Noble Lady Reformation Guide - Chapter 63: Drop of Blood (9)

Ellen maintained her composure as she quickly assessed the current situation.

The fact that the Duplain mansion was being completely overrun by monsters was anything but natural. With a 5-Star level mage as the head of the family, this should have been resolved long ago.

The fact that even the servants seemed to have been completely consumed by something, and that there were still no signs of a resolution, suggested that someone from within the family might be involved in this disaster.

It was also possible that this entire ball had been a trap from the very beginning.

‘It’s unlikely that the entire Duplain family is behind this. The most powerful family in the southwest of the empire has no reason to engage in something so suspicious. It must be the unilateral act of someone within the family…’

After carefully checking the hallway again, Ellen looked at Aiselin’s expression as she tried to calm her anxious mind.

If the family really had caused this, Aiselin would have known. She wouldn’t be here with Ellen, and that trembling appearance of hers would be nothing but an act. Ellen’s intuition told her that wasn’t the case.

“Lady Aiselin, it seems you don’t fully grasp the current situation, do you? As you can see, the mansion’s servants are under the control of some sinister force and have lost their minds. Many guests have been dragged into the main hall, and it seems difficult to ensure their safety.”

“W-What are you saying? What’s happening in the Duplain mansion right now…?”

“If you need to see it with your own eyes to believe it, then do so.”

Just looking at the collapsed outer wall was enough to understand the gravity of the situation.

Aiselin swallowed hard. She had only just regained her senses, but she had to think quickly. Ellen was in the same position.

If things had really gotten to this point, the Duplain family’s name might be irreparably stained.

The imperial family might hold them accountable, or other noble houses might start making demands. In the worst-case scenario, they could lose their title and their land.

And a noble who loses their territory often meets a miserable end.

If they managed to keep private troops or military strength, they might survive as mercenaries, but women without backing or refuge often ended up in tragic circumstances.

Ellen silently observed Lady Aiselin.

Even as she bit her lower lip and looked out the window, her figure remained noble and beautiful. But she was standing at the edge of a cliff.

When Ellen had first entered the Rose Salon of Ebelstein’s social circle, she had felt jealous—and even went so far as to try and hurt that perfect girl.

Many times she had admired Aiselin, who didn’t even flinch despite Ellen’s repeated provocations.

Yet even now, with the fall she had long wished for right in front of her, Ellen felt no satisfaction. On the contrary, Aiselin’s serious expression filled her with a strange tension. It was truly puzzling.

“Lady Aiselin, please listen carefully. You may feel overwhelmed, having just woken up, but it seems the Duplain family is facing an unprecedented crisis.”

“…I need to go out and see it with my own eyes.”

“…”

“Lady Ellen, you should look for a way to escape the mansion. Or you could hide in the cellar or basement library and wait for help to arrive. I know the mansion’s layout well—I can guide you.”

Even now, Aiselin worried about Ellen and tried to ensure her safety. That kind of judgment was so characteristic of her.

Ellen’s mind raced.

Given the situation, the Duplain family was at least in decline, and at worst on the brink of collapse. The mansion was half-destroyed, and neither the high-ranking officials nor key figures had shown themselves.

It meant that everyone was in crisis. The noble and beautiful girl in front of her—the very flower atop noble society—might cease to exist today.

She would become a displaced noblewoman, useless as a connection and without family backing.

Therefore, the most logical choice would be to sever any unproductive ties. The fall of the Duplain family would be a seismic event in the southwestern nobility.

If Ellen could escape safely, it would be best to report this immediately to her main house. If she could get out of the mansion and send a carrier pigeon, House Belmierd would receive the news first.

In times of crisis, obtaining key information ahead of others was crucial.

If the Margrave of Belmierd found out, he could dispatch troops to “resolve the disaster,” or even station private soldiers to legally occupy the mansion and its surroundings.

And once those troops were stationed, it would be easy to maintain their presence.

At first, justifications are hard to make—but once they’re established, they tend to multiply.

‘…’

The Duplain family had once been a mighty lion ruling over the southwest nobility of the empire.

But when any beast dies, no matter how majestic it once was, it ends up the same—carcass, to be picked apart by vultures and beasts.

Hundreds of nobles would rush in to tear apart that corpse. Being the first to sink one’s teeth into it would be an immense privilege.

For the sake of the Belmierd family, Ellen had to escape and deliver the news as soon as possible.

Her instincts, sharpened through years of struggling in the frigid world of noble society, told her so clearly.

Even so, Aiselin, who had risen from her bed without losing a shred of her elegant demeanor, had something unusual in her gaze.

“Lady Ellen, please look for a way to escape. I’ll give you all the information you need. As the eldest daughter of House Duplain, I must go to the main hall and see what’s happening for myself.”

“…Alright. Let’s go together.”

“…Pardon?”

Ellen hadn’t thought it over too much.

Even in a situation where the collapse of the Duplain family seemed imminent, she chose the inefficient option.

Aiselin had heard that Ellen was cunning in moments like these.

That’s why she couldn’t help but open her eyes wide in surprise.

“Why would Lady Ellen…?”

Ellen was just about to think of a response when—

Boom, boom.

It felt as if the ground was shaking.

The entire mansion trembled. The rumble was so overwhelming it felt like the entire world was about to collapse.

Startled, Aiselin quickly ran to the window. The main hall, with its outer wall already collapsed, was clearly visible.

Through the breach in the wall, a grotesque mountain of bones began to rise. Its body was so massive it pierced through the mansion’s main hall ceiling.

“W-What is that…?”

A dark red, ominous magic seemed to envelop the entire world.

It was a 4-Star necromancy spell: Giant Skeleton. The bones of its palms alone were large enough to cover an entire room.

Both girls froze, paralyzed by the monstrously immense figure that appeared before them.

Booom, boom!

The giant skeleton placed its hand on the roof of the west wing to push itself up. That alone was enough for half of the western building to collapse.

Under the rainy sky, the fully upright monster began to run toward the garden and soon swung its body as if to crush the building where Aiselin was located.

*

Valerian admitted it instantly.

In a duel where victory was determined by experience and speed, he could never win against Dereck.

Against a veteran mercenary who had honed his senses to the limit, he had to force the situation into a contest of pure brute strength.

That’s why Valerian raised his staff and unleashed his magic at full power.

Pure, overwhelming power. His intent was to crush Dereck with such a brutal impact that he couldn’t block or deflect it.

Soon, the giant skeleton, following Valerian’s orders, looked down at the ant-sized Dereck below.

Whoosh… Boom!

Despite its size, its movements were fast.

The foot that crashed down in the rain crushed the spot where Dereck had stood just a moment earlier. The marble floor shattered, and shards of stone scattered in every direction.

Dereck used magic to shield the unconscious guests who were about to be buried by the rubble.

It was a 2-Star combat spell: Large-Scale Shield.

Its coverage was broad, but it consumed a lot of mana.

Thud, thud, thud.

After repelling all the falling debris, Dereck stood again and sprinted toward the central garden.

If the battle continued in the main hall, the guests would inevitably be caught up and killed.

Before that happened, Valerian had to be stopped. Dereck jumped over the fountain in the center of the mansion and launched himself toward the annex.

It was impossible to subdue the giant skeleton with firepower alone. Unless the mana source was cut off or the caster neutralized, there was no way out.

‘This fight can’t be drawn out. If we give him time, Valerian will kill all the guests and try to save the Duke.’

Dereck understood Valerian’s guilt and desire to atone for the Duke’s death, but his method was wrong.

There was no guarantee he could complete a 5-Star necromancy spell, and even if he did, the Duplain family would be branded as butchers who broke taboos and sacrificed dozens of mages.

In the end, the Duplain family’s future would be utter darkness.

From Valerian’s madness-driven perspective, this was his only way to resist. But from Dereck’s perspective, it was absolutely unacceptable.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The fully upright giant skeleton advanced toward Dereck in long strides.

The distance Dereck had gained by running was closed in a single step by the giant. Just as its massive fist came crashing down—

Bang!

The garden fountain exploded, half of it obliterated by the impact of the strike.

Dirt flew everywhere, and even the trees in the manicured flowerbeds were flung into the air.

In the midst of it all, Dereck planted a fireball on the weakest point of the skeleton’s center of gravity—its left big toe.

Though the rain weakened the firepower, it was enough to destabilize the monster’s balance. The giant skeleton toppled and managed to stay upright only by grabbing onto the roof of the Duplain mansion’s east wing.

Crash, crackle, crackle!

But in doing so, the east wing building also began to collapse.

Dereck, now running toward the annex, widened his eyes at the sight.

Behind the east wing were several guest rooms. He had tried to minimize casualties, but if the giant kept destroying structures so recklessly, deaths would be unavoidable.

That’s when he saw a girl being swept into the collapse at the corner of the building.

“Kyaaaa!”

The girl, her elegant hair flowing in the wind, was Aiselin. She had been in the guest waiting room, where the outer windows and walls had already caved in, and she was about to be swallowed by the collapse.

Quickly channeling her magic, Aiselin clung to a decorative structure jutting from the outer wall to avoid being swept away.

But the rain-soaked exterior was far too slippery.

Thud!

Aiselin’s weak hand slipped. Her body began to fall through the night.

She immediately tried to invoke wind magic to soften the fall—but she had no experience with such spells. Still, she attempted to release some mana to prevent fatal injury.

Thud! Crash!

Dereck, who had quickly climbed up the exterior wall, caught her in midair and rolled with her across the muddy garden bed.

They tumbled several times through the mud before Dereck gently laid her down on the grass.

“D-D-Dereck…! Huff…!”

“Get up. There’s no time for greetings.”

“W-What?!”

Just as Aiselin was about to ask Dereck—whom she hadn’t seen in a long time—if he was okay, the giant skeleton chasing him threw another punch their way.

Boom!

Each strike was a critical hit. If even one landed, they’d be crushed instantly.

Dereck wrapped his arms around Aiselin’s waist and launched himself off the ground, rolling once more through the mud.

The giant’s fist struck the spot where Dereck had just been, smashing the window beyond the garden bed and reducing an entire room to rubble.

Crash! Boom!

“Ugh…!”

When Aiselin finally managed to stand, she was a mess.

Her hair, normally clean and sleek like ebony, was caked in mud. Her elegant dress had torn on one side, exposing a scratched-up leg.

Panting and struggling to rise from the mud, the mixture of rain, sweat, and grime made every step feel like carrying lead.

“D-Dereck…! Lady Ellen was with me… we have to check if she’s okay…”

“Keep running! There’s no time for that now!”

Dereck stood and shattered a window beyond the flowerbed. He was signaling her to go inside the building.

They planned to circle around from the interior to escape the giant skeleton’s line of sight. They’d keep running until the building completely collapsed.

Aiselin quickly climbed through the window frame. As she did, she realized it was the same room Diella used when staying at the main house.

It was the room Valerian had once shown Dereck when he first arrived at the Duplain family.

“Dereck, get in! Hurry! Ah!”

As she called out and climbed through the frame, Aiselin felt a sharp pain in her hand. Shards of broken glass had embedded into her skin.

She quickly removed the larger pieces. Meanwhile, Dereck also came in through the window.

When Aiselin saw Dereck’s battered appearance, she caught her breath.

“D-Dereck… your wound…”

Dereck’s right shoulder was covered in large shards of glass.

It seemed to be an injury he had sustained while rolling through the garden, shielding her with his own body. Aiselin’s body, in his arms, was unharmed—but he hadn’t been as lucky.

Blood dripped down, mixing with the rain and hitting the floor.

“D-Dereck…”

Snap!

As Aiselin approached in a panic, Dereck wrapped an arm around her waist again and pushed her toward the corner of the room.

Aiselin fell onto the bed Diella used to sleep in—and just then, the giant skeleton’s fist smashed through the window frame she had been at only seconds ago.

Boom! Crash!

Through the collapsed wall, the skeleton’s face appeared. It let out a grotesque laugh, as if pleased to have found its prey.

As soon as Aiselin saw it, a cold sweat ran down her entire body.

Boom! Boom!

Soon, the roof—already lacking support—caved in completely.

*

Drip, drip.

“Ugh… ugh…”

When Aiselin opened her eyes again, Dereck was on top of her.

The pain coursing through her body came from the shards of marble that had fallen on her. And yet, she had no fatal injuries.

It was because Dereck had shielded her with his own body. Beside Aiselin’s head, Dereck’s hand, propped up to hold himself, was trembling.

Blood dripped from his snow-white hair onto Aiselin’s cheek, then fell to the ground.

“D-Dereck…”

“Listen carefully, Lady Aiselin. As you can see, the situation is dire.”

Pushing aside the debris covering him, Dereck got up as best as he could and looked directly at Aiselin.

As she tried to sit up, he grabbed her by the shoulders and met her gaze.

“Take a deep breath.”

“O-Okay… Hah… Hah…”

“There’s no time for long explanations, so I’ll get straight to the point. The Duplain family is facing a life-or-death crisis. If we stay here, we’ll be annihilated.”

“W-What do you mean…?”

“Valerian is gathering the guests in the main hall. He’s planning to perform a ritual to kill them all.”

“W-What… what did you just say…?”

She needed time to process it. At any other moment, Dereck would’ve given her space to grasp it, but not now.

“We have to stop him before he goes through with it. In the worst-case scenario… we must be ready to kill him.”

“V-Valerian… my brother…?”

Thousands of questions must have raced through Aiselin’s mind in that instant. She wanted to know why Valerian, someone who would never do such a thing, had come to this. What had happened while she was away. Why everything had gone so wrong.

But Aiselin was quick to understand. She accepted, faster than anyone else would, that there was no time to answer those questions.

“…So, what do we do now?”

Covered in mud, the two of them exchanged a look under the rain.

“If it comes to that, Lady Aiselin… you must kill him. I’ll help you.”

“…”

‘What the hell are they talking about?’ Holding back that thought, Aiselin looked at Dereck with tear-filled eyes.

He wiped the blood from her cheek and spoke firmly.

“Now that it’s come to this… we won’t be able to stop the fall of the Duplain family. But you don’t want its name to disappear from history altogether, do you?”

“Then…”

“The Imperial family will never forgive a house whose eldest son killed the head of the family, turned to forbidden necromancy, and massacred its guests. So… while we still can act quickly, we must be the ones to end this.”

“Did he kill the head of the family?? What are you talking about…?”

“I know it’s hard to accept. But that’s exactly why you need to stay focused.”

The unconscious guests in the main hall weren’t dead yet. The ritual hadn’t started. If they stopped Valerian now, it would all just be a failed attempt.

The difference between an attempt and a completed act is everything. The core of the damage was the lives of the guests.

The ruined mansion was still just a material loss. The head of the family’s death, a blow to the Duplain name.

But all of that was Valerian’s doing, under the influence of necromancy. If the family intervened, stopped him, and cleaned up the mess, they might avoid total ruin.

As long as the guests survived, they could manage the aftermath with apologies and compensation. Of course, the family would never reclaim its former glory.

They had lost the family head, their high-ranking vassals, more than half of their soldiers, this grand mansion, the honor and trust of the Empire.

Neighboring nobles would seize the chance to devour their weakened lands. They would lose control of their resources, their tax revenue, and most of their servants would leave. The mansion would be cut in half.

In Ebelstein’s social circles, Aiselin would be treated like an outcast. She might not even be able to enter the Rose Hall anymore.

Everything that was once perfect, beautiful, and noble… was now reduced to a single thorny path.

Even so, Dereck spoke.

“Still, you must not become a fallen noble.”

Dereck’s mentor, Katia Flameheart, had lived half her life as a fallen noble.

He knew well how miserable that path could be.

Even if you must sacrifice everything and give up your glory, you must hold firmly to your family’s name.

If you endure, if you persevere… someday, the sun will shine again.

So even if it’s only in appearance, even if it’s stained and humiliating, you must not abandon your life as a noble.

“Even if you have nothing, even if they circle you like hyenas, even if they all mock you… hold your head high and carry your house’s name with pride.”

That is what it means to be a noble lady.

That pride can become poison and turn people arrogant… but you must not deny its true meaning. It’s pride in the life you’ve lived.

There are no such things as ‘bad’ nobles. In this cold society, everyone has learned to survive in their own way.

Aiselin, who had always looked down on the world from above, now had to understand it.

“Who can take responsibility for the Duplain family in this situation?”

Even a sinking ship needs a captain. And Dereck could feel it deep in his bones.

If anyone could hold that shattered vessel together, it was Aiselin.

She could do it. And people never forget who helped them when they hit rock bottom.

Those who have fallen know best: in the midst of laughter and scorn, the ones who reach out their hand are the ones who truly matter.

Dereck gripped Aiselin’s trembling hand tightly in the rain.

“To let the world know that it was the Duplain family who stopped Valerian’s actions, one family member must rise as the sword. Lady Aiselin… that person is you.”

“D-Dereck…”

“If you choose to do it, I’ll help you.”

Dereck’s face, under the rain, hadn’t changed. Even in the middle of this chaos, he remained as steady as ever.

Aiselin’s eyes trembled as she looked at him, but there was something she could trust in.

Everyone else would run from the sinking Duplain ship to save themselves.

But that boy was still sitting firmly in place, not moving an inch. As steady as a mountain. That was the reason girls from the three great families clung to him so desperately.

And just as Aiselin, still trembling, was about to speak—

Bang!

With a thunderous crash, the building’s outer wall collapsed again. Dereck instantly unleashed his magic and rushed to block the falling debris.

Rumble! Thud!

From the shattered wreckage emerged a giant skeleton, now clad in massive armor. Valerian was riding atop it.

“…”

Diella’s old room, half-destroyed.

Watercolor paintings were scattered across the soaked floor, and Aiselin, utterly worn out, was there.

Swoosh.

The rain poured down in torrents.

And in Valerian’s eyes, now landing in the room, burned a madness deeper than before.

He had already crossed the swamp of mistakes. There was no path back for him.

Everything had to end here.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelCet