Noble Lady Reformation Guide - Chapter 24: Belmiard (4)

“Let’s get to the point. I’ll do whatever it takes to defeat Aiselin.”

The setting was a mansion in the heart of Ebelstain’s noble district.

Noblewomen residing in this district typically had their own main residences, serving as a form of preparation before becoming the ladies of noble households. Here, they held a status akin to that of hostesses.

For a noble lady, beauty and culture were important, but equally crucial was the ability to manage and oversee a mansion.

The mansion that the Belmiard family had prepared for Ellen in the noble district was so luxurious that one might wonder if it could be any more ostentatious.

Beltus, Belmiard, Duplain.

Among the nobles of Ebelstain, these three families were in a league of their own. And for good reason.

In a metropolis inhabited by hundreds of thousands, owning a garden of such magnitude was no common achievement.

In a corner of Ellen’s residence, a tea table was set up for visitors.

Dereck, who had once lived in the mansion of Duke Duplain, had seen elegantly arranged tea tables everywhere. It seemed that nobles enjoyed having tea in meticulously maintained gardens.

“Aiselin hasn’t reached the two-star level either. I want to achieve it before she does… but if not, at least I want to surpass her in magical duels.”

“Are you referring to Lady Aiselin?”

“Yes. You, who worked as an instructor in Duke Duplain’s lands, must know well—she is a perfect woman. No matter how hard one tries, no flaws can be found in her.”

If anything, the only issue might be her familial relationship with her younger sister, Diella, the troublemaker.

In noble society, collective responsibility couldn’t be ignored, but rumors suggested that Diella had changed almost completely. As for family matters, Ellen wasn’t in a position to boast.

Her older brother was a libertine, and her sister was a nun. In reality, if family was criticized, it was Ellen who should remain silent.

What more could be said? She was the pillar supporting the House of Count Belmiard.

Unlike Aiselin, who could focus solely on self-improvement, Ellen’s situation was different.

Even so, Ellen seemed determined to defeat Aiselin at any cost.

“Your competitive spirit is admirable. Undoubtedly, that’s how you’ve reached such heights.”

“You’re flattering me. I’m very aware that my personality isn’t the best.”

In reality, Aiselin hadn’t made any mistakes.

She simply lived diligently according to her duties, but those around her, consumed by their own complexes, gritted their teeth and did everything possible to surpass her.

“Now you might call it a healthy rivalry, but you don’t know the dark things I did in the past.”

”…Lady Ellen, then, have you also wandered down that path?”

“Jealousy is like that. If, as you say, I had used it constructively to grow, who would have complained? But the human mind doesn’t work that way.”

Ellen’s eyes seemed clouded, as if recalling the past.

Adapting to Ebelstain’s society, she must have experienced all kinds of situations.

She didn’t say it openly, but her social life didn’t seem to have been very pleasant.

“Instead of improving myself, I became obsessed with finding flaws in others. There’s no point in hiding it. I tried to defame Lady Aiselin, to find her mistakes. And do you know how that paragon of grace responded?”

”…”

“She tried to understand me and comfort me. Yes. I was completely defeated.”

Miriela used to say that Ebelstain’s society was like walking on thin ice.

If they showed the slightest weakness, it would be used for gossip and slander, strengthening their own alliances. Why weren’t there people like that wherever humans gathered? That mob of ugly faces always existed.

Perhaps Ellen had been… one of those people. She even admitted it.

“What I’m about to tell you is my greatest shame.”

“If you prefer not to talk about it, it’s not necessary.”

“No, I have a special request for you, so I must reveal some of my cards.”

After taking a sip of tea, Ellen set down her delicate floral-patterned cup.

Then, with a somber expression, she calmly continued her story.

“What methods are there to defame someone? When speaking ill of a noble lady, there are always certain ways to do it.”

“What are they?”

“It’s about criticizing her frivolous behavior, spreading rumors about family dishonor, finding faults to accuse her of lacking culture, or alienating people by saying her arrogance or desire to show off is excessive.”

”…”

“I hold a fairly strong position in Ebelstain’s society. There are some fools who throw all kinds of flattery just to get my attention. They’re no different from lowly nobles. And when you receive so much praise, sometimes you fall into the illusion that you can control the world at will.”

Ellen’s expression darkened.

Dereck could deduce quite a bit at that moment. She had been truly cruel.

Now he understood why she was revealing her own weaknesses to a commoner like him.

She knew that a noble lady like her would only receive superficial responses to such questions, already accustomed to flattery.

That’s why she needed to show how serious she was from the beginning. She hadn’t grabbed Dereck by the collar to hear empty compliments.

With everything that had happened so far, she couldn’t just give generic encouragement. Dereck maintained his gaze and finally spoke in a low voice.

