Chapter 96

Chapter 96
## Chapter 96
### “This is problematic…”

The noble ladies who visited the Ravenclaw Barony must have arrived, initially, with a relaxed attitude.

They thought: how many people would bring their carriages to this remote region of Rodelen, considered a place of exile among the titled nobility?

However, the advantage of being able to receive training from the most renowned magic professor in Ebelstein and, at the same time, from the most elegant lady of the Rose Salon, attracted more families than expected.

As a result, the Ravenclaw Barony was so full of distinguished guests that by that point there was not even room to park the carriages; it was impossible not to foresee an imminent crisis.

A small barony that was not even the size of an average annex of a dukedom.

Even if they taught classes there, the number of students they could accept was limited.

No matter how hard they tried, the limit would be approximately twelve.

However, by the afternoon, the total number of noble ladies visiting the Ravenclaw Barony had increased to thirty-one.

The distinguished guests, more numerous than in the morning, were sitting in their assigned seats next to their companions, swallowing hard.

At first glance, the seats were limited. That meant that at least half of the women would be eliminated at that moment.

The noble ladies, suddenly faced with a competition for admission, could not help but feel bewildered, but in any case, the most astute would be the ones to survive.

When the owner of the barony appeared, some thought about how to introduce themselves, others adjusted their clothes and posture, and some even considered bribery.

As time passed, a subtle atmosphere of competition filled the Ravenclaw Barony…

“If we do not expand the building, the limit is fifteen. The rest must be sent back.”

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The head butler, Delbriton, spoke firmly.

Aiselin and Dereck, who were sitting on a sofa in a corner of the office, showed worried expressions.

It was already surprising that more than thirty noble ladies visited a remote barony, and not a meeting of the Rose Salon, and now they had to discard half of them.

Those noble ladies, treated as treasures in their territories—if they were treated with discourtesy, who knew what repercussions there might be.

Just thinking about it gave Dereck a headache, and he couldn’t help but press his hands to his temples.

“In moments like this, it is important to establish clear criteria. If we divide and accept some and return others without order, there will be complaints; it is better to classify them according to the rank or status of their families and eliminate half.”

“I think so too, Baron. It would be best to eliminate potential future problems.”

“I disagree!”

When Dereck, soaked in sweat and shivering with cold, looked at Aiselin, she was standing with her arms crossed, wearing a short-brimmed hat of uncertain origin.

By the ducal feather she wore on one side, it looked like something merchants from the commercial district usually wore. Her eyes, vibrant and bright, seemed to distill gold coins.

“They came all the way here just to hear us… To send them back would be too pitiful!”

*Do you really think so?*

“Each one would pay more than ten Rophelon gold coins… How are we going to send them all back…?”

Aiselin pulled a massive ledger from one side of the table, opened it with effort, and began to write quickly with a quill.

“If the building is insufficient, we can expand it, can’t we? Even if we pay extra to hire available labor right now, it’s still profitable. If we mobilize qualified architects and as many workers as possible, we can build a new student residence building in a month.”

*Is it necessary to go to that extreme?*

“Dereck… You haven’t forgotten that some people came from the southeast of the continent, right? If they have to return empty-handed after such a long journey… The sense of loss would be enormous…!”

Aiselin calculated all the estimates with the speed of someone possessed.

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*‘…She didn’t even get this excited when she learned second-level magic…’*

Dereck closed his mouth as he watched her looking so euphoric.

“Look, the Ravenclaw Barony still has a lot of cash. If you review this asset statement, you will see that most of it can be liquidated in the short term.”

“…”

“We haven’t collected the first-year land tax or the per capita tax yet, and we haven’t settled the commercial tolls or the sponsorship from the Duchy of Rochester, right? If we use this as collateral, we can get a considerable loan from the Ebelstein merchants. Of course, there will be interest expenses, but it’s all manageable.”

Dereck held his breath as he saw Aiselin underline the figures.

“W-What is this? Did you make the mansion’s ledger yourself?”

“I’ve been studying accounting and commercial techniques at the Logten Academy lately. The Ravenclaw Barony is small, so it’s ideal for practice. Besides, it’s nice to help with the affairs of the mansion.”

“You learned double-entry bookkeeping and ledgers in a month?”

“Dereck, I am a disgraced noble. Even if I love humanities, philosophy, and aesthetics, if I don’t learn practical studies, I won’t survive!”

Aiselin smiled proudly as she spoke.

Being a disgraced noble didn’t seem like something to brag about, but it didn’t affect her in the least.

“I’m also self-studying alchemy, astrology, herbalism, runology, metallurgy, basic design, and metrology. Although progress is a bit slow…”

“…”

“In any case, what I propose is that we send the noble ladies back for now and have them return in one or two months, at the end of spring or the beginning of summer.”

Aiselin quickly flipped through the pages of the ledger.

There were all sorts of scribbles and what looked like drawn plans. In that brief span, she had already considered all the possibilities.

“During that time, we will build the student residence and, if there’s money left over, the classroom building as well… It might be difficult to do something grand given the short time available, but… once we have the basic conditions, we can start the classes in earnest. What do you think, Dereck?”

She looked at him with bright eyes. So bright that just looking at them, it seemed they could dazzle anyone.

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Dereck put his hands to his temples and then turned his gaze toward Delbriton.

“Is it possible?”

“The hiring itself is possible. However, we must not only increase the labor force for construction but also triple the mansion’s internal staff. It’s not that we won’t find people… The problem, as always, is the money.”

The noble ladies handed over dozens of gold coins like it was nothing. Once the training center started operating, cash flow wouldn’t be a big problem.

Dereck clasped his hands, rested them on his knees, and sank into deep thought.

“Hmm…”

Ultimately, any decision in the Ravenclaw Barony had to be made by Dereck, the owner of the mansion.

It didn’t matter that Aiselin was the eldest daughter of a duke; in that house, the baron’s rules were followed.

While Dereck, who made the final decision, continued to think, Aiselin swallowed hard.

“…”

After a long moment of reflection, Dereck finally raised his head.

***

*Have you heard about the new training center being built in the Ravenclaw Barony? They say that Dereck Lydorf Ravenclaw, the famous magic professor from Ebelstein, and Lady Aiselin Eleanor Duplain, of the Duplain family, have joined forces.*

“…”

At the end of spring, in the Rose Salon.

As always, a high-ranking noblewoman approached Ellen, who was sitting in the tea room on the outskirts of the Elfontine Salon reading the newsletter, and struck up a conversation with her.

Upon hearing the latest news, Ellen couldn’t help but prick up her ears.

“…So it has finally been established.”

“Excuse me?”

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“Oh, it’s nothing. It seems Lady Rona has also heard the news.”

“It’s a topic that has been heard quite frequently lately. Since Lady Ellen received magic lessons directly from Baron Dereck, it must be something special for you.”

Rather than feeling special, Ellen felt a bit more conscious of her importance.

*‘No matter how much I think about it, Dereck’s influence seems to be growing more than I expected…’*

With Lady Siern of the Duchy of Rochester and Lady Aiselin of the Duchy of Duplain staying in the barony, and even planning to establish a training center to accept lower-ranking nobles as students—

Dereck was not a person with a desire for power, but reaching that point, influence was inevitable.

While she congratulated him with applause, Ellen felt a strange sense of loss.

It was like when an artist or musician you thought only you knew was suddenly recognized and appreciated by the whole world.

In fact, considering Dereck’s talent, it was no wonder he became famous overnight. Simply, the promised day had finally arrived.

*‘Now it will be difficult to see his face often. Well, I’m not free either, so there’s nothing to be done.’*

Ellen closed the newsletter and, resting her chin on her hand, sank into thought for a moment.

*‘Now that I think about it… Lady Aiselin’s gaze toward Dereck was quite unusual… could it be that she actually feels something personal for him…?’*

In fairy tales and legends, there are countless cases of people who make foolish decisions blinded by love.

Although she didn’t believe Aiselin was that kind of person, that didn’t mean she wasn’t worried.

Of course, continuing to worry would be meddling.

No matter what upheavals occurred in the Ravenclaw Barony, Ellen had to do her own work.

In the morning, she attended the Rose Salon and social gatherings; in the afternoon, she received training as the heir to the family; and at night, she practiced magic and immersed herself in books of philosophy or classical literature.

The reason she could maintain her strength despite such a tight schedule was because she was a strong person.

While traveling in her carriage back to the mansion, Ellen looked out the window for a moment.

The splendid landscape of Ebelstein’s noble district filled her view.

This noble society, always teeming with idle and wealthy people, made it seem as if the world were completely peaceful.

But Ellen’s life was not so quiet.

Fulfilling her responsibilities between a lazy and arrogant brother and a cunning and hypocritical sister was no easy task.

In short, the reason she became the rightful heir of the Belmierd family was because, in a way, she was the only one who fulfilled her role reliably.

Countess Belmierd.

Thinking that the day would come when they would call her that made her current difficulties seem sweet.

She had no intention of denying it. Ellen was a young woman in love with power. She had never loved anything more than power.

However, she wanted to achieve it by following the right path, without resorting to intrigue.

Through the young noble Aiselin, she had learned the value of nobility.

*‘I must become someone worthy of that title.’*

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Ellen smiled slightly and rested her head against the window. The rattling of the carriage felt like the gentle rocking of a cradle.

*‘Now that I think about it… wasn’t there a necromancer from the island of Rodentz hiding in Ebelstein?’*

It was news she had heard from Lady Trisha.

Having been present at the site of the disaster in the Duchy of Duplain, Ellen knew better than anyone how terrible and terrifying the art of necromancy was.

If she ever got involved, she must not hesitate for a single instant.

“It’s been a long time, sister.”

“…Leonard?”

When Ellen returned to the mansion of Count Belmierd, Leonard, who had been on pilgrimage for a long time, appeared there.

The young man drinking tea in a corner of the reception room was so unfamiliar to Ellen that she could barely remember his face.

Leonard, who had lived disconnected from the Belmierd family for years—she was not particularly surprised that such a young man had returned.

However, his appearance had changed drastically.

Leonard, like all members of the Belmierd family, had always had red hair.

But Leonard’s hair, which she was seeing for the first time in years, had turned white.

His appearance was so gaunt that Ellen almost didn’t recognize him.

Ellen knew that pilgrimages were arduous, but she was curious to know what could have happened to make his appearance change so much.

“…”

It was difficult for Ellen to decide whether to be happy or suspicious of her brother’s return.

As if fully anticipating her reaction, Leonard leaned back on the guest sofa with a mischievous smile.

“It is very comforting to return to the family home after so long. The Belmierd family has changed a lot during my absence.”

“…Yes. It has changed quite a bit.”

“I thought brother Linus would never yield his position as primary heir. But after a few years, I returned and discovered that sister Ellen had become the rightful heir of the Belmierd family… I was so surprised that I asked the servants several times.”

Ellen looked at Leonard with cautious eyes.

The Leonard she remembered was a person with a strong desire for power and skilled in intrigue. The reason he left on pilgrimage right after being completely excluded from the competition for the inheritance with Linus was to improve his image by resorting to religion and preparing for the future.

“And?”

Ellen sat quietly in the seat across from Leonard. Then, suddenly, she asked him a sharp and direct question.

“Do you want to push me aside?”

At those words, Leonard’s eyes widened in surprise, and then he replied naturally.

“Of course not. How could I, who have abandoned the family, have the audacity to claim the position of heir?”

“…”

“I just wanted to say hello because I was glad to see you. Whatever they say, the rightful heir of Belmierd is sister Ellen, so don’t worry too much.”

Although he reassured her with a radiant smile, Ellen could not trust Leonard.

From her brother, whom she hadn’t seen in a long time, emanated an indescribably unsettling aura.

***

*Thump! Thump!*

*Screech!*

“Baron, a letter has arrived.”

“Hmm?”

The next day, a letter arrived flying to the Ravenclaw Barony, which was full of construction work.

Dereck, who was watching the work with a complex expression, received the letter handed to him by Delbriton.

The envelope of the letter, luxuriously decorated, bore the seal of Count Belmierd.