Noble Lady Reformation Guide - Chapter 27: Ellen (2)

“Since this is a formal magical duel, there are more restrictions than expected. The most important thing is that, with so many nobles watching, we must at least maintain our dignity.”

Dereck always wore a serious expression.

That calm demeanor was contagious. Ellen felt ashamed of her emotional outburst a moment ago. No matter how cornered one might be—physically or mentally—a noble lady was always expected to maintain composure and dignity.

Yet Dereck seemed unshaken.

“Still… as much as I hate to admit it, Lady Aiselin is superior to me.”

“Not in every way. You just need to find one area where you, Lady Ellen, excel.”

Dereck spoke with certainty, without a hint of doubt or anxiety.

It was as if he had anticipated Ellen’s emotional reaction. To her, Dereck, a commoner, now seemed like a seasoned veteran.

“All the extreme magical training up until now wasn’t for nothing. It was the foundation needed to defeat Lady Aiselin. Now we move on to the core process.”

“What? You’ve got something else planned?”

“…Didn’t I say I needed to test your resolve?”

When Dereck looked at Ellen with deeper seriousness, she swallowed hard.

Despite Ellen’s reaction, Dereck spoke calmly.

“From now on, it will be real hell. So pay close attention.”

If what was coming now was truly hell, then what had everything before been?

Ellen began to see the boy in front of her as a lion wielding a scythe.

But after making such a fuss, she couldn’t back down now.

*

Riding across the vast grasslands of Prince Belmiard’s lands, one could easily see farmers working in the fields from early morning. The wheat fields, now in the harvest season, stretched across the plains.

Crossing the Boleron Plains, the largest granary on the western continent, a large fortress finally came into view on the horizon. As it managed the entire southwestern coastal border, this impressive military fortress was well-maintained.

Clip-clop, clip-clop.

Felmier had been riding for some time.

Since the mercenary would be handling magic instruction for now, there was no role for him.

It was just a brief detour. Given the circumstances, he had stopped by the Belmiard estate to finish up some old business and report the current situation to the count.

Unlike the calm atmosphere in the farmlands, things grew somber as he approached the fortress.

Along the ridge following the southern coast, there were watchtowers on guard. As the massive mountain ranges came into view, flags lined the path and soldiers patrolled, their weapons loosely slung.

Riding into the fortress entrance, the guards halted their attempt to stop him.

Neigh!

Heading up to the tower at the heart of the fortress, a man stood before soldiers busy with parade drills for the festival.

He looked quite young for his position. Fine lines hinted at the years he had lived, but his eyes still shone with vitality, far more than other nobles in this world. His broad shoulders and sturdy frame testified to his years of active service.

He was Tristan Anelt Belmiard, Count of these lands.

Even the heads of noble houses in the capital would bow and show respect before this frontier noble, a man of great renown in the Western Empire.

“Oh, Felmier! Back from Ebelstain already?”

“I see you’re well, Count. I thought you’d be at the noble mansion, not here at the fortress.”

“Are you inviting me to lounge in some corner with a quill? A man should train his body now and then.”

Count Belmiard was known for his generous nature and care for his subordinates, but as a former soldier, he also carried innate charisma. He was the type of man who stood firm and faced his enemies with resolve.

“It’s been a long time since I saw my treasure, Ellen. When she’s near me, laughter is never far. How is she doing in Ebelstain?”

“Quite well. She’s faced many challenges lately and is focusing more on her magic training.”

Felmier hesitated briefly, choosing not to report on the mercenary named Dereck just yet. He decided to keep it a secret for now.

He couldn’t predict how the Count would react upon hearing that his daughter Ellen was learning magic from a mere mercenary. Felmier viewed Ellen’s involvement with Dereck as a temporary diversion.

After all, Ellen had hired the mercenary mostly out of competitive spirit against Aiselin. Falling behind a commoner in magical training would be a blow to her pride.

“That’s good to hear. I have business in Ebelstain regarding tariffs on the southwestern trade route. I was originally going to send a message via a senior official at the noble mansion, but with you here, Felmier, there’s no need.”

“Really?”

However, unbeknownst to Felmier, Count Belmiard was already preparing for a visit to Ebelstain.

It wasn’t unusual for southwestern nobles to visit Ebelstain, but such a sudden trip was uncommon.

