Chapter 6 Translator: XZY Chapter 6: Duplein (3) ***
"You've probably never heard about my younger sister, Diella."
The interior was several times more luxurious than the carriage they had ridden in to subjugate the magical beasts.
The carriage, bearing the seal of the Ducal House of Duplein, was so gaudily adorned with all sorts of gold trim and splendid decorations that it was burdensome just to board it.
Inside, Lady Aiseline sat with her servants, and opposite her sat Jayden, who had come as the representative of the Veldern Mercenary Corps and as Derek's companion. Derek was also sitting quietly beside him, surveying the surroundings.
Against the background of the clattering sound of the carriage wheels turning, a conversation between Jayden and Lady Aiseline took place.
"Lady Diella... I believe I've seen her in the Duplein family's genealogy."
Jayden no longer laughed frivolously.
The lady of the House of Duplein sitting right in front of him was not someone he could treat carelessly.
He could have laughed nonchalantly when they hadn't revealed their identities, but now the situation had changed somewhat.
"However, she is someone who is not well-known to the public."
"Yes, that's right."
Derek confirmed that Lady Aiseline's gaze dropped for a moment.
It seemed that talking about her younger sister, Lady Diella, was not a very pleasant matter.
'The succession structure of the Duplein family... right, was it two sons and two daughters.'
The Grand Duke Raymond Oswald Duplein, a 5-Star mage, had four children under his care.
He had heard news that among them, the third and fourth children were being treated as ladies of the House of Duplein and were preparing to debut in high society.
However, while many stories circulated about how graceful and benevolent the third child, Lady Aiseline, was, there was surprisingly little known about the fourth child, Lady Diella.
"Diella needs a magic master."
"...So you were entrusting requests to various mercenaries to verify their qualifications?"
"Yes. I apologize for concealing our identities. As you know, it's not something that would be good to reveal."
Katarina, the head of the ladies-in-waiting who had been quiet by her side, poured black tea with a modest demeanor.
The carriage wheels were as big as a person, and there were as many as six horses pulling the carriage. At this point, the carriage barely shook, to the extent that one could drink hot tea without difficulty.
On the small table between the seats, teacups giving off a luxurious aroma were lined up.
However, no hand reached for those teacups.
"This is strange. To teach a lady of the Ducal House of Duplein, would a magic master of commoner origin even be appropriate?"
Jayden's point was valid. It was strange enough for Derek himself to nod his head.
He had often heard that the nobles' sense of privilege and authority was beyond imagination.
It was too unnatural for them to be searching for mages from the bottom-rung mercenary world to be the master of such a noble lady.
As mentioned, the people called nobles were those who were ready to sell off their own liver and gallbladder if it meant attaching a good magic master to their child.
With the authority of the Duke of Duplein, he could have found and attached a renowned magic master with a good bloodline at any time. No matter what anyone said, wasn't this one of the top three prestigious families in the Empire?
In fact, without needing to mobilize outside personnel, there would have been plenty of people with deep knowledge of magic if one just looked within the family.
Therefore, the very fact that Lady Aiseline had come out to search for a master herself was proof that this was not a normal situation.
Derek spoke in a quiet voice.
"I have heard that there are three or four known 4-Star mages in the Duplein family alone. Is there a reason to search through a mercenary corps, leaving such good masters aside?"
"...Being deeply knowledgeable in magic and teaching magic well are completely different areas of ability."
"...That is true."
"And of course, we've tried attaching many such masters. But it didn't go as well as we thought..."
It didn't go as well as we thought.
It was a concise expression, but Lady Aiseline's face looked truly complex.
Still, the underlying feeling was one. It was the love for her one and only younger sister.
"Diella... is hopelessly untalented in magic."
"..."
Jayden fell silent for a moment upon hearing those words. It was because he could not understand it well.
The House of Duplein was a renowned magic family, so famous that there was no one who did not know of it. To be born with the bloodline of such a place and yet have no magical talent was not a common occurrence.
"If things go on like this, she will likely be treated as a nuisance without even being able to start her studies for high society. I cannot just stand by and watch Diella be treated like that."
Noble ladies from the Belkoth region often came to Ebelstein to prepare for high society when they came of age. They would usually be granted an entire mansion and practice the role of the lady of the house.
Even Lady Aiseline, sitting before Derek's eyes right now, was involved in the noble society of Ebelstein, not the ducal domain.
Beyond the northern castle walls, in the wealthy district where the nobles resided, she was in the midst of acquiring the qualities of a dignified lady by engaging in various exchanges and studying.
However, that was a story for when one had at least the minimum qualifications.
To be born with the bloodline of the great House of Duplein and yet be unable to use magic properly meant that, as a noble, she harbored a fatal flaw.
She was a person with a much greater possibility of becoming a disgrace to the House of Duplein rather than its pride. It was probably a fact that everyone who needed to know in the ducal estate already knew.
It was not difficult to imagine how the girl named Diella was being treated.
"I see. But I am not sure if that is a suitable reason for searching through a mercenary corps. If she is having trouble learning magic, wouldn't it be right to find an even more capable master?"
"..."
"...Did I ask a discourteous question?"
"No. It's just... I was just thinking about how to answer."
Lady Aiseline spoke calmly with a face full of worry.
"Diella has gone through over twenty masters in the last eight months. There is no one left who can handle her."
"..."
"But I still can't give up."
Lady Aiseline's expression as she said that had become serious.
"Derek-ssi's way of thinking is different from the old mages who have come so far, and the way you handle magic is also very different, so who knows what might happen, right? I intend to try everything I can."
Derek was slowly starting to get the picture. In short, it seemed that the lady named Diella was not an easy person to teach.
It was said that noble ladies were often one of two things: either they had no manners, or their heads were in the clouds.
At this point, it was hard to gauge which of the two the girl named Diella was.
<><><>
Bang!
The mansion of the Duke of Duplein, which boasted the greatest majesty in the Belkoth region.
The door to the great Duke's office was opened as if it would break. There were not many people who could throw open the door of the Duke's office like that, a Duke whom even most nobles could not meet his eyes.
"Father! Valerian Hyung-nim! I apologize for interrupting your conversation!"
Inside the office, the Grand Duke Raymond Oswald Duplein was sitting at a magnificently large office desk, and in front of him, a young man with flowing blond hair was discussing the ducal domain's tax revenue for the current quarter.
The eldest son, Valerian, was a handsome man with a tall stature and a good build.
He, who had been designated as the next head of the family, had his coming-of-age ceremony last year, and he was also a prodigy to the extent that he had already learned the rudiments of 2-Star magic at the time of his ceremony. The great elders of the House of Duplein were already keeping an eye on him.
He placed the documents he had been reporting on on the office desk and said in a soft voice.
"Reigh. What on earth is all this commotion? Act with some dignity."
"Please listen to what I have to say, Hyung-nim! I really can't stand it anymore!"
The young man called Reigh grabbed a maid who had been in the hallway and threw her onto the office floor.
Thud!
"Kyaa!"
As the maid tumbled onto the office floor, the cloying smell of urine filled the office, which had only faintly smelled of scented candles.
The maid was drenched in mop water. Not only that, but her maid uniform was torn to shreds in various places, and her hair was completely disheveled. It was a clear sign that she had been harmed by someone.
"She's even laying a hand on my personal servants now. I'm talking about that brat, Diella!"
"Reigh. Lower your voice and speak."
"I'm speaking up because I've endured and endured and can't stand it anymore! The number of servants who quit because of that brat last month exceeded double digits. The number of dishes she has broken because she was in a bad mood must have already exceeded several hundred! She's destroying buildings just because she's bored... How long do we have to condone that hooligan? Is it okay just because she's still young and the youngest?"
Reigh, who had walked into the middle of the office, raised his voice toward the Duke of Duplein, who was looking over documents from beyond the desk.
"Father! Please give me an answer!"
The Duke of Duplein, who had quietly put down the documents he was examining, looked gently into Reigh's eyes.
Reigh knew well the emotion contained in those eyes.
"Father..."
Reigh held his breath for a moment, and then finally spoke in a defeated voice, as if lamenting.
"Will that tomboy truly be capable of behavior befitting the name of Duplein? We... we have done as much as we could... As a family... and as nobles... we have fulfilled our duties."
