Chapter 52: Value (6)
NxqOvxMost mages are driven by the desire to become stronger.QJauX2
S0s2This is a field where progress can be felt with every step, and that sense of advancement is more exhilarating than any pleasure, often sending people into a state of ecstasy. Once they experience it, they chase after higher levels as if enchanted.ilMf
somFOWA“…”iAC1t
Cw8bGQThe hunger for achievement transcends age and status.UW2bC
bD3iMThe Grand Duke of Duplain, from the noblest lineage, was no exception.ukz9
a1aHowever, one cannot always keep ascending. After years spent striving to reach higher levels, one must eventually confront their own limits.6Z17eT
sI78K8Despite his efforts over decades, the Grand Duke was unable to reach the level of a 6-star mage.brbNl6J
PjGbxLevel 6 is an extraordinary realm, accessible only to those chosen by the heavens among countless geniuses. Though he understood this, the inability to keep advancing as a mage often left him with an emptiness inside.hAutO
7gItb***vyxkd
ZS4‘You hit the nail on the head. It’s true, just looking at that staff makes you want to grip it tightly.’iqy
DPBdThe Duplain family’s storage room.amcKA9
UGWSBThe Duke’s expression, as he silently observed the staff Valerian brought from the White Zone with his hands behind his back, was far from favorable.NBPgP
4WfJrSometimes, weapons imbued with magic contain a “demon” within.
This occurs when a certain will or ego is sealed inside the magical artifact, or when an aura that confuses the mind manifests.0ckd
DejThe staff Valerian brought was exactly that. Knowing how serious he was when reporting it, I wondered what kind of item it would be—but I never imagined something so sinister.OxJYtmN
ZRjCF1Q‘The Rozin Staff, of which I had only heard rumors? A relic of Rozin, the 5-star summoner from before the War Era…? But Rozin was famous for redefining the fundamentals of summoning magic, so why does this feel like necromantic energy?’HBGSTFU
avnCWERozin’s staff looked like withered, twisted wood. A necromantic aura slithered around it, making it seem more like a soothsayer’s artifact than that of a summoner to any onlooker.S0lTO
WQiNecromancy was taboo, and merely dabbling in it would attract scrutiny from the imperial family.Ayf
FSzOMA distinct will within the staff seemed to whisper to the Duke.VA19o
Arx1AIt tempted him, telling him that if he wielded it, he would reach the 6-star level—that he must use its power to ascend.
This wasn’t the first time the Duke had encountered an object with demonic properties. He wasn’t someone who would easily give in to wicked whispers.BFI
LShgshAAfter abruptly suppressing the staff’s aura with his own magic, he called for the steward, Katarina, and said:tJiAkuk
zAZ“We must send a letter to the imperial family. Rather than keeping it and drawing their ire, it’s better to report it and give them the authority to dispose of this staff.”MZNqPgk
6dJNb“I’ll dispatch a messenger immediately. What should the letter say?”ZDXvNd
5cVf“Tell them to send the head of the magical advisors.”txs6f
GDisHis intent was to summon the most seasoned advisor of the imperial family, effectively the highest magical authority in the empire—the 6-star transformation mage, Kohella Deinalt Elvester.jCpn
bWaThe old fox of the imperial family who safeguarded the kingdom’s magical history, the oldest member of the Lontel Society—brimming with expert alchemists—the greatest transformation mage ever produced by the noble house Elvester, and lifelong rival of Drest WolfTail… His career was full of titles like “the best.”2Kix
e0bQAmong them, only one truly defined him: the longest-serving magical advisor to the imperial family.
He was such a formidable mage that even the emperor sought his personal counsel. Only someone like him would know how to properly dispose of this staff.Womrb
gSFZK7***Yv7Dt
VYK5HCThe magical training hall, immaculate as new, was one of the most meticulously prepared spaces in Diella’s mansion.08krD
Z6LkWith grand ambitions of magical achievement, and ever since her time with Dereck, she had honed her skills without a formal tutor.Ay8x4w
xTMh9At Diella’s request—always immersed in the pursuit of magic—her servants had outfitted the training space to the highest standards in all of Ebelstein.pINDe
tx7jLzIThe result was this hall. A facility far more polished and complete than the training chambers near the noble district plaza.w5VeVue
nrlOnD2Standing on the practice platform and adjusting her outfit, Diella frowned as her gaze met Denise’s, who smiled sweetly from the other side.JnKm
KAf4This was Diella’s mansion, her training hall, surrounded by her own attendants.kpnju
kwggxEverything was arranged in her favor. A potentially uncomfortable setting for her opponent.gWPcqX
IxZRYet Denise calmly gathered her magical energy, without a hint of concern.2ZFc
jpE3bD0‘She’s not afraid of losing. Seriously… Were those letters she sent actually sincere?’4RJxsj
L41iVwDDiella was confused.msCVx
6h4WyDenise had claimed she would deliberately lose the duel, no matter the terms of the bet.TjbNL
dbgCn7If her true intention was to release Dereck, Diella would welcome it. Her claim that their interests aligned wasn’t entirely empty.hRy4
Dz9wTEven so, Diella didn’t lower her guard. The servants, the ladies of the Rose Salon, and noble gossip all said the same—Denise was kind, elegant, and outwardly refined.hMZA
cGSQvBut Diella didn’t rule out that it could all be a façade—a trap to shatter her prideful arrogance.gkwxS
i4CTo some, that might seem excessive, but Diella was not one to trust easily. It had taken her over a decade to open up to the members of the Duplain family. For an outsider to gain her full trust was nearly impossible.pMQ7q
Ba7e3“I hope this will be a good match. It’s a great honor to compete with Lady Diella, known for her free-form magic and mastery of advanced spells.”9AU
Oey8dwi“Yes, me too.”HyVW3mN
qioFcADiella, gathering her magical energy, replied indifferently and shook her head.S1X
UfEGYIn any case, everything would be decided through this duel. She trusted her abilities.ekkuMKR
dX1wShe just needed to avoid losing.VP9Wqq
2QqtWRBWhoosh!zIwUqh
P2WGuDing!mzXQ
eIT9When the bell adorned with beautiful roses rang, tension spread across the platform.kpwLx7E
WhoTXIt was the signal for the start of their magical duel. Though it was just a sparring match, the stakes were high—the pride of both families was on the line.M2kre
orX59Q0Diella wanted Dereck.8xC
oC2fAs a child, she had yearned to learn again from the teacher who had shown her the magical path during her days of exploration. A wild genius born into the Duplain family, heart of the Order’s School.Wly
ZCiADespite her paradoxical background, she had perfected her magic in her own way. Dereck surely had reached even greater heights since then, and she could learn even more. Just imagining it made her heart pound.VbUIb
qzt3Moreover, Dereck was an exceptional assistant.6sQEeA
EyLooaIndifferent to status, always seeing to the heart of matters, unafraid to speak plainly.LiE
qXkHL1eIn Ebelstein’s cold social climate, having someone like him by her side would be an unparalleled weapon.6eIn9db
NMK“I won’t drag this out.”osabwx
ub2mThat’s why Diella gathered her magical power with resolve, determined to end the duel swiftly.SG7ozN
X0VOUvGThe first spell she cast was one of ice, specialized in cold.cLZy
lO7The wild magic she had studied in the pavilion was mostly related to plants, but under Dereck’s influence, she had gradually opened her eyes to illusion magic.2lYLZ
1FAjvNThough much younger than most noblewomen, her magical prowess was matched by few.fUGoI9
fBDzL3UWhoosh!IPD
qHJLarge ice spears formed around Diella.ZQs10
hC4VWtxThey were bigger, more twisted, and sharper than when she had first manifested them.Yb0PXs
UvRGVdSoon, thorny vines sprouted from the ground, aiming to trap her opponent, while various confusion spells that obscured magical energy flooded the training hall.4nH
0giPsey‘Of course she uses multiple spells. And she’s still so young.’306LgxH
q1Tbn50Denise marveled at Diella, who deployed a variety of magic in such a short time.J7N2
