Noble Lady Reformation Guide - Chapter 159: The Master of My Master (4)

Katia’s life curve had always been on a downward slope.

In Katia’s turbulent life, if one were to speak of so-called nobles, there would be far too much to say.

From being the lady of the house of the luxurious Flameheart family, she became a fallen noble, then sank further until she became a mercenary wandering the battlefields, and yet, in the end, she rose once more as the magic instructor of the Elvester family.

Throughout that agitated life, the expressions shown by those who called themselves nobles changed every single time.

When they dealt with the lady of the Flameheart family, who enjoyed a certain renown in eastern society, they always smiled kindly; when she fell into disgrace and rolled through the mud, they began to spit on her; and when she once again became known as a magic instructor, they started flashing hypocritical smiles at her.

Even within those attitudes that shifted as easily as turning one’s palm over, what could be vaguely perceived was a subtle contempt toward Katia, someone who would never again be a noble.

Their attitudes, changing depending on who they faced, were like those of a chameleon.

To Katia’s eyes, having lived a more unstable life than anyone else, all nobles were like that.

Perhaps those who had lived stagnantly in a single place could not understand that gap.

Young noble ladies of society might live until the day they died believing that the benevolent and warm images of nobles they saw were their true faces.

In reality, when one’s position changes, it is natural for one’s attitude to change as well.

By this point, Katia no longer felt indignant or emotionally hurt by it.

Long ago, she had calmly accepted the fact that she had been lowered to a status not much different from that of a commoner.

However, while living a life as if wandering within a whirlwind, she sometimes wondered about something.

Unlike her own life, which never stopped descending, one of her former disciples seemed to be ascending without end, rising toward some faraway place.

Surely, viewing the scenery that changes while falling and viewing the scenery that changes while ascending must feel different.

Or perhaps they are the same. She could not know, because she had never experienced it.

That was why, every time she folded one of Dereck’s letters and stored it away in a drawer, Katia would silently gaze at the southwestern sky beyond the window and think.

When the time comes, will you be able to tell me as well what you have seen?

With that thought kept in her heart, the elderly teacher set out on a journey to reunite with her disciple after a long time.

***

“I am Orel, commander of the Orel mercenary company. I have heard that you worked for a long time as a mercenary in the tavern district of Ebelstein; judging by your attire, it also gives me a pleasant feeling, as if I had met someone from my homeland.”

“…”

Stories about the mercenary commander Orel had been heard nonstop since the days when Katia wandered through Ebelstein.

That Orel, already revered as a legendary figure among mercenaries, was serving as the commander of the private troops of the Beltus family was surprising enough, but that he had even personally brought soldiers to receive Katia was even more striking.

Seeing the number of soldiers gathered under the pretext of a ceremonial escort, Katia frowned, visibly confused.

“Miss Denise… what is all this…?”

“Uh… well…”

Denise, for her part, was having difficulty deciding how to treat Katia.

Basically, Denise interacted with Dereck quite naturally.

They had known each other since before he received a noble title, so except at public events with many eyes upon them, they did not force themselves into using excessively formal manners.

In fact, if they behaved too ceremoniously, the relationship became awkward, so both maintained a rather relaxed sense of a master–disciple relationship.

But then, how should she treat Katia?

In formal terms, Katia was a commoner who had lost both her status and her position.

Seeing that she treated Denise with respect and even adopted the etiquette of a subordinate before Trisha, it seemed that she herself did not place much importance on it.

However, from Denise’s or Trisha’s perspective, she was not someone they could treat lightly.

“Recently, the internal situation of the Beltus family has been quite complicated, but in any case, upon learning that Dereck’s teacher was coming in person, we thought that at the very least we should offer a minimum courtesy…”

“No… there was no need to go that far… Miss Denise is very considerate.”

“No… to be exact, it is something we must do for the prestige of the Beltus family…”

Denise decided not to adopt a false attitude.

She had already heard several times from Dereck himself what Katia was like, and she knew that any clumsy facade would be seen through immediately.

“From what you did earlier with Miss Denise and also with Trisha… it seems you are still not aware of the influence you have in the southwest of the continent.”

“Eh?”

“You will probably also pass through Ebelstein society, right? If your goal is to travel discreetly, it might be better not to reveal your name. If it becomes known that you are the teacher of Baron Ravenclaw, there will be many who rush toward you with blazing eyes…”

As she watched Denise speak while swallowing nervously, Katia tilted her head with a bewildered expression.

As had been said, the only way Katia could learn news about the surroundings of Ebelstein was by reading Dereck’s letters.

While working as an assistant to the Elvester family, her days had been so busy and hectic that it was difficult to take interest beyond the situation of a city on the opposite end of the continent.

And what Dereck wrote was nothing more than a sober account of his daily life.

Katia had sensed that this would have a great impact on the balance of power in the southwest of the continent, but she could not know exactly how turbulent it had become.

Denise cast a sidelong glance at the ramshackle carriage following behind, let out a deep sigh, and said.

“I won’t ask who is inside the carriage. I think it’s better not to know.”

And in the end, what Dereck had written had been nothing more than a dry enumeration of his current situation.

Katia had also assumed that this would have a great impact on the power structure of the southwest of the continent, but it was impossible to know exactly to what extent everything had been thrown into upheaval.

Denise glanced sideways at the ramshackle carriage advancing behind them and, after letting out a long sigh, said.