“You really can’t win.”

His words were firm.

Upon hearing them, Ellen’s eyes trembled for an instant.

Dereck was certain.

Lady Aiselin would soon reach the two-star level.

*

In life, there are things that simply can’t be achieved.

Accepting this reality is not as easy as it sounds. Because society values competitiveness.

What can’t be done, can’t be done. Sometimes, it must be said clearly.

When someone credible makes such a statement, people usually accept their limits.

Knowing this well, Dereck decided to take on this grim role.

Ellen’s current magical level was impressive, and her capacity for learning exceeded that of many mages.

But compared to what Dereck knew about Aiselin, she was still far behind.

“…”

When stated definitively, there were usually two possible reactions.

The first was to be offended, pride wounded, clenching one’s teeth and snapping, “Who are you to speak to me like that?”

It was a resentful reaction, but understandable—a blow to the ego.

If Ellen reacted that way, Dereck planned to listen in silence, then leave and never return. He had enjoyed a good cup of tea, and that was enough payment for playing this role.

But Ellen didn’t do that.

The more likely reaction was the second one—despair.

If Dereck, who seemed to know both their magical levels and had dueling experience, was so certain… then there was no hope.

To accept that and collapse inwardly was a real possibility. In that case, Dereck planned to quietly offer comfort.

But Ellen didn’t even despair.

Without changing her expression, she simply said:

“I still want to win.”

That was when Dereck realized the determination in Ellen’s eyes hadn’t come overnight.

Of course. This wasn’t the first time she had been told “It’s impossible.”

“…”

“I’m willing to do whatever it takes,” she said. “If you, who even taught the noble mage Diella Katherine Duplain, can’t think of a way—then who could?”

Her emotional maturity was evident.

She had even grasped the subtle considerations behind Dereck’s firm tone.

When Dereck didn’t respond immediately, Ellen leaned her head forward and spoke.

She seemed to have a habit of locking eyes with the person she was speaking to—it was almost uncomfortable.

“If you have an idea, teach it to me.”

“…It’s not that I have nothing in mind, but there are some concerns I need to address first.”

“Like what?”

Teaching Ellen the art of magical dueling wasn’t an impossible task.

Whether or not she could actually defeat Aiselin was another matter… but he was sure he could raise her combat level.

Of course, getting Ellen to surpass Aiselin was a massive challenge—but it wasn’t without hope.

Still, it was obvious Ellen didn’t know his methods of teaching.

“Do you know how I taught Diella?”

“Details haven’t spread that much. Wasn’t it a calm approach focused on magical control?”

“…Not entirely wrong.”

When Dereck met Diella, he slapped her and dragged her into the forest, where he threatened her life with magic.

In short, one could exclaim, “What kind of lunatic does that?”

Such drastic measures were only possible thanks to the Duke Duplain’s tacit approval, and because Diella wasn’t an ordinary person. Only because of that. He would never do such a thing to Ellen.

But it was important to know that Dereck’s methods were more brutal and radical than expected. When determined, he didn’t spare even noble ladies.

Could Ellen accept that? That was something he had to confirm first…

“I’m willing to do anything. If I could just shatter that Lady Aiselin’s pride…”

“Really? Anything?”

“…Putting it that way makes me nervous, but you know I mean it.”

There seemed to be certainty in that.

Then, the second point had to be addressed.

“As I said, I’m a mercenary, Lady Ellen.”

“…”

What did it mean to learn magic from a mercenary? That was the real question.

“Right, this isn’t a palace filled only with relatives, and this is Ebelstain’s noble district. For someone like me, learning magic from a mercenary might be a stigma. Rumors spread quickly here.”

“…”

“But that’s something I’ll handle. Didn’t I just say it? I’ll do whatever it takes to beat Aiselin. Felmiar might oppose it, but I don’t care. After all, I’m the mistress of this mansion.”

Ellen’s eyes gleamed with determination. The young lady raised her voice, speaking with conviction.

“Don’t underestimate my sincerity! I… really want to surpass her and be the best. If I can’t even stand out in Ebelstain society, how could I ever hope to in bigger waters? I plan for my name to resound across the empire. So don’t worry about that.”

Ellen laughed confidently.

People said that if you could find a new direction in your stalled magical training, you could endure anything. Undoubtedly, her thirst for knowledge burned bright.

And so… Dereck had no choice but to pour cold water carefully.

“…That’s not what I meant.”

“…What?”

“…I meant you’ll have to pay a considerable fee.”

There wasn’t a mercenary in the world who worked without pay.

Upon hearing this, Ellen realized her mistake and blushed.

Her speech had ended. The embarrassment was entirely hers.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelCet