Chapter 9: Diela (2)
–Step, step
At the dead of night, when everyone was asleep except the servants on duty.
Derrick crossed the garden leading to the annex and organized his thoughts.
In the end, to teach 1-Star magic, one must first manifest basic mana.
Trying to handle Star-level magic without even knowing how to draw out mana was no different from trying to fire a gun without bullets.
The foundation of all magic is recognizing mana and manifesting it.
There was no way the mages who had taught Diela until now did not know that. There must be a clear reason why all of them failed.
In fact, training this kind of basic mana aptitude had no established theory, and opinions differed by School, so everyone found it difficult. Because each mage handled mana differently, and their instincts were all different.
Every time that happened, they had no choice but to rack their brains, so it was understandable that magic instructors were considered high-level manpower.
It was also understandable why noble families across the continent competed to bring even one decent magic instructor into their family. Teaching magic was that profound a task.
'If it didn't work with the Discipline School method, then there's no choice but to approach it another way.'
Derrick kept walking.
She had probably already learned all the theoretical content about mana long ago. There was a high chance that she simply lacked a trigger for manifestation.
The Discipline School divides the process of using mana into four stages. Recognition, extraction, manipulation, and manifestation. If one passes through these four stages smoothly and completes the final manifestation, only then can one freely handle the mana in the body.
However, Derrick did not learn magic that way.
What taught Derrick magic was not reference books, ink, and quills. It was the blade that came right at him, the arrows that flew at him, and the axe handle swung by a goblin.
When was the first time young Derrick manifested mana?
It was when he went up the back mountain to eat even dried grass and encountered a wild boar.
The fear of death that was right in front of him, the immediate reality that he had to struggle to survive, made young Derrick manifest his mana. That was the moment Derrick first used magic.
That was how Wild School mages lived.
They had always manifested mana within extreme survival instincts.
"......"
Recalling Diela's drawings that were full of blank space, Derrick slightly nodded and walked on.
*
–Bang!
When Derrick kicked open the door to the annex of the mansion, the maids who were waiting in the hall flinched in surprise.
Late at night. A robed boy kicking open the front door of the annex under the moonlight. It was harder not to be surprised by that sight.
When he revealed his face and they realized it was Derrick, the maids became even more flustered.
"Uh, uh, what brings you ... "
"Thank you for your hard work."
Derrick strode past the maids and walked across the hall.
At his rigid, almost intimidating gait, the maids could not even try to stop him. He was Diela's assigned instructor, directly authorized by the Duke.
Before heading straight to Diela's room, he stopped by the kitchen.
He immediately spotted the clean cold water that the maids had prepared in advance for the next day's cooking. He lifted the oak water barrel as a whole and went up the central hall stairs. Passing the maids' anxious gazes, he walked straight to the door leading to Diela's room and kicked it open.
–Bang!
In the middle of a bed full of lace, Diela was buried like a princess, sleeping.
With her pretty pajamas and her hair tied to one side, she looked glossy and neat. Just looking at her sleeping face, she looked like the very picture of a graceful young lady.
–Splash!
Derrick poured the water down on her mercilessly.
The maids who had followed up in anxiety shrieked in surprise, and the territory knights who had come up half-asleep also froze with stiff expressions.
"Kyaaaak!"
Like a bolt from the blue, no, a bolt of water, Diela flinched and woke up.
And then she saw Derrick.
He threw the empty barrel on the floor and, as always, looked down at Diela with his eerie red eyes.
"Th, th, this, what is this! You .. you ... ! "
"Can you sleep right now?"
"What?"
"I'm asking if you can sleep right now."
If she stayed like this, she would be sent to the monastery.
Diela must have sensed that too. If she stayed like this, she wouldn't even get a High Society debut, and wouldn't even be able to remain in this mansion.
Perhaps she had never even imagined that she would get doused with cold water in her sleep. Diela glared at Derrick with a dumbfounded expression. From Derrick's point of view, it was a merciful measure compared to pouring dirty water on her.
Derrick grabbed Diela's arm and pulled her. Diela tried to resist his forceful attitude, but the difference in strength was unavoidable.
