Chapter 117: Fina (4)
T90“These are the things I saw at the Ravenclaw Training Center. Father, I share my brother Robenalt’s opinion. Unless a major change occurs, in a few years the Ravenclaw territory will have significant influence in Ebelstein’s social circle.”WA6
YApuVDenise, the most intelligent young woman of the Beltus family, was precisely reporting to Grand Duke Beltus what she had confirmed.iov
v69The Grand Duke Beltus, with his stern face, stroked his mustache several times with a rather displeased expression.reT
8fICHe had been persuaded by his eldest son, Robenalt, to overlook the granting of the baronial title to Baron Ravenclaw, but now that the situation had reached this point, that man’s actions were suspicious.4kF
Z2HkwL1He had known Dereck Lydorf, Baron of Ravenclaw, for a long time. Even the Beltus family had once entrusted Dereck with Denise’s social education.cBkT
2QRIN9IAt that time, Dereck had been nothing more than a simple private tutor, but somehow, he had become the owner of a great training center.Rm103e
7YOPoEducation often became the foundation of power.av3t
s7S0mUThe fact that Baron Dereck’s disciples were infiltrating Ebelstein’s social circle meant that he was gaining direct influence over Ebelstein.1DG
FsQmlsAll power begins with winning over people.rUbI
xyJiThe rise of a new force, with several nobles as disciples, beginning to stir up the territory right next to the domain of Duke Beltus, was not a welcome development.n6c
oo50To win a war, it is good to take the high ground. And to win a power struggle, it is important to dominate public opinion in the social circle.irO4EM
sTI2uJwUnderstanding this perfectly, Duke Beltus had been supporting Denise—who was making a name for herself in Ebelstein’s social circle—in every possible way.gfI3b4Z
tp16x2“This is not pleasant news. The fact that future socialites are passing through that place means it is becoming the center of the social circle.”l0GwQ
XMSB“Do you really think so? Its scale wasn’t that impressive.”7QJs4Ut
VkR“Scale doesn’t matter. You know this, Denise. The main base of the social circle of the eastern continent was, at first, the port city of Roboff, but eventually it moved to the Elvester mansion after the count built all sorts of cultural facilities in his territory.”mGv
NDu9OgtThe base of the social circle in the southwestern continent was the noble district of Ebelstein, but that of the eastern continent was the Elvester Count’s mansion.ZiY
yhfOTwUThat place, which had become so grand that it was hardly appropriate to call it a mansion anymore, was famous for hosting all kinds of cultural events—stage performances, tours of famous minstrels, the largest tea parties, and numerous gatherings throughout the year.7j8t4
GyJ5OWith that place within his territory, Count Elvester stood at the pinnacle of noble culture, and his only daughter, Freya, was regarded as the noblest figure of all.BrFhMsK
PvNTIf Aiselin was in the Ebelstein social circle, then Freya was in the eastern one.GgD
OxxfrL7To the point that it was easy to name Freya as one of the queens of the social circle, it was not difficult to understand how important it was to seize the center of such a circle.bDKr
oaRvAnd Freya’s personal teacher was Katia Flameheart, former lady of a fallen viscount family.Q86j
eecShe was now famous as the greatest instructor of magic in the entire eastern continent.PQmik
ivbnD2“Not long ago, Duplain, who was the most troublesome, lost power. The throne of the Ebelstein social circle remains vacant, and this is a transitional period. I do not want unnecessary variables to arise just when the Viscount of Renouel is on the rise.”2HNC
8MzWPDuke Beltus spoke solemnly from his office chair.jbT
MbyS“It seems we cannot leave that training center unmonitored.”GGCf
GqqyDenise’s face began to darken slightly. She seemed to know what the duke was about to say.EYJOCT7
Fpn1j“Find any pretext. We must restrain the growth of the Ravenclaw territory.”UzhB2Z
u3K8“…”MBG3S
GhCP“For now, it’s not easy to find a good pretext, but if anyone can find one, it’s you, Denise. You’ve been in contact with that baron and have maintained a close relationship.”gYb7
IiHDuke Beltus intended to restrain Baron Ravenclaw and put Denise in charge of that plan.jpOwX
honYz6fSince Denise was the one with the widest reach in Ebelstein’s social circle within the Beltus family, it was a natural choice.3d7
E0zueWA“Create a pretext to control that man. Meet with him as often as possible, stay close, and find his weaknesses.”IOwNN1
fWsSeeing Duke Beltus’s confident smile, Denise lowered her head and replied softly.eHH
A89AHV“Understood.”ug0hzEc
ZIydECreak.rTp
r140After finishing her morning greeting and stepping out into the corridor, Denise wore a tired expression. Though she had just woken up, she already felt exhausted.n9z
nQJ“Lady Denise, are you feeling unwell?”CXjUs
JASiKR“No, Bella.”BRyVnY
ifaqDenise replied that she was fine, waving her arms a little, then stood for a moment in the corridor with a complicated expression before finally letting out a deep sigh.rdohS2
Uwg0“I expected this, but it ended up like this after all.”CFA0
PInBuuThe mountains of the Beltus domain, visible through the window, were already adorned with brightly colored autumn leaves.y93CF
eb1RAutumn had fully arrived.f3wxvI
qiDZ***x6rNs1I
gvgAiselin enjoyed autumn night walks.ow0B
4NNmySitting in the cool night air—neither cold nor warm—and gazing at the bright full moon made her feel as if she had arrived in another world.5EMm
595uEspecially because, unlike her home, the Duplain mansion, Baron Ravenclaw’s mansion lacked a splendid or luxurious atmosphere. The small but well-kept garden couldn’t remain perfectly neat, so there was the occasional pleasure of finding wildflowers growing beyond the flowerbeds.feCHS
bQX67oSitting in the tranquil night air, organizing the schedule for the next day, the overwhelming workload and family crisis felt like stories from a distant dream.FnbYM2
SOjQkThis small pastime—enjoying a dreamlike sense of escape—was one of the secrets that allowed Aiselin to always smile so naturally in social circles.UAp8
oS0yjNSo Aiselin sat on a small bench in the garden of Baron Ravenclaw’s mansion, gently closing her eyes and listening to the sound of insects.oPRhd
9hQRD‘This is dangerous—this place is starting to feel like home…’33v
0GG8lIn any case, she must not forget her goal of working hard to earn money and save her family.Elty
QSSFor the sake of Leigh and Diella, who were also working hard today for the reconstruction of the Duplain family, she had to stay focused.auxsgOO
0WflxfEven so, it was also important to let go of everything and rest when one took a breather.fFF3tS
nR70ykAs Aiselin silently gazed at the mansion with a slightly lighter heart, she heard footsteps.Dix
4S1HStep, step.YhU
SjDPl“…?”aA3sU
MDZxvIt was quite late at night.a0xyQPD
5lMRWhHowever, there was someone walking near the garden.gMKgbv
6twgkSince guards stood near the mansion, it was not particularly dangerous, but it was still not a good idea to wander around at that hour.SeiMrl
E3VqLooking more closely, she saw that the person was wearing noblewoman’s attire, so Aiselin focused her gaze.4dzCMK5
0moAs her eyes gradually adjusted to the darkness, she finally recognized who it was.PLoLmL
XnTVvIt was Lady Fina of the Baron Tigris family.iMain1
naVqAuThe clumsy girl, apparently suffering from muscle pain in her thighs and shoulders, was walking toward the main building of the mansion with a hunched posture and a deathly expression.M9PCqFm
tAeK6However, her steps were so quick that she disappeared into the main hallway before Aiselin could call out to her.PCr
Q9uYl‘Why is she going to the main building instead of sleeping in the dormitory at this hour…?’2Ts
ub3vNZdThe only people awake at that hour would be the servants on night duty.bIv
aMHexOMost of the lights in the main building were off, leaving only darkness.tkcir0
cNoSWWhen she looked at the mansion’s windows, only a few rooms had their lights on.6Esk
vWaZOne of them was Dereck’s office.DyhWd7z
L1a0AN“…”ga1k
sQSAiselin looked toward the mansion with a complex, subtle expression.QiKn
PAo***Au9G
jPR5F“The section where most mages stagnate is the transition from three to four stars. In terms of proportion, that wall is much thicker than the one between four and five. It’s where those who rely solely on their lineage and take magic lightly tend to fall behind.”BMA
QlwMLate at night, Fina, who had come to Dereck’s office, was sitting at the guest table, rubbing her knees.8T0f
df1KHer whole body screamed in protest from the walking she had done during the day.xGMYS
PVzeFina, a six-star necromancer and master of corpse magic, had no means of resisting the fatigue that came with her immature body.x4l3tra
75hQOqyEven while complaining about the pain, she kept her promise and recited her knowledge of magic.tZpSg
iTfzU“This is an era where the authority of nobles comes from magic. That’s why most nobles, intoxicated by the power of their lineage since childhood, aspire to become masters of magic. But ironically, most end their lives satisfied with being three-star mages.”Qsl
