Noble Lady Reformation Guide - Chapter 262

All sensation had left his limbs.

Thick, congealed blood trails stretched across the ground, leading all the way to where Derek stood.

Though Derek's willpower had long surpassed human limits, there were things willpower alone couldn't achieve.

Having already lost an absurd amount of blood and endured near-fatal agony multiple times, Derek collapsed in tatters onto the platform, barely managing to crawl toward the Gate of Truth.

- Thud

Despite having fallen only moments ago, a pool of blood was already spreading around him.

Yet Derek neither screamed in pain nor surrendered to unconsciousness. Pushing against the ground with tremendous effort, he raised his battered body as the world swayed before his eyes.

The summit of Kochella's spiral staircase.

Standing here looking down, everything appeared as mere cosmic dust.

The imperial capital below, the continent beyond—all seemed insignificant against the vast celestial scale.

In this light, Kochella's indifference toward earthly affairs became understandable. What concern had an elephant for an anthill? Those dreaming of ascension couldn't be bound by petty worldly matters.

'If she truly reaches 7th-Class... nothing can stop her...'

This thought spurred Derek's broken body into motion.

Though at his limit, Kochella was equally exhausted. Having pushed each other to the brink in their battle of attrition, now was the time to finish her.

Staggering toward the Gate of Truth.

Step by faltering step, he ascended toward where Kochella presumably waited in that celestial realm.

His fading consciousness whispered warnings—he could go no further.

His exhausted limbs kept buckling, the metallic taste of blood rising to his nostrils.

"Cough... Gahk..."

His life flashed before his eyes.

Though his life hadn't been long, the sheer weight of accumulated memories surprised him.

Would Evelstain's streets remain unchanged? Were Ravenclaw Academy's affairs proceeding smoothly? Were the estate servants working diligently? How far had his disciples progressed? These thoughts surfacing proved Derek was no different from ordinary humans.

'Too early for my life to flash.'

Biting his lower lip, Derek slowly entered the gate.

The celestial altar said to be created by Archmage Adelbert—he had to stop Kochella from reaching it to fulfill her ambition. There would be no other chance.

He couldn't allow this fanatic to ascend and wield divine power. With this resolve, as he pushed his battered form through the gate—

- Whoosh!

Enveloped in magical energy, Derek opened his eyes to a sight that stole his breath.

Was this a hallucination from his battered state? Or was the vision before him real?

The scene was so abrupt it defied belief.

- Drip, drip, drip.

Blood droplets fell.

Kochella knelt at the center of the luminous stairs leading to the altar, impaled through the chest by a massive spear of light.

"──."

Stabilizing his swaying body, Derek observed the archmage's final moments within the expanding pool of blood.

She who had devoted her life to magic, discarded everything for this moment, even her humanity, now met her end skewered upon these celestial stairs after finally reaching heaven's edge.

The luminous altar amidst the starry void.

What had transpired here?

How had humanity's greatest transformation mage fallen so easily?

Even exhausted from battling Derek, she shouldn't have been defeated so simply.

"Raven...claw..."

Dripping blood, the monstrous transformation mage left Derek with dying words.

"You... you... what..."

Her broken voice faded before completing the thought.

The fanatic's end.

-'Aren't you curious what truly lies at heaven's edge?'

Derek raised his head toward the altar.

The star-forged altar of light. This space resembling a religious structure... the elevated platform was visible at its center.

There stood Kochella's killer.

No speculation was needed—only Archmage Adelbert could have reached this plane first.

Archmage Adelbert awaited above.

This realization brought faint vitality back to Derek's eyes.

If truly a legendary 7th-Class mage stood there, resistance would be futile. Should that being prove hostile, death would come without contest.

One who could effortlessly defeat Kochella must have purpose in creating this altar.

Understanding this, simply turning back would suffice.

Kochella's miserable end was confirmed. No reason remained to stay.

Leaving celestial truths unasked, returning to Gremfort Palace to declare everything over.

The darkness shrouding the empire would lift. A legitimate ruler would restore order.

He could declare this and reset everything.

- Thud

Yet no mage in this world could do so.

This was the sole chance to reach the 7th-Class realm said to be magic's origin.

The opportunity to confirm Archmage Adelbert's existence, never to come again.

Derek was no exception.

His mind barely functioned, body barely moved, vision blurred, limbs screaming as if shattered—hardly fit to face a common soldier, let alone a 7th-Class mage—yet Derek slowly climbed.

At that altar's peak stood one at magic's apex.

He had to ask: What was the 7th-Class realm? How could it be reached?

- Whoosh!

After countless falls and blood trails... Derek finally reached the summit.

No place stood higher in this magic-saturated space. Behind rectangular steps stood pillars of unknown purpose, culminating in a massive concentric circle symbolizing the starry sky.

Archmage Adelbert's abode.

Humanity's first to touch the divine should reside here.

"..."

Only silence remained.

Gazing dazedly at the stars in the quiet, Derek felt his strength fading.

Staggering, he leaned against the altar. The starlight seemed to warmly embrace him.

If this was truly where magic's masters gathered, what was its purpose?

What remained at this transcendent plane all mages dreamed of?

What ultimately allowed reaching the 7th-Class?

Many thoughts floated through his fading consciousness, but no answers came.

Just as Derek began relinquishing awareness—

[You came somewhat early.]

A whisper seeped into his dreamlike state.

Too weak to turn his head, Derek only sensed someone perched atop the altar he leaned against.

Fluttering robe edges entered his peripheral vision.

A dark robe with ornate gold trim—midnight-hued like the starry void.

"..."

[You must have many questions.]

The voice felt both unfamiliar and intimately known.

Too exhausted for deduction, Derek still strained his voice.

"Are you Adelbert?"

[You could say so. Or not—it matters little.]

"I see."

Though unable to move a finger, Derek sensed something familiar about the robed figure's aura.

Closing his eyes, he spoke quietly.

"They said reaching these stars would let one meet Archmage Adelbert and attain the 7th-Class... Was that false?"

[Do you wish it? To touch the 7th-Class and wield magic's truth? I could grant that.]

"...At what cost?"

[Naturally.]

"Which is?"

[Everything.]

Magical energy flowed toward the starry void.

The figure beneath the robe spoke quietly.

[To ascend these stars, you must leave worldly things behind. To transcend time and space, observing existence beyond, some things must be relinquished.]

"Meaning?"

[That is the price of mortals touching the divine. The ascendant realm renders all prior things meaningless.]

"..."

[Then you may sit upon this celestial throne, wielding power uniquely yours. Even if you couldn't reach the 7th-Class yourself, I would make it so. If this is your cherished ambition, is that not worthy?]

Derek's lips curved slightly.

"Sounds splendid."

Climbing the spiral stairs, he'd reflected.

Observing the world from celestial heights would naturally render earthly matters trivial.

Thus, leave what must be left.

Discard what must be discarded.

For those achieving greatness, mundane affairs become mere footnotes.

Thus does one touch the divine.

"Then my answer is no."

Yet Derek refused.

The figure showed no surprise, though few could so easily reject godhood.

[Why?]

"Too much left behind."

Leaning his head against the altar, Derek recalled his accumulated burdens.

Too many things clung to his life. Though ascension would render them meaningless, Derek couldn't bear parting with any.

Memories surfaced—Evelstain's streets, Ravenclaw Academy's students, his direct disciples, Aiselin among them, Pellin who'd followed him from the slums, Empress Rozelyn who staked her political life on him, mercenary leader Jayden, the head butler and retainers, academy staff, past mentors...

"And too much remains undone."

[As said, ascension renders all meaningless.]

"Not to me."

Though mere mortal concerns, they formed Derek's reason for living.

"I pursued magic's heights initially... just to survive."

The slum beggar boy awakening to magic felt like yesterday.

Now an impossibly distant past.

[And now?]

"To be a good mentor. Too many now rely on my teaching."

Here lay the difference between Kochella and himself.

Blinded by magic's sublimity, she sought celestial ascent. Derek sought higher realms to nurture more souls.

Ravenclaw disciples still trained below, their progress weighing on him like an anchor.

Earthbound humans ultimately belong to earth.

[Are these duties truly weightier than celestial truth?]

"Power without purpose is meaningless. And... promises remain unkept."

Memories lingered of a necromancer who died smiling in his arms.

She'd said her life began and ended with Derek—that he gave her life and would end it.

Initially incomprehensible.

But now wielding time magic, he began understanding.

Someday he'd master temporal arts, gaining power to traverse time's flow.

Through countless timelines... he'd journey to save Phee from despair.

It might become an epic tale, or end with startling simplicity.

Regardless, in some distant past... he'd hold her grieving head and say, as Katia once told him: No need to grow up so fast.

Life is long, adventures plentiful, truth's path distant, worthy pursuits abundant.

What waste to end without experiencing this. Thus he must someday give her life, and later help end it.

"I'll refine this time magic, journey to the past. Perhaps reach impossibly distant eras."

[Is that all?]

"Save those needing rescue, keep all promises, teach all students..."

With tremendous effort, Derek raised his failing head.

"Living thus, celebrating life's value, I'll eventually return to magic. That's how I've always lived."

[...]

"Reaching magic's end through Kochella's half-finished altar holds no meaning. I'll establish magic's system through my own power, research its worth... and return to these stars."

Someday, when reaching the past's furthest edge.

When all earthly matters find resolution, with no lingering attachments.

Then would he look upon these stars and challenge them.

Establishing magic's truth, systematizing it as enduring knowledge—perhaps not a bad legacy.

[Yes, I expected that answer.]

In his fading vision.

The robed mage spoke with dispassionate certainty, as if having anticipated Derek's choice.

[As I said, you arrived somewhat early.]

The robed figure gazed at the world like an observer.

[You'll achieve your desires. Become a great mage nurturing disciples, the empire's guardian, a seeker of magical truth. Walk through distant pasts as you wish, grant new life to your benefactor... research unique magic in history's interstices.]

Almost prophesying, the figure continued.

[And someday, from that past, you'll return to this plane. When that day comes, name yourself Adelbert.]

"..."

Hearing this, Derek's eyes widened as he struggled to look up.

The figure beneath the robe remained indistinct.

But the man stood and shook his head slightly.

[Dawn approaches. You'll witness many more dawns... That much I guarantee.]

In his fading consciousness, amidst fluttering robes, Derek glimpsed white hair.

[You'll live a worthy life. So carry your accumulated burdens... and abandon not a single thing.]

As the altar's light scattered, Derek smiled faintly.

The world dissolved into radiant particles.

In that warm glow, Derek felt certain.

The path he'd walked with his whole life... had never been wrong.

- Flutter

The sound of fluttering cloth.

Kochella's luminous staircase vanished, the inverted celestial bodies righting themselves.

Falling from the heights, Derek saw the world below spreading out. Dawn's light touched the land where countless souls still struggled through life.

The hero's return from saving the empire—a falling star.

Dawn was breaking.

The world viewed from the sky was bathed in morning light to the horizon.

The sun shone brilliantly.

Dawn after long darkness always feels brightest.