Noble Lady Reformation Guide - Chapter 192

After the situation was resolved, the first thing Kochella did was use her magic power and the captured Confusion Mage to stabilize the critically injured Ryner.

Since the curse engraved in the Book of Resentment could be lifted simply by erasing the memory of it. Manipulating hundreds of memories at once would require enormous magic power, but suppressing it for a single 1-Star level mage was easily done.

Only another 6-Star mage could capture a 6-Star mage.

The girl completely subdued by Kochella had to suppress the curse from the Book of Resentment with Kochella's help before her magic power ran out completely and she died.

Negotiating with a mage cornered like this wasn't particularly difficult.

By the time Derek returned to the emperor's quarters after reassuring the nobles in the main hall, the situation was mostly under control.

The blood-soaked Ryner, who had completely lost consciousness, was quickly being treated by medics to stop the bleeding, while the utterly exhausted Princess Roselyn had fallen into deep sleep.

The Ravenclaw Academy grounds remained in the dead of night, with much time remaining until sunrise.

"We have much to discuss, don't we?"

The mage bound to a chair with hands tied behind her back looked different from before.

The woman who had taken Aiselin's form to infiltrate the main hall had completely exhausted her magic power and reverted to her original appearance.

Her wavy hair cascaded down to her waist in irregular patterns, and her bloodstained flare skirt was covered in dust.

She appeared neither too young nor too old—a woman whose features suggested emerging maturity.

Kochella sat across from her, smiling with her wrinkled eyes.

Derek leaned against the wall in a corner, quietly listening.

"Shall we start with your name?"

"...Marilyn."

"Your full name, including family name."

"I don't have one."

Either a commoner without a family name, or lying.

It was uncommon for someone wielding magic of this caliber to lack noble lineage. Most 5-Star mages and above came from prestigious families.

Derek studied the woman who called herself Marilyn from the corner of his eye while keeping his arms crossed.

Most 6-Star mages were considerably older. Her relatively youthful appearance for such a high-level mage made him briefly suspect another illusion.

But that was impossible.

Marilyn's body still bore the curse engravings from the Book of Resentment. That curse, which continuously dissipated magic power, couldn't be easily lifted even by a 6-Star mage.

Moreover, with the supremely skilled transformation mage Kochella watching her every move, Marilyn couldn't properly cast even 1-Star magic, let alone higher-level spells.

A captured 6-Star mage.

The sight resembled a mighty dragon caged behind bars.

For a 6-Star mage to be captured or subdued by anyone was nearly unthinkable.

Only possible because another mage of equal standing—Kochella—was present.

"As I said, any nonsense and I'll cut your head off immediately. You're the emperor's assassin—no one would question your immediate execution. Right?"

"..."

Marilyn was at an absolute disadvantage.

Both Kochella and Derek were exceptionally wary. The fact that she was a peak Confusion Mage meant she could exploit the slightest opening with strange tricks.

At the faintest sign of suspicious behavior, they'd have to behead her immediately.

No one could predict how even a small gap might be exploited.

A high-level Confusion Mage could never be trusted.

For Marilyn, this treatment was familiar.

"Two, three layers of restraints and still uneasy, I see. Heh heh..."

Shaking her wavy hair, Marilyn chewed her blood-smeared lips.

At first glance, she appeared completely resigned.

Emperor Gertrel's staff,"Light of the Empire,"had already been recovered.

As her magic power depleted, the staff hidden by her confusion magic naturally revealed itself.

Ironically, she'd kept the precious staff strapped to her back—no need to hide it far away when she could conceal it with magic.

"As I said, we have much to discuss. If you value your life, speak. Why you assassinated His Imperial Majesty, and what you planned with that staff."

"Would you believe me if I told you?"

"That depends on what you say. Your only job is to speak honestly. If you want to live."

Kochella's gaze grew increasingly sharp.

"No empty threats—listen well. I'm fully prepared to kill you at any moment. When dealing with a 6-Star Confusion Mage, showing careless leniency would be foolish."

"Right. But even if I'm honest, I doubt you'll believe me."

The bound Marilyn gave a hollow laugh and spoke as if giving up.

"What I planned with this staff, why I killed the emperor... I don't know those things either."

"...?"

Kochella frowned.

Derek, leaning against the wall in the corner, narrowed his eyes. At this point, such nonsense was meaningless.

Yet Marilyn smiled self-deprecatingly and continued.

"From the beginning, I've only been acting on orders."

"Orders?"

Derek scoffed. The claim was too absurd.

This was someone who could manipulate human perception and rewrite hundreds of memories at will.

For such a being to claim ignorance—that she was merely following orders—who would believe that?

Both Derek and Kochella smirked skeptically. Seeing this, Marilyn laughed as if their reaction was expected.

"Marilyn. Are you seriously asking me to believe that now? Listen well."

Then, Kochella's normally gentle, benevolent expression turned deadly sharp.

"One more unbelievable word, and I'll cut off your arm. Next will be the other arm, then your legs."

"..."

"So you can disappoint me four times before running out of limbs. If you want to keep them intact, choose your next words carefully."

They all instinctively knew—Kochella wasn't bluffing.

As someone obsessed with studying high-level mages, Kochella likely didn't want to kill Marilyn outright.

But maiming her was another matter entirely.

Making her wish for death would be easy.

No need for raised voices—Kochella meant every word.

Everyone present understood that.

"You thought I'd believe you took orders? A memory and perception-altering mage obeying someone else?"

"Because... it's engraved in my instincts. I haven't... completely broken free from that binding."

"..."

"Isn't it strange...? How someone without a proper family lineage like me reached 6-Star level. Aren't you curious? Those who attain this level usually leave some mark in history."

Marilyn showed no sign of intimidation, enduring the agony from the curse engravings as she spoke to Kochella.

"A 6-Star mage appearing suddenly without any traces or records... strange, isn't it...? Kochella, and Derek was it... Since you seem curious, I'll tell you. I'm not even what you'd call human."

Marilyn licked her bleeding lips and spoke self-mockingly.

Her expression, as if ridiculing her own existence, seemed to contain complex emotions.

"I'm an entity summoned using this body as a vessel."

At these words, both Kochella and Derek's pupils trembled simultaneously.

Combat, Confusion, Transformation, Summoning, Detection, and Necromancy.

Those who reached the pinnacle in each field were called 6-Star mages.

Some revealed themselves to the world, while others lived eternally hidden behind veils.

In the current era, the stars standing at each field's peak.

Melberot, Marilyn, Kochella, Drest, Phee... Considering the majesty of each, their authority in the magical world needed no explanation.

Yet one field remained.

One seemingly vacant position—the pinnacle figure unknown.

'...'

Derek tightened his crossed arms and lowered his head.

He had fought a 5-Star Summoning Mage before.

Even when nearly killed by Phee, she was a monster who moved giant fire golems and unleashed magic power covering entire territories.

Commanding hundreds, thousands of summons—essentially leading an army alone.

If a low 5-Star mage could do that... what kind of summons would a 6-Star Summoning Mage command? Derek couldn't begin to imagine.

The Beltus Grand Duke's summoning magic alone seemed nearly unsurpassable.

Yet now, he felt he'd glimpsed a fragment of that truth.

Marilyn.

A strangely familiar name.

Where had he heard it before?

"Marilyn."

Kochella murmured the name quietly again.

Marilyn turned her head, but Kochella didn't meet her eyes—she wasn't addressing her, merely repeating the name thoughtfully.

"The name from the Rohrest Orthodox Church's scriptures, disciple of the six-winged angel Rohelum. Prophet Marilyn... Is that where you took the name?"

"..."

The bleeding woman laughed.

"Why... assume I'took'it?"

The Rohrest Orthodox Church scriptures, compiled by historian Alon, had undergone many revisions and interpretations.

The elder angels under the main god Rohrest were largely products of the historian's interpretations—closer to"creative works"than reality.

So a disciple of such an angel couldn't possibly exist—just a figure imprinted in believers'minds over centuries, becoming idolized.

A possibly imaginary being from fantasy.

Yet a pinnacle Summoning Mage wouldn't care about such distinctions.

In the darkness of Ravenclaw Academy grounds,

an eerie silence filled the space for a long moment.

"...."

The emperor had been assassinated at Ravenclaw Academy.

That shocking news spread to Evelstain within half a day. Likely the entire continent would know within days.

Given the magnitude, Aiselin heading to the academy at dawn was only natural.

When Aiselin arrived at the academy grounds, the scene remained chaotic.

Though she'd heard the incident was mostly resolved and the culprit captured... what immediately caught her eye were the damaged buildings everywhere.

'...The buildings we spent months constructing with workers'blood and sweat...!'

The dormitory entrance was covered in blood, and the interior was a mess from the commotion.

The warzone-like scene nearly brought tears to Aiselin's eyes.

'At least... everyone else seems safe...'

Steeling herself, Aiselin strode into the grounds when—

- Startle!

-"Gasp! Oh, it's not her..."

"...?"

Soldiers everywhere flinched upon seeing Aiselin's face.

They'd tense up warily upon spotting her—the Aiselin involved in the incident—then relax after seeing her reaction.

'Th-this is strange... Why... is everyone... wary of me...?'

She didn't yet know a Confusion Mage had impersonated her. Less than a day had passed since Kochella's barrier spell broke.

Aiselin only noticed people swallowing hard wherever she went, feeling oddly ostracized.

"...Mr. Delbritton. Did I... do something wrong? Is it... because I irresponsibly ran off before such an important imperial inspection...?"

Upon reaching the main hall and finally meeting Head Butler Delbritton, Aiselin sighed.

As Delbritton gathered his thoughts on how to explain, Derek emerged from preliminary interrogations with Kochella.

"Ah... Mr. Derek...! I'm here...! I heard the news...!"

"Gasp...!"

Delighted to see Derek after so long, Aiselin hurried over.

Her dress fluttering as she appeared before him, the still-tense Derek startled and gripped his sword hilt.

"...Mr. Derek?"

"Hah... M-Miss Aiselin."

"Even you, Mr. Derek..."

Seeing him react as if facing an arch-enemy, Aiselin's eyes teared up again.

She seemed to think her irresponsible behavior during this crisis had disappointed him.

"N-no... This is... My apologies. I'm still a bit on edge from last night..."

For Derek to apologize so readily was unusual.

But given the circumstances, his reaction was understandable.