KjL“Most nobles I’ve met also seemed to have a limit at three stars.”eYo2U93
G8Zrnm“Yes. The realm of four stars is a level that only those chosen once more among nobles—already chosen by birth—can reach. Even in great noble families, there are rarely more than five four-star mages. In most, there are two or three at most.”ifpHf
E8NpTqThat level, which even nobles of good blood could not easily reach, was not something a mere commoner could achieve.jELZt6k
oJPThat is why the realm from four stars upward was known as entirely noble territory.X6sii
GsLbdIt wasn’t that there were no commoners who had reached that rank, but all of them had left their names in history books. That’s how unrealistic it was for a commoner to surpass that threshold.Ga6
4umQTD“For your reference, Melverot, the lord of the north, was nearly at four stars at your age. That guy’s a monster too.”X3oCf
JfMO6gDereck had only recently passed the age of his coming-of-age ceremony.Frw3ku
kaMBNormally, if one could use one-star magic by then, they were considered knowledgeable in magic, and if they could use two-star magic, they were considered a prodigy who appeared only once every few generations.4AW4
8cobkEThat showed how absurd Melverot’s level was. Dereck had spent a long time in social circles, yet he had never seen anyone reach four stars at that age—not even three stars.CkF2z
wnOokbbThe only one who could be considered close was Siern, but since she had been influenced by Noir’s blood from the start, she had to be excluded.4sj
PdKpXr9“I understand. If you’re thinking of wrapping a compression bandage, I can call a servant for you.”qkng
yGUxLoi“No, it’s fine. If I show my whining, sore self complaining about muscle pain in front of commoners, my authority will die.”uf5Ly
7KdAxB“…”sask5
pEhoFina rummaged through Dereck’s mercenary supplies, pulled out a suitable bandage to compress the sore area, and began wrapping it skillfully.ExZx
K521Then she lay back on the guest sofa and murmured an incantation, making an invoked creature in the form of a floating skull appear.Ntt6V
IYinnT“…If you use necromancy inside the mansion, it’ll be a big problem. If anyone sees it, they won’t take it lightly.”PY4DS
WU57bY“Don’t underestimate me. I always keep my surroundings in mind. And I’m doing this because it’s necessary for the lesson, so don’t worry.”UtwQh
d0uWGGtAfter that bold declaration, Fina reclined on the sofa and placed the summoned skull on her thigh.l9XrC
ZaYKAIt seemed to be a type of cold magic, as a chilling aura emanated from the eerie skull.xIov
Gnslq0Fina melted into the sofa as if she were going to sink into it and, with a groan, relaxed her body.gDQ
WY5dA4“Ugh… my thigh is killing me. You have no empathy. You have no idea how delicate and fragile the body of this innocent girl is—like a piece of glass. I wonder if those big, muscular men could ever understand what it’s like to live with such a fragile body for hundreds of years. Tsk.”l6stm
KF36wZ“What are you doing? Applying a cold compress?”10pfTm4
LLJlc“Yes. Do you have a problem with that? This teacher is trying to heal her exhausted body, and the disciple only knows how to say no, no, and complain—ugh, this feels good…”cg8iH
DMnn8g“…”fpBn
EgigThe scene of a girl who didn’t look older than fifteen exhaling in relief as if she were in a hot spring was so surreal it was hard to describe.UhORh
rNZWDereck, sitting at his desk, rubbed his temples and spoke.TEKeA
i5iw“There’s a hero named Rodelia in the territory of Viscount Renouel. She’s already noticed the presence of a six-star necromancer and is determined to find and kill her.”05K6
M6I“Oh. That nobody grew that much already? I know her well. I heard she turned Rodentz Island upside down while wielding the Holy Blood Sword, thanks to which most of the vagrants claiming to be my followers were wiped out. I’m truly grateful.”li0joAo
ZgV1s“I met her in person, and she sensed necromancy from a distance it would take a horse several minutes to cover. So you’d better be careful using necromancy where nobles gather.”oDjyr
NiPpdVG“That’s quite amusing. As I always say, don’t worry. I’m far more advanced than you think.”KmVJpo
cZGTb3OFina let out an arrogant laugh and, surrendering her body to the cold air emanating from the summoned skeleton, looked at Dereck through narrowed eyes.FOx
58X“Does this look like necromancy to you?”nK2Xn5C
Vmvz36l“…Is it ordinary summoning magic?”8UDI
o57I71“Yes. Exactly. You’re quite perceptive.”Tb3BTjy
csXbaVnFina groaned and twisted her body to change position. Apparently, moving too abruptly caused her muscle pain to flare up again.qjJUN
95pEhzo“What do you think is needed to become a four-star mage? Unfortunately, diligently reading the theories of the Academy of Order, created by scholars like Adelbert, has its limits. Besides, you seem closer to the Wild Academy than to the Order one.”5ryB03
06WWWrF“I have certainly heard that other qualities are required.”CLDvuI
wlC“Let me explain the qualities necessary for a four-star mage in simple terms. If you truly want to reach that rank, you need exactly four things.”CU9i
zVpMFina snapped her thin fingers, counting one by one.MGd
H186“First, originality or creativity. Second, compatibility with magical tools. Third, understanding of the variability of reality. And fourth, a balanced comprehension of various magical fields.”6E52N
XWM“…”g1jw
pRxRL6x“You didn’t understand any of that, did you? This is a theory left behind by that bookworm named Adelbert. That’s why it’s explained in such a tangled and impressive way. That’s the problem with those bespectacled scholars who see magic only as an academic discipline.”w4F
QKZFina gathered her lavender-tinted white hair and spread it across the sofa, then ran her fingers through the ends. Her hair, falling over the backrest, looked like a waterfall.yz7Gli
qHdkOa“Originality or creativity refers to the ability to contemplate magic beyond the already established rules. You, with your strong inclination toward the Wild Academy, have some of that, but you’re still lacking. You’ve accumulated quite a bit of practical experience, so if you let it mature for a while, it’ll naturally blossom.”TDr
kgQW“Lately, I haven’t been able to go to the battlefield much.”2oOpZ
bApHM7“Still, you must’ve accumulated some experience. If you keep reflecting on it, everything will become clear. It’s more of an internalization process than one of learning. In a way, it’s closest to innate talent.”KrPkjf
QJNkomThe ability to create one’s own unique magic usually comes more from within than from learning.SeDB6r7
gesYSMelverot reinterpreted the two-star combat magic Fireball in his own way and turned it into the four-star combat magic Lava Ball.5sEEzJ
MNdIt was a magic unique to Melverot, not recorded in any magic book.dh0f
1aAkThe six-star combat magic Soul Incineration, which Kalimford tried to use to burn Fina’s soul, was also a creative reinterpretation of the four-star magic Incineration. Even if it was called six-star magic, it wasn’t established by Adelbert.DWA
7STx3In this way, mages of four stars and above often created their own unique magic.Jof1q
qP9K9yZThat was the difference of talent.DY0dqrI
1ArH7“Compatibility with magical tools seems more than sufficient. The staff you handle so effortlessly, Footprints, is actually a magical weapon of quite a high level—higher than you think.”4gl
azYqL“It took me quite some time to master it, though.”lX2pZOV
FpByFmq“And third, understanding the variability of reality. This is a bit complicated, but at the four-star level, it doesn’t require such a high degree of comprehension. Ugh—.”biR8q
MIO2Fina kept interrupting herself with “Ugh—” or “Ah, this feels good,” as she applied cold compresses.382
L1aHorwIt was hard to tell whether she had come to teach magic or to take a break away from prying eyes.Fptfimo
G8Sk7“What is that?”pnTI
S5E6UpV“It’s the process of realizing that the world’s laws aren’t absolutely immutable, and that time, space, and magical principles can twist or bend.”DQQ
JXcu8“The more I listen, the more confusing it sounds.”D3Nlwk
Ff6FqJs“Don’t worry. As I said, at the four-star level it’s not required to that degree. This field involves level five or six magic—magic that deals with the laws of reality and existence, or that interferes with space-time. It’s the realm we necromancers use when approaching the laws of life and death. It’s far too advanced for a four-star mage to handle.”Gpj3
rVBFina continued speaking while lying back again, this time applying a compress to her forearm. At this point, the summoned creature was pitiful, being used only as a portable ice pack.d2MWks
a3pOCJ“Recognizing the immutable laws that make up the world and understanding their principles. It’s good to have a foundation in philosophy or metaphysics. Those things are more the specialty of those bespectacled scholars glued to their desks than of practical mages like me.”xrWYy
kFGW“I understand. In fact, I’ve felt that practical experience alone isn’t enough.”px25l9T
3mpM“There’s no benefit in obsessing over word games at a desk. Just learn what’s necessary.”iAXT
