Noble Lady Reformation Guide - Chapter 183

The figure who wielded the greatest influence over the nobility's magical authority, still spoken of as a legendary figure to this day.

The first to establish the concept of star ranks in magic, who gauged the divine realm, standing at the very origin of this magic-centric aristocratic supremacy.

The Grand Mage Adelbert, who explored the world beneath the Big Dipper, was a fictional character created by a 6-star confusion mage.

Princess Rozelyn's words carried implications powerful enough to overturn the entire foundation of noble magical society as it had been built.

-"That absurd figure never existed in this world to begin with, and no matter how far back you search history, you'll never find them."

-"But then one day... countless mages suddenly became aware of this legendary figure's existence and began believing and following it."

-"Does this nobility centered around magic feel like it has a long history to you?'Magic is noble'... While such notions existed before, never to this extent."

-"Magic is... no different from learning any other skill. The achievements of Grand Mage Adelbert, who endowed magic itself with divine mystery touching the realm of gods, were merely illusions spread across the world by a confusion mage."

Derek walked briskly down the corridor with a grave expression.

The more he reconsidered his conversation with Princess Rozelyn, the more he understood why she hadn't made this unbelievable truth public, keeping it bottled up alone.

No one would believe it.

This was an era where magic had become the foundation of noble authority. At its center, Princess Rozelyn's denial of magic's fundamental purity was tantamount to making enemies of everyone.

Magic becoming the nobility's focal point had lasted quite long.

Not just decades—likely centuries. Countless noble families had staked their lives on magical training throughout those long years, all because of the nobility inherent to magic itself.

Wasn't magic, the exclusive domain of nobility, the most important means of representing aristocratic authority?

Yet all of this was merely perception created by someone.

-"It wasn't just Adelbert. Since before then, some mage with immense power beyond our perception has been gradually dyeing the empire with magic. Creating the fictional Adelbert—the ideal all noble mages aspire to—was just one part of that grand scheme."

Throughout the empire's long history, someone had continuously injected the perception of magic's nobility into this world. Sometimes creating memories of nonexistent figures, sometimes making history that never happened... thus turning Gremfort Palace into magic's holy land.

This wasn't movement measured in decades. These were achievements accomplished over an immensely long period, and we don't even know who did it.

The distortion Princess Rozelyn discovered was part of some vast, invisible whole.

'Am I supposed to believe this?'

Though Derek had resolved to tentatively accept Princess Rozelyn's claims despite their fantastical elements, her assertions were even more radical than he'd imagined.

Even as she spoke, the princess wore an expression that said"If you don't believe me, so be it."

She herself recognized how absurd her own words sounded.

Magic isn't noble at all, nor is it the exclusive domain of nobility.

The reason noble scions demonstrate superior magical ability is simply because prestigious families have good genetics, train in excellent environments, and monopolize magical knowledge and training methods.

That's why occasionally, even commoners reach high magical attainments.

Like Drest had.

Like Kalimford had.

And now, like Derek.

'I think I need to organize my thoughts further.'

The evening banquet had been postponed anyway due to Emperor Gertrel's preparations taking longer.

Derek thought he might stroll through the academy garden to sort out his thoughts.

But someone stopped his hurried footsteps.

"Baron Ravenclaw. An urgent matter has arisen."

"...?"

Derek, about to exit the main hall with attendants in tow, tilted his head in confusion.

The one who urgently called out to him was a royal magic advisor wearing a crimson robe.

The quill emblem embroidered along the left side of the robe's hat suggested this was one of Kohlera's subordinates.

"I am Aren, a royal magic advisor directly serving Gremfort Palace."

"What's the matter?"

"You must come to Velos Pavilion immediately. All schedules for today and tomorrow should be canceled—we must declare an emergency."

"..."

As Derek tried to discern the meaning behind these words—

- Kugugugung! Kugung! Kugugugung!

- Whooooosh!

The newly constructed Ravenclaw Academy grounds—vast in scale but mostly empty inside.

A massive magic circle rose along its perimeter, taking form as a barrier spell that began enveloping the entire area.

- Wh-what's that? An earthquake?

- Aaah! Hold onto something so you don't fall!

- Kugugugung! Kugung! Kagagagagak!

Frowning, Derek looked skyward to see the gradually perfecting barrier spell coming into full view.

A perfect spatial isolation magic preventing anyone from entering or exiting.

5-star transformation magic: Large-Scale Spatial Separation.

The number of people worldwide who could manifest transformation magic of this scale instantly without preparation could be counted on one hand.

Moreover, given current circumstances, the identity of whoever erected this massive barrier was obvious.

The magic advisor before him showed no surprise at the sudden environmental changes.

As if expecting this, he calmly explained the situation.

"Chief Advisor Kohlera is currently erecting a barrier spell to prevent anyone from entering or exiting."

"...Why?"

"To prevent the suspect from escaping."

Suspect.

The moment that word left Aren's mouth, Derek sensed something terrible.

What followed was so unbelievable it blew away everything he'd just heard from Princess Rozelyn.

"His Imperial Majesty Emperor Gertrel has been assassinated."

It heralded national upheaval.

When Derek arrived at Velos Pavilion—the emperor's temporary residence—the royal guards and attendants already looked deathly pale.

Though word hadn't reached the main hall yet, everyone at Velos Pavilion clearly knew.

The news was so shocking one might doubt their own ears.

Emperor Gertrel had been assassinated.

The old emperor who'd ruled the empire for nearly a century had ended his life here.

Walking briskly down the pavilion's corridors with the head butler and head maid, Derek saw everyone wore expressions of shock.

Guided by magic advisor Aren, Derek moved toward the rooms reserved for distinguished royal guests.

Along the way, he exchanged nods with several magic advisors Kohlera had brought and asked the royal head butler and head maid about the situation.

None looked well.

If Aren's news was true, those responsible among tonight's attendees wouldn't escape unscathed.

And responsibility was like a slippery fish—it might suddenly leap into your lap and strangle you.

With hundreds of guards protecting just one building, how could the emperor be assassinated?

Maintaining utmost composure, Derek reached the emperor's bedroom.

'Security is tighter than I imagined.'

Two of Emperor Gertrel's guards stood at every window, four at the door.

He'd heard sentries were posted along the outer walls and roof to prevent wall-climbers, with additional guards in two layers around the perimeter.

An impregnable fortress where not even a mouse could enter.

- Creak

Entering, Derek saw the opulent table prepared for the emperor.

And Emperor Gertrel, lying against it as if asleep.

His expression looked peacefully at rest. Though this old emperor usually frowned, today he seemed like a kind old man who'd simply dozed off from exhaustion.

Yet blood caked his neck.

The gaping hole in his left chest showed his heart was missing.

"..."

Derek wiped his face.

Here, at the Ravenclaw Academy construction site, just before the inauguration ceremony.

The emperor had died.

The oppressive feeling he'd experienced facing that colossal monster in the life-threatening labyrinth assault crept up his spine.

Natural disasters couldn't be avoided—trials arrived suddenly.

Though Derek never panicked, that didn't mean he remained unshaken.

"You've arrived, Sir Derek."

Then Kohlera rose from beside the corpse, panting.

The Imperial Head Magic Advisor, the most powerful mage in Gremfort Palace—this old fox was sweating uncharacteristically as she caught her breath.

Even for a high-level transformation mage, manifesting a barrier spell large enough to swallow the entire academy grounds was exhausting.

Especially having to block all escape routes before the suspect fled—the speed alone was extraordinary.

"This old body didn't expect such strain. The last time I manifested a barrier this large was... hmm, likely during the Dawn War."

"May I request a situation report?"

"The conclusion is what you see before you. Though the details could fill volumes."

Leaning against a luxurious chair in the corner, Kohlera rested in exhaustion.

Her lack of panic before the emperor's corpse was typical of her experienced composure.

Yet even she couldn't remain entirely unshaken by this shocking event.

Wiping cold sweat, Kohlera spoke to Derek in a trembling voice:

"Between arriving at Velos Pavilion and the banquet preparations concluding, someone breached this building's security and assassinated His Majesty."

"......"

She merely described what lay before them.

Yet accepting this at face value remained difficult no matter how many times heard.

After nearly a century reigning supreme over the empire, this era's dominator had met such a hollow end.

But Kohlera's next words complicated matters further.

"Over five hundred guards protected this small building alone."

"..."

"Yet at the exact moment Emperor Gertrel was assassinated... no one remembers where they were or what they were doing."

Preliminary investigations were complete—naturally so.

After the incident, Kohlera had immediately gathered the guards to identify the perpetrator.

But no one could recall their whereabouts during the estimated time of the crime. They only remembered feeling dazed, as if time had slipped away—like they'd dozed off or lost focus.

This wasn't mere forgetfulness or nothing seeming amiss.

Their memories were simply gone.

What did this signify?

"You mean someone who manipulates memory itself?"

"..."

Kohlera's silence answered him.

The method was absurdly simple.

The killer had simply walked in boldly, killed boldly, erased all memories, and left.

A method so simple it seemed crude.

Yet erasing hundreds of guards'memories simultaneously was no feat for any ordinary confusion mage. This was something far beyond.

"..."

Derek wiped his brow again, sharpening his gaze. Panicking wouldn't solve anything.

Someone who could violate even memory, who could manipulate perception... something beyond cognition.

How could such a person be caught?

Facing this task tantamount to demanding the impossible, Derek's expression grew even graver.

Sometimes you had to achieve what seemed impossible.

Life occasionally threw such challenges at you.

Derek was familiar with this.