Noble Lady Reformation Guide - Chapter 190

-"Aiselin Eleanor Duplein is fake. She's currently on leave. Her presence here is suspicious."

Derek had repeatedly identified the Confusion Mage's true identity and reported it to Princess Roselyn.

Even by Roselyn's count, this had happened at least four or five times. Including unreported instances, Derek had been uncovering the hidden Confusion Mage through different methods each time his memories were erased.

Yet the moment his attention wavered, the entire area would be engulfed in the Confusion Mage's magic, resetting everything as if nothing had happened.

Meanwhile, the Confusion Mage wearing Aiselin's guise swished her dress hem as she crossed the main hall.

With demure elegance and narrowed eyes, she gazed at the princess on the distant balcony and smiled like a fox. Pressing a finger to her lips as if to say this was all their secret.

No matter how loudly he shouted across the academy or what methods he used to spread this information, everything would eventually reset back to this main hall balcony.

Blending into the crowd,"Aiselin"again pressed a finger to her lips with a smile before disappearing among the nobles.

Despite her father's killer standing right before her eyes, Roselyn couldn't make anyone remember the truth.

'My stamina... is reaching its limit...'

Princess Roselyn slumped against the railing, wiping her face as she gasped for breath. Having gone nearly two days without sleep and screaming herself hoarse trying to reveal the truth over a dozen times, her exhaustion was understandable.

At first, she'd been filled with burning vengeance to catch the killer.

She'd thought that even a 6-Star mage couldn't maintain infinite magic power - if she kept struggling and informing everyone, the killer would eventually tire.

But now, over two days later... the barrier spell was nearing collapse.

Meaningless. Impossible. Futile.

Capturing a 6-Star Confusion Mage was absolutely impossible.

That pitch-black despair gnawed at her chest. As the helplessness welled up, overwhelming fatigue threatened to drag her into sleep.

Yet Roselyn wiped her face once more and stood up.

For over forty hours straight, she'd struggled, watched, and run without rest.

Even knowing everything might be reset to nothing, she'd keep trying until the end.

"...Tired?"

"...Hehe."

The entity wearing Aiselin's form scattered magic particles and shook its hand.

The world seemed to distort - light refracting, scenery bending as if reality itself was swirling.

She could erase the memories of everyone within this barrier whenever she wished.

Completely manipulating hundreds of memories required considerable effort, but simply erasing them was easily within her power.

Yet Derek intuited something.

Over two days had passed since the murders began, approaching the third day. Kochella's barrier wouldn't last much longer.

Meanwhile, the Confusion Mage had exhausted herself repeatedly suppressing Princess Roselyn's attempts to expose her.

Though Roselyn knew it was futile, she'd kept racking her brains, changing tactics in desperate struggle.

Like madly pounding on prison bars that would never break - the walls might hold firm, but doing nothing guaranteed no progress.

"What exactly do you plan to do with Emperor Gertrel's staff?"

"Why bother asking? You'll just forget anyway."

The Aiselin-shaped entity floated under moonlight, crimson magic radiating from her.

Her dress fluttered magically, the moonlight passing through like stained glass in a grand cathedral.

A being beyond boundaries, manipulating memories and perception.

The 6-Star Confusion Mage - currently disguised as Aiselin.

Her eyes glowed red - a completely different hue from Aiselin's.

"You're all so tiresome."

Memories destined to be forgotten anyway.

The girl sighed as she spoke.

"That old Transformation Mage's barrier can't be broken, the princess immune to all magic keeps forcing me to adjust memories and expend energy, and you keep finding me no matter how I hide."

She'd been fighting three enemies within this academy grounds.

Kochella who trapped her with the barrier, Roselyn who kept struggling to drain her magic, and Derek who persistently drew her out.

Each one troublesome enough that escaping these grounds seemed impossible.

"But it's too late now."

In the cricket-chirping night forest.

Looking up at the full moon.

Kochella's barrier inscribed across the sky... began trembling.

"Shall I tell you what you failed to consider? Did you really think that old Transformation Mage could maintain this massive barrier for three whole days?"

Backlit by the giant moon, the girl laughed.

"Sorry, but that estimate assumed no interference. Over two days have passed - by the third, even Kochella must be exhausted maintaining this scale."

- Whoosh! Crash!

As the girl clenched her fist toward the moon, massive magical energy surged.

Clearly intending to shatter the barrier herself.

Breaking a 6-Star Transformation Mage's barrier would normally be impossible even for another 6-Star mage.

But after two days at her limit, Kochella's barrier might not withstand the strain. At this extreme, mentally and physically exhausted, shaking her barrier could hasten the collapse.

"I can feel it. That barrier covering the starry sky has been weakening for hours."

"..."

"Just a little more shaking will create an opening. Then one final memory wipe before leaving, and it's all over."

The girl smirked ominously as vast magic poured forth.

6-Star mages possessed power exceeding human limits - enough to blanket entire regions.

The magic radiating from this floating girl defied belief.

She'd been waiting.

For the moment when even Kochella would be exhausted enough for a decisive strike.

Though worn down by Roselyn's frantic resistance, victory was ultimately hers.

Declaring this, the girl spread her fingers - the massive magic transforming into hundreds of arrows assaulting the barrier.

- Kaboom! Crash!

The stars seemed to multiply tenfold.

Hundreds of magical arrows embroidered the night sky.

- Crack!

Simultaneously, cracks spread across the celestial barrier.

With creaking sounds, the entire landscape convulsed violently.

- Creak! Snap!

The Confusion Mage's victory condition - destroying Kochella's barrier.

Both had conserved magic to the extreme, but she would have the last laugh.

Watching the barrier crumble, the girl laughed madly at the moon.

"Ahaha... Ahahaha! AHAHAHAHA!"

The monster wearing Aiselin's form.

All magic radiating from her body restructured in the night sky, reforming magical circles.

At this point, the damaged barrier couldn't contain a 6-Star mage. One final memory adjustment and escape would end everything.

With memories erased, no pursuit would be possible - all crucial clues vanishing into oblivion.

Only the emperor's cold corpse and stolen staff remnants would remain.

All victory conditions met.

Game over.

"You gave me quite the challenge. Derek Raidof Ravenclaw, was it? I'll remember you. You always chose the optimal moves in this extreme situation. Just not enough."

- Fwoosh! Crackle!

Derek's dozen fireballs flew toward her, but the moonlit girl dispersed them all with a wave.

As if they'd never existed - not even leaving aftereffects.

An enemy attacks couldn't touch.

Found only to have memories erased as she vanished.

Even perceiving her required her permission.

The oppressive weight before absolute power would crush anyone's spirit.

Derek stared wide-eyed at the girl.

Looking like a dog staring helplessly at a roof, the girl laughed louder.

"Of course, you won't remember me. If we meet again, I'll greet you first."

Over the crumbling barrier, the girl's magic circle superimposed itself.

6-Star Confusion Magic -"Memory Violation".

Preparing to cast it massively and end everything. Every human in these academy grounds would forget today's events, left only with questions as she escaped.

"Well then, farewell. Good game. Hope you win next time."

The girl smiled.

Simultaneously, the magic circle glowed - to erase all memories and vanish into darkness.

If they met again, she'd have to be wary of this man.

With that final thought, she prepared to end it all.

- Splurt!

──Then blood sprayed from the girl's mouth.

"───?"

- Gush! Splurt!

Blood also began streaming from her nose and eyes.

The abundant magic suddenly evaporated as the crimson magical mountain and Confusion Magic circle shattered.

- Crack! Shatter!

- Thud!

The girl floating moonlit crashed down, sneezing violently.

Dust swirled as her form became visible.

Gasping, she vomited blood repeatedly, trembling hands barely lifting her head.

"T-this... this is..."

"..."

"This... what insane..."

Simultaneously, Derek's fireballs began flying toward the fallen mage.

- Stomp stomp

Kochella strode briskly down the corridor.

Exiting the regicide chamber, she immediately summoned aides. Walking briskly down the tense hallway, she glanced at the night sky.

The crumbling barrier.

Seeing the Confusion Magic circle superimposed over it, she raised her voice.

"Mobilize all royal aides and guards!"

One chance to catch the Confusion Mage.

Now was the time.

"Quickly! We capture the 6-Star Confusion Mage now!"

-'Fundamentally speaking, a 6-Star Confusion Mage is impossible to capture.'

In the regicide chamber where darkness deepened, memories of her conversation with Ryner surfaced.

He'd stroked his stubbled chin repeatedly with a complicated smile.

-'Even if caught, they'll erase memories to undo it. What a scammer, right? So... the only way is gambling.'

-'And that's my specialty. We just need to determine one thing - when does the Confusion Mage erase our memories?'

Ryner interlaced his fingers on the table, eyes sharp as he spoke.

Kochella realized - those were the eyes of the ambitious Ryner from years past.

-'Pinpoint that timing, and we can strike their weak point. Derek will exploit that opening to subdue them. Given that proper magic tutor mentioned gambling, he likely anticipated my moves.'

-'How would you know?'

-'Would that upright magic tutor normally gamble? He already knew - I'd stake anything to protect Elennte.'

Ryner's lips curled again.

-'Though an irritating sister, she's the one who loves Belmiere most and strives hardest to protect it.'

Elennte always gritted her teeth at Ryner, while he just laughed boisterously.

Though his lifelong ambitions and fiery eyes had cooled because of Elennte... to Ryner, she remained a sister needing protection.

Recommending Derek as nobility and thwarting Leonard's schemes - all for one reason.

Because she was his most reliable sister.

Thus, he placed his bet.

-'The barrier's collapse is our chance. We'll shatter it at the right moment.'

-'The Confusion Mage will definitely use Memory Violation then - erasing all memories to escape. That exact moment when they touch our memories is our opening.'

No one could predict when the hidden mage would alter memories.

Except at the very end - when finishing everything to escape.

That moment.

When lifelong gambler Ryner would push all his chips forward.

His wager? His life.

- Creak

In the emperor's bedroom Kochella had rushed from.

The hastily exited door creaked as it moved.

There sat Ryner alone, blood dripping down.

Coughing violently, the young noble smiled wider despite being drenched in blood.

Through the window, the shattering Confusion Mage's magic circle was visible.

"Cough... heh... heh... Bingo..."

Blood-soaked Ryner gazed at the crumbling magic circle in the night sky.

"Don't miss, Derek."

The moon beyond the broken barrier illuminated his eyes.

As his lips curved, fresh blood streamed down.

Yet he kept smiling.