xLPimL8She had heard that the young mage had trained on her own after Dereck left.YV2dRSR
Sj8IIt was rare for someone her age to master so many advanced spells. Denise quickly retreated, drawing a wide circle while adjusting her stance. Her skirt flared like a petal, and her magical energy was unleashed in an instant.cy3Qge4
qVy6gmShe had no intention of countering all of Diella’s magic. Truthfully, she never intended to.We7cNB
r0q1Crash! Bang! Thud! Thump!3kdc
YX94Countless spells clashed, and Denise’s magic shields materialized, making it look like the duel had ended.hfCDfXk
xC8SHowever, as the dust settled, Denise emerged unscathed.barHfu8
SZLStill holding the edge of her dress with an elegant smile, not a single spell had touched her.n9f1B
B6J7ZD“…”wbK
dZfLTDiella frowned. Denise had chosen to dodge all of Diella’s magic rather than resist it.iOZ
zeaXTo evade all those spells was a reckless feat—like trying to walk through a storm without a single raindrop touching you.iuyx
tcDrAnd yet, there she stood, calmly adjusting her posture, even the hem of her dress untouched.Wkm
zklVAs if she had anticipated every trajectory. It made Diella feel as if she were wasting her magic.WpYwlV
AWKmeq‘She’s incredible at detecting magic, isn’t she? Did she train magic detection all day long?’SvRA
2712Denise was considered unmatched among her peers in magical detection. Even the magical senses Diella had sharpened under Dereck’s influence were no match for Denise amid the chaos.t8o
xdxqszpSeeing her serene demeanor, it felt as if the duel hadn’t even begun.6AsXh
xkv7E‘…’UmDu
ks9Diella swallowed hard.wde
70zyKTPShe suddenly remembered—Denise was also Dereck’s student.vZ32
7mONow she faced a mage personally trained by him.qtx
Gu2I7Dereck, increasingly prominent in Ebelstein’s social circles, was also famous for his students.38VaK
HJFvIt was said that if he chose to teach, he could sharpen someone’s magical senses to the point that even first-level spells wouldn’t touch them.UwT
FSgOrFIn reality, Dereck pushed people to their limits, driving their magic to the extreme. Those who couldn’t stay sane would be exhausted. He was a ruthless mage who bent to no one, not even nobles.RX1g6
nfQEAs for Denise, who had endured months of such training, she seemed to instantly grasp the flow of every spell Diella cast.ludybaC
QlHoc8Her expression, still softly smiling, radiated composure.Q5edWCX
7dkB8‘You can’t hit her with conventional methods.’wqVk
1RAb8Diella had to reconsider. Denise’s counterattack was coming. After evading once, Diella would need more advanced confusion spells to block her evasive maneuvers.t8T1RS
fhnG1FrTheir magical exchanges repeated several times.pPV
k04JEach time Denise gracefully dodged Diella’s spells, her movements were as elegant as a dancer’s.rhkcaKa
Orygh“Haah… Haah…”tAIT6vR
dgS0hEMeanwhile, Diella, with no choice but to waste her magic, began to pant.qaViNa
xcyEven her confusion spells were countered, and the ice spears were either destroyed by magical arrows or dodged as if Denise had foreseen their paths.Sc6
iIzKThe thorny vines erupting from the ground and the walls of fire didn’t even brush Denise’s hair—they only drained Diella’s energy.xcBYW
4w9VpPMeanwhile, Denise used only a few simple spells without large-scale magic.yZAHg3K
t2pLike a skilled dagger-wielder toying with a greatsword-wielding warrior. Diella gritted her teeth, glaring at Denise, who maintained a noble smile and charming demeanor.5lqg
K5qsikDiella clenched her jaw.GCpt
pbGpUTrue, Denise had honed her magical senses under Dereck’s strict training, but she wasn’t the only noble taught by him.mXmbKxe
pYMSwoosh!p0q35
KnAVDYWhen Diella stepped onto the platform, cold began to spread, blanketing the area.JD1
jxtvWithout even casting a spell, she began freezing the entire stage. The sudden magical burst forced Denise to step back and reassess.N5doc
Khk9AWhoosh!OuWP
5VJFree-form, unrestrained—that was the hallmark of wild mages.0vVg
YftyIt sacrificed attack power and efficiency, but produced results completely unpredictable to the opponent. Soon, the platform was encased in ice.K5BBUT
11bZtHer goal was to restrict Denise’s movements by altering the environment itself.IJKLaXR
37mHClk“…”2KhN9
aLA6QAs Denise watched intently, Diella stomped the ground again.9GX
EHJInqyCrack!VR0w
P5pBCrash!AshRMs
6tWoqjCountless ice pillars surged from beneath her feet, racing toward Denise.w2Np5U
RzhDenise quickly cast a magical shield to block Diella’s attack, but the impact nearly knocked her backward.NILn
