Chapter 159: The Master of My Master (4)
8qmfNIKatia’s life curve had always been on a downward slope.y2q7O
QAuRBfgIn Katia’s turbulent life, if one were to speak of so-called nobles, there would be far too much to say.aj7cTLF
GEWBWFrom being the lady of the house of the luxurious Flameheart family, she became a fallen noble, then sank further until she became a mercenary wandering the battlefields, and yet, in the end, she rose once more as the magic instructor of the Elvester family.jtJdppD
pdekThroughout that agitated life, the expressions shown by those who called themselves nobles changed every single time.mtVW
lneZu2When they dealt with the lady of the Flameheart family, who enjoyed a certain renown in eastern society, they always smiled kindly; when she fell into disgrace and rolled through the mud, they began to spit on her; and when she once again became known as a magic instructor, they started flashing hypocritical smiles at her.ksXV
DMye4LXEven within those attitudes that shifted as easily as turning one’s palm over, what could be vaguely perceived was a subtle contempt toward Katia, someone who would never again be a noble.Hvwh
SkK6Their attitudes, changing depending on who they faced, were like those of a chameleon.2OqdN
Me1UjzZTo Katia’s eyes, having lived a more unstable life than anyone else, all nobles were like that.nf3Nc
6XTbPerhaps those who had lived stagnantly in a single place could not understand that gap.rRgH
J1WYoung noble ladies of society might live until the day they died believing that the benevolent and warm images of nobles they saw were their true faces.e4zFyxn
4YOIn reality, when one’s position changes, it is natural for one’s attitude to change as well.bOCip
XeEBy this point, Katia no longer felt indignant or emotionally hurt by it.4KPln5m
yfo0zGLong ago, she had calmly accepted the fact that she had been lowered to a status not much different from that of a commoner.ehQC2yJ
hmmkrHowever, while living a life as if wandering within a whirlwind, she sometimes wondered about something.isY
RrfZ6Unlike her own life, which never stopped descending, one of her former disciples seemed to be ascending without end, rising toward some faraway place.WnNGl
hUfSurely, viewing the scenery that changes while falling and viewing the scenery that changes while ascending must feel different.cZw
Q0pHycOr perhaps they are the same. She could not know, because she had never experienced it.womN
RGuAIThat was why, every time she folded one of Dereck’s letters and stored it away in a drawer, Katia would silently gaze at the southwestern sky beyond the window and think.wVtYz5v
To6ACCUWhen the time comes, will you be able to tell me as well what you have seen?5i4p68
AKivKX6With that thought kept in her heart, the elderly teacher set out on a journey to reunite with her disciple after a long time.T3syQ7
gM0I***QX6L
b1T“I am Orel, commander of the Orel mercenary company. I have heard that you worked for a long time as a mercenary in the tavern district of Ebelstein; judging by your attire, it also gives me a pleasant feeling, as if I had met someone from my homeland.”C5K
JQ2i“…”EPWz
LsUStories about the mercenary commander Orel had been heard nonstop since the days when Katia wandered through Ebelstein.GDun
9CRSQThat Orel, already revered as a legendary figure among mercenaries, was serving as the commander of the private troops of the Beltus family was surprising enough, but that he had even personally brought soldiers to receive Katia was even more striking.MwP
cMqMmSeeing the number of soldiers gathered under the pretext of a ceremonial escort, Katia frowned, visibly confused.Zny
ThmK“Miss Denise… what is all this…?”HfU
klRcPmx“Uh… well…”THTTcpO
oLE5CDenise, for her part, was having difficulty deciding how to treat Katia.Xk5lt
tENKwqNBasically, Denise interacted with Dereck quite naturally.xWsv
M7iZEThey had known each other since before he received a noble title, so except at public events with many eyes upon them, they did not force themselves into using excessively formal manners.9Ps6
Zw4RaB3In fact, if they behaved too ceremoniously, the relationship became awkward, so both maintained a rather relaxed sense of a master–disciple relationship.FyIypIk
PfYyhb6But then, how should she treat Katia?DU3
TumDEoIn formal terms, Katia was a commoner who had lost both her status and her position.jjf5y
kfmmuDmSeeing that she treated Denise with respect and even adopted the etiquette of a subordinate before Trisha, it seemed that she herself did not place much importance on it.lrQREPr
iJm9However, from Denise’s or Trisha’s perspective, she was not someone they could treat lightly.oSv
CpO“Recently, the internal situation of the Beltus family has been quite complicated, but in any case, upon learning that Dereck’s teacher was coming in person, we thought that at the very least we should offer a minimum courtesy…”WFGpIW
GTf“No… there was no need to go that far… Miss Denise is very considerate.”04Sfo
slDc“No… to be exact, it is something we must do for the prestige of the Beltus family…”7bfQgrx
zoxtDenise decided not to adopt a false attitude.xmcfAHI
c3uShe had already heard several times from Dereck himself what Katia was like, and she knew that any clumsy facade would be seen through immediately.haxL
Ujyh“From what you did earlier with Miss Denise and also with Trisha… it seems you are still not aware of the influence you have in the southwest of the continent.”k9hEOTK
OJSVfFb“Eh?”oZH
z93wb“You will probably also pass through Ebelstein society, right? If your goal is to travel discreetly, it might be better not to reveal your name. If it becomes known that you are the teacher of Baron Ravenclaw, there will be many who rush toward you with blazing eyes…”nrC6bf6
j40GDHAs she watched Denise speak while swallowing nervously, Katia tilted her head with a bewildered expression.l020
1BiIkAs had been said, the only way Katia could learn news about the surroundings of Ebelstein was by reading Dereck’s letters.7KMbUKu
RZ6cZuJWhile working as an assistant to the Elvester family, her days had been so busy and hectic that it was difficult to take interest beyond the situation of a city on the opposite end of the continent.60E
nBuAnd what Dereck wrote was nothing more than a sober account of his daily life.MmCm
6UkL6oKatia had sensed that this would have a great impact on the balance of power in the southwest of the continent, but she could not know exactly how turbulent it had become.txXFKV
y49LDenise cast a sidelong glance at the ramshackle carriage following behind, let out a deep sigh, and said.2YVNdyN
Smh“I won’t ask who is inside the carriage. I think it’s better not to know.”S317g
hgG9QSvAnd in the end, what Dereck had written had been nothing more than a dry enumeration of his current situation.OeEz
4CCKatia had also assumed that this would have a great impact on the power structure of the southwest of the continent, but it was impossible to know exactly to what extent everything had been thrown into upheaval.4u2X0TD
BsxdDenise glanced sideways at the ramshackle carriage advancing behind them and, after letting out a long sigh, said.0zj
jvHzDKs“I’m not going to ask who is inside the carriage. I think it’s better not to know.”J6X
ycBThe moment she said that, it was practically the same as having noticed the presence of Miss Freya, who would be resting inside the carriage with the help of her attendants.Lwsl97
bctsg4d‘She has a good nose and knows how to handle herself. On the outside she looks naïve, but on the inside she’s as cunning as a snake.’Kh22lX
PUFWN5VKatia’s eyes, honed at reading people, were rarely mistaken.s4N6y
sy6yAnd Denise also instinctively understood that Katia had already read her completely.EshO88
Rq98B‘She’s a clever girl. Dereck has obtained a good disciple.’VK2cly
DPqMuTPeople quick of mind often become easily sly, but in Denise there was barely any trace of that kind of malice.zGQCX3M
ya70Rather, the way she behaved cautiously, fearing to offend Katia, conveyed a remarkable firmness.yIfEWxv
c1dThat even Miss Denise of the Beltus family was being so careful with her made it inevitable to wonder what on earth Dereck had done in the southwest of the continent.bGc6u
w5G24nKatia let out a satisfied smile and spoke gently.6w7
5z7“I’ve heard many things about you through the letters, Miss Denise. Dereck always said that among all his disciples, you were the most intelligent and the one who judged situations best, someone he could always rely on.”Yle6c
u8Lz“D-Dereck said that…?”NUXXdz
4xCsWV“Why would he lie to you?”mBnWpzJ
zi8av1“W-well… that’s true, but…”vjs4MP
7BPSuddenly, Denise averted her gaze and checked whether any other family members were listening to the conversation.NeNd
QXGiVlThen she ran a hand through her silver hair, stepped a little closer, and asked in a low voice.8LaYNm
Xg8ksv“And… and exactly what was it that he said?”GF5ObLb
r53h“Pardon?”Xfp
MY9j3k“Y-you don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to, but… just… that… how he expressed it, what words he used, how he explained it…”BsPUv
5IzqDgI“…”28tCCI
gFIINSeeing Denise ask with an awkward expression yet clearly unable to restrain herself, Katia could not help but feel troubled.apunL
MuskemShe did not know the details, but she could reach only one conclusion Dereck must also be having a hard time.1XOF
vXtBrl7***rDN
8LdxF“This is as far as I can accompany you. If you continue across this plain, you will reach the territory of Ravenclaw, with vineyards stretching along the road. Dereck has surely already sent people to wait for you.”IwLjdy
KDUk0“Thank you for your consideration, Miss Denise. For someone of a position as humble as mine, it has been far too generous a reception.”KSQXF
sk5bF0M“It’s nothing. It’s not anything extraordinary. Rather, I apologize for making such a fuss when, if you had come alone, you would have arrived without any trouble.”na5
Gfd“Please don’t say that.”UYcy15
0rnSHKatia smiled and offered Denise a formal expression of gratitude.ucqci
dlaJDAfter saying her farewells, she took a deep breath and raised her gaze to the sky.MuKeY
XmsRaZSpring was advancing at a steady pace, yet in the shaded areas along the road there were still remnants of snow that had not melted.iZMnt
wvNybL9The sky, seen from the boundary between winter and spring, had a pleasant clarity, balanced at just the right point.iaI
LJDgA0When she exhaled, the vapor leaving her mouth showed that it was still not time to take off her coat, even though the warm rays of the sun seemed to insist otherwise.KE2dI
04LPkKatia had always loved that ambiguous scenery of the transitional season.QZB57
T9PJust as her life had changed without cease, the seasons too showed a different face just when one began to grow accustomed to them.M57
wbrbA life without upheavals might have its own value, but Katia undoubtedly preferred a turbulent existence.cmTSf
eT7BZe9The sense of liberation this long journey brought her after so much time was the best proof of that.6M8
zb1“The territory of Ravenclaw…?”3Brj0
1V4vdFThat white-haired, gaunt-looking boy who in the past devoured hard bread in a corner of the slums now possessed, under his own name, an entire territory.k9hUcE
frAbJixCompared to the lands the Flameheart family had held at their peak, it was a modest domain, but knowing that this achievement was the fruit of Dereck’s desperate efforts made it feel extraordinarily valuable.ccU0RNa
SALxn— Kii-ruuk, kii-ruukVRHm2
1gZm4JUnder the sunlight, the orchards being prepared for the next harvest descended in rows along the hills.13paH
LYmThey said it was a region famous for its wine, so the hectic grape-harvesting season must already have passed.Vh06
z9ka1XNThe landscape stretching before her eyes conveyed a strange sense of calm.ne2xkbn
y1DLAll of this was the home that that small boy, fighting with all his strength, had managed to build for himself.yO0
OyqzCWhen she closed her eyes, memories of the past inevitably came to her mind.6Tc
XOlrjDuring her stay at the residence of Count Elvester, there were many nights when, lying in bed, those memories resurfaced.zWFkiM
qdkuKatia, who had tried not to grow attached, always carried herself with a serious expression before Dereck, and he, clinging to the hem of her clothes, followed her with his small steps.b6u
4h1IHarsh, violent mercenary streets.dtJ
roaMud-covered roads.RyMHCtN
4IyA filthy beggar child and a fallen noble.1SZEgt
DZdCBSA son without parents and a mother who had lost her child.EBW
RwecyPiSurviving by clinging to each other in such a savage environment, where everyone only thought of exploiting their neighbor, was perhaps very far from what could be called happiness.RLd
HeomAnd yet, if she kept remembering those times, perhaps it was because they had held meaning.6byRWA7
4fjUAs Katia opened her eyes after losing herself in those uncharacteristic thoughts, a familiar voice sounded beside her.tafSC
www3qEE“It’s still quite cold, Master. You should be mindful of your age.”oDG
WZBU8i9A young man of familiar appearance had approached and naturally draped an elegant shawl over her shoulders.GQ2XRux
TPUNow that she thought about it, Denise had already told her.KJ3AV9m
81N5OPDereck would soon come to receive her in person.3QtrPUD
xbv9fKatia, narrowing her eyes, looked at the man in front of her and let out a brief laugh.1x3emIC
cXOEW3“You’ve grown quite a bit.”OcBclQ
RSf3gG“I’m past my growth phase.”cJkOo
hjr5LFz“You can still grow more.”LX0n
BzBAD“…”kmcV1vx
VMIEYWAfter so many years apart, they reunited as if they had seen each other just the day before, exchanging ordinary words.zlqse
oy8lThat was how they were.oLWJrOa
E95xuK7Both Katia and Dereck.XxBs9sP
Z28CZc2“I’ve prepared quite a lot of strong liquor. You couldn’t drink as much as you wanted in Count Elvester’s residence, right?”IA4J
h4xtGk“It took me quite a while to reduce my tolerance, and now my own disciple is encouraging me to drink…”6t5QOMt
gLPRj“If it makes you uncomfortable, you don’t have to.”blR
IhNpLi“Do you have rum as well as wine?”v1Q39l
Kg30w0Both smiled naturally, as if this reunion were something inevitable.AoBTMCG
BYxxThe season lay somewhere between winter and spring.57g
eeOx2RVThere was still a trace of cold in the air, but it was a time filled with expectations for the warmth yet to come.rF9XhO
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