"That is not for you to judge, Reigh."
"No, Father. Although I may not be comparable to Hyung-nim, I am strictly a member of the House of Duplein. I too can have my say. We must start to admit it. That child, Diella, is our family's shame and flaw."
Unlike the gentle, prince-like Valerian, Reigh had the angular face of a general.
If one were to pick the older of the two, many people would choose Reigh, but he was strictly the second son of this House of Duplein.
"Father. Even if Diella fails to become a person befitting the family... we have Aiseline. The gods have simply bestowed upon Aiseline the dignity as a noble that should have been shared with Diella. So let us let Diella go."
"Reigh. It would be best for you to choose your words in front of Father."
"Hyung-nim. You think the same way, don't you?"
When Reigh shot back like that, Valerian could not answer right away. At his troubled expression, Reigh, as if gaining momentum, said suggestively to the Duke of Duplein.
"...I have had the head butler look into a monastery in the Anhel region."
"Reigh!"
"Someone has to be resolute! If no one will do it, then I have no choice but to take on that role."
Reigh raised his voice again to the Duke of Duplein.
"They say the facilities are good because many children of nobles gather there, and the Empire also keeps a close eye on it. Rather than living here being treated as a nuisance, wouldn't it be better for Diella to serve the will of the gods? Rather than letting her become a great trouble to the family if we leave her as she is..."
SLAM!
Reigh could not finish his words.
It was because the Duke of Duplein had grabbed Reigh's head and slammed it into the desk.
"Keok!"
Pressing down on the screaming Reigh's head, the Duke of Duplein whispered in a voice that had grown cold.
"I believe I told you that it is not for you to judge."
"Keuk... Ugh... Father..."
"Must you make me say the same thing twice?"
Even while his face was being pressed against the desk, Reigh did not bend his will to the end.
"Father. When it is time to decide... you must decide..."
Thump!
Like a son who had received the blood of a monarch, Reigh did not easily bend his will. And so, while being pressed down by the Duke's hand, he stuck to his will until the end, and eventually, he was swept away by the Duke's mana and lost consciousness.
"..."
A moment of silence.
In the office, only the quiet sound of the frightened maid's sobbing could be heard.
The Duke slumped back into his office chair and pressed his brow for a moment.
For a monarch, worry and concern were lifelong companions. Nevertheless, one never got used to them.
Valerian, who had been quietly watching the Duke with his weary expression, quietly helped the unconscious Reigh to his feet.
And he also patted the shoulder of the maid who was sobbing on the floor.
"You must have had a hard time. I will speak to my head of ladies-in-waiting separately, so for today, wash up and rest in your quarters."
After comforting the maid in a gentle voice, he said to the Duke while supporting Reigh.
"The matter of the tax revenue is not an urgent matter, so I will take my leave for today. Please get some rest, Father."
"Alright."
It was the moment Valerian was about to leave the office, taking Reigh and the maid with him.
"Valerian."
"...Yes."
The Duke, who was sitting in his office chair pressing his brow, spoke in a low, deep voice.
"To love one's children equally is not an easy thing."
"..."
Valerian gave a bitter smile, bowed his head deeply, and left the office.
<><><>
"Oh my, Valerian Orabeoni."
The hallway in front of the office.
Aiseline, who had returned to the ducal estate for the first time in a while, encountered Valerian coming out of the office and was about to greet him warmly.
However, upon seeing that he was supporting an unconscious Reigh, her expression could not help but stiffen.
The same went for the maid who was following him out, covered in dirty water.
"O, Orabeoni..."
"Oh. Aiseline. It's good to see your face after so long. Is Ebelstein treating you well?"
Valerian forced a smile and accepted Aiseline's greeting.
"As you can see, the situation is a bit complicated, so we'll have to catch up later."
"...Yes."
As Valerian was about to pass Aiseline while supporting Reigh, a few servants ran out and took Reigh. In the process, Valerian saw the faces of the people Aiseline had brought with her.
Along with the servants she usually had with her, she was accompanied by two mercenaries who looked as if they had come from outside the ducal estate. It was Jayden and Derek.
"..."
He knew that Aiseline was running around day and night for her youngest sister, Diella.