h2Ky3eH“This time you couldn’t dodge, huh?”47R
UaQ7jkoDiella’s blonde hair, wrapped in icy magic, floated in the air.DBB3W
jWtDKdAt that moment, even formal titles were abandoned. Diella was furious, focused only on defeating Denise.QHk6
Z8d“It’s funny seeing you struggle so hard to dodge after claiming you’d surrender. Do you play with women in Ebelstein’s social circles with such petty tricks?”D52Mp
zXFRIt was a brazen provocation. To say such a thing to a young lady of the Beltus family made the servants hold their breath.lqO
8h3iCeDenise remained silent, lost in thought. She felt no guilt—it was she who had changed her mind as easily as flipping a hand.h0P4y9p
jFFMo“Haah… Haah… Grr…”yWmp
DwgSfnWhite vapor escaped Diella’s mouth. Though summer was near, the training hall felt like the dead of winter.DCGzXAK
vXdiPymDiella could appear to be the most adorable girl in the world when quiet, but now she bared her teeth and stared down her opponent.7ZjV3DI
B8YVeBefore that, most nobles would have lost their nerve. But someone like Denise was not easily shaken.HIarf3
LUWivT5Crack!JFm
DiYuaMCrash!G9t2Qd
HC69EEach time Diella stomped, rows of ice pillars erupted, trying to ensnare Denise.LlVW
y1ADMVDenise swiftly conjured fire arrows to melt the ice around her while deploying shields to withstand the spells. But unlike her earlier evasions, her magical energy consumption had increased dramatically.czBi
W7irWith each exchange, Diella closed the distance bit by bit.DffegTm
05tAt close range, prediction and detection were useless. She planned to end the duel with a point-blank assault.AzoxPbC
ghzg3fI“I knew this was all you had from the start. I accepted the duel fully aware.”0S8x
8ZvmgIVDiella, wrapped in freezing magic, advanced steadily—a true winter queen.5OZa
MxepiThe power of the ice pillars she launched at Denise grew more destructive with each strike.Grs
M0fDiella’s magic, fueled by rage, seemed to pierce the sky.UFmspM
HjE“I don’t care how petty and vile the lady of House Beltus is. I didn’t come to Ebelstein to play social games or seek comfort.”vmg7mC
zG3RF2nHer eyes gleamed like a beast spotting prey in the snow. The cold radiating from her made her opponents shiver.3ykpj0
0Rs“So I don’t care if you rule the Rose Salon with your power… Just give me Dereck.”Kj4tJxY
Jco7Just let him go and leave. Then I won’t care what you do.KuXdu
3h9tAfter declaring that to Denise, she unleashed her magical energy.13KNe1A
0BnEijB“…”6elP
PG13BrEDenise stared at Diella. Her elegant silver hair fluttered from the power radiating from Diella.oRoI
2uhqAIt was clear why this girl named Diella was so desperate to take Dereck.7hMcFoX
orchcFQShe clearly longed for the days under his tutelage. In truth, Dereck was the kind of man who disrupted others’ lives without hesitation, realigned them by his own will, and then vanished without accepting any praise.iHoPij
tR4G4A strange, enigmatic man.pU4E7B9
Rcz4fpzAs Denise thought of him, she realized—even when exhausted by magic—he had pushed her forward, even if it meant pushing her away.A6iydk
yGAThe internal affairs of the great noble houses were like natural disasters—impossible to endure.IvUT
H2A33But that man, with his indifferent expression as if nothing mattered, knew how to toy with people’s hearts.4lWkr
dVgRMIf you underestimated a drizzle, you’d end up drenched.LCw
XsyDenise found herself naturally accepting the attitude of the man who took her by the wrist. A mocking smile crept across her lips, but she didn’t feel humiliated.uxEA
LT4RSitting in that dimly lit art storage room, every time that cold-hearted white-haired boy—who even mentioned the embarrassing drafts of her novel—blinked before her eyes, she couldn’t help but think:Y4x77K
rZ11It would feel empty without him.rGbnQU5
QCaO“Ahaha.”YO0JnU
H5FDjFIThat’s why Denise smiled at Diella.pzH
YidZPIt wasn’t the polite, noble smile she had always shown.LjoVb
4R5D“Ahaha… Hahaha… Ahahaha.”LbXyHar
BbRObIt was a genuine, meaningful laugh—almost mocking Diella.ySpTETx
WNQKHer eyes, as cold as Diella’s, sparkled with a threatening glint contrary to her angelic image. Even Diella, burning with rage, paused for a moment.fp8Ccr
qiPfSUA small lioness had bared her fangs, demanding Denise give up Dereck.3NL
vAKADFacing such an opponent, Denise spoke, still smiling.PnjJFG
PUDS“I don’t want to.”9Tc5dW
XofdAt last, the thread holding Diella’s reason snapped.JlgDXl8
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