Chapter 165: Who are you a disciple of? (5)
0LnwThe Rodelen region, where the Ravenclaw barony was located, had a warm climate year-round and abundant sunlight; it was said to be famous as a wine-producing area.Ljze
1T4HNFor Siern, who had always wandered through snow-covered fields, gazing upon cold and desolate landscapes, that place seemed like a true earthly paradise.SFWj4
YexeIt was a lush land.VOKXh2
dZ9PrIf she sat quietly on the rooftop of the annex and gazed at the vast prairie spreading out before her eyes, she felt as though all her worries melted away.ttHp2Aa
zM8b92The days when she had been trapped on the spire of the Rochester territory, hugging her knees and crying inconsolably, already felt like things of the past.7pg5x
yVR7vj0Now, the Ravenclaw barony was her new home.3zEXA
obTe7zEven so, from time to time, she could not help but think of Melverot, who continued to guard the Rochester territory in the north.wqih
FrsiShe often felt that she should go see him at least once.G39y
7DEHKJUIf he remained shut away alone in that land battered by extreme cold, even his heart would eventually freeze over.KuRar
gRacV“Yes… I have to go at least once.”4xNiutl
zlDWiAlthough her life here satisfied her, she also wanted to go and ease her father’s loneliness.id0
R0DpThat such a desire arose was inevitable.iOBG0
Kt7***n3C
TPdu‘I feel like I’m going to get dizzy.’4xMOE6
LrTlqOKatia watched the Duplain sisters with a sense of bewilderment.UmDM
goRuXNEven for someone as seasoned as her, who had been through all kinds of situations, those sisters were difficult to define in words.mzbJc2
iduUyAiselin, the elder sister, seemed like a perfect young woman in every sense, yet in practical and work-related matters she showed blazing eyes and an almost obsessive attitude.md2jI
uKQ66l“I think Dereck isn’t aware of how valuable he is as a person. That’s why I was thinking—wouldn’t it be better if, in addition to the affairs of the Duplain territory, he also left the practical work here in the Ravenclaw barony to me? He looks at me with concern, saying he doesn’t want me to overwork myself or that it would be a burden… but I can’t convince him. Don’t you think that if you told him, Lady Katia, Dereck might change his mind?”dDQIk
m8XceQ“…”6BeNWh
oSt9U“What do you think, Lady Katia? It seems Dereck wants to focus on his magical training, and once the construction of the academy is finished, he’ll also have to devote himself to teaching. Spending time managing those things would be a waste, wouldn’t it? You also care about Dereck, so… couldn’t you try to persuade him more directly?”9jLXdH
AzRvU1B“Well… Aiselin is a very noble young lady, but devoting so much effort to those things…”7YiiN
77G“No, really, I’m fine! That’s exactly why I want you to help me convince Dereck as well.”veUKC1Q
PW4HekuIf Aiselin’s workaholic side was already something, Diella was frightening in a different sense.vSVSug2
CPv“What was Dereck like when he was a child?”10JK2
1kF4x0y“Back when he lived in the slums, he had a very hard time. Even so, he had firm convictions and a strong desire to learn magic, so he was worth teaching.”8Gk
YOYM“I see… and when he was little, did he have any other special connection?”cvrtqFB
G4MR“Huh?”YYEcjqL
38HDrL5“With that mercenary named Pheline, he doesn’t seem to have special feelings, but Dereck knows many people, so you never know. Someone he shared memories with, or a friend he went through hard times with… were there many like that?”HvJ9r
QA3z“And why do you ask…?”EqS3r
XkH“It’s… just curiosity.”l3AfD90
3MSWWjY“…”ogMekt
og7tji1She had already felt it when she met Denise—there were undoubtedly many people lurking around Dereck.fxUm
UIEHFrom Katia’s point of view, that could be considered something positive, but after seeing how she had just had the vassals in the palm of her hand, she didn’t know what to say.HiLkA
sVIcIuKAll of the Ravenclaw Academy disciples had something peculiar about them, and the usual intuitions used to deal with young noble ladies of high society rarely worked on them.IFg7I
uBoEven Katia, with all her experience and maturity, could not help but feel unsettled; each of them was a singular character.WZuKH9
E8Xs‘Dereck… what kind of days are you living, having to deal with people like this…?’UZPmR5x
znjJZThe young noblewomen, one by one, all had such high status that they could not be treated lightly.CFr96b
vCLBTeaching magic while dealing with several of them a day was by no means an easy task.toWg
eAxCg‘I can’t afford to falter. Since I’ve come all the way to this distant southwest, I’d better start selecting someone who can remain by Dereck’s side.’hZNiRT
7jyegiQShe had already shared enough memories with her disciple after so long without seeing him.JtCZf
mG5HNow there were only the matters she needed to tie up properly before returning to Elvester County.HlvNmgH
nc9K8Dereck’s partner was not something that could be decided lightly, but at the very least she wanted to clearly define the group of candidates.b7E
4G4rPL‘At minimum, I’ll have to go to Ebelstein society to reach a conclusion. I’ll need to meet the young ladies of the Rose Hall…’JzEp
CvDjjWith a gentle smile on her face, Katia thanked the Duplain sisters.R1TDku
upUsNd“It has been a real pleasure to meet you like this. I’ve been able to thoroughly inspect the land where the academy will be built and meet the people to whom Dereck owes favors, so it has been a very fruitful visit.”iyz
fVfH3P2“Ah, yes, yes… are you leaving already?”JQU
VTFvMF“As Lady Aiselin said, it seems Dereck has many matters to attend to in the Ravenclaw territory. It wouldn’t be right for him to waste time taking care of this old teacher.”qvtZzld
1rPPoDereck seemed quite satisfied just spending time touring places together with Katia after so long, but even so, that was enough of an excuse to begin the return.UQnW
UTlOtsIt felt a little unfair to the Duplain sisters, who had dressed so carefully to please her, but Katia decided to leave the rest for later.uAN
TuPX1‘Then that leaves young Ellen of the Belmierd family and young Siern of the Rochester family. I can’t imagine what kind of people they’ll be.’GbjVoN
AiElsJust thinking about it made Katia feel her head starting to spin.qKPc5My
BeBYcShe already knew from the letters they had exchanged that all of Dereck’s disciples were peculiar.FaCvjlw
o5rOCRuShe only hoped that the remaining two would be a bit easier to read.3Jz1g
zrrDAfter politely taking her leave of the Duplain sisters and being guided into the corridor by the servants, Katia let out a long sigh.PoUMF
sEksCraaak! Craaak!v7Qi
LjkrnIn the melancholic atmosphere of early dusk, she took a short walk through the central garden of the old Duplain mansion.HBl0
icWmuvCShe always had the same feeling the deeper and more authoritative a person was, the more difficult it was to deal with them.yPs
fInv8eRWhen she was the lady of the Flameheart household, she did not remember having such a hard time.72DF
Yj2ffXyThe nobles she associated with back then were, on the contrary, people who were easy to read and handle.o2DvjX
8BrThe fact that their intentions were transparent and their actions predictable was, in the end, very convenient.Dt9bggI
eB54She had spent nearly her entire life dealing with that type of person.WpIwJZ7
FOZKbIt was just as, gathering that tired gaze, she headed toward the garden—sdQSv
tBO“Hey, hey! Do you know who I am? I’m Trisha of the Renouel family! You should be able to tell just by looking at me!”2sVO3C
spGPE“Yes, yes… of course, Miss Trisha. How could we not recognize you? The thing is, we’re preparing the servants to receive your carriage and give you attention befitting your status…”Qu5R1l
Y6yu62t“I said that’s not necessary! Just clear the way! If I arrive late again, it really will be nightfall! I have to hurry and fix the disaster I caused…!”gzkl
XdgzsAJNear the main entrance of the Duplain mansion, someone was arguing.MjjL
5o3PhJFLooking more closely, Katia recognized the young woman.qP6he
ZvZFFQh“I’m very sorry. If you had notified us in advance, this wouldn’t have happened…”YyMh
hLR“Are you saying this is my fault?”OTZ
XLHQA“N-no! That’s not it at all!”agmyglU
zusSSeeing Trisha ranting in front of a servant who was bending over backward apologizing, Katia felt her heart loosen a little.UmsT1Bj
tfAThat was, without a doubt, the typical image of an arrogant and immature young noblewoman of high society.8tQL
Z8IPeople as complete and capable as Aiselin or Denise were, in reality, the exception.IffGQu
knbThey said young noblewomen either had heads full of flowers or lacked manners, with no middle ground.uxUy0
SCDcSeeing someone fit that saying so perfectly was almost comforting.V54HBo
2LWTrisha was the exact archetype of the arrogant young noblewoman Katia had dealt with her entire life.oAna
gMR9tzW“Aren’t you Miss Trisha?”7xjSFEO
DGn“And now who…? I’m extremely busy, so if it’s not something important—ah, Katia, good afternoon…”gWyxp5
hQwThe moment she recognized Katia’s face, her expression stiffened and her attitude changed immediately; even that hypocritical contrast was already familiar.v3bstu
FMKYBKKatia felt as though all the accumulated oppression dissipated at once.RIbY6if
aFB8L3JA smile naturally appeared on her face, and in a very calm voice, she addressed Trisha.0VU
hCHzk“Are you in some kind of trouble?”3cgYhZ
H4bU“T-this is…”d5Vl
mzr6EOn the other hand, Trisha could not help but put on a funeral face.e2Fo
QbcShe had run all day to the Duplain mansion to try to improve her image, and the moment she arrived she ended up shouting at a servant and causing a scene.kDm
489ZAt that instant, she truly wished she could bite her tongue and disappear.MXPD
N1pfcX***1NbYQ
Bbldid“So I informed the young ladies of the Duplain family that Miss Trisha had gone to visit them. The rest, I suppose, they will sort out well on their own.”I3NrE
Z4wXG“I-is that so…?”C5VgSO
xYX5iBWInside the carriage returning to the territory of Baron Ravenclaw.slFmK9
EZfBmybRecalling Trisha’s expression, biting her lips and tugging at her hair with tears in her eyes, Dereck showed a complex expression.imaCAC
BeZFKnowing Trisha’s temperament well, he worried that she might have committed some discourtesy toward Katia.M4e
DtNYgAs he was thinking about how to ask her about it, Katia was the one who spoke first, with a surprisingly clear expression on her face.kNMM
idh“Miss Trisha… has a curious gift for making people feel at ease…”tJcrN1
BDRVOE“……Huh?”u3WS9
Vxu4Hlo“Well, it’s hard to explain in words… but when I look at her, I feel my mind calm down and become peaceful… I suppose it’s because she’s the kind of person I’ve seen many times in the high society of the east…”cmYnIo
9Ndj“I-is that so…?”I5f9u
SlmQWJTrisha, convinced that she had already earned Katia’s antipathy, could only keep twirling her hair with a completely pale face.BfxLi2J
MlxUDereck had seen that expression many times, but he didn’t know how to comfort her, so he merely gave her a few pats on the shoulder.XW4C6
9wQHowever, contrary to what she expected, Katia did not seem to feel any rejection toward Trisha.ucY63b
0HQ1FP‘Trisha is Trisha, but… my teacher is also a difficult person to understand…’3c6u
mHSdGneHaving a great capacity for tolerance implied many things.DG9x7F
AGQOKatia was already accustomed to this kind of situation, to the point of being able to look fondly even at a junior disciple as arrogant as Trisha.WsC
90dvDereck only watched Katia in silence, with a still ambiguous expression.CgkoiCf
56Zh4Creaak.A2OMxC
554QTap, tap.qOF
6tzqBack in the territory of Baron Ravenclaw, they walked toward the main residence.qqu
uIp3geeAfter sending the servants who had been busy all day to rest and assigning Freya a guest room, Dereck and Katia crossed together the front courtyard of the barony, already sunk into twilight after sunset.yHET0
w2ZL“Still, it was worth coming all the way here just to see you, Dereck. When I only read your letters, I didn’t notice it, but now that I see you with my own eyes, I truly feel it.”ZcO
5YJo“You think so?”dwkqy
2ZE“Yes. From the day we parted on the commercial street of Ebelstein, you haven’t stopped moving forward even for a single day. This vast territory, your magical ability, the disciples who trust you, these vassals… all of it is the result of that effort.”rnxn
Msvhk“You don’t need to praise me so much.”FgVOV
MN68“Is it really excessive praise? No mage of common origin would be able to achieve something like this.”GszCc
kTyeThus, they entered the main residence, crossed the central hall, and went up the stairs to the second floor together.Xuv1m
eSNVBefore going to sleep, they were heading to Dereck’s study to chat a bit while drinking tea.m8sP
P0v“That’s why this trip was even more valuable. I’ll probably take a stroll through the high society of Ebelstein tomorrow and, if there’s nothing else of note, return to Elvester County.”40EF
tVlOmR“So soon? You’ve traveled a long way.”Ql97X7J
T2IuI“In Elvester County, many matters have piled up. Making time like this was already quite forced, but at least it was worth it.”MGvYeg
9LKSQqKatia stopped, looked at him, and smiled gently.Gsa
1W2Bt8“Dereck, you’ve worked very hard. Knowing that you’re fulfilling your role in life well gives me great strength.”fivv2Q
pnniIOM“…”WO9
OkBT11Dereck was not someone who expressed his emotions much, and Katia knew that, so she didn’t expect a big reaction.1J0uk8
G0nEven so, after listening in silence, Dereck showed a rare smile.Dgs
zIEr“It’s all thanks to having had a good teacher.”EHzAF
JNA“…”xKkA
bUpQ9Katia flinched slightly, then her face filled with a warm smile.FzF
0aQA0w“Even though you have nothing left to learn from me, it seems I have a rather shameless disciple.”mxy57
ai2n“That’s not true. No matter what happens, I intend to continue considering myself a disciple of Teacher Katia.”zLr
7zdzR3vShrugging his shoulders, Dereck arrived in front of the door to his study with a comforting smile.46ssUbF
OE4tIn a world covered only by relentless cold, having encountered Katia by chance in that slum district had been an immense miracle in his life.yb2RO5f
DvMxpWith those thoughts in mind, he opened the door to the study.i7alSF
7aF“Before sleeping, would you like to have a cup of herbal tea? I’ll have the servants bring it—”rB5s
O8SWhoosh!lJim
vqbFrom beyond the open door, an indescribable dark energy overflowed out of nowhere.yrvm
SFRBIt was late at night; even the full moon had hidden behind the mountains.lhqNvp
W9TAWB2In the study, sunk in darkness, someone was sitting atop Dereck’s large work desk.8jI
x1NA small body.EHRH
E1zA neat frilled dress.VqJcl
A2KCarefully arranged pale lilac hair, and eyes of the same color.UCJu7
0GR99XShe was a six-star mage who had taken her leave with a haughty attitude, saying that they would probably never see each other again.YGUJ
11R21tF“……”z0I
v30MDereck frowned at the ominous energy emanating from inside the study.ade
1EQWiNKatia, who was following him, opened her eyes in surprise.gKrGWg
rouDTo Katia, the girl staring at them wide-eyed from the darkness was a complete stranger.2nd3
Dg9oDUzHowever, an inexplicable pressure gripped her throat, preventing her from speaking.AmW8S8
t6GThe girl was covered in blood.kdT0W
pCZThe stench was so strong that it was clearly perceptible even from several steps away, as if she had just returned directly from a massacre.lbj
zvlHhTf“No…”Cxge
OqBpzXJust as Dereck was about to say something, those lifeless eyes suddenly turned toward him.gZFXq
UiIThe corners of her lips rose with a mechanical creak, and the girl’s voice, wrapped in the energy of wandering spirits and souls, burst forth.wvhZ
Cv8s“Dereck~!”fl5
92TNmIn that seemingly cheerful voice, an inexplicable dissonance welled up.uCVS
8E7A691When Dereck took a step back to assess the situation, Fina leapt nimbly down from the desk.Q9cZ
JXpjPRDrops of blood fell one after another, marking her path.Mcw
LMnIn the girl’s eyes, a sinister, deep, unfathomable darkness swirled.gHl18x
MOap“Why did you take so long? I thought my neck would snap from waiting for you. My dear disciple, Dereck.”5TJflg7
4un0u“Miss Fina?”d745
Kpn2v“That’s right. It’s me. Your teacher. The only one who will teach you and guide you to a higher realm. Fina Rafaella Tigris. Say my name again. I don’t need that useless title of miss—come on, teacher. Call me Teacher Fina…”PtTupo
mmB0“You said you would return to the Tigris territory…”vqllp0r
StFeGjm“Yes, that’s what I said. The Tigris territory—I have nothing left to do in a place so insignificant. Now there’s something far more important.”ZWPZFM
sMkRIt wasn’t unleashed madness, but it wasn’t mere eccentricity either.nQLGFes
sRP8ZLyThe only thing certain was that Fina was not in a normal state.eMVH
n5hKatia felt a tremor at the tips of her fingers at that unsettling sensation impossible to describe.XhtRKXY
2Wpu“My disciple, my only disciple Dereck is here… Of course I had to come back.”zx1
BJkq1pUDark blood dripped from Fina’s sleeves as she kept smiling.asjkRSP
iR1UsxAfter stroking Dereck’s arm several times, she suddenly changed her expression and sharply turned her head.s1DII
tfMLHer gaze stabbed into Katia.221A5
PHwJust by meeting her eyes, it felt as though one’s heart would shrink in terror.WmTzh5o
8BwCpQThough she had the appearance of a small girl, she radiated the pressure of someone who had reached an immeasurable realm.wY58G0
siDEShe was someone who had reached the extreme of necromantic magic.svFuX
F8snoEven death served her.pt2Z
vqNThe blood-soaked girl, capable of devouring sanity just by facing her, was staring intently at Katia.V3X
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