Chapter 55: Drop of Blood (1)
tEpWhen Denise returned to the mansion, everyone—from the head butler to the maids—was in shock. She had come back with injuries on her beautiful body.6tun2XC
Q8WDenise was someone the maids would kneel to and beg forgiveness if she so much as got a small scratch on her finger.
But this time, her forehead was gashed and bleeding.Ti7
8T5A3“Lady Denise!”NA55jz
0vbX“Are you all right? Please, come inside quickly! We must treat you!”OWY
aZy4As she stepped down from the carriage, Denise’s hair was disheveled, her dress torn in several places, and she was covered in dust. It was clear something serious had happened during her duel with Diella.wrt1aky
5GpThe servants swarmed around her to check her condition, while others interrogated the escorts and coachman. For a long while, the entire mansion came to a standstill.EIKSi
NSIknrHowever, Denise, as if nothing had happened, smiled serenely and said:Fr05m
30XJY0“It’s nothing.”yhqV
mWXJgLogically, she should have been angry, given her wrecked state—but instead, she wore a strangely refreshed expression.bi8IQHh
u7v“When I cast my tracking magic, Diella, that savage, froze in shock. I thought I should say something cool and impactful then… but I couldn’t come up with anything. Hm, I should’ve prepared a better exit line…”N26c8Uj
sCwKUnconcerned about her wounds, Denise returned to the mansion, receiving treatment from the maids as she proudly recounted her feat to Dereck. Dereck was taken aback as he listened.2H8y78
vCe18In his eyes, Diella was practically his direct disciple. Even Ellen still fell short of Diella’s talent, so he had expected Denise to struggle in their confrontation.8BY
NBwEtQTEspecially since Diella’s unpredictable mana use posed a tough challenge for young noblewomen trained in academic magic. Yet contrary to his concerns, Denise had completely dominated Diella.Zq14
lJ00pDWDenise’s rate of magical improvement was so fast that likely no one in Ebelstein could keep up with her.VUeoDv
nlRhmcG“And then she looked like her pride had been shattered, tears streaming down her face. And this after she’d acted like she was going to devour me in the tea room? Well done. Really well done.”xA9Hlix
z9h“Are your injuries all right?”QGfV
BMAAs“As you can see, just a few scratches, and they say they won’t leave scars. But what matters is—you should’ve seen that girl’s face. Ugh, if I hadn’t kept my composure, I would’ve mocked her mercilessly.”pxdq8G
grdHDenise spoke proudly, puffing up her chest as she looked at Dereck.d4X
Xmp“No matter how fine a gemstone is, if it’s just begun to be polished, it can’t beat me. She lacks experience in duels and the resolve needed in critical moments. She doesn’t even have the wits to remove her accessories to create an opening like I do. Plus, she’s not prettier than me. If you look closely, my skin’s better, and my features are more refined. Right?”x6HSA
nDrFqOi“…”MuRX
f9Rx“What do you think, Dereck? You warned me not to underestimate Diella. Didn’t expect me to come back with such a crushing victory, did you?”XEGYhl
26NeyoDenise clearly expected praise. But Dereck shook his head and replied firmly:gVNj89
0Ku“Deactivating a protective barrier in a duel can endanger your life. No matter the reason, I can’t condone that.”USfHSo
YXb“A risky move was necessary to buy time and cast a second-tier spell against that rabid lunatic. Besides, they were first-tier spells—the risk of a fatal injury was practically zero. The important part was the look on her face at that moment…”kmKe
ZOQu“Lady Denise.”1cOJ
ghJ05Dereck’s voice dropped in tone.FcKiY7
a8KWjGeThough he was merely a commoner, that alone made Denise hiccup in surprise.k0SW
KbN59ftDereck, usually cold and reserved, always showed a hint of enthusiasm around Denise. But the Dereck who awaited her after this victory didn’t look pleased at all.2jN
TWWYAnd the reason became clear right away.kwkx
4WEU2“No matter the reason, deactivating your protective barrier in a duel can never be justified.”gUFcd
IuU“What…?”DeR6Ylk
HLPG“Did you not see the power behind Lady Diella’s spells? If even one had hit, it’s entirely possible you could’ve lost an arm—or a leg.”6b5zi
bbGEven if it was first-tier magic, its power varied greatly depending on the caster’s skill.1pI
wbmbPDiella’s magic was already at such a high level that few nobles her age could rival her. If Denise had been struck without a barrier, her life could’ve ended in an instant.YHt
G3QWinning was admirable, but Dereck couldn’t condone such a reckless gamble.Fkyj
Y6YRGMHe was a young man who had spent his entire life measuring his worth on the battlefield. No one understood better than he the weight of wagering one’s life.9cEK68
wzyyAnd only by showing Denise what such a decision truly meant could he prevent her from making similarly reckless choices again.FlDMO2
qTXbUzThat’s why, even with her victory, Dereck wore a stern expression.cN9
jdJQAzIt was a moment worthy of celebration, but Denise hadn’t expected Dereck to react so coldly. It was disappointing—but she couldn’t show it.VxyySM
8OEbAfter all, if Dereck was angry, it meant he cared.joyCi
ETWdmThinking that far, she had no choice but to admit Dereck’s scolding was fair.PuZEI
Xh2Y4dDenise was quite a sensible person and knew she had acted recklessly during the duel. Facing Diella, who had been determined to take him away, she had also lost her composure.HXqSKt
BQn9VThe atmosphere turned tense, and the maids assisting her gulped audibly. Given Dereck’s lowly origin, scolding someone like Denise should have been unthinkable.zSQ
csBBut Dereck always said what he believed was right—without hesitation. And Denise knew that well.4xm
kguwK“Alright… I’m sorry.”4Xo2l
8qBzYSo she apologized without protest. Anyone unaware of the situation would’ve been shocked out of their wits.bkq8pN
tbrlFlhDereck seemed to sense her words were sincere, and he finally sighed, softening the mood a little.eihhqoh
4u8y“In any case, it sounds like you made progress. I was glad to hear it.”EGXiMZ
srJkJ“Ufufu… Who else but me?”m2l6mx
e8Z4lS“But if I may be honest… Don’t you think, from Lady Diella’s perspective, you come off as quite the villain?”RuVyrCT
hNmyGW“W-what are you talking about? There’s no one sweeter than me in the whole world!”ImeinY
eqxKq“You should try to see things from Lady Diella’s point of view.”XAl
BFE“Hmm? Hmmm…”dB1em7
PB9YSWhile the maid gently brushed her hair, Denise fell into deep thought.zpxVqZZ
DOHTYwcAfter all, she had written the letter to Diella to lure her out.eDV
ib6ozAt first, she intended to lose, but halfway through the duel, she changed her mind and went all out.NofLV0t
p7SvLooking at it from Diella’s perspective, Denise must have seemed like a terrible person. She’d baited her into a duel, crushed her with force, and humiliated her.CAqu
YwkKRUnaware of Denise’s shift in intent, Diella could only view her as a full-fledged villain.1aQzS
tftCgUntil now, Denise thought Diella’s grudge was a bit unfair, but in light of this, she’d really just smacked her around on a whim.l2gjdCa
mRdS“Have you finally realized it?”emUh
zHCv“Dereck… Maybe, yes. Maybe I really am a rather awful person…”iWH
jq2Saying, “You just realized that now?” would have been too cruel.nry
OvA“If it’s just a misunderstanding, couldn’t you talk it out?”38we
jhUfxt“And if you were Lady Diella, would you want to talk to me?”BJy6yW
kO6eD4“…Knowing her personality, honestly, I don’t think she would.”bekmIs
ctyayAnd now, having won the duel, she could technically sell the suspicious scenery Diella promised in her letter.jVY
LBhIn many ways, Denise had already become an arch-nemesis in Diella’s eyes.VJWCy4
rxVA0“I-it’s fine… B-but, even though it might sound weird… I don’t dislike Lady Diella that much…”fha
ID1“A-and she really likes you, Dereck. Couldn’t you explain things to her?”gJj3
Jvrt“At this point, I don’t think words from me will help much…”XwhIshc
gb0C“I don’t want to pick a fight with the Duplain family. What would I gain from antagonizing one of the most powerful houses in the southwest of the Empire?”BVpf6SO
lTK“Lady Denise… You’re the one who sowed this seed.”Qh8
NfG0x“Arghhh!”L6SE
cOuAMDtDenise clutched both temples in despair. The maid brushing her hair began sweating nervously in panic.nq2mO
ey7Denise was a master at navigating noble society, always aiming for balance and avoiding conflict. Her policy was to stay on good terms with everyone.npdh
hZ4QBut if she wanted to keep Dereck in her household, she could never get close to Diella again.6Y9
hNdypThat, at least, was a reality she had to accept.gUmQitZ
kSJ***FdR6Qc
5MjRtIWhen Aiselin visited Diella’s mansion, she found her sister with her head pressed against the garden table, completely demoralized.niJRoiP
UmW“Although you gave it your all against Denise, you lacked calmness, experience, and magical precision. Everything was simply one level down.”lLY7R
7Bi“Diella…”LThX
fV4V5Zb“Aiselin, sister. You came. As you can see, I’m a complete wreck after that humiliating defeat.”tllMf
K48b4Fh“Don’t be so down, Diella. You haven’t even formally begun the magical duels within society’s circles. It’s no big deal to lose to Lady Denise, who already has considerable experience in the Rose Salon.”CHNaYb
W4k1xs2It was a chance to mention Dereck…oaiG
R0Ur0m8Diella’s face was completely drained. If only she had an excuse to salvage her pride, maybe she could’ve held her head high again. But this defeat had been crushing on every level.jSpiM
darKuFortunately it was in her private training room; if it had been an official duel in the noble district, in front of many eyes, it would’ve been a total disgrace.imjh
xUJYOf course, the mere fact of losing would still fuel rumors among the salons. But Diella didn’t care about gossip. What truly mattered was that she had been beaten.U9hNU
g06TJ“In the end, if we want Dereck to come to our house, the most important thing is his will, right? Forcing things through a duel doesn’t make much sense… So you shouldn’t place so much importance on this loss, Diella.”rkP3hH
fp8A“Thank you for comforting me, Aiselin. Still, losing is losing. My pride hurts.”wPi6
KWkvGS“…”zvBd
5PE“And what’s worse is that if Dereck hadn’t trained her, I probably would’ve won. Even if Denise is a second-rate mage, reaching that level of control could only be thanks to Dereck.”D6Iz
hwRe9XDiella lifted her head and finally relaxed her expression a little.RrUR
9y05t“Either way, it’s not good to leave Dereck in another family. If we can bring him over, we must.”OLX5vgE
pOcSZ“But… you lost the duel. You have no justification for taking him from the Beltus family.”g46Qwz
6FFbiAU“Aiselin, you yourself said what matters most is Dereck’s willingness, not contracts or conditions. And I agree.”lVPT
zEOcwDiella sighed deeply, running her slender fingers through her hair—a gesture she often made when thinking.Ho7Xc
Vc14Mzf“It won’t be easy to convince him with money, and it doesn’t seem possible to find a legitimate reason to bring him here. So… maybe a feminine charm…”T1G2Dk
nnP“…”5vt
mwVGZ“…”4HI
OjU6CpE“…If that doesn’t work, perhaps with understanding or inspiring his admiration, he might change his mind? Don’t you think?”vLRDbv
tEfFwz“…”BO3aJ
h80saCy“…”7CqxCl
VErUAiselin’s silence was her form of consideration. Diella knew this, and so she said no more.fOuLNF
rQXe3yThe truth was, Diella had little chance of outshining Denise in beauty or prestige. While it wasn’t obvious within close circles, Denise’s public image was that of an almost-perfect noble lady.hT9VGt
5W7ekEven Aiselin hadn’t been able to persuade Dereck. It was clear that Diella, young and inexperienced as she was, didn’t stand a chance.uSa35s
YV0VpQr“Aargh!”on7hYG
TdhkkwnUnlike when she acted tyrannical toward the servants, Diella sometimes revealed her youthful emotional side—screeching desperately now, running her hands through her hair.WPvt
Oz9X“If you want to bring Dereck into the Duplain family, the first step is to become someone worth having. If you manage to stand out in the Rose Salon and prove you have teaching talent, maybe Dereck will reconsider. Don’t you think?”OBbon
rJJv9Z“If you couldn’t convince him, what could I do?”KjGN
PCz0“You never know. But we have to try, right?”RqU
NaffiUoSince arriving in Ebelstein, Diella had only complained. Seeing her like this pained Aiselin, so she sat beside her and gently patted her back.hZ10y5
HPGxjBecause Diella desired Dereck so much, Aiselin was ready to help any way she could.PVy696
VYNZh“For now, you must complete your debut and formally enter high society. The audience with the Emperor and the ball are already arranged… we need to finalize all that first.”QhrvVw5
yAUob“Ah… Can’t be helped.”hmCZo
OYcF52mDiella’s debut was just around the corner.zTfTiW
cbFNext week they would travel to the imperial capital for an audience with the Emperor. Then return for a grand ball at the mansion. Numerous nobles would come to congratulate her over a lavish dinner. All eyes would be on Diella as she made her debut—and returned to Ebelstein as the true lady of the mansion.Amw
RSGmThat would make her a woman capable of standing before her peers. Once that process was complete, she could also recalibrate her relationship with Denise.YydpcJJ
jBtAiselin only wished for Diella to adapt well to that world, sharp as ice.TMHD
WNu“I’ve sent another letter to the main branch to confirm. We’ll depart from this mansion to the capital next week. After the audience, you’ll attend the ball as our family’s principal guest.”z5SH
BZ8“The servants of the house must be very busy… If they plan to invite so many nobles, they will have a lot to prepare.”tPDG
XNsv“Everyone is happy to celebrate your debut, Diella. What matters is that you present the elegance and dignity of a noble lady. That’s your task.”1e4lJB
oHJyxllAiselin spoke in a soft, warm voice.Snl
erY4Hundreds worked to make Diella’s debut a success. And if all went well, every member of the family would take pride in it.ViOXP
kmR5hpe“Among the guests will be people from influential houses… perhaps even Dereck, representing the Beltus family.”VKCzt
8YQL“R-really? He came to deliver the letter this time, and he seems to have Lady Denise’s confidence…”M6d7lb
e1boDxE“I will send him a special invitation. If you can prove at the ball that you’ve grown into a proper lady, he might see you differently. So stay strong, Diella.”JED8x
Nu2D3W“Ugh…”op1p71
9tveThough she disliked being motivated by fear of losing Dereck, Diella couldn’t deny it mattered. Saying otherwise would be false.qcIl5U2
DA2Diella sighed and nodded. The debutante’s ball hosted by the Duplain family for a noble daughter was a grand event.YBOrOKL
JtuUTiThe servants said the debutantes at such an event shone like angels descended from heaven. That magnificence reflected the pride of those organizing it.fhfZ
tvcsIf she could impress at that event, perhaps she might win Dereck’s favor.hkqyyyz
Vz9sdG“You’re right. I need to focus on what’s in front of me. More opportunities will come.”1qR05H
O89EoSDiella sighed. Her position was too consumed by logistics to keep lamenting.ODvH
FjH7u“By the way, Aiselin. When did you send that letter to the main branch? I sent mine too, but haven’t received a response lately.”uwTi1eZ
K0q1“Hmm? I can’t quite remember… a few weeks ago, I think. Perhaps they’re busy and haven’t replied yet.”G2KB
6LVXF“Yes?”ZpF4
iDV2Dwc“Remember our brother Valerian recently returned. I heard that to manage the spoils he brought, they invited the imperial magical adviser, Kohella.”7RitF14
OXuhBeing in Ebelstein, Aiselin couldn’t keep track of everything happening at home. The physical distance made it difficult.GGLAHS
F7UIqrf“I suppose Kohella must visit the mansion soon. So they’re probably busy. But don’t worry—that shouldn’t interfere with your ball preparations.”4voH0W5
V6moL“With so many guests—and the imperial magical adviser to attend—the servants must be exhausted.”dQu
qZpcP4“Even so, they see it as part of the same event. If Kohella visits the mansion now, he’ll surely attend your ball as well.”kZZLF7u
t6hKohella, the imperial magical adviser.WN20zgJ
r2qSince his visit, responses to letters had been delayed. Understandable, considering how busy they must be.xXPY105
s5OUAlthough failing to reply promptly to a noble lady’s letter is borderline disrespectful, Aiselin decided to be understanding. She knew how much the servants were under pressure during these times.0XM2
CaTShe couldn’t know for sure what was happening at the main branch, but soon she would see them in person.UGV
DgIDiella’s debut ball was very near. It would be the most glamorous and splendid one yet.BpsdPF
rS9ZQnThinking of her beloved sister’s grand entrance into high society, Aiselin couldn’t help but smile with pride.dAb
CzWxxSS‘I hope Dereck can attend. If I invite him directly, the Beltus family should approve. After all, they need to send someone as well.’wjH
2QHt***96CStF
l6HXvxRustle.gQrlM
gV0‘Who would’ve thought… The day I get invited to a noble family’s ball has finally come.’lkks
YH9CEarly in the morning, while swinging his sword here and there shirtless at his residence, Dereck received a letter.dX4EDt
2FWxIqThe envelope bore the Duplain family’s seal and was an invitation to attend Diella’s debutante ball, to be held the following week.Tp1
Ep0zsHe had been the only one to reach out when she was locked away in the annex, so even from the Duplain clan’s perspective, it seemed they considered Dereck a great benefactor.7Mz
OZt4Otherwise, they never would’ve sent such a formal invitation to a commoner.DeFlFb
ZXoU‘Figures not only from the southwestern Empire but also from the north and east will likely attend. It’s rare for patriarchs to come in person, but they’ll surely send representatives…’PJo
HbeH072The Beltus family would also have to send someone as a formality, and Dereck, who already knew Diella, was the most appropriate choice. It seemed Aiselin had that in mind when sending the invitation.YuOXLP2
YMn2NZs‘It’s been a while since I last visited the Duplain family mansion. Even if they’ve made arrangements for the ball, I doubt it’s changed much.’HVC
WFNCXRtSince a grand ball was being held, it had probably been lavishly decorated, but in the end, it was a place he’d spent quite a bit of time in.lXWYVq
ECQslFeeling an unexpected sense of nostalgia for the visit, Dereck carefully tucked the invitation into the inner pocket of his coat.EqezzE
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