"Kyaaak! Wh, what are you doing! Everyone! Why are you just watching! Stop him! Stop this lowborn!"
"....."
The servants watching from outside the door with worried eyes could not do anything.
They felt anxious, wondering if this was really okay, but in any case, the justification was on Derrick's side.
Diela tried to somehow tear her arm out of Derrick's grip, but it was futile. Derrick dragged her down the mansion stairs in long strides.
Dragging Diela, who looked like a drowned rat, down to the hall, head butler Delron was looking at them with worried eyes. It seemed he had come running after hearing the news.
However, Delron had no grounds to stop Derrick. Derrick just lowered his head and bowed briefly, then took Diela and went outside the annex.
"You ... do you think you can get away safely after doing something like this?!"
Derrick went straight out behind the annex and strode all the way out of the mansion.
Dragging the noisy young lady Diela along, he walked and walked and walked outside the mansion. This escort that seemed to have no end continued for quite a while.
Late at night.
The moonlight filling the sky illuminated the world.
Only after coming out to the middle of a grassland far away from the mansion did Derrick swing his arm and throw Diela onto the grass.
–Thud
"Kyaat!"
Grass stuck to her wet pajamas.
All kinds of leaves stuck to her golden hair that looked like beautiful silk, making her look nothing like a noble young lady.
Diela's fingertips were trembling, but soon she somehow forced a smile and spoke.
"Ha .. haha ... Do you think anything will change just because you do this?"
"........"
"Teach me magic? Me? Do you think you're the only one who's said something like that? Do you think I haven't tried? Sorry, but wake up. Go play teacher somewhere else!"
Even while trembling, Diela said everything she wanted to say.
Even after being doused with water and thrown onto the grass, that proud tone of hers never disappeared.
"Just a lowborn ...! "
Derrick, who had been quietly leaving the shouting Diela alone, slowly approached her.
Then he squatted down, met her eyes, and spoke.
"There are no ears listening, and we're far from the mansion, so I'll say it while I have the chance."
"I don't particularly intend to teach young lady Diela magic or anything like that."
"–What?"
The corner of Derrick's mouth slowly twisted upward.
Even in the deep night where darkness had settled, the moonlight shone brightly. Along with Derrick's red pupils reflecting that moonlight, an eerie smile spread.
"I just like beating up nobles."
"What ... did you say ... ? "
In the Duplein Ducal House, he was a man who maintained at least minimal decorum.
But once there were no eyes watching, that raw side of him came pouring out as if nothing had happened.
"As I said, I'm a lowborn from the bottom. Do I have any reason to like nobles who just happened to be born with noble blood and look down arrogantly from their grand mansions?"
"What ... what are you talking about ... "
"All that talk about being a teacher is just a pretext. I just like beating up arrogant nobles like you and listening to their screams. Being able to beat them up legally like this, where else would I find such a good excuse? They even pay me."
Seeing that smile that made goosebumps rise just by looking at it, Diela unconsciously held her breath.
Had it been a mistake to think that Derrick was really moving for her sake?
Before Diela could even answer, Derrick kicked her shoulder with his booted foot.
"Kyaat!"
–Thud!
–Sching.
When Diela, who had been knocked away, raised her gaze again, Derrick was holding a Longsword.
Moonlight reflected off the sharp blade and entered her vision. Diela's fingertips were trembling like crazy.
"Y, you, you .. are you c, crazy ...? "
"I really can't get enough of seeing arrogant nobles like you screaming in pain as you're torn apart. The higher they fly, trusting only in their lofty status, the better."
"If, if, if you do something like this ..... do you think your life will be safe?"
"There are no witnesses, so what does it matter? And you're going to be dragged to the monastery soon anyway, so who would believe your words? Do you think there's anyone in this mansion on your side?"
As Derrick flicked the tip of his sword and strode closer, Diela hurriedly pushed against the grass with her hands and crawled backward.
But trying to run away while sprawled like this would only get her caught immediately.
"Don't worry. Seasoned mercenaries know how to inflict pain without leaving aftereffects. The human body has surprisingly many parts that heal quickly. Like fingernails."
"....Huh ... huff ... "
"And even if some aftereffects remain, what then?"
That man walking toward her under the moonlight was clearly a madman. Diela felt her body start to tremble uncontrollably.
She had known from the start that someone who slapped her the moment they met was not normal. In a way, it felt like all of this had been foreshadowed.
"If that happens, I can just atone with my death, right?"
"Gya ... kyaat ...! "
Diela grabbed a handful of dirt and hurriedly scattered it toward Derrick's eyes.
–Splash!
"Keuk."
Derrick quickly covered his face with his elbow and blocked the dirt. Taking that chance, Diela hurriedly got up and ran toward the nearby forest.
The grassland toward the mansion would get her caught quickly anyway. Even in that brief moment, Diela came to the conclusion that she had to take refuge in the forest.
She had to hide in the darkness and somehow shake off that madman in the bushes.
Just as she was running while thinking that.
She felt a floating sensation, as if wind was gathering in the area.
–Whoooosh!
She ran toward the forest, trying to escape somehow. But when she couldn't stand the strange feeling around her and turned back, she couldn't believe her eyes.
A mass of flames bigger than a person.
Derrick was gathering mana in the hand not holding the sword, and his influence seemed to cover the entire area.
'Th, th, what is that ...!'
2-Star magic, Fireball.
It was a Combat Magic that only nobles who had become somewhat seasoned in magic could use. He didn't even chant an incantation.
Even Valerian, who had the best magical talent among the siblings, had to lock himself in his room for months to enter 2-Star magic.
Seeing such a level of magic being released from Derrick's hand felt completely unreal.
No, she could only hope it wasn't real.
The opponent was just a madman who wanted to beat Diela and gain pleasure from it.
In an instant, tremendous pressure gathered, and the fireball launched from his hand flew toward Diela.
"Kyaaaah!"
Diela threw herself aside, not caring if her body got scratched.
The huge fireball crashed right next to where Diela had been standing, and then a pillar of fire shot up.
–Kwoooong!
–Whooosh!
A wave of hot air swept over.
When she looked at the spot that had been hit directly, it was completely burned with nothing left. There were only black ashes that crumbled away with a rustling sound.
If she got hit, it would be instant death or at least near death. She could clearly feel its power.
When Diela looked at Derrick with trembling eyes, he was brushing off the heat from his hand.
He looked at Diela with those gleaming eyes and muttered to himself.
"Missed."
Diela felt goosebumps rise all over her body.
*
–Tadat, tak!
Diela ran straight toward the forest.
Derrick, who was walking leisurely across the grassland, seemed to be enjoying this situation like a hunting game, and didn't even look that hurried. Under the pouring moonlight, his curled-up smile and red eyes only evoked endless fear.
–Pabak, pak!
While running, Diela's legs gave out and she fell. She somehow managed to get back up and succeeded in running toward the forest, but she couldn't widen the distance completely.
–Pasa-sak! Pak!
She forced her way between the bushes. But she still had to run farther.
However, her legs, trembling with fear, wouldn't listen.
'Move ...! Move, move, move ...! Please ...! '
–Whoooosh!
Pabababak!
The flying mana energy hit the surrounding branches directly and shattered them.
1-Star offensive magic, Mana Arrow. And it was even a triple shot.
Even among 1-Star magic, proficiency differs. Even one hit would be a blow that Diela's fragile body could never endure.
"Did it not hit?"
Derrick's chilling voice came from beyond the bushes.
Fortunately, Diela's build was small. The deep darkness settled throughout the forest was on her side.
All kinds of small animals moved through the bushes, and the sound of leaves brushing in the wind filled the air.
Finding Diela lying hidden in the bushes in a place like this would not be easy.
–Crunch, crunch, crunch.
The madman's footsteps reached Diela's ears.
Just beyond the bushes in front of her, he was cutting down branches here and there with his sword, searching for Diela.
Diela shoved her hand into her mouth and held her breath tightly, afraid that even a sound of breathing would escape.
Derrick, humming as he searched places where Diela might be, looked exactly like a predator looking for prey.
