Journey (2)
–Creak!
Bluish mana gathered at the fingertips and then completely disappeared.
Aiselin lifted the hem of her dress at the edge of the antique training hall, formed a neat smile, and greeted her opponent.
"Good work."
Marble sculptures made by old masters, a glossy wooden floor, and oak pillars placed all around.
On the gleaming spectator seats, purple velvet cushions were laid on every seat. Each one was a luxury item, and the surrounding space was left wide for spectators who came in with their servants.
At the opposite end of such a luxurious training hall, a timid noble Young Lady was sitting. She was the youngest daughter of the Baron Glaven family.
She had obtained a chance for a magic spar with Young Lady Aiselin, one of the brightest stars in Ebelstein High Society, but the match had ended without even lasting one minute.
She had tried to calm her pounding heart since last night, hoping to learn even a little more, but while she was captivated by Young Lady Aiselin's graceful use of mana, the match was already decided. She was deeply disappointed that she had wasted such a golden opportunity.
"I hope I can learn from you again next time."
Receiving gazes of admiration from countless nobles, Young Lady Aiselin stepped down from the platform.
If one were to name the largest city in the western part of the Empire, anyone would point to Ebelstein.
True to its nickname, the city of a thousand faces, it was a city with countless expressions, from the slums to the commercial districts and residential districts.
Among the many districts of Ebelstein, the one that could be called a particularly outstanding flower was the Wealthy District. Among commoners, it was called the noble district.
The noble district was located beyond the northern wall of Ebelstein, and it was where all kinds of nobles from the western region of the Empire gathered. The moment one stepped into this place, a completely different scenery unfolded.
Shabby wooden houses were nowhere to be seen, and splendid mansions were lined up instead. In the gardens surrounding each mansion were beautifully trimmed garden trees, fountains, and antique sculptures.
Thinking about the slums where Derrick had stayed, this noble street of Ebelstein was at a level that it would not be strange to call it paradise on earth.
Instead of the smell of food waste drifting along the streets, the scent of flowers filled the flowerbeds, and instead of muddy, filthy roads, well-paved roads stretched out in gentle curves.
The shops lined up between the mansions all dealt only in the finest goods, and the carriages strolling along the streets were all luxuriously decorated carriages for distinguished guests.
Strolling among the cherry trees in bloom and looking up at the wide blue sky, petals occasionally fluttered and freely drifted between the beautiful gardens.
The attire of the nobles walking along the streets was also dazzling.
The male nobles wore jackets made of high-quality brocade and vests with splendid patterns. The female nobles always wore silk dresses adorned with jewels.
There was not a single person who looked sloppy. It was a dignity that felt like a royal court.
Looking at the plaza bathed in such warm sunlight, it was not strange to think that one had entered another world. Thinking about the dark and gloomy scenery of the slums, the sense of disparity was indescribable.
"Recently, Young Lady Aiselin seems to be in a very good mood. Until the last meeting, you looked so worried that I was afraid it might blemish your jade-like skin."
"Was it that obvious? I didn't want to worry anyone... still, most of my worries have been resolved, so I feel much lighter."
On one side of the central street of the noble district,
Young Ladies were gathered at a teahouse decorated with pretty flowers.
After finishing the magic sparring practice in the morning, those who knew each other gathered to have a conversation.
Everyone passing by could not help but send a glance their way.
They were people who received the most admiring gazes even among the nobles of Ebelstein.
Young Lady Denise of the Duke Beltus family.
Young Lady Aiselin of the Duplein Ducal House.
Young Lady Ellente of the Count Belmiard family.
If one were to choose the three most influential noble families in the western part of the Empire, these Young Ladies from the unanimously chosen families were gathered here. They were not gathered for any particularly grand purpose, but rather because they were on friendly terms in daily life.
–Rosea Salon.
It was a social gathering formed around nobles backed by the three families. They sat together, exchanged discussions about magic, and sometimes did artistic activities together or light exercise.
Among the magic salons that had arisen centered around High Society, Rosea Salon was the most authoritative.
Countless members of Ebelstein's noble families tried hard to get even a foot in this gathering, because it was a social club where distinguished guests directly connected to power gathered, and a place where the roses of High Society gathered.
Although it presented itself as a magic salon, in truth magic was only a part of it, and they also exchanged views on art, culture, and the overall state of affairs. Since it was such a place, all sorts of stories would come out. For example, various rumors circulating among noble families.
"When I heard the rumor that Young Lady Aiselin was going around outside the noble district saving people, I was so worried. Especially near the slums or tavern streets, since those places are all the same, please always be careful."
".. Thank you for worrying about me. Actually, I had to find someone who could teach magic to my younger sister, Delia."
"Young Lady Delia... of the Duplein family..?"
Receiving the warm sunlight, Young Lady Denise, who had been lifting her teacup, carefully asked back.
Even Young Lady Aiselin, who was said to be perfect in everything, did not have absolutely no flaws. That flaw was her younger sister.
Since it would not be good for rumors to spread that a Young Lady of one's own family was a delinquent, usually families would try to silence such things. However, there was a limit.
Among the servants who had worked at the Duplein family and the magic instructors who had tried to teach her, Delia's bad reputation was already widespread.
They could not casually bring up such rumors in front of Aiselin, so it was rather unexpected that Aiselin herself brought it up first.
"I stopped by the mansion not long ago and saw Delia, and she had become so ladylike that I could hardly recognize her. They say she even manifested 1-star magic... and her manners are so neat that it makes me think I should work harder myself." ..Young Lady Delia?"
"Yes. Even I, as her older sister, think she's really changed like a different person... it feels like I'm seeing that innocent child from when she was little again, so it makes me happy too. These days, even if I stay still, I start humming, and I find myself smiling for no reason, feeling strangely excited. I'm always careful, wondering if I might look too frivolous."
When you look at Young Lady Aiselin in such a good mood, she seems to be holding a smile like a flower in bloom.
Young Lady Ellente, who was sitting next to her, quietly drinking tea and flipping through various newsletters, glanced sideways.
With her cool-looking impression and glossy red hair hanging down, Young Lady Ellente tilted her head slightly, then asked in a calm voice.
"Seems like you found a good magic instructor?"
"Yes. In terms of status or level, he's not particularly eye-catching for a magic instructor.... but he seems to be truly excellent at teaching people. I never imagined he would guide Delia so well in such a short time."
"I see. They say these days finding a magic instructor is harder than picking a star from the sky, but Young Lady Aiselin really made a great contribution."
"What did I do? It was all Derrick's work. Ah, Derrick is the name of that magic instructor. He's a former mercenary who worked at a place called the Veldern Mercenary Corps, and his magic skill is so outstanding, and the way he uses mana itself is very unique, so—"
Former mercenary.
That kind of word was mixed into Young Lady Aiselin's excited explanation about Derrick.
At those words, both Young Lady Ellente and Young Lady Denise could not help but twitch their fingertips. To think that the one teaching the Young Lady of the Duplein family, who feared nothing under the heavens, was a mere bottom-tier former mercenary.
Young Lady Aiselin was a person with loose standards and no prejudice when judging people, but the two Young Ladies of Rosea Salon were not quite like that. They could only smile awkwardly.
However, Young Lady Ellente's reaction was subtly different.
'If it's Delia Catherine Duplein... isn't she that legendary delinquent the chef talked about...?'
The chef of the Count Belmiard residence, where Young Lady Ellente was staying, was originally from the Duplein family. He was someone who had been beaten and chased out after serving Delia's soup too hot.
That fat chef was filled to the brim with resentment toward Delia. After being chased out, he wandered around until the Count Belmiard family took him in. Now, he was a person who served the Count Belmiard family with a heart full of gratitude.
'Just from what I heard, it sounded like there was no worse demon than her.... and not only did he reform such a person, he even made her into a 1-star mage...?'
To make someone who couldn't even properly handle mana into a 1-star mage in such a short time.
No matter how she looked at it, it was hard to believe, but the source of the information was Young Lady Aiselin.
Young Lady Ellente knew well that Young Lady Aiselin was not the kind of person to boast.
Her gaze sharpened.
Young Lady Ellente was a person who never missed information about useful talent.
Miriela was feeling both joy and frustration at the same time.
It had been a long time since she had tasted such mixed emotions in her life, so even with her beloved daughter Delia right in front of her, she could not bring herself to say anything.
"They say these are tea leaves brought from the Dellervale teahouse in Ebelstein. It's something Aiselin Orabeoni prepared separately for me, and when I took it out and savored it after a long time, the fragrance was still there."
The noblewoman's audience hall.
After finishing all of today's etiquette lessons, Delia hurried over and sat demurely at the tea table. Then she began to speak in a neat tone.
There was no need to say more. That 모습 was exactly the 모습 of Delia overflowing with the dignity of a Young Lady that Madam Miriela had so long wished for.
She already had a good example called Aiselin close by, and there were also plenty of etiquette books to refer to.
She had also received some etiquette lessons before going astray, and her master, Derrick, was not completely ignorant of etiquette among nobles. Putting these various elements together, she was able to act roughly like a noble Young Lady with just the knowledge she had.
She had not done it until now because she was twisted, not because she couldn't.
Miriela also knew that fact... but she had never imagined that someone could reform a person this thoroughly.
"D, Delia. It seems you studied etiquette on your own."
"Yes. I studied some by myself. And Derrick taught me a little too. I can't stay childish forever."
"...I see. Studying on your own, that's really admirable."
"Yes. I studied by myself, and Derrick also taught me."
"Weren't there any difficult parts while you were studying on your own?"
