Noble Lady Reformation Guide - Chapter 23: Belmiard (3)

“For a commoner, his level of magic is quite impressive. It seems the rumors about that veteran mercenary weren’t exaggerated.”

Felmier downplayed the praise Jayden had given about Dereck. After all, the standards of commoners were usually mediocre.

It was true that his limits were evident—he primarily used one-star magic—but the finesse with which he handled the flow of magical power was the most refined Felmier had seen among the common folk.

Sometimes, individuals from humble backgrounds emerged who might have had different futures. Rarely, such people appeared among commoners, but most gave up when faced with the wall of bloodline.

Watching noble-born mages quickly reach levels that had cost Felmier years of grueling effort was hard to swallow. In the realm of magic, lineage was everything—first, second, and third.

That mercenary, though young, seemed to retain his determination intact. For Ellen, there was no better training partner. No need for formalities like with other nobles—a fair exchange of blows was possible, and even if they hurt each other during combat, it wouldn’t be a big issue.

Felmier recalled the confident look on Jayden’s face when recommending Dereck. Without a doubt, the wisdom of a mercenary famous in the War of Dawn was on another level.

“Was it the Beldern Mercenary Group…? It seems Lord Belmiard would be interested.”

Thinking he should remember the name of the group, Felmier continued observing the duel. It remained in near-perfect balance.

*

“Oh, fire of judgment that punishes all…”

—Buzz!

Reciting a unique incantation from the Regulated Academy, Ellen, after creating some distance, summoned one-star fire magic again.

This time, with a serious expression, she called forth her specialty: the fire spell series.

A dozen small fire arrows formed in the air.

Dereck’s red eyes blinked once, and in an instant, he recognized the flow of the magic. Ellen also caught his gaze in that brief moment.

“He’s already predicting the direction of my magic…!”

Ellen quickly re-evaluated her strategy. If she used magic conventionally, Dereck would find a way to neutralize it just as he had moments ago. Magic carried the caster’s intent.

By following its flow, manifestation, and speed of change, one could sometimes guess the user’s purpose.

Dereck was an expert in that.

More than that, he was a master duelist. Ellen could easily tell he had honed his ability to read magical flow through real combat.

Among demonkind, mutants with magical abilities occasionally appeared, so reading spells wasn’t an option—it was essential for hunting and killing them.

If Dereck truly was a veteran, half-hearted attacks would only serve him.

Thus, a spell unleashed indiscriminately in all directions would be more effective in overpowering him.

With magical barriers protecting the exterior of the arena, there was no worry about destroying the building. Ellen made her decision in an instant.

In a flash of instinct, she changed all her plans.

The dozen fire arrows bloomed—not targeting a single point, but intending to engulf the entire platform.

“Oh…?”

Dereck’s eyes widened in surprise. It was an interesting decision.

Though Dereck had witnessed noble marvels many times, it was rare to see mages of that age adapt and change tactics so quickly.

Noble mages, with their vast mana reserves and power, could easily crush commoners. But having always lived as the strong, they often lacked the ability to adapt quickly or apply magic to changing situations.

Adaptability and deception tended to develop in the hands of the weak.

That’s why Ellen’s quick judgment could be considered innate.

—Boom!

The magical current expanded in all directions, making it unpredictable.

Dereck swiftly reorganized his magic to defend.

In a square arena like that, the edges were the least likely to be hit.

If the opponent’s attack lacked a pattern, it was best to secure a more favorable position.

Dereck leapt to a corner, cloaking himself in magic. After neutralizing several incoming fire arrows, he quickly prepared for a counterattack.

“I knew you’d be there.”

Ellen had sensed Dereck’s position in an instant and finished casting her next spell.

The flurry of fire arrows had been a smokescreen to corner Dereck and ensure her next spell would hit.

From the scale of the spell used merely as a distraction, it wasn’t hard to deduce she had considerable magical power.

Dereck was already slightly delayed in manifesting his magic while handling the fire arrows.

Ellen used that moment to strike, starting to launch ice spears. This time, she was determined not to let them be neutralized like before.

However, Dereck had already read all her intentions.

He closed his eyes briefly, then raised his hand and used the one-star spell Creation of Light at full power.

—Flash!

Instantly, the light obscured vision.

Dereck wasn’t very confident in transformation magic, but it was effective enough to create an opening during a duel.

Seeing the light, Ellen instinctively closed her eyes.

However, she sharpened her hearing and surrounded herself with a defensive spell.

“Good reaction.”

Dereck quickly activated his magic and commented mentally.

At every moment, Ellen made optimal decisions—without a doubt, she was exceptional.

Even with her eyes shut, she focused all her hearing to counter Dereck’s magic.

‘If I focus on magical aura and sounds, I can defend…! So I’ll wait until the direction is clear…!’

—Clang!

At that moment, one of Dereck’s magic arrows struck Ellen’s barrier.

Her reaction was slightly delayed, but she managed to block Dereck’s attack with a belatedly cast spell. Its offensive power wasn’t that great.

