Noble Lady Reformation Guide - Chapter 43: Spell (5)

“The Arrogant Lord Robein” is the story of a young woman named Tracy, who, after a troubled childhood, begins working at a noble mansion and becomes entangled with an aristocrat named Lord Robein.

As a fictional character, Lord Robein lacks realism. In fact, he borders on the embodiment of the ideal man.

Broad shoulders, a piercing gaze, every one of his actions is refined, he always carries roses, and possesses a courteous yet aristocratic demeanor.

At work, he is cold and rational, but with his beloved, he is warm—enjoying baths with rose petals, sipping wine while gazing at the night scenery, and for unknown reasons, preferring low-cut pajamas. If he falls in love with a woman, he caresses her chin and smiles meaningfully. Despite his bold demeanor, the woman whose chin he holds always blushes with embarrassment.

Moreover, when it comes to the protagonist Tracy, this usually composed man often becomes emotional.

He corners her against a wall to whisper (usually something trivial), or gently strokes her hair pointlessly, trying to guess the scent of the incense she used that day… If an ordinary person did that instead of the handsome Lord Robein, they’d be arrested immediately.

On a quiet afternoon, Dereck read Denise’s elegant manuscript, occasionally tilting his head in contemplation.

There were some rather embarrassing passages at the beginning, but as he continued, he found narration and reflections that captivated him. Even Dereck, not an expert himself, was instantly drawn in—clearly proof of how seriously it had been written.

When the family secret is revealed and adversity strikes the love between Lord Robein and Tracy, at the end, even setting aside his authority, the image of Lord Robein running through the storm calling out for Tracy is majestic.

Eventually, they reunite in the storm, embrace tightly, and enter a nearby wooden cabin in the rain (why there’s a cabin in the gardens of a noble mansion remains a mystery), dry their clothes, and sit beside Tracy, who has caught a cold. Seeing her talk in her sleep about her late family by the fireplace, Lord Robein covers her with a blanket, organizing his tangled thoughts. The final scene shows the solitary back of Lord Robein, who has lived without ever knowing familial love… and then the story cuts off.

“Maybe because the historical background of Lord Robein’s family isn’t fully established… It’s a truly fascinating scene…”

“…”

“It’s true, I can understand why even the mansion’s servants secretly read this. Lady Denise, your writing is truly skillful.”

“Enough… I made a mistake… Just… I’m sorry for everything… Let’s stop this now…”

This took place after they had finished the day’s lessons, before Dereck returned to his room and passed by Denise’s.

Denise lay on her back on the bed, as if her entire body ached.

She had given it her all in training at Dereck’s request that day, to the point of looking more pitiful than admirable, and Bella, with tears in her eyes, was massaging her shoulders.

“…”

Dereck wore a complicated expression.

Seeing Denise suddenly taking his lessons so seriously, seemingly embarrassed by her mortifying creation, and Dereck using that shame as leverage…

There was a slight misunderstanding there. As Dereck had repeatedly said, he genuinely thought Denise’s writing was good.

Sure, he didn’t grasp the burning embarrassment, but from Dereck’s typically indifferent perspective, was it really something to be so concerned about?

Unfortunately, Dereck was too rational to fully understand the sensitivity of a young woman in her difficult years.

That’s why he tried sincerely to convey which aspects of Denise’s work impressed him and what he liked—but it only seemed to kill Denise a second time.

The victim lay on the bed as though murdered, yet the culprit couldn’t be found.

That paradox made Denise want to die even more.

*

About ten days had passed since Dereck began teaching magic when Ellen sent a separate letter, bringing high-quality tea to visit the mansion.

Unlike meetings at the Rose Salon, directly visiting the mansion held significant meaning.

As a lady of the Belmierd family, she couldn’t make casual appointments due to her status, so even a trivial meeting required a valid reason.

Although the visit was considered a gesture to foster goodwill between families, no one truly knew the political impact of such a small gathering. Naturally, the servants were a bit tense.

But in truth, Ellen simply wanted to know how things were going between Dereck and Denise.

That might seem too bold… but it was better than beating around the bush.

Denise was not easily taught, not even with polite words. She had always been a mysterious figure, quick to draw boundaries when someone tried to cross them.

At the Rose Salon, she always laughed elegantly and engaged in courteous conversations, but it was all surface-level. Ellen had long noticed Denise’s naturally reserved demeanor.

There was a clear difference between her and someone like Ellen, who was open about everything important.

Dereck was likely having a hard time. If he now thought he wasn’t a good match for the Beltus family, Ellen was planning to make a favorable proposal.

But that would be difficult without the Duke Beltus’ approval.

Still, Ellen rushed over—not to spy, but to cultivate friendship.

Her first goal was to gauge the inscrutable Denise.

“…Thanks to Lady Ellen’s visit, I can finally rest…”

But the Denise who appeared in the reception room looked so worn out one might question if she was the same person from the Rose Salon.

Saying she looked worn out might not be accurate. She seemed slimmer, her movements more agile, as if she’d been exercising intensely.

But her expression didn’t match her body. Though makeup and accessories enhanced her beauty, the underlying fatigue was obvious.

The servants had hurried to tidy her up as best they could, but this was the most they could manage.

“…You look very tired. Lady Denise, you haven’t stopped training your magic, have you?”

“…Yes, yes… that’s right. Instructor Dereck is quite enthusiastic.”

It was, after all, a visit from an honorable lady of the Rose Salon.

Denise managed to show her best smile, struggling to maintain her usual appearance.