“Maybe I don’t need to send a message at all. Sometimes, surprising my treasure Ellen with a gift isn’t a bad idea. No need to announce it. Though I do need to think about what gift to bring.”

“Even so, maybe it’s better to let her know… Lady Ellen would be delighted, I’m sure.”

“I also want to see how Ellen is adjusting to her life at the foreign mansion. A father’s worry is ever-present, isn’t it?”

Count Belmiard had visited the noble district of Ebelstain several times. On the surface, it appeared a charming paradise for nobles, but beneath it was fierce competition and mental warfare.

It was hard not to worry about his daughter in such a place. He frequently sent gifts, supplies, and competent officials to assist her, but a father’s heart is never completely satisfied with just that.

Ellen, who visited the noble mansion, always seemed cheerful when recounting her days in Ebelstain.

However, Count Belmiard knew full well that his daughter had grown. It wasn’t impossible that she was putting on a cheerful front to keep him from worrying about her life away from home.

From Count Belmiard’s perspective, worry was unavoidable. He knew well that, while Ellen had matured intellectually, she still carried many childlike traits emotionally.

If Duke Duplain was a strict and thoughtful patriarch, Count Belmiard was a generous yet direct father. He was the kind of man who wouldn’t hesitate to rearrange his schedule if it meant checking on his daughter—and was a fool when it came to matters concerning her.

“Given the circumstances, let’s move up the schedule. You, Felmier, will accompany me to Ebelstain on my departure day.”

“…Will that be all right?”

Felmier could only offer a troubled expression.

*

“Time is like an arrow, Dereck.”

That’s how the letter from his mentor, Katia, began.

Dereck had always liked the expression “time is like an arrow.”

Like an arrow loosed from a bow flying straight, time too moves forward without ever turning back. And before you know it, a day, a season, a year has passed—he felt that phrase summed up his life perfectly.

The feeling he had while teaching Ellen was quite similar. Before he realized it, more than two weeks had gone by.

Dereck had promised to help Ellen win, but in the end, what mattered most was her own will. Whether she properly handled his lessons was something that remained to be seen.

—Crack, crack.

Leaning his head against the swaying carriage wall, calmly reading the letter, Dereck glanced at Ellen out of the corner of his eye.

It wasn’t the noble carriage she was used to, but an old, dusty, worn-out mercenary wagon.

Inside that decrepit vehicle—a place where a noble lady from a count’s household would normally never set foot—she lay, not in her usual frilly dress, but in simple, comfortable clothes under a cloak.

To passersby, she would’ve looked so disheveled they might question if she were truly nobility, lying there exhausted and panting. In truth, her noble status was being kept secret.

Dereck glanced at her again, then returned his gaze to the letter.

“It seems it’s been almost two years since I left Ebelstain, and my contact has been shamefully late. Since arriving in Elvester’s domain, I’ve been busy with work, and only now do I feel a little relief. Countess Freya, whom I instruct, has a greater learning spirit than I expected, and it seems I’ve spent my time solely focused on teaching her magic.”

“Now that I have a bit of free time, I reflect and feel that the days when I wandered Ebelstain’s tavern-lined streets teaching you magic felt more liberating. I couldn’t live as comfortably back then, but I could go wherever I wanted.”

“You look like someone reading a love letter.”

“You’re awake?”

“What do you mean? I’ve been awake this whole time.”

Ellen tried to maintain her dignity but couldn’t sit up. It was understandable.

For the past two weeks, Dereck had taken her through the labyrinth outside Ebelstain. It wasn’t an experience a noble lady could easily endure.

Even veteran adventurers had to thoroughly prepare to delve into the deeper sections of the labyrinth, birthplace of demonic races.

Though the area Dereck led her to wasn’t the deepest part, it was enough to make Ellen feel a fear close to death.

Of course, if there had been real danger, Dereck wouldn’t have taken the risk. He brought Jayden, a mercenary more seasoned than himself, and also Pheline, just in case, to help them through. Dereck could manage the labyrinth’s entrance alone, but he didn’t take chances.

Even so, what Ellen saw in those two weeks was nothing short of hell.

‘…’

In reality, the method for shaping Ellen into a true combatant was fairly simple. It all came down to real battle experience.

What Dereck wanted to instill in Ellen was the raw, untamed reality of the battlefield—something that those bound by strict rules all their lives would never experience.

Killing monsters that occasionally lurked near Ebelstain was one thing, but entering the labyrinth and committing a massacre was something else entirely.

Blood-soaked scenes, with axes and swords flying through the air.

No matter how many layers of protective magic one wore before leaving home, witnessing the disgusting brutality of such scenes would make anyone’s eyes tremble. This was a far cry from Ellen’s personal safety.

What Dereck ultimately wanted to cultivate was Ellen’s “vision.”

More precisely, the breadth of her perception.

The significant difference Ellen had felt during her debate with Dereck had stemmed from that very perception.

For Dereck, who had survived countless fierce battles, this debating arena—so orderly, so concerned with dignity—was nothing more than a playground for children playing in the dirt.

Once someone experiences a broader world, they often quickly master the basics of more limited fields.

Someone who can run 1000 meters will certainly understand how to run 100 meters.

Of course, there are slight nuances to sprinting 100 meters, but the foundational ability is already mastered. That was the difference between Dereck and Ellen.

Naturally, mastering these seemingly basic skills wasn’t easy.

The process of acquiring them wasn’t something a delicate noble lady could easily endure.

That’s why Dereck had asked and confirmed with Ellen repeatedly—if she was truly ready.

On the first day, Ellen vomited at the sight of the blood-stained labyrinth. She leaned against the wall, her fingers trembling, then paled at the sight of pus stuck to the surface.

The same thing happened on the second and third days. For three full days, she could do nothing.

For a noble lady who had lived in a grand mansion filled with artistic antiques, walking through scenes soaked in blood was akin to hell itself. It was like a form of shock therapy.

Yet Ellen didn’t give up. By this point, it seemed like she couldn’t give up even if she wanted to.

On the fourth day, she gritted her teeth and managed to cast a spell on a monster. On the fifth day, she killed a monster for the first time.

Ellen’s figure, gazing at the dark blue blood with trembling hands, stood out. Though a noble lady, she had finally come to understand how even the lowest mercenary killed monsters.

By the fifth and sixth days, she started showing signs of adapting, but on the seventh day, when a giant minotaur appeared in the labyrinth, she had to swallow her dizzying tears once again.

Pheline, seeing the noble lady collapse like that, held her side and laughed for a long time back at the tavern. In front of Ellen, she pretended to be a mature mercenary, but deep down, she seemed to enjoy watching nobility break.

Even so, Ellen continued to persevere diligently. Every morning, she waited for Dereck, put on her cloak, and left the mansion. Without allowing servants to accompany her, she blended into the streets around the taverns to learn what a battlefield was really like.

And so, Ellen had become someone capable of conquering the labyrinth’s entrance.

Of course, after fighting all day, she was understandably exhausted.

“Lady Ellen, I brought you some water.”

“Tha-thank you… You’re very kind…”

Pheline, sitting in a corner of the carriage with a gentle smile, handed her a cold water flask, which Ellen immediately took and drank from.

Was Pheline pleased to see Ellen working so hard? She laughed with a light “jo-jo.” To a stranger, she might seem like a kindhearted girl, but Dereck, knowing her true nature, could only shake his head.

Dereck looked back at the letter again.

“How far has your magical progress come? Sometimes I wonder if you’re still a student. No matter what anyone says, you are the most talented mage I’ve ever seen. As a magic instructor, many would dream of a student like you.”

“Although unlikely, have you mastered high-level magic? It might be excessive, but I believe you could. Countess Freya has recently become proficient in 1-star magic. Seeing her cheerful attitude reminds me of your childhood and warms my heart.”

“If we ever get a chance to meet again, please show me your wonders. If I happen to visit the western empire, I’ll be sure to contact you. Your old mentor, Katia Flameheart.”

Mastery. I, too, have spent my life teaching others—just like you.

With that silent monologue in his heart, Dereck quietly folded the letter and fell into contemplation.

Teaching and guiding someone was a rewarding task—and, surprisingly, one that positively impacted Dereck’s own magical achievements.

Reviewing what he already knew was beneficial, and at times, in his effort to help a student’s magic mature, his own magic grew more refined.

The 1-star spells, Ice Lance and Fire Arrow, felt more sophisticated as he taught Ellen, as if he were searching for a more elegant way to use them.

Was teaching someone also a way to teach yourself?

That unexpected realization helped Dereck understand why magic instructors were so obsessed with good students.

“Lady Ellen.”

Of course, this wasn’t the right moment for such gentle introspection.

“The duel is in two days.”

“…”

“How do you feel?”

Lying in the carriage, Ellen silently stared at the swaying ceiling before answering with difficulty.

“It’s true, like you said, Dereck. I’ve had many extraordinary experiences these past few days. I’ve trained non-stop, and I feel my magic has matured more than ever.”

“…”

“Even so… I’m not sure I can win.”

Ellen couldn’t help but voice her doubt.

Of course, Dereck had rapidly improved her magical mastery, but whether she was skilled enough to defeat Aiselin was still uncertain.

At least among the noble ladies, no one could be sure.

For now, all Ellen could do was fully trust Dereck. The duel was approaching fast, and Dereck was the one who understood her best.

Taking a deep breath as she lay there, Ellen braced herself. The duel with Lady Aiselin was at hand.

Leaning against the carriage wall, Dereck began to close his eyes, as if the world no longer concerned him.

*

“Lady Aiselin, it’s time for your watercolor lesson.”

The servant called politely at the door of Aiselin’s private study.

But there was no response from inside. A presence could still be felt, but the lack of reply suggested she was deeply focused.

After hesitating for a moment, the servant decided to intrude, unable to delay Aiselin’s next appointment.

“Pardon me, I’m coming in.”

With that, he opened the old wooden door, and as it creaked open, the interior came into view.

Inside, Aiselin stared blankly into the sky, murmuring a spell. An eerie aura surrounded her.

The servant, who had attended Aiselin since childhood, was left speechless, his voice caught in his throat.

The room was filled with bluish magical energy. Her jet-black hair floated weightlessly. Traces of magic shimmered in her glowing eyes, reflecting the dusk itself.

The room was cluttered with thick books from the Academy of Ordered Magic. Quite unlike the usually pristine environment of Lady Aiselin. She was completely absorbed in the magical tapestry unfolding around her.

Her gaze wasn’t fixed on the ceiling but seemed focused far beyond.

It was the sky. The sequence of shining magic in the room resembled a starry night.

Aiselin was the epitome of a model student, devouring the Academy’s magic books to her heart’s content.

Many of the principles and theories of Adelbert—the founder of the Academy school and the first to define magical hierarchy—lived and breathed in her mind.

She had internalized them, reading them over and over, until they became her own knowledge, now flowing from her fingertips.

It was said that Adelbert, the first mage of the Ordered Academy, had constructed the magical hierarchy by gazing at the Big Dipper in the sky. That was the opening chapter in Adelbert’s biography that Aiselin had read in her youth.

The structured magical system, organized by the stars, warded off chaos and emphasized the coherence of ordered theory. The spells he established became the foundation not just of the Academy but of all magic.

Within that established order, the magical current flowing through Aiselin’s eyes merged and expanded.

Born of noble blood, gifted with exceptional talent, and relentlessly building on her efforts—her magic finally transformed into a Milky Way among the stars.

—Whoosh!

Suddenly, the magic accumulated in her hands surged throughout the room, and the sound of a grand orchestra began to fill the space. It was Aiselin’s favorite symphony.

The scene of a full orchestra playing in a small study would have made anyone doubt their eyes.

But the majestic sound continued for a while before… gradually fading, like a mirage, and then vanished into silence.

The girl seemed strained from using such powerful magic. It was still a spell she couldn’t fully control.

“Hah… Hah… I failed again.”

Aiselin’s self-reproach echoed in her clear voice, now the only sound left in the quiet room.

The servant, having witnessed the spectacle, couldn’t help but widen his eyes in astonishment.

What she had just conjured was the 2-star disorientation spell Auditory Illusion. It was the same spell Dereck had self-taught at the age of fourteen.

“Oh goodness, look at the time. I got carried away. It would be rude to be late, so I must hurry.”

Only then did Aiselin notice the servant’s presence.

Quickly adjusting her dress, she rushed out of the room, and the servant could do nothing but watch her in silence.

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