intention, but Denise smiled seductively and slipped through the crowd as if it were nothing.

*Murmur.*

“The reception room is this way! Please, enter in order!”

“Move slowly!”

Only the desperate cries of the servants trying to control the crowd continued to echo in his ears.

“Nothing good comes of assuming something you cannot handle. Above all, Lady Aiselin would never have imagined that this would grow so much.”

Dereck straightened his clothes and quickly entered the mansion.

Aiselin, who had already finished her preparations, would soon emerge from her room. She had surely already checked the situation, so they had to speak immediately about what to do.

As Dereck walked down the hallway, he saw Aiselin, beautiful in her dress, leaving the room at the end.

“Miss Aiselin, did you see the situation?”

Dereck quickly approached her and asked.

It seemed she had already found out from the servants. Aiselin swallowed and replied.

“D-Dereck… I heard it too. About twenty ladies have come…”

“This isn’t over yet. We cannot predict how many more will come. They won’t be able to handle this amount, so even if they have to ask for separate understanding…”

“Dereck.”

Before Dereck could finish, Aiselin grabbed his hands tightly. Her soft hands enveloped Dereck’s rough ones, and then she spoke in a much louder voice, eyes wide open.

“How much should we charge for each lesson?”

“…”

“Panting… Hahaha… Ha… The drool… I am so… lacking in dignity… I’m sorry… How embarrassing…”

Perhaps due to her distinguished appearance, reigning at the top of the social world, it was easy to forget.

Since she fell from grace as a noble, Aiselin had become aware of the concept of livelihood.

In short, she was already an excellent miser.

“Ah, no… Can you handle it?”

“We have to! Opportunities like this don’t come to everyone!”

“…”

“I’m so nervous… If they pay us with Rophelon gold coins from so many noble ladies… How much would that be…?”

‘Oh my god…!’

Aiselin’s eyes were already full of gold coins.

He wondered if this was really okay, but she didn’t seem to have shown such determination even in the magic duel that put the Duplain family’s honor at stake.

Dereck had to take a deep breath and organize his thoughts.

Whether he liked it or not, now that he had founded this academic center, he would have to take responsibility.