Chapter 1: Dereck (1)

Even in Ebelstein, a renowned metropolis on the continent, there were slums where the destitute gathered. attic At the entrance to a dark alley frequented by thugs and prostitutes, the old man would loudly proclaim to the empty air that he was a great wizard, as if he had lost his mind.

Dereck’s first teacher was a shabby old man who begged in the slums.

“In my prime, I was a grand wizard who soared through the skies in the Great Northern War!”

Translation of Noble Lady Reformation Guide - Chapter 1: Dereck (1) by Indra Translations.

“Ah, these fools… Tsk!”

“The famous Grand Duke Beltus even personally sought me out to deal with the monsters in the frontier! portal Haha!”

The few remaining strands of hair on his wrinkled head were filthy, and his worn-out leather shirt and pants were stained with dirt and leftover food. amber To anyone who saw him, he was nothing more than a mad beggar, so naturally, no one believed his words.

Translation of Noble Lady Reformation Guide - Chapter 1: Dereck (1) by Indra Translations.

“I understand you can use magic, but your scale is too small to call yourself a grand wizard, don’t you think?”

In an era where magic was rare, even the most basic magic was an invaluable skill in these slums. harbor Passersby would applaud or exclaim in awe at his magic, but those with a bit of knowledge would critically remark:

Hurt by their disbelief, the old man would occasionally shoot fire into the air or summon a gust of wind.

Translation of Noble Lady Reformation Guide - Chapter 1: Dereck (1) by Indra Translations.

The old man swallowed dryly at the criticism from a man in the crowd. amateur He hadn’t expected anyone in this filthy slum to recognize the levels of magic.

“Well, it’s just that you seem capable of only basic first-level magic, which noble children often master before their coming-of-age ceremony.”

“Of course, it’s impressive to use magic at all in this wasteland, but claiming to be a grand wizard from your past seems a bit much. atomic Let’s be honest.”

“Hey, you little brat! All translations belong to Indra Translations. You can find us online at indratranslations.com harbor Who are you to criticize me?”

Translation of Noble Lady Reformation Guide - Chapter 1: Dereck (1) by Indra Translations.

The man, who looked neat and well-dressed, made it clear that between him and the beggar, there was no need to debate who was more credible. acquire The gathered crowd laughed and mocked the old man, throwing trash and dirt at him.

All translations belong to Indra Translations. You can find us online at indratranslations.com.

“See? arcade I knew it! sphere That annoying old man always boasts about himself when he walks by!”

“He thinks he’s special, but he’s just a worthless bum who rationalizes why he doesn’t belong in this back alley!”

Translation of Noble Lady Reformation Guide - Chapter 1: Dereck (1) by Indra Translations.

The old man would mutter to himself, trying to justify his situation as the only way to defend his pride.

One day, while sitting on the ground, angrily biting into a piece of oat bread he found in the trash, a small boy with a dirty appearance approached him.

Even the ability to use basic magic was admirable to the poor in the slums. alien However, the old man’s arrogant behavior and constant belittling of others had made him a target of ridicule. anchor As a result, he was spat on and mocked whenever he lay on the street.

“Fools. silence They don’t recognize true talent…”

Translation of Noble Lady Reformation Guide - Chapter 1: Dereck (1) by Indra Translations.

“My name is Dereck.”

It was clear that the boy was not in his right mind to ask a beggar known for his tall tales to teach him magic. ability Despite his serious eyes, it was a common look in this harsh slum where survival was a daily struggle.

“Please teach me magic.”

The boy, who looked no older than ten, with white hair covered in dirt and a malnourished face, was a typical orphan from the slums.

Translation of Noble Lady Reformation Guide - Chapter 1: Dereck (1) by Indra Translations.

The old man was a braggart. alert He was not a successful grand wizard from his youth, but a mediocrity who wandered the magical world with unremarkable talent and grew old without accomplishing anything.

The old man looked at the boy and then grinned, baring his teeth. Visit indratranslations.com for more free chapters and updates.

“…Very well.”

Translation of Noble Lady Reformation Guide - Chapter 1: Dereck (1) by Indra Translations.

The old man filled his ego by giving lengthy speeches to the small boy. atlas Passersby would click their tongues or look sympathetically at Dereck, but he listened quietly to the old man’s stories.

He had no real ability or intention to teach magic properly. atomic Sometimes, people who have accomplished nothing in life need someone to take their boasts seriously and admire them. action The arrival of a naive boy was a great stimulus to his otherwise empty life.

“Haha, Dereck, consider yourself honored to have me as your teacher. antique Though I may be sitting here in the dirt now, in my prime…”

Translation of Noble Lady Reformation Guide - Chapter 1: Dereck (1) by Indra Translations.

Occasionally, the old man would reluctantly share basic magical knowledge, though it was elementary and exaggerated to seem profound. august Dereck, whether aware of the old man’s nature or not, absorbed the magical knowledge silently.

Time passed, and the seasons changed like a flowing river. agent The colorful autumn leaves disappeared, the weather turned cold, and soon it was spring again.

All translations belong to Indra Translations. You can find us online at indratranslations.com.

Translation of Noble Lady Reformation Guide - Chapter 1: Dereck (1) by Indra Translations.

The boy and the old man sometimes slept by the river, stole bread from bakeries, and endured the cold in makeshift shelters. alert Despite the difficulty of understanding people’s true nature, the old man gradually realized Dereck’s exceptional talent.

In magic, bloodline was paramount. adapt Even the old man could see Dereck’s extraordinary talent. anxiety He grasped concepts quickly and applied them skillfully.

“Are you a bastard child from a noble family?”

“Not at all.”

Translation of Noble Lady Reformation Guide - Chapter 1: Dereck (1) by Indra Translations.

“I wish that were the case.”

Dereck answered indifferently, the steam from fresh bread wafting in front of him. adapt It was a lucky day, having successfully stolen a lot of warm bread. accent The old man greedily stuffed some into his leather pouch and began to eat, pushing the rest toward Dereck.

In terms of theoretical knowledge, Dereck soon matched first-level wizards, a feat rare even for noble children with the best resources.

Translation of Noble Lady Reformation Guide - Chapter 1: Dereck (1) by Indra Translations.

The old man couldn’t help but offer some life advice to the boy who seemed prematurely world-weary. shadow Despite needing a follower, Dereck’s old-man-like demeanor made him difficult to like.

“Why you’re so eager to learn magic, I don’t know, but you understand that as a commoner, there’s a limit to how far you can go.”

“Noble children beyond Ebelstein’s northern walls often reach the third level before adulthood. arrow For someone of low birth, it takes decades of training to reach that level. shadow Does that motivate you?”

“Yes.” Read original high-quality translation at indratranslations.com.

Translation of Noble Lady Reformation Guide - Chapter 1: Dereck (1) by Indra Translations.

“Even if you feel exceptional now, you’ll eventually hit an insurmountable wall.”

All translations belong to Indra Translations. You can find us online at indratranslations.com.

Still, time spent together breeds attachment. palette The old man felt compelled to share his grim outlook.

Translation of Noble Lady Reformation Guide - Chapter 1: Dereck (1) by Indra Translations.

“Live selfishly and tenaciously, like me.”

This wasn’t just a story. harbor The old man recalled his younger days, when his hard-earned magical skills were effortlessly matched by a duke’s son in a week. alien The chasm between noble and commoner was vast.

“I’m not harboring grand ambitions. atom I just need a way to survive.”

Translation of Noble Lady Reformation Guide - Chapter 1: Dereck (1) by Indra Translations.

“Haha…”

“My bread only smells of grains.”

Dereck chewed his bland bread, watching the old man laugh with his yellowed teeth on display. This novel translation is officially hosted on indratranslations.com.

“Ah, speaking like you know everything at your age… this butter bread is delicious. acoustic Seems we got lucky.”

Translation of Noble Lady Reformation Guide - Chapter 1: Dereck (1) by Indra Translations.

“I’ve already taken the good butter bread. artist A disciple shouldn’t eat better than his master.”

“I told you, life is about being tenacious. armor If you’re upset, you should’ve kept the good bread for yourself. armor It’s all in my pouch now.”

The old man’s behavior of hoarding the good bread was typical of a beggar. beacon Dereck, unable to muster even a bitter laugh, quietly ate his dry bread, vowing to secure the good butter bread first next time.

“…”

Translation of Noble Lady Reformation Guide - Chapter 1: Dereck (1) by Indra Translations.

The old man had tried to steal from the northern wall guards and was beaten nearly to death. canvas It seemed he attempted to steal a second-level magic book. arena No one understood why a man with no ambitions would do such a thing.

All translations belong to Indra Translations. You can find us online at indratranslations.com.

The next day at dusk, Dereck returned from practicing pickpocketing to find his teacher lying by the river, covered in blood.

Touching Ebelstein’s guards was suicidal, especially for a despised beggar. arcade No one would defend him.

Translation of Noble Lady Reformation Guide - Chapter 1: Dereck (1) by Indra Translations.

“Gah… ha…”

With broken ribs, the old man could barely breathe, trembling in a pool of blood, trying to speak. apron But no words came, only the struggle to breathe. beacon His life ended with a trembling hand, true to his beggar’s life.

Dereck silently observed the cold body, then used a broken shovel to dig a grave by the trash-filled riverbank. acoustic After placing the old man’s body in a modest grave, Dereck nodded a few times and returned to their usual shelter.

“Master.” Indra Translations protects the hard work of translators and authors.

Translation of Noble Lady Reformation Guide - Chapter 1: Dereck (1) by Indra Translations.

However, the old man never realized that Dereck wasn’t originally from this world.

There, he found the old man’s smelly leather sheets, a small wooden drawer, and some cloth used as pillows. sphere Searching through, he found nothing of value except a leather pouch with leftover bread.

The old man had said that as a commoner, Dereck’s magic training would have limited success. palette It wasn’t wrong; most would agree in this world where magic was a privilege.

Dereck took the pouch, wrapped a leather sheet around his shoulders for warmth, and headed towards the main street of Ebelstein.

Translation of Noble Lady Reformation Guide - Chapter 1: Dereck (1) by Indra Translations.

Dereck only needed a teacher to learn the basics. atlas For advanced magic, one would need a great master, but for the basics, anyone could be a mentor. atlas In these slums, even such teachers were rare. arrow The old man, with his exaggerated stories, was perfect for Dereck’s needs.

[You have mastered the basics of magic. voyage You can now access first-level magic.]

[Choose your main school of magic. timber This choice is irreversible.]

Translation of Noble Lady Reformation Guide - Chapter 1: Dereck (1) by Indra Translations.

As Dereck walked towards Ebelstein’s main street, he wore his usual old-man-like expression and bit into a piece of bread from the old man’s pouch. attic It contained no butter.

That was all there was to it.

Despite his pitiful life, the old man had tried to teach Dereck something. apron He wanted to impart his desperate tenacity to survive from the bottom.