“I had high expectations from someone with such a reputation as a magic instructor… but his methods are a little different from what I imagined. They’re physically demanding… and… emotionally pressuring too…”

Denise, never lacking in grace, now wore a complicated expression.

Seeing this, Ellen suddenly remembered her own time learning under Dereck.

— From here on, this is truly hell.

— Eek.

In an instant, fear ran down Ellen’s spine.

Like many things in this world, hardships often seemed trivial in hindsight. Painful memories faded, leaving only the pleasant moments and accomplishments.

However, the memories of Dereck’s relentless presence while running, his endless spellcasting to exhaustion, and his obsession with magical theory even at the cost of sleep, all came rushing back.

Even now, just remembering it made one gulp unconsciously.

Dereck was the most stubborn magic instructor she had ever met. At that moment, Ellen’s eyes met Denise’s.

Denise seemed to understand Ellen’s thoughts just from her expression.

Ellen thought to herself:

In Ebelstein’s social circles, it’s common for women who share a mentor to form factions or connections. After all, every connection is a weapon, and those with shared experiences naturally bond.

Perhaps, rather than just being Rose Salon members, connecting as students of the same mentor could be an option. But forming a faction…? Not sure how others would see that…

Still… if we unite, maybe we can connect differently than through the Rose Salon… The culture there requires too many appearances, which has its uncomfortable sides…

On the other hand, Denise, after setting down her teacup, was lost in entirely different thoughts.

So Ellen also suffered under Dereck’s teaching… It’s like a group of victims, how complicated…

Denise had been carefully observing Ellen’s slow decline since accepting Dereck as a mentor. Unfortunately, it was no longer someone else’s problem.

However, it wasn’t entirely hopeless.

Denise quickly understood the reason behind Ellen’s unexpected visit. She was clearly assessing the situation with Dereck to gauge Denise’s reaction.

In essence, the Belmierd family hadn’t yet given up on recruiting Dereck. That was good news.

Denise wanted to be rid of this instructor as soon as possible. But once purchased, he was a non-refundable product. Regardless of Duke Beltus’ intentions, Dereck himself was set on turning Denise into a great mage.

With so many noble ladies in Ebelstein’s social circle eager to be taught, and even Aiselin wanting to learn from him, why did he have to trouble Denise?

To Denise—unaware of Dereck’s desire to maintain ties with the three great families—it was infuriating. Dereck’s frantic teaching approach had gone from disappointing to admirable and perplexing.

If he lacked social skills, it wouldn’t matter, but he blended well with the servants and fit into the mansion seamlessly, becoming a sociable monster.

‘Ugh… my head hurts again…’

Still, to other women, Denise’s worries might seem like those of the privileged. That was the worst part.

She didn’t understand why Aiselin and Ellen were so desperate to bring Instructor Dereck into their families.

Do noble ladies enjoy torturing themselves? Watching Ellen carefully, Denise couldn’t help but think how vast the world was.

“By the way, how is Lady Aiselin? I feel I’ve neglected my duties at the Rose Salon due to my magic training. I’ve only attended major events and haven’t properly greeted everyone… I hope she’s not too upset.”

Denise quickly changed the topic.

She needed to think more about how to handle Dereck, and she wasn’t sure how to respond to Ellen’s attitude.

“Lady Aiselin has returned to her family’s home. She’s attending her brother’s appointment ceremony and helped with her younger sister’s debut. It’s always better to have someone experienced assisting.”

“If it’s about her sister’s debut… Will Lady Diella be coming to Ebelstein?”

“Yes. From what I’ve heard… her magical achievements are far beyond the rumors.”

Aiselin’s younger sister, who had reached two-star magic level, was born into the Duplain family.

If another figure like Aiselin appeared, it would greatly impact Ebelstein’s social circles.

“They say she’ll be at the next meeting… If you attend the regular gathering, you might meet her. I’m a bit nervous myself, as it’ll be my first time seeing her.”

The next meeting was the following week.

Do I also have to worry about social hierarchy now…? Ugh… my head hurts…

Denise just wanted to lie down at that point. But once Ellen left, she’d have to return to her horrible training schedule.

It was a sad truth, but talking to Ellen now was her only rest.

Dereck, as always, would be waiting downstairs in the visitor’s room, having finished preparations for the lesson, with a satisfied smile on his face.

Gradually, his expression was starting to look villainous.

*

“Lady Diella. Here are the documents for next week’s Rose Salon meeting.”

Attachments from the Duplain family.

Diella’s private room was spacious but sparsely furnished. On one side, easels with various landscapes were scattered randomly, and atop her lace bed were books on magic spread out.

In the center, a blonde girl stared blankly at the ceiling, skillfully using magic—a wild mage born into nobility.

Her thick golden waves framed her like a doll, and the ruffles of her dress draped over her knees like a blanket.

Sitting silently, her eyes watched the openly manifested magic, already exuding an extraordinary aura.

Her achievements had no equal since Dereck taught her. She had completely mastered the basic theory of wild academy, and most one-star spells were trivial to her.

Though her appearance hadn’t changed, her rate of magical improvement far surpassed anyone else, even Dereck.

“Rose Salon? Why there, all of a sudden?”

The girl was already walking the path of a master. Hearing the report from her butler in a tired voice, she finally lowered her eyes with a cold gaze and said:

“Why should I go there?”

The girl possessed nearly every quality to become famous in Ebelstein’s society, but she had no interest in honor games.

Born of the noblest blood, she was someone who refused to be bound by rules or systems.

A consistent trait among those with truly exceptional talent.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelCet