Chapter 114: Fina (1)
02XFDoMany remembered the image of the great demon Noir, who roared with enough force to overturn the entire northern continent and reduce the world to ashes.xDQo
Fjhl4LTThe “War of Dawn,” one of the greatest disasters in the history of the Empire, was still spoken of among the people, and those who commemorated that horrid devastation were scattered across the continent.iWIR5I4
6oDEhu0A dreadful calamity, where blood flowed like rivers and corpses piled up like mountains.jc4l
Z4n9RThe brave group that stopped that great catastrophe known as humanity’s crisis was still mentioned as legend.2DD
Mmn2hlMelverot, Peria, Reveltone, Lusric.gh5z
dXpEVQhAnd the six-star battle mage, Kalimford, who led them at the front.Fjbqv
Mk7EUmhThe names of those five spread across the continent, becoming synonymous with the heroes of the previous generation.Drx
p4tHowever, those who were drawn only to the heroic tales did not know.ZZQYd4
gUuvelBehind their glorious feats lay necromancy, an art everyone considered an atrocious sin.fzGI
7PS2n‘Reina. I need your help.’Mmu66
Q2RIt was during the height of the War of Dawn. The place, a dilapidated warehouse in the Ankail Barony, on the outskirts of the continent.ukIIOd
EoGnl6There, the great hero Kalimford, about to embark on his final expedition to capture Noir, was kneeling on one knee, making eye contact with a young girl of innocent appearance.xaH
iRwde4The hero, with rough beard and a face showing the first signs of age. Behind him stood his old friend Melverot, his lover Peria, and his loyal companions Reveltone and Lusric.kl6
cTLTpLThe light that entered through the open door of the warehouse bathed them like a sacred halo.dC9c
y499LHowever, the inside of the warehouse, soaked with the smell of blood, was only filled with an ominous darkness.TNMFL
JzP1luIn that gloomy place, covered with traces of necromancy, the great hero spoke with a firm expression.m6LC3o
kDq“To reach Noir, we need someone who can break his necromantic sorcery.”0M8AT
ghmThe one Kalimford addressed was a girl who had barely passed puberty.ikqn1
daEuSitting in a corner of the warehouse, hugging her knees, the girl looked up at him with shining eyes.bR9
v9JTHer current name was Reina.ItvM
y7A303dOnce she was Aileen, before that Seraphine.0Lr
uAfralShe had also been Isabel, before Laies, then Poyna, Katlan, Amelia, Coilen, Magat, Victoria, Frederica, Aines, Cirque, Rushiel, Leti…iXvu
znHU7aAnd later, she would bear the name Fina.cZic
731d6vThe girl observed the hero in silence for a moment, until finally the corners of her lips curved into a sly smile.WBv2ao8
nBiZo“Hehehe, hahaha.”aTNWn
PGhMSLY“…”mUL6w8
oqOamVE“The situation is rather amusing. The last hero these imperial citizens have left, who tried so hard to capture me and kill me, now comes asking for my help. How ironic.”IJxsD
mr5Fe9A girl who looked barely adolescent suddenly spoke in an archaic dialect of the Central Plains.JoZDZpy
OPoyq3dIt was not difficult to understand, but the mere fact that such antiquated speech came from the mouth of a child caused an inexplicable unease in those who heard it.SUjn
b9vO2This girl was, by nature, an ominous being.6bJJ5
ZMvulL“I’m sorry, Kalimford, but I have no reason at all to help you. If anything, the most logical course would be to hinder you. Why should I help you?”XQe6Ba
Y6UQOb“…”K7dRfiY
PQ6r9Re“They say the magical level of the Great Demon Beast Noir of the North is astounding. Perhaps that creature can fulfill my wish. So the most reasonable thing would be to kill you right here with my own hands.”uU2zKYE
KM8At those words, Kalimford’s companions tensed and instinctively reached for their weapons.CnH0Xn
avBahBut Kalimford raised a hand to stop them. Still crouched, he stared straight at Reina and spoke calmly.9yOk
tY3sY“Reina. The Great Demon Beast Noir cannot fulfill your wish.”yus5E
Hav5tP7“Well. That we don’t know yet.”5PhCneZ
aCnQ“Do you regret having studied necromancy?”SrGiTP
WzdgMReina’s eyes trembled slightly at that phrase.wkRS
TiIdIn silence, she kept watching him, until he spoke again in a low voice.p3RyzYq
Ig1“The mark of reincarnation is a blessing that guarantees transcending death, something all beings long for. But… it seems you have already understood as well.”veJP
yieKcn“Shut up, Kalimford.”9T5
jCI“It is not a blessing. It is a curse.”jId
CqkbnReina clenched her teeth. Her hollow eyes cast an even longer shadow.qZB
hGVtThe repetition of reincarnation. Even if you die again and again, you are reborn as a noble lady and continue your life. That magic grants “eternal life,” something everyone covets.WPQNO
uU1oStWhen you lost your youth—whether at twenty or thirty—you died for whatever reason, and life continued, always with the same young face. It was, in appearance, a perpetual youth.a24ptU
uw9However, as the centuries passed in that endless cycle, you eventually came to understand.jSv
klVVn2QOnce you touch necromancy, you cannot help but live with bloodstained hands.NIIY
fhW34And wandering in that shadowy life countless times, you eventually forget who you are.kRSwqJ
TQH7Who am I? Am I Reina? No, that is only my current name.snRq
wNFOemnThen am I Isabel? Or Lyes? Poina? Katlan? Amelia? Coilen? Magat? Victoria? Frederica?Xze3
R1FWhen you trace back the origin of the origin again and again, you end up forgetting, unable to give meaning to your existence. Your original self, what it was, what it lived… all becomes dust buried in the distant past.w06bR
XCPSunk in that absence of meaning, you become a wandering ghost, unable to find purpose.jCyCk21
bRtmEH1Death, which comes to all alike, is denied to you.Pf6
pwKOkLuTo reach the pinnacle of necromancy means that.7OSK
eyFZThe mark of reincarnation, once engraved on the soul, never disappears.LMfS2N
c2dDuring the first two hundred years, you might consider it a blessing.8uDj
if8rHRBut in the end, you only wish for one thing—rest. And no matter how exhausted you are, the world never allows it.ZS02m
ztmuq7sAlone, in the curse of necromantic magic, living only among bloodstained shadows, she longed for one thing above all else—rest.e5iRyCJ
C26fem“I can kill you. Not just your body, but also your soul.”N3u
LkiWAnd then, before that wandering spirit, the legendary hero and six-star battle mage Kalimford spoke.6IvjwEN
CbhZ87His body aged, but his eyes still shone.ZPlPR
u9IOFVSix-star battle magic Incineration of the Soul.VYnfY
OsdKalimford, who had reached six stars by contemplating the constellations alone from the Rotan Mountains, mastered the technique of erasing even existence itself. It was said that, with a few months of preparation, he could erase a six-star necromancer from the world.at6sgT
xxALCEIt was his own domain, completely different from other six-star mages like Melverot, Kohella, or Drest. And, paradoxically, it seemed like a lifeline.tmdvUCn
gVXKalimford, the legendary battle mage, could kill her.AdmCYE
AqGFwThat simple truth made the girl lift her head.o9h4Y4w
8RDYAnd the following year, Kalimford’s group succeeded in subduing the Great Demon Beast Noir that ravaged the North.TCw0c
hKEHiAHowever, Kalimford could not keep his promise.cDO
IJvlOfBecause he died together with Noir.C2U5ZD
zzIz***Ybul
FLASHqsFwooosh.rb3O
HSqOn a rainy and gray day.ODNrAD6
H0GXIn front of the main entrance of Gremfort Palace, where Emperor Gratell resided.e3a
RhKVosA huge portrait of the legendary hero who had perished with Noir was displayed high above.EiZ
haXP4rIDuring the funeral, countless citizens of the empire shed tears before that portrait.t0fBB
KwGMcrNHis old friend, the icy Melverot, also bowed his head. All the companions of the legendary hero remained silent with somber expressions.RvO
x5OkQZsAt the back of the crowd. A girl, with her hood up, silently stared at the portrait of the hero.cPojgI
7MsZZAt last, she turned around and clenched her teeth.ONDxQ
nqKvOM“Damn… bastard…”Ol0U
Z0C14fAs she slipped away into the crowd and vanished into the streets of the capital, a chilling aura still surrounded her.U7Y3kA0
5VVbIKalimford had not kept his promise.A47n
Is9kiAnd so, a persistent coldness settled in the girl’s eyes.fuLrAI
po5c***ojB
BTFIn truth, no matter how renowned Master Dereck was, and no matter how meticulous Aiselin was, the first training center they opened was bound to have problems.Pq1
NLNJ8bBAiselin had envisioned countless unexpected situations in her mind, but even so, she believed that once the center began operating, all sorts of issues would arise.yTd
XOdb6sIAnd she was fully prepared to deal with whatever problems came up.L0Ojk
XabomHowever, the Ravenclaw Training Center was running far too smoothly.3A2ySe
XpM“……”r2pMq
l0fCTen days had passed since the center officially began operations.gRs6Vc4
kMwXuAiselin was sitting in her private room within the mansion that Dereck had prepared for her, silently looking over class materials.oJHW
gUenShe had already reviewed them several times, so there was no point in continuing to look.856hla
inb0vEThe court etiquette that had cost her so much effort to master when she debuted in society, the basic manners required for banquet conversations, and the elementary education for a lady were organized clearly and easy to understand.JdhfNKf
anlOKThere was nothing to worry about in Aiselin’s etiquette classes, and the same was true for the magic classes led by Dereck.OGf3l
ifmThe young noble girls attending the center were growing by leaps and bounds, exclaiming that this was truly a land of learning, even though little time had passed since classes began.vJSJB
CJuicPOThe ladies receiving training seemed very satisfied, and though there were some minor frictions, the newly hired servants were not causing major problems.wwhg
omUThe instructors brought in from outside were highly individualistic, but they seemed to be fulfilling their roles with dedication, and there appeared to be no serious conflicts within the mansion.rgWJAd1
kBv8Everything was running smoothly.VXMrNq
1ziqrWEThere was no inconvenience.aiBWCbr
mJZuiIn other words, there was nothing to do.i0a3d
Dnfqpj“…”v9la
kcr“Lady Aiselin… do you have any worries?”EUTIa
sqQsUqWhen Chief Steward Delbriton approached and asked, Aiselin answered with a dull expression.xdX
8HP“I’m worried because I don’t have worries…”GCunvI
cTxU“…”TYYo5SU
rowDelbriton had come to know Aiselin quite well since preparations for the training center began.ZGyI70K
hdtAt first, he thought only Dereck, the master of Ravenclaw Mansion, was peculiar, but upon observing carefully, he realized Aiselin was no less eccentric.4kaK
13UOPeople obsessed with something tend to achieve success faster than others.i889GVA
K6xb0In any case, it meant they weren’t entirely sane.zeO8ht
lfbmSNi“Now that I think about it… is Lord Dereck having any difficulties? I see him at meals, but we don’t talk much since he’s always so busy…”k6U
NbcKO“The baron is handling his schedule without major problems. Rather, he seems to be worried about you, Lady Aiselin.”yC7As
tWK7aNh“R-really…?”KQdr
WGPQjAiselin swallowed as she listened intently to Delbriton’s words.7zApN
OwrboQeLately, she felt she only had work-related conversations with Dereck, but even so, she seemed to feel a subtle joy in knowing he cared about her well-being.FoY2kQx
M7tWhen Ellen visited her some time ago, she nearly died of fright, but that was now in the past.OaZ
EgjONo matter how talented Ellen was, she could not surpass Aiselin, who saw Dereck every day face to face at the training center.RJg245
inoMoreover, the fact that the stoic Baron Ravenclaw personally worried about her health gave her a strange sense of satisfaction.PXj6Zcm
IqGEMAlthough Aiselin knew very well that it was only a courtesy remark, she could not help but feel a peculiar sense of superiority.YswC
ONRRAxIt was said that the one who falls in love first, loses.9XxFnr
fviPAiselin cleared her throat several times, then looked out the window, where the landscape was beginning to show signs of autumn.LVW
E67W1euYes, it was already autumn.n1nR
fRdGETime seemed to fly like an arrow.XcaQRm
Deb2“…”dLuzt
stPIjSuddenly, Aiselin felt a cold sweat down her back.gk0
8ejZo6“When was the last time I went back to my family’s house…?”vVhwla
9YgGDfxIt was a thought that only surfaced after most of her tasks had been completed and her daily routine had settled.Yh78GXZ
HK84nAs much as could be said, Aiselin was still a fallen noble who carried the fate of the declining Duplain family.YvQ1RA
qGdkYI“Are you talking about the salary? Now that you mention it, yes, we agreed to split it.”EzKEP
v0V7t“Talking about money like this feels a little uncomfortable… but in any case, we must account for it.”YA2s
F8eCA***648B
svKBreakfast the next day.rfoqyNb
U39QODereck, sitting at a rather large dining table, was eating simple vegetables, bread, and fruit.Q7OEUk
pbW1DzMAiselin approached Dereck intending to talk seriously about revenue distribution.Ced
RcPRwDereck, for his part, was reviewing the schedule for the day’s basic magic training, as well as planning supplementary classes for a few young ladies whose recent progress had been slow.dVfEdgG
H4KHmSQDespite everything, once he took on a task, he completed it diligently, a trait that had not changed since his mercenary days.sq9ILF1
baM4tOne of the reasons Aiselin valued Dereck was precisely because of his diligence.irKkM1m
4rVJ“This quarter’s tuition fees have already been collected. I’ll give you half, Lady Aiselin. I’ll take the other half.”ioR
qzsPn4W“What? You’ll give me half? That, that’s a little…”FzRaXq
xht“Too little? If you want to negotiate, I won’t object. But let’s discuss it properly with a notary in the office.”W9C
KGSpzEA“No, it’s the opposite. You’re giving me too much.”ejE
gEcAiselin spoke with some hesitation.LCrRh
A2JCIn truth, Aiselin was usually quite firm in such matters, but for some reason, her voice always grew smaller before Dereck.ooUc9Oj
ejA0mGRDereck looked at her in silence, then set his fork aside and pushed the plate away.uDp
pDdxAt that moment, the servants quickly came forward to clear away the remains of the meal.Mc2DeR
4CRO8“Lady Aiselin… I am aware…”cMHM
QKpXx6r“Yes…?”jS7
gROiFDereck spoke while pressing his temples.CbOcG
ZoEBThis Ravenclaw Training Center was established in Dereck’s name, built on his land, and he was listed as director.pvH8
ZReHowever, Dereck only taught magic and did not actually function as the administrator.XJqVehC
wHFbbRzInstead, Aiselin was the one who sat in the dean’s chair, managing all the administrative work alone. From the start, Aiselin had laid the foundation of the center and was the one resolving all the scattered problems.S13rV
KN5sCTNow that the center had just opened, many things were unstable, but frankly, it seemed that even if Dereck were absent from the territory for a while, Aiselin could manage it well on her own.4b0
LJWOhs6At that point, it was a little strange for Dereck to monopolize all the center’s income.yP1pfi
NXqOBV“And besides… don’t you need money? You have to rebuild your family.”dJbO
kO5V9“Well, that’s true, but…”2BUox
6TtL1L“The Duplain family will need many assets readily available. If the center goes well, the flow of money to the Duplains will also increase. So, in a way, working hard here is saving your family, don’t you think?”rRs
4P00oqhDereck’s words were true.4xkBLU
6mxHQThe amount of gold coins provided by more than thirty noble ladies was enough to be considered a fortune.OZbp
v5QIf half of that could be taken to the Duplain family, it would be enough to put out all the urgent fires for now.alJ
oGCEZ2It was something good and something to be grateful for, but Aiselin had never imagined Dereck would yield so easily.CGuC
g46EeTerritorial nobles were usually stingy with such divisions, so there was hardly anyone like Dereck who would willingly give up such a large sum.1IcK7
k8ujebxAiselin’s eyes began to shine.wgzTuN
QghcXeShe silently watched Dereck, who was brushing his clothes at the end of the long table, and then spoke with a radiant face.zerFW2
2BBDZ“Dereck…”6ddM
9gUX8“Yes?”gzRFV
aZn0“I… am going to bury my bones here…”qdr
7bp“There’s no need to go that far.”o9p1
i8fIn fact, even Dereck was beginning to find Aiselin a little frightening lately.Za1P2x
GMeFQAfter the Duplain family fell and she accepted that she was a fallen noble, she seemed to have awakened in many ways.1BQ
eVg7EwDereck also lived intensely, dividing his day into minutes, but even he found it difficult to keep up with Aiselin.zc17W7
fzrc“By the way, when the first term ends this autumn, I plan to hold supplementary classes with some of the young noble ladies.”8F3NK4K
I7d0“Oh, yes. There were a few whose performance fell somewhat behind. According to the center’s policy, we never leave anyone behind.”j3v
50i7Xdr“Lady Sidmer, Lady Rosfeld, and the lady of the Tigris family… I think I’ll give them separate lessons.”Ovy35
uxupQ“Really?”hrA
3cGPlmAiselin knew that Lady Sidmer and Lady Rosfeld were somewhat timid and lacking in confidence, which slowed their progress.ZtbK9a
UX7oJaBut she had not thought that Lady Fina of the Tigris Barony would also be included among those receiving supplementary lessons.etKRUa4
diycEs‘…Lately, Dereck has been paying a lot of attention to Lady Fina of the Tigris family.’OI4
FJOTIt was also out of a sense of duty, but Aiselin felt something subtle.Zi6
b5G1TA8She herself was too busy fixing the problems she had caused, so she hardly had private conversations with Dereck.7C0cfGD
1YkLEDereck, on the other hand, seemed particularly attentive to Lady Fina of the Tigris family.czx
TTTOeEven after all the classes ended, he stayed behind to give her countless pieces of advice or even went to the dormitory to give her lessons about life… Sometimes, they even went on outings together during holidays, spending much time together. (Of course, from Fina’s perspective, those were trials as painful as punishment.)fLwa
Q7LAe41As if that weren’t enough, he even planned to give her special supplementary lessons separately. (Of course, from Fina’s perspective, it was torture comparable to death.)7WaGZ4U
sTkUrfIn short, Dereck was almost completely neglecting Aiselin.Tt4
PY2z“…”qLFCm
P3teVHow cruel and heartless.hF0
G3vAThat thought briefly crossed her mind, but Aiselin immediately opened her eyes wide and came to her senses.l8zY8F
kaiTDCruel? What had Dereck done to deserve being called that? Dereck was simply fulfilling his duty.75Y7Fs
cqrOAiselin felt momentarily confused by her own thoughts and shook her head, bewildered.zz79BmC
r3FDereck, seeing Aiselin like that, looked at her with a strange expression, wondering if she was uncomfortable. Considering Aiselin’s workload, it would not be strange if she were exhausted.VyHpTB
o7xXReceiving such sincere concern, Aiselin immediately blushed and shook her head vigorously.CbrBPt1
K5Vn“I-I was just distracted for a moment. Sorry. I’ll go check the morning schedule right away.”ntsD
s21“You always work very hard.”2Wrtqbm
40WQ“Not as much as you, Lord Dereck. Anyway, thank you very much for the revenue distribution. I’ll do everything I can to represent the Duplain family.”ubF8Fuk
XWr3kSaying that, Aiselin clutched the documents tightly and quickly walked into the hallway.7B1Jm
sZWj1kFanning her flushed face with one hand, she was utterly confused.BsX5XM9
l33Y5nOAiselin, who was quite naive about such matters, could not realize what was happening to her.bw0
xOz5The same had happened with Ellen and with Fina.Wu9
et0vUKDFor the first time in her life, Aiselin was awakening the emotion of jealousy.x6i
5d2tmL4‘…Before this autumn ends, I’ll expel Fina. If I handle the justification well, Fina probably won’t have much to complain about.’Imd42
bmVOAfter Aiselin left the dining hall, Dereck once again reviewed the schedules of the supplementary lessons he had organized.bFf
cnGBHFina was enduring Dereck’s subtle trials better than he had expected.gUtG
hRaqThough Dereck behaved like a textbook authoritarian, Fina’s social skills, polished over the years, were much more adept than he had anticipated.msv
9MxI5Sn‘…To think she would endure so well.’sWJE
hTSZA necromancer is like a virus.o0MT
2pMyIf left alone, it will surely infect the group and bring about disaster. The tragedy of the Duplain family was more than enough proof that, if not eradicated in time, great calamities would follow.HHw
MrNThis level of action was still not enough. It was time to take more drastic measures.v8Xi
Y30jDereck was ready to act.5RaM
m4Sk“When this term ends, I plan to give additional supplementary lessons. Lady Tigris still has areas where her performance is lacking, so we’ll do more lessons together. During the sessions, I’ll teach her wise ways to face life’s adversities, how to respect her elders, and the truths and subtleties of existence.”4OerY
zxOsKThat same afternoon, after finishing his classes, Dereck called Fina and told her that.HxWJ
u6vMSYi“…Oh, heavens! T-thank you… I truly regret that you must take the time for me…!”mG9HP
WlkHOgFina endured the stiffness in her expression with almost superhuman patience. Seeing her barely manage to keep a cheerful face, even Dereck couldn’t help but be impressed.iLWFmYj
vj4XClnShe was by no means an easy person. She was as tough as Dereck.mBfZ3
3AmHhdiAnd when two tough people meet, the situation tends to escalate to the extreme.rTKxoMD
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