qm7hPThough Fina called herself a practical mage, considering the many books on necromancy she had written, she clearly didn’t neglect the academic field. It wouldn’t be wise to take her words literally.vnqv
agIUw“And the last thing, which is important, is a balanced understanding of the general magical field.”YNh5SPL
RFOAu“What exactly do you mean by that?”FZPSs
TSsI8rz“I mean the other fields of magic, excluding the forbidden ones I usually deal with.”CWz
CS5WF9ZCombat, Illusion, Transformation, Summoning, and Detection.6AZxui
MXq2gThe great mage Adelbert, who first organized the magical system, divided magic into those five major categories.PEFv2S
WT9DR“I’ve already evaluated your magical aptitude. Your aptitude for combat and illusion magic is excellent, even from my perspective. Your detection magic is quite good, and your transformation magic is decent, but your summoning magic is rather poor.”DwwR
miIZkZ“It’s true that my accomplishments in summoning magic have been somewhat lacking.”zD8z
lR6jG8“Yes. Well, you don’t need to become a grand master of summoning, but you should at least bring it to the level of two stars.”VY2upCP
ZRrYs00While it’s important to excel in one or two fields of magic, it’s also crucial to raise the overall level.JmDk9V
RpLDereck nodded and said,RwM
LGRSk“Then, did you summon that creature to make a demonstration?”ORavmbf
cjNjb4“Ugh—. Yes. And to soothe my muscles, startled thanks to you.”A6XnT
ho3pwX“…”eSgznd
ny6W9V“However, despite your blessed talent, your aptitude for summoning is still somewhat ambiguous. So it seems inefficient to start directly with biological summoning magic.”wZDSC5L
pdvESummoning magic is divided into two categories: biological and non-biological.QYXu
8BOThe biological system allows one to summon and control beasts, spirits, creatures, or monsters at will, while the non-biological system consists of auxiliary spells to summon equipment or alter the environment.dOT
29KfE“For now, it’d be better if you focused on learning summoning magic. I can teach you some non-biological magic, or it wouldn’t be bad to find a biological summoning creature with which to form a contract. In any case, if I show you a demonstration, you’ll understand quickly since you learn fast.”wzL1
644iAfter saying that, Fina dismissed the floating skull-shaped summoned creature.
The skull, already eerie just to look at, clattered its teeth before fading into mana.TUND
LJQSOH“Ohh, that was good, very good. I feel like the muscle pain has eased a little.”nD6W6z
3Zl“…”hLsh54
BOKdh“Anyway, I’ll summon it again, so watch the mana flow carefully. Now… huff…”QgjiYT
vJfDereck prepared to carefully observe Fina’s mana flow.O9Vw
ZsFdDAt that moment, Fina’s face paled, and her expression turned serious. Dereck flinched and asked in surprise.nkPCfFp
C43g“What’s wrong? Is there a problem?”rjh
FVCt“Listen without misunderstanding…”uZRk
eaG0Dl“What is it?”Kqg
sxF1Y“I’ve been sitting in a twisted position for too long, and now I have a cramp in my leg… ugh…”sYTGgIE
uIA1F“…”ZSybWTI
HjK“Press hard on the third point below my thigh. Because of the muscle pain, I can’t lower my arm… ugh… huff…”akmN9
LQAkBJzDereck silently watched Fina, who was lying on the sofa, stretching her arm out with trembling fingers.e38
6LJmSWatching her shake with her arm buried in her hair was like seeing a silkworm buried in its cocoon.LOdxw
3W2QZIt was hard to describe that scene in words, so he simply said nothing.pt2Uzn
YwnThen, Dereck approached the sofa and pressed Fina’s foot firmly.DuXLV
vEv“Ugh– yes–. Huff… yes… very good…”XhdY
FTlDBDereck looked at Fina with a lukewarm expression, his eyes narrowing.k0J31
qF3sdHe recalled the images of the six-star mages he had met throughout his life.CBC
03qj6FHThe great noble Melverot, who ruled the Rochester territory in the north, and the old wandering mage Drest, who roamed the world speaking of the future.tg3
M1wb7They were grand figures who reached high levels thanks to their firm philosophies and deep contemplation, leaving their names in the history of magic.9ovOhD
cdW80jvRemembering those dignified mages, he suddenly lowered his gaze toward Fina, who was trembling on the sofa from a leg cramp.S7f
QoXnnX“…”MAoH
sm1TIs this what a six-star mage is supposed to be?ASNoGNv
a0sql9pHe wasn’t crazy enough to say such rude words out loud.9cgxCIh
NFCb“You. When you look at your teacher as if she were the sky, you should have a more respectful gaze…”vyEDooP
bwi“Ah, yes…”6DxD
r8zveApparently, everything had been reflected on his face.N8gx84Q
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