Chapter 43: Spell (5)
autj9“The Arrogant Lord Robein” is the story of a young woman named Tracy, who, after a troubled childhood, begins working at a noble mansion and becomes entangled with an aristocrat named Lord Robein.k4pr
DplKvAKAs a fictional character, Lord Robein lacks realism. In fact, he borders on the embodiment of the ideal man.6rSij
YtqGPlBroad shoulders, a piercing gaze, every one of his actions is refined, he always carries roses, and possesses a courteous yet aristocratic demeanor.iHe
QdfpKQAt work, he is cold and rational, but with his beloved, he is warm—enjoying baths with rose petals, sipping wine while gazing at the night scenery, and for unknown reasons, preferring low-cut pajamas. If he falls in love with a woman, he caresses her chin and smiles meaningfully. Despite his bold demeanor, the woman whose chin he holds always blushes with embarrassment.xrq
jSLlzMoreover, when it comes to the protagonist Tracy, this usually composed man often becomes emotional.nAFF
DlC8b8gHe corners her against a wall to whisper (usually something trivial), or gently strokes her hair pointlessly, trying to guess the scent of the incense she used that day… If an ordinary person did that instead of the handsome Lord Robein, they’d be arrested immediately.HSO
njTKOn a quiet afternoon, Dereck read Denise’s elegant manuscript, occasionally tilting his head in contemplation.ue4w
gJtueThere were some rather embarrassing passages at the beginning, but as he continued, he found narration and reflections that captivated him. Even Dereck, not an expert himself, was instantly drawn in—clearly proof of how seriously it had been written.zijoLTz
eyi6uYyWhen the family secret is revealed and adversity strikes the love between Lord Robein and Tracy, at the end, even setting aside his authority, the image of Lord Robein running through the storm calling out for Tracy is majestic.2xqr
l1o3QFEventually, they reunite in the storm, embrace tightly, and enter a nearby wooden cabin in the rain (why there’s a cabin in the gardens of a noble mansion remains a mystery), dry their clothes, and sit beside Tracy, who has caught a cold. Seeing her talk in her sleep about her late family by the fireplace, Lord Robein covers her with a blanket, organizing his tangled thoughts. The final scene shows the solitary back of Lord Robein, who has lived without ever knowing familial love… and then the story cuts off.QwF5He4
Ik4M“Maybe because the historical background of Lord Robein’s family isn’t fully established… It’s a truly fascinating scene…”lr6oD
j2R“…”2A9Khca
Yri“It’s true, I can understand why even the mansion’s servants secretly read this. Lady Denise, your writing is truly skillful.”PWv
pZX“Enough… I made a mistake… Just… I’m sorry for everything… Let’s stop this now…”dDkpXg
TWbCLThis took place after they had finished the day’s lessons, before Dereck returned to his room and passed by Denise’s.HkG26d2
99hDenise lay on her back on the bed, as if her entire body ached.IH0mw
167She had given it her all in training at Dereck’s request that day, to the point of looking more pitiful than admirable, and Bella, with tears in her eyes, was massaging her shoulders.IxJeIpl
p16“…”D7ACte
iLvKDereck wore a complicated expression.Bi26AcB
NGLsYSeeing Denise suddenly taking his lessons so seriously, seemingly embarrassed by her mortifying creation, and Dereck using that shame as leverage…Vc7gM
oKY0Y8oThere was a slight misunderstanding there. As Dereck had repeatedly said, he genuinely thought Denise’s writing was good.LkJ
EfHhKSure, he didn’t grasp the burning embarrassment, but from Dereck’s typically indifferent perspective, was it really something to be so concerned about?lcw
gqF0EKUnfortunately, Dereck was too rational to fully understand the sensitivity of a young woman in her difficult years.Vmc
qCxUtgkThat’s why he tried sincerely to convey which aspects of Denise’s work impressed him and what he liked—but it only seemed to kill Denise a second time.Hvj6wyo
e9DeThe victim lay on the bed as though murdered, yet the culprit couldn’t be found.yFg
VL5D7AThat paradox made Denise want to die even more.DKZGgr
B27RgH***DvxoP
RYoCPAbout ten days had passed since Dereck began teaching magic when Ellen sent a separate letter, bringing high-quality tea to visit the mansion.Xv7GE
uuX4Unlike meetings at the Rose Salon, directly visiting the mansion held significant meaning.kMmu
m0sQl9GAs a lady of the Belmierd family, she couldn’t make casual appointments due to her status, so even a trivial meeting required a valid reason.xBlXx9z
nDzp4Although the visit was considered a gesture to foster goodwill between families, no one truly knew the political impact of such a small gathering. Naturally, the servants were a bit tense.L1CdNd
CX0But in truth, Ellen simply wanted to know how things were going between Dereck and Denise.PP1mw
lVsQkThat might seem too bold… but it was better than beating around the bush.Z35ZF
zHSDenise was not easily taught, not even with polite words. She had always been a mysterious figure, quick to draw boundaries when someone tried to cross them.fvoaTAB
TOi8DZuAt the Rose Salon, she always laughed elegantly and engaged in courteous conversations, but it was all surface-level. Ellen had long noticed Denise’s naturally reserved demeanor.q1NzFA6
9R1There was a clear difference between her and someone like Ellen, who was open about everything important.DPhqoDV
TSl4Dereck was likely having a hard time. If he now thought he wasn’t a good match for the Beltus family, Ellen was planning to make a favorable proposal.NjFoX
AlV4wsBut that would be difficult without the Duke Beltus’ approval.o77gqoX
1nhGE7Still, Ellen rushed over—not to spy, but to cultivate friendship.y4HkyMu
fRLFHer first goal was to gauge the inscrutable Denise.HIy1zaP
pxKsU“…Thanks to Lady Ellen’s visit, I can finally rest…”weOc6Yz
VHAmsIBut the Denise who appeared in the reception room looked so worn out one might question if she was the same person from the Rose Salon.KWheP
RvvvM7Saying she looked worn out might not be accurate. She seemed slimmer, her movements more agile, as if she’d been exercising intensely.JPNs4I
b20DokBut her expression didn’t match her body. Though makeup and accessories enhanced her beauty, the underlying fatigue was obvious.fS6kt
JvrxThe servants had hurried to tidy her up as best they could, but this was the most they could manage.188kUh
ITmLfR“…You look very tired. Lady Denise, you haven’t stopped training your magic, have you?”aLr4JfX
TFzH86“…Yes, yes… that’s right. Instructor Dereck is quite enthusiastic.”CFaMtG
IG8oeIt was, after all, a visit from an honorable lady of the Rose Salon.Nm7
qfRYnjlDenise managed to show her best smile, struggling to maintain her usual appearance.yn9TFd
4fFu5H“I had high expectations from someone with such a reputation as a magic instructor… but his methods are a little different from what I imagined. They’re physically demanding… and… emotionally pressuring too…”mTS
AIBjRDenise, never lacking in grace, now wore a complicated expression.KcF
zq0i6KVSeeing this, Ellen suddenly remembered her own time learning under Dereck.SHF
pRruN— From here on, this is truly hell.Zgl
pBre2iF— Eek.0Wo108
8kACl5QIn an instant, fear ran down Ellen’s spine.VWEIFM
4h5VLike many things in this world, hardships often seemed trivial in hindsight. Painful memories faded, leaving only the pleasant moments and accomplishments.CGe
WhFa11wHowever, the memories of Dereck’s relentless presence while running, his endless spellcasting to exhaustion, and his obsession with magical theory even at the cost of sleep, all came rushing back.SDEa
XytJEven now, just remembering it made one gulp unconsciously.Yx7H
yoGsDereck was the most stubborn magic instructor she had ever met. At that moment, Ellen’s eyes met Denise’s.sQN9sPS
XAazDenise seemed to understand Ellen’s thoughts just from her expression.5VI
BRjnEllen thought to herself:tScK
si5In Ebelstein’s social circles, it’s common for women who share a mentor to form factions or connections. After all, every connection is a weapon, and those with shared experiences naturally bond.AEqPFJW
Q35MGNZPerhaps, rather than just being Rose Salon members, connecting as students of the same mentor could be an option. But forming a faction…? Not sure how others would see that…y1qY9JH
k1rEStill… if we unite, maybe we can connect differently than through the Rose Salon… The culture there requires too many appearances, which has its uncomfortable sides…t85HMQe
XP8On the other hand, Denise, after setting down her teacup, was lost in entirely different thoughts.zFLAe
SI4QuqSo Ellen also suffered under Dereck’s teaching… It’s like a group of victims, how complicated…VoSFP
m9X4tosDenise had been carefully observing Ellen’s slow decline since accepting Dereck as a mentor. Unfortunately, it was no longer someone else’s problem.9lYCg
RUDmaSHowever, it wasn’t entirely hopeless.XrS42F
gQ1WYDenise quickly understood the reason behind Ellen’s unexpected visit. She was clearly assessing the situation with Dereck to gauge Denise’s reaction.jsFIa
azNoIn essence, the Belmierd family hadn’t yet given up on recruiting Dereck. That was good news.SmgL
jCpRDenise wanted to be rid of this instructor as soon as possible. But once purchased, he was a non-refundable product. Regardless of Duke Beltus’ intentions, Dereck himself was set on turning Denise into a great mage.e5laX
38cWith so many noble ladies in Ebelstein’s social circle eager to be taught, and even Aiselin wanting to learn from him, why did he have to trouble Denise?alU
nms0NTo Denise—unaware of Dereck’s desire to maintain ties with the three great families—it was infuriating. Dereck’s frantic teaching approach had gone from disappointing to admirable and perplexing.0e8l
uL4MrqOIf he lacked social skills, it wouldn’t matter, but he blended well with the servants and fit into the mansion seamlessly, becoming a sociable monster.NlM2Fp
WpomM‘Ugh… my head hurts again…’rJXe
mkAjStill, to other women, Denise’s worries might seem like those of the privileged. That was the worst part.hbD
gZc7tAShe didn’t understand why Aiselin and Ellen were so desperate to bring Instructor Dereck into their families.vNN6QZ
v9sxDo noble ladies enjoy torturing themselves? Watching Ellen carefully, Denise couldn’t help but think how vast the world was.ILBWoPT
fbXuE3“By the way, how is Lady Aiselin? I feel I’ve neglected my duties at the Rose Salon due to my magic training. I’ve only attended major events and haven’t properly greeted everyone… I hope she’s not too upset.”RMPHe
1S5kpBDenise quickly changed the topic.eSx
EtKShe needed to think more about how to handle Dereck, and she wasn’t sure how to respond to Ellen’s attitude.yRh
9BlTq“Lady Aiselin has returned to her family’s home. She’s attending her brother’s appointment ceremony and helped with her younger sister’s debut. It’s always better to have someone experienced assisting.”meobmgE
ipg“If it’s about her sister’s debut… Will Lady Diella be coming to Ebelstein?”mmmqTy
2gCEQ“Yes. From what I’ve heard… her magical achievements are far beyond the rumors.”nODilO
6HG5odAiselin’s younger sister, who had reached two-star magic level, was born into the Duplain family.nD3
SW7If another figure like Aiselin appeared, it would greatly impact Ebelstein’s social circles.c6oXT
xQ6g“They say she’ll be at the next meeting… If you attend the regular gathering, you might meet her. I’m a bit nervous myself, as it’ll be my first time seeing her.”UVHfnLR
86ClThe next meeting was the following week.gwNTd
okhQ1CqDo I also have to worry about social hierarchy now…? Ugh… my head hurts…avp
snPly8Denise just wanted to lie down at that point. But once Ellen left, she’d have to return to her horrible training schedule.fdez
08fyIt was a sad truth, but talking to Ellen now was her only rest.QfNlQY
0GvbDKmDereck, as always, would be waiting downstairs in the visitor’s room, having finished preparations for the lesson, with a satisfied smile on his face.mPgP
TFsnNGradually, his expression was starting to look villainous.vNpv
C8it2d***P4Drffv
vRCkl“Lady Diella. Here are the documents for next week’s Rose Salon meeting.”4GzW
oGHcwAttachments from the Duplain family.ljabsWX
EsLoLDiella’s private room was spacious but sparsely furnished. On one side, easels with various landscapes were scattered randomly, and atop her lace bed were books on magic spread out.TgOmQ
CKS8aXIn the center, a blonde girl stared blankly at the ceiling, skillfully using magic—a wild mage born into nobility.pw04pJr
IPKujlHer thick golden waves framed her like a doll, and the ruffles of her dress draped over her knees like a blanket.GLpL
qPtfyaSitting silently, her eyes watched the openly manifested magic, already exuding an extraordinary aura.G5wknj
rdhRsjHer achievements had no equal since Dereck taught her. She had completely mastered the basic theory of wild academy, and most one-star spells were trivial to her.41Gam
T9r4dThough her appearance hadn’t changed, her rate of magical improvement far surpassed anyone else, even Dereck.KjmlvTv
P1D“Rose Salon? Why there, all of a sudden?”ohl
cp2kEdeThe girl was already walking the path of a master. Hearing the report from her butler in a tired voice, she finally lowered her eyes with a cold gaze and said:h9k4
RPEFNjb“Why should I go there?”KU9y
pXWSSkThe girl possessed nearly every quality to become famous in Ebelstein’s society, but she had no interest in honor games.UsaE
e04yNBorn of the noblest blood, she was someone who refused to be bound by rules or systems.ReA9xDH
hJXxEA consistent trait among those with truly exceptional talent.zxiVKTC
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