Noble Lady Reformation Guide - Chapter 78: People (5)

— Before teaching her anything else, the first thing Lady Siern must learn is the weight of death.

— Do you think I haven’t tried something like that?

— It’s not something that can be taught with just words and actions. If Lady Siern’s homicidal impulses come from her instincts, we must use a method strong enough to imprint it into those same instincts.

The next day, Dereck visited Lord Melverot’s office. He said he wanted to request his understanding in advance and explained his plan on how to socialize Siern.

— So what? Are you going to push Siern to the brink of death? That’s a rather violent method.

— Of course not. But it’s hard to deny that we might resort to somewhat violent means. That’s why I’ve come to ask for your understanding.

Dereck laid out to Melverot what would happen in the future.

Melverot listened in silence, his face stiff. It was clear he understood Dereck was not an ordinary person.

However, he did not oppose the plan.

He simply nodded.

— If you have no further objections, I’ll take my leave.

The sound of Dereck’s steps as he bowed and left the office was unusual.

It seemed like he didn’t plan to carry this matter for long.

*

“How is Lady Siern’s food delivered?”

“Each meal is taken to the tower by the servants. They go in protected by all sorts of magic and gear. After all… it’s a dangerous task…”

The next place Dereck went after leaving the office was where the head maid, Serena, was located.

She was supervising the organization of the mansion’s storeroom and, upon meeting Dereck’s gaze, gave a bow. Judging by her still-bruised body, she had clearly been through a lot.

Dereck expressed his gratitude for her efforts and asked several questions that had been on his mind.

“Does Miss Siern often go out into the snowy field?”

“Yes… She often comes back covered in blood. Most of it is from beasts or monsters… but not always…”

“…”

“How long has this been going on?”

“About seven or eight years. Before that, she was a normal child. She laughed, learned well, played…”

Dereck’s expression didn’t change, but Serena’s grew a little complicated.

She had been caring for Siern for a long time. Although it would have been natural for her to harbor resentment, she genuinely seemed concerned for her.

After all, children are not to blame. The ones at fault are the adults who failed to teach them. That’s what Dereck believed.

And someone like Siern especially wasn’t someone just anyone could teach.

“The scarlet ribbon is impressive. Was it made here in the mansion?”

“Eh…? All of a sudden? Normally we use ready-made products, but the head maid’s clothing usually has extra embellishments or patterns.”

“What kind of dye do you use? Do you have a separate workshop in the mansion for that?”

“Huh…? Why are you asking that all of a sudden…?”

“I’m curious about how the mansion staff works.”

“…We use madder or similar plants for dyeing, but for Miss Siern’s clothes we usually use flower petals like safflower or balsam. The scent is also important… And the actual work is usually done by an artisan from Levelton. We just receive the dye and use it.”

“There must be many people connected to the mansion through distribution.”

“That’s right…”

It wasn’t clear why he was interested in the mansion workers, but Serena didn’t ask.

A maid’s virtue is to not be needlessly curious.

“I’m also interested in the protective magic used by the servants before entering Miss Siern’s room. I also want to know how her meals are prepared.”

“I can tell you everything in detail. Lord Melverot gave us specific instructions to cooperate actively.”

“I’m glad to hear that.”

As Dereck walked away with firm steps, Serena bowed and followed.

As long as he had Melverot’s protection, no one could oppose him acting as if he owned the mansion.

Aware of that, Dereck thought he should gather as much information as possible while he had the chance.

In any case, Dereck already had all his plans in order. It was time to train the leading actress with his own hands. Most likely, he would also be the director.

“From today on, I will inspect all the meals that enter Lady Siern’s room.”

While crossing the hallway, Dereck gave that order.

Someone was secretly watching him from afar.

‘…’

Aiselin swallowed hard as she watched Dereck’s actions.

*

“It’s fine even if Lady Siern doesn’t trust me. Even if she thinks to use me and discard me later, I don’t mind.”

Aiselin, who had returned to the room through the snow, took off her cloak and hung it next to the bed, speaking with a determined expression.

Siern, trembling inside the room, looked at Aiselin’s resolute figure and remembered Dereck again.

She remembered the image of that beast-like man walking firmly through the snowy field.

In that snowy world where it was either kill or be killed, he had the aura of a supreme predator.

There were few in this mansion who could match Siern’s magical abilities, but at least that man, Dereck, seemed capable of overpowering her with ease.

“I… I have to do what I believe is right. Even if Sir Dereck tries to kill Lady Siern, I will protect you with all my strength.”

“Why… why do you try so hard for me?”

“…You won’t believe me, but there’s no concrete reason.”

That was precisely the biggest reason Dereck acknowledged Aiselin. She had the ability to embrace people.

The way to earn someone’s trust and make them feel you’re trustworthy is simpler than it seems. You only need one thing—sincerity.

When all personal gain, success, and reward are discarded, and one acts solely based on what they believe is right and just, the other person perceives that sincerity.

Sincerity is a quality only the sincere can possess.

That’s why Aiselin’s noble and brilliant eyes were etched into Siern’s pupils. For a moment, Siern almost nodded.

However, the terrible memories stored in her heart could not be undone with a single kind look.

The expressions of fear and disgust shown by countless teachers when they looked at Siern pierced the gaps in her memory.

Everyone had approached her with smiles at first, saying they were different.

They promised to guide her to a better world with flowery words. In her more naive days, she had hopeful thoughts. But the accumulation of frustrating experiences made her shake her head.

“I don’t believe it.”

Siern, curled up in a corner of the bed, hugged her knees and growled.

“I don’t believe in anyone.”

“You don’t have to believe me. Be suspicious of me. That’s better for you, Lady Siern.”

“Of course. After all, you’re the one accompanying that… lunatic named Dereck. Why should I… trust you?”

“That… is true…”

Aiselin lowered her gaze and spoke as if she didn’t have the face to look up.

“Even so, I believe in Sir Dereck. To you, Lady Siern, he may seem cold and ruthless… but I still believe there’s humanity and kindness in him.”

“Lies. What you’re doing now is betraying that magic teacher named Dereck.”

“That… is true. But please, wait a little longer. I’ll do everything I can to convince Sir Dereck.”

Aiselin slowly approached Siern.

Siern backed away, pushing the sheets with her bare feet, but Aiselin approached with a gentle smile and held her hands tightly.

“It’s natural to be suspicious of me now, Lady Siern. But please, trust me for now. I’ll try to buy time while avoiding Sir Dereck’s schemes, and I’ll do everything I can to make him change his mind.”

“Do you really think that heartless monster will change his mind? I’d rather… tell everything to my father. Tell him that lunatic is trying to kill me and beg him to kick him out.”

“Right now, Sir Dereck has the full trust and support of Lord Melverot. In this Rochester mansion, having Lord Melverot’s backing means there’s no way to stop him.”

Siern showed a look of disbelief.

To think that a magic teacher she didn’t even know, who had come from somewhere in the southwest of the continent, would have such trust.

However, once she calmed down a bit, she quickly realized that the situation was not in her favor.

A killer who murdered people when given the chance, versus a competent magic teacher recognized in the southwestern empire.

It didn’t take much thought to know who Melverot would believe. In the end, she would need Aiselin’s help. If that man named Dereck really tried to kill her, she wouldn’t be able to escape on her own.

“Fine. Keep being suspicious of me, Lady Siern. I’ll do what I can.”

However, on Aiselin’s serious face, with her lips tightly pressed together, there was sincerity.

It wasn’t an act or a lie, but the look of someone who genuinely cared about Siern.

‘Don’t be fooled.’

Siern clenched her teeth and pushed Aiselin away. A coldness even more frigid than the vast snowy fields of the north flowed inside her.

No matter how much Aiselin tried to embrace her with warmth, she couldn’t win over the heart of that thorny girl.

Siern glared at her fiercely. Even so, Aiselin kept a resolute expression.

She was someone with a strong heart.

Thus, Aiselin began secretly visiting the tower several times, whispering information to Siern.

She even warned her that Dereck was poisoning the food. She cautioned her repeatedly not to let her guard down, since it was a slow-acting poison, and not to touch any food brought by Dereck or the servants.

Although she doubted Aiselin’s words, Siern never touched the food brought by Dereck with the servants.

She pretended to eat just enough, then spat everything out, surviving only on the food Aiselin brought separately. The meals managed by Dereck were removed by Aiselin and discarded completely.

From time to time, Dereck examined Siern’s body with his icy gaze, as if checking her condition, and each time, Siern suppressed her growing fear and pretended it didn’t affect her.

Whenever Dereck spoke to her, she responded coldly, provoked him, and thought about how to drive that arrogant commoner out of the mansion.

Meanwhile, Aiselin never stopped moving around.

Fearing for Lady Siern’s health, she checked on her condition several times and, when possible, begged Dereck to reconsider killing her.

Each time, Dereck firmly rejected her pleas, but she continued her double life without losing her resolve.

Thus, one day became three, and three days became a week.

During that long time, Aiselin barely slept and gave most of her own meals to Siern, enduring the biting cold.

At night she would visit Siern’s room to report the latest news, and during the day she discussed Siern’s educational policy with the servants or kept an eye on Dereck’s movements.

As time passed, Aiselin’s face grew paler and more exhausted, but thanks to her, Siern remained alive.

“There’s nothing abnormal with your health, right? I hope you never let your guard down, Lady Siern. When Dereck notices the medicine isn’t working, he might resort to other methods. I’ll… try to find out what he’s thinking as soon as I get a chance.”

“…”

“Don’t worry so much, Lady Siern. I’ve told you many times. Dereck may seem cold and ruthless, but he has a human and selfless side. As someone raised in the Duchy of Duplain, I know that better than anyone.”

“That’s enough.”

When she came to, Siern was already speaking informally to Aiselin.

Her unwavering righteousness was admirable, but everything had a limit.

“What’s the point of enduring like this?”

“Lady Siern…”

“Life is like the jungle. Kill or be killed. Do you understand what I’m saying?”

Siern let her bluish hair fall as she got out of bed and looked directly at Aiselin.

“You… what are you? You’re not on my side, nor on that man’s side…”

“That… that’s…”

Although she was deceiving Dereck solely to save Siern, she couldn’t completely abandon her fundamental trust in him.

Siern couldn’t understand Aiselin’s way of thinking. How could she still have emotional empathy for a man so monstrous, who acted with such violence and arrogance? How was that different from a wife who says she’s fine while being beaten every day?

However, she couldn’t say it out loud because she herself wasn’t free from the accusations of being violent and arrogant.

That girl named Aiselin trusted and believed even in people like them. She was someone who extended her unshakable faith even to the possibility that man named Dereck represented.

That’s why Siern felt frustrated.

“That’s enough. Let me die. If that man kills me, so be it. I don’t want pity from someone with a head full of flowers like you, nor do I want to beg for my life.”

Snap!

Just as Siern said that, brushing the edge of despair, Aiselin clenched her teeth and slapped her.

In an instant, Siern’s pupils widened.

If someone were to choose the kindest and most benevolent person in the world, many would name Aiselin.

It was rare for someone so simple to resort to violence. Even Siern was so surprised she couldn’t help but tremble.

“Don’t accept death so easily. Don’t you know that everything ends once you give up?”

Aiselin spoke every word through clenched teeth. She was a girl raised carefully in a noble family. Normally, people like that lack a sense of reality and only talk about ideals.

However, Aiselin was a young woman who rolled up her sleeves to stand even in the crumbled mansion of the Duplain family.

The truly strong don’t show their swords. The poison hidden in sweetness is the one that has real value.

She was someone with an iron will to live, capable of spreading manure with her own hands to sow, and selling household items despite the shame.

That’s why she couldn’t ignore those who gave up on themselves.

Ever since she wandered through taverns in search of Diela’s teacher, her strong nature had already been evident.

Siern felt she was seeing Aiselin’s true depths and couldn’t say anything.

“You can live. I won’t ask you to learn magic or etiquette. You don’t need any of that. Just… don’t throw away your precious life over a nature you don’t even understand. That… just that… I can’t bear it…”

“What… what… why… why are you crying…?”

“Did you understand what I said?”

Aiselin’s eyes turned red and she began to sob. It was an undignified reaction, but that didn’t matter in that moment.

Aiselin knew someone in a situation similar, though subtly different, to Siern’s. Her sister, Diella.

Diella now aspired to become the true power behind Ebelstein, with the qualities of a ruler, but during her wandering days, she had been a girl who despised her own life, just like Siern.

Aiselin knew better than anyone how sad, lonely, and painful that was. That’s why she couldn’t leave Siern alone.

“I… I…”

“I’ll try to fool Sir Dereck a little more. While he changes his mind, we’ll gain time. And somehow… I’ll convince him…”

Aiselin tried to speak with a deeply serious expression.

“That won’t work.”

Bang!

It was Dereck who burst into the inner room.

Both Aiselin and Siern flinched and looked in that direction. The man, dressed in mercenary garb with a frozen expression, was standing there.

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