Noble Lady Reformation Guide - Chapter 26: Ellen (1)

Running a tavern meant living out of sync with the world.

Opening the doors at dusk, closing them at dawn. On the way home, as the clear sky turned bluish, one would often see busy people walking through otherwise empty streets.

Jayden didn’t think this life was bad.

Back when he roamed battlefields decapitating trolls, there were no life patterns, so the comfort of predicting today and tomorrow was welcome.

Of course, he never neglected his training and occasionally took on missions on his own, staying busy… but essentially, he was drunk on peace. Occasional monster hunts were just a diversion for Jayden, who had a past full of fatigue.

After cleaning a few clinking glasses, the silence of the empty tavern felt as comforting as a warm blanket.

Jayden rather enjoyed the quiet scene before closing time. During these moments of reflection on how to end the day, a familiar figure stepped through the door.

–Creak

“Still open, boss?”

“Dereck. It’s nearly dawn, what brings you here?”

“Just want a quick bite before heading home. Got anything left?”

As always, Dereck looked like a mess.

It wasn’t unusual for this mercenary—known for shedding neither tears nor blood—to show up covered in dirt and dust.

What was strange, however, was that he currently had a lucrative contract and wasn’t accepting other paid jobs.

“No way, Dereck. Did you go all the way to the outskirts of Ebelstain? Without a bounty mission? Don’t tell me you entered the labyrinth.”

“Not that deep, just a bit. I’ve got a plan I’ll tell you about.”

Exhausted, he sat at the bar, brushing his bangs back as he wiped his face and sighed.

“Want something to drink?”

“Almost closing time—there’s not much good stuff left.”

“Anything’s fine.”

“As you wish.”

It was known that Dereck was teaching a young lady from the Prince Belmiard’s family, spending nearly the entire day with her. Even so, he found time at night to explore the outskirts of Ebelstain. He seemed to be perfecting his magic or simply wandering.

“Going to sleep?”

“I’ll close my eyes for a bit.”

“Then you’re heading off to teach that Belmiard lady again?”

“I’ve got about three hours planned. Better grab what I need and get going.”

Jayden clicked his tongue and poured him a simple drink. He had never worked as hard as Dereck even in his active days. Dereck seemed almost possessed by the study of magic.

He had met the boy long ago in the mercenary trenches. He knew all too well the kid’s astonishing magical talent—and often found it excessive.

“There’s a letter for you at the mercenary guild. From an unusual sender.”

Not wanting to keep an exhausted Dereck any longer, Jayden tossed a letter with an elegant seal onto the table.

Dereck looked at it with a confused gaze and examined the surface.

“It’s from the Elvester County. Elvester is a long train ride from here, on the eastern edge. I’ve never seen a letter come from so far away… especially from a noble house…”

“Prince Elvester, you say?”

“Yeah. No matter how famous your name is, it only stretches to Ebelstain, right? Do you have some charm that draws in the nobility?”

“No. It was probably sent by my mentor. She said she’d send word about her wellbeing if she could.”

Dereck’s mentor, Katia Flameheart, was teaching Lady Freya of Elvester County.

Knowing how incredible she was as a mentor, Dereck was sure she’d be doing well even in such a prestigious place.

“The mentor of Lady Freya? That old mage has lived quite a full life.”

In a kingdom that seemed to span the entire continent, prominent families varied by region. News from the east rarely reached the far west of Ebelstain, but the names of certain influential figures still made it here.

If they were talking about Lady Freya of Elvester, she was nearly considered a queen in the Eastern Empire’s social circles.

‘In Ebelstain terms, she’s similar to Lady Aiselin.’

Dereck pocketed Katia’s letter, unaware that a satisfied smile had crept onto his face. He seemed genuinely pleased to have received news from his mentor.

For Dereck, already a battle-hardened mercenary at seventeen, such a human expression was rare. Jayden, watching, couldn’t help but think:

‘After all, he’s still human.’

“Dereck.”

Jayden, arms crossed, finally spoke after silently observing Dereck sip his fruit wine in exhaustion.

“Take care of yourself.”

“…Don’t worry.”

*

(Newly Acquired Magic)

• Combat 1-Star: ‘Ice Spear’

• Combat 1-Star: ‘Fire Arrow’

• Transformation 1-Star: ‘Attribute Infusion’

• Confusion 1-Star: ‘Illusion – Small Animal’

• Combat 2-Star: ‘Shadow Bind’

• Combat 2-Star: ‘Great Protective Shield’

• Transformation 2-Star: ‘Crystallization’

• Detection 2-Star: ‘Magical Detection’

[One-star spells can now be used without full incantation.]

*

Ellen began to believe in life after death. She realized that hell wasn’t so far away.

Ellen’s resilience was far from weak. Though a delicate noble lady, her mental fortitude was exceptional, and her determination so ironclad that she could endure even the most grueling lessons.

Even so, Dereck’s magic lessons had a mysterious way of pushing people to their limits.

“Lady Ellen! You can give more! Today, you must learn how to gather the scraps of your depleted magical energy… to cast spells efficiently. You must understand that feeling!”

“How can I summon magic… from the depths of exhaustion… gasp… gasp…? How is that even possible…?”

“Is there anything in this world that can’t be done through sheer will?”

“Words… are easy… to say…!”

“If it seems impossible, giving up is always an option.”

Ellen’s daily routine already surpassed what most could handle.

She rose at dawn for a short magic-use training with Dereck, attended liberal arts classes in the morning, ate a quick lunch, dueled all afternoon, had dinner, rushed through magical control practice until bedtime, had a late-night snack, and practiced flower arrangements or played an instrument until the moon was high in the sky before falling asleep.

After about two weeks, waking up in the morning left her in a state where the world seemed blurry. It was true—this is what it felt like to be pushed to the brink.

“Could this… actually kill me?”

She had made a bold promise to Dereck, and now it was hard to say she couldn’t follow through.

Yet, the thought began to grow in her mind that maybe, just maybe, if she kept pushing this hard, she could defeat Aiselin. Ellen had never lived her life so intensely, minute by minute.

Effort never betrayed her. Diligent in everything she did, Ellen could find satisfaction even in this brutal schedule.

Her desire still burned.

But whether her body could keep up was another question.

“Ah, Lady Ellen. Your skin is suffering a bit.”

“…”

For a butler, commenting on the appearance of a lady of House Belmiard was a bold move.

Yet even so, the mansion’s butler dared to advise Ellen while helping her dress in the morning.

“My lady, it’s commendable to always strive to master magic, but when it starts affecting your appearance, it becomes a serious concern for us servants.”

“Yes. I was so absorbed in my magic that I forgot to care for my appearance for a moment. Without all of you, I’d be in a dreadful state. I’m always grateful.”

“…What if you reduced your magical training schedule a little?”

“…That’s not possible.”

She had to defeat Aiselin.

The burning desire to win was incomprehensible to the butler.

And what if she lost?

He wasn’t in a position to make such irresponsible comments, but maybe it was time someone showed her the reality.

No one ignored that Aiselin was the epitome of perfection in every aspect.

And most assumed it wouldn’t be easy to defeat her with desperate short-term efforts.

After all, Ellen was challenging the impossible.

Even if she succeeded, it didn’t matter. Who would consider Ellen greater than Aiselin for winning a mere practice duel? In the end, it was just that—a practice duel.

Yet Ellen was obsessed with battling Aiselin, as if possessed by a spirit enchanted by victory.

One could only wonder what had her so consumed.

“Lady Ellen seems to be having a hard time.”

The same went for the other noble ladies in the Rose Salon.

Ellen, who sometimes graced gatherings and debates with her dignified beauty, was admired by all, though not quite as much as Aiselin.

After all, among the three ladies considered the heart of the Rose Salon, ranking them seemed pointless. Each bloomed like a flower in her own right.

That’s why no one understood Ellen’s seriousness as she grew thinner by the day, devoting herself to magical training.

Soon after, unable to withstand the horrific daily training, Ellen wandered the cultural salon looking dazed. It was still unclear if all this was acceptable.

Returning to the mansion meant more magical training and hurried spell review before dinner.

Every day, she summoned her magic from the deepest parts, pushing herself to exhaustion without questioning the meaning of it all.

Her sole focus was to overcome this hell. Gradually, everything in the world began to feel distant and blurry.

“…”

From a corner of the cultural salon, Aiselin watched Ellen with a heart full of unease.

“Lately, Lady Ellen seems very worn out. Her skin looks a little damaged, and her eyes lack vitality. I’m worried she’s overexerting herself.”

“She must be giving her all for the magic duel with Lady Aiselin. Even if it’s just a practice match, her seriousness is undeniable.”

Aiselin truly hated speaking ill of others.

Her followers knew this well, so they refrained from openly criticizing Ellen’s competitive spirit.

However, their words subtly hinted at a disdain toward Ellen, who seemed to be trying too hard.

In her heart, Aiselin despised such petty and vulgar noblewomen.

Following in the footsteps of the exceptional Aiselin, her followers often deceived themselves into thinking they held the same authority. Aiselin deeply disliked their condescending attitude toward Ellen, as if they were in her place.

Aiselin seemed compassionate.

*

The next morning, Ellen, somehow enduring the screams of pain from her body, rose from bed.

As usual, the butler, with a worried expression, combed her hair and said,

“A gift has arrived from the Duplain family.”

“…What? The Duplains?”

“Yes. Oh, it seems it was sent by Lady Aiselin…”

A maid entered the bedroom carrying a wooden box adorned with an elegant floral bow and refined ribbon.

After placing it on the tea table and bowing politely, Ellen, rubbing her blurry eyes, opened the box.

Inside was a handwritten letter from Aiselin, a scented sachet, and several magical health care items.

“…”

“Lady Ellen?”

After checking the contents of the box, Ellen silently opened the letter. Inside, Aiselin’s meticulous handwriting was beautifully delicate. The message was mostly filled with words of encouragement, urging her to stay strong.

Aiselin had sent this gift out of concern, fearing Ellen was pushing herself too hard in preparation for their duel.

However, it was obvious to anyone that someone with superior abilities would only send such a gift out of pity.

Aware of this, Aiselin wrote the letter as if she were simply sharing surplus items from her home—a polite social formality.

In truth, it was a heartfelt gift from Aiselin, but she presented it in such a way that Ellen wouldn’t feel belittled, as if it were being shared with various acquaintances at once.

To anyone, she seemed too good, too virtuous.

After reading the sincere letters, Ellen put them down silently.

“They’re quite luxurious items. I’ll store them separately.”

“No, throw them all away.”

“…Pardon?”

“Throw them all away. Don’t let them catch my attention.”

Grinding her teeth in frustration, Ellen stood from her seat.

In the mirror, a tired and haggard girl with a bitter expression stared back at her.

Adorned with beautiful makeup and charming accessories, her face was plagued with jealousy and envy.

There stood an ugly human, consumed by irrational jealousy, harboring hostility toward a perfect being—beautiful, noble, and kind.

Who was she? She was herself.

Who was the villain who plotted to ruin Aiselin when she first entered society? Herself.

Who was the despicable woman, moved by Aiselin’s dignity and grace but unable to let go of envy, struggling desperately to win? Herself.

The woman in the mirror had disheveled hair and pale skin, worn down by exhaustion.

Who was this woman? Who was she?

Suddenly, Ellen’s eyes widened as she stared silently at the mirror.

“Is Dereck in the training area now?”

“Yes. He’s preparing for the morning training. Once you’re dressed…”

“What’s the point? I’ll be soaked in sweat and dirty soon enough.”

“…Pardon?”

Without saying another word, Ellen lifted her dress hem and left the room.

The servants hurried to stop her, but she ignored them.

*

–Thud

Ellen stormed into the training area, letting go of her grip as she entered.

Dereck, who was polishing his sword in a corner of the grounds, looked up in surprise.

“Hard at work again this morning, Dereck. As always, can we start with a practice match?”

“My lady. Did you come straight after waking up?”

“Isn’t it obvious I should begin training the moment I open my eyes?”

“That’s not what I meant…”

“Then what is it?”

It was time for her exhausted mind to repeat itself slowly. Indeed, enduring this much wasn’t ordinary.

Dereck had deliberately cornered Ellen, but he hadn’t expected this reaction and had to pause to assess the situation.

However, Ellen, after silently watching Dereck, took a deep breath as if it were nothing and said,

“To defeat Aiselin, every moment of training is too precious to waste. I need to perfect my skills even more.”

“Lady Ellen.”

Dereck immediately realized Ellen had been pushed to her limits. Everything had gone according to plan so far.

And in a situation like this, he asked a question he had asked many times before.

“Sometimes, giving up is also an option if it’s too hard.”

“Give up?”

Ellen frowned as if he’d touched a wound, then wiped her face with her delicate hands and approached Dereck.

Then, looking at him with wide eyes, she confronted him.

“Why should I give up? Dereck, you always suggest giving up whenever things get hard. Did you come here to hold me back?”

“….”

“I want someone who can help me defeat Aiselin, and you agreed right away. Isn’t that our relationship? Why do you keep scratching at me with words of surrender…? Can I ask why?”

“Lady Ellen.”

Why was she so obsessed with competing against Aiselin?

Dereck needed to know the reason. He had long realized that it wasn’t just jealousy and envy that drove her.

Teaching someone means understanding their fundamental psychological desire to achieve and guiding them accordingly.

Conveying knowledge is an instructor’s role, but guiding people is the role of a mentor.

And Dereck had learned well what it meant to guide others from his experience with Katia.

“So what if you can’t win?”

Seeing Dereck calmly utter those words, Ellen suddenly felt a surge of inexplicable anger. She hadn’t hired Dereck to hear useless talk like that—she had hired him to help her beat Aiselin.

Ellen grabbed the collar of Dereck’s shirt.

About to raise her voice, she suddenly caught Dereck’s sincere gaze and calmed her breathing.

“If I can’t win… if I can’t win, I’m just too ugly.”

At last, Ellen spoke as if spitting the words out.

“….”

The day she brought Dereck home, she had exposed her flaws and persuaded him.

But she was also a seasoned figure in social circles. She said many things, but never revealed why she truly wanted to beat her.

Dereck had judged that in that state, he couldn’t help Ellen.

“I already said it. I’m the kind of person who slanders and belittles Aiselin. I may be called the pillar of House Belmiard or the flower of the Rose Salon, but at best, that’s who I used to be. Do you understand?”

“….”

“I’ve admitted how childish and malicious my actions were, and I’ve understood a hundred thousand times that Lady Aiselin is completely genuine and admirable. That she’s not someone you can compete with—I accepted that long ago. My mind and reason understand everything. That there’s no reason to dislike or hate Lady Aiselin—I’ve explained that, too.”

With that, the anger had vanished from Ellen’s twisted eyes, leaving only sorrow.

She spoke as if expelling a clump of mud clinging to her heart.

“But what can I do? This ugly, petty inferiority complex won’t go away…”

It was then that Dereck began to understand her. After all, she was just a girl his age.

No matter how childish or shallow this inferiority complex might seem, it meant nothing. Because human emotions don’t always follow logic.

Ellen, a noble lady respected wherever she went, was still just a girl enduring the storm of adolescence.

If reason matured too much, it would detach from emotion. Knowing how ugly and shameful her inferiority was only made her feel even more shameful for harboring it.

But, as she said, where could such emotions arise just because one wanted them to, and disappear just because one didn’t?

— “You’ve put it nicely. I’m well aware my personality isn’t the best.”

— “There was a time when I felt really miserable.”

It was then that Dereck felt the pieces of the puzzle finally fit together. She always acted like a proud rose, but there was self-hatred behind her words and actions.

It was a signal too subtle to notice unless one was looking for it, but once it caught attention, the whole shape became clear.

Lady Ellen must have been looking for a way to fix this flaw in herself. But human emotions don’t change easily with the flip of a switch.

After much struggle and wandering, her ultimate goal was to beat Aiselin—even if it was something trivial.

In the end, the one she hated most wasn’t Aiselin, but herself.

Dereck finally felt like he was seeing the core of Ellen.

The reason he kept asking Ellen if she could truly go through with it was to confirm her determination. Because the plan he had in mind would be dangerous for her if done half-heartedly.

“That’s right.”

Dereck didn’t make a scene or respond emotionally.

He simply and slowly guided Ellen’s hand away from his collar. Even that gesture carried firmness.

“…Then let’s win.”

Ellen’s eyes widened in surprise.

Despite Ellen’s emotional reaction, Dereck didn’t show the slightest bit of confusion.

He was like a steel blade—easily roused, but unshakable.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelCet