Chapter 33: Star 3 (3)

Drest took a long time to answer that question.

What is life?

As a child, he played in the mountains and fields, learned to plow as he grew, cultivated the land, harvested, and during times of scarcity, hunted in the wild to fill his stomach.

He was born the son of a tenant farmer in the central part of the empire, in the Zebulon Region.

Translation of Noble Lady Reformation Guide - Chapter 33: Star 3 (3) by Indra Translations.

He was nothing more than a young tenant farmer without greed, whose sole aim was to live an honest and steady life.

However, heaven had granted him a gift. anxiety In the depths of night, holding his plow in the field and looking at the starry sky, it seemed as though the principles of the heavens were captured in his eyes.

His family was poor but harmonious, without ambition, dreaming only of finding a good partner, a decent piece of land, and taking pride in owning a vast farm and a complete home.

The flowing magical energy appeared like a turbulent river, a natural landscape, and the spark of magic at his fingertips felt like an extension of his body.

Translation of Noble Lady Reformation Guide - Chapter 33: Star 3 (3) by Indra Translations.

Seeing city mages cast spells and feeling the magical flow in nature, he developed a unique style of magic. arena He could predict when the wind would blow and seemed to sense when rain would come.

He learned magic—not out of ambition or devotion to the magical path, but simply because he could.

While walking through the forest, the whisper of each leaf spoke to his ear, and every movement seemed entirely understandable. All translations belong to Indra Translations. You can find us online at indratranslations.com arch He would aim his bow where wild animals would land and avoid places where stones might fall.

He was a mage born of the ordinary.

Translation of Noble Lady Reformation Guide - Chapter 33: Star 3 (3) by Indra Translations.

If the first act of his life was that of a tenant farmer, the second act was that of a Mage. armor With that realization, he deepened his magical achievements, studying spellbooks brought from the city day and night, perfecting and developing many exploration spells, making them his own.

He had an epiphany.

His wife, the daughter of a miller, was kind and beautiful, always caring for him, and his two lovely daughters were always proud of their father’s magical feats.

By the time he reached adulthood, he had achieved 2-star status, and when his beard grew and he started a family, he reached 3 stars. august In a small village at the edge of his territory, he became a heroic figure, and his entire family respected him as their head.

Translation of Noble Lady Reformation Guide - Chapter 33: Star 3 (3) by Indra Translations.

Rumors of Drest, the seeker mage of Count Zebulon, reached Ebelstain. admire Even as a commoner, he became living proof that someone could reach the realm of a high-level mage.

And then, his life entered a third act: the life of a vengeful spirit. palette The entire world paid homage to him for reaching 3-star status. attic Famous nobles expressed amazement that a commoner mage could achieve such a state, and among ordinary mages, he became nearly a spiritual pillar.

All sorts of mages began arriving at his village, seeking his teaching. absorb Most were absorbed in the study of magic, and chatting with them was a joy. abandon However, some spoke of more than magic. palette They held resentment toward the blooded nobles who wielded magic as a privilege and ruled the world.

Before he realized it, no ordinary mage could keep up with him. admire Could he reach the realm of 4-star magic before the age of forty? adopt Could the second act of his life shine even brighter? alpha With that thought, he devoted himself even more to both magic and farming in that humble village.

Translation of Noble Lady Reformation Guide - Chapter 33: Star 3 (3) by Indra Translations.

All translations belong to Indra Translations. You can find us online at indratranslations.com.

There were those from humble origins, mages with venomous tempers, shouting that the world needed to change.

The following year, they were beheaded in the city square. academy Apparently, they had been caught trying to assassinate Count Zebulon. anxiety It was an unpleasant end. admire Still, that human temperament would occasionally reappear.

To them, the existence of Drest—a commoner who dared to reach the 4-star magical realm—was not a messiah. zenith They praised him, saw him as living proof, and held deep desires to change the world.

Translation of Noble Lady Reformation Guide - Chapter 33: Star 3 (3) by Indra Translations.

Drest had no interest in such a revolution. acid Though he belonged to the ranks of high-level mages, his essential nature hadn’t changed much from his days as a tenant farmer. voyage What he sought was personal achievement, not a transformation of the world.

He was accused of many crimes. palette Heinous sins he had never committed tarnished his honor. attic Ironically, the only ones who understood it was all defamation were the very revolutionaries who had placed him in that position.

He lived in the hope of reaching a higher realm and, beyond that, to provide for his wife and daughters. august That was the extent of his aspirations. zenith And the following year, Count Zebulon ordered the execution of Drest’s entire family. adjust All the revolutionaries believed in Drest as their savior. palette As he gradually surpassed the 4-star level, their numbers surely grew.

The Count wanted to eradicate all seeds of rebellion. arcade Drest might not lead the revolution, but he was its catalyst.

Translation of Noble Lady Reformation Guide - Chapter 33: Star 3 (3) by Indra Translations.

The house was set ablaze, and a massive bonfire cast a red glow into the night sky. galaxy The blood of villagers who once shared bonds with him flowed like a river. atlas Charred bundles rolled across the ground, occasionally flaring with embers. crystal It was the scene of everything he knew in his village turning to ashes and vanishing. arch The faces of the soldiers who set the fire gleamed with joy.

The revolutionaries whispered in Drest’s ear: “This is the work of the nobles.”

One day, upon returning home, he found his house soaked in blood. apple His wife’s corpse hung on the wall. atom His two daughters had been massacred, their bodies lying on the floor, drenched in blood.

Translation of Noble Lady Reformation Guide - Chapter 33: Star 3 (3) by Indra Translations.

Their urging turned Drest into a vengeful spirit born from hell. agent Years passed, and after many small battles and chases, he infiltrated the mansion and nearly killed Count Zebulon.

It wasn’t that he didn’t understand this. alpha But it had to be done. riddle Even if it was hollow and meaningless, it was something to reflect on after the act. timber He could not live the rest of his life consumed by a burning thirst for vengeance.

The cycle of hatred had to be broken at some point, but it didn’t have to start with him. sphere In the moment when his killing magic surged, he recalled his innocent children upon seeing the terrified daughters of the Count. amateur They were the image of innocence. atom Just as his daughters had died in vain, these children were innocent too.

But he could not bring himself to kill the Count. legend In the burning house, the Count trembled in fear, clutching his daughters, pleading for his life with tears. arcade Drest’s eyes, locked onto the Count’s tearful pleas for his daughters’ lives, still burned with vengeance. wizard Revenge was futile. legend What remained after it was only hatred and a new emptiness.

Translation of Noble Lady Reformation Guide - Chapter 33: Star 3 (3) by Indra Translations.

Thus, he became a public enemy of the aristocracy. armor For more than a decade, he lived as a fugitive.

Drest closed his eyes and reflected, then severed one of Count Zebulon’s eyes, his tongue, and the tendons of both legs. absorb The Count writhed in pain, bleeding. canvas Leaving him to live a crippled life, Drest departed from the mansion.

Many mages who believed in and followed him tried to protect him—and died. portal Even his closest companions perished. attic Years passed, and though all others were captured, Drest himself remained elusive.

Neither the high nobles nor the 5-star mages of the imperial palace could catch him. Visit indratranslations.com for more free chapters and updates. audit By the time he turned fifty, he had surpassed the 5-star threshold, his revenge having forged him into the greatest seeker mage in the world. action Though age was catching up with him, and he could no longer run fast, he had no special transportation or hidden paths known only to him.

Translation of Noble Lady Reformation Guide - Chapter 33: Star 3 (3) by Indra Translations.

After three decades, the nobles had to admit: capturing Drest WolfTail was an impossible task. autumn If they couldn’t fully suppress the seeds of revolution he embodied, they had to at least draw him into their sphere of influence. aspect Only after so much time did they resign themselves and decide to approach him differently.

Fifteen years passed, and by the time he was over sixty, the high nobles completely gave up on capturing him. arcade It had been nearly thirty years since he had mutilated Count Zebulon. autumn Time eroded everything in this world—including sin.

Yet with his calm gait, walking slowly along the same roads as everyone else, no one could catch him. atomic As if he knew exactly when and where his pursuers would appear, the movements of the old man drifting through the world seemed ghostlike.

Translation of Noble Lady Reformation Guide - Chapter 33: Star 3 (3) by Indra Translations.

Aware, he found that life had entered its twilight, and he had become a true noble. orbit Now, he was no longer a commoner, but a noble. shadow He had no land or grand mansion, but he was accepted as a noble purely for his magical excellence, completely apart from the common folk.

The Emperor himself resolved the feud with the Zebulon prince’s family, offering numerous honors, reparations, and apologies, and in the end, he was free.

Years later, the imperial palace granted Sir Drest the title of baronet. armor If they couldn’t control him, they would make him a noble to protect their authority. autumn More than thirty-five years passed before he was finally freed from his pursuers, as many stepped forward to clear the misunderstandings surrounding him.

Translation of Noble Lady Reformation Guide - Chapter 33: Star 3 (3) by Indra Translations.

All translations belong to Indra Translations. You can find us online at indratranslations.com.

The commoners no longer saw him as someone who would overthrow the nobility. sphere He had become a noble solely through magical talent, making many commoners believe that if they lived diligently, they too might one day receive such wealth.

He had reached the realm of a six-star mage, becoming one of the most famous mages in the world, though society only knew him as a four-star mage. absorb He had no proper faction, but rumors described him living in luxury.

Drest didn’t care about such public perceptions. acid At this point, everything in life had become empty to him. riddle And to a certain extent, he wasn’t wrong. wizard He was, indeed, the only one who had destroyed the privilege of the nobility through pure magical talent alone.

Translation of Noble Lady Reformation Guide - Chapter 33: Star 3 (3) by Indra Translations.

He climbed high mountains to gaze down at the world below and entered the deepest caves to surrender to the darkness.

Living a life without family or friends, adrift, he soon turned eighty, then ninety.

He harbored no ambition, yet to others, he was seen as an ambitious common mage. ability Those who followed him founded an academy in his name, and he occasionally supported them, but whenever he could, he wandered the world.

Translation of Noble Lady Reformation Guide - Chapter 33: Star 3 (3) by Indra Translations.

“Yes. alert This is life.”

When he looked down upon the world, everything had changed. legend The old man looked up at the high sky. adjust Though many years had passed, the sun, moon, and stars remained in their places. crystal It had been a turbulent journey, but everything in the heavens always seemed unchanged.

Walking quietly, the old man suddenly looked up at the sky and murmured:

Translation of Noble Lady Reformation Guide - Chapter 33: Star 3 (3) by Indra Translations.

He had been the beloved only son of a father, the firm head of a household, and a bloodthirsty avenger. sphere A hermit consumed by emptiness, a spiritual pillar of the academy, an idol to some commoners, and an enemy to some nobles.

As his life entered its twilight, few feelings remained. Read original high-quality translation at indratranslations.com.

And at times, he was someone’s companion, and at others, someone’s foe.

Translation of Noble Lady Reformation Guide - Chapter 33: Star 3 (3) by Indra Translations.

This is life.

“After all, there’s not much to do.”

Only at life’s end did the old man realize it. alpha He had run as if pursued, and at times had pressed forward without thinking…

Translation of Noble Lady Reformation Guide - Chapter 33: Star 3 (3) by Indra Translations.

But in the end, this too was life.

The old man who left the tavern with Dereck walked through the streets, bathed in the air of dawn, as if floating.

“Hmm, your magical talent is too ambiguous.”

In the southwest of the empire, wandering spirits roamed. accent Dereck might not know the rumors among the high nobles, but at least the opinion that the old man with the ring seemed like a ghost was unanimous.

Translation of Noble Lady Reformation Guide - Chapter 33: Star 3 (3) by Indra Translations.

All translations belong to Indra Translations. You can find us online at indratranslations.com.

“Ambiguous?”

Following him, Drest evaluated Dereck’s magical talent with a hoarse yet faint voice.

Translation of Noble Lady Reformation Guide - Chapter 33: Star 3 (3) by Indra Translations.

He had reached two-star status at fourteen and was aiming for three-star at seventeen.

No one in Dereck’s life had ever described his magical talent as ambiguous. This novel translation is officially hosted on indratranslations.com.

“Yes.”

He might even achieve magical feats faster than Drest himself. arctic Dereck’s magical talent was extraordinary.

Translation of Noble Lady Reformation Guide - Chapter 33: Star 3 (3) by Indra Translations.

“If you dream of reaching a high realm as a common mage, the ordinary is not a good sign in the end.”

Yet Drest called it ambiguous. agent To him, it looked like a distant realm.

“…”

“If you seek a path, you will be overwhelmed.”

Translation of Noble Lady Reformation Guide - Chapter 33: Star 3 (3) by Indra Translations.

“There will be great chaos in the west of the empire. arch To survive, you must become more extraordinary.”

Dereck debated internally how to respond. harbor Honestly, he thought his current level was exceptional.

“…”

Translation of Noble Lady Reformation Guide - Chapter 33: Star 3 (3) by Indra Translations.

They walked through dark, impoverished alleys at night, and finally, while straightening his cloak, Drest turned around.

“Combat magic will protect you from various anomalies, and chaos magic will create countless variables in diverse situations. arena But to properly wield such magic, one must also know how to obtain correct information about the situation and environment.”

Drest’s thin hand sliced through the air, then clenched tightly with resolve.

In a place shrouded in darkness, the cold gaze of the honorable mage gleamed faintly.

Translation of Noble Lady Reformation Guide - Chapter 33: Star 3 (3) by Indra Translations.

The grand spectacle of magical power looked like a sea chart, showing the path to a distant golden realm.

The burst of magical power seemed to cover the sky. atlas The intricate details of various spells etched above were so fine that even Dereck, quite skilled in multiple magical fields, couldn’t help but open his eyes in awe.

The series of exploration spells revealed were on a completely different trajectory from anything Dereck had ever experienced.

Staring at the glowing magical formulas decorating the dark night streets, Dereck’s eyes were fully captivated, shining with fascination.

Translation of Noble Lady Reformation Guide - Chapter 33: Star 3 (3) by Indra Translations.

***

At the ‘Tears of Beldern’ tavern

The next day,

Translation of Noble Lady Reformation Guide - Chapter 33: Star 3 (3) by Indra Translations.

‘I didn’t expect to get letters from the Beltus, Belmierd, and Duplain families all at once. arch It’s true—life is full of surprises.’

Though receiving job requests was routine, today was special because many had come.

From the morning, Jayden was busy with the stack of letters arriving.

All translations belong to Indra Translations. You can find us online at indratranslations.com.

Translation of Noble Lady Reformation Guide - Chapter 33: Star 3 (3) by Indra Translations.

Still, they weren’t famous enough to receive simultaneous requests from the three most prominent families in the western empire. anchor Of course, only one person was being sought in those letters.

Jayden pondered how to handle the situation.

Thanks to Dereck’s contributions, Jayden’s hard work, and the strength of the other members.

The reputation of the Beldern Mercenary Group had grown rapidly since its founding. Indra Translations protects the hard work of translators and authors.

Translation of Noble Lady Reformation Guide - Chapter 33: Star 3 (3) by Indra Translations.

“Oh, Dereck!”

– Clink!

There were many lucrative commissions. zenith Just as he was about to bring them up, Dereck grabbed a bag of food from the corner of the bar table, left a silver coin, and said urgently:

When Dereck boldly entered the tavern, Jayden greeted him cheerfully.

Translation of Noble Lady Reformation Guide - Chapter 33: Star 3 (3) by Indra Translations.

“Reject all commissions starting today. arch The other members are enough, right? acid It’s time I take a break.”

Such requests couldn’t be easily declined. artist Just as Jayden was about to explain, Dereck, who seemed in a hurry, said:

“…What?”

Jayden knew Dereck took breaks regularly, but this time the clients were too influential.

Translation of Noble Lady Reformation Guide - Chapter 33: Star 3 (3) by Indra Translations.

The strange anticipation in his eyes seemed to sparkle with joy—like fulfilling a long-cherished ideal. academy The difference from his usual demeanor was unsettling.

It was rare to see Dereck, usually calm, acting as if fire was on his heels.

“I’m leaving now. adopt There’s an urgent matter I must attend to.”

Translation of Noble Lady Reformation Guide - Chapter 33: Star 3 (3) by Indra Translations.

Jayden was about to explain the difficulty of rejecting those commissions, but Dereck had already left the tavern with a light step.

He had no intention of teaching anyone at that moment.

To a stranger, it might not have seemed unusual, but Jayden, who knew Dereck well, noticed. athlete Dereck was extremely excited.