Chapter 51: Value (5)
vcawnR“Of course, Miss Denise’s words may be useful. However, I can also give enough reasons why I don’t need to leave the Beltus family. After all, reasons are something you can make up when needed.”Y4oqq2
0qbmThe Beltus family, although its reputation rivals that of the Duplain family, which dominates the southwestern continent, cannot wield as much influence as Miss Aiselin and Miss Diella.KvJxNk
6KTy1sWhen it comes to producing heirs, it’s hard to find a place capable of raising successors as excellent as the Duplain family, even across the entire continent.IFU95Q9
M90xNevertheless, Dereck continued as if none of that mattered.R2vw
pACg8m0“There are three reasons why I didn’t leave the Beltus family.”rnywB
xz61q“…What are they?”oboj3
DaK1zwl“First, Miss Denise is a much more valuable person than she believes.”ZihZwnr
rCB“Thank you.”ncNTMwp
3cu“I’m not saying this to flatter you.”Pwx
1sNDenise, thinking it was just an empty compliment, thanked him without emotion, but Dereck denied it seriously.UIwE
muzSShe knew that white-haired mercenary didn’t say things he didn’t mean. Still, it wasn’t easy for Denise to accept Dereck’s words at face value.Vietvm
1u2G9“Miss Denise has produced results and maintained her position even in the cold environment of the Beltus family. That’s hard to compare with the warm family ties of the Duplain family.”iYpBwd
eIw5X“What are you trying to say?”QqXcF
WeHSH66“Steel is forged in intense heat, but humans become truly strong in cold climates.”QIgfeb
wjC4rCGDereck was someone who had grown up from cold foundations.3N31
ijmwvCHis values differed from Aiselin and Diella, who had grown up embraced by the fullness of the Duplain family and had received much love.4MQ
BvB70“A flower that blooms in a greenhouse may look beautiful, but it has unavoidable limitations. I believe true value lies in the weeds that can survive in hostile environments.”H4i
oO1jy“…Are you saying I’m like a weed?”5lb
AP8m“It’s a bit of an odd expression, but… yes, that’s right. Miss Denise has qualities like a weed.”SsXWEI
L349“…Wow. That’s too blunt to count as a compliment…”Jus
LGDau“I don’t say empty words.”7gUbHvh
Isg2“I know.”u7iai
93nRtePerhaps what this mercenary said was completely sincere. Denise felt an inexplicable sense of confidence growing inside her.YkwS
l8K1wYThis mercenary highly valued Denise’s traits. No matter how much she pressed, he never stopped this training.api
6y7DkqnA famous teacher only teaches students they believe are worth it. Dereck seemed to have found value in Denise even she didn’t know she had.SA1
vawH“The second reason is that, no matter what happens, I need to maintain my relationship with the Beltus family a bit longer.”xdmEmn
weHxYB2“You’re already close enough to the Duplain and Belmierd families. There’s no reason to stay connected to the Beltus family too…”K6E
9WJ7vfxDenise suddenly fell silent.xuY5gdi
OB8CShe stared into Dereck’s eyes, then swallowed hard.qO1t1
ntQ“Are you trying to become a noble?”MDb
jq1cW“If necessary, it would be good to obtain a minor title through contributions, but I have no ambition for social advancement. My only goal is to maintain ties with many prestigious families so there are no major obstacles to my magical achievements.”ZA57KC
KvoWOrdinary people often dislike nobles obsessed with their privileges, but Dereck held no particular feelings—positive or negative—toward them.q8man7
tbHwfdOHe simply knew it was meaningless to oppose nobles when it came to learning magic.C3bMc0B
xAwDIf he wanted to become a high-level mage in the future, he would eventually need the support of as many prestigious families as possible. Given Drest’s life, that wasn’t something to take lightly.aQh2
1Njm“…That’s just like you. In the end, all you want is to learn advanced magic, right?”81r
PeIT“Yes. If I can maintain smooth relationships with the three great families, no one will be able to interfere with my magical progress. Though, this only applies to the southwestern part of the continent.”RkgIgJa
q0hi“Do you really think you’ll reach 3-star mage level…?”E6b42c0
jk47a3H“I’m already at 3-star level.”JbxqA
Fkd“What??”8kKL4L
sEJZBDereck made that shocking statement with complete indifference.vaLP
IjBHe didn’t show any emotional shift, but Denise couldn’t stop her pupils from trembling for a moment.O87n
ksQShe had thought he was only skilled in 2-star magic. Even within the 2-star level, there was a big gap between someone who had just reached it and someone who had fully developed.sTD2U
tWuaHAnd the 3-star level was far beyond that gap.QqaTtU
zuh5SEven among the nobility, only one or two per generation reach 3-star level by their coming-of-age ceremony. But this was the first time she had seen a commoner reach this level at such a young age.rJkmSU
SZBZiShe began to understand why Dereck was so intent on maintaining smooth ties with the three great noble families.gIO
4p7o2Denise swallowed again and recalled the magical abilities Dereck had demonstrated so far.NE4L9
5Bs1It wasn’t strange at all to consider him a 3-star mage.CKLws1l
uqRj5I“Dereck, you’re truly obsessed with magic.”lK0k9O
PhFs5NS“I still have a long way to go.”l7QW
55V“Yeah, that makes sense. You definitely have reasons for staying with the Beltus family.”UT9Q
86JJZMDenise nodded as she sat on an old display cabinet. At some point, she even let out a hollow laugh. After all, this mercenary never strayed from the truth in his words.SHHjgiN
9b4No matter how much Denise tried to manipulate him, he always shattered her clever plans with his direct words.fB7i
eZEJHe was with the Beltus family for his own safety and progress. And he said so with complete confidence.CiTVCf
6TOStThere were no soft considerations in Dereck’s words.1e2gH4
ZsRqgVfThey weren’t even meant to comfort Denise, whose wings had been clipped. They simply stated the facts.pzgZh
awX‘….’CFvL3HN
WFaHS1However, sometimes, after going in circles, that became a form of consideration and comfort. Dereck surely understood that well too.Oz5
lUO6pU7Someone like Denise wouldn’t be moved by comforting words or flowery rhetoric.254mZ
Bf7You’re not worthless. You’re a beautiful and valuable being.wOAn
VWMShe wasn’t the type to be swayed by empty reassurances like that.ilX
pxaSNMInstead, she found strange comfort in someone like Dereck, who would say with a blank expression: “Aren’t you?”pLLRD
chrShe felt a peculiar reassurance when Dereck affirmed Denise’s worth with solid reasoning—reasoning that was hard to refute.IM4
s2n‘I’ve really become a stingy woman, feeling relieved by words like that.’sOcMMK
6Br6mWDenise thought to herself as she smiled and scolded herself inwardly. This boy named Dereck judged people as individuals, beyond status or family.hnQl3e
HMqRTo Denise, who had been oppressed all her life by the prestige of the Beltus family, he was a strange kind of person.wlkH
Jf0cGVCome to think of it, during his lessons, not once had he imposed the typical noble mindset, like shining for the Beltus family or striving for greater honor and power.ebwFu
LXcHc1rHe truly wanted to teach magic to Denise. There wasn’t even a hint of Beltus family glory mixed into that intent.qEghmr
eXkQqaVThinking this far, Denise began to see this magic teacher Dereck in a different light.PJPu8
pqaEzyA teacher teaches people. And a mentor guides people.75C
3ZwErZ4It made sense why Aiselin praised him as both a good teacher and a mentor.DkxR
E3fRoZh‘What a strange person.’2xPIQH
ouuiIn noble society, where everything revolved around authority and discipline, Dereck might have been the only one who taught people purely, unbound by that sense of status.eAFp4cO
CfCGIn terms of rarity, for Denise—who had lived her life oppressed by familial prestige—he was as valuable as gold.B49aE2
grApSTNow, she was beginning to understand why so many noblewomen tried to bring this magic teacher into their families.uJPGev
nsRdVxDereck.n3ne
DfgSusLooking calmly at him, Denise gently closed her eyes, then opened them and smiled as she spoke.vr2
PoONT3F“So, what’s the third reason?”OTG7
FgzyqwrSuddenly, she felt curious.SbMCZt
KY9Dereck had said there were three reasons he stayed with the Beltus family instead of moving to the Duplain family. She had only heard two so far.6Tvsmb
bDmwjcWhat importance could there be in receiving affirmation from this boy—who wasn’t the son of any famous noble, just a mercenary from the slums…? It was something she could easily brush aside as irrelevant.iO9FMm6
dDK8EYet Denise suddenly found herself deeply curious about the final reason.onEPT
1AXVevlShe more or less understood the first two reasons, but was embarrassed by how eagerly she sought the last one—like a little girl begging for praise. She laughed at herself inwardly, feeling like a puppy wagging its tail while pretending to act aloof.F5Neqr
oGL“Oh, the third one?”OMo
i8ycrDereck said it so casually, like it was nothing.VdO24F
PA894O“I just want to know how the story ends.”8EH
yrDHXX“Huh? What do you mean?”k7UK
37C7For a moment, she had to ask what he was talking about.urk6rm
yitvT“If I go to another family, I won’t get to see the rest. It’s hard to bear being cut off at such an important point.”7Li1
ITFvSH“…You don’t mean…?”vGq28ZZ
ypqi8“Yes. I’m talking about The Arrogant Lord Robain.”ImuBUS
y10L“What nonsense is that!!!”TTTOJm
gMps9Denise sprang to her feet and nearly shouted.hau2i
FuARealizing she had just lost her composure, she blushed and quickly sat back down.8ax
qHNShe looked like she was struggling to breathe.33G
oMNhDMp“You’ve been waiting for the next part of the story?”W0W2h
qC68kfQ“Yes. Don’t you write it every night?”Noj
9K2dtD“How could I possibly pick up a pen again after making such a scene?!”iOZ
GBhVY0“Embarrassment? I don’t think that’s necessary…”xkU1tN
D04GrnThis man was being sincere.VP45p
P1Ig7grDenise stared at Dereck with a confused expression. He had no intention of mocking her past or causing trouble.Lbm
XXA5FflThat made it even scarier. At times like this, purity was the deadliest poison.DeR
2VsNDk“That—that was just something to throw away! I only wrote it as a temporary hobby… You don’t seriously think I was earnestly writing such a childish and silly story, do you?”eow
infN8nG“…Really? I thought the detailed descriptions and character development were very impressive. A lot of effort clearly went into it…”miLiQu
aby“Ugh…”IoTfajW
6eUniI“Like I said, it’s too harsh to dismiss it entirely just because you’re embarrassed. Didn’t you stay up all night writing it, Miss Denise?”5Gn01R
t3CEven as her face turned beet red, Denise managed to reply.yN3I2
ZvrBiez“You’re treating me like an idiot.”vx9sE
FaB“Me?”R1kTMZ
i1oHcL“Don’t pretend otherwise.”tpTd
ywgsLU“I’m really not.”lgTb1f
j0js6IzDereck remained serious.ACuK
ARlwVHe brushed the dust from the hem of his pants and spoke in the same steady tone.TuRG8qR
QEUvBM“Miss Denise, you said you were an empty shell, a pawn manipulated by the Beltus family, but looking at the facts, that’s not entirely true, is it?”1wZh2R
5yAChYe“What?”ApQj
8f4wi8B“Even though no one asked you to, you wrote those stories, read and studied the works of other great authors. Why do you think the servants pretended not to see you working late into the night with your quill?”nTNCT
0xGFDenise’s pupils widened slightly. She began to understand why Dereck had been so serious in teaching her.UBmOYg
J41j3aEven in her nightly exhaustion, he remembered the image of a girl sitting at her desk by moonlight.ACfE4T
snQShe lived pushed around by her family’s overwhelming pressure, like a giant wave. Yet at night, she sat near the window, gazing at the stars, imagining the love of fictional characters.G1DtV
5MiuwUShe wrote about people who retained their worth, even in the face of harsh reality.v9RFf
s9b7PfThe characters in her writing—who lived and breathed—never gave in to countless waves.79xups
4gfjUEven Lord Robain, caught in a family crisis, and Tracy, facing the limits of her status, fought their hardest to find happiness.lMK2yRn
y6w54fShe depicted scenes where sunlight always broke through the clouds after the storm.gbWf018
OtYhXFoam crashing against half-collapsed piers.393
tPDrRDAt first glance, it might have seemed bleak, but the girl never failed to portray the hope that always lingered. Because that was what she truly wanted to express.8wUl
hX0n0That’s why she wrote so late into the night with her quill.sIk6Z
0oleYThat’s why an old mercenary, reading with his chin in his hand, couldn’t laugh at those lines—even if they were a little embarrassing or made his back feel warm.tAA
km0Wr“The lines you wrote after reflecting all night are proof that you’re not an empty person, Miss Denise. Do I seem like someone cold-hearted enough to dismiss those things as foolish?”LhO
I1uoc“…”vYx
WhCY“I thought you might take it as an empty compliment, but I still wanted to say I enjoyed it.”Y8t
DpzqDDereck spoke with his usual steady demeanor. From the moment they met in Raspah Cave until now, he’d never changed.EGU
bmHFurrShe was starting to understand the value of his persistence. Denise looked at Dereck in silence, then laughed softly.bikxEy
zclOpIt was a laugh that bloomed like a flower bud.Ybt
GDOK4“Dereck, you’re… very hard to figure out.”ZEinr
XMHoEIn the dark basement, with no one around, Denise ran her hand through her hair for no particular reason.uFo11
trkWhether it was embarrassment, shyness, or something else—she didn’t know… but it was hard to hold eye contact with Dereck.5KplR
sSfS5aEven so, it didn’t feel uncomfortable at all.xzD6n
BbSZATy***fC5FWHj
bzWOQ“Miss Denise is in the pavilion.”doODu3n
nLo“Already? She arrived quickly.”Z379ji
WZwb“Are you ready to go downstairs now?”xR8PVUz
N7VXl3“No, make them wait a bit.”n2c
SY0LSome servants were busy adjusting the neckline on Diella’s dress.9629
vz970cDiella, clad in a gorgeous frock festooned with ruffles in the dressing room, dawdled without emerging. Making the guests wait was a kind of power play.q6B
PJ5Time had passed since the psychological warfare at that gathering. Now it was the day of the duel agreed upon between Diella and Denise.xmPzxUj
g6PhHThe terms set by Diella were surprisingly generous, even from the Beltus family’s standpoint.LHbWkF
U2TThere was no reason to refuse: she offered to buy a non-existent painting at risk, even handing over cash.OxTFo
hOHThe conditions were outrageously lavish for securing a plebeian mercenary—but the Duke of Beltus was willing to go this far to gain someone like Dereck.Y9xooWo
v9xnWt“Miss Diella… I hesitate to say this, but…”5T9YFSu
6z8g0“I’m tired of hearing it. You want me to show some respect to Lady Denise, correct?”L7yIh
C7AK“…”u1Oi9Rc
9MJCVBWhen the butler Delron spoke firmly like that, even the cruel Diella could only respond with a long sigh.KQAt78I
z9ys6xNo matter how much she might become the mistress of the Duplain family, she couldn’t harm the butler responsible for the whole household.9Mun
9TZwOStill, whether or not she would listen remained another matter.vQgo0m
NhS“I know. She may play the affectionate angel, but she’s the type to turn her hand on you anytime.”G6W
eoRPI“Lady Denise of the Beltus family is highly respected even in Salon Rose. If she really were as dangerous as she seems, wouldn’t she be a heavy burden on you, Miss Diella?”Y4Co3v
DuAButler Delron offered his advice boldly. Of course, he had his own motives.YmfQ
F55“As the mercenary said, if you become Lady Denise’s enemy, your ties with Salon Rose might not remain unstrained.”Ev3P5K
hHP61“Ugh… the butler always brings up Dereck whenever things aren’t going your way…”DyN
7MniDiella groaned as she spoke.NvYbhpR
OENe0qEvery time Dereck entered the equation, her resolve softened—and she couldn’t help thinking deeper.7O063ka
zf0MWWhat if, by chance, Denise harbored no hostility toward her? What if, by chance, the letters Denise had sent had been genuine? What if, by chance, Denise was simply a kind noblewoman who didn’t intend to deceive?hnKFd
o8QP9These possibilities tormented her mind even as she walked toward the pavilion, lost in thought.8Nf
AjSl3But in the end, those were just thoughts. What mattered now was something else.Cb3g
q0qsKToday’s magical duel would take place in the private dueling arena located in Diella’s pavilion.u1j9f8u
igviEZSince it was a newly built facility, she wanted to inspect it herself—and did not want to showcase her skills in a public place where others could watch. Denise had agreed readily and came to Diella’s house as an early guest.jYVlw
7Rh9EulIt would have been natural for the hostess to personally greet such an honored visitor—but Diella left Denise waiting alone in the reception room for quite some time.U3IM
CvjGShe intended to provoke a little mind game with that delay. After what felt like an eternity, Diella finally entered the reception room with a relaxed air; by then, Denise was already seated at the guest table.ulqOj
4QWxbCcHumming a tune while nonchalantly flipping through a book, she looked at ease as ever.mHT0qt
Hh8CShe even seemed more comfortable than she had at the Salon Rose meeting, as if she’d done some preparation.PnHL
HIolMDiella furrowed her brow deeply and sat down across the table. Denise closed her book, set it aside, and greeted her with an elegant bow, her smile radiating like the sun.rw0Ux
3jf“Are you well, Miss Diella?”ox8yTmf
XtxV3V8“Yes. Perfectly fine.”sUA1zQL
yPZDiella answered curtly, but Denise didn’t seem to mind at all.aUWI
h4rWa2She simply picked up the teacup—which had already gone cold—sipped delicately, and smiled with her customary grace.EN7O5
JQV“This new house is truly beautiful. It suits the grandeur of the Duplain family.”DwZ1B
lSpAs Denise offered light, polite conversation with a sweet smile, Diella felt a strange pressure. No matter how harsh she could be, her opponent showed no sign of offense.j7HiK20
VctGWith silver‑gray hair, bright eyes, gracious manner, and limitless poise, she embodied the noble lady.eeKy
TL7lJEThough she didn’t raise her voice or show anger, she radiated an oddly oppressive aura.Xgx
OFJWWhile many high‑ranked noblewomen often felt intimidated in front of Diella, Denise appeared unmoved.Djig
KijaUYet there was no need for confrontation. Diella sighed and then laughed. A beautiful rose always has thorns.ZgsuGm
pJ1cUXAnd so do people.eCD
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