“I’m not going to ask who is inside the carriage. I think it’s better not to know.”

The moment she said that, it was practically the same as having noticed the presence of Miss Freya, who would be resting inside the carriage with the help of her attendants.

‘She has a good nose and knows how to handle herself. On the outside she looks naïve, but on the inside she’s as cunning as a snake.’

Katia’s eyes, honed at reading people, were rarely mistaken.

And Denise also instinctively understood that Katia had already read her completely.

‘She’s a clever girl. Dereck has obtained a good disciple.’

People quick of mind often become easily sly, but in Denise there was barely any trace of that kind of malice.

Rather, the way she behaved cautiously, fearing to offend Katia, conveyed a remarkable firmness.

That even Miss Denise of the Beltus family was being so careful with her made it inevitable to wonder what on earth Dereck had done in the southwest of the continent.

Katia let out a satisfied smile and spoke gently.

“I’ve heard many things about you through the letters, Miss Denise. Dereck always said that among all his disciples, you were the most intelligent and the one who judged situations best, someone he could always rely on.”

“D-Dereck said that…?”

“Why would he lie to you?”

“W-well… that’s true, but…”

Suddenly, Denise averted her gaze and checked whether any other family members were listening to the conversation.

Then she ran a hand through her silver hair, stepped a little closer, and asked in a low voice.

“And… and exactly what was it that he said?”

“Pardon?”

“Y-you don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to, but… just… that… how he expressed it, what words he used, how he explained it…”

“…”

Seeing Denise ask with an awkward expression yet clearly unable to restrain herself, Katia could not help but feel troubled.

She did not know the details, but she could reach only one conclusion Dereck must also be having a hard time.

***

“This is as far as I can accompany you. If you continue across this plain, you will reach the territory of Ravenclaw, with vineyards stretching along the road. Dereck has surely already sent people to wait for you.”

“Thank you for your consideration, Miss Denise. For someone of a position as humble as mine, it has been far too generous a reception.”

“It’s nothing. It’s not anything extraordinary. Rather, I apologize for making such a fuss when, if you had come alone, you would have arrived without any trouble.”

“Please don’t say that.”

Katia smiled and offered Denise a formal expression of gratitude.

After saying her farewells, she took a deep breath and raised her gaze to the sky.

Spring was advancing at a steady pace, yet in the shaded areas along the road there were still remnants of snow that had not melted.

The sky, seen from the boundary between winter and spring, had a pleasant clarity, balanced at just the right point.

When she exhaled, the vapor leaving her mouth showed that it was still not time to take off her coat, even though the warm rays of the sun seemed to insist otherwise.

Katia had always loved that ambiguous scenery of the transitional season.

Just as her life had changed without cease, the seasons too showed a different face just when one began to grow accustomed to them.

A life without upheavals might have its own value, but Katia undoubtedly preferred a turbulent existence.

The sense of liberation this long journey brought her after so much time was the best proof of that.

“The territory of Ravenclaw…?”

That white-haired, gaunt-looking boy who in the past devoured hard bread in a corner of the slums now possessed, under his own name, an entire territory.

Compared to the lands the Flameheart family had held at their peak, it was a modest domain, but knowing that this achievement was the fruit of Dereck’s desperate efforts made it feel extraordinarily valuable.

— Kii-ruuk, kii-ruuk

Under the sunlight, the orchards being prepared for the next harvest descended in rows along the hills.

They said it was a region famous for its wine, so the hectic grape-harvesting season must already have passed.

The landscape stretching before her eyes conveyed a strange sense of calm.

All of this was the home that that small boy, fighting with all his strength, had managed to build for himself.

When she closed her eyes, memories of the past inevitably came to her mind.

During her stay at the residence of Count Elvester, there were many nights when, lying in bed, those memories resurfaced.

Katia, who had tried not to grow attached, always carried herself with a serious expression before Dereck, and he, clinging to the hem of her clothes, followed her with his small steps.

Harsh, violent mercenary streets.

Mud-covered roads.

A filthy beggar child and a fallen noble.

A son without parents and a mother who had lost her child.

Surviving by clinging to each other in such a savage environment, where everyone only thought of exploiting their neighbor, was perhaps very far from what could be called happiness.

And yet, if she kept remembering those times, perhaps it was because they had held meaning.

As Katia opened her eyes after losing herself in those uncharacteristic thoughts, a familiar voice sounded beside her.

“It’s still quite cold, Master. You should be mindful of your age.”

A young man of familiar appearance had approached and naturally draped an elegant shawl over her shoulders.

Now that she thought about it, Denise had already told her.

Dereck would soon come to receive her in person.

Katia, narrowing her eyes, looked at the man in front of her and let out a brief laugh.

“You’ve grown quite a bit.”

“I’m past my growth phase.”

“You can still grow more.”

“…”

After so many years apart, they reunited as if they had seen each other just the day before, exchanging ordinary words.

That was how they were.

Both Katia and Dereck.

“I’ve prepared quite a lot of strong liquor. You couldn’t drink as much as you wanted in Count Elvester’s residence, right?”

“It took me quite a while to reduce my tolerance, and now my own disciple is encouraging me to drink…”

“If it makes you uncomfortable, you don’t have to.”

“Do you have rum as well as wine?”

Both smiled naturally, as if this reunion were something inevitable.

The season lay somewhere between winter and spring.

There was still a trace of cold in the air, but it was a time filled with expectations for the warmth yet to come.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelCet