Noble Lady Reformation Guide - Chapter 35: Denise (1)

“I knew it would end up like this.”

Denise of the Beltus family silently read the letter sent by her father, her crescent-shaped eyes wide open.

It was something everyone had been expecting ever since the duel between Ellen and Aiselin.

Whether it was the border noble Belmierd or the Grand Duke Duplain, when it came to their own children, they were all too eager to intervene.

If Aiselin and Ellen began a tense competition to recruit a mentor to their side, it would most likely escalate into an inter-family conflict.

“Bella, when did this letter arrive?”

“It came early this morning. It’s been a long time since the head of the family sent a letter directly, so I remember it clearly.”

“Considering how someone who normally doesn’t bother to check on me is suddenly looking for me, it must be something urgent.”

Although the sun was already high in the sky, Denise lay flat on her back in the bed of her inner room. She stretched while letting out a big yawn.

Her pajamas, adorned with lace here and there, suggested it was still midnight, but in reality, she was just too lazy to get up. On her days off, she often stayed in bed until the afternoon.

She was tired of constantly maintaining the image of a beautiful and refined noble lady throughout the week.

Her maid Bella would sigh with concern every time she saw her like this, but eventually, she had adopted a nonchalant attitude. Denise wasn’t the type to change just because someone scolded her.

Lying in bed, she casually held up the neatly written letter and read through it several times.

Although it was quite lengthy, its content wasn’t very substantial. Denise tossed the letter onto the tea table with a sigh and said:

“I was planning to finish reading A Love More Mysterious Than Death by the great writer Reilly today…”

“Are you getting up? Then I’ll have your meal prepared.”

“I’m not hungry… Is there something light? I want cherry pie…”

“Please maintain a nutritional balance. I’ll get whipped if you have skin problems…”

Senior maid Bella had been with Denise since childhood.

Although there was a clear distinction between nobles and commoners, the two had lived together almost their whole lives, so there was little formality between them.

Denise groaned as she forced her stiff body to rise.

“Ugh… I feel like all the muscles in my body are tense.”

With that, she opened her crescent-shaped eyes wide and quickly lifted her head. Grand Duke Beltus had ordered her to inquire about a man named Dereck in the social circle and, if possible, consider hiring him. Denise had already anticipated this.

She hated bothersome tasks, but she couldn’t deny that it was better to quickly handle the inevitable. Thus, Denise had proactively gathered information about Dereck.

She was the first among the three great families to send a request to the Beldern Mercenary Group and had been quietly monitoring Dereck’s movements.

She could have contacted him directly if she had been more proactive, but any further action might have aroused suspicion from Ellen or Aiselin.

That’s why, until now, Denise had made all the preparations she could.

Now that Grand Duke Beltus had issued his orders, all that remained was to quickly finish the rest.

“If you get up, I’ll open the window. The room needs some air.”

“Ahhh! My eyes!”

When Bella opened the curtains, a beam of light suddenly startled Denise, who rubbed her eyes in shock.

*

“They say he’s only one-star, but I think he could easily be considered two-star. Otherwise, why would Lady Aiselin seek his guidance so seriously?”

Accompanied by two guards and three maids, Denise left the noble district.

It was rare for a noble lady to leave her residence, so wherever she went, the eyes of Ebelstain’s citizens followed her. Denise, with her immaculately arranged dress, smiled gracefully and walked calmly toward the tavern district.

She chose not to take a carriage because she wanted time to organize her thoughts along the way.

“It’s been about a week since he disappeared, so the Belmierd and Duplain families have likely already begun a full search for the wandering mage. I need to move quickly.”

Denise was born with exceptional talent in transformation and search magic.

Especially in search magic, she had nearly reached the level of two stars. However, she hadn’t told anyone except her childhood friend, Bella.

Being the center of attention like Aiselin might be important in noble society, but sometimes it was more efficient to conceal one’s abilities. Moreover, for Denise, who disliked getting involved in unnecessary matters, hiding her true capabilities was often more convenient.

Still, she was one of the three members of the Rose Hall. Neglecting her duties as a noble lady just out of annoyance would make her a burden to her family. Therefore, maintaining balance was essential for a comfortable life.

Sometimes, you just had to roll up your sleeves and get things done, even reluctantly.

Denise took a deep breath and, guiding her maids, continued to sort through her thoughts.

A spark of life appeared in her usually lethargic eyes. Her calm demeanor and thoughtful pose, with her chin resting on her hand, made her resemble a little bisque porcelain doll, drawing repeated glances from passersby.

Leaving the noble district and crossing the commercial district to reach the tavern alley—given the size of the city of Ebelstain, walking took a long time. However, throughout the long journey, Denise remained deep in thought, not shifting her posture.

Denise had only seen the man named Dereck from afar. She had never spoken with him.

Even so, she could deduce his character from the descriptions given by Aiselin and Ellen.

His confidence in teaching noble ladies despite being a commoner indicated a strong belief in his own abilities. And the results he produced proved that he truly was someone with exceptional talent.

He wasn’t overly large, but the muscles and veins visible on his arms showed he was used to physical work.

He wasn’t overly arrogant; he knew when to bow his head and yield if necessary. He also seemed to like money.

Yet, he was ambitious. He never seemed to neglect his magical training while teaching Ellen and Diella.

He also knew how to maintain at least some dignity. Aiselin didn’t approve of vulgar individuals, so he surely understood noble etiquette well.

He was fundamentally calm, with a deep inner conviction. However, he rarely revealed it.

He was skilled at hiding his thoughts behind a stoic expression. If someone peeled back the layers, they’d likely find many emotions underneath.

In Denise’s mind, a sketch of Dereck began to form.

Curiously, the initial image built from a series of conclusions and inferences was nearly identical to the real Dereck.

“No one underestimates money, so there’s no reason to be stingy with a noble’s offer. But to disappear like that—there must be another reason to reject a noble’s request. Identifying that reason seems to complete the picture.”

To track someone’s whereabouts, one must fully understand their thought process.

“Lady Denise, we’ve reached the tavern district. It’s not the safest area, so please stay close to the guards.”

“…”

“Lady Denise?”

Bella, who had been respectfully following Denise, asked again.

But Denise didn’t answer. She silently touched her chin, murmuring to herself.

Seeing this, Bella concluded it was best to instruct the guards to be more vigilant.

“Ambition.”

Denise had already followed more than half of Dereck’s trail. No one had told her, but she had guessed his character and pinpointed the principle behind his actions.

“A magical mentor who doesn’t reject money must value something more than money. But this is strange.”

“Whether he found a great magical mentor or a powerful spellbook… Either way, something must have happened that helps his magical mastery. Otherwise, a disappearance like this makes no sense.”

“But… isn’t he the one who left the Duplain household to practice magic on his own? It seems unlikely he’d obsess over something without a clear reason…”

He was someone who had even left the Duplain residence, home of a five-star mage, to pursue magic in his own way.

What kind of mentor could teach him, and what kind of spellbook could excite him that much?

Denise’s mind began to spin.

From here, she had to gather all the scattered information into one. Every piece of seemingly unrelated data accumulated in the world entered and exited her mind.

Things seen in bulletins. News about the duel between Ellen and Aiselin. Updates on fee agreements between the three major families, market prices of various goods, rumors about a certain mage among the high nobility…

All the news and information Denise had heard in the past week came together, broke apart, grouped again, then unraveled.

Even when she arrived in front of the “Beldern’s Tears” tavern, Denise continued touching her chin in silence, murmuring to herself. At this point, she had a hypothesis in mind.

“Lady Denise, we’ve arrived at our destination.”

“Hmm…”

Without changing her expression, Denise entered “Beldern’s Tears.”

It was the mercenary group’s headquarters where the magical mentor was based.

