Chapter 160: The Master of My Master (5)
bg8IKatia Flameheart had visited the southwest of the continent.BVR
lWwxIGFor Katia herself, or for Dereck, it did not carry any particularly important meaning, but the other nobles who heard the news went on maximum alert.8Jiq5d
LEAS7lkLately, both in the social circle and in the field of magical education in Ebelstein, the movements of Baron Ravenclaw had been receiving extraordinary attention.FO8v
Ic9HkSAnd in the midst of all that, the appearance of someone capable of directly influencing Baron Ravenclaw near the social circle made it impossible for them not to react sensitively.zpmkG7L
BupwSsVCountess Rodelia, who was holding the head of her beloved horse and stroking its mane, showed an expression of regret when she heard the report from the head butler.oeZY
CAsh“You’re saying she already crossed the gate and went straight through? I was already ready to cross the prairie immediately…”Krj2dPW
S8a“When the news reached us, it seems she had already passed the prairie area and was heading toward the territory of Ravenclaw. They say she is a person of swift action and detests unnecessary pomp; seen that way, it may have been intentional.”kD2g
3ylxH“In the territory of Beltus they say that, as much as possible, they did comply with protocol. What a tremendous oversight.”UgH1
5AUzDHS“Would you like us to prepare a separate gift?”KkZ
gAAH“Mm… I don’t know if she’s the kind of person who would receive it favorably. Let’s observe the situation first.”eLQhGD
V2nbod2“Understood.”jEah
wpITdCountess Rodelia was someone who liked clarity in everything she did.FjW4q
RfWZuqxThat was why the speed with which Katia had begun her journey and passed through the territory felt especially frustrating to her.vH9
deQd1NWhile Rodelia showed that disappointed expression, the butler continued with his report.LMbmtoa
p4ITLC“It seems not everything is a cause for disillusionment. A report has arrived from the gate soldiers as if the heavens had helped; Miss Trisha encountered that mage there.”2ZdynF
aK5“Oh? Trisha?”Ra9O
Gup“Yes. And moreover, they say she personally escorted her to the outer area of the territory. At the very least, couldn’t that be considered a minimal show of courtesy?”zLd
JwFW4cAt that unexpected news, Rodelia’s face lit up.MIXN6Rv
gPXOqfHConsidering Trisha’s usual behavior, there were aspects that worried her, but the fact that a young lady of the Renuel family had personally escorted her to the outside of the territory indicated that, at the very least, she had been treated with respect.qdYEiUL
6Q7cHShe must not yet have received detailed information about Katia, so it was strange that she had reacted so impeccably, but even so, Rodelia could not help but smile in satisfaction at her daughter’s foresight.Fzq5Wh
In9zv“Trisha, you say? Haha, I thought that, due to Hutton’s influence, she had a somewhat rough side, but in the end, as they grow, everyone matures. Becoming a disciple of Baron Ravenclaw, moving at just the right moment to help with protocol… I truly did have an excellent daughter.”j4TEmd
pdc6twRodelia let out a hearty laugh befitting a strong-willed woman and puffed out her chest with pride.C8KS
Wn3JgiNo matter what anyone said, Trisha was, at least in appearance, an elegant and distinguished young noble.hyDM0dk
AeWrX4If she had acted with proper courtesy, it was very likely that Katia had left with a good impression of the Renuel family.D9mb
70WQidWhen Trisha returned, she would praise her.IJ2A7I
G9JRRThinking that, Rodelia adjusted the reins of her horse again, the corners of her lips raised in good spirits.gnxgFmr
V7Gz“……That’s how it happened, Mother.”dhLM
BMo5The corners of Rodelia’s lips fell bitterly.nzI
tmIbPressing her fingers to her temple, she showed a gloomy expression, as if sunk in deep contemplation.PSGdOeo
p7nAt the dining table, where a snack had been prepared to welcome Trisha after a long time, Rodelia occupied the main seat, frowning and letting out irritated sounds, wondering whether what she had just heard was truly real.Mex
HfTH9JAt that moment, the maid who had accompanied Trisha returned with a completely pale face to give her report.eISqroU
F9v2Kbf“I-It’s a message from the magic master Katia Flameheart, of the Elvester family in the east. She says that thanks to Miss Trisha personally escorting her, many inconveniences were reduced and she received great help, so she expresses her gratitude. However, regarding the proposal to enter Miss Trisha’s service as a maid… she deeply regrets having to decline, as she originally belongs to Elvester… th-that is what she said…”jjDVg
4ZLqA“You proposed that Katia Flameheart enter your service as a maid? To the direct master of Baron Ravenclaw…?”jDZH
FCRn“I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry!”k7xZr
YIPeIf there was one redeeming quality in Trisha, it was that she did not lie about her mistakes and confessed immediately.ni0lX
SOD1MCZWhen Rodelia looked at her with fury, even fully grown men trembled in fear.jUf
wqWUg7wAnd Trisha, whose presence was nothing more than that of a small rodent before her mother, had no choice but to hold back tears and apologize the moment that tiger-like gaze fell upon her.GzA3h
VCDBsO“I really wanted to explain many things, Mother. It’s just that… from the outside, anyone would have thought she was of humble origin… and given the situation, I had to get angry… and then… while talking, we understood each other quite well… she had great command of noble culture and a very sharp tongue, I got carried away by the atmosphere… and then…”hfLX
rHSk“Trisha. In my entire life, I have never seen anyone propose that the master of one’s master place herself under their command. I don’t know what reaction Baron Ravenclaw will have when he learns of this…”ZPtga
0SyaU“I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry.”oachYv
UAkCountess Rodelia pressed hard at her brow and let out a long sigh from deep in her abdomen.ZpBg
Qkkpq1pOne of the great objectives of the Renuel family was to bring Baron Ravenclaw under their influence.pSl0a
O9iaaEKRodelia was a woman with a fierce obsession with attracting talent, even if it meant selling her soul to do so.L8brQaU
BxO0MAnd Baron Ravenclaw was, among the minor nobles she had seen lately, the most exploitable of all.F2jboV
8r6w0Ol‘I thought everything was going quite well, and just then my only daughter makes such a fatal mistake…’VkC
Z63If this news reached Dereck’s ears through Katia, it was certain that he would feel deeply offended.rQEiCv
kkloLAfter having built a relatively cordial relationship, they could not allow it to fracture over something like this.vPFvw
ee2FJ“Trisha……”xsQ9
7DPOAQ5“Hiiek…!”gRo1kkm
6BxLQSeeing Trisha clutch her shoulders with tears in her eyes, Rodelia adopted a fierce, beast-like expression and spoke with a voice heavy with pressure.w2yTBY1
p9cO“We’ll have to fix this, won’t we?”6oP
Mbj3KT9“Yes!!!!!!!”yaX6WI
ha4N***vw1jLS
dez“On the way, I ran into two of your disciples. They seem like good girls.”agOvN
FC9Xgz“Are you referring to Miss Trisha and Miss Denise?”q5rk
ABB2qw6“Yes. Both have quite strong personalities. You must have been through a lot.”TDz
SXmfFg“That’s not the case. Both of them have some knowledge of magic, so what I have to teach them isn’t all that complex.”gWuy6
btW8uiC“Magic, perhaps… but…”YyT9Lm6
hvgAs they crossed the main gate of Baron Ravenclaw’s mansion, Katia showed a complex expression.lPNK
W4zPDereck observed her in silence, but she seemed slightly worried.FF6Gvvh
7LlVizrKatia was a person close to perfection.6ao7O
BIedRA mature three-star mage, with a level almost equivalent to four stars, vast knowledge of the social world, keen insight, and a remarkable ability to deal with people.87G
6AwByf2When someone fell under her critical gaze, most young noblewomen ended up revealing their true nature.SC6vnt
FSugkTWith Trisha, there was no need to say it, and even Denise, as cunning as a serpent, let part of her depths show before Katia’s eyes.LafcfI
Rz1SJust by seeing how, every time Dereck’s name came up, she would open her eyes wide and start asking endless questions, it was evident that she did not see him merely as her master.VaV
DhSr5E5From that point on, the matter became delicate even for Katia.ZiRlyLl
G6H4ruXBeyond the relationship between master and disciple, she had cared for Dereck almost with a mother’s heart.HXq93A
f5D3YBecause of that, from then on, she had no choice but to sharpen her hearing.JG23Z
kqMX04“From what I heard, there’s a baroness named Pheline, isn’t there?”D8a
0h6n“…”otMe
dFBY“You said she came from the mercenaries and that, since she had practically no awareness of status, there was no one more suitable to serve in name only as your wife. But don’t think that kind of benevolent deception can be maintained forever. It’s an overly naïve way of acting.”4Zq8mYq
qSFChSy“Master…”oYgYHSx
Hhh“Don’t take this as a simple scolding. Among the nobility, the matter of a partner can be a question of life or death.”DyXWiKY
YMh7FIn Katia’s eyes, always gentle and relaxed, a spark seemed to ignite.JEeBb
wUnVDereck was already old enough.Sh4
cBs9MHe was attractive and capable—there was no way the women of the social circle would leave him alone.QM7gnB1
c6rOf course, he was also aware of that, and that was why he had placed Pheline as a wife in name only—but that measure was reaching its limit.3mY
