Noble Lady Reformation Guide - Chapter 84: Siern (3)

The silence reigning over the snowy northern fields evoked different emotions depending on the observer.

Upon seeing the snowflakes—so white and pure—blanketing everything, some felt warmth, others cold, and still others, loneliness.

The landscape of the world always remains unchanged, but the feelings it evokes vary according to the heart of the one beholding it.

Melverot also experienced different impressions each time he gazed at that unchanging scene.

For someone who has lived so long, that is possible. Even in a backdrop that doesn’t change, one can find new meanings each time.

However, for a young beast that has yet to leave the cradle, this desolate snowy land could feel like a prison.

“I plan to have Siern debut in the social circles of Ebelstein.”

Perhaps for that reason, Melverot spoke resolutely before Dereck and Aiselin.

It had been about four days since they had begun seriously teaching Siern.

As Siern began truly gaining control over her murderous instinct, she had started magic lessons with Dereck, and was learning social etiquette, arts, and various texts with Aiselin.

“I see.”

Dereck, who stood on the other side of the office with his hands behind his back, did not seem particularly surprised.

In fact, it was something he had already anticipated.

In the northern region of this continent, where nearly the entire territory is essentially a battlefield, the unique and refined social culture of the nobility has not developed much.

Even within the Rochester territory, there are numerous labyrinths roamed by all kinds of monsters, and going further toward the outskirts, many areas are downright uninhabitable for humans.

Although Siern was born and raised in this northern region, it seemed Melverot wanted her to experience the noble, peaceful, and warm culture of the southwestern region.

However, it was also an extremely risky decision.

The social circles of the eastern continent, centered in the County of Elvester, and those of the southwest, centered in Ebelstein, were the two places—excluding the imperial capital—where aristocratic culture flourished the most on the continent.

If Siern failed to control her killing instinct and caused a massacre in such a place, no matter how much of a hero Melverot was for ending the War of Dawn, the disaster would be irreparable.

The safest option would be to lock Siern in the tower of the Rochester territory and never let her step outside.

But if that had been the goal from the start, Dereck and Aiselin would never have been summoned to the Rochester territory.

“Is it possible?”

Melverot never bothered making eye contact with his subordinates. As always, he spoke while looking out the window, legs crossed.

Aiselin glanced at Dereck. Her expression clearly showed tension.

Dereck calmly shrugged and answered Melverot firmly.

“We have to make it possible.”

*

“Go to the Ebelstein social circle…? Me…?”

“Yes. Didn’t you say you wanted to leave the Rochester territory and visit the southwest of the continent, where the seasons are well-defined and the meadows are green? Congratulations. Lord Melverot has granted you permission to go.”

“Oh, heavens…! I’m so happy… So happy…!”

*

The next day, at the training field of the Rochester mansion annex.

Dereck wiped his sweat as he tightened the laces of his boots.

Siern, on the other hand, lay completely stretched out on the ground of the training field. Drenched in sweat and too exhausted to move, she couldn’t even lift a finger.

“I can’t… be happy… I have no strength left…”

“This is precisely the moment when you must push yourself the most, Lady Siern.”

“You said that thirty minutes ago…”

“I said it then just to say it, but this time it’s real. Now is truly the final moment when you must gather your strength.”

“You think… I’m going to believe you…?”

Despite her words, Siern managed to move and stand up. The dress with lace and ribbons seemed more suited for a ceremony than for combat. However, even that was a simple outfit for a lady of the Rochester family.

Siern woke up early in the morning to jog with Dereck, had breakfast with Dereck, trained magic with Dereck, studied the history of magic with Dereck, practiced magical sensitivity with Dereck, and then dueled with Dereck.

She spent practically the entire day with him, but Dereck only sweated a little and remained as energetic as at the start. Even though there was about a five-year age gap between them, his stamina seemed endless.

Dereck stretched his arms and continued.

“At this point, Lady Siern’s magical growth isn’t the main issue. Being able to handle three-star magic at your age means it’s more important to build a solid foundation than to aim for higher levels.”

“A foundation? What kind of foundation…?”

“Your magic is very chaotic and completely intuition-based. While self-taught mages like me often use magic that way, it’s a problem if you have no knowledge of the star system.”

Siern could handle magic equivalent to three stars, but that was a figurative expression. Being free from the star system and having no system at all are completely different things.

Using your magic without a system is like swinging a bat blindly hoping to hit a ball. If you have strength, reflexes, and natural sense, it might work—but to truly grow, you need to refine the basic system.

Dereck pulled out his staff, which he called the “Whip of Love.” Siern shivered at the sight of the enormous staff.

“Why do you do this? When I see that staff, my heart races… Can’t you just not take it out?”

“Why would I hit you with it, Lady Siern?”

“You… you hit me…!”

“I don’t use violence without reason.”

And that was also true.

Siern swallowed and made an effort to keep her body upright. Seeing her like that, Dereck gathered magic into his staff and released it.

Whoosh!

“It’s important to structure your magic system and integrate it into your mind. Do you like chess, by any chance?”

“Out of nowhere…? I know the basic moves…”

“Anyone can play chess if they know the basic moves, but efficient strategies and tactics are more systematic, right? Organizing the magical system is similar.”

If you calculate every move one by one, anyone can become a chess master, but the mental load is enormous. That’s why it’s necessary to establish efficient systems in advance.

The effective use of magic works the same. You need to systematize and think about the most common magical methods and flows.

“If you systematize your magical methods and integrate that into your mind… you’ll be able to grasp the structure of any new kind of magic quickly.”

“Is that really that important? It’s already hard to use my own magic well…”

“Growth is always like that.”

Siern was the most magically talented girl Dereck had ever taught. Diella had a free magic style and great artistic sense, Ellen was strong in leadership, and Denise excelled in all areas. But Siern, although weak in other fields, had overwhelming magical talent.

Her talent was nearly equal to Dereck’s, which made her the easiest to teach in magical terms. Most of her magical senses aligned with his.

“For example, let’s look at the flow of magic you use. Since you mainly use transformation magic, the incantation isn’t long, and you convert the magic from your fingers into elements naturally.”

Dereck’s magic enveloped the area, and from the tip of his staff, a cold light emerged.

Whoosh!

Upon releasing his magic, a voice echoed in his mind.

[You have acquired the three-star combat magic ‘Freezing’.]

Crackle! Crunch!

The ground of the training field froze. Siern opened her eyes in astonishment.

That magic, which had taken her years to master in the snowy fields, Dereck had copied in one glance. He didn’t even seem tired as he analyzed the magical flow.

“W-what…?”

“It was something like that. The magical efficiency isn’t very good, but it works to immobilize nearby enemies. If you increase the activation speed, it would be good for ambushes.”

“You… copied it just by seeing it once? That magic?”

“If you can understand the magical system just by seeing it once, implementing it isn’t that hard.”

Dereck shook his staff, approached Siern, crouched down, and said:

“Actually, it’s not easy. If you weren’t born with innate magical sense, it’s almost impossible. You won’t meet anyone who can do it.”

“…”

“But you can do it, Lady Siern.”

The blood of Noir gave her that cursed killer instinct—but also granted her another gift: magic.

Among demons, those who master magic possess exceptional power. Noir was the most extreme case. If Siern inherited all that power, she could reach a level no one else could.

“I can’t guarantee you’ll be the best in everything. But in one field, I can assure you you’ll be the most renowned in Ebelstein—in magic.”

“Really… can I really…?”

Dereck nodded. Siern Alaina Rochester would become the most outstanding mage among all of Dereck’s disciples.

‘But she probably won’t get along with Lady Denise.’

Siern, specialized in transformation magic, and Denise, in exploration magic, wouldn’t mesh. However, Diella and Ellen, who are awakening to combat magic, would suffer against Siern.

In any case, if Siern appeared in Ebelstein’s social circle, no one would be able to ignore her.

She was a bomb in the social world.

When it became known that she was Dereck’s disciple, he would become the most sought-after instructor in the southwest. And once he received his title, he’d have everything he needed to advance to the four-star level.

It was an exciting thought, but one thing still remained—completely controlling Siern’s murderous instinct.

“There’s still much to do. But soon, everything will be resolved.”

Dereck looked at Siern firmly. Seeing his confident expression, Siern felt reassured and nodded.

*

After her magic lessons with Dereck, Siern would take basic etiquette or art classes with Aiselin. The schedule wasn’t tight, but Dereck’s classes were so intense that she would arrive at Aiselin’s completely exhausted.

However, her lessons were more relaxed, so the body didn’t tire as much. And since Aiselin had such a warm nature, being with her felt like healing both body and mind.

“Sister Aiselin…”

“Yes, Lady Siern!”

Aiselin, who beamed with a radiant and almost ecstatic expression whenever she was called “sister,” clearly enjoyed having a younger woman rely on her. Seeing that reaction softened Siern’s heart, and before she knew it, she was leaning on her emotionally more than she had expected.

“Could you… tie my hair… please…?”

“How could I not?!”

Aiselin, rolling up her sleeves and approaching with arms around Siern’s shoulders, had a very special way of making others depend on her. When in her arms, Siern’s body would relax, and she felt like she could entrust her with everything.

Guided by Aiselin’s energy and relaxing her body, Siern would occasionally recall the warm plains of the southwest she so longed for. She imagined ever-green fields, the warm sunlight, and the pleasant breeze sweeping across the meadows.

Surely, Ebelstein must be like that.

In Siern’s eyes, Aiselin was like the personification of that idealized landscape.

And so, Siern let herself be enveloped in a strange sense of happiness as she returned to her tower room, just as the evening sky began to turn red.

Lying on a bed adorned with lace, she surrendered to its soft comfort. And as she silently gazed at the ceiling, she felt like everything she had learned during the day was settling in her mind.

Compared to spending an empty day, her heart now felt filled with satisfaction.

Then, she suddenly remembered the image of that white-haired mage who had appeared like a calamity and stared at her so intensely. The fear she had felt at first still lingered, making her heart skip a beat from time to time… but in hindsight, it seemed like that boy had always acted for her sake.

Seen from another angle, it had always been that way. He was a man who didn’t hesitate to take on a bad reputation and did what needed to be done.

His image, rolling up his sleeves and stepping forward without fear even in life-or-death situations, was deeply engraved in her mind.

And yet, when teaching magic, he was kind and a perfect gentleman. The contrast between both sides was hard to grasp, but over time, she realized that this was Dereck’s true nature.

No matter how many times she saw him, she never got used to him. That’s why the image of that boy was etched deeply in the heart of this young girl in the midst of adolescence.

‘Dereck. Dereck. What a peculiar name. Dereck. De-re-ck.’

She repeated his name in a low voice several times and then let out a little laugh.

— Don’t worry. I’m stronger than Lady Siern.

Strangely, seeing his always-rational attitude gave her a peculiar sense of security, as if he could resolve any situation.

She closed her eyes and imagined the warm plains of Ebelstein she had dreamed of, from that cold snowy field.

Clutching her coat tightly, following closely behind him, she imagined that someday she might walk through those meadows.

However, the memories of the massacres that occasionally returned pulled her back to reality.

The faint smell of blood that returned to her nose just when she was about to forget it.

“…”

Once again, Siern, trapped in a pessimistic mood, murmured softly.

“They say… he was a popular teacher in Ebelstein.”

Even though Melverot had summoned him to stay at the Rochester mansion, eventually he would return to Ebelstein.

He was the most prestigious magic instructor, coveted by Duplain, Belmierd, and Beltus.

And for Dereck, Siern was just one student among many others.

In fact, legendary figures like Diella, Ellen, and Denise also claimed to be his disciples. Even if Siern were added to that list, it wouldn’t hold any special meaning.

If Dereck returned to Ebelstein, it was obvious every family would try again with all their might to recruit him.

They could learn magic from anyone. They didn’t need Dereck specifically.

But for Siern, there was no one else who could handle her like Dereck.

“…”

Swoosh.

In a corner of the tower at sunset, Siern slowly sat up and lowered her head.

A lock of white hair fell across her forehead.

‘If it’s Dereck… could he change me…?’

In the corner of a girl’s heart, going through a tempestuous phase, a new emotion emerged—one she had never felt before.

It was called “possessiveness.”

Siern wanted to monopolize the teacher named Dereck.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelCet