Chapter 174: Seat of Thorns (2)
oH3What Siern felt when she began frequenting Ebelstein society was that humans were truly complex creatures.qcouCc
hA6For Siern, who had spent her life practically confined within the tower of the Rochester manor, the world of high noble society—where even a single step was laden with etiquette and a single smile concealed intentions—felt like an insurmountably high wall.OCAT
l2Wq658If the young noblewomen of the Rose Hall did not dare treat her lightly, it was thanks to the combination of dangerous rumors surrounding her, her absurd magical ability, and the fact that she had been the former youngest member of the Ravenclaw lineage, all of which protected her like an invisible shield.6SX
4ecGDQ2From the very moment that influential figures of the hall such as Diella, Ellen, and Denise treated her with respect, it was impossible not to feel that something was out of place.IhV
kxbJRAnd the fact that she had beaten Trisha for hours without even blinking was already circulating as a legend.guK
VjnIn any case, although all of those factors made her someone whom no one dared address casually in the Rose Hall, that did not mean she received no influence at all.iokp
ow36xZH‘She looks like a wild animal whose fangs have already fallen out.’DdI
URFSeated at one of the salon gatherings, filled with trivial chatter among young ladies, Siern thought this coldly.0Gp
cA0PNoblewomen seemed to constantly dream of fated encounters, inevitable romances, and elegant princes riding white horses.MKqnJL
0HTTFor a young woman approaching the appropriate age, this was not particularly strange—but for Siern, all of it felt completely alien.4y9vp
r43And that was only natural.jsBm
0R8Erz1For Siern, the world had always been like a merciless tundra.WzUFMdV
fseSitting around waiting for someone to come take her hand was the same as standing still in the wasteland until freezing to death.tPqLe
UpK9JUSurvival meant tearing flesh from corpses, dodging predators’ claws, and wandering endlessly in search of shelter.4wjnoeL
Mo5AXFThat was the life of the beasts of the northern snow plains.PF6bDB
9vm1iThat was why watching young noblewomen dressed in frilled gowns, chatting cheerfully about pretty tableware, reminded her of observing wild animals that could no longer bite.YySLQtN
VEHNK7Wasn’t noble society supposed to be a place to refine oneself, devote oneself to study, train magic, and become someone better?20seVQv
H4Ea0RNAnd yet there they were, recommending trivial romance novels like The Scoundrel of the Kelberon Family or The Arrogant Lord Robein, asking for her opinion as if it were something profound.TO0
ZR5VviWatching them, Siern felt they were taking the world too lightly.8ccQ0
DghiTF‘The magic and history learned in the Ravenclaw family are actually useful, but associating with the young women of the Rose Hall doesn’t seem very beneficial.’Cyy
bf7w0With that indifferent thought, she returned to the mansion in the noble district and collapsed onto the bed, staring into space.JeB6Q
2ge1Even so, she had come to Ebelstein precisely to learn more about noble culture and mingle with it.wOOk1VI
rMKNDismissing everything as a waste of time without even trying would be disrespectful to her father, who had sent her there.f3hq5kK
QkpAlthough deep down she would have preferred to stay at the Ravenclaw manor training three-star magic, Siern forced herself to erase her apathetic expression and picked up one of those romances that the ever-kind young ladies of the hall had lent her.PXAt
T9F1QYWhoosh.VqOxCZ
AVyNhWT‘There’s barely any substance, and the characters seem to have flowers growing in their heads.’yqexi
qfr‘With how cruel the world is, and they only think about romance even in the middle of a crisis. This so-called Lord Robein has a terrible personality.’jP8rIUt
BEgwAVSiern’s assessment was merciless.ed1lgBY
CzPrrZvTo her, the women in those novels completely lacked common sense, and the men seemed to have brains filled with nothing but romantic emotions.lD7yZ
GWmKMfLiving in such a simplistic way, they would never survive a winter that cruel.vJo
Wu36Repeating that to herself over and over, she continued turning the pages.zIo
vmzwn19Flip, flip.kSEKIME
zrbOne page after another.6gg
EOSThe pace gradually quickened.d8G
sqRUContrary to expectations, the story was easy to read, and it became difficult to tear her eyes away.IW2
GpHrJhTwo people facing the ruin of their family.LPbCR
K1GHA male protagonist reaffirming his convictions amid war.wW4eqN
6CeXBt6A female protagonist sacrificing herself for refugees.3ln03
KcvdZThe moment when the two confirmed their feelings.IYKiaiH
pRCXkrSiern’s eyes moved rapidly.ybr
ckm7g4At times melancholic, at times slightly daring—before she realized it, the pages were turning one after another.7gV
UOY8JoIFlip.Fc2sDN
n9P‘…Hmm…’Rqi6aU
ElxAnd, unfortunately, Siern was a girl as pure as freshly fallen snow.BIIxtHs
DikUx***uNo
Rg9jVMelverot was an extremely cautious person, but there was one thing he had not taken into account.GXG
6J1xDereck was the most renowned instructor in Ebelstein, practically an absolute authority in the education of ladies.1pLC1R
KM9The nobility of Ebelstein was famous throughout the continent for its splendor and long history, and the young women of the Rose Hall occupied the very forefront of that social world.lVS
BnjMelverot was convinced that if Siern received a lady’s education as a member of the hall under Dereck’s guidance, she would become a daughter anyone could be proud of.kVLUqUl
eo8But what kind of place was the Rose Hall, really?qP9rQE
sqllIt was the breeding ground of a luxuriant noble culture, a social world where the dreams and romantic ideals of countless young ladies blossomed.ZA5CofY
2uLWalking through such a place, it was inevitable to interact with girls full of illusions and to be influenced by the sensibilities and interests characteristic of that age.Nfmly
C3mDyWas that a bad thing?Z2bT2P
wocJqeNot at all.OKNJ1q
mru6M9In fact, it was exactly what Melverot wanted.E9ObU
63THowever, not everything one desires manifests in the way one expects.0g8r
Tva“Melverot, what is happening at this hour? You said there was a serious emergency related to Siern.”LkU
37LrXWhen Kalimford entered the office, several advisors were already gathered.lKe4f6A
ANK7mFrom the legal magistrate onward, all of them were key figures in the administration of the territory.zME7
Vovbz7XThe fact that people of that level had been convened already indicated that this was not something trivial.O2VpN
H5oKalimford looked at Melverot with a pale face.kcfhAh
HwGbI“T-this is…”9sfB
aTp“It seems that Siern has begun to awaken an interest in relationships between men and women.”PmRf
RYa9At those words, the advisors showed ambiguous expressions. Kalimford, on the other hand, froze.FtkCZ9C
rVFcw“What… did you say…?”dL2Dxc
7GQLetn“There isn’t much to explain. Siern has developed feelings for someone.”ZIOnKX
OQHCiqL“Surely I didn’t hear that wrong?”DZoQe
zAPThe great mage, who had remained calm even in front of a six-star black mage, opened his eyes wide and his fingers began to tremble.VFh
RwGG“What damned bastard…? No, wait… what kind… what kind of fellow…?”WZE5m
dIM5iKalimford slammed the table hard, his expression filled with fury.ZYzdF2
YB6dpH“Of course Siern has grown and needs to understand her own feelings, but even so… it’s still far too early.”cHL6ZQ
tdjB2“I share that opinion, Kalimford.”O6fSgq
zDE3All fathers in the world had the habit of saying that their daughter’s romance was always “too early.”bRyAt
96iEven great mages who ruled the world were unable to escape that rule.WuWnlh
Vjr“We can’t hand Siern over to just anyone who came from who knows where. First, we need to know who that man is.”HQLjPIM
x79KMV“It’s Baron Ravenclaw.”Oag2zUt
rti“…”1Dw
14Pz7UpSilence spread between them.eiYcLSs
IVWM8rBoth Melverot and Kalimford, deep down, considered Baron Ravenclaw to be a fairly respectable person.pdEv
metoUc7But one thing was acknowledging that, and another entirely was nodding their heads and handing over their daughter just like that.ZjJywtW
QGwAcVThey would sooner tear off a limb than allow someone to take Siern away, their sole treasure, whom even biting would not cause pain.fIoPa
WIBcDEven so, they couldn’t explode into irrational rage either.aJpSPA
l0puhkuMoreover, Siern’s feelings were one-sided; from the baron’s point of view, he had done nothing reproachable.erPbI7
S8jdAnd yet, they still couldn’t feel at ease.QCO
fUiFJFoMelverot and Kalimford felt as though an immense trial had descended upon them.5Gmu2
vJZ“E-eh… Your Grace… why do you think that…?”j66n2
F64“Father’s instinct.”yWV5tz4
SWqT8At the question from Magistrate Elden, Melverot answered with a look of absolute seriousness, leaving him speechless.RVD
8GM“Melverot… what… what was it that you saw…?”D3By9y
BGp57F“Every time Siern talks about Baron Ravenclaw, she blushes noticeably. I thought it was residual heat, but that doesn’t seem to be the case.”HOI8aD
GfnlFmxThere was no clear evidence.cIi
3F8mm0Just a feeling.qFjNJ
F0sTHO9In a situation like this, the normal reaction would be to laugh in disbelief, but Kalimford pressed his lips together gravely.asg
DkY8m“Damn it… at that point, it’s practically certain.”Xts2Hpy
hDzP7eM“Yes. I’m convinced as well.”ylPJE4F
zX39In the entire territory of Rochester, there was no one capable of stopping those two.sJdIzlT
KredABaParental love was a noble emotion, but when it went astray, it turned into obsession.aWlgt8
C9el4NHowever, neither of them was aware of that.IM30
ncvR7zmThe only ones who remained tense were the advisors summoned to that emergency meeting at such a late hour.eiTP
ihfWaAnd in a household of that caliber, an advisor had to be able to express his opinion with conviction.D1vZ1G
iftraFZTreasurer Theron smoothed his mustache and spoke in a firm voice.yi11
yeiqfn“Your Grace’s concerns are perfectly reasonable. However, reaching such a hasty conclusion about what feelings Lady Siern harbors may be premature.”niiEC
xRS“What do you mean, Treasurer?”IpY4Kbw
ZolvBd“It could simply be a temporary physical discomfort or a fleeting emotion characteristic of her age…”A5LKmEe
qGLw“And what if it isn’t?”9y5eab
oaW“…”Oo14
qginWith Melverot and Kalimford, there were no words that would work.52c3iUu
Bln92QThe treasurer closed his mouth.z1i7jq
yM5uPfMMelverot was a rational and balanced ruler in all matters except when it came to Siern.4to89
MwePzEEEven though he vehemently denied it, all the advisors knew it.BXL
5UxPlvFor now, the only thing they could do was observe and wait.1BCdLi6
7gY***f5gJl0s
mai9nH‘It seems I’ve reached a point where I can no longer become stronger just by exchanging magic.’JO22
9He50Dereck clenched and loosened his fist several times as he remained seated, leaning against the outer wall of the mansion.ABK4Ce
b21K0dBUnless someone, like Siern, had been born with an innate sense for transformation magic, enduring that relentless cold required wearing several thick layers of clothing on top of one another.JhyIEz
r4rzdMDMovement became awkward, so ideally one would train magic in the dueling field, but if he was unable to handle mana freely in any environment, then there was no point at all.VWS
hhF6ItjExhausted, Dereck breathed heavily as he organized his thoughts.VPRirUc
lrH8W9GA white breath, heavy with cold, spilled from his mouth, rose into the air, and vanished.nCGY2X7
YPQxvThe north was still frigid, but in the southwest of the continent the warm season must already be approaching.VlrX
lB4ZyMBy the time new leaves sprouted on the bare branches, the Ravenclaw Academy would be completed.Ucme3uZ
lPQoVLNAt the very least, by then he should be in Duplain territory.n9GT40
xlYCV0‘Having a good teacher is a blessing, but even so, it isn’t enough.’ETb
zk8N— You only truly shine when you’re on the brink of death.NWmHsx
vPflpqyFina’s words, spoken in a carefree tone as she sat on the sofa in the reception hall eating snacks, returned to his mind.YJpWvs
CezSince arriving in the north, he had exterminated several groups of Merfolks and carried out numerous training sessions, but only once had he truly felt a threat to his life.zAbjcIa
GypcYWhen he saw Kalimford’s magic.g2C
ajVQ7m2The meteorite that tore through the sky as it fell made anyone instinctively understand what certain death was.3I1U
9NqqIn that instant, Dereck felt something enormous and indescribable react within his mind.BUww
SJoDelving only into already established magical theories was not enough to stimulate his growth as a practitioner of the wild style.Ij6xVj
RZPSo1‘Repeating only this kind of lesson is already a waste of time.’UVGEa
1srIt was at that moment that Dereck reached a clear conclusion.E6w55n
2SV“Dereck. What are you doing here?”fHQh
svKP6jQAs he felt the northern cold seep into his bones, a familiar voice appeared before him.zik
ZEaG5Seeing the girl looking down at him felt strangely novel.zd4ht
qOaNasHer stature was so small that normally he was the one looking down at her.SIPu
Rfsh“Siern, miss.”Rk0US
3TFDH“Huh, are you hurt?”x3nNkeM
otv5“No. I was training magic and ran a bit short on stamina, so I’m resting.”FH4MS
5JpE“It’s warm inside. Why are you resting out here?”5jTehE0
7a5Es“I was thinking of taking a short break and then adjusting my mana again.”1vZm
vo0ISiern, her white hair falling softly, observed him in silence.FWAJ2
lYuh4GAlthough she usually walked barefoot, this time she was wearing simple, clean shoes.9eNC92N
wCSHiagThe frilled dress she usually wore with her sleeves rolled up was now covered by a winter coat adorned with abundant fur.g1An
SKySSeeing her so reserved, Dereck tilted his head in curiosity.CKok8Es
NIvWithout saying a word, Siern dropped down beside him.jfsERCg
edC5rb“My father is very worried, so he told me to dress warmly.”71s
aSRogBBSeeing her like that, she finally looked like a young noble appropriate for her age.Hutt
OOnrYMuDereck thought it suited her and steadied his breathing.lRbK0e
Y1y“So even you get tired if you use mana for so long, Dereck. It’s the first time I’ve seen you panting like that.”USd
xfXv“That’s only natural. I still have a long way to go.”T4SrS
08hwpEV“I see…”hppc5zp
vqxSknSiern fell silent for a moment before continuing.g2umC4q
qxO0h“Dereck, there’s something… I’ve been thinking about. I don’t have anyone to ask for advice, so…”miKj
iK7OZRShe was the kind of girl who, just by catching a cold once, made Melverot and Kalimford stay awake all night.5nilr
DyK76mThat she was now coming to talk to him about her worries made the weight of the situation feel enormous.tdEh
uUEixoQDereck swallowed.8vEEUU
yIx“A worry?”JVCUDs
4HW“Yes. My father worries too much about everything, so I wanted to talk about it with you.”j5fY3
QralmY“That is… I don’t know if someone without a direct connection like me can help.”jCWY8M
pT0G“Actually… it’s not that you don’t have a connection.”VGih3lj
zDsJ9At that reply, Dereck tilted his head.zOOT
h7qR7PqSiern sat even closer to the wall and, pressing her cheeks with both hands, spoke awkwardly.Wq5lo18
Lpe“You see… lately I’ve been a little strange.”SshDsD
26IhA“…?”Pp0J
u82qW“When I look at you, when I think about you, or when I’m this close to you… I feel heat rising to my cheeks.”vjs
MLcL“…”S6UThp1
60VDereck exhaled slowly, sitting in silence, wondering for a moment if he had heard correctly.A4U
BVvn“At first I thought it was another cold, but it doesn’t seem to be that. Then I thought maybe it was my imagination, but that’s not it either…”VRK
MqTw“I-is that so…?”X126iA
IlLKC“Do you know why this happens, Dereck? If it’s a mana problem again, I’m worried about causing trouble…”eWQ69
sxFBehind that girl stood no less than two six-star mages capable of paralyzing any criminal with fear just by meeting their gaze.8Zi
9cdvmUa“…”0ldDJP
kXB7UpDereck had always lived on the edge between life and death.gbNFKd
JXWmBut it had been a very long time since he had felt a sense of danger as direct and as uncomfortable as this one.nQYUn
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