Ellen narrowed her eyes to locate Dereck. The light had faded, and the white-haired mage, once again manifesting offensive magic, came into view.

‘I can’t hear anything…!’

She had vaguely sensed the direction of his magic, but hearing no approaching sound meant… the spell had been deliberately silenced.

‘Confusion magic…! He even anticipated I’d rely on sound…!’

Among the basic one-star confusion spells was sound blocking.

Switching between different types of magic like that was very difficult. Dereck’s magic arrows were relatively weak due to the difficulty of focusing on a single incantation in such an environment.

But if it had been a stronger two-star spell, the barrier would’ve manifested under the attack—and the duel would be over.

The only reason the duel continued was that the opponent was a one-star mage. Realizing this, Ellen clenched her teeth and unleashed more magic.

“If he keeps challenging me technically, I’ll crush him with overwhelming power!”

Ellen gathered more mana and leapt back.

But Dereck, grasping her intent, closed the distance swiftly.

“He’s going into close combat…? Confident in his manifestation speed?”

Quick spellcasting was Ellen’s specialty.

She had confidence in her offensive power, but wouldn’t shy from a speed contest either.

Her gaze locked onto Dereck’s fingertips.

While she focused, magic gathered at his fingers, and she prepared to pierce his barrier with her ice spears.

—Pak!

However, Dereck’s magic activated half a beat faster than Ellen had anticipated.

As a typical mage of the Regulated Academy, she assumed the spell from his fingers would envelop her… but Dereck’s magic was different.

As he approached Ellen and stomped the ground, force erupted from beneath.

Manifestation of Force, a one-star spell.

The image of energy bursting from the foot used to kick off the ground.

Ellen, mouth agape in surprise, barely managed to cast her spell and received the attack.

—Bzzz! Bang!

Witnessing such a manifestation for the first time, Dereck was surprised by the skilled counter. He hadn’t expected such a perfect defense.

But in truth, Ellen was even more astonished. She had never seen magic used like that.

“Phew…”

After calming down, Ellen gathered her magic once more.

She wouldn’t accept a direct attack again. To hit that boy, she would need to create an opening with another feint.

Several more exchanges of spells followed, but the boy dodged with exceptional agility.

His freeform magical control was so unpredictable it confused the Regulated Academy’s systematic approach.

The wonders of the Academy, almost entirely explored through theory, could be maximized efficiently within predictable boundaries when followed correctly.

But the boy’s use of magic seemed inefficient and incomplete, like playing with a different theory.

Still, that made him even more unpredictable—like facing a swordsman who held his blade backward or flung it wildly.

Though with composure, such tricks could easily be overcome.

When Dereck stepped back to gather magic, Ellen closed the distance with an attack.

Preparing a quick magic arrow, Dereck readied his counterattack, but Ellen, with a sly grin, lifted her skirt.

“So this is how it’s done?”

With a graceful lift of her skirt and a bold leap, she unleashed a Shockwave spell on Dereck.

She had imitated Dereck’s magic casting after seeing it only once. She was a mage who learned incredibly fast.

Ellen deliberately targeted his weak point, not expecting to be hit by his own method.

However, using unorthodox magic against Dereck wasn’t the best strategy.

—Bang!

Dereck capitalized on the spell and redirected the Shockwave Ellen had released.

— Poorly imitating Wild Faction magic would only lead to being outplayed.

Ellen, unaware of this, was surprised by Dereck’s action. She had never seen a technique that used the opponent’s magic against them.

—Bang!

—Boom! Crack!

The redirected force passed dangerously close to Ellen’s ear.

The blast struck the empty ground, making a deadly sound.

If that previous attack had been direct, the duel would have ended right then.

Ellen rushed to gather her magic again, but after casting a spell, there was always a brief gap.

And Dereck wouldn’t let such an opportunity pass. As she gathered her power, he sensed the next attack wouldn’t be countered.

That was when Dereck launched his next assault.

—Ding! Ding! Ding!

The bells at the corner of the platform, filled with magic, began to chime on their own.

They marked the end of the duel. According to the rules, any match undecided after 10 minutes was declared a draw.

“Well done,” Dereck said, as if he’d been waiting to say it.

Ellen looked straight at him, eyes red, silently watching Dereck.

*

“You’re a great mage.”

After several exchanges, Ellen, having acknowledged Dereck’s magical skill, spoke gracefully as she adjusted her dress.

Her demeanor and posture had changed significantly since before the duel. Though she had looked down on him inwardly, she chose to show him a bit of courtesy now.

“If you could use stronger magic, the result would have been easy,” she said.

“That’s not true. Lady Ellen, among all the nobles I’ve seen, your command of magic is the best. Truly, the Countess Belmiard is exceptional.”

“Well, we’ll see.”

After the duel, Ellen’s attendants approached and quickly began tidying her appearance and hair.

A noble lady couldn’t lose her dignity for even a moment; not even a brief duel justified a disheveled look.

Ellen sat on a chair in the corner of the arena, brushing her hair.

Still, her expression seemed quite satisfied, as if she had enjoyed the duel.

“I heard you’re not from a special lineage, yet you’re very well-trained. That must have taken great effort.”

“More like, it was a situation I couldn’t avoid. When you join a mercenary group to make a living, you end up doing things you don’t like.”

“No need for such modest excuses. I admire those who put in effort.”

Though lacking in noble blood, commoners who rose to the three-star rank were born once in a generation. Surely, people like that didn’t surrender to their circumstances—they persevered until they reached that level.

Ellen, concluding that Dereck’s life had been more a thorny path than a bed of roses, gave him a small encouragement.

“That grumpy old man off the platform pretending to be dignified—I don’t like him much, so best not to get on his bad side, right?”

Ellen said with a sly smile, nodding toward Felmier, who stood with his hands behind his back outside the platform.

Dereck didn’t bother to look in that direction. There was no point in revealing they were talking about him.

Ellen felt pleased by his discretion and found herself trying to remember where she had heard the boy’s name before.

“Today’s duel was rather inspiring. Perhaps the next magical encounter will yield better results.”

“Lady Ellen, your dueling skills are exceptional, so I don’t think you need to worry too much.”

“Hmm? Well, mediocre mages are no match for me, but I don’t even consider a duel with someone like that a real one.”

Ellen spoke while brushing her hair several times and lowering her gaze.

“There’s only one person I truly want to defeat.”

“…Is there someone more skilled in dueling than Lady Ellen?”

“Almost no one. There’s just one opponent I’ve faced repeatedly and never managed to beat.”

Ellen didn’t bother to mention the name.

But guessing who it was wasn’t difficult.

The mages of the Rose Hall, to which Ellen belonged, generally didn’t surpass her level.

If there was one noblewoman who matched her magical skill, it could only be someone from the Beltus or Duplain families.

It was widely rumored that Denise from the Beltus family had been defeated by her several times, so by process of elimination, only Aiselin from the Duplain family remained.

“…”

Every time Ellen thought of her, a strange tension furrowed her brow.

Aiselin, often compared to a blooming lily in the gardens of House Duplain, surpassed Ellen in every way.

The Belmiard family couldn’t compete with the Duplains in lineage, and surpassing Aiselin in grace and noble elegance was no easy task.

She was a girl who excelled in every aspect of feminine education, seemingly flawless.

Even her character was impeccable; those who had spoken with her a few times praised her as a person of absolute integrity.

Normally, when someone encountered someone vastly superior, they felt admiration.

People called that worship of someone unattainable idolatry, no matter how much they tried.

But respect and admiration were emotions reserved for distant figures.

For someone who seemed almost within reach but not quite, those feelings didn’t arise. Instead, the opposite often emerged: envy and resentment.

If Ellen, who seemed to have it all, had one flaw she could never overcome in life, it was her hatred for the one who stood at the top—the one who had defeated her.

Dereck, sensing her sudden silence, lowered his head subtly, pretending not to notice.

Though she didn’t show it openly, this girl admired by many was the embodiment of envy.

If she lost in family prestige, in development as a woman, in elegance… shouldn’t she at least win in magic, the field she believed in?

Questions like these were silenced by Lady Aiselin’s extraordinary magical talent, which even complemented her grace with power.

It was a complete defeat in every aspect.

Yet the tantalizing distance that seemed within reach if only she gritted her teeth and climbed higher, dragged her deeper into the abyss. The world called this abyss an inferiority complex.

“Thank you for your effort.”

Ellen dismissed Dereck curtly.

Every time she thought of Aiselin, a cold irrationality tainted her mood.

Shaking her head sharply, she considered it a bad habit.

Still, it seemed a new inspiration in magic had struck her, and she reflected that she should dress properly and train more.

Aiselin.

As soon as she thought of her, a chain of memories suddenly surfaced. Ellen’s pupils dilated instantly.

It was a conversation buried deep in her memory, long eroded by time.

Though winter’s chill was near, it had been during the warm glow of spring when Ellen first heard that story.

—Ah, Dereck was the name of that magic instructor. A mercenary from the Beldern Battalion, his magical power was extraordinary, and his method of handling mana was unique—

Dereck.

At a Rose Hall gathering, he was the magic instructor Aiselin had praised to no end.

The impostor of the Duplain family, Diella Katherine Duplain, whom he had trained and taught up to one-star spells—he was the mercenary turned teacher.

She had heard Aiselin’s regret at that summer meeting, lamenting that she couldn’t retain the mercenary and had to let him go.

— That boy is the wandering magic instructor not even Aiselin from House Duplain could keep.

—Smack.

Ellen grabbed the hand of the maid combing her hair and rose from her seat.

Lifting the hem of her dress, she rushed toward the exit, grabbing the collar of Dereck, who was about to leave.

When Dereck turned with a slightly surprised expression, Ellen raised her head to meet his eyes and spoke.

“Are you the mercenary who taught magic in the lands of Duke Duplain?”

The girl’s red eyes shone intensely.

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