Chapter 141: 4-star (6)
bh0mDereck slept deeply for the first time in a long while and dreamed.tNhWtq
gATQ3He imagined achieving, one by one, all the magical feats he had longed for over the years, and someday reigning at the very top.QgiqUB
dhFWhat would he think once he had mastered all magic and there was no higher realm left to aspire to?TTNaD
GsRbx3Even those who devoted their entire lives to magical research never reached the final realm.eT5ou
L7nhPerhaps even thinking about it was an act of arrogance, but even so, Dereck wanted to consider it at least once.C4f0Ymz
SDM1If the goal of an entire lifetime finally came into his hands, what would come next?dttIct
etpcoa9Even in his drowsy mind, Dereck asked himself those questions.cj3
0kaPQ8J***4SrAds
PyikEY“We’ve done everything we can for now, but his life is still in danger.”en1vr
3o5The Beltus mansion was almost completely destroyed, with not a single place left intact; even so, a secluded guest room was in acceptable condition to protect the patient.5OMykAx
fy55bThe person lying on the dust-covered bed was Baron Dereck Lydorf Ravenclaw.BDi
4tcY9He was the one who had contributed the most to the subjugation of the Beltus mansion, and a genius who had reached the 4-star level at an incredibly young age.5KRY
vTBeBut his life was about to be extinguished in vain.EyGz
WUrS“Report his condition in more detail.”Mka5
f8s4Countess Rodelia, sitting solemnly on a chair in the corner of the room with her arms crossed, spoke.0q32
ju4She still wore her large silver armor from the recent battle, and her long white hair clearly showed the passage of time.nPwKlg
CvdC5The doctor, under the direct orders of Count Renwell, bowed his head and reported in a firm voice.ZOz
bWhm1Px“Judging by the magical traces and the state of his body, it seems he first exhausted all of his energy and then drew out more magic power to manifest 4-star magic. It was literally a suicidal act.”ETdaD
apo“Why would he do something like that?”aIl9Hya
NnYB“As you presumed. To face the Grand Duke Beltus with insufficient abilities, he had to push himself even at the cost of his own body.”GFK
UEYAlthough she had not witnessed the battle directly, the fight between Dereck and the Grand Duke Beltus must have been brutal.HkGZ52
Z0cxlWEDereck tried to manifest even stronger magic even when he felt his entire body burning and blood pouring nonstop.FBbd
ojY‘The nobility of attempting to subjugate a necromancer even at the cost of his life is truly admirable.’qpnTwga
2SkSince Countess Rodelia harbored a deep hatred for necromancy, she greatly valued that Dereck had tried to capture the necromancer with such seriousness.G5toxpJ
DQwKoUQTherefore, it was absolutely unacceptable for him to die here.THWfp
9Pab“We must inform His Majesty Gruttel that a new 4-star mage has been born in the southwest. Put all your efforts into ensuring that Sir Dereck does not lose his life.”LnWED
lyuyzNM“Yes, Your Excellency.”jzmaT
tLHClank.9GPf
qeDGdRsAs her armor sounded, Rodelia stood and opened the door.SMuIWe
Jd4SfmBefore leaving, she looked once more at Dereck’s condition; the bleeding still had not stopped, and his state remained extremely critical.0ItA07I
aLCpEjc‘Now is the time to organize everything.’qJlTQ5
Wkf1q4FWhen Rodelia closed the door and stepped out, the hallway was crowded with people.DytOXAT
Zh4z9xThe outer wall of the corridor had collapsed, so it seemed people were packed all the way into the garden.AXUt03g
pt3hgHThere were members of various families and mercenary groups.x0C
Ay5OAt the front, those who seemed to be standing with worried expressions caught her attention.bL6ER3
MQHi“How is Dereck?”UmWH
yvaRYi“It is a situation in which his life cannot be guaranteed.”3fKwW
Gdsq6The highest-ranking person among those present, Ellen of the Belmierd family, stepped forward with a concerned voice.mEdTv
q1b9OvxHearing the truth as it was, Ellen bit her lower lip.TpR
zyCnAlthough she had not stopped Dereck when he decided to act, she never imagined he would be in such danger.258QNmj
q7SceYwThe same was true for the others.5exhK
nKljVA“No matter what they say, he is a hero who made great effort to resolve this situation. We must acknowledge his achievements, but before that, we must clarify what needs to be clarified.”69x
HsM0XWThe Beltus mansion was devastated, and the Archlich had escaped with the Grand Duke’s body.eIWCv
QiIHappy, the creature most beloved by Fina, had simply obeyed its mistress’s orders, but to those unaware of this, it seemed like a loyal subordinate fleeing with the most important person.6MZ
LctKIn short, it appeared that the Grand Duke Beltus had summoned the Archlich, and it gave the impression that it had escaped carrying the unconscious Grand Duke.Ny1EoT
8SMwybGrand Duke Beltus handled high-level necromantic magic and was a master of summoning magic. Considering his efforts to prevent a subjugation force from being dispatched, it was not strange to think that he himself had summoned the Archlich.jW07h
sTCS“Is Grand Duke Beltus alive?”FWZ4M9J
mQez0qI“That is unknown. To my eyes he seemed completely unconscious, but seeing how desperately the Archlich tried to take him, there is a possibility that he is hiding somewhere recovering.”4lk
Zxr8wMaking the mistake of letting the Archlich escape was serious.duqka
5VW1If they had perfectly subjugated it, Dereck’s efforts in defeating the Grand Duke would not have been in vain.zI1Zc
jyiJFeeling deep shame, Rodelia hardened her expression.fFDHpN
KSudThen she gave orders to the troops gathered, instructing them to organize the situation and thoroughly investigate the battlefield.NvtFIGm
oYUShe intended to uncover every detail about the Grand Duke Beltus’s crimes and the reasons he had turned to necromancy, to report it to Emperor Gruttel.Zue4k
ryrEEIMWhile reviewing the area and receiving reports, she saw a young woman resting near the main hall with Rodenalt lying down.MUT
UJegMvdShe was the eldest daughter of the Beltus family and a central figure in this disaster. It was Denise.tVZKE
kPoqysHer dress, covered in dust, was tattered, and her tired eyes showed deep exhaustion.3lagPq
w7wlzG9Even so, seeing Countess Rodelia approaching, she quickly straightened up, bowed her head, and spoke.SeumKX8
oOPmU“Your Excellency, Countess, regarding this matter…”mP0S1a5
Iiy“I have already heard from Sir Dereck. You were the one who understood the darkness of Grand Duke Beltus best and who first warned Sir Dereck that the family was taking the wrong path, allowing him to act in time. Lady Denise, you maintained your sanity in a terrible environment. I sincerely acknowledge that.”ecdWE3
IRJEcDenise had prepared her heart to receive criticism, since she did not expect the daughter of the duke responsible for this entire disaster to be treated favorably.ak9S
Z811But Dereck had already taken care of that matter.lxkX
aeUEWHearing the countess’s words, Denise’s eyes widened in surprise for an instant, but being as clever as she was, she immediately understood the situation.qMOX
dz3dHShe bowed her head and replied.l8Gj8r
XgSPj“Oh no… I only did what I had to do.”qbVV
MjvYt“When I report to His Majesty, I will make sure to mention you. In the midst of this madness, you were the only one who kept her judgment. I will ensure that the consequences of evil deeds do not fall upon you.”Z3r
jVY“I am grateful for your consideration. But… is Baron Ravenclaw still not improving…?”WYQz
sqz“I just checked his condition in the room where we are keeping him, and it seems his life cannot be guaranteed.”uSy9
PFxUpon hearing that, Denise swallowed.eKZ
OtBMs5VHe was the man who tore the darkness out of Beltus and still protected her to the very end.UYb7
YPZIf something happened to him, she felt her heart would break.3fx
XHKz“Some people are saying that he must be involved in what happened.”A00U
4UfY4While they cleaned the battlefield, the remnants of the Beltus family and their senior servants murmured bitterly.fjQaG4
NjviNMeBaron Dereck Lydorf Ravenclaw is involved in this.LqMJC
nIqQThe situation is too perfect.HUYuc
W7XTqQToo convenient for it to have happened just as the Beltus family unsheathed their swords against him.WpGI
Fpy0pThe cruel baron was shouting that he was the one responsible for weaving necromantic magic and that they should not be deceived.ZC7
73ffdmdUpon hearing such words, Rodelia first hesitated, but when she looked at Dereck, agonizing in the room, she had to gradually discard those suspicions.NjI
dH4No matter what tricks someone might use, no one would risk their own life in such a manner.wyc
oZbfklrDereck had nearly died, and in his condition it would not be strange if he died at any moment.zjbK1bw
JbSThe best doctors available were treating him, and even so, those supporting him remained deeply worried.iq4E
IvJrJfWhat Countess Rodelia was overlooking was that Dereck was not a sane person either.j5SruAE
WvHHe was a lunatic capable of risking his life for magical advancement.byI
NoxCZAnd that was why he had come this far.qOO
jd0DBut it was difficult to notice that just by his appearance.2Ei
CysMOn the outside, he only seemed like someone devoted to training magic—a man who governed a remote region and taught young people as his profession.T7CKI
ulopVu‘If he truly were the mastermind behind all this, at the very least he would not be on the brink of death.’SW0ZuWg
3d3dOthers might not know it, but Countess Rodelia, who had seen Dereck block the Grand Duke Beltus with all his strength, could not doubt him.ROdmlWj
3hQoyjCHis miserable appearance, bleeding profusely and trembling from head to toe, was right before her eyes.7O66
jgE“First, we must review the situation of the recovered Beltus mansion and organize what must be reported. We must listen to the accounts of the people inside Beltus, but we still have not fully determined whom we can trust and whom we cannot.”y5p0b
THoUCountess Rodelia shook her head slightly and spoke to Denise, whose face was full of concern.nvMvNsn
SpUuzqc“At the very least, Lady Denise, whom Baron Ravenclaw has vouched for, is someone we can trust. Could you organize and tell us the situation within the Beltus duchy?”2OEC
tUhcIt was a position from which she could present suggestions directly to Countess Rodelia, who at that moment held real control of the mansion.aK2p5VZ
kQFAnd that was the last gift that Baron Ravenclaw had left Denise before losing consciousness.FuB2xPp
da47HOmUpon hearing those words, Denise swallowed nervously.94I
DEn0xSOriginally, she had been a sailor on a sinking ship. Naturally, she thought she would end up sinking with that ship.Iwq1x
fK8zHowever, the teacher who had once instructed her had rescued Denise from the sea, calling her his disciple, and had once again handed her the helm to navigate.TdrJc
a8qR4YvIn exchange, Dereck lay inside the “cabin,” completely collapsed.m8g
ag5idQDenise could not allow his sincerity to be wasted. She widened her eyes and composed herself.FSYnU9w
vyFIt was the moment for Denise to stand firm.GZf6
YHg**8Zns5
i8lZq[You have reached the level of 4 stars. You are a master of magic.]N0f
ozzP[You can now access the fusion theory of the magic system.]8Vz
vZkf“…”AM3ZM82
syi6mHrChirp, chirp, chirp.fDvq
52ZqaWZWhen Dereck opened his eyes, it was already morning and the sun was rising.gs1
nuZaQaHis whole body throbbed with intense pain, but he was used to enduring it.A1Urq
IfOysGAs he adjusted to the piercing brightness of the morning light and raised his torso, he saw a familiar figure sitting beside the bed, arms crossed and one leg over the other.OdRdu
2RTQt1A“…”MzT
9pJ“…Hello, Dereck.”XlZGZT
Blfm“Pheline. What are you doing here?”33WEbHm
EhWZ“What do you think? I’ve been taking care of you.”WdwEIz
PGXnWzAPheline also had scratches all over her body.5lTm6
zV9lIt seemed that only one day had passed since that chaotic night.fNQM
BiDom“…You don’t look like someone taking care of a patient.”2N1kw
QUgIOVS“It’s just a manner of speaking. If you saw how things are outside, you’d be shocked. Tons of people wanted to come in to see you, but for some reason, I’m the only one who managed to slip through and stay here.”nlljTb
14GX0Kc“And how did you get in with all that commotion?”bYA22ng
LZJP“I was going to ignore it anyway, but they said it didn’t matter because I’m the baron’s wife…”dRGr
9PZi“…”n9c
oI8NQWk“…”l7s1GB
7Xmn1WsAn awkward silence filled the space for a moment.1lCkt
27UbaDespite everything, Pheline was officially Dereck’s partner.81NX
ZHKThere was no romantic atmosphere between them, but officially, that was their status.krNH
or9EpvDereck held his aching forehead while Pheline brushed aside her bangs with a complicated expression.tneAoOe
vXA“Well, I know how tough you are, Dereck… so I thought it was ridiculous to talk about life or death over a wound like this.”tSGnf
2iGGt0LTo a stranger, it looked like his life was hanging by a thread.xS9I
neezgVtIn truth, Dereck’s bleeding and wounds were severe, and if he weren’t someone properly trained, it would have been normal for him to die on the spot.wNt
ihiVzKFacing a 5-star mage as only a 3-star from the start implied accepting extreme risk.iZKeA5
ID1OUBut for Pheline, who had wandered through labyrinths alongside him for years, seeing Dereck seriously injured was nothing new.FyPPxy
iYj0Before, Pheline would despair, carry him on her back, bandage his wounds, walk anxiously without sleeping—but that pure behavior had already vanished.VAZ8
kE6txYNow she only looked at him with an expression that said, “This guy lying around again—what an idiot.”lxZG
rKfThey knew each other so well that they didn’t feel any special sense of crisis.BKitjm
zryZG“Dereck, when I look at you I feel like you’re someone who wouldn’t surprise anyone if one day you died while training magic.”CUgf6xK
MoHHbQ“You know well that I don’t die that easily.”Ta1GC
UC67Iyh“Hard to deny… anyway, it’s your life. Besides, thanks to you, I had fun.”GsfWEV
A9SevPheline, who also had considerable wounds, smiled broadly.6D14
YPv“When else could I kick noble asses if not in situations like this? It seems we’ll get a nice reward in the end—when the status of someone you know rises, the benefits come along.”KqMqRf
cRJEE0D“You say you hate nobles, but you don’t seem bothered when I act like one and cause a mess.”vxC
h5TyQoh“You’re Dereck before noble.”2Oxf
YuH“….”JgZullB
NNT9Pheline laughed softly and continued speaking.vqH
UyYa“Well, there are a ton of people worried about you, so lift that heavy butt and get out. I heard some people from the barony rode all night, terrified that you’d die.”GKUz6
vwxJ“Yes. Thanks for letting me know.”irW
fCWS“Thanks? While I was rolling around with the Beldern Mercenary Corps, you were flirting with a bunch of women, and now I’m trapped with the title of baroness—terrifying.”zaWFw
z8EwPheline let out a deep sigh, picked up her bow, her sword, and her cloak, and stretched lazily.mn4
OuHIt was early in the morning. She must have been exhausted in her own way too.Sidl
9sLhqgAAs if she had already said everything she needed to say, she waved her arms carelessly and opened the door to leave.fjja
dXLxHer relaxed attitude even in situations like this was truly impressive. Unlike the ladies of aristocratic families, her constant naturalness was her greatest strength.lPb580
trNQbCreak, bang.VBrTU
a51xDereck watched the closed door for a few seconds, and then, as best he could, moved his aching body to stand up.EJyTH
Dvu4He was still not used to walking, and he barely felt any magical power within him—but he could clearly feel that his magical level had risen another step.sur
C0pEven Dereck, always so calm, couldn’t help but show a faint smile.2krMQ
EeSzyq4-star level.tUMH
CmiUNWA realm that even those born with noble blood and extraordinary talent might never achieve in an entire lifetime.xBF
xPvxlThe mere fact of having set foot on that threshold thrilled him.7FjW
xXCHis breathing quickened, and he felt a rush of euphoria.W6T5p
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