–Thump.
Eventually, Derrick's boot appeared just a few handspans in front of Diela, who was lying in the bushes.
The darkness around was so thick that even with eyes adjusted to the dark, it was barely visible.
Diela somehow suppressed the heart that felt like it was about to explode, covering her mouth.
Even if she stayed still, her lower lip trembled and her breathing became irregular. She couldn't tell whether she was breathing out or in.
After a few times of Derrick's feet sweeping around the area, he eventually moved deeper into the forest.
'Huff ... huff ... '
As the distance gradually increased, Diela finally began to have some room to think.
'I, I have to run back to the mansion ... b, but if I just run across the grassland with no cover, I'll get hit by magic ...! Th, then what do I do? R, right now I can hide like this, but ...! So, someday I'll be found ...!'
Lying in the darkness, clutching her head tightly, the girl somehow tried to calm her pounding heart.
'Calm down, calm down, calm down. There has to be a way. There has to be a way ...!'
Then a large rock came into her view.
It was almost the size of Diela's head. She crawled there with difficulty and tried touching it. It was quite heavy, but somehow liftable.
What was truly fortunate was that it was deep night with darkness settled.
The thick darkness spread across the forest would hide Diela's already small body even more perfectly. It meant a good environment for an ambush.
Against a man with a strong build, fragile Diela had no chance in a fair fight.
If the opponent was really a 2-Star mage, there was a high chance she wouldn't even be able to resist at all.
In the end, the answer to her worry came down to an ambush using the darkness.
If she could ambush him somehow, she might be able to create an opening, and if she was lucky, she might even knock him unconscious.
She had to hide in the darkness, wait for a chance, and strike from behind when the opponent let his guard down.
That was the only way.
Even while trembling, Diela dragged the rock and placed it next to the bushes.
Holding the end of the rock tightly with both hands, she prepared herself so she could lift it at any time.
Thus, in the bushes in the darkness, she sharpened her senses.
But the more she strained her nerves, the more fear surged up in her chest.
–Drip, drip, drip.
Tears dripped onto the rock.
She clenched her teeth and held back the sob that was about to burst out. She didn't even have the strength to wipe away the tears falling in clumps.
'Don't cry, don't cry, don't cry. I can't make any noise.'
She pushed away the surging emotions with reason. Thinking that she might die here, her life flashed before her eyes.
A time when she used to laugh and chat brightly while running around the mansion, and go out with a canvas and easel to paint landscapes .. such innocent days came to mind. Days when every day was carefree and happy.
After that came memories of failure and frustration. And memories of being left behind among her siblings who were moving ahead. The pitiful looks from her family. Family who encouraged her. Insufficient achievements. Effort, failure, and failure again. Endless failure.
Servants looking at her with pity. Rumors that she had nothing outstanding except her cute appearance. Backbiting from the Noble Society saying that she was lucky to be born as the young lady of the Duplein family.
And the fact that now, the only thing left to her was her Bloodline. That cold fact that the only thing she could show in front of others and have its value recognized was this noble Bloodline.
'I can do it. I can do it. I can do it ...!'
Shaking off the negative memories, Diela clenched her teeth. She would catch that madman and somehow return to the mansion. The darkness in the forest was on Diela's side.
It was at the moment she steeled her resolve.
–Whoooooosh!
The darkness of the forest, which had been Diela's only ally, disappeared.
1-Star Transformation Magic 'Light Creation'
The huge light source blooming beyond the bushes began to reveal everything around.
The reason mages were recognized as the most reliable allies among mercenaries was because of that kind of flexibility that could respond to any battlefield situation. Especially dynamic battlefield control was Derrick's specialty.
Of course, from Diela's point of view, it was nothing but a bolt from the blue.
The darkness in the forest had already completely disappeared.
'Huh ...!'
The strategy of hiding in the darkness no longer worked.
Just as she changed her strategy to finding cover and started to get up from her spot.
From afar, the white-haired madman who was floating a sphere of light turned his head sharply toward Diela.
"Found you."
The boy was smiling as if his mouth would split open.
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