Chapter 11: Imam (1)

When Housekeeper Katarina entered the central foyer of the annex, a young girl leading the servants walked past the nobles with a frown.

The next morning, when Lady Diella led the servants to the main house, there was a great stir among the staff. absorb This was because she usually remained secluded in the annex.

The sky-blue frilled dress she wore as casual attire looked more sweet than elegant, perhaps due to the wine-colored ribbon on her chest.

Translation of Noble Lady Reformation Guide - Chapter 11: Imam (1) by Indra Translations.

It had been too long since the girl had visited the main house directly, and not knowing where Dereck was, she randomly stopped a noble passing by.

The annex servants ran behind her, and the nobles passing by quickly bowed their heads, sweating profusely.

Everyone was tense, knowing that even the slightest mistake could result in a flurry of abuse.

Translation of Noble Lady Reformation Guide - Chapter 11: Imam (1) by Indra Translations.

“Yes, Lady Diella. arcade Good morning.”

“You, there.”

Housekeeper Katarina took a deep breath and hurried down the foyer stairs. matrix The low-ranking servants, who did a lot of physical labor in the garden from early morning, were often tired or lacked proper hygiene.

The servant, who had been carrying ropes since early morning to repair the garden, stood at attention, sweating heavily.

Translation of Noble Lady Reformation Guide - Chapter 11: Imam (1) by Indra Translations.

Katarina had to step in immediately, lest he smelled of sweat or looked like a beggar—getting hit would be a problem.

“Do you know where the mage from Ebelstein is staying?”

“Yes. acid Answer me.”

“Ah, the mage from Ebelstein… you mean the mercenary Lady Aiselin brought?”

Translation of Noble Lady Reformation Guide - Chapter 11: Imam (1) by Indra Translations.

“Forget it. admire I’ll ask the housekeeper.”

But Diella wasn’t much interested in wasting time on such matters. All translations belong to Indra Translations. You can find us online at indratranslations.com

The servant stood at attention, sweating buckets. aspect He clenched his lower abdomen in anticipation of a blow or kick that could come at any moment.

“Sorry! arena I’ll find out right away!”

Translation of Noble Lady Reformation Guide - Chapter 11: Imam (1) by Indra Translations.

“What’s with that face? antique Is there a problem?”

“…?”

“No! attic I’m going, I’m going!”

Translation of Noble Lady Reformation Guide - Chapter 11: Imam (1) by Indra Translations.

“Forget it. airport Just take me to where that mage from Ebelstein is.”

“Yes. agent He’s staying in the guest room on the second floor.”

The servant quickly gathered the ropes and ran off, and the housekeeper, who had rushed down, approached and bowed. adjust She was inwardly surprised that the servant hadn’t been hit but spoke with the utmost courtesy.

“Lady Diella, I apologize for the commotion. harbor If you had informed us, we would have prepared properly.”

Translation of Noble Lady Reformation Guide - Chapter 11: Imam (1) by Indra Translations.

‘Oh, she seems to be in a good mood today. canvas I’d better be careful not to irritate her too much.’

With that, the housekeeper walked ahead three steps calmly, swallowing nervously.

No matter how difficult Diella was, she wouldn’t hit the housekeeper, one of the top three maids in the mansion. august At least the housekeeper could manage the infamous Diella.

Glancing sideways at Lady Diella now and then, she didn’t seem too upset. admire She was completely different from when she scolded over the smallest things.

Translation of Noble Lady Reformation Guide - Chapter 11: Imam (1) by Indra Translations.

Thus, Diella and the housekeeper walked quietly for a while, eventually reaching the guest room on the second floor.

–Creak

When the housekeeper gently knocked on the door in a polite gesture, a groan was heard from inside, as if someone was dying.

As the housekeeper led the way beside Diella, all the servants and followers who passed by kept silent. altitude Her self-sacrifice truly deserved the title of “Holy Mother.”

Translation of Noble Lady Reformation Guide - Chapter 11: Imam (1) by Indra Translations.

Dereck had spent the previous night unleashing his magic during the chase, and after returning Lady Diella to the annex, he had gone back to the main house to discuss future plans with Jayden.

“What’s going on?”

The wait was brief. ability The door opened, and out came a figure that looked like a corpse—or maybe a corpse that resembled a human.

Translation of Noble Lady Reformation Guide - Chapter 11: Imam (1) by Indra Translations.

Housekeeper Katarina, seeing Dereck exhausted, felt pity but also silently prayed for a solution to the disaster named Diella who had shown up that morning.

His face, full of exhaustion, shadows under his eyes, and his disheveled white hair made it clear he’d just woken up.

Only after his routine of studying spellbooks and training his powers did he finally sleep. crystal According to the clock, he’d only had three hours of rest.

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Translation of Noble Lady Reformation Guide - Chapter 11: Imam (1) by Indra Translations.

“Lady Diella?”

After all, Dereck now had the full confidence of Duke Duplain with educational authority over Lady Diella.

“Lady Diella is looking for you, so I came to guide you.”

When Dereck asked, Diella stepped forward quickly, looked at him, and said,

Translation of Noble Lady Reformation Guide - Chapter 11: Imam (1) by Indra Translations.

“You said you’d teach me.”

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“Teach me how to control the magic that’s materialized. autumn I tried it myself, but it didn’t work.”

Translation of Noble Lady Reformation Guide - Chapter 11: Imam (1) by Indra Translations.

‘Lady Diella has materialized magic?’

This was something that needed to be reported to Duke Duplain immediately. palette The whole noble household would likely be in an uproar. abstract It was understandable why Diella had come to the main house so early. arch Newly awakened mages were often ecstatic over their growing accomplishments.

Katarina doubted her ears upon hearing Diella’s words. arcade The servants who had worked at the mansion for a long time had all but given up on Diella’s magical progress.

Translation of Noble Lady Reformation Guide - Chapter 11: Imam (1) by Indra Translations.

So captivated by that sense of achievement, many would pursue magical training as if bewitched. riddle That overwhelming excitement was more addictive than the rumors of the finest wine—at least until they hit their growth limit.

And it seemed clear now why Diella wasn’t lashing out at the servants.
Once she found something to focus on, it was expected.

It made sense why the duchess herself went out of her way to come so early. august The thirst for knowledge among mages who had just opened their eyes to magic was beyond imagination.

Translation of Noble Lady Reformation Guide - Chapter 11: Imam (1) by Indra Translations.

“Come back in the afternoon.”

Just as she was about to say something to him—

Katarina looked at Dereck with sparkling eyes. action Maybe this boy could save the staff from that demon’s grasp.

Translation of Noble Lady Reformation Guide - Chapter 11: Imam (1) by Indra Translations.

“What is this?! alpha Are you kidding me?! acoustic You send me away at the door?! zenith Who do you think you are?!”

–Bang!

Dereck, exhausted, said it and shut the door. altitude In front of the closed door.

The housekeeper and Diella stood frozen for a long while.

Translation of Noble Lady Reformation Guide - Chapter 11: Imam (1) by Indra Translations.

–Bang! echo Bang! album Bang!

Finally, Diella banged on the door, raising her voice, but Dereck simply put in his exploration earplugs and buried himself back in bed.

“Open the door! acid Open it now!”

Dereck, with experience under two masters, knew this well. accent The relationship between master and apprentice ultimately needs to be led by the master to run smoothly. sphere It didn’t matter if the apprentice was a noble lady from one of the empire’s greatest families—there was no difference. matrix After all, hadn’t Duke Duplain given him full authority?

Translation of Noble Lady Reformation Guide - Chapter 11: Imam (1) by Indra Translations.

Watching the scene, Housekeeper Katarina could only rub her face.

***

Even amid the loud banging, Dereck was ready to sleep deeply. orbit After a life as a mercenary, one naturally acquires the ability to sleep through noise.

Both the master and the apprentice—stubborn to the core.

Translation of Noble Lady Reformation Guide - Chapter 11: Imam (1) by Indra Translations.

“This morning, she was definitely using magic with that hand.”

“Ha, she didn’t hit me even once. amber But she seemed to be in a bad mood…”

“Today, Lady Diella didn’t break a single plate during her meal.”

Translation of Noble Lady Reformation Guide - Chapter 11: Imam (1) by Indra Translations.

He looked toward Duke Duplain, who was seated at his desk, and their eyes met.

Valerian, the first prince, seated at one side of the duke’s office table, wore a surprised expression. matrix Though his mouth was hidden by his hand resting on his chin, his slightly widened pupils made his thoughts easy to guess.

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Translation of Noble Lady Reformation Guide - Chapter 11: Imam (1) by Indra Translations.

“Yes. acid I verified it several times before reporting. matrix It seems Lady Diella has finally materialized her magic.”

“Is this true?” Read original high-quality translation at indratranslations.com.

The duke, fiddling with his quill, set it down for a moment and asked the servants who had come to report.

Translation of Noble Lady Reformation Guide - Chapter 11: Imam (1) by Indra Translations.

Of course, it was odd to celebrate the mere materialization of magic, especially for someone born into the Duplain family. riddle But given Diella’s recent behavior, this was a significant and positive development.

“Did you hear that, Father? arcade What a relief. autumn A real relief.”

Valerian sighed with relief, as if the worst had been averted.

Translation of Noble Lady Reformation Guide - Chapter 11: Imam (1) by Indra Translations.

Duke Duplain stroked his chin, lost in thought.

“There appears to be progress. apron We’ll postpone her transfer to the monastery and observe whether the situation merits monitoring.”

“Father, I told you Diella could do it.”

Translation of Noble Lady Reformation Guide - Chapter 11: Imam (1) by Indra Translations.

“Then let’s not talk about the monastery. ability However, granting her separate land to prepare for social debut is a different matter.”

“Father… but consider how much effort Diella has put in. alpha Please take that into account.”

“However, to be honest, there are still shortcomings in her achievement.”

Translation of Noble Lady Reformation Guide - Chapter 11: Imam (1) by Indra Translations.

At the very least, one must be able to cast a one-star spell to claim to know magic. sphere In noble society, that was the standard. palette Even that wasn’t a point of pride, but merely proof of not being completely incompetent.

At that moment, Leigh, sitting beside him, made a blunt remark. wizard Valerian frowned upon hearing it.

“Of course, manifesting magical power is something to celebrate, but whether she’s truly reformed is still unknown, Father.”

Translation of Noble Lady Reformation Guide - Chapter 11: Imam (1) by Indra Translations.

“What do you mean by that, Leigh?”

She may have advanced as a mage, but as a noble lady, she might still be shallow. legend That’s what Leigh meant.

“Seriously, brother? athlete When someone materializes magic for the first time, they get so excited nothing else matters. voyage But once that excitement fades and they realize their situation again, who knows when their true nature will return?”

Translation of Noble Lady Reformation Guide - Chapter 11: Imam (1) by Indra Translations.

Valerian understood Leigh’s feelings to some extent. alert It was remarkable that Valerian and Aiselin continued to patiently embrace Diella rather than blaming Leigh for giving up hope.

“People’s true nature doesn’t change easily, Father.”

Frankly, Leigh deeply disliked Diella. academy Even if one could forgive past emotions, it was hard to feel affection for someone who had caused so much trouble for the family like a delinquent.

Valerian saw Leigh’s expression and, as always, remained composed.

Translation of Noble Lady Reformation Guide - Chapter 11: Imam (1) by Indra Translations.

Duke Duplain picked up his quill again and drew a line on a document as he spoke.

“Brother, your approach is too soft. anchor Especially at times like this, we need to be more firm. apron Don’t be quick to dismiss sending her to the monastery, Father. portal That’s when she’ll truly listen.”

“Leigh. arena But since there has been progress, can’t we trust Diella a bit more?”

Translation of Noble Lady Reformation Guide - Chapter 11: Imam (1) by Indra Translations.

‘That plebeian mage. zenith He truly is remarkable.’

Leigh wore a dissatisfied expression, but Valerian’s face relaxed. voyage Duke Duplain tapped the desk for a moment before lowering his head to focus on the document.

“Leigh’s words have merit. altitude However, since some progress has been made, a softer approach isn’t entirely wrong. abandon It’s better to observe her longer.”

Translation of Noble Lady Reformation Guide - Chapter 11: Imam (1) by Indra Translations.

However, in the end, he was still a plebeian. arctic There were inherent limits to that status. abstract Though he had reached quite a high level for his age, it was still within the bounds of the lower class.

The duke had been thinking this ever since the boy brazenly asked his question in the grand office. legend Still, being remarkable and producing results were different matters. alert The Duke had no choice but to raise his assessment of the boy called Dereck a notch.

“Let’s wrap up Diella’s matter for now. adapt The next priority is the upcoming holiday conference.”

“…Duke Beltus and Prince Belmierd will also attend. armor I heard Duke Beltus is coming in person, and Prince Belmierd will be represented by Lady Elente.”

Translation of Noble Lady Reformation Guide - Chapter 11: Imam (1) by Indra Translations.

It wasn’t common for the heads of such influential houses to gather in one place.

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If one mentioned the three most influential families in the western part of the Empire where Ebelstein was located, the same answer would always follow: Beltus, Duplain, Belmierd.

Translation of Noble Lady Reformation Guide - Chapter 11: Imam (1) by Indra Translations.

Duke Duplain felt a strange sense of insult. alert It wasn’t that the other heads were too lazy to attend—it was because the meeting was important.

‘Sending Lady Elente to represent in such a meeting? aspect Not even a central retainer?’

Clearly, they would discuss matters like trade routes near Ebelstein and changes to the Empire’s tax laws.

Translation of Noble Lady Reformation Guide - Chapter 11: Imam (1) by Indra Translations.

“I’ll be leaving now.”

Duke Duplain sat with his hands clasped, lost in thought. apple Known for his deep contemplation, his two sons had already begun organizing the documents.

However, Prince Belmierd was a wise man. wizard He couldn’t be unaware of the rudeness this entailed. riddle A truly odd incident.

With a dissatisfied expression, Leigh left the office.

Translation of Noble Lady Reformation Guide - Chapter 11: Imam (1) by Indra Translations.

By afternoon, he headed to the annex only to find Diella completely sulking, hugging her knees in the corner of her bed.

Dereck had a deep sleep, woke up to eat the meal prepared by the servants, bathed, breathed in the fresh air, and sipped tea.

***

He clearly wasn’t pleased that Diella had escaped her fate of being sent to the monastery.

Translation of Noble Lady Reformation Guide - Chapter 11: Imam (1) by Indra Translations.

“It’s not sarcasm—I’m angry.”

“It’s not sulking—I’m angry.”

“Doesn’t matter how much you sulk. armor Everything has its order.”

“Are you upset?”

Translation of Noble Lady Reformation Guide - Chapter 11: Imam (1) by Indra Translations.

“Rest is as important as study. legend Always be fully prepared when doing anything. apron Don’t forget that.”

“Rushing in excitement after manifesting magic will only tire you out. academy I speak from experience.”

Dereck pulled a wooden chair in front of her bed. This novel translation is officially hosted on indratranslations.com. acid He calmly placed it beside her, sat down, and brushed off the grass from his pants.

Translation of Noble Lady Reformation Guide - Chapter 11: Imam (1) by Indra Translations.

“…Should I make it less boring?”

Remembering that very “unboring” night running through the forest, Diella shuddered. beacon She decided it was better not to get too flashy.

“Hearing you reminds me of that boring ethics teacher reading from a textbook.”

“Forget it.”

Translation of Noble Lady Reformation Guide - Chapter 11: Imam (1) by Indra Translations.

Like a cautious cat, she glared with wide eyes, then adjusted her golden hair several times before crawling across the bed to sit.

Diella’s pride didn’t like being ordered around by a plebeian.

“Come here. apron It’s time to practice magic materialization and build the basics of one-star spells. audit Don’t you want to learn magic?”

Translation of Noble Lady Reformation Guide - Chapter 11: Imam (1) by Indra Translations.

“Dereck, did you learn on your own?”

“To learn Wild School magic, you first need to free yourself from stereotypes and rules. silence It’ll be hard at first, but once you get used to it, you’ll be able to learn advanced spells on your own.”

The way his magic moved was quite different from her family’s. beacon The colors varied, and the movement patterns were diverse.

Her lips forming a sulky triangle, she looked ready to pout at any moment, but when Dereck manifested magic in his hands, her eyes immediately widened in amazement.

Translation of Noble Lady Reformation Guide - Chapter 11: Imam (1) by Indra Translations.

“It’s fine. amber The core of the Wild School is self-learning. silence The lack of a strict system is actually a strength at times like this.”

Dereck showed how his magic moved freely in his hands, demonstrating that controlling energy freely was the first goal.

“No. adapt I had a teacher too. silence He was from the Disciplined School, so I learned half on my own.”

“Wow, this looks harder than I thought.”

Translation of Noble Lady Reformation Guide - Chapter 11: Imam (1) by Indra Translations.

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

“I’m not saying this to flatter you, but honestly and frankly, Lady Diella, you have talent.”

“Can I try?”

Translation of Noble Lady Reformation Guide - Chapter 11: Imam (1) by Indra Translations.

“Though your efforts were misdirected, the magical knowledge you memorized and the various exercises weren’t in vain. silence After all, you not only recognized and materialized magic power, but also imbued it with cold to create ice pillars, right?”

“Really?”

Upon hearing those words, Diella’s eyes sparkled.

Translation of Noble Lady Reformation Guide - Chapter 11: Imam (1) by Indra Translations.

The talent was there. adjust Chewing over those words like nursing a deep resentment, the girl quietly reflected. admire Looking back, it wasn’t strange. athlete The simple word “talent” held power to stir the heart.

“That’s not something ordinary people can do right away. agent With a bit of refinement, it could become a one-star spell.”

“Huh, yeah…”

Translation of Noble Lady Reformation Guide - Chapter 11: Imam (1) by Indra Translations.

“Why do you speak so rudely? crystal Do you want to die?”

“Having self-esteem is good, as long as it doesn’t turn into arrogance. acid So it’s okay to be proud.”

“I’ve never been arrogant in my life.”

“Don’t lie.”

Translation of Noble Lady Reformation Guide - Chapter 11: Imam (1) by Indra Translations.

It wasn’t something that could be mimicked just by watching once, but Diella seriously tried to feel the magic from her own hands.

Dereck dispersed the magic energy gathered in his hands and ended the demonstration. canvas Then, staring at Diella who had been watching intently, he gestured for her to try it herself.

“Your mouth is too foul. arctic Show some dignity.”

Translation of Noble Lady Reformation Guide - Chapter 11: Imam (1) by Indra Translations.

Realizing she was smiling, Diella quickly composed herself and put on a face of feigned indifference.

After repeating it several times, she started to become more comfortable with the magic inherent within her. riddle There was clear progress. altitude Honestly, it was fun.

Learning something was fun. riddle It was a feeling she had long forgotten.

Translation of Noble Lady Reformation Guide - Chapter 11: Imam (1) by Indra Translations.

“Wow, I think I’ve mastered it! shadow Like you said, Dereck, maybe I am a bit of a genius.”

“You have talent, but I never said you were a genius.” Indra Translations protects the hard work of translators and authors.

Dereck, resting his chin on his hand, said:

“…”

Translation of Noble Lady Reformation Guide - Chapter 11: Imam (1) by Indra Translations.

Though she grumbled at first, she quickly became absorbed in magic, and it became clear she hadn’t always been a demon from the start.

Every day, having lessons solely in the annex felt a bit limiting, so they sometimes enjoyed the sun in the rose garden or the lawn near the main house.

“…You’re really not like the others.”
•

After that, Diella took every chance to learn magic from Dereck.

Translation of Noble Lady Reformation Guide - Chapter 11: Imam (1) by Indra Translations.

The sight of young Lady Diella following Dereck around, peppering him with questions, often reminded people of her younger self.

Eventually, the shouts within the Duplain family began to fade.

If time allowed, they wandered through the nearby forest and rivers, where grander spells could be demonstrated. anxiety As they came and went, they often caught the eyes of passing nobles and servants.

Translation of Noble Lady Reformation Guide - Chapter 11: Imam (1) by Indra Translations.

“Hmm…”

In the private office of the Duplain family’s second son, Leigh, after hearing the rumors about Diella, sat alone with his legs crossed, drumming his fingers idly on the desk.

For the servants, there was no greater relief. arctic Before long, Dereck had become the savior of the mansion staff.

Translation of Noble Lady Reformation Guide - Chapter 11: Imam (1) by Indra Translations.

No matter what people said about new beginnings, accumulated hatred didn’t disappear so easily. atom That was the nature of karma.

He had been one of the victims of Diella’s worst days. timber She would rant and spread malicious gossip at every opportunity, tormenting and dismissing even her most beloved personal maid. artist One of them had served with Leigh for over a decade.

Though there were some favorable rumors about Diella, he couldn’t imagine she had changed so easily.