However, looking at the people she had brought, Valerian could not help but wear a pitying smile.
At first, Aiseline had also brought renowned tutors from among the 4-Star mages.
However, no one could handle Diella. People who were humiliated, injured, or simply gave up and left continued to appear.
As the notoriety of Diella being a hooligan spread among the upper class, the number of people volunteering for the position of master gradually disappeared.
Still, Aiseline did not give up and searched here and there, somehow managing to bring in people who were resolute and upright, even if they were 3-Star or 2-Star mages.
However, even such people had become scarce, and now it had reached the point where a mage procured from a mercenary corps was entering the ducal estate.
The effort was commendable, but from the perspective of an older brother watching, a bitter taste could not help but form in his mouth. It only made him realize that there was truly no one left to bring.
Valerian passed Aiseline and quietly proceeded down the hallway.
He felt as if a heavy weight was hanging in his chest.
"Aiseline. How is life in Ebelstein?"
"Thanks to your concern, Father, every day is enjoyable. I'm learning portrait painting these days, and I'd like to paint a portrait of you, Father, when I have the time."
"Is that so. When it's finished, I must hang it in the mansion's hall."
"Oh, Father. I'm not that skilled yet. I need to acquire the skill so that the servants won't look at it and make fun of it, so please wait a little."
As Aiseline offered a pleasant conversation with a smile full of color, the Duke's expression, which had been full of worry and concern, also eased a little.
No matter what anyone said, Aiseline was a person who received a great deal of love from the people of the ducal estate. Born with the character and grace of a noble lady, not only her parents but also her two older brothers and the vassals all adored her.
Because she was such a person, it was a smooth process for her to be granted a mansion in the wealthy district of Ebelstein and begin her studies for high society as soon as she came of age. She was literally a person like a jewel of the House of Duplein.
"Ah, and this is to report in advance. I have brought a mage from Ebelstein."
"...Is that so."
The Duke's brow narrowed for a moment as he looked at Derek.
The people Aiseline had brought as Diella's master were not just one or two. And whoever it was, they could not last even a few weeks and ran out.
It was difficult to place much meaning on her bringing someone else now, but in any case, it was a person whom his beloved daughter, Aiseline, had looked into and brought.
"Alright."
However, that was all he had to say.
From some point on, the Duke of Duplein no longer offered his opinion at length.
Aiseline looked at the Duke's appearance quietly, and then soon let out a quiet, bitter smile.
"Then, I will go and relieve my travel fatigue first, so let's have a further pleasant talk separately in the reception room. Father. There is much I have to say."
"Alright. Let's see each other in a little while."
It was the moment Aiseline offered her greetings and was about to leave the office.
"You there, stay."
The Duke called Derek to a halt.
<><><>
The quiet office.
The Duke of Duplein, with his quill scratching, was intently examining a document for a long time.
It seemed to be an important matter related to the management of the domain.
The Duke did not handle anything carelessly, and was thinking deeply.
It seemed that he lived his life buried in busy work like this all day long.
After signing one document that had to be dealt with immediately, the Duke spoke as if tossing out the words, without even making eye contact.
"You are very young."
"Yes."
"Sixteen?"
"That is correct."
The Duke looked over the next document again, and drew a few lines with his quill.
He continued to speak in his low, thick voice while handling the matters.
"...To what extent can you handle magic?"
As he asked while fiddling with his quill, Derek answered without any hesitation.
"I can handle a little bit of 1-Star magic."
"Hoho..."
The Duke let out a low laugh.
It was not difficult to guess the meaning of that laugh.
To have learned proper magic at the mere age of sixteen and reached a level where one could teach others was a surprising thing for a commoner.
A little bit of awe was mixed in with it, and the rest was lamentation.
Even so, it's just the level of a commoner.
Was he letting out a laugh of lamentation at the fact that he had to entrust his daughter's magic mastery to such a person?
Derek had predicted so─ but that prediction was only half correct.
"Do not bother to lie."
At some point, the gleaming eyes of the Duke of Duplein were directed straight at Derek. The afterglow of mana flickered in those eyes.
"Humility does not always act as a virtue."
He had already seen through the fact that Derek's level of magic did not end at a mere 1-Star.
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