Noble Lady Reformation Guide - Chapter 55: Drop of Blood (1)

When Denise returned to the mansion, everyone—from the head butler to the maids—was in shock. She had come back with injuries on her beautiful body.

Denise was someone the maids would kneel to and beg forgiveness if she so much as got a small scratch on her finger.

But this time, her forehead was gashed and bleeding.

“Lady Denise!”

“Are you all right? Please, come inside quickly! We must treat you!”

As she stepped down from the carriage, Denise’s hair was disheveled, her dress torn in several places, and she was covered in dust. It was clear something serious had happened during her duel with Diella.

The servants swarmed around her to check her condition, while others interrogated the escorts and coachman. For a long while, the entire mansion came to a standstill.

However, Denise, as if nothing had happened, smiled serenely and said:

“It’s nothing.”

Logically, she should have been angry, given her wrecked state—but instead, she wore a strangely refreshed expression.

“When I cast my tracking magic, Diella, that savage, froze in shock. I thought I should say something cool and impactful then… but I couldn’t come up with anything. Hm, I should’ve prepared a better exit line…”

Unconcerned about her wounds, Denise returned to the mansion, receiving treatment from the maids as she proudly recounted her feat to Dereck. Dereck was taken aback as he listened.

In his eyes, Diella was practically his direct disciple. Even Ellen still fell short of Diella’s talent, so he had expected Denise to struggle in their confrontation.

Especially since Diella’s unpredictable mana use posed a tough challenge for young noblewomen trained in academic magic. Yet contrary to his concerns, Denise had completely dominated Diella.

Denise’s rate of magical improvement was so fast that likely no one in Ebelstein could keep up with her.

“And then she looked like her pride had been shattered, tears streaming down her face. And this after she’d acted like she was going to devour me in the tea room? Well done. Really well done.”

“Are your injuries all right?”

“As you can see, just a few scratches, and they say they won’t leave scars. But what matters is—you should’ve seen that girl’s face. Ugh, if I hadn’t kept my composure, I would’ve mocked her mercilessly.”

Denise spoke proudly, puffing up her chest as she looked at Dereck.

“No matter how fine a gemstone is, if it’s just begun to be polished, it can’t beat me. She lacks experience in duels and the resolve needed in critical moments. She doesn’t even have the wits to remove her accessories to create an opening like I do. Plus, she’s not prettier than me. If you look closely, my skin’s better, and my features are more refined. Right?”

“…”

“What do you think, Dereck? You warned me not to underestimate Diella. Didn’t expect me to come back with such a crushing victory, did you?”

Denise clearly expected praise. But Dereck shook his head and replied firmly:

“Deactivating a protective barrier in a duel can endanger your life. No matter the reason, I can’t condone that.”

“A risky move was necessary to buy time and cast a second-tier spell against that rabid lunatic. Besides, they were first-tier spells—the risk of a fatal injury was practically zero. The important part was the look on her face at that moment…”

“Lady Denise.”

Dereck’s voice dropped in tone.

Though he was merely a commoner, that alone made Denise hiccup in surprise.

Dereck, usually cold and reserved, always showed a hint of enthusiasm around Denise. But the Dereck who awaited her after this victory didn’t look pleased at all.

And the reason became clear right away.

“No matter the reason, deactivating your protective barrier in a duel can never be justified.”

“What…?”

“Did you not see the power behind Lady Diella’s spells? If even one had hit, it’s entirely possible you could’ve lost an arm—or a leg.”

Even if it was first-tier magic, its power varied greatly depending on the caster’s skill.

Diella’s magic was already at such a high level that few nobles her age could rival her. If Denise had been struck without a barrier, her life could’ve ended in an instant.

Winning was admirable, but Dereck couldn’t condone such a reckless gamble.

He was a young man who had spent his entire life measuring his worth on the battlefield. No one understood better than he the weight of wagering one’s life.

And only by showing Denise what such a decision truly meant could he prevent her from making similarly reckless choices again.

That’s why, even with her victory, Dereck wore a stern expression.

It was a moment worthy of celebration, but Denise hadn’t expected Dereck to react so coldly. It was disappointing—but she couldn’t show it.

After all, if Dereck was angry, it meant he cared.

Thinking that far, she had no choice but to admit Dereck’s scolding was fair.

Denise was quite a sensible person and knew she had acted recklessly during the duel. Facing Diella, who had been determined to take him away, she had also lost her composure.

The atmosphere turned tense, and the maids assisting her gulped audibly. Given Dereck’s lowly origin, scolding someone like Denise should have been unthinkable.

But Dereck always said what he believed was right—without hesitation. And Denise knew that well.

“Alright… I’m sorry.”

So she apologized without protest. Anyone unaware of the situation would’ve been shocked out of their wits.

Dereck seemed to sense her words were sincere, and he finally sighed, softening the mood a little.

“In any case, it sounds like you made progress. I was glad to hear it.”

“Ufufu… Who else but me?”

“But if I may be honest… Don’t you think, from Lady Diella’s perspective, you come off as quite the villain?”

“W-what are you talking about? There’s no one sweeter than me in the whole world!”

“You should try to see things from Lady Diella’s point of view.”

“Hmm? Hmmm…”

While the maid gently brushed her hair, Denise fell into deep thought.

After all, she had written the letter to Diella to lure her out.

At first, she intended to lose, but halfway through the duel, she changed her mind and went all out.

Looking at it from Diella’s perspective, Denise must have seemed like a terrible person. She’d baited her into a duel, crushed her with force, and humiliated her.

Unaware of Denise’s shift in intent, Diella could only view her as a full-fledged villain.

Until now, Denise thought Diella’s grudge was a bit unfair, but in light of this, she’d really just smacked her around on a whim.

“Have you finally realized it?”

“Dereck… Maybe, yes. Maybe I really am a rather awful person…”

Saying, “You just realized that now?” would have been too cruel.

“If it’s just a misunderstanding, couldn’t you talk it out?”

“And if you were Lady Diella, would you want to talk to me?”

“…Knowing her personality, honestly, I don’t think she would.”

And now, having won the duel, she could technically sell the suspicious scenery Diella promised in her letter.

In many ways, Denise had already become an arch-nemesis in Diella’s eyes.

“I-it’s fine… B-but, even though it might sound weird… I don’t dislike Lady Diella that much…”

“A-and she really likes you, Dereck. Couldn’t you explain things to her?”

“At this point, I don’t think words from me will help much…”

“I don’t want to pick a fight with the Duplain family. What would I gain from antagonizing one of the most powerful houses in the southwest of the Empire?”

“Lady Denise… You’re the one who sowed this seed.”

“Arghhh!”

Denise clutched both temples in despair. The maid brushing her hair began sweating nervously in panic.

Denise was a master at navigating noble society, always aiming for balance and avoiding conflict. Her policy was to stay on good terms with everyone.

But if she wanted to keep Dereck in her household, she could never get close to Diella again.

That, at least, was a reality she had to accept.

*

When Aiselin visited Diella’s mansion, she found her sister with her head pressed against the garden table, completely demoralized.

“Although you gave it your all against Denise, you lacked calmness, experience, and magical precision. Everything was simply one level down.”

“Diella…”

“Aiselin, sister. You came. As you can see, I’m a complete wreck after that humiliating defeat.”

“Don’t be so down, Diella. You haven’t even formally begun the magical duels within society’s circles. It’s no big deal to lose to Lady Denise, who already has considerable experience in the Rose Salon.”

It was a chance to mention Dereck…

Diella’s face was completely drained. If only she had an excuse to salvage her pride, maybe she could’ve held her head high again. But this defeat had been crushing on every level.

Fortunately it was in her private training room; if it had been an official duel in the noble district, in front of many eyes, it would’ve been a total disgrace.

Of course, the mere fact of losing would still fuel rumors among the salons. But Diella didn’t care about gossip. What truly mattered was that she had been beaten.

“In the end, if we want Dereck to come to our house, the most important thing is his will, right? Forcing things through a duel doesn’t make much sense… So you shouldn’t place so much importance on this loss, Diella.”

“Thank you for comforting me, Aiselin. Still, losing is losing. My pride hurts.”

“…”

“And what’s worse is that if Dereck hadn’t trained her, I probably would’ve won. Even if Denise is a second-rate mage, reaching that level of control could only be thanks to Dereck.”

Diella lifted her head and finally relaxed her expression a little.

“Either way, it’s not good to leave Dereck in another family. If we can bring him over, we must.”

“But… you lost the duel. You have no justification for taking him from the Beltus family.”

“Aiselin, you yourself said what matters most is Dereck’s willingness, not contracts or conditions. And I agree.”

Diella sighed deeply, running her slender fingers through her hair—a gesture she often made when thinking.

“It won’t be easy to convince him with money, and it doesn’t seem possible to find a legitimate reason to bring him here. So… maybe a feminine charm…”

“…”

“…”

“…If that doesn’t work, perhaps with understanding or inspiring his admiration, he might change his mind? Don’t you think?”

“…”

“…”

Aiselin’s silence was her form of consideration. Diella knew this, and so she said no more.

The truth was, Diella had little chance of outshining Denise in beauty or prestige. While it wasn’t obvious within close circles, Denise’s public image was that of an almost-perfect noble lady.

Even Aiselin hadn’t been able to persuade Dereck. It was clear that Diella, young and inexperienced as she was, didn’t stand a chance.

“Aargh!”

Unlike when she acted tyrannical toward the servants, Diella sometimes revealed her youthful emotional side—screeching desperately now, running her hands through her hair.

“If you want to bring Dereck into the Duplain family, the first step is to become someone worth having. If you manage to stand out in the Rose Salon and prove you have teaching talent, maybe Dereck will reconsider. Don’t you think?”

“If you couldn’t convince him, what could I do?”

“You never know. But we have to try, right?”

Since arriving in Ebelstein, Diella had only complained. Seeing her like this pained Aiselin, so she sat beside her and gently patted her back.

Because Diella desired Dereck so much, Aiselin was ready to help any way she could.

“For now, you must complete your debut and formally enter high society. The audience with the Emperor and the ball are already arranged… we need to finalize all that first.”

“Ah… Can’t be helped.”

Diella’s debut was just around the corner.

Next week they would travel to the imperial capital for an audience with the Emperor. Then return for a grand ball at the mansion. Numerous nobles would come to congratulate her over a lavish dinner. All eyes would be on Diella as she made her debut—and returned to Ebelstein as the true lady of the mansion.

That would make her a woman capable of standing before her peers. Once that process was complete, she could also recalibrate her relationship with Denise.

Aiselin only wished for Diella to adapt well to that world, sharp as ice.

“I’ve sent another letter to the main branch to confirm. We’ll depart from this mansion to the capital next week. After the audience, you’ll attend the ball as our family’s principal guest.”

“The servants of the house must be very busy… If they plan to invite so many nobles, they will have a lot to prepare.”

“Everyone is happy to celebrate your debut, Diella. What matters is that you present the elegance and dignity of a noble lady. That’s your task.”

Aiselin spoke in a soft, warm voice.

Hundreds worked to make Diella’s debut a success. And if all went well, every member of the family would take pride in it.

“Among the guests will be people from influential houses… perhaps even Dereck, representing the Beltus family.”

“R-really? He came to deliver the letter this time, and he seems to have Lady Denise’s confidence…”

“I will send him a special invitation. If you can prove at the ball that you’ve grown into a proper lady, he might see you differently. So stay strong, Diella.”

“Ugh…”

Though she disliked being motivated by fear of losing Dereck, Diella couldn’t deny it mattered. Saying otherwise would be false.

Diella sighed and nodded. The debutante’s ball hosted by the Duplain family for a noble daughter was a grand event.

The servants said the debutantes at such an event shone like angels descended from heaven. That magnificence reflected the pride of those organizing it.

If she could impress at that event, perhaps she might win Dereck’s favor.

“You’re right. I need to focus on what’s in front of me. More opportunities will come.”

Diella sighed. Her position was too consumed by logistics to keep lamenting.

“By the way, Aiselin. When did you send that letter to the main branch? I sent mine too, but haven’t received a response lately.”

“Hmm? I can’t quite remember… a few weeks ago, I think. Perhaps they’re busy and haven’t replied yet.”

“Yes?”

“Remember our brother Valerian recently returned. I heard that to manage the spoils he brought, they invited the imperial magical adviser, Kohella.”

Being in Ebelstein, Aiselin couldn’t keep track of everything happening at home. The physical distance made it difficult.

“I suppose Kohella must visit the mansion soon. So they’re probably busy. But don’t worry—that shouldn’t interfere with your ball preparations.”

“With so many guests—and the imperial magical adviser to attend—the servants must be exhausted.”

“Even so, they see it as part of the same event. If Kohella visits the mansion now, he’ll surely attend your ball as well.”

Kohella, the imperial magical adviser.

Since his visit, responses to letters had been delayed. Understandable, considering how busy they must be.

Although failing to reply promptly to a noble lady’s letter is borderline disrespectful, Aiselin decided to be understanding. She knew how much the servants were under pressure during these times.

She couldn’t know for sure what was happening at the main branch, but soon she would see them in person.

Diella’s debut ball was very near. It would be the most glamorous and splendid one yet.

Thinking of her beloved sister’s grand entrance into high society, Aiselin couldn’t help but smile with pride.

‘I hope Dereck can attend. If I invite him directly, the Beltus family should approve. After all, they need to send someone as well.’

*

Rustle.

‘Who would’ve thought… The day I get invited to a noble family’s ball has finally come.’

Early in the morning, while swinging his sword here and there shirtless at his residence, Dereck received a letter.

The envelope bore the Duplain family’s seal and was an invitation to attend Diella’s debutante ball, to be held the following week.

He had been the only one to reach out when she was locked away in the annex, so even from the Duplain clan’s perspective, it seemed they considered Dereck a great benefactor.

Otherwise, they never would’ve sent such a formal invitation to a commoner.

‘Figures not only from the southwestern Empire but also from the north and east will likely attend. It’s rare for patriarchs to come in person, but they’ll surely send representatives…’

The Beltus family would also have to send someone as a formality, and Dereck, who already knew Diella, was the most appropriate choice. It seemed Aiselin had that in mind when sending the invitation.

‘It’s been a while since I last visited the Duplain family mansion. Even if they’ve made arrangements for the ball, I doubt it’s changed much.’

Since a grand ball was being held, it had probably been lavishly decorated, but in the end, it was a place he’d spent quite a bit of time in.

Feeling an unexpected sense of nostalgia for the visit, Dereck carefully tucked the invitation into the inner pocket of his coat.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelCet