Chapter 12 Translator: XZY
Chapter 12: Master and Disciple (2) ***
That evening, the time came for Lady Aiseline to finish all her business at the Duplein ducal estate and return to Ebelstein.
Jayden, who had accompanied Derek just in case, said he would just return with her at this time, so Derek had finished his preparations to see them off and was out in front of the mansion's main gate.
"I feel that it was a good decision to bring Derek-ssi to the ducal estate."
Aiseline, standing in front of the carriage, said with a gentle smile.
She smiled gracefully, as if she was happy about the fact that the atmosphere of the ducal estate had been improving recently. Even though she was now out of the ducal estate and living in the Ebelstein mansion, it was just like her to always worry about her family home.
"Not at all. When you think about it, I haven't done much of anything."
"You don't need to be so formal. From Derek-ssi's perspective, it must have been quite a difficult task."
In any case, Lady Aiseline's request was to help Diella become a lady who could use up to 1-Star magic and confidently enter preparations for her social debut.
Just by manifesting mana, half of the goal had been achieved, so it was natural for her to wear a satisfied expression.
"I want to spend more time with my family, but it's a shame that I have to return to Ebelstein. It can't be helped since there are many things I must continue to work on."
And so, Lady Aiseline, along with her words of thanks, boarded the magnificently large carriage.
Jayden, who had finished his preparations to return to Ebelstein with her, approached Derek and patted him on the shoulder before following her up.
"It looks like there's nothing more for me to do at this mansion. My job was done as soon as I lent some face as the representative of the mercenary corps, serving as a folding screen."
"What are you going to do about the 15 Idel gold coins that were the request fee?"
"Well, now. I haven't done much of anything, so it's a bit much to split it half and half. I'll just take 1 coin as a commission fee. You also need to save some money if you want to get a wand or a staff someday. Isn't that right?"
In any case, since it was a job received at the mercenary corps level, he could not not give a single penny of commission. This was because if Derek had been a solo mercenary, he would not have had the opportunity to receive a request from a ducal family like this.
Lady Aiseline would come to the mansion to spend time with her family whenever she had a chance, so he would see her face more often, but it seemed he would not be able to see Jayden's face for a while if he left this time, saying he would manage the mercenary corps.
Thinking about it that way, he couldn't help but feel his heart soften.
"You can take about three coins."
"Well, look at you. Now that you've gotten smarter, you're being generous."
"You don't like it?"
"Of course I like it. Ke-ke-kek."
As Jayden chuckled, Derek also let out a hollow laugh.
And so, a moment of silence flowed, and Jayden stroked his chin and said.
"Finish up quickly and come back. The Veldern Mercenary Corps is always short on mages."
"Are you hoping I'll kick aside the warm and well-fed ducal family teacher position and leave?"
"You're being sly. Do you think I don't know that you're not the type to stick to a luxurious mansion like this?"
Many meanings were implied in Jayden's words.
Not only the fact that Derek was a mercenary by nature, but he was also pointing out the fact that his magical talent would not simply end at his current level.
Derek himself knew it. He had a desire to stretch further, to 2-Star and beyond. For a mage, the passion for learning and the desire for improvement were like destiny.
However, he was a commoner. Up to a 2-Star commoner mage, they might think he just worked hard or had some talent and let it go, but from 3-Star onwards, the gazes of the nobles would change.
Upon reaching 4-Star, he might be treated as a dangerous element that could affect the system, so it would be difficult to go around showing it off freely by then. In the first place, historically, the number of people who had reached 4-Star as commoners could be counted on one hand.
In the end, if he wanted to go high, he could not just stay within the embrace of a noble family.
"Felinne will throw a fit if she finds out you're sticking to a ducal family and teaching magic. When that girl flies into a rage, it's hard for this old man to handle. So solve it quickly and come back."
"Send a letter to say hello before you accept the next request."
"As if I'd play with a quill pen like some scholar. You come to the tavern yourself, you punk."
Jayden let out a hearty laugh and got on the carriage.
"Well then, see you in Ebelstein."
Derek saw off the departing carriage.
<><><>
BANG!
"Derek! The mana manifestation is done, and the manipulation is roughly there, but the direction keeps getting weird!"
BANG!
"Derek! Look at this! I somehow managed to imbue it with cold energy... but it's not being distributed evenly throughout the manifested mana! Why is this happening?!"
CRASH! BANG!
"Derek! I can feel the mana, but when I manifest it, my senses keep getting dull!"
"Derek! Where did you go? Why are you all the way out here? I told you to stay near the annex!"
"Derek! I succeeded in making the mana flow in the way you mentioned last time! What should I do next?!"
Derek! Derek! Derek!
And so, because Lady Diella sought out Derek whenever she had a chance, the servants of the annex developed a habit of always knowing Derek's location. This was because if the master of the annex became displeased and set out to find Derek, they had to immediately inform her of his location.
That was not to say that Derek was always stationed near the annex.
Derek sometimes read books in the guest room, walked around the mansion garden reviewing various magical theories, and with the Grand Duke's permission, he also looked at magic books in the mansion library.
Although Derek had come to teach Diella magic, from his perspective, this Duplein ducal estate was a good environment for learning various magical theories.
In the first place, because it was one of the foremost magical families on the continent, there were plenty of those expensive and rare magic books.
They were all Scholastic School books of the noble class, so they were not of direct help, but Derek was skilled at referencing magical theories and improving them into his own. It was a familiar process for Derek, who had a Scholastic School master.
The theories of magic had a profound yet simple aspect, so even though it seemed that the basic knowledge would be completely different for each school, if one looked closely, there were many parts that were consistent.
Since opportunities to access magic books so freely were rare, Derek wanted to make the most of this opportunity.
And so, while honing his own magical skills, Derek also looked after Diella's magic whenever he had the chance.
Naturally, they couldn't help but spend a lot of time together, and they also shared many stories. The gap between a mercenary from the bottom and the daughter of a powerful family was enormous, so there were not many cases where they formed a bond of empathy.
Instead, they could tell each other many strange stories.
Derek would sometimes tell stories of the stars he had looked up at from the bottom of the slums, stories of catching and killing magical beasts while roaming the outskirts of Ebelstein with Katia, and stories of the bloody power struggles between mercenary corps.
Unlike the charming fairy tale books that had been in Diella's room since her childhood, Derek's stories had a sense of realism, and they contained the coldness of reality. Diella would act prim as if she wasn't interested, but when the story reached its climax, she would listen with sparkling eyes.
Sometimes she would have a triumphant expression, and sometimes she would have a pitiful expression, but by the time the story ended, Diella would give a long speech about how great her bloodline was.
When that time came, Derek would read a book with a bored expression, and it was almost a daily routine for her to get angry, telling him to listen to her.
As time passed like that, both Derek and Diella were running towards their achievements.
Diella's goal was to be able to use 1-Star magic, and Derek wanted to expand the range of 2-Star magic he could use as much as possible... and if possible, enter 3-Star magic.
<><><>
It was late in the afternoon when Valerian, the first son of the Duplein family and the next head, called Derek to his room.
It was the time when late spring was approaching.
Amidst the servants who were busy cleaning the flower pollen that had drifted into the mansion, Valerian had suddenly called Derek to a halt.
"What is it?"
"Are you teaching Diella well? How is she these days?"
"There has been quite a bit of progress. However, the acquisition of 1-Star magic is still a long way off. I thought it would be quick, but the progress is a bit slow, so I'm looking for a way."
"I see... I see."
Valerian's personal room was almost twice as large as Diella's personal room that he had seen before.
It was natural for the next head of a powerful family to be treated well, but it was so spacious that he honestly wondered if a room of this size was even useful.
In a corner of that room, Valerian, sitting with his legs crossed at a table by the window, was a handsome man who was clearly tall and had a sturdy build.
He was such an attractive man that there were quite a few maids who harbored feelings for him from time to time, but it seemed that rather than indulging in the company of women, he spent almost all his time managing the ducal domain.
In his spare time, he seemed to love his family very much, doing things like watching over Reigh's training, writing letters to Aiseline, and taking care of his uncles and nephews.
"My mother, who went to the southern social gathering, will probably be back sometime next week. I'm warning you in advance, she's not a pushover."
"Is that so?"
"The Duplein family is relatively less so, but basically, nobles don't really like commoners like you holding important positions. You know that well, right?"
The situation itself, where a commoner was teaching magic to the grand duchess of a powerful family, was not normal. That was because Diella was not a normal case.
Normally, the position of a magic teacher in a place like the Duplein family was a position that people would line up for, wanting to do it if they had the ability. It was a characteristic of these positions that there were few who had the ability, but there were plenty of people who wanted to do it.
Probably, once the situation normalized, high-level mages who wanted to push Derek out and take the teacher position would also appear one after another. In any case, Derek's goal was to teach Diella 1-Star magic, so his mindset was to just get it done before then.
"I will keep that in mind. Is that why you called me?"
"This was also an important matter... but I had something else I wanted to ask."
"Something you wanted to ask?"
Valerian stroked his chin and looked out the window, then looked down at the sight of Diella practicing mana emission alone in the garden. He seemed to be hesitating, so Derek could not help but be bewildered.
"I am the next head of the Duplein family. What is the position of a head? It is to embrace and encompass all the members of the family and lead them in the right direction. To do that, one must treat each and every member with one's heart and understand them sincerely."
"..."
It seemed that the story was getting strangely long-winded, but Derek was listening quietly.
"But that is not easy. Wouldn't you agree? How profound and deep a person's heart is. On top of that, even if we lived together in the same family, our values are different and what we pursue is different, so there are many cases where we don't understand each other..."
"I see... Um... so may I ask what you want to convey to me?"
Valerian dusted off his old-fashioned noble attire, then leaned back in his chair and spoke awkwardly.
"Diella won't play with me."
"..."
Derek was at a loss for words, but he managed to maintain his expression.
He seemed to know why Valerian was saying this.
Diella had stopped looking down on people carelessly since she had started learning magic properly. There were times when her words had thorns, but she almost never acted like a hooligan.
Around the time Diella's reputation was slowly starting to improve, he had run into Valerian while passing through the garden with Derek.
Valerian, who loved his family dearly, had greeted Diella brightly with a cheerful face, but Diella had been startled as if she had seen a wild beast, then hid behind Derek and watched his reaction.
Valerian seemed to have been greatly shocked by the sight of Diella, who had barely accepted his greeting with her eyes narrowed like a cat's.
"When she was young, she would always show me her drawings with a smiling face. There was no angel like her in the world."
"..."
"My impression can't be that harsh... Tell me. What would be the best way to win Diella's favor?"
"Why... are you asking... me that..."
"Diella only follows you around..."
In fact, Derek was the only person in the Duplein ducal estate that Diella could be said to follow.
"..."
Valerian's love for his family was truly admirable, but unfortunately, for a grown adult man, the reed-like sensitivity of a teenage girl was a more mysterious realm than most historical conundrums.
Still, if he had to guess, it was highly probable that she was just being shy. After living so recklessly, it would not be strange for her to feel awkward seeing her family's faces all of a sudden.
It was a problem that time would usually solve, but Valerian was seriously considering whether the problem was with him.
"First, look at this. I learned embroidery from a maid and made this Diella-shaped doll here. What do you think? Doesn't it exude effort, sincerity, and affection?"
Even the young master Valerian, who was good at everything, seemed to have no talent for delicate needlework, as the doll's appearance was more bizarre than cute.
If the person receiving the gift was a mature adult, they would express their gratitude for the sincerity alone, but unfortunately, a teenage girl would probably just be horrified.
It seemed the maids could not bring themselves to tell the truth.
If he took this to Diella as it was, it would only lead to a catastrophe, so at this point, someone had to take the bullet and tell the truth.
"Speaking with my conviction.... It seems she would just... be offended..."
".......Damn it."
Valerian clutched his brow and fell into agony.
Derek could only cheer on his efforts.
<><><>
[ New Magic Acquired ]
1-Star Combat 'Shockwave'
1-Star Detection 'Life Detection'
2-Star Transmutation 'Earth Wall'
2-Star Illusion 'Confusion'
"Lady Diella. It's about time for the mistress to arrive."
"Has it been that long already?"
A graceful maid came to find Derek and Diella, who were studying magic at a tea table set up in the garden.
Thud
Derek closed the book he was reading with one hand with a thud and stood up, dusting himself off.
As time passed, Derek had achieved some results. The magical records of the Duplein ducal estate were a really big help. However, it still seemed a long way off to reach the ultimate goal of 3-Star.
In fact, it might be said that it was shameless to be greedy for 3-Star at this age, but the desire for growth did not care about age. Still, he was realizing anew every day that the realm of 3-Star was not an ordinary level. It was not a level that could be reached in a short period of time.
What was truly strange was that his achievements in combat magic and illusion magic were fast.
The fast acquisition of combat magic was probably due to his mercenary career, which was accompanied by frequent combat experience, and the fast acquisition of illusion magic seemed to be influenced by Derek's master, Katia. This was because Katia was a 3-Star illusion mage.
On the other hand, he seemed to have no talent for summoning magic, as he did not see much light even after investing quite a bit of time. It was a shame, but it couldn't be helped. As Katia had said before, it might be greedy to try to take on all fields.
Derek let out a deep sigh and headed to the mansion's main hall, following the maid's guidance.
Numerous servants were out for the welcoming party of Miriella Daybell Duplein, the mistress of the Duplein family, who had returned from the southern social gathering.
Miriella, who had returned from a long journey, looked weary, but she maintained a dignified posture befitting the mistress of a noble house. Her light purple dress, the fan with a peacock feather, and the sparkling accessories each looked like high-quality items.
She exchanged pleasantries with her family, whom she was seeing for the first time in a while.
"Was everything alright while I was away?"
"Yes, Mother. On the contrary, it's full of only good news."
"Oh my, if you're saying that yourself, Valerian, it must be really good news."
A noble lady whose face showed the passage of time, but who still maintained the dignity of a noble.
As soon as Miriella came inside, escorted by Valerian, she showed a surprised expression upon seeing Diella's face. It seemed she had immediately realized what the good news Valerian had mentioned was.
"D-Diella! You came out of the annex!"
Diella was dressed in a pretty frilled dress and cute ribbon decorations, looking just like a noble young lady. Miriella found such a Diella so lovely that she ran over in a single bound and hugged her.
"Ah, hello, Mother..."
"Diella. My lovely Diella. I was so worried..."
"Don't be surprised, Mother. Diella recently manifested mana and is now working hard to acquire 1-Star magic."
"I-is that true? Diella! You really worked hard! Oh, I must look for a place to buy a wand or a staff. Should I arrange for the magic shops in Ebelstein..."
"Haha... Mother. It's too early."
Valerian smiled gently and stopped his mother's fussing. Mages who carried their own wands or staffs were usually skilled practitioners around the mid-3-Star level. Even then, many did not carry them if they were not needed. This was because such magical items were too expensive.
It was an old habit of parents to make an excessive fuss over their child's achievements. It meant that they were that happy.
"What on earth happened for you to achieve so much in such a short period of time... It's as if the heavens and the earth have been overturned."
"Umm... that's..."
When Diella hesitated and couldn't say anything, Valerian answered with a gentle smile.
"The new magic master that Aiseline brought played a big role."
"Oh. I must thank him. Is he at the mansion now?"
"This way. He is a mage from Ebelstein named Derek."
Derek was standing next to the servants, and when he met Miriella's eyes, he greeted her quietly.
Miriella approached with eyes that seemed to be dripping with honey and greeted Derek.
"My daughter is much in your debt. You are a mage from Ebelstein?"
"Yes. My name is Derek."
Miriella smiled with a soft voice and said.
"Diella is quite picky about her magic masters, so I'm so grateful that you've produced such excellent results. I can't just stand by, so I'd like to send a gift of gratitude to your family... Could you tell me your affiliated domain? I must express my sincerity in the name of Duplein."
At those words, Valerian looked down with a troubled expression. The other servants were the same.
Derek glanced at the atmosphere and seemed to understand what the situation was.
"I do not have an affiliated family."
"...Pardon?"
"I am a commoner."
As he said that, a silence fell over the main hall of the ducal estate.
Soon, the affectionate gaze of Miriella, who had been looking at him as if he were a benefactor, was gone, and cold eyes took its place.
Derek already knew, having heard it from Valerian.
She was the very incarnation of aristocratic authoritarianism.
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