Chapter 143: How the Sun Rises (3)
ZF1Dereck, who had returned after finishing the work on Beltus’s side, was in a truly miserable state.f8RN
pyqPFMA bandaged and splinted arm, an eye patch due to the bruise on his eyelid, a limping leg, and his magical power greatly weakened.UcZt
0y1sIt was the sign that he had forced his body to the limit to break through the 4-star barrier.Bbqj
sIY9In fact, it was an injury that would have killed anyone instantly, but Dereck, who since childhood had been resistant to pain and injuries, managed to endure it.uaO0Abs
UUftwXThe simple fact that he was walking and moving like that was already strange in itself.Ruw2
xiAb“Lady Denise seems to be the one taking the lead in organizing the Beltus mansion. I’ve already finished arranging my position, so there shouldn’t be any problems.”M0P
h6Ct“It breaks my heart to see my beloved disciple in such a wrecked state.”IY097I
ZtW8“I think it would be better if you said that without smiling.”dBkaPgb
cz7F8The servants of the Ravenclaw Barony were completely shocked when the lord of the mansion returned in such a condition.Awr3Z0
y7tQDThey immediately brought him into a private room so he could rest, and almost excessively gathered all sorts of medicinal herbs and nutritious food.MlDxLh0
WezDwBHDereck was sitting on the bed, removing the bandages from his arm.iwN4USI
zA8There was too much blood, so they needed to be changed. He could have called a maid, but he had the habit of tending to his own wounds since his mercenary days.Sko
E3JQPR“How does it feel to reach a new realm? Does it drive you crazy?”5rEK
jXa0C“Honestly, it was pretty stimulating. I couldn’t help but laugh a bit, and I felt somewhat embarrassed.”iV8vDO
hds“Hmm, hmm… I see. Well, I also gained a lot, so it was really a very smooth process.”smN5io
KVoZFina was sitting on the windowsill.UiDeSV
gWiXrDuTo an outside observer it might seem like a dangerous scene, but those who knew her true nature understood there was no point worrying about her.ijy
IcHe3ic“So, have you already gotten the hang of summoning magic?”IfjYD
px4T“Well, I think I understand the principle quite well, but I don’t think I can handle high-level summons. It seems I’m not very compatible with summoning magic.”2U9D2m
PlQm“There’s no need to force something that doesn’t work. As I said, you only need a solid enough foundation to apply various types of magic.”8rNfQvZ
DBCWd1OFina cast a sly look at Dereck with narrowed eyes.tNub
wx7Z527“You’re lucky to have a great master like me. Do you know how long and how much effort it takes even the most talented to break the 4-star barrier?”ILO3v
xUk“Yes, thank you.”EPVe
zy0d“…It would be nice if you at least pretended to be annoyed when I tease you, but you’re too boring to joke with.”Ss4zf5n
bU3o9hdFina sighed and looked back out the window, resting her face on her hand.PSG
wPOc9bThe snow that had fallen during the night was piling up. Winter had fully arrived.H8xs8SY
ueK“About the archlich that broke into the mansion.”ssV
PoTb“Oh, Happy?”Bvy4i0
gDTG“…?”0n54JcK
zLwnd“That guy. He was very injured. It feels like just yesterday when I raised him, hugging him and petting him because he was adorable, and now he’s all grown and terrifying…”DEV4M
2MDkAZImagining the gigantic lich invading the mansion, dripping blood and cold, anyone would question the meaning of the name.YCqv4z
98RoDereck decided not to comment.QexB
CzbLH“He disappeared with the corpse of the Grand Duke Beltus.”fCuT
3C4wR“…Why? Is that a problem?”O2aZS
murFina, a 6-star necromancer, aimed to perfect advanced corpse resurrection.3uPL5
JBMSigDereck knew she needed the body of a high-level mage for that. But he didn’t quite understand her exact intentions.rm1l
7kU3xQSo he tried to probe the matter, but surprisingly Fina answered bluntly.qIL3w
2Ii“I plan to resurrect the deceased Kalimford. For that I need quite a lot of things.”VFf
a2kIt wasn’t about raising just any corpse.B2YQDK
3dum9oZIt was reviving a 6-star mage. It wasn’t something that could be done easily.UdrSa
zF4l5V“I have a promise with Kalimford. Well, you don’t need to worry about that.”F7zr
RxgACE“…”f9u
LxKYlDereck tried to say something else, but stopped.1oW
EmjfEvery time they mentioned Kalimford, Fina showed a strange, almost nostalgic expression. It didn’t seem like a good idea to poke into that story.vfO
Er7In fact, Fina changed the subject immediately, as if not wanting to dig deeper.mbusRY
nDE3TP“Well, now that you broke the 4-star barrier, you’ll be even busier. There’s a lot to learn.”nmcX
xs8F“That’s true, but there are also many things to handle during the winter break at the training center. First I need to visit the Duplain family, so I need to recover quickly.”BLH3
H3E“It’s not normal for someone who was at death’s door to be thinking about going out wandering again.”iWw
XFkn“I’m very busy.”uydJneG
puQhtDereck stroked his chin and looked at the large continental map spread over the table.Hh8sF
grcEach territory and power was briefly summarized, but the information about the southwestern region of the continent needed to be revised completely.Nii
GwCUlA 4-star mage is equivalent to a semi-master.vOra
aRDuomTo rise further, one had to watch the movements of the noble families around the territory and of the central imperial family.xyeqow
7Y4R1RFrom that level onward, influence begins to alter the political landscape.6sRM
VX0fPIf he ever sought to reach 5 stars, his base of support had to be strengthened.R9Z5
IQmThis was because you never knew when elements like the Grand Duke Beltus would appear, clinging to their privileges and trying to block Dereck.g05
Z2ZUnderstanding that during the recent events, Dereck was determined to roll up his sleeves and build an environment where he could focus entirely on magic.FBfi
TZCdjTL“There’s a lot to do. I need to polish the new 4-star level, prepare the center’s schedule for the next semester, and fully finalize the alliance system with other families.”1AI
Wt5su“Ho… alliance?”UyjrT5h
JGhPTiI“Beltus has taken a huge blow and Duplain is going through a hard time. There’s no more appropriate moment for a major political shift.”yfvF
vUuThe traditional powers of the southwest had been Duplain, Belmierd, and Beltus.
The new emerging powers were Renwell and Ravenclaw.IkB
sdGUqqDereck intended to unite those five forces and create a full alliance system.Y7GGR6L
gs7gnNobles are a race obsessed with power and territory; they never unite with each other.j3YLV
g6pHowever, Dereck, who had connections with the key figures of each family, had the potential to be the central point.HMaeuT
Pen0oIf the plan worked, Dereck’s position would change completely.BH44Skw
yNXEHe would gain influence not only in the southwest, but across the entire continent.6vsS
L3OEven Emperor Grutell and Kohella would have to take him into account.oTKV
cGDbP4KIf that happened, no foreign force would be able to interfere with him.bn9
zt1h4zF‘Then I could focus solely on improving my magic.’zgLEM
UDGAtemFor that, he had to monitor the situations of the allied families.J2N3V
hgjWrBelmierd would stand on its own.baiYcja
uOiMwPThe count planned to pass all power to Ellen, so it was not a concern.Wd7S
j1gBeltus would have to reorganize during winter with the joint effort of Denise, Robenalt, and Orel.kkYoWtz
Q7Cp6GFIt was difficult to intervene in such a chaotic moment.R64IUP
3FnIn the end, only Duplain remained.rHGlP
a1w***0ItTCT2
Tg7Oa2“Are you asking for some kind of investment?”s187Z
YoBS56“Yes. I’m thinking of expanding the Ravenclaw training center, but it’s unstable to expand it only with the funds received as subsidies, and the size of the territory is limited, so there are many ambiguous parts.”DdSfwJ
sgzDereck is a man I cannot figure out. That was Leigh’s conclusion.rvSOf9m
aMSm8When they first met, he had come to the Duplain family as a tutor to teach Diella, but by the time Leigh came to his senses, Dereck was already a noble with a title, with a decent territory, and the owner of a large training center.AiKkM8I
q6Y6matThen he became a 4-star mage, and one day he suddenly appeared in pieces. Every year, he seemed harder to predict.i0G00
XeGYiIn the reception hall of the Duplain mansion, where the restoration work had progressed a little, Dereck was having a serious conversation with the head of the family, Leigh.8osG6B8
ua3rNVG“Since we’ve had a connection for quite some time, I’ll speak frankly: the Duplain family is in no position to support or invest in anything. In fact, we’re covering our maintenance expenses with the money Aiselin has earned thanks to her work at the training center. What more could we possibly invest?”AW2
V6t“It doesn’t have to be money. Territory, manpower, authority—there are many things we need.”hfr39
8tko493Leigh was sitting in the large seat of the family head, listening seriously, and beside him sat Aiselin and Diella.w1kHET
zCveSeveral high officials had also entered and were standing at the end of the wall listening to the conversation, but none of them could grasp Dereck’s intentions.i43ds
dzp7A76“Sir Dereck. Leigh is right. Actually… from the perspective of the Duplain family… we should already be grateful to the Ravenclaw barony for resolving our urgent financial crisis… we don’t have room to invest more…”KITR
708u“Well, it’s not a matter of who should be grateful to whom. In the first place, the Ravenclaw barony wouldn’t have been able to operate so efficiently without Miss Aiselin’s help.”36fRprS
PeUMIn truth, Aiselin’s contributions to the Ravenclaw barony were impossible to measure with money alone.A5LGk
x0xwgeVSteward Delbriton and Aiselin had both risen to positions that could no longer be excluded from the administration of the territory.3XH1Axl
26Biz7K“Getting to the point—after this winter and the start of the next semester, it seems there will be far more students than we can handle. Having risen to the level of a 4-star institution and gained greater prestige, it seems the training center can no longer take in all the applicants.”ZqAp3
phA0“Sir Dereck, then…”HZJNC
glJvE“…It would be better to expand the facilities, yes… turning the training center into something the size of a school or an academy.”bgGELa
8WsrThere was a particular weariness on Dereck’s face as he said that.DyE
X14jIn fact, running the Ravenclaw training center was a business that greatly raised Dereck’s authority. Managing an institution that hosted and developed talents who would then spread through noble circles—how could that not influence the political scene?TCuVsm1
nJgADGHowever, he had not expected it to grow this much.ylQx8x
vFp“…Then, that means…”LDNXCh
9YnAiselin shuddered.xnUU
S4RSEThe scale is growing.4kIGs
v9JBigger than a center— a school, an academy. More academic buildings.oLBg
IDNbWMore students. More investment.ylld
NLmXThat means more work.89ddo
grgqJThe financial plan would have to be redone, land scouted, the academic building redesigned, staff and maintenance plans prepared.1Ju
3ghA monstrous workload.qcfj
vkr8TPBut suddenly, a spark began to shine in Aiselin’s eyes.K2La
TFax“So many… so many tasks…! So many things to handle…!”1Znn
7VhAt that strange gleam in her eyes, not only Dereck but also Leigh swallowed hard.YfNZvsl
5jnRLeigh understood better than anyone how unusual Aiselin had become.1JmXbk
ga537m6After declaring herself a fallen noble and rolling up her sleeves even for the smallest matters, she had now become a work addict who suffered if she had nothing to do.zl465W
k838fyWhere had the Aiselin gone— the one who used to stroll like a lily through the garden?f7M
hRnZQmMOnly an industrial soldier dressed in a cute dress remained.XdlEKz
741PAs Leigh lamented that, he also felt a strange emotion—Aiselin looked happy.OEd3L
DZ8“Leigh, Aiselin’s eyes look weird…”sWD5nv
FRPO0“It’s fine, Diella. You should be used to this by now…”mJ9
qpdtpqEven Diella, who in Ebelstein society was a fierce lioness who crushed the atmosphere, was here just the younger sister, sweating coldly as she watched Aiselin get excited at the prospect of excessive work.aGJxk
lcr“So… you want to build a branch in the Duplain territory too? Is that what you’re saying?”Fwh0VqS
weJb00R“Of course, I’ll guarantee sufficient profits. Not only profit distribution… if everything goes well, it will be a great opportunity to revive the weakened Duplain.”pn2p
DBm5lAt Dereck’s proposal, Leigh stroked his chin more seriously.iY5i
Nof6O0YThe rapid growth of the Ravenclaw center was already so well-known that no one in Ebelstein ignored it.9vVMU
zFZCJfMany said that in ten years, it wouldn’t be strange if the social center of the southwest moved from the noble district of Ebelstein to the Ravenclaw barony.r0f7JMi
sYX3T1PIf the Duplain family managed to carve out a place there, there would be no better opportunity.Ph7o6
nqHngar‘How strange. No matter how I look at it, this only brings benefits to Duplain. There’s not a single reason to refuse.’B0GkzZG
GPQLeigh examined the proposal carefully but found nothing negative.vFVIY
VEdRbAnd that was precisely why he was even more worried.BAKRKX
Y0XZOWhat was Dereck missing to offer so much and roll up his sleeves for the Duplain family?rYP9vDf
oTxDereck had finished his explanation, and now the decision fell to Leigh.HFsQ
f5eahThe family head took a deep breath and looked around.73CM
lnwMThe high officials were mentally calculating profits.L24mT
OJKAiselin and Diella were looking at him with eyes shining with expectation.vyo5
2BBnaTThese two had already fallen completely to Dereck’s eloquence and ambition.d8Y
R0ykDuring Duplain’s darkest times, they had been the only flowers still shining.F9Ma
FHpvIf these two defended Dereck in unison, it would be difficult for Leigh to refuse.Ngtcb
DwRnY“We already owe quite a lot to the Ravenclaw barony, so we can’t reject him.”u9hJG
spfALeigh answered firmly, and added.GHAyWVD
mCYk“However, it would be good if we could have a say in the specific direction of the project. Bringing additional facilities to the Duplain territory requires more consideration.”b49
mHI1q“I’ll leave the main matters in the hands of the Duplain family.”vMxPLba
B3pNt“Alright.”huVu
HQWGdmAiselin and Diella lit up with joy.uiC
qNNQTThey seemed delighted at the thought of working with Dereck within their territory.Clr
ghIm2A‘…’MoE9e
G7RLbhSeeing his sisters, Leigh thought seriously.1Oic4
LLEThe flowers of Duplain have already fallen to this young baron.mtPthRN
qjbVLeigh, always dedicated to training, had little intuition for such things, but it was impossible not to notice with how obvious it was.IDkaeG
dA3Ae“Dereck, how do we proceed with the concrete plan?”39G
n0el“Dereck! If we’re going to hold training within the Duplain territory… c-can I attend too, right…? It’s much more useful than those boring philosophy classes at the Rose Hall…”5wL
nAHWatching his sisters speak excitedly to the injured mage.5Qf
zqKgdvWLeigh felt a chill.A8r
eic3nde‘…But doesn’t Dereck already have a partner?’IZGB
hggYWatching his two sisters with flushed cheeks.XvAio
GUJLeigh swallowed hard.HTrT
O90y6gQ‘They’re walking a thorny path, my poor little sisters…’Ji9V
V0vr1aHe couldn’t decide whether to support them or stop them.OyCDSmD
z3GVAs the expansion plan progressed, Dereck’s workload naturally increased.hoG4XA
hgzNaturally, most of the detailed work would be handled together with Aiselin while he remained in the Duplain mansion.v7hB6Sm
3776Tm“Much of the Duplain territory is fertile and has good weather, so it’s suitable for an academic site. But compared to its former glory, the scale has decreased too much—there’s a lot to consider.”ZRXHiuL
BcSRqXn“Miss Aiselin will know the details best. Recommend several suitable candidates.”ftF6N1Y
VjEeX“Yes. And regarding staff hiring, I should also review…”atxIByj
UMvtxWhen the meeting with Leigh ended, Aiselin, with a glowing face, began talking excitedly with Dereck about the work.4ZzyVB
Sp9UDnr“…”mLTq4L
nKgRDSqThe two walked quickly down the corridor, discussing plans.D5t
sn8ykBehind them, Diella with her luxurious golden hair watched them in silence.jVVz
18ecLLB“…”2Bz
OH9CdDZIt had been quite some time since she last saw Dereck.iLs
y6EaSince it had been so long, she had prepared her appearance carefully, thinking all night about what topics to talk about.pp09
9XbzhVShe couldn’t sleep, fearing her skin would be ruined.qi0eG
OBVEBut when they finally met, Dereck only offered her a few formal courtesies and spent the entire day talking about territorial work with Aiselin.8G2ls
20NQIt was natural. Aiselin was a key figure of the training center.AKpUh
wbPSQPAnd Dereck had way too much work.DM9
CjpgrqiIt wasn’t that Diella didn’t understand that— but still, something felt bitter.Iatd
0i9While Dereck showed closeness toward her as a mentor, he spoke with depth and seriousness with Aiselin.sZRGRf
MElThat made Diella feel a strange distance.BUG02Z
lSdMRAiselin Eleanor Duplain. Her older sister.P3N
PNaKbp0The person Diella had always admired, obeyed, and loved more than anyone.GcZtaK
hcFVBut now, an unfamiliar feeling arose in her— a stab of jealousy.bDb
F0H9tSuddenly, Diella puffed out her cheeks.ra8a
qZx“Boo—”iY6TRYK
a50rJust watching silently something inside her simmered with annoyance.WkWxv
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