"There were quite a few parts where I got stuck, but Derrick knows more than I expected."
Derrick, Derrick, Derrick.
She held it in.
The way she subtly emphasized Derrick's contributions was meaningful. Miriela suppressed the urge to grab the back of her neck.
Derrick had taught Delia what proper conduct as a noble Young Lady was. Regardless of how it really was, Delia herself was saying it that way.
Derrick was not an etiquette instructor. At best, the knowledge he had would be shallow.
In reality, Delia's etiquette was still at a very basic level... but it was Delia of all people.
That very Delia who had been going through her stormy rebellious phase had started to acquire dignity.
She remembered the scene where all the servants they passed while walking together to the audience hall stared as if their eyes were going to pop out. Seeing Delia acting with dignity, they blinked or pinched their own cheeks.
It was not hard to guess what kind of rumors would soon spread through the mansion.
'The new master, Derrick, changed Delia to be dignified.'
'As expected of Derrick.'
'We thought no one could fix that delinquent, but he's really an amazing master.'
It was easy to imagine such evaluations surging forth. That meant that Miriela's pretext to nitpick and drive Derrick out would itself disappear.
Hadn't she consistently said that the reason she opposed appointing Derrick was because it would damage noble dignity?
If Delia herself showed that she was properly learning noble etiquette like this, Miriela's voice would be no different from being slammed into the ground.
No matter how she looked at it, it was a dead end.
Miriela felt as if her mind was growing distant.
[ Acquired Magic List ]
◆ Combat Magic
★☆☆☆☆ Mana Arrow
★☆☆☆☆ Shockwave
★☆☆☆☆ Full Power Manifestation
★★☆☆☆ Fireball
◆Transformation Magic
★☆☆☆☆ Light Creation
★★☆☆☆ Earth Wall
◆Illusion Magic
★☆☆☆☆☆ Sound Block
★★☆☆☆☆ Auditory Hallucination
★★☆☆☆☆ Confusion
◆ Summoning Magic
★☆☆☆☆☆ Summon - Guide Fairy
◆ Search Magic
★☆☆☆☆ Direction Detection
★★☆☆☆ Clairvoyance
★★☆☆☆ Life Detection
Derrick was diligently studying a 3-star Magic Book that he had obtained permission to view at the table in his private room.
However, even though Derrick was a commoner with extraordinary magical talent, he could not easily master 3-star magic at this age.
Among commoners, those who had reached 3-star were all either old gentlemen who had lived their entire lives with magic, or old mages. For young Derrick, it might have been a bit too high a level.
'Hmm... Discipline School-type knowledge is indeed a bit rough. For me, learning while applying it in actual combat is the most efficient... but in this kind of environment, it's a bit difficult.'
Most of the magic he had learned so far, he had been able to master quickly because he used it in real combat as a mercenary.
Most Wild School-type mages were like that.
Even while feeling frustrated as if something were blocked, Derrick was feeling a strange kind of pleasure.
For some reason, he had a strange feeling that if he somehow twisted and researched things enough, he could reach 3-star. It was a strange intuition welling up only inside himself, with no logical reason he could give.
They said that a mage and the desire for achievement could not be separated.
He was truly realizing the words his master, Katia, had told him.
–Knock, knock.
At that moment, someone knocked on the door of Derrick's private room. Before Derrick could even respond, the door burst open, and a burly man walked in with heavy steps.
It was Raig, the second son of the Duplein Ducal House.
He swung his thick, muscular arms as he walked in, then stood firmly and silently looked at Derrick.
"What brings you here?"
"...I came because I want to talk about Delia."
"...?"
Derrick closed the book and placed it on the table.
Raig, who glanced sideways and confirmed that the book was a 3-star Magic Book, flinched and trembled.
While thinking why he was reading a 3-star Magic Book he wouldn't even understand, Raig suddenly recalled what the Duke of Duplein had said.
Derrick's magical level was, for now, so high that it was in a completely different dimension from Raig's.
Whether Raig, who carried the blood of Duplein, would be able to surpass him in the future was unknown, but for now, the levels were different, so he should not try to challenge him recklessly. At the very least, someone like Valerian would be an opponent he could hold a conversation with.
He found himself chewing over the possibility that the Duke's words might not have been empty. Above all, from 3-star Magic Books onward, it was impossible to even view them without the Duke's permission.
Raig narrowed his brows once, then sat down across from the table where Derrick had been sitting.
His appearance was quite serious, so Derrick also straightened his posture.
"You came all the way to ask me... what is it?"
"...Don't misunderstand and listen."
"Yes."
....
With an extremely serious face, Raig asked.
"These days, teenage girls... what do they like?"
"...."
"If I make something like an embroidered doll modeled after herself, will she like it?"
"That is absolutely not recommended."
Recalling the twisted, terrifying figure Valerian had made, Derrick hurriedly stopped Raig.