Chapter 196: Omen (1)
OAxzQaClop, clop.Op2yw
GerC5Along the southeastern road of the continent, a young messenger rode with urgency.jyf
DsB8Confident in his skill at handling a horse, the youth surged forward like the wind and was already about to reach the territory of Tigris, the outermost area of the County of Elvester.WcT
Kf4The young and capable Baron of Tigris was a solid man—he protected that mountainous border region, administered small settlements that could barely be called villages, and maintained order by hunting the monster races that appeared in the area.3nwj3
p5TskgAIt was a place so remote that news rarely arrived, but at the very least, the information that messenger now carried had to be spread to every corner of the continent.I8b
VuiyqThe news that Emperor Gattrel had been assassinated.ltq
1nhWith that revelation—shocking like a bolt of lightning from the sky and capable of shaking the entire Empire—the messenger pressed on without stopping, pushing through the darkness of the forest, driven by his sense of duty.cegQwKI
9sBvfHowever, when he finally arrived at the mansion of the Baron of Tigris, he could not help but open his eyes in astonishment.aKzL
VO3From the settlements outside the castle, a gloomy atmosphere already hung in the air, though at first he thought it was simply due to the late hour.wxpi
68nVchBut the closer he drew to the mansion, an icy sensation, impossible to describe in words, began to crawl through his body.IGo6q
vbfb3And when he crossed the boundary of the grounds, the blood-soaked landscape that greeted him left him frozen in place.iMv
hrX5‘W-what is this…? W-was the mansion of the Baron of Tigris attacked…?’GtbYoeL
0yjThe territory of the Baron of Tigris regularly sent reports to the County of Elvester.F5H9a
qU8As long as they dealt with the occasional monsters and submitted the quarterly taxes, no one felt the need to come and check in person.eeu
tTmIt was a region too remote, and moreover, the Baron of Tigris himself was a man worthy of trust.y8wa
isR‘H-how can everything inside be so devastated… and yet nothing leaked to the outside…?’6GCmI
ViJcklsA profound sense of incongruity overwhelmed him.QLwEg
Rp7qOSomeone had used artificial means to prevent the internal chaos from spilling outward.Y7yZLT
kdbXk7In a rural area composed of small settlements, it was not impossible if a powerful figure intervened.3yJzo
y2JEven so, there were limits to concealing something like this.NjA
mUClVWHe did not know how much time had passed since the massacre, but soon the County of Elvester would discover it.oetSZt
LNlJust as the messenger decided to abandon delivering the message and immediately turn his horse—raqUC
XnEWSThunk.M9mc
gsAIA black-crimson spine pierced his chest.pQu
5vKFU9BHe could not even scream.vbg1nI
jh0With bulging eyes, he managed only to let out a strangled sound as his body collapsed.89C
wWg“Well, coming from so far away must have been exhausting. Thank you.”EfpVH6
vByk4S7He had not sensed any presence.qHAD0
l7Pb4L1Already sitting behind the saddle, calmly flipping through the letter the messenger carried, was a girl of small build.a5hqGKH
Whr4“Working as a messenger traveling long distances can’t be easy. Cold, exhaustion, hunger, and on top of that, running into beasts or monster races that can kill you at any moment. I suppose the pay makes up for it.”jQ3N
EdVTWThe messenger, emitting muffled sounds, slumped against the horse’s neck.V0Rmj
4Bt5IC0The girl, her pale lilac hair gently swaying, watched him with half-lidded eyes, completely indifferent to the life fading before her.rJ37
2b7As she read the letter, it was filled with details about the assassination of Emperor Gattrel at the Ravenclaw Academy.tl0RI
Qe0M8QIt mentioned that the culprit was a 6-star confusion-type mage, that the Baron of Ravenclaw had led her capture, and that, in recognition, he would receive both the title of margrave and that of count.i4cnG
NXiMWith direct backing from Melverot of the north and Kohella from the Palace of Gremport, once the weather grew warmer, Dereck Lydorf would reach a position to which no one in the surrounding lands could aspire.1BEr1r
xvjThere were very few 6-star mages on the continent.bajju4X
pZRiAnd Melverot, Kohella, and Drest were protecting him.ZB1G
P3dp1At that, Fina let out a mocking laugh.4uqX
Hj8b“The central nobles will stir up a fuss again. For someone like me, hidden away in a rural corner, it’s almost like a smokescreen—though I don’t think it will last very long.”IxmO7
ihYzRbIt seemed the County of Elvester was already beginning to notice that something was wrong.XLZLpx
MTpSAlthough the distance was considerable, such a prolonged silence was suspicious.KLERQ
R3u97fNMoreover, Katia Flameheart was surely already dropping hints.qnkC86
xJ11rThe time Fina could remain there without concern was running out.S6ks
rP1OEven so, that place was already practically her kingdom.Qh0xRm
oNvO4zxNecromantic creatures moved everywhere.Y3J
5MQKWyuAtop the mansion, a gigantic dragon-shaped monster, reduced to bones, rested with its wings folded.mEBF
mWf0tqAt the entrance, floating in the air, was her most prized creation—the Archlich named Happy—observing the world from on high.AxWCS
XFTd5Amid the sinister fog, corpses and wandering spirits roamed that cursed stronghold.nks5
zkjThud.oDPc
HyRFThe messenger’s lifeless body fell to the ground.N9v
HFJ4ZpFina, seated elegantly on the mount, took his place.CKi5c
9ZlNLV3The young man, sprawled on the earth, began to move little by little with a grotesque sound.1Nmk
3uymFHe was already one of Fina’s soldiers.g5r
H8wXaBa“Soon, Dereck will come to see me. I’ll have to tidy the house up a bit.”T0C
hC9As the horse moved forward slowly, the queen who ruled over death crossed the landscape beneath a moon veiled by mist.rS3
Kv66xThey said Dereck was the most famous master in Ebelstein.zMNMp
mWKs6lLHe had been Fina’s student, and also her master.s4FU
eVo3WKDid they say that bad noble ladies didn’t exist?6PKQDD
2kzFina found it hard to suppress her laughter.zadK7mM
sUhAfter seeing the state to which the territory of Tigris had been reduced, could anyone still say that?oAy7
prwsPerhaps those who taught young ladies raised like hothouse flowers could afford such romanticism.4LFfkY
3mIydBut Fina, the noble lady of the House of the Baron of Tigris, had lived for eons, massacring and profaning countless lives, paving her path with blood.lojS7jv
Ih0Regret had no meaning, and she had never intended such a thing.PK5
UEncThis was not about correcting proud, ill-mannered young women.4NHq
SLCThis was on an entirely different level.Twy50
G3u95No famous master could fix something like this.cuGp
KKJElwAmong all the noble ladies Dereck had known, Fina was the one who harbored the deepest darkness.XWHTct
1LGAnd she would be the greatest trial in that master’s life.HC1I
davXs“Well now, I really do have an expensive disciple.”aeDL
63KShe closed her eyes and imagined the scene—Dereck, having become a mage at the level of a family head; armies following him; mages beyond the limit protecting him.5sTL
b5QAB7And then, she imagined them all dead.7Kkj
JINmtLfIn the middle of the mansion of Tigris, drenched in blood, embracing Dereck and whispering in his ear that only she could guide him.uqN0
PIYiThat only she could lead him to the starry heavens.E7YxYfs
ADEof48And when he reached the supreme level, mastering all magic and every inscription—then, at last, she could ask him to put an end to that long and exhausting life.ZYtQ5
PRiKZ“Ufufu… ufufufu…”llLkfP
SbVUzGeSeated sideways on the horse, laughing softly, she looked like a dreamy girl.WU9Yi
OznNNdBut seeing her cross that mansion covered in the shadow of death and spirits, the only thing one felt was a chill.VkveIsV
qn0yBsEEven death bowed its head before her.maBR
qGTYThe queen of that dark and cursed realm was Fina.gan
bsY64wi***YZgi2
B5Eo3z“For the beginning of summer, it seems I’ll be granted the title of count.”fshA
Eg4m“Oh! That’s… truly something worth celebrating, Dereck…!”K6Ou
7beoJR“…”btf6P
D51zlCbSeeing that Dereck had a somber expression, Ellen tilted her head, wondering if she had said something inappropriate.ANYE
4ajSAkN“…”uDc2t8
WNhsThe chaos that had occurred at the Ravenclaw Academy had largely settled down.TtD
wzhnY7The imperial guard took the emperor’s body and placed the culprit in custody before leaving the academy grounds.BSJ20z
zY1ayOf course, Princess Roselin and Kohella also departed with them.EbsPZ4
723PVp— Don’t forget what we promised. We’ll see each other again at the Palace of Gremport.upQ
BgIuwgEarly in the morning, just before boarding the carriage, Princess Roselin’s gaze as she looked at Dereck was unusually serious.pYogso
jISShe seemed convinced that they were now traveling on the same boat.sHl6c
POVzAIn any case, she had no intention whatsoever of yielding Dereck to another faction.yplQ
40owvmFor his part, the conditions Dereck had presented to Princess Roselin were also quite satisfactory to him, so he did not see them as a bad option.W7ha
AejThus, after seeing off the imperial guard at dawn, Dereck gathered the Ravenclaw Academy disciples who were present into the conference room where the large round table stood.xIPPqzN
ZshfiThe first order of business was to announce his rise in status.uLPUX
dGGomWG“D-Dereck…? Then… from summer onward you’ll really become a noble with territory…? You’ll have the same rank as Countess Rodelia of House Renuel…?”m8aG
XxCtNyO“Something like that.”jHOV6z
GqmuDiella, seated beside Dereck, opened her eyes wide.Q20p
RAubBo8Ellen congratulated him sincerely, and Denise did the same.1R2ABv
Belh0NQSiern, on the other hand, seemed completely indifferent.GVbvIl
GxjNOAfter all, she was someone who behaved perfectly naturally even in front of 6-star mages like Melverot or Kalimpord; Dereck’s increase in authority would not change their relationship much.kJp
AN4qTrisha, however, the most sensitive to worldly power, was left staring with her mouth agape.97rL4Lj
Qa0Le“H-haah……………… the western frontier territory… you’re going to administer it… yourself…?”XrZxlF0
EHUm“…You can make expressions like that too?”SWU
J11DH“N-no… s-sorry for my lack of decorum, c-count…”4oB
BoC1“…I haven’t officially received the title yet.”BCJ67P
YIJX“A-ah… th-that is… haah…”AoqCOW
IWOoKl1Dereck sat down at the round table, pressing his temples hard.uys
CdTedQSeeing Trisha trembling so exaggeratedly, the other noble ladies began to swallow nervously in silence.W6S3i8J
OmzbgAWhen they had first met Dereck, he was nothing more than a ragged mercenary from the slums.ykpPOw
qAhOXAnd now, before they realized it, he was about to receive a noble title and take responsibility for a vast territory.Cuq4X
ztzIf Dereck truly entered the category of a family-head-level mage, the hierarchy would be completely reversed.ICC1Q
0SLeIt would no longer be possible to maintain such an informal relationship, calling each other simply by name while exchanging teachings.wCVmZ
7iuoLAn elevation in status changed even the relationships that had been maintained until then.oDOsu4X
oSybuAdministering one or two rural villages as a baron, moving about at one’s convenience, was nothing like becoming a count and beginning to manage a territory directly subordinate to the Empire.ZAE9x
I6rLlSUntil now, it had been enough to keep up appearances at official events; in private, they could treat him with the same familiarity as in his days as a mercenary.OxU6uDq
udvCfeeBut with such a high position, they would have to change their attitude completely.BeC
XlhQr4“…”KN0
SUNAWpAnd Dereck found that extremely uncomfortable.xBsIG
O7XLwHaving lived since youth as a mercenary, always far removed from authority and formalities, he did not like seeing his disciples so tense and careful around him.H7SBbm
SvubmKSEven so, rank was rank, and due treatment was due treatment.unm
srO5Taking those things lightly could lead to mistakes in important situations, which would end up eroding his authority.mkf98ft
hLYP“After the academy officially opens, the workload will increase. And once I begin fully managing the territory, I’ll be even busier. Still, from the moment I decided to teach you magic, I don’t intend to do it halfway.”8F7mb
9mYLCVmWhen it came to the relationship between master and disciple, Dereck was always firm.P1QZ7yo
WFMJxIf he decided to accept someone as a disciple, he took responsibility until the very end.Svk
28eQdHe was the kind of person who would storm into the Belmierd family or the Beltus family and raise hell just to protect his own.aP2x2l
23E“However, I think it will be impossible for me to accept any more direct disciples. That’s why I wanted to make it clear that, at least with those who are here, I’ll go all the way.”O4r4
NcAXAJHAlthough Dereck had made a name for himself in the field of educating noble ladies, even he had his limits.K9R
D126YNQThe direct disciples of Baron Ravenclaw, Dereck Lydorf, were only the people gathered there. There would be no more in the future.h462
NgkVuyIt was necessary to define that point clearly and eliminate any unease.PbFX9E
a2Jjj“…Although, to be honest, there is one more disciple I haven’t told you about.”6mwE4
cC2SAnd then, Dereck moved on to the real topic.kZYoCuA
uw52acFrom his days as a mercenary to becoming a noble, he had taught countless noble ladies, improved their achievements, and guided many along the path of reform.cwdlAQS
UxIkkpHe had accumulated sufficient experience both as a mage and as a teacher, and had begun to feel a certain internal confidence that he could teach almost anyone.sjN
CNTBut the world was vast, and all kinds of noble ladies existed.xpXSYo
qnVAmong all those he had met and educated so far, there remained one figure who far surpassed any other in difficulty—someone who was, at the same time, his teacher and his disciple.PcvqlW
XlwwezSThe direct disciples of the Baron of Ravenclaw were five—that was what everyone believed.T9flUZi
pEoHNOYThose present could not help but swallow in surprise.HhWBb
oOiYfcw***fu2g
RENe— If Princess Roselin says she needs allies, I can join as well. However, there is a matter I must resolve without fail. If this isn’t settled, even from the princess’s position, it will be difficult to keep me under her command.7B8q2y
5LBpE0— And what are you planning to do now?dx6IC
EXlo— …Could the imperial side help me with this?KPXLau
CcBkInside the carriage returning to the Palace of Gremport, Princess Roselin reviewed with a grave expression the conversation she had had with Dereck.0Pz
rT9hThere were far too many things to do.2RlEVv
BiJOnce back at the Palace of Gremport, she had to interrogate Marilyn, who was still in custody, in greater depth, and also investigate the figures hiding behind her.5xjb
7C88QHowever, what Dereck had asked of her just before departing kept returning to her mind, tangling her thoughts even further.Zwfc2
J1mIp— A 6-star necromantic mage is targeting me.5qRiX6c
hYaf7KBaron Dereck Lydorf Ravenclaw always made shocking statements.TJ0tv1
sMYP7The emperor had been assassinated, the Empire was going through a national crisis, and her anger toward Marilyn was at its peak.RC3iyt2
CiQY1tShe thought there was nothing left that could shake her.d0BF
8riAt least, that was what she believed.MP4eU
dfQBut the words Dereck had entrusted to her just before boarding the carriage ended up disturbing her mind even more.PORSGNS
V2muHWWhat he had told her in secret, away from Kohella, continued to weigh on her chest, deepening her thoughts again and again.KMVdT
yoTas***t29yyke
LZF“It’s about time to prepare the reconstruction of the academy and, while we’re at it, the preparations for reopening!”FQCb
QXJkB0The next day, Aiselin entered the office carrying an enormous stack of documents, her expression overflowing with happiness.YL7EcJ
XVfDereck, who had spent the previous night brooding over all kinds of matters and was somewhat exhausted, thought as he looked at Aiselin so full of energy.Vs7
7E2Od‘No matter how I look at it, I can’t compete with the endurance of this monstrous woman.’dZFI
lP7brk“I heard that while I was gone, Dereck handled both palace affairs and academy matters! I can’t keep causing you so much trouble! From now on, I’ll take charge of directing the palace staff!”Wptx7
6sIJJQDereck glanced sideways at the expressions of the head maid, Elpin, and the chief butler, Delbriton.wKK6xk
kPCsTheir faces looked like cattle being led straight to the slaughterhouse.dsMfn
i4zE0iSeeing two people normally so cold and professional with their faces completely drained of color made Dereck’s feelings a bit complicated.8BrF
Sw02“T-that is…”JvkWDOr
zRA“Sir Dereck! You already have far too many important matters to attend to! I appreciate your concern for me, but it’s better that you entrust minor internal affairs to someone like me, so you can focus on larger and more significant things.”2pc
4VY0s3The sad reality was that Aiselin was right.2gEz
35CM7MuDereck looked silently toward Delbriton and said,pdG2uT
01iH“Then… if that’s the case…”Gck
2rDnkt“It’s fine, Baron Ravenclaw… I understand perfectly… perfectly…”UPhXsu
NNyyThe butler Delbriton spoke with an expression of complete spiritual enlightenment.B7C7
PzT1mThe head maid Elpin at his side was no different.d24
gq9zbn“Yes… that’s right. For all of us maids… it has been an honor to serve Baron Ravenclaw as our lord…”RUbXuTD
rjSh3nL“Eh…? Elpin? The lord is still Dereck, you know? There’s no need to speak as if you’re saying farewell forever.”q6tDsD
iOIZIw“Yes… of course… I’m still the head maid of the Ravenclaw palace… of course I am… but… I will live remembering this month that was like a paradise… remembering this beautiful spring…”PM8X1
0tyn“Elpin… seriously! There’s no need to say goodbye so nostalgically! It’s not like there’s a staff transfer or anything!”3h7ITzx
iW13oYJSeeing the lively Aiselin and the two servants completely pale, Dereck inclined his head in silence, as if offering a funeral prayer.0dJex
099W43Be that as it may, this was not a time when he could devote attention to palace management.Bo9
D6xnfHe had to deal with the administration of the Ravenclaw Academy, private magic lessons, and, on top of that, the schedule for the granting of his title.87F1P
mZSx9GAnd the only person capable of handling all of that at once was, in the end, Aiselin.kJyW
sNuCp1YIn the servants’ eyes, she must have looked like a Grim Reaper wielding a scythe.3hGHG
nR1MbDereck let out a sigh and stood up.0jQ
aEZaThe weather was beginning to soften.bE2iIvY
eKOIt was spring.4Ve
TtHThe turbulent inspection itinerary, one way or another, had come to an end.ajYx
TLgJPpNow, the reopening ceremony was just around the corner.Me5o2
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