Chapter 57: Drop of Blood (3)
qiVThe schedule for noble festivities was always centered around the evening.2bR
K3qEspecially for an event like this one, celebrating debutantes. The stars of the event would only arrive at the mansion after the sun had completely set.Utg8Mce
Qd5Dr1q“Is this your first time attending a party like this, Dereck?”Okk
c01fhiDenise was sitting on the bed in the assigned room, arms crossed, explaining as she hummed.KArp9
Av5PAs a young lady of House Beltus, she had also debuted in society and had experience being the star of such a grand event.AZ2p0
yGS“The debut day for noble ladies is hectic.”T8JFPFn
TeujLzFrom the morning, they would get ready, dress in gowns adorned with lilies and roses, ride elegant carriages to the imperial capital, and meet with the emperor.DL0H
HRTThey would meet the royal family, introduce themselves formally as Lady Diella of House Duplain, receive blessings, and present themselves before the rulers of the imperial capital.5Sh5XG
PVPVeIfAfter that, they would have tea with relatives working in the imperial palace, return in a grand carriage to the Duplain estate, and attend the ball.c5Laf
7TTKJqNIn just one day… depending on the travel distance, they might have to meet every influential figure in the social world over the course of two days, leaving no time to rest.AxckU
FRyTsUsually, they would nap in the carriage on the way to the ballroom, so the servants would bring blankets inside.foIF
e9cnY“In short, Lady Diella would arrive at the ballroom around dusk. In the meantime, the honored guests who arrived in the afternoon would rest in their rooms, chat with early arrivals in the tea room, or stroll through the mansion’s gardens.”1YnQBBo
RUbd“I read in an etiquette book that the rest time before the ball is called the interlude, and it’s a chance to make new connections or build recognition.”etSm
Uv4R“Yes, that’s correct. But that’s for lower-ranking nobles trying to make connections. For someone like me, from one of the three great noble houses, I was too tired to even leave my room.”pa5lGT
o6QyE9“…”LO0JIh
jbjh“Dereck. You look like you’re about to say it’s because I’m lazy. I can read your mind just by looking at your face.”jALHu
uQ4w2BDereck removed his cloak and hung it over a chair.8Pqya
dmFEPvNAlthough he had come as Denise’s escort, it didn’t seem appropriate to stay in the room where she was resting. So Dereck thought about greeting some people from House Duplain.in6Qs
xtt29However, Denise lay back on the bed as if she didn’t care whether Dereck was there or not, curling the hem of her dress to avoid wrinkles and arching her back.UpDIK
9dHN6She was a girl who had mastered the art of lying down comfortably without ruining her clothes better than anyone. Her movements were truly remarkable.uJkKK
zefj3V“Miss Denise, are you going to rest in the room?”PSDgL
u9mHA“Of course. If I want to wear a smiling mask during dinner, I need to save energy now.”UP9WynT
J0BYkM2“Then I’ll go say hello to a few acquaintances. There are many familiar faces, and it would be awkward to just stay quiet.”ei4Hx
WUw“…”K64ke
IRNRGADenise, who had been relaxing until now, suddenly sat up and stared at Dereck.BZdnB
IGmt“Is something bothering you?”oRdixE
crw5B2“Well… there might be a few young ladies who’d try to snatch you away if I’m not around.”ZOc1
sgNkZ3“I’m officially contracted by House Beltus. Do you think I’d forget that?”Pdim
R0fn1“That’s not something we can be sure of. Anyway, I’m a bit hungry, so let’s go together to the tea room in the main hall. Ellen will probably be there too. She’s very energetic, so she’ll try to meet as many people as possible.”QyfoI2
PiOAs expected of someone representing House Beltus, Denise was immediately surrounded by greetings from all sorts of nobles the moment she entered the tea room.BSDyu
NMwFrom merchants dealing in herring from the farthest reaches of the continent, to the bishop of the Olberon Cathedral—the largest branch of the Lamic Church—and the commander of the Kremlin Northern Mercenary Group, Vilak… just hearing their names was impressive.JGyLfJG
pBdbdwQ“Goodness, thanks to the furs you sent our Beltus family from the North, last winter was far more bearable. My father also asked me to thank you, Lord Aldon.”sTH4l6I
l6B9z6NLeaving behind Denise, who had now gone full noble lady mode, Dereck took a glass of wine from a corner of the tea room and sipped it.SAqn
4aVAs he stepped back and observed the room, he saw lower nobles with gleaming eyes, eager to speak once more with important figures.yHplzZ
saslDenise was already surrounded, and Ellen, across the room, was also deep in conversation with so many people that it was impossible to approach her.PQf6
mEZcThe room was full of people doing their utmost to make themselves seen at least once.UX5pEuS
zz5RThey looked like wolves in search of prey.8RAxTE
vlbFrom time to time, some nobles made eye contact with Dereck, but upon seeing the mercenary garb of the man standing alone in a corner of the tea room, they quickly averted their gaze.tDaW
OuzEuTHTime was limited, and they didn’t want to waste a valuable moment on a commoner.m8x
rMQy4x‘These people live exhausting lives.’q2mzw
q0mfZDereck, who came from the slums, had almost never directly experienced high society.VeLy
RNYYd3THe had gotten somewhat used to it through tutoring noble girls, but he still struggled to accept the calculated nature of their interactions.ogWEYK9
f2qgOf course, Dereck wasn’t the type to actively socialize with others. He simply observed the nobles gathered in the tea room as though studying curious animals.d152s4
Ic3C“Thank you, Bishop. I’ll be sure to visit the family elders at the next holiday.”H9PDx
L4iQOAs he passed the time leisurely, he spotted a young woman speaking with a few distinguished guests in a distant corner of his view.2P1aAW
tGAdV‘…Who is that?’JmTGUY
GOkTDereck had been active in Ebelstein long enough to have a general idea of who the important figures were.glC4
6pQG7Y8Especially in social circles, he knew enough to recognize names and faces. However, the young woman quietly eating pastries at a round table in a corner of the tea room was someone he had never seen before.Odu3
gP13tuThe dress she wore was in the style of the Eastern Empire.syE
ACCg8WHer jade-colored hair, elegantly braided and draped over one shoulder, looked like it required considerable care. That meant she had a dedicated maid to prepare it.vliLTt1
jJiMbFHer demeanor was refined, and she smiled gracefully at those who spoke to her, showing that she had studied etiquette. It was clear she was the daughter of a noble house, just by her presence at the event. However, compared to local nobles like Denise or Elente, she didn’t seem nearly as busy.06SrL4D
eRU‘Could she be an outsider?’BB1ZJ
2G2ltWhenever she had a moment, she would pick up Montblancs, apple tarts, croissants, and other pastries from the banquet table and return to her seat, happily eating alone.peWNq
TshOccasionally, she dipped them in cream here and there, tore the bread with a fork to examine the texture, and then brought it to her mouth, savoring the sweetness with sparkling eyes.kPlDTp1
m2Kn1cSeeing her tremble with delight every time she took a bite, anyone could tell how much she was enjoying herself.skjsd
F5LShe seemed more like a food-loving tourist than a noble lady, and Dereck couldn’t help but watch her for a moment.TxTQJD
p4VkgThen, he made eye contact with the young woman seated far away. Unsure of what to do, Dereck gave a polite nod and set his glass down on the nearest table.wAEK
CM189***fjmRYpr
ykEQq“Have you already considered the death penalty?”4tCwzx
fweF“Excuse me?”Vow
ZJOAwDenise, who had just finished a conversation with the guests, sat beside Dereck with a slightly tired expression.Kk2
Nz8IsAfter all, Dereck had come under the pretense of assisting Denise, so it made no sense for him to stray far from her side.457i4
3eqJX“That elegant lady over there. That’s Lady Freya of Count Elvester’s family. The head of the merchants’ guild just told me he greeted her earlier.”9ucVDl6
to8nmoy“That woman?”j0pq
MunOotz“Yes. By the way… I’m not sure if she’s here for the ball or for a food tour…”JM5as3
ktQh“I’ve heard the Duplain house has three pastry chefs who once worked for the royal family on their kitchen staff. They often boast that anyone who loves sweets will go crazy over their creations.”mxyoyd
595jYa“…No matter how much she loves sweets, I’m starting to worry her brain is soaked in sugar. I had to pull the desserts away myself…”icU
x317bjtDenise sighed deeply and took a sip of cold water.UwlVfRO
R7KShe seemed to enjoy this moment of rest, knowing that if she stayed seated any longer, more guests would approach to start another conversation.ETExjGJ
zb0P“Fortunately, it looks like you have a break now.”80lyLc
MweuOk“Of course. The person who could be called the star of the event has just arrived at the mansion.”nEtxh
ZiN5FxF“You mean Miss Diella?”Aq8O
UPFvUV“They say the young lioness arrives at night. Her older sister. She went out to help with Diella’s debut and seems to have finished early and arrived ahead of time.”qEITS
nNbOQBZAs she spoke, the tea room doors opened, and an elegant woman appeared, leading a group of people.c1Vf
KbBdvHer black hair might have seemed dull at first glance, but combined with Aiselin’s neat and composed demeanor, it resembled a flower petal blooming with grace.YkOIIl
v5UP0GaWith her entrance, the tea room was filled with tension once again.X4Bps
v67SAnd who could deny it? Aiselin currently reigned as queen over Ebelstein’s social circles.8jAO
4rkWxMany guests wanted to approach and speak with her but hesitated, knowing others with higher status were present in the small room.bhvXj
TL5VWho would be the first to speak? Amid the tension, Aiselin scanned the room.OgS4
UK6oMxDSoon, Aiselin, followed by her maids, crossed the room toward Lady Denise. It was prudent to greet those she often saw at the Rose Salon first. All the guests in the room nodded in understanding.jexyz
Fn7EbAfter Denise, it would be Ellen, and naturally, she would proceed to the next person.lVBE
C2MDIdwMany guests who had finished their conversations were preparing to approach Aiselin.pji7C
oH8Step, step.9PIg
0VikFpHAs Denise took a breath, preparing to cough again.ynL3
BnbbWI“Mr. Dereck. You must have had a hard time traveling so far. I only just arrived and feel disoriented myself, but I hope my attendants haven’t treated you poorly.”9vys
2LeIEHowever, the first person Aiselin spoke to was Dereck, who was leaning against the wall behind Denise.kjvG8g
0o5XzVFor a moment, the tea room fell silent.laCIn
avZDereck, confused, felt the eyes of all the distinguished nobles turn toward him.bRqdz
karxpAiselin wasn’t someone who clung to authority in her interactions with others. She simply approached Dereck with long strides and greeted him out of joy at seeing him among the guests. There was no political calculation in her actions.MreU5fN
V3PiSbThe other nobles gathered there were well aware of Aiselin’s character, so they all watched Dereck’s face closely. It was the first time they had seen him at such a social event.zy87p
IOeV9H“…Ah.”HbOjJ
DGJ9bmgOnly after seeing Dereck’s expression did Aiselin realize her words and actions might have made him uncomfortable.sa27DWl
Wg5After all, this was the grand Duplain mansion, and Aiselin was in a position to draw the attention of all the noble guests.2W1Z
ZcLih3h“It might not be appropriate to exchange greetings here. I was planning to greet the guests and then go see my father. Would you mind accompanying me?”7eaFM
U70To accompany her in greeting the Duke of Duplain was to be treated almost like a member of the family.k8d05
9sgDereck, noticing that the expressions of the nobles watching him had completely changed, bowed his head and replied:j8f
Y7Q2Q0“How could someone like me accompany you? I also need to assist Miss Denise, so if I have the chance and free time, I’ll greet him separately.”UdG
28tj2IP“Really? My father would be pleased… In any case, thank you for coming to celebrate Diella today. She’ll be happy to know you came.”3JngZz0
vaf46“The honor is mine.”PdCBfJh
JYxEDereck replied with a short, polite bow. It was a respectful expression that made it clear he had no intention of continuing the conversation.kVA6
u1EHpZFrom Aiselin’s perspective, it wasn’t hard to see that Dereck felt overwhelmed by the growing attention. With a regretful expression, Aiselin nodded subtly and blended back into the group of nobles.3Zlh4G
M37fWNo matter how happy she was, she couldn’t speak more than necessary at an event like this.IAHXQbR
c5vmSuch was the divide of social status.KkLU9
c6AYDereck was used to it and didn’t mind, but Aiselin had to feel that subtle difference.jOL
lNwqDIt was no longer a new story.RofWSwx
qrA‘It seems the banquet preparations are going well. I was worried because I couldn’t contact anyone by letter or message, but it seems everyone was just too busy.’Q97Wz4A
3RkHkAs soon as Aiselin finished taking care of Diella in the capital, she rushed to the mansion. She wanted to see with her own eyes whether the ball prepared for Diella was unfolding perfectly.cxm
LpItShe hoped her only sister’s social debut would be flawless. With that in mind, she had been busy managing various tasks all day.Lrqd
iy9‘The nobles from the East and North have already arrived, and Dereck, who Diella was most worried about, is here too… I’ll check the schedule again and receive progress reports.’bt2CSYP
4SLZz9NAfter completing the formal greetings in the tea room, Aiselin walked down the hallway inside the main hall of the mansion.Tg7QGS
NwwNKThe hallway was full of busy servants carrying dishes. From here on, it was an internal area accessible only to members of the Duplain family.1LI
iLUw7hSeeing so many servants moving efficiently without wasting any effort, Aiselin felt satisfaction, gratitude, and appreciation all at once.CRI
M4peiKnowing how exhausting back-to-back celebrations were, she decided to suggest to the Duke that everyone be given time to rest once the event concluded successfully.9Fm
s3qG“Miss Aiselin. I’ve placed your luggage in your room. Shall we head to the Duke’s office now?”eN3WQ
kTFXc“Yes. I must see my father first. By the way, everyone seems so busy. I haven’t seen Valerian or Leigh since I passed through the main gate and into the garden.”BS64H
z1n“Yes. Everyone’s busy attending to the guests. But His Grace the Grand Duke wishes to see Miss Aiselin’s face.”qzP
gNJ5kn“I want to see Father too. I haven’t been able to come home often since I’ve been helping Diella in Ebelstein.”OiFc
yG6lcweAiselin spoke humbly to the housekeeper Katarina as she passed by the busy servants.AiICZM
8JCNC9rKatarina bowed discreetly and followed Aiselin, assisting her. Her movements were efficient, undoubtedly showing she was the most senior servant in the household.tsPl
h5c6y“By the way, Katarina, your skin looks lovely.”CaWU
VzkP5e“Thank you.”S44Z
U2u7g“Did you change the incense you use? Somehow you look paler than before… I’m worried there might be a health issue. Have you been overworking?”KSTCy
0l1UFf“Yes, thank you for your concern.”HMHSr
27UZAs Aiselin chatted with Katarina on the way to the Grand Duke’s office, she felt a strange discomfort.zpS8
iTRMThe Katarina she knew would normally respond more warmly to compliments and engage in conversation. Feeling that the flow of the chat had broken awkwardly, Aiselin glanced again at Katarina’s expression. She worried Katarina might be too tired and overworked.uL1zM
eXrOQHowever, Katarina merely looked back with her usual expression. That made it feel even stranger.9fSkSqp
ZvcPu8‘Strange… Why do the servants in the mansion seem uneasy today?’opqb
vOndmThe busy atmosphere was as usual, but today it felt more unsettling.s0a7Yy
QagzWatching their mechanical, efficient movements made them seem more like tools than humans.3r0I8M
P2NcYD‘Are they all nervous? Diella’s social debut is an important event…’yZYE
GSxbQOUIt was then, as she ascended the stairs behind the main hall toward the Duke’s office.xLab
mn0IkySwish!S6kXW
jb3Crack!8Al
153N“Ah!”8HtmVW
zK7UYKatarina, who had been silently following Aiselin, suddenly pulled a cloth from her chest and covered Aiselin’s nose and mouth.g0IWqg8
udqTThen she twisted one of Aiselin’s arms and forcibly subdued her as she struggled.EnXH
btzwBVu“Ugh… Mmm! Mmm!”HCNB2G
FnhWhen Aiselin realized what was happening and tried to resist, her eyes rolled back and she lost consciousness instantly. The cloth Katarina used was soaked with extract from the “Shadow Flower,” known for its potent hypnotic effects.fHv
Rd2Moments later, Aiselin’s body went limp, and Katarina quietly caught her. Despite the many servants bustling around, none paid any attention to the scene.N2LLfO
WrUoU0A dark blue flash gleamed in Katarina’s eyes. Her gaze appeared distant, as if in a trance.v44Errg
WQ807PMThe other servants were the same.7m2
hr0gI***TziYqV
KM7DatjLife as a mercenary on the battlefield, where life and death were constantly at stake, sometimes depended on inexplicable instincts.z0C
finRVhAfter the exhausting gathering in the tea room, when the sun began to set.raam93u
x67OCFIDereck, quietly reading a spellbook at the table next to Denise, who was lying on the bed breathing softly, frowned.lo3Exgf
CvY6KbA subtle magical energy was seeping through the cracks in the door.4kLlbl
jBKn“…”MBG
ZlhmQDereck closed the book and set it on the table, then shifted his gaze toward the door.Mfr4
DZKHe felt an unexplainable discomfort.Nnw
6kvwCreak!nHpZfuW
iy7Dereck shoved the chair back noisily and stood up.ot8dