Noble Lady Reformation Guide - Chapter 47

Jayden was the kind of man who would occasionally pick up his greatsword and head to the battlefield.

He could have whiled away his days wiping glasses in a tavern corner without any issues making ends meet, but he had ambitions.

The Dawn War had erupted when the northern giant magical beast'Zvet'emerged from the labyrinth.

Having wandered battlefields since those days, he found more comfort amidst seas of blood than in his hometown where he was born and raised.

By the time he came of age, he was already making a living by the sword, dedicating his life to battlefields without proper companionship or descendants. His comrades were his family.

Thus, his ambition to establish a proper mercenary group wasn't strange. Since battlefields were part of his life, he wanted to gather as many wandering companions as possible in those lands.

But life on the battlefield was like walking a tightrope - it wouldn't be surprising if one's head rolled at any moment. He'd lived watching countless comrades lose their heads.

"Almost lost my head this time too. Consider myself lucky to have escaped with just an arm. Guess I've still got some luck left, hahaha."

"You're a veteran, Captain. I never thought the Labyrinth of the White Wilderness would be that dangerous."

"Got ambushed by giant sandworms burrowing underground. Had I been standing a bit closer to the wall, my head would've flown off in one go."

"Sandworms appeared?"

They were always among the first names mentioned when listing magical beasts that caused the most casualties during the brutal Dawn War era.

To the sandworms swimming through the earth's crust, humans entering their underground labyrinths were just prey voluntarily walking into their embrace.

"But I properly sliced its head off. Got my revenge, so I'm at peace."

"That doesn't seem like something to laugh about... It's clearly a severe injury that'll leave lasting effects. Amazing you can still smile through this."

"Having to close the tavern and rest isn't ideal for me either. But it's better than failing to get revenge."

Jayden was the type to laugh heartily even with one arm missing.

When Derek gave him a disbelieving look, Pellin was also shaking her head.

While Jayden's determination to actively roam battlefields at his age deserved applause, no one could help worrying seeing him return with such severe wounds.

"...Recently, with House Duplein leading White Wilderness subjugation efforts, other nobles have been commissioning more expeditions. Derek."

This seemed to be Jayden's main point.

House Duplein's military units were spearheading full-scale White Wilderness subjugation. But whenever new hunting grounds opened, opportunistic forces always appeared.

Major factions like House Beltus also salivated over conquering the White Wilderness, but groups of that scale needed Duplein's permission to move. However, it was different for minor nobles or small mercenary bands.

Adventurers began appearing who used the trails Duplein had opened to explore small labyrinths on the White Wilderness's outskirts.

Controlling them all was impossible, so Duplein didn't interfere with such minor movements - nor needed to, since their endings were usually bad.

Mediocre explorers challenging the White Wilderness labyrinths only ended up losing their lives.

Even battle-hardened Jayden had to sacrifice an arm to escape - some labyrinths were that perilous. With bad luck, those dreaming of instant riches would only secure their graves.

"Derek. Reject any White Wilderness exploration commissions outright. Having been there myself, something's off. Best to observe the situation for now."

"Off how?"

"I've explored most labyrinths since the Dawn War, but never encountered ones so unstable and unpredictable. Unless you're leading a Duplein-style battalion with 4-Star mages to bulldoze through by sheer numbers... few labyrinths can be conquered by adventurer methods."

Derek had read much about the White Wilderness's deathly vegetation and ominous aura in books.

He rested his chin on his hand, listening quietly to Jayden.

"I can't bear to see you die, Derek."

"..."

Even missing an arm, Jayden kept saying such things.

That's the kind of man this old mercenary was.

Such golden opportunities with Derek absent didn't come often.

Denise sent a letter to House Duplein through Bella, her most trusted servant.

Sitting alone in the mansion garden with a satisfied smile, she basked in rare tranquility. The peaceful moment felt liberating.

Diela would feel uncertain upon receiving Denise's letter, but would surely challenge her to a magic duel. She'd sacrifice anything to claim Derek.

All Denise needed was to deliberately lose the duel, then honorably hand Derek over as promised despite the bitter disappointment.

Then she could reclaim these peaceful days.

Finally escaping that magic instructor who kept encouraging her while following her around all day.

'The responsibility for carelessly losing Evelstain's most promising magic instructor... is unavoidable but manageable. I'll just have to make similar achievements later.'

Though her plans were set, something felt stifling in her chest.

Late afternoon faded into dusk. Long clouds drifted peacefully across the red-stained sky.

Summer's approach made the garden's center hot, with occasional bugs buzzing about.

Yet Denise remained outside, gazing at the sky instead of retreating indoors.

'Has a day ever felt this long before?'

The contrast was stark compared to recent days that flew by like arrows.

Without Bella's constant company or Derek's presence, loneliness crept in. The two had always been her conversational partners.

Bella would toss out trivial chatter, while Derek endured her grumbling and death threats.

After daily chaos, this solitary leisure made memories unexpectedly surface.

Now just passing recollections.

House Beltus elders pat Denise's head, smiling.

Delighted by her magical achievements, they say she'll become the family's pride, their wrinkled eyes crinkling.

Numerous noble daughters admire Lady Denise, vying to exchange even one more word with her.

The incompetent heir Rovenalt feels both inferiority and envy toward his talented younger sister, yet eventually acknowledges her sincerely.

Childhood memories show her mother's note left among spellbooks:"Always loved, our House Beltus's pride."

The handwriting dripped with familial pride.

"How pointless."

Denise suddenly chuckled dryly, leaning back in the garden's pretty wooden chair.

She'd long known all this respect could flip to disappointment in an instant if she stumbled. House Beltus's other achievers had all fallen that way.

Countless so-called geniuses had tumbled into oblivion.

Expectations always carried potential disappointment. Denise just wanted escape from such relentless pressure.

People can't succeed endlessly.

Preparing for failure is necessary for stable living. The same goes for others'expectations.

She wasn't without expectations, but neither was she worshipped with absolute trust.

She produced results, but wasn't the family hero.

Not too much, not too little. Somewhere in that lukewarm middle was where Denise wanted to swim.

Suddenly she thought of Duplein's most noble daughter, revered by all as she flourished.

"..."

Denise could never become Aiselin.

Their fundamental mindsets were completely different.

"Sigh..."

Feeling inexplicably restless, Denise stood up.

She could return to her bedroom to read beloved books, but instead raised a hand to sense magical energy in the air. The melancholy mood made her manifest magic on impulse.

Magical energy gathered at her fingertips before spreading through her body - the sensation Derek had tirelessly emphasized. Sensing magical flow was actually Denise's specialty.

With House Beltus blood, she was never magically deficient.

What remained were technical aspects and personal willpower.

Denise's biggest flaw was lacking that will.

Derek knew this well, hence his relentless pushing.

Once forced to start running, human physiology naturally adapts to even light jogging.

Thus rehabilitating someone like Denise required iron consistency to keep pushing despite resistance.

- Whoosh!

Magic emanating from Denise's fingertips began filling the surroundings.

Her pretty dress fluttered as nearby grass swayed. At the epicenter, Denise nonchalantly clenched her fist and incanted:

"Flow of magic that observes all things—"

Her neatly brushed silver-gray hair fluttered several times. Soon Denise's fully constructed magic formula thoroughly saturated the area.

2-Star detection magic'Surveillance'

Filling surroundings with magical energy to detect all anomalies, magical fluctuations, and physical movements within range.

Range size depends on proficiency. 6-Star detection mage Drest could cover several large castles simultaneously.

Denise's magic barely covered a garden corner. But anyone within this range with lower magical prowess would be completely exposed.

Detection magic's true value lies in this informational superiority. Once caught in a detection mage's web, escape is impossible.

'Huff... Huff... I... can do it...'

Denise was panting heavily.

At her level, manifesting 2-Star magic alone was exhausting. The short duration also limited its surveillance value.

But simply being capable was remarkable.

When Duplein's Aiselin manifested 2-Star fireball magic, didn't the entire dueling ground go wild?

Denise could achieve similar feats through gritted teeth. She just chose not to display them.

That was Denise's essence.

"Phew... haa... It's... tough but... at least this much..."

"The outer magic formula is unstable. This creates blind spots in detection range."

Denise nearly choked on her breath.

Deploying'Surveillance'should have made this area entirely her domain.

Yet Derek's voice came from directly behind her.

Turning, she saw Derek straightening his clothes after returning from errands.

Not even a hint of his presence had registered in her meticulously woven magic web.

"Y-you... Since when...!"

"Losing focus will tangle your magic and exhaust you further. Maintain the spell."

As Denise tried to speak, Derek stepped closer, emitting magical energy.

He showed no surprise at Denise skillfully manifesting 2-Star detection magic.

Having trained Denise, he'd already gauged her level.

He'd likely known Denise wasn't exerting full effort all along.

Hence his relentless pushing.

- Crack!

When Derek clenched his fist, turbulence shook Denise's magic formula.

His interfering magic made maintaining her spell difficult. Derek was intentionally disrupting it.

"Detection mages often clash with other detection mages. Higher-level detection magic can only be countered by even higher-level detection magic."

"Derek... how... how are you controlling this magic formula...?"

"I'll intentionally interfere with your magic formula now. Enduring this will strengthen your resistance to magical disruption."

Another shockwave made Denise's magic formula tremble violently.

Instinctively, Denise wielded her magic to counter Derek's interference. But his vast magical energy seemed endless upon collision.

Detection magic clashed against detection magic as both sought to dominate the area.

In large-scale wars, such detection mage battles often decided outcomes.

Though Denise had only heard stories, this was her first experience of such direct, violent magical pressure.

No tutor would seriously engage a noble daughter in magical combat like this.

But that mercenary-born instructor knew no such restraint.

Derek was thoroughly combat-oriented, hardly concerned with Denise's noble status.

Beyond basic courtesy for a prominent noble daughter, he clearly viewed her as just another student.

This became glaringly obvious during their magical clash.

Other nobles might feel insulted, but strangely, Denise's lips curled up.

"Don't regret this."

Denise channeled all her magical energy.

Since she'd be discarding this magic instructor anyway, no need to hold back.

After disappearing all day, this instructor would receive her full magical onslaught.

Denise rarely exerted full power more than a few times yearly.

Derek calmly received her energy.

This was the first time Denise had smiled during training.

"Such an obvious trap actually feels reassuring."

Duplein family's annex.

While meditating on magical sensations, Diela scoffed at Denise's letter.

'I'll hand over Derek if you wager something valuable in a magic duel. I'll lose on purpose.'

Even a stray dog wouldn't believe this, yet the letter contained nothing but pure truth.

Denise had written with complete sincerity, but Diela - who viewed everyone with porcupine-like defensiveness - saw only a declaration of war.

Clearly Lady Denise planned to pretend surrendering Derek, defeat Diela, claim all rewards, and crush her pride. She must have taken offense at Diela's boldness during the Rosea Salon gathering.

Diela calmly seethed.

Since Derek's teachings, her anger had cooled from fiery heat to icy chill.

Her frozen expression twitched slightly. Denise was blatantly scratching at Diela's pride.

No one would walk into such an obvious trap, but Diela gladly accepted.

"How amusing. Does she think I'd lose to some salon mage?"

Diela was determined to defeat not just Aiselin but even Valerian.

- Whoosh!

Channeling her magic, Diela filled the annex with tremendous energy.

Countless thorn thickets sprouted, covering the entire room. Despite being casually cast, their scale and quality reached impressive levels.

The magical thorns resembled noble roses'protectors.

Sitting amidst them, Diela crumpled Denise's letter and stood. The ferocity in her eyes resembled a wild beast's.

Rather than surrender Derek to such a snake, forcing him into House Duplein was only proper.

Diela was absolutely certain of this.