–Creak.

“Welcome… Good heavens, such an honorable guest in such a humble place…”

“…”

When she opened the door and entered, the owner Jayden greeted her with a smile. It was rare for a noble lady to venture so far into such a rough environment. However, Jayden didn’t seem as flustered as one might expect.

Lately, investigators from noble families had been frequently visiting in search of the wandering mage.

At first, he had surely been surprised, but now, perhaps used to hosting nobles, he might even be bored of it.

Seeing Denise, he immediately served a glass of cold water in a clean, antique cup.

“Lady of the Beltus family, it’s an honor to meet you in person.”

“…”

“…”

Denise entered the tavern but remained silent.

Jayden, too, adopted a slightly awkward expression. It was the first time someone had simply stood there, silently observing, after a week of nobles seeking Dereck.

With no word from Denise, Jayden said nothing either, simply offering a strained smile.

Jayden had already predicted how the conversation would go. They’d ask about Dereck, but Jayden had little concrete information to provide.

After asking, they’d inquire about Dereck’s whereabouts and then continue investigating the area.

Familiar with the routine, Jayden remained quiet. Surely, they’d ask many questions about Dereck.

However, Denise’s next question completely caught Jayden off guard.

“Did a mage named Drest Wolfetail visit this tavern?”

It was a shocking surprise.

The question felt like a dagger suddenly driven into his chest, but Jayden only slightly moved his fingertips on the table, betraying a brief silence that lasted less than a second.

Jayden’s expression didn’t change.

It was a brief lapse that the average person wouldn’t notice. But Denise didn’t miss it.

Before Jayden could respond, she lifted the corner of her mouth and said:

“He was here, wasn’t he?”

With quick certainty, she cut off Jayden’s retreat—and even the seasoned veteran had to swallow hard.

If he rushed to deny it now and it was discovered to be a lie, the situation would be hard to recover.

*

From there, things moved quickly.

After leaving Beldern’s Tears, Denise’s next destination was the Coachmen’s Guild in the Commercial District.

She donated dozens of gold coins as a contribution to access internal records—a move even ordinary noble investigators wouldn’t dare make so confidently—leaving the guild staff stunned.

Among the high nobility, rumors were already spreading that Drest, the six-star seeker mage, was haunting Ebelstain like a ghost.

It was highly unlikely that Drest, with his complicated ties to the nobility, would linger in the noble district. He would clearly be on the outskirts of the Commercial District or in the slums.

Dereck was someone who had even broken away from the mansion of Duke Duplain, a five-star mage. To attract someone like him, it would literally take a six-star mage.

Therefore, Denise hypothesized: could his departure be connected to the six-star mage Drest Wolfetail?

After seeing Jayden’s reaction and confirming her theory, she immediately reviewed the list of carriages leaving Ebelstain.

If Dereck had indeed met Drest, it was unlikely they remained within the city.

Drest was someone many sought out. If he decided to impart his magic to Dereck, they would have gone to the outskirts of Ebelstain, to where few dared tread.

However, there were over a hundred departure requests from Ebelstain every day.

The Coachmen’s Guild processed such a volume of applications that it was impossible to review them all quickly. But Denise condensed all that massive data into a single event.

After all, most carriages leaving Ebelstain followed established trade routes. Adding routine commercial and business travel, nearly nine out of ten entries became irrelevant.

Clearly, Drest and Dereck, practicing magic in secret, wouldn’t take common trade paths. They would surely head to a “special” place where common folk wouldn’t go.

The timeframe was also somewhat fixed—about a week since the disappearance.

With a clear timeframe and an unusual request, plus a known description of the applicant, it didn’t take long to isolate key data. After several hours of sorting through it with her maids, a pattern emerged.

“A vast cave on the outskirts of Ramhel Hill.”

Exactly one week earlier, there was a record of a coachman who received a request from a boy and an elderly man in a cloak.

Destination, payment, time of arrival, date, and information about the applicants—all briefly documented.

Upon seeing the record, Denise smiled.

It had been just half a day since she’d rolled up her sleeves to find Dereck’s whereabouts.

*

“Bella, the more I think about it, I’m just too competent. What should I do?”

“…”

“Being too competent means getting caught up in annoying troubles. Sometimes I need to be a bit more incompetent… Huh… What should I do…”

Denise always carried herself elegantly and nobly in the Rose Hall, but her personal attitude was anything but.

Bella had to admit—Denise was proactive, quick-thinking, and had sharp intuition.

Precisely sorting data, easily reading others’ expressions, and advancing work were her strengths. But connecting the rumors about Drest with Dereck’s ambition was practically deductive reasoning. She had an exceptional instinct.

Inside the carriage heading to Ramhel Hill.

Lounging in a luxurious seat and fanning herself, Denise spoke with satisfaction.

“I need to wrap this up quickly and read the new work by the great writer Reilly. Tonight, I’ll persuade that magical mentor and make him part of the Beltus family. Father will be pleased and won’t bother me for a while.”

“But… even if we go there, will we be able to find him easily? If he’s really with a six-star seeker mage… if they choose not to meet us, it’s unlikely…”

“Don’t worry. Do you really think they won’t show themselves after we go to some remote place and make a fuss?”

Denise chuckled with a bit of mischief and spoke as if she had a plan.

“Even if we don’t meet them, the impression will be etched in their memory. If someone goes to such lengths to find a secluded place to meditate, the sincerity will be felt, won’t it?”

“But… even Lady Aiselin and Lady Ellen, who are not easy to ignore… will they really be so accommodating…?”

“Don’t worry, Bella. Didn’t I tell you? I have a plan.”

“May I ask what the plan is?”

When Denise rolled up her sleeves, success was guaranteed.

Bella knew that well—but she still wore a worried expression. When Denise got serious, her momentum could sometimes take unpredictable turns.

“A beauty trap.”

“…”

“You know as well as I do, Bella, with my charming appearance, anyone would fall. Everyone knows I’m a captivating woman.”

“…You do realize Lady Aiselin and Lady Ellen are your rivals, right?”

“So what? I’m more beautiful than them.”

To smile so confidently in comparison to Lady Aiselin, likened to a lily, or Lady Ellen, compared to a radiant rose—that wasn’t something just anyone could do.

Where did that confidence come from? It was Bella’s eternal question.

“I feel sorry for Lady Aiselin and Lady Ellen. But… relationships are like the wild—being taken and taking is natural. Hmm.”

“…”

“As a representative of the Beltus family, this is a necessary move. But I must also consider how to act if things sour… The Rose Hall must always remain harmonious…”

“…”

Bella didn’t respond.

Though they had been childhood friends, they were still a noble lady and her maid. Worried that harsh words might follow, Bella quickly shut her mouth.

*

“Someone is coming.”

Deep in the cave, Drest Wolfetail, perched on a rock with his eyes shut tight, murmured as he attuned his magic.

Before him, Dereck, also focused on the flow of magic, opened his eyes slightly. He hadn’t eaten much in a week. His ration bag was nearly empty.

Looking gaunt and unwashed, Dereck appeared almost like a hermit.

Even so, there was a gleam in his eyes, reminiscent of his days in the slums.

He was used to conditions like this. Hunger and thirst were just natural hardships of an expedition.

“Someone’s coming? Are there horses at the cave entrance?”

“It seems to be someone from the Beltus family. Perhaps it’s a good time to step outside and meet them. The place needs some air.”

“…”

When Dereck stood from his seat, his entire body screamed in protest. It was the result of pushing his magical senses to the limit for nearly a week. The level he had reached was incomparable to when he trained Ellen.

Dereck closed his eyes tightly and released his magic.

Even without using a spell, the structure of the nearby cave imprinted itself clearly onto his senses.

He had reached a higher level.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelCet