Noble Lady Reformation Guide - Chapter 216

The psychological warfare between Lady Ranas of Camellia Dormitory and Lady Rina of Sepia Dormitory escalated uncontrollably into a full-scale confrontation between dormitories.

Under such circumstances, it wasn't surprising that tensions arose between Lady Diela overseeing Camellia Dormitory and Lady Trisha managing Sepia Dormitory.

The problem was that Trisha simply wasn't capable of handling someone like Diela.

'I... I never imagined things would escalate this far...!'

Trisha sat in the office inside Sepia Dormitory's main hall, clutching her head as her pupils spun wildly.

It had started simply enough.

When Aiselin decided to discipline Lady Rina, Trisha openly defended her by refusing to comply.

Challenging Aiselin's authority in Amarilis House was unthinkable.

Yet Trisha boldly declared that Lady Rina of Sepia Dormitory had no reason to suffer such unfair treatment.

Truthfully, she hadn't meant anything grand by it.

Like the arm naturally bending inward, she'd acted out of calculation - siding with her dormitory's ladies so they wouldn't resent her.

She assumed Aiselin would dismiss her opinion anyway, allowing her to make a minimal effort while appearing to have tried.

Just maintaining her position - nothing more, nothing less.

But Sepia's students seemed to interpret it differently.

Moved to tears by Trisha's decision to openly defy Amarilis House's queen-like figure Aiselin and defend her student's righteousness...

Conviction and passion. That stubbornness to stand by one's principles no matter the opponent.

Inspired by this, Sepia's troublemakers began seriously supporting and protecting Trisha, squaring off against Diela's Camellia students.

What began as simple tension escalated to stealing and copying treasures from Camellia Dormitory - all to win the upcoming magic duel.

"Hoo..."

Trisha stroked her chin, struggling to regain composure.

At this point, there was no stopping. A charging bull won't halt until it crashes into something!

Sepia students showed unexpectedly strong solidarity, and surprisingly, Camellia students seemed overwhelmed.

Aiselin, who should resent this most, remained oddly passive, and even Diela wasn't causing as much trouble as expected.

Perhaps Sepia was destiny's chosen dormitory?

Breaking through all opposition to assert their will, proclaiming their intent to the world, spreading the Renuel family's glory across the continent?

Emotional highs and lows resemble rugged mountain terrain - plunging into deep valleys one moment, then soaring endlessly skyward the next.

After deep frustration and worry came this indescribable sense of omnipotence enveloping her whole body, restoring Trisha's confidence.

Right... maybe she really could do anything.

In life, sometimes you just have to act. No matter who blocks your path - even if kings or gods stand in your way - piercing through like iron horns is human will!

"Lady Trisha...!"

Just as Trisha clenched her teeth and rose with blazing eyes...

"The... the main hall's front gate has been breached!"

"Huh? D-Did Lady Diela come?"

"W-well..."

"Don't be scared! We... we can do this!"

"Baron Ravenclaw has come personally!"

"What?"

Even gods may be defied, but not Derek.

He stood above even Aiselin as the academy's most powerful authority.

-'I understand the situation. Since we can't leave Amarilis House like this, I'll handle it urgently. So Lady Diela, please return for now.'

- CRASH!

If Camellia's leader Diela had come, they might have held out.

But against a 5th-Class Mage like Derek, academy students'magic stood no chance.

Derek's casual stroll through their barricaded doors differed little from normal walking speed.

"KYAAAAH!"

"B-Baron Ravenclaw! He's here in person!"

"W-we can't stop him...! No... our magic... our magic won't even activate...! C-confusion magic? Detection magic? We can't even tell what spell it is!"

- CRACK! THUD!

Derek disabled their clumsily inscribed trap spells with just a glance as he plodded past the ladies, his expression utterly blank.

Despite seeing students occupying an entire dormitory in protest, Derek showed no anger or intent to lecture as he trudged toward the main hall.

None could stop him.

Only someone like Diela or Denis - exceptionally skilled in magic - might have stood a chance by ganging up on him.

But beyond 4th-Class, numbers become meaningless. In fact, Derek was carefully restraining himself to avoid harming noble ladies.

The students clearly sensed this overwhelming gap in power.

"H-he's heading toward Lady Trisha...! W-we have to...!"

"H-how could we stop him?! Maybe... maybe we should beg...?"

"Lady Rad! We have no procedural legitimacy...! This isn't solvable by begging! W-we have to stop him somehow...!"

- Whoosh

When Derek glanced their way, the foot-stamping, fidgeting students all yelped and scrambled back.

Scratching his temple with a sigh, Derek threw open Sepia Dormitory's main hall doors.

The spacious hall lined with large tables stood nearly empty as students fled, leaving only trembling Lady Rina with arms spread wide.

Her pitiful attempt to block Derek from reaching Trisha bordered on tear-jerking.

"...What are you doing here?"

"P-please listen. Lady Trisha just took my side. Of course, stirring conflict and acting emotionally is wrong... but it's because of my situation. Lady Trisha just understood my position..."

"We'll hear your explanation later."

Derek strode between tables toward Trisha's office.

Rina couldn't even think of stopping him. Truthfully, no one in the dormitory could oppose Derek.

Trembling violently, Rina stood frozen.

Thus Derek achieved a bloodless occupation straight to the instigator hiding deep inside. Exactly 3 minutes and 11 seconds - barely slower than normal walking speed.

As he reached the office door... Sepia's leader Lady Trisha emerged herself.

- Click, click.

- Creak.

Her demeanor befitted Sepia's mistress.

Head held high, back straight, hands clasped demurely before her lovely dress, smiling nobly like a rose.

The watching students held their breath.

"You've returned, Baron Ravenclaw."

"Lady Trisha. You know why I've come this far?"

"Of course. Though... I didn't expect such urgent measures. Had you summoned me, I would have come to you."

"Doubtful. Given the circumstances, who has time for summons?"

Trisha was clearly cornered.

By defending a Sepia student, she'd openly defied Amarilis House's true authority Aiselin.

Opposing Baron Ravenclaw's favored Aiselin meant opposing the baron himself.

And now Baron Ravenclaw had come personally to pass judgment.

Sepia students wanted to shield Trisha even now, begging him not to punish her too harshly.

But between the 5th-Class Mage's aura and their lack of procedural legitimacy, they couldn't lift a finger.

Finally, Trisha smiled demurely.

"Everyone, please leave us."

Lady Rina and the others gulped dryly.

With noble poise, Trisha continued softly:

"Baron Ravenclaw clearly has much to say to me, and such an audience might feel burdensome with so many listeners."

A private audience with no witnesses.

No one knew what would happen - how Baron Ravenclaw would treat Trisha.

He might utter insults or simply reprimand and banish her. A truly wretched situation.

Perhaps leaving would be kinder. With this thought, Lady Rina gritted her teeth... her clenched fists trembling as she exited.

One by one they left, the atmosphere growing graver with each departure.

Helpless despite the dire situation, Sepia's students all wept. Without legitimacy or power, they could only bow their heads. Such was the world's iron law.

As the last student left and the hall doors closed...

Only Derek and Trisha remained.

Silence.

In that quiet atmosphere... Trisha slowly stepped from between the tables.

Click, click - her footsteps echoed through the hall.

With sorrowful eyes, she scanned the empty hall. Not a single Sepia student remained in the cold stillness as Trisha reached Derek and sharply raised her head, eyes flashing.

Her noble bearing and willful gaze.

Derek studied her rising spirit before steeling himself to speak firmly:

"Lady Trisha."

"..."

What response would come? As curiosity slightly tilted her head...

"I'M SORRRRRRRRRRRRRRRY─────────────────!!!!!!"

Trisha dropped to her knees, arms raised, sniffling and crying.

A flawless seiza position with perfect sword-like angles. The seamless flow of movements bordered on artistry.

"..."

Derek pressed his temples hard against the mounting headache.

How do people grow?

A complex debate with many perspectives. As academic head, Aiselin pondered this daily.

Answers vary by person, so Aiselin never reached any singular conclusion.

But at least they shouldn't stagnate. Like students passing through the academy, she believed continuous change and growth defined humanity.

Thus Aiselin smiled faintly while crossing the corridor arm-in-arm with a sullen Diela.

"Aiselin unnie. I still don't understand Sepia's Trisha. I'll tolerate her since you and Derek said to calm down and stand down, but..."

"Ahaha... With Derek handling it personally, things should settle somehow."

"Honestly... I don't know if I should say this, but was this worth escalating? Why just let that fool who defied your decision keep ranting?"

Diela grumbled.

Her hostility toward Trisha stemmed partly from Trisha disregarding Aiselin, which fiery-tempered Diela couldn't abide.

"With your skills, crushing one insolent lady like Trisha would be trivial."

"'Crushing'... what harsh wording. Trisha."

"It's not wrong though."

Though Diela pouted, Aiselin only smiled quietly since Diela wasn't entirely incorrect.

In authority and ability, Aiselin far surpassed Trisha.

Yet Aiselin hadn't aggressively opposed Trisha's antics because she'd actually been moved by Trisha's transformation.

Daughter of banker Hutton and hero Countess Rodea.

That arrogant girl who flaunted the Renuel family's prestige with sky-high pride.

A destructive personality obsessed with aristocratic authority, starving for recognition, weak before the strong and cruel to the weak.

No wonder Diela disliked her.

Considering this, Diela's hostility made sense... but Aiselin quietly narrowed her eyes and smiled.

-'A-Aiselin, to be honest... L-Lady Rina wasn't entirely at fault. Initially, it was Camellia's Lady Ranas who provoked her with family background... W-well, physically striking was crossing a line, but...'

-'I-if we punish this way, people might... think it's unfair... maybe... possibly... perhaps... there's a chance... right...?'

-'J-just!!!! Just my opinion...! C-consider it, okay?! That's all!'

Before Amarilis House's queen-like Aiselin, Trisha clutched her dress hem, sweating bullets as she stammered her convictions. The sight evoked pity more than admiration.

Those obsessed with aristocratic authority, groveling before power, don't make such choices.

When facing clearly superior authority, they typically yield and shift blame to weaker parties.

Yet despite her fear, Trisha openly opposed Aiselin.

At that moment, Aiselin's eyes had widened dramatically. Not that Trisha noticed.

-'Lady Aiselin.'

As Derek sent Aiselin and Diela back before heading to Sepia, his words echoed in her mind.

Despite this incident and Trisha's open defiance... why Aiselin, holding absolute practical and authoritative superiority, hadn't crushed her.

That man seemed to have already discerned the reason.

-'You seemed pleased.'

Truly, nothing could be hidden from him.

Patting Diela's shoulder, Aiselin could only smile faintly while gazing out the window at Sepia Dormitory.

Derek appeared to have already breached the main hall.

"....F-faster than I imagined..."

Merely 3 minutes.

Barely enough time to brew a cup of tea...