Noble Lady Reformation Guide - Chapter 104: Power and Love (9)

– She’s a witch, a witch is happening!

– She acted more noble than anyone under Belmierd’s protection…

– Shh! She’ll hear us!

Ellen walked gracefully down the corridor.

After the meeting in the main hall, she climbed the central stairs of Belmierd Mansion to receive her final death sentence and headed for the lord’s office.

As she passed, the high vassals, the servants, and even the squires began to murmur.

Some high-ranking vassals lamented the years of loyalty to her and began to reconsider their future plans. The housekeeper closed her eyes and avoided her gaze, and even the visiting collateral relatives looked at her with contempt.

Had she followed the straight path, she could have walked the road of a powerful one whom no one would envy, but the life of the girl who chose the wrong path was now full of critical voices.

The image of the young lady, as she passed through all of it, remained always elegant.

Accepting even the thick malice and the criticisms, she walked, and walked, and walked.

When she came to her senses, she was already standing before the imposing entrance of the office.

The squire who escorted her opened the door, and inside she could see the figure of Count Belmierd sitting with a complex expression.

Holding with one hand the hem of her lace-trimmed dress, she stepped inside the office, and Count Belmierd spoke.

“For you alone, more than thirty vassals who handled all the dirty work entered Belmierd Mansion. There were nine squires assigned as your personal guards and more than twenty servants attached to your mansion. Did you encounter them on your way here?”

The tone of Count Belmierd, who always spoke with a voice drenched in sweetness to his beloved daughter Ellen, was cold that day.

Ellen hesitated for a moment and then nodded.

The vassals glared at her and frowned as soon as their eyes met hers, the guards looked at her with disdain, and the servants who had been at her side in the mansion now barely showed faces of betrayal.

They had already labeled her a witch.

“There were those who dedicated more than ten years of their lives.”

“…”

“But now, there is no one at your side.”

Ellen lifted her gaze again toward Count Belmierd.

His expression, burdened with the weight of responsibility, was tinged with sorrow. Count Belmierd was a lord who loved Ellen more than anyone.

When Linus left the main house, and Leonard also abandoned his post, it was Ellen who bore the weight as successor, staying by his side until the end.

Ellen understood the burden of that sadness and held her breath in silence.

“Baron Dereck Lydorf Ravenclaw has brought letters. Two of them.”

“…What?”

In the empty office, Ellen drew two letters from her chest and placed them on the desk.

“What is this…?”

“They are from the Duplain family. One letter asserts that Prince Valerian did not investigate necromancy. And the other reports that the Viscount Renouel’s family will come to our Belmierd Mansion to investigate the necromancy.”

At hearing this, Count Belmierd widened his eyes in surprise and unfolded the letters.

The content was not long. He read them quickly, but his sharp eyes soon began to show signs of doubt again.

“…”

“Did you read them all?”

At first glance, it looked like a letter that proved Ellen’s innocence. If Valerian had not investigated necromancy, the letter found in Ellen’s room could be circumstantial evidence that it had been forged.

However, the letter from the Viscount Renouel’s family was different.

It was meticulously crafted, but Count Belmierd, who had reviewed Viscount Renouel’s seal on official documents many times, noticed immediately.

“This is a forged letter.”

Such a crude forgery could not deceive him.

Moreover, a coldness began to settle in his gaze.

*

“Young Master Leonard, what brings you to this basement?”

“My sister Ellen has admitted to all the suspicions. Now, my sister will lose her power, and this basement will return to its original state.”

An icy chill permeated the basement.

The two men present there stared fixedly at each other.

Leonard felt a strange unease as he looked at Dereck, whose eyes radiated a chilling gaze.

Surely he thought Leonard was already convinced, but now it was hard to trust him so easily.

Still, perhaps it was just Leonard’s sensitivity.

Because everything was over. Ellen had confessed her sins, so it would not be easy for anything to be overturned now.

But that unease never disappeared.

“That’s why I came to check one last time. Just in case my sister Ellen left any suspicious trace.”

“I see. You are thorough.”

“What were you doing here, Sir Dereck?”

“The same as you. Just giving a last look before this basement is emptied.”

At saying that, Dereck sheathed his sword and stood up.

A cold sweat slid down behind Leonard’s ear. He had the hunch he had to uncover the identity of that unsettling sense of crisis.

– Young Master Leonard, you are truly an angel sent by God to save me. What a fortunate event.

The image of Dereck clasping his hand with a bright smile was still unforgettable.

He had expressed his gratitude genuinely and, without shame, asked for help from the Ravenclaw barony in the future.

That Dereck who claimed to be a devout believer, like Leonard, and this Dereck who now had the eyes of a beast in the shadows of the basement—it was hard to believe they were the same person.

So Leonard, restraining himself from trembling, forced his words.

“Sir Dereck. There is nothing to worry about. The work has been completed well, and the Ravenclaw barony will also see the light in the future.”

“…”

“Sir Dereck, should we not both be as wise as serpents and innocent as doves in this noble society? I hope we can be good nourishment for each other.”

“A serpent and a dove. An interesting metaphor. I understand.”

After replying indifferently, Dereck walked past Leonard and headed for the stairs leading to the surface.

Leonard, who was about to let him go, suddenly turned his head to look at him.

Dereck, about to ascend, stopped at that strange reaction.

“Is something wrong?”

“Is this the first time you hear that metaphor?”

“…?”

“The Holy Scriptures of Lord Ruelon, chapter 7: ‘Behold, I send you as sheep in the midst of wolves; therefore be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.’”

“…”

“It is the first verse of chapter 7 of the Scriptures that every believer of Ruelon learns first.”

Leonard said this as he took a step back.

– Are you not the lamb of Lord Ruelon? I too am a devout believer.

Those were the words with which Dereck had smiled to gain Leonard’s trust.

However, Dereck tilted his head even after hearing the most famous verse of the scriptures.

“…You were never a believer of Ruelon from the beginning.”

Creak.

Bang!

Dereck, who was about to leave the basement, slammed shut the heavy wooden door.

His fierce eyes turned toward Leonard as he looked at him again.

“You are truly perceptive.”

At last, Leonard tried to flee quickly from the basement.

But Dereck drove his boot into his solar plexus.

Crash! Bang!

“Argh!”

Leonard, thrown against the corner of the laboratory, screamed in pain.

The bookshelf at the side into which he had been flung collapsed, and dust began to rise in the dark basement.

*

“Dereck. When my father comes to question my sins tomorrow, I plan to confess everything in front of everyone.”

“…”

“Aren’t you going to ask why?”

After Dereck had explained the whole situation and before leaving the room.

In the dark chamber of Belmierd Mansion, where the rain still fell, Ellen spoke to Dereck in an almost whispering tone.

Sitting side by side on the bed, the darkness of the night no longer seemed so terrifying.

It was enough for someone to be at her side for that blackness, which before felt like an endless void, to suddenly feel close, almost familiar. It was surprising.

“That way Leonard will think something is wrong and grow restless as if he had fire at his feet. Then, for you, Dereck, it will be easier to catch the tail of that cunning man.”

“…Do you really plan to bear the blame just for that?”

“Well… to be exact, that’s only a pretext. In truth, bearing the blame is the purpose itself.”

Dereck looked at her with bewildered eyes. Ellen no longer had the haggard expression of someone cornered.

“They say only when you are in ruin and hit rock bottom do the true people remain with you. I don’t think that’s a lie, but I don’t think it’s entirely wise either.”

“What do you mean?”

“It’s natural for people to be around me when I have power and strength. The fact that those people support me means that my power and strength are real.”

With bright eyes, finally regained, the girl spoke to Dereck.

“Yes, that’s right. How could I rule over others as someone who wields power if I become pessimistic and break because of this? The worse the situation gets, the more I will make use of my current solitude.”

Having lived half her life as Belmierd’s heiress and four years at the peak of Ebelstein’s social circle, perhaps she had gained some understanding in the process, for her eyes shone more intensely.

“If I must fall and hit rock bottom, I will fall with all my strength to the very depths.”

“…”

“Even so, Dereck, you’ll stay by my side, right?”

Ellen smiled sweetly.

“From the lowest point, I will endure the criticisms, the trash thrown at me, the mockery and the disappointments. People will hurl blasphemous words at me, hate me and resent me. Since it has come to this, I must descend to the deepest depths.”

And the girl, closing her fist tightly, extended it toward Dereck.

It was the same gesture Aiselin had once shown before the Elfontaine hall.

“Only by falling completely can one rise again with greater splendor.”

“…”

“Not only my direct vassals, but also the rival factions and the high dignitaries who have always looked down on me will join in to criticize and attack me. I will make guilt be born in their hearts. I will make them think they defamed and condemned an innocent flower, and then… I will forgive them.”

The young lady, who had returned from despair and sorrow, was once again thinking with the sharpness that characterized her.

The way to command, control, and seize the loyalty of people.

The plan that the girl, who had learned that instinct almost naturally, was drawing in her mind was a step greater than the one Leonard had devised.

Forgiveness speaks of greatness.

By forgiving and embracing all who had criticized her, Ellen, the flower of Belmierd, planned to transform even the most skeptical vassals into her own.

She intended to use Leonard’s slander to cement her position even further.

Another name for crisis was opportunity, and for those who do not despair, a new chance always arises.

“Dereck.”

Ellen looked at Dereck’s hand, still bandaged from stopping the knife she herself had wielded.

Though it no longer bled, it was still a serious wound caused by her mistake.

With a pained gesture, Ellen caressed the bandage and then raised her gaze to Dereck.

“If all goes well, the vassals and the people of Belmierd will compete for my attention. Even the closest have turned their backs on me, so there will be many who will strive to fill that void. Power has the ability to seduce.”

“Yes. And you, Lady Ellen, are the very incarnation of power.”

“That’s right. If someone manages to win the favor of me, Ellen, the flower of Belmierd, deep down it will be like having all of Belmierd in their hands. But, Dereck, there is something I can assure you.”

Ellen gripped Dereck’s bandaged hand tightly and managed to smile.

“My protection will be Belmierd’s protection. And if someone asks who is the most protected and trusted by Belmierd, the answer will be evident.”

“…”

“You may be proud. When the world turned its back on me, you believed in me. So I will also believe in you, even if the entire world abandons you.”

With that, the girl embraced the man’s wounded arm tightly and whispered.

“Dereck, you are the person I trust most.”

*

Crash! Bang!

Leonard, who had managed to get back up, watched him through the dust.

For a young master raised in a wealthy family, the kick of a veteran mercenary had been brutal. With just one blow to the solar plexus it was hard for him to breathe, and he gasped uncontrollably.

“Huff, huff… Do you think… you’ll get away with this?!”

He had long since abandoned any appearance of respect.

Leonard clenched his teeth and rose from among the remains of the collapsed shelf.

He had only taken one hit, but his body was already staggering, proof that his physical strength was far from outstanding.

“Ellen has already fallen into the abyss. Do you think you’ll be able to handle the consequences just because you struck me now? You’re nothing more than a petty baron with a nominal fief on the margins, while I am destined to be the heir of House Belmierd, before whom even the most powerful nobles bow…”

“You talk too much. Do you think you won’t die if pierced through, just because the lustrous power of Belmierd stands behind you?”

Dereck unsheathed his gleaming sword and let the blade whistle once through the air.

Seeing it gleam even in the dimness, Leonard stepped back again.

“Ha, ha… Kill me? What a bluff.”

“…”

“To kill Belmierd’s third son right in the heart of House Belmierd… Even if I were a villain, you could never bear the consequences of such an act. You can’t kill me.”

Coughing, Leonard leaned against the desk and put on a sly smile.

“Go on, hit me, do whatever you want. But don’t think for a second that the family will believe your words. To them you’ll only be an arrogant minor noble who struck Belmierd’s virtuous third son.”

“…”

“Heh, heh… What a curious situation. So you were the one who brought that letter Ellen had earlier this morning.”

Leonard laughed as he tried to steady his staggering body.

Apparently even the servants helping Ellen were on his side, since he knew about the two letters she had presented.

He had anticipated every move Ellen could make. In truth, this was exactly what Dereck wanted.

“I’ve already read the contents. Do you think such crudely forged documents could turn the situation around? Ridiculous. You underestimate my father.”

Dereck, with his sword in hand, and Leonard, smiling slyly, exchanged words.

The tension mounted.

“My father has governed Belmierd for decades. His eye for official documents is sharper and wiser than mine. He will detect those letters as forgeries in an instant. Even if the vassals don’t see it right away, my father will never be deceived.”

Dereck made the sword hum once more before sheathing it.

He knew well enough he couldn’t kill Leonard, so the blade was nothing more than an intimidation.

“Lord Rodeia will not come. You only used that letter to unnerve me and try to escape this mansion. Rodeia, the one who killed the most necromancers from Rodentz Island. To hear her name and run away would mean only one thing—that one is a necromancer. Right?”

“…”

“I’ve already figured it all out. Unfortunately.”

Leonard’s lips curved again. His sinister smile erased any trace of that benevolent religious man he pretended to be.

“My final bluff in life has failed. Everything has gone to ruin. What a pity. Heh, heh.”

“…”

“Fine. Even if only to console you, strike me as much as you like. But you will never be able to kill me. It’s just a useless act to vent your anger. How meaningless… Even the god Ruelon would weep. Hahaha. Hahahahaha!”

With arms wide open, Leonard burst out laughing in absolute confidence.

He mocked Dereck, provoked him, and proclaimed his victory. It was so infuriating that the witnesses ground their teeth in rage.

Yet Dereck remained calm.

Because he understood his psychology a little.

“Are you anxious?”

Dereck’s words pierced Leonard’s heart. His laughter stopped abruptly.

In truth, Dereck had already noticed Leonard’s nervous behavior.

When he saw Ellen confess all charges in the main hall moments before, he had sensed that something was eluding him.

What was it that Leonard didn’t know?

Precisely that Dereck had a connection with the viscount of Renouel from the start.

The family’s servants resisted making the necromancy incident public. If Ellen had really been involved in it, the matter would spiral out of control.

That’s why it wasn’t easy to officially involve external forces. A private contact had to exist.

Before all this began, Trisha had personally gone to Baron Ravenclaw to request help in capturing the necromancer. Dereck hadn’t gone to them first; they had come to him.

Therefore, when it came to Dereck, he could directly influence the viscount of Renouel.

“From the beginning, I had already contacted the viscount of Renouel privately. They trust my words.”

“W-what did you say…?”

“The hero of Rodentz Island, Rodeia, is coming straight to Belmierd Mansion. Does my word sound like a lie to you?”

The letter was false, but the claim was true.

Dereck’s face showed no signs of agitation. On the contrary, Leonard’s was beginning to harden.

“Ha… haha… What a ridiculous joke. If Rodeia were really coming, there would be no need to forge a letter in the first place…! What nonsense…!”

“Why would there be no need to forge it?”

“Because… forging it was to… confuse me… make me flee or falter…”

“Oh, heavens… The reason I brought the false letter was the opposite.”

This time, Dereck smiled maliciously.

His smile in the darkness, with the corners of his lips raised, was very different from the kind one he had shown when he first met Leonard.

That was Dereck’s true face.

“Because I feared you would flee.”

Like a surge that reshuffles the map, the course shifted several times.

On the road toward Count Belmierd’s estate.

A dozen horses galloped through the still-wet Latman Gorge, though the rain had already ceased.

At the front rode Rodeia, the expert and legendary heroine who had dedicated her life to hunting necromancers.

Behind her came Trisha and the soldiers of House Renouel, mounted on horseback.

Hero Rodeia.

She was the figure with the most precise knowledge of the necromancy of Rodentz Island, among the many branches of necromancy.

In a corner of Ebelstein’s commercial district, at a gambling table, a man with a reddish beard and hair tied in a ponytail chuckled.

He spoke mockingly to the gamblers playing with him.

“Hey, do you know the surest way to trick someone as sly as me?”

“It’s to make him believe he’s tricking you.”

Tossing new chips onto the gaming table, the man smiled showing his teeth. It was Linus, the former heir of Belmierd.

In Count Belmierd’s office, with her face full of conviction, Ellen spoke to the count.

As he listened, the count’s expression grew ever sterner.

Count Belmierd, who did not want to doubt his daughter, began to pay closer attention to her words.

And then, in the underground laboratory where it had all begun, Leonard, whose face had been hardening, finally jumped to his feet.

The composure had disappeared from his expression.

“Move, move, move…”

Leonard said in a slightly trembling voice.

But Dereck, shaking his hand a couple of times, looked coldly down at him, blocking the way out of the basement.

“No.”

“Damn you…! Get out of my way!”

A dark red magic began to emanate from Leonard’s body.

The necromantic energy lingering in the laboratory responded to his call and began to turn into sorcery.

It was a first-level necromancy spell: “Soul Summoning.”

Just before the necromantic energy condensed into his body, Dereck kicked him in the stomach again.

Crash!

With a muffled sound, Leonard was sent flying.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelCet