Noble Lady Reformation Guide - Chapter 25: Belmiard (5)

The Globeltein Cultural Hall

This majestic hall, named in honor of Sir Globeltein Ebelstein, founder of the city, was where socialites discussed aesthetics, auctioned artworks, and occasionally held small concerts.

As a gathering place for influential people from all social strata, it was one of the most carefully managed locations in the noble district. The aesthetic debates of the Rose Salon were also held here.

After the usual exhibition ended, the young ladies who gathered to cultivate their culture began to leave one by one. Each was an important figure in her own territory, but even in a galaxy full of stars, some shone brighter than others.

“In the next gathering, a magic duel is planned. Lately, there’s been talk about how extraordinary Lady Ellen’s magic skills have become, and hearing those stories makes me nervous too.”

Aiselin, surrounded by her maids and smiling charmingly, walked flanked by her followers. Lesser nobles from the frontier flattered her, hoping to catch even a bit of her attention.

Aiselin treated them with a courteous smile, but in her heart, she probably didn’t consider them meaningful connections. Ellen was sure of it as she watched.

Ellen, smoothing her reddish hair, handed her maid a luxurious feather quill, a scented sachet, and a pair of antique-looking opera glasses.

Then, after her maid carefully adjusted her dress, she followed Aiselin through the corridor.

When the two were together, the lesser nobles around them fell silent. They feared interrupting their conversation and breaching etiquette.

“Lady Aiselin, you’re far too modest. You haven’t lost a single magic duel in the salon this quarter. You truly deserve to be called the flower of House Duplain.”

“Oh my, Lady Ellen, your compliments make me blush.”

Although Ellen emotionally acknowledged Aiselin, she couldn’t help but feel a strange envy and jealousy toward her.

The more perfect and flawless someone was, the more one harbored inexplicable resentment. It was a common feeling rooted in inferiority complexes.

However, today Ellen was more cheerful than usual.

Why hide it? The news about Dereck had piqued Aiselin’s curiosity too, so there was no reason for secrecy.

“I recently decided to accept a new magic instructor. Master Felmiar objected, but I insisted because he has a good track record. I don’t have the authority to ignore the opinions of the staff in the noble district, but being the lady of a mansion has its perks.”

“Ah, really? Lady Ellen, you’re so proactive. You must have great confidence in this instructor.”

“In fact, it’s more like your trust, Lady Aiselin.”

“How so?”

When Aiselin asked innocently, Ellen replied with a smile on her lips.

“The mercenary named Dereck you mentioned last time. He’s currently on a new mission with the Beldern Mercenary Corps in the tavern district, so I spoke with him and brought him here.”

“Dereck?! He must be so busy with his mercenary work!”

Upon hearing his name, Aiselin’s face lit up.

Even after he left the Duplain mansion, Aiselin often mentioned him during her tea meetings with Diella.

Her younger sister had assured her that Dereck was probably just busy with mercenary work, so there was no need to worry if he didn’t show up. It was true—Dereck was a man who only understood magic and money.

“Well, it’s true. He’s been in real combat every chance he gets, under the guise of training, and also studying magic.”

“Since you know him personally, you know he’s a deep and dependable person. You’ve found a good teacher. Congratulations, Lady Ellen.”

‘…This doesn’t feel right…’

Seeing Aiselin’s radiant expression, Ellen felt slight discontent.

Wasn’t she the one who had brought in the wandering instructor that even Aiselin couldn’t retain in her mansion?

She expected some resentment, but instead, Aiselin sincerely congratulated her.

In truth, Aiselin somewhat understood. Dereck, born with vast wings, wasn’t someone who could be caged.

Ellen had accepted his teachings knowing he was only seeking a temporary place.

Still, if someone with magical talent like Ellen received Dereck’s teachings… Aiselin couldn’t remain complacent.

Lately, there had been few worthy rivals in magic duels. Even Aiselin felt her senses dulling.

Having a competent rival like Ellen would greatly help sharpen her skills. Sincerely, Aiselin wanted to support her.

However, a sudden memory flashed through her mind.

— ‘Diella. I was thinking of asking Dereck to evaluate my magic someday… What do you think?’

— ‘…Aiselin, sister. There’s really no need. You’ve already reached a high magical level.’

— ‘Even so, I think having an expert review it could help me improve even more. I was thinking of sending someone to the mercenary corps to inquire. Dereck doesn’t seem to come to the noble district often…’

— ‘Absolutely not, sister. There’s no need at all… Someone as established as you doesn’t need Dereck’s teaching.’

Diella’s pale face looked serious as she dissuaded her. Aiselin thought her lovely younger sister was just jealous of her “stealing” her teacher Dereck.

While Aiselin responded with a soft smile to her adorable sister… Diella didn’t stop her for that reason.

Dereck’s brutal training methods sometimes included techniques unthinkable for noble ladies.

He’d take them to the forest and force them to exhaust all their mana, or suddenly make them run, emphasizing the importance of physical endurance… He came up with all sorts of strange methods that the delicate flowers of noble houses struggled to endure.

From the beginning, slapping them upon meeting and dragging them into the woods to toughen them up was not normal for a magic instructor. It was something noble ladies, always protected, simply couldn’t tolerate.

“…”

What would be the point of saying it? Dereck, the instructor, was like bitter medicine.

It was magic capable of granting any wish—but not without a cost.

If she had known beforehand, perhaps she could have prepared herself mentally. But if Ellen knew about the mercenary’s harsh teaching methods, it was something no one else knew.

While these thoughts crossed her mind, concern appeared on Aiselin’s face.

Resting her chin on her hand, she looked at Ellen with unease, but Ellen, consumed by her jealousy and resentment, curled her lips into a mocking smile.

‘Of course. Now I understand why it was important to bring that instructor, Dereck, along.’

Unfortunately, Ellen misinterpreted Aiselin’s worried expression.

She thought it was resentment over having “stolen” Dereck. She never imagined that Aiselin’s expression would crumble like that… An inexplicable satisfaction grew within Ellen.

“Excuse me…”

“Oh dear, look at the time. I’m supposed to have my first lesson today, so I must return to the mansion.”

With that, Ellen adjusted her hair and left with a graceful laugh, walking away confidently.

Aiselin, still concerned, could only watch her figure recede.

The nobles nearby also watched Aiselin and Ellen with puzzled expressions.

As valuable as a magic instructor might be, they found it hard to imagine the dignified Aiselin being so easily outdone just because of a new teacher.

‘Even though I knew Ellen was prone to jealousy, I didn’t expect her to pin her hopes on a street mercenary who can’t even win sparring matches…’

Denise of the Ducal House Beltus sighed from a distance.

Futile.

Though they couldn’t say it aloud, those present shared similar thoughts.

*

“That’s right. I’ll be focusing on that request for a while.”

“The Prince of Belmiard… You’re swimming in deep waters, Dereck.”

“But there’s no need to go to the Count’s residence. It’s something that can be handled within Ebelstein, and it suits me.”

The Tears of Veldern tavern was as lively as ever that day.

Dereck, enjoying a delicious apple cider, was seated at a secluded table when Jayden approached, laughing. Dereck relaxed his posture and told him about his latest assignment, stating his intention to decline new jobs for a while.

It was unfortunate for Jayden, but considering the types of missions Dereck usually accepted, he couldn’t complain much. What worried him more was Dereck overworking himself.

“And if I accept it, I intend to do it right.”

“Are you planning to train Ellen to defeat Aiselin? From what you’re saying, Ellen seems talented, but… Aiselin’s reputation goes beyond the noble district.”

“There’s really no easy way. I have two ideas in mind…”

Dereck crossed his arms, appearing uneasy.

“One is reaching two-star level. That would give us the power to beat her, making victory over Aiselin not just a dream.”

“That doesn’t sound easy at first glance.”

“Yeah, which is why I thought of a second method… For that, I might need your help. That’s why I came to let you know beforehand. If I say I need help later, please support me this time.”

“My help?”

Jayden was a veteran mercenary who had made a name for himself in the Dawn War, a major conflict against monster hordes in the north. Though he now led a peaceful life, his skills were undeniable—something even Dereck acknowledged.

“And to avoid errors for safety… I’d like Pheline to be involved too.”

“Me?”

Pheline, who had been sipping liquor beside them, looked at Dereck with half-closed, unfocused eyes.

Judging by her habit of drinking in broad daylight, she didn’t seem interested in working today.

“Dereck. I already told you you’d regret getting dragged around by those noble kids…”

“And why are you drinking in the middle of the day?”

“She lost a lot of money gambling. She was playing cards with some of today’s patrons.”

“…”

Dereck squinted toward Pheline, who, face flushed, rubbed her cheeks and groaned.

“Who would’ve thought an ace would show up then?”

She still hadn’t broken her habit of running off to gambling dens and wasting money. Dereck sighed and patted her shoulder.

“Either way, I’ll make sure you get a fair cut, so help out, will you?”

“Hah, instead of chasing money to serve nobles, I’d rather… I’d rather…”

“I boldly asked for twenty Adel gold coins for this job, and they accepted immediately. That’s five more than the Duplain job… Nobles sure spend differently.”

“…You really raised your price that much? What… throwing gold around like water…”

Unable to finish her sentence, Pheline slumped onto the bar table with a defeated thud. It seemed she had given up.

Jayden placed a glass of cold water in front of her and said:

“Alright. Let’s hear your plan.”

“…”

After Dereck explained his thoughts, Jayden couldn’t help but gape in surprise.

*

‘Of course, her learning speed is fast for someone with a rough mercenary background.’

That afternoon, upon visiting Ellen’s mansion, Dereck began the lesson without preamble.

Unlike the lessons of Belmierd, which always emphasized ceremony and grandly dissected the history of magic, Dereck’s lessons cut away all unnecessary theory.

He had already explained it beforehand.

He couldn’t teach noble ethics or magical history. He only taught practical knowledge.

And that was exactly what Ellen wanted.

She wanted to quickly acquire the means to surpass Aiselin—no frills or extras.

Foundational teachings were important, but what she needed now was practical knowledge to satisfy her competitive spirit.

Thus, in the private outdoor training area beside the mansion, Dereck gathered magical energy.

“First, we’ll practice combat like last time. We’ll repeat the process ten times, analyze the basics, and then go over the key skills needed for magic training. After that, we’ll go over one-star spells one by one to check if your fundamentals are solid.”

“Do you mean we’re going to duel ten times now?”

“It’s just combat practice. No formalities needed—first, let’s see how much your practical skills have improved.”

Thus, Ellen and Dereck completed ten consecutive sparring rounds.

Then, they reviewed the newly discussed methods of magical manifestation and spent time reciting and reviewing one-star spells. Before they knew it, the sun had begun to set.

Ellen, drenched in sweat, collapsed in a corner of the training field.

Dereck’s lessons were vastly different from Felmiar’s. While Felmiar spent more than half the time reciting theory, Dereck had her fight, attack, and constantly repeat magic use during each lesson.

Halfway through, Ellen’s mana reserves hit rock bottom, and in the end, she had to grit her teeth to squeeze out the last of her strength for one final spell.

When she finally manifested an ice spear, she was so dizzy she almost fainted. Even so, Dereck encouraged her properly, hands clasped behind his back.

“You’re doing great, Lady Ellen!”

“Pant… Pant…”

“Let’s manifest the ice spear one more time. This time, use it together with a confusion spell.”

“But you said that was the last one…!”

“This will be the last. Just this once, then we’re done.”

“Agh… huff…!”

Sitting on the ground of the training area, Ellen gasped, but somehow gritted her teeth and unleashed her magic.

At her limit, she manifested the ice spear again and looked at Dereck with pride, as if saying, “See? I can do it too.”

“Gasp… Gasp… I… I can do it…”

“Now, for the very last time, let’s manifest fire arrows. Rest for 15 seconds, then… one… two…”

“You said the last time was the last one!”

After that exchange, as the sun began to set, Ellen, forgetting all etiquette and drenched in sweat, collapsed on the field.

The attendants watching from a distance swallowed dryly.

They felt responsible. It was difficult to see their lady collapsed and sweaty.

They wanted to rush in, comb her hair, spray perfume, and bring fresh clothes.

But Dereck shook his head. This was Ellen’s private training area, and no one else was allowed in.

Thus, Dereck’s magical lesson, which pushed Ellen to her limits, continued for over 30 more minutes before ending.

“Sob… Gasp… Gasp…”

It wasn’t clear if she was gasping or sobbing, but Ellen lay on the ground, staring up at the sky.

At some point, the sky had turned fiery red, and at its edges, twilight’s darkness loomed.

The stars had begun to faintly twinkle, and it was hard to tell how long she’d been casting. Ellen had never used magic continuously for this long.

“You’ve worked hard. You can eat now.”

“…”

“Are you okay?”

It felt a bit awkward to ask, but still, Dereck expressed concern.

“If it’s too much, quitting is an option.”

Panting, Ellen lay motionless, but eventually rose and said:

“Hah, hah.”

“…”

“Is that all? After all my bold declarations about doing anything, is this all you expected? It’s just a bit of physical hardship.”

Surprisingly, she hadn’t lost her smile.

Though struggling to stand, her determination still burned.

“After all the grueling efforts I’ve made to survive in Ebelstein’s society, do I look like someone who’d whine over something like this? I stayed up three days and nights reading books on etiquette. That kind of question isn’t necessary.”

“…Understood. My perspective was narrow.”

“I’m a bit tired today from attending a social event, but starting tomorrow, I can fully commit to training. So it would be better to increase the intensity compared to today.”

“…”

Dereck listened and then, expression unchanged, said:

“Tomorrow…? What do you mean?”

“…Huh?”

“I said it’s time for dinner now.”

She didn’t understand at first.

But when she realized what he meant, Ellen’s face began to turn pale.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelCet