Noble Lady Reformation Guide - Chapter 57: Drop of Blood (3)

The schedule for noble festivities was always centered around the evening.

Especially for an event like this one, celebrating debutantes. The stars of the event would only arrive at the mansion after the sun had completely set.

“Is this your first time attending a party like this, Dereck?”

Denise was sitting on the bed in the assigned room, arms crossed, explaining as she hummed.

As a young lady of House Beltus, she had also debuted in society and had experience being the star of such a grand event.

“The debut day for noble ladies is hectic.”

From the morning, they would get ready, dress in gowns adorned with lilies and roses, ride elegant carriages to the imperial capital, and meet with the emperor.

They would meet the royal family, introduce themselves formally as Lady Diella of House Duplain, receive blessings, and present themselves before the rulers of the imperial capital.

After that, they would have tea with relatives working in the imperial palace, return in a grand carriage to the Duplain estate, and attend the ball.

In just one day… depending on the travel distance, they might have to meet every influential figure in the social world over the course of two days, leaving no time to rest.

Usually, they would nap in the carriage on the way to the ballroom, so the servants would bring blankets inside.

“In short, Lady Diella would arrive at the ballroom around dusk. In the meantime, the honored guests who arrived in the afternoon would rest in their rooms, chat with early arrivals in the tea room, or stroll through the mansion’s gardens.”

“I read in an etiquette book that the rest time before the ball is called the interlude, and it’s a chance to make new connections or build recognition.”

“Yes, that’s correct. But that’s for lower-ranking nobles trying to make connections. For someone like me, from one of the three great noble houses, I was too tired to even leave my room.”

“…”

“Dereck. You look like you’re about to say it’s because I’m lazy. I can read your mind just by looking at your face.”

Dereck removed his cloak and hung it over a chair.

Although he had come as Denise’s escort, it didn’t seem appropriate to stay in the room where she was resting. So Dereck thought about greeting some people from House Duplain.

However, Denise lay back on the bed as if she didn’t care whether Dereck was there or not, curling the hem of her dress to avoid wrinkles and arching her back.

She was a girl who had mastered the art of lying down comfortably without ruining her clothes better than anyone. Her movements were truly remarkable.

“Miss Denise, are you going to rest in the room?”

“Of course. If I want to wear a smiling mask during dinner, I need to save energy now.”

“Then I’ll go say hello to a few acquaintances. There are many familiar faces, and it would be awkward to just stay quiet.”

“…”

Denise, who had been relaxing until now, suddenly sat up and stared at Dereck.

“Is something bothering you?”

“Well… there might be a few young ladies who’d try to snatch you away if I’m not around.”

“I’m officially contracted by House Beltus. Do you think I’d forget that?”

“That’s not something we can be sure of. Anyway, I’m a bit hungry, so let’s go together to the tea room in the main hall. Ellen will probably be there too. She’s very energetic, so she’ll try to meet as many people as possible.”

As expected of someone representing House Beltus, Denise was immediately surrounded by greetings from all sorts of nobles the moment she entered the tea room.

From merchants dealing in herring from the farthest reaches of the continent, to the bishop of the Olberon Cathedral—the largest branch of the Lamic Church—and the commander of the Kremlin Northern Mercenary Group, Vilak… just hearing their names was impressive.

“Goodness, thanks to the furs you sent our Beltus family from the North, last winter was far more bearable. My father also asked me to thank you, Lord Aldon.”

Leaving behind Denise, who had now gone full noble lady mode, Dereck took a glass of wine from a corner of the tea room and sipped it.

As he stepped back and observed the room, he saw lower nobles with gleaming eyes, eager to speak once more with important figures.

Denise was already surrounded, and Ellen, across the room, was also deep in conversation with so many people that it was impossible to approach her.

The room was full of people doing their utmost to make themselves seen at least once.

They looked like wolves in search of prey.

From time to time, some nobles made eye contact with Dereck, but upon seeing the mercenary garb of the man standing alone in a corner of the tea room, they quickly averted their gaze.

Time was limited, and they didn’t want to waste a valuable moment on a commoner.

‘These people live exhausting lives.’

Dereck, who came from the slums, had almost never directly experienced high society.

He had gotten somewhat used to it through tutoring noble girls, but he still struggled to accept the calculated nature of their interactions.

Of course, Dereck wasn’t the type to actively socialize with others. He simply observed the nobles gathered in the tea room as though studying curious animals.

“Thank you, Bishop. I’ll be sure to visit the family elders at the next holiday.”

As he passed the time leisurely, he spotted a young woman speaking with a few distinguished guests in a distant corner of his view.

‘…Who is that?’

Dereck had been active in Ebelstein long enough to have a general idea of who the important figures were.

Especially in social circles, he knew enough to recognize names and faces. However, the young woman quietly eating pastries at a round table in a corner of the tea room was someone he had never seen before.

The dress she wore was in the style of the Eastern Empire.

Her jade-colored hair, elegantly braided and draped over one shoulder, looked like it required considerable care. That meant she had a dedicated maid to prepare it.

Her demeanor was refined, and she smiled gracefully at those who spoke to her, showing that she had studied etiquette. It was clear she was the daughter of a noble house, just by her presence at the event. However, compared to local nobles like Denise or Elente, she didn’t seem nearly as busy.

‘Could she be an outsider?’

Whenever she had a moment, she would pick up Montblancs, apple tarts, croissants, and other pastries from the banquet table and return to her seat, happily eating alone.

Occasionally, she dipped them in cream here and there, tore the bread with a fork to examine the texture, and then brought it to her mouth, savoring the sweetness with sparkling eyes.

Seeing her tremble with delight every time she took a bite, anyone could tell how much she was enjoying herself.

She seemed more like a food-loving tourist than a noble lady, and Dereck couldn’t help but watch her for a moment.

Then, he made eye contact with the young woman seated far away. Unsure of what to do, Dereck gave a polite nod and set his glass down on the nearest table.

*

“Have you already considered the death penalty?”

“Excuse me?”

Denise, who had just finished a conversation with the guests, sat beside Dereck with a slightly tired expression.

After all, Dereck had come under the pretense of assisting Denise, so it made no sense for him to stray far from her side.

“That elegant lady over there. That’s Lady Freya of Count Elvester’s family. The head of the merchants’ guild just told me he greeted her earlier.”

“That woman?”

“Yes. By the way… I’m not sure if she’s here for the ball or for a food tour…”

“I’ve heard the Duplain house has three pastry chefs who once worked for the royal family on their kitchen staff. They often boast that anyone who loves sweets will go crazy over their creations.”

“…No matter how much she loves sweets, I’m starting to worry her brain is soaked in sugar. I had to pull the desserts away myself…”

Denise sighed deeply and took a sip of cold water.

She seemed to enjoy this moment of rest, knowing that if she stayed seated any longer, more guests would approach to start another conversation.

“Fortunately, it looks like you have a break now.”

“Of course. The person who could be called the star of the event has just arrived at the mansion.”

“You mean Miss Diella?”

“They say the young lioness arrives at night. Her older sister. She went out to help with Diella’s debut and seems to have finished early and arrived ahead of time.”

As she spoke, the tea room doors opened, and an elegant woman appeared, leading a group of people.

Her black hair might have seemed dull at first glance, but combined with Aiselin’s neat and composed demeanor, it resembled a flower petal blooming with grace.

With her entrance, the tea room was filled with tension once again.

And who could deny it? Aiselin currently reigned as queen over Ebelstein’s social circles.

Many guests wanted to approach and speak with her but hesitated, knowing others with higher status were present in the small room.

Who would be the first to speak? Amid the tension, Aiselin scanned the room.

Soon, Aiselin, followed by her maids, crossed the room toward Lady Denise. It was prudent to greet those she often saw at the Rose Salon first. All the guests in the room nodded in understanding.

After Denise, it would be Ellen, and naturally, she would proceed to the next person.

Many guests who had finished their conversations were preparing to approach Aiselin.

Step, step.

As Denise took a breath, preparing to cough again.

“Mr. Dereck. You must have had a hard time traveling so far. I only just arrived and feel disoriented myself, but I hope my attendants haven’t treated you poorly.”

However, the first person Aiselin spoke to was Dereck, who was leaning against the wall behind Denise.

For a moment, the tea room fell silent.

Dereck, confused, felt the eyes of all the distinguished nobles turn toward him.

Aiselin wasn’t someone who clung to authority in her interactions with others. She simply approached Dereck with long strides and greeted him out of joy at seeing him among the guests. There was no political calculation in her actions.

The other nobles gathered there were well aware of Aiselin’s character, so they all watched Dereck’s face closely. It was the first time they had seen him at such a social event.

“…Ah.”

Only after seeing Dereck’s expression did Aiselin realize her words and actions might have made him uncomfortable.

After all, this was the grand Duplain mansion, and Aiselin was in a position to draw the attention of all the noble guests.

“It might not be appropriate to exchange greetings here. I was planning to greet the guests and then go see my father. Would you mind accompanying me?”

To accompany her in greeting the Duke of Duplain was to be treated almost like a member of the family.

Dereck, noticing that the expressions of the nobles watching him had completely changed, bowed his head and replied:

“How could someone like me accompany you? I also need to assist Miss Denise, so if I have the chance and free time, I’ll greet him separately.”

“Really? My father would be pleased… In any case, thank you for coming to celebrate Diella today. She’ll be happy to know you came.”

“The honor is mine.”

Dereck replied with a short, polite bow. It was a respectful expression that made it clear he had no intention of continuing the conversation.

From Aiselin’s perspective, it wasn’t hard to see that Dereck felt overwhelmed by the growing attention. With a regretful expression, Aiselin nodded subtly and blended back into the group of nobles.

No matter how happy she was, she couldn’t speak more than necessary at an event like this.

Such was the divide of social status.

Dereck was used to it and didn’t mind, but Aiselin had to feel that subtle difference.

It was no longer a new story.

‘It seems the banquet preparations are going well. I was worried because I couldn’t contact anyone by letter or message, but it seems everyone was just too busy.’

As soon as Aiselin finished taking care of Diella in the capital, she rushed to the mansion. She wanted to see with her own eyes whether the ball prepared for Diella was unfolding perfectly.

She hoped her only sister’s social debut would be flawless. With that in mind, she had been busy managing various tasks all day.

‘The nobles from the East and North have already arrived, and Dereck, who Diella was most worried about, is here too… I’ll check the schedule again and receive progress reports.’

After completing the formal greetings in the tea room, Aiselin walked down the hallway inside the main hall of the mansion.

The hallway was full of busy servants carrying dishes. From here on, it was an internal area accessible only to members of the Duplain family.

Seeing so many servants moving efficiently without wasting any effort, Aiselin felt satisfaction, gratitude, and appreciation all at once.

Knowing how exhausting back-to-back celebrations were, she decided to suggest to the Duke that everyone be given time to rest once the event concluded successfully.

“Miss Aiselin. I’ve placed your luggage in your room. Shall we head to the Duke’s office now?”

“Yes. I must see my father first. By the way, everyone seems so busy. I haven’t seen Valerian or Leigh since I passed through the main gate and into the garden.”

“Yes. Everyone’s busy attending to the guests. But His Grace the Grand Duke wishes to see Miss Aiselin’s face.”

“I want to see Father too. I haven’t been able to come home often since I’ve been helping Diella in Ebelstein.”

Aiselin spoke humbly to the housekeeper Katarina as she passed by the busy servants.

Katarina bowed discreetly and followed Aiselin, assisting her. Her movements were efficient, undoubtedly showing she was the most senior servant in the household.

“By the way, Katarina, your skin looks lovely.”

“Thank you.”

“Did you change the incense you use? Somehow you look paler than before… I’m worried there might be a health issue. Have you been overworking?”

“Yes, thank you for your concern.”

As Aiselin chatted with Katarina on the way to the Grand Duke’s office, she felt a strange discomfort.

The Katarina she knew would normally respond more warmly to compliments and engage in conversation. Feeling that the flow of the chat had broken awkwardly, Aiselin glanced again at Katarina’s expression. She worried Katarina might be too tired and overworked.

However, Katarina merely looked back with her usual expression. That made it feel even stranger.

‘Strange… Why do the servants in the mansion seem uneasy today?’

The busy atmosphere was as usual, but today it felt more unsettling.

Watching their mechanical, efficient movements made them seem more like tools than humans.

‘Are they all nervous? Diella’s social debut is an important event…’

It was then, as she ascended the stairs behind the main hall toward the Duke’s office.

Swish!

Crack!

“Ah!”

Katarina, who had been silently following Aiselin, suddenly pulled a cloth from her chest and covered Aiselin’s nose and mouth.

Then she twisted one of Aiselin’s arms and forcibly subdued her as she struggled.

“Ugh… Mmm! Mmm!”

When Aiselin realized what was happening and tried to resist, her eyes rolled back and she lost consciousness instantly. The cloth Katarina used was soaked with extract from the “Shadow Flower,” known for its potent hypnotic effects.

Moments later, Aiselin’s body went limp, and Katarina quietly caught her. Despite the many servants bustling around, none paid any attention to the scene.

A dark blue flash gleamed in Katarina’s eyes. Her gaze appeared distant, as if in a trance.

The other servants were the same.

*

Life as a mercenary on the battlefield, where life and death were constantly at stake, sometimes depended on inexplicable instincts.

After the exhausting gathering in the tea room, when the sun began to set.

Dereck, quietly reading a spellbook at the table next to Denise, who was lying on the bed breathing softly, frowned.

A subtle magical energy was seeping through the cracks in the door.

“…”

Dereck closed the book and set it on the table, then shifted his gaze toward the door.

He felt an unexplainable discomfort.

Creak!

Dereck shoved the chair back noisily and stood up.

Hearing the sound, Denise stopped snoring and suddenly opened her eyes. She still felt drowsy.

“Ugh… Is it already dinner time? Ugh!”

While stretching and struggling to get up, Denise tilted her head at the sight of Dereck’s expression.

“What is it, Dereck? Is something bothering you?”

Without answering, Dereck quickly walked to the door and turned the knob. However, the door didn’t open.

It didn’t seem to be locked. Concentrating, he felt a bluish magical energy flowing around the handle.

“The door won’t open.”

“Huh? Really? Call a servant to check it.”

Still without responding, Dereck moved quickly to the window. The banquet was about to begin.

It should have been a busy moment, with guests strolling through the garden, servants attending to things, and carriages arriving late to the mansion.

However, the view from the window was eerily silent. The instincts of a mercenary, sharpened after long periods hiding in the noble district, remained on high alert.

His sixth sense detected an anomaly. It was a feeling Dereck had trained and retrained for countless hours.

Dereck briefly pressed his ear to the door to understand the situation outside.

However, it remained silent outside. Though there should have been noise from servants guiding guests to their private rooms, there were no signs of life.

Dereck closed his eyes silently and muttered a detection spell.

He felt a large amount of magical energy on the other side of the door.

“Miss Denise.”

“Yes?”

The serious tone in Dereck’s voice was not unfamiliar to Denise, who was now sweating nervously.

Without changing his expression, Dereck spoke.

“I’m going to break the window.”

His decision was as swift as a machine.

Dereck was a man who had spent half his life on the battlefield.

The indecision on the battlefield meant death.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelCet