Chapter 5: Duplain (2)
CYImThose who saw Dereck for the first time in the mercenary world always wore a puzzled expression.0OSK
8rb8KGToo young, yes, but despite his youthful appearance, he was well-equipped and seemed far too kind.4Cl
VnJHjYoung or kind.AJ2d
KbOIn this world, either of those traits would usually get you stabbed in the back and left for dead. Yet Dereck’s face showed both.kBMM
F2XNHow a young and kind-looking boy could survive in the mercenary world was a mystery to anyone.ECZd
pzrd3But there was a clear truth—Dereck had lived as a mercenary since childhood, and yet there was no weariness in his eyes. That meaning could only be understood by joining Dereck on the battlefield.fTJ
BgoR—Thump! Thud!Hb4RWFV
IDZh—Kiekk!80zN6w
7pIEA goblin struck by a first-tier magic arrow spat black blood and collapsed in the middle of the forest.Zq6U
cDyu5jOn the narrow path through the forest toward Ebelstain, on the edge of Duke Duplain’s territory.Tio9d
OVuWith a longsword in his right hand, Dereck slashed through and split the snout of the grotesque creature, spraying blood onto his face.3ciGRj
NggXIn the midst of it all, a bleeding, one-armed goblin lunged at him. Dereck dodged the axe with a step back and, grabbing the goblin’s face, released his full strength.qWZ
WSqCRZ3—Fzzzzzt!D9ex
ZPE9dNg—Kiekk!LkEGA
cRftJdAs the goblin screamed in surprise, Dereck quickly drew the dagger from the sheath on his thigh and stabbed it into its neck.ecc
10P2Red blood splashed, filling his vision, and the metallic smell flooded the air, but not a flicker of emotion crossed Dereck’s face.zJURTK
3dSNot because he was cold like a machine. Rather, he maintained the same kind and earnest look he had in the tavern. Only the blood on his body heightened the dissonance. This boy didn’t hesitate to take a life. For him, it was as routine and natural as eating or sleeping.7vocS
TQiN3g“Is anyone hurt?”7evU
ruVWith his sword now clean, he asked kindly, his body covered in goblin blood. Goblin limbs lay scattered around him. Melvin, who had been guarding the carriage, gulped unconsciously.Okfb
aJggIt wasn’t unusual for a hardened mercenary to hack monsters to pieces without a second thought.pTpi922
Q6ABut seeing a boy his age casually soaked in blood, asking such a question with a weary expression, was unsettling. In an era where magic was the exclusive domain of the nobility, this boy was a street-raised mage.quI533U
un1It was a scene anyone could instinctively sense—unlike the flowers protected in greenhouses.pv8zlN
dtSp***cbEU
dMi“Traveling with Dereck definitely makes things easier. Spotting enemies with search magic, and taking them down from afar—it’s not hard.”X4EZWr
98XzA9“I appreciate the compliment, but you know the boss handled eighty percent of those monsters.”39ubHAe
TXpasXA“Tsk… You’ve got no sense of humor. You should learn to enjoy being praised.”SvA
AlnTQ1kJayden clicked his tongue and patted Dereck on the shoulder.1BU
dNCUt7“….”E93
muGUknlMelvin, who had been rude back in the tavern, seemed quieter on the return trip. As Jayden had guessed, the task given by the mysterious trio from the duchy turned out to be extremely simple.DYJTENP
JBc3By sunset, there were no monsters in sight, and they were able to board the carriage back to Ebelstain.4Ca
o9E3L“I must admit your work is commendable.”IW41
VZVLr4Melvin still wore a grim expression, but finally gave a high compliment. Jayden, smiling with satisfaction, sat back in the carriage and cleaned the blood from his sword.O08Zk
ZxTV4“Your praise is too generous. Now that your concern is resolved, please pay the remaining balance.”uL1Vz8
4T3aQ6“Understood.”OT1qs9H
wXNppg6The advance was one gold coin, and the final payment was two more.SbLTG
nJYTmConsidering most extermination requests paid only a few silver coins, it was a payout sure to bring a smile.6RFBj3
icXYyayGrinning broadly, Jayden tossed the gold coin into his leather pouch.Uwg
T1wdGW“Nice work, Dereck. When we get back to the tavern, I’ll give you your share.”6Het
KOuapWDereck, leaning back in his seat, nodded indifferently and gazed out at the sunset. Though not particularly tired, the fatigue from using magic still lingered.SeJz6l
jG4pHe crossed his arms and leaned against the carriage wall, trying to rest.XxKk
aqRAXI“You seem to handle a good variety of first-tier magic.”4Kr
D7sWminBut the inspector, still wearing her hood, spoke to Dereck. It was the first time she had initiated conversation all day. Her voice was clear, with a hint of youth, but Dereck answered without much interest, keeping his reclined posture.dgmm
r23rW“I’ve learned a bit of everything. Being versatile helps when you’re a mercenary trying to survive.”ss3T
fpS“You said you’re sixteen? Not much older than me. That’s impressive.”R4muGax
webWlu7Dereck glanced sideways and noticed that Melvin, the old man, and Delia the maid had swallowed dryly.HPJARP
pOQB9They seemed wary of the trainee inspector. Their hesitant attitude showed discomfort with Dereck’s casual approach to the conversation. Dereck was also surprised inside. The girl had revealed she was his age.Mgpy
qDZUZSoTo be honest, Dereck had assumed she was at least of age, given her extremely mature demeanor.mxYh
YjUK“How did you learn magic?”Ml1
gwu8“By picking it up on the streets while trying to survive.”QLkRB0
FvC5k“You haven’t even had your coming-of-age ceremony, have you? It’s amazing that you can handle multiple first-tier spells.”Oly8t5
sg4kbThe question was odd. Dereck felt uneasy but acted indifferent.t0yh6
z6g‘He hasn’t had his coming-of-age ceremony…’QM0OcL
WLCN26Commoners rarely held such elaborate ceremonies.nVtv
04B“I can manage about three or four first-tier spells.”tuX
ziH“Three is three, and five is five… but saying ‘about three or four’ is a little strange.”k84sZ
cPJWhile still reclined, Dereck saw the inspector smile faintly under her hood.EnQs
Q3gDuA“You know more than that, don’t you?”4uAH
kmTbDds“….”SbZJC6
idQggIF“There’s no need to hide it. I’m genuinely curious. It’s incredible that someone your age can handle magic to that degree.”hG5cvGb
6A4Dereck’s mentor, Katia, used to say that exceptional talent could attract the hostility of nobles.HAk5NFl
TZdThe inspector was clearly connected to one of the top magical families—the ducal house of Duplain. Dereck felt it was best not to reveal his full capabilities.ruVTo
LI9yvAX“My vagueness is because I didn’t follow the common magic academy route—the Regulated Academy.”0lj
zVh8hg“Oh?”Hic8SV
2144“I’m from the Wild Academy. While the Regulated Academy strictly categorizes magic systems and standards, the Wild Academy is somewhat separate from that.”x9wmoQ
0sAFDereck sat up and began to speak seriously.qU2
gNVFWhen the topic of magical factions came up, the hooded girl’s eyes sparkled with fascination.50rFJsM
3Djb“The Wild faction, you say?”8uiQI
WmU“It’s been a long time since the aristocratic Regulated faction became mainstream, but research into unconventional magical factions continues.”5ibts
by7yUDereck’s magic mentor, Katia, had also been a mage of the Regulated faction, but Dereck himself had broken free of that discipline.vx8Tm7y
WTDyWhen he had to choose a faction after learning magic from the old man, Dereck had chosen the Wild faction.ZYz8sU
Ysnbm1a“The Wild faction focuses on the practical use of mana and magic needed for immediate survival, not on rules and regulations. The kind of magic used on unpredictable roads full of adventure is their specialty—they’re experts at improvising mana usage based on the situation.”aMgs5KB
ThI7xM9“I’ve heard of mages who use magic from that perspective, but it’s the first time I’ve met one.”Nrx7v
ScAl“Well, it’s not like I use high-level magic… I’m just talking theory. Like I said, I’m just a one-star mage from a commoner background.”0fnk
kJAVUbPDereck tried to downplay himself, but the inspector, still wrapped in her cloak, was full of curiosity.aY8sv
mquShe seemed deeply interested in magic. That instinct surprised him.fmZ74O
t5v0“Of course, the aristocratic Regulated faction’s magic is the most researched and developed. There’s a reason why the unconventional ones remain as such.”iwp9h7
7cd“But there must be a reason why you, Dereck, chose the path of the Wild faction, right? May I ask what it is?”749d
LZw2VLbWhy was she so interested in something like this? The interview-like atmosphere was awkward, but since the other party had paid a large sum of money, it was hard to be rude.zm3
JAOHConsidering the job had been too easy for the amount received, he thought it might be better to see this as part of the service.JNQ
FUzkWith that in mind, Dereck gathered mana in his hand.2VYNLjt
DOP“Since you seem to know a bit about magic, let me explain it simply—it’s because magic is useful for survival.”1FhhN5t
VvXAs Dereck gathered mana in his hand, a small flame began to burn in his palm.FDBiZ
j1FG9fThe flame, materialized with mana, burned in the air without any fuel. For those unfamiliar with magic, it would have been an extraordinary sight, but anyone with a bit of magical knowledge would recognize it as a rather low-level use of mana.73dGiq3
G4LzENeither Melvin nor the maid Delia showed any surprise at the flame. If they worked in the Duplain ducal house, they must have seen prodigies like this many times.TXE9
wOqpZToHowever, the girl known as the inspector looked at Dereck’s fire with wide eyes.9Zu
Zwy“Oh?”mSUW0V
eq9AcIEven though she had likely seen magic like this countless times in her noble house, the girl watched Dereck’s flame as if it were something strange.mFRPcYF
PXQpbj“…It seems the mana release process is quite simple, isn’t it?”bmACnLt
p1N7CBZ‘Can this girl see mana?’IJm
StJhHiDereck was inwardly surprised by her comment. She could sense the flow of mana. In other words, she herself was at least a one-star mage.Vh9Gy
FsYaA“Yes. In the Regulated Faction, the process of using mana is divided into four stages—recognition, extraction, manipulation, and manifestation. But the Wild Faction doesn’t draw such clear distinctions. The process is unified and relies more on feeling.”3fPpah
MquG“…Do you always use magic like this?”GsUiV
r3H1“Yes. It has its advantages, but of course, also its drawbacks. If I explained every detail, the story would be too long…”zqTLu
ItMYbDereck didn’t want to elaborate further here. After all, this was just a brief encounter. He tried to keep it concise, eager to return to his rest.AeiVxf
T6Mz“In short, just understand that the field of magic is a bit different,” he said.jAsYUoP
bMJvoDifferences in schools of thought aren’t easily sliced apart with a knife.opaPq
fHKeQWrapping it up roughly like that, Dereck leaned back against the wall of the carriage again.XGj7
IHtztDTo the nobility, he was just a one-star mage. For those who lived among four- and five-star mages, a one-star prodigy from an unconventional school was little more than a trivial talent.qnODN
0hxn4VWith that in mind, Dereck closed his eyes tightly, trying to shake off his exhaustion, but…KxvzsDH
MVAVIn the girl’s eyes watching him, there was a peculiar sparkle.QD43L
jJsaaE***HczV
AMvhBTTHe thought he’d never see the strange trio of attendants again, but the following week, they returned to the tavern.Ip0BMOw
HhNpipThe request was similar. Monsters had reappeared on the borders of the Duke’s territory.QmWB
0t2k04They were lavish people. Naturally, Jayden responded with a wide grin. However, since the condition was to bring a mage again, Dereck had no choice but to follow them.g3q7M6
qTgWhSo they hunted monsters, parted ways, and the next week they came back with another request… The cycle repeated.qkBW
caiwUCEach time, they killed members of the Ayn tribe, and on the way back to the carriage, they’d share casual chats about the current state of the world or about magic—just small talk to avoid awkward silences.1VtgsJK
u81However, they were always diligent in slaying monsters.eqcqF
e4erGoblins, trolls, kobolds… Dangerous enemies for the inexperienced, but not much of a threat if handled carefully by seasoned mercenaries.XpWdgPL
wDvYkJMAfter several trips through the Duke’s lands dealing with border monsters, they had earned a considerable amount of money.GVx1lj
ARFUISJayden spent his days cheerfully singing, and Dereck, after receiving his share, was satisfied. Money always spoke the loudest.Q7oPxr
dJImCr7They enjoyed quality meat, well-maintained gear, and lived in relative comfort.Bzs
Nau1WXm“After seeing your monster-hunting skills, I’m sure your experience is trustworthy. This time, the Duke’s lands are offering fifteen Aydel gold coins.”aYS
rsh“Fifteen gold coins? Did I hear that right?”ikZm
SLqzfINAydel coins, the most commonly used currency in Ebelstain, could buy a room full of fresh-baked bread with just one gold coin.L0vI
y7OFFifteen coins could, without exaggeration, replace the entire tavern building with a brand-new one.Tla9SH
nXPmp9“Hahaha, you’ve got a generous heart! Are the monsters tougher this time? Don’t worry! The Beldern Mercenary Group has shown how clean our work is over the past two months! Give us enough prep time and we’ll even bring you the head of a hellspawn demon! Hahaha!”6MLj3
JyCJayden’s face was glowing—clearly pleased. It was rare to see an old man so delighted, but thinking about the reward heading his way, Dereck couldn’t help but swallow hard.WCRZG
fEeqoHe had heard stories of noble extravagance but never imagined it would go this far.9pzr
mURJBy“This request is a bit different from the usual ones. But as always, you’ll need to accompany us in the carriage.”oKgTCN
YRexC“Yes, the carriage is ready. We’re no longer strangers, are we? Hahaha.”e0O
gne“Then, let me formally introduce myself.”BOvOx0F
9AZxz“We’re already close! Haha! Why so formal now? Please, treat me casually! Let’s keep it friendly!”YeNJTUV
9pyic“I’m Delron, the steward of House Duplain.”QlCZe
9eZkCmIJayden’s warm and friendly smile froze. Melvin had been a false name.hcX
ESabLLQDereck had already suspected they were using lower status identities. But what did revealing them now mean?3ijuRTS
mJ6MMBefore he could gather his thoughts, the maid beside the steward bowed her head as well.mWmidOe
8x7“I’m Katarina, the estate manager of the duchy.”TRuEIvo
7Fs6Not a mere envoy, but the steward. Not a kitchen maid, but the estate manager.3pbyPU
zqFvP47The steward was the third-highest rank among servants, and the estate manager ranked just below in a great house.zBCK
oiYXThey were the leaders of the staff, who usually never left the estate. People who earned in a few months what commoners made in decades.chvrnZl
tecAnd the girl who had pretended to be an inspector gently lowered her hood and spoke with an elegant smile.9l49439
nhbhT“Aiselin Eleanore Duplain.”uaP
yRJHer eyes were soft but resolute, with a clear purity to them. That bright gaze was directed at Dereck.ckgtk
228The girl who looked directly at him spoke with an indescribable dignity, as always.3evt7
LnnfX“….”LCbs1
wCzE“My goodness.”m5AF
ckFGAXThe girl, watching Dereck in silence, added softly,1Xr
9rW5D“…Aren’t you surprised?”DMy
2kFP41He should be.pMqmI
R0sFBut Dereck had already suspected her true identity.7L2vtqJ
omLCTHe knew but pretended not to know about her exceptional status. Dereck had only thought about completing the job and collecting his gold coins.ObjOlc
Pq1fqNow, why had they revealed their status first?aOLhvqz
CpOThe reason was clear.boA2NS
OlSJ“If you don’t mind, would you accompany us to House Duplain?”GVpzy
g3QHouse Duplain was one of the three most prestigious noble families in the entire empire. The girl spoke with utmost courtesy and grace, but Dereck had no right to refuse.V0JPgw
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