YDefsaMore and more people were beginning to realize that Pheline was nothing more than a nominal baroness, someone who did not care at all about noble authority or about relationships between men and women.cOkyFj
YuK5AlSo he could not continue handling things that way indefinitely.f5eOC4
Te8“Dereck… tell me the truth. Among the people of the social circle you associate with, can you truly assure me that there isn’t a single one with bad intentions?”LWZXn
Ws2wJust by seeing the special interest Denise showed toward him, Katia had already sensed it.SkASYM
MRLBiNAround Dereck, there had to be, without a doubt, people watching him with greedy eyes, waiting for an opportunity to snatch him away.QvJl
x69JyhQShe could not allow her disciple—no, her son—to be taken by wild serpents from anywhere.TMYi
XxGrqHOThe social world was full of vipers capable of swallowing a man without batting an eye.tnSwI
tTx“…”KuNeg
kx0ywzDereck could not answer with certainty.oXrp
zUWeXUkHe had already noticed the affection of some women, but he had always deflected it by using Pheline as an excuse.IKb
pBeuWhatever the case, he lived obsessed with magic and deeply feared that unnecessary relationships would complicate his position.yhs
vX5fBuKThat was why he was grateful to have an almost deceitful excuse like Pheline.eJ88l2e
p7UZPeDIn return, he never forgot to send her high-quality fruits on a regular basis.xcA
URQ6vK7However, no matter how much he tried, he could not deceive Katia’s eyes.jmp
F4jtJtShe firmly grasped his shoulder and, in a way unusual for her, looked at him with burning intensity.7jc
Syai8pG“Dereck. Your dedication to raising your magical level may be one of your greatest charms, but don’t forget that forming a stable household with a good partner is also something truly valuable. I want you to live a happy life.”CcHE
S2C4MYU“Master… I appreciate your advice, but…”x4A9KM
DP2B“I’m not forcing you. I’m just telling you to be careful with the women of the social circle, as venomous as snakes. You know it well in that world, you are a top-tier target, someone anyone would drool over. Don’t fall easily.”oUjo
zXvnYsuHow many times had she seen experienced noblewomen ensnare distinguished young knights?QXXTM
5RiZdShe did not believe Dereck would fall so easily, but the world always held surprises.E9Qo
D5edEven though Dereck was already old enough, in Katia’s eyes he still looked like that boy who wandered the poor districts.qhLmhV
Zlq6j3MThat was how mothers usually were.mZvp
S6tC“Anyway, let’s leave the details for after we enter the mansion. You said you prepared plenty of good alcohol, and just thinking about it makes this aging body recover a bit of vitality.”FO0
46FP“Let’s store the carriage in the depot first.”aBpO
aKjyMcP“That we shall… hmm.”s6s
sUJ2zB1At the mention of the carriage, Katia brought a hand to her chin and reflected for a moment before speaking.Pfzcgo
rWFcSx“By the way, besides me, there is another guest. Listen without getting startled.”Q98h0Yl
VhU“…That was to be expected.”RKvn3Bl
4Kzo8SThe faces of the family members who were watching the carriage coming from behind gradually tensed.dJeheY
f4fYjKFrom that battered vehicle, which they had thought carried nothing but insignificant luggage, descended a young woman in a splendid dress, assisted by her attendants.1phXi
RkTAxnbWith her eyes half-lidded, as if everything were a bother, she raised her gaze toward the Ravenclaw mansion and then looked at Dereck with a smile of apparent familiarity.S31m
xXLh“We meet again. It’s been a while, and it seems your status has changed quite a bit since then.”HawmcGS
d40She let out a restrained laugh, handed a large bag to an attendant, and stretched lazily.zl8nmG
KTKpHer silver hair, of a soft tone, fell over her shoulders, and the mint-colored ribbons adorning her two braids swayed gently.pt5HKT
1qrShe had already met Dereck once, quite some time ago.Wfc
s4BMlShe had been a guest during the great tragedy of the Duplain family.fPNgw
Cw1LsgIn the eastern social circle, she was treated like a queen, and she was a direct disciple of Katia.L2kzy
43z8XThe young Countess Freya, of the Elvester family.hb7m
MJ74cJe“I smell bread…”S56bWas
miDQWith a gentle and relaxed expression, openly showing her appetite, that young woman was a mage who had learned illusion-type magic directly from Katia.O0Y4T
k125oAnd, moreover, she was the junior disciple of Dereck Lydorf Ravenclaw.tmgrgxq
What did you think of this chapter?
Report comment
Please select the reason for reporting this comment. False reports may result in account suspension.
0 Comments
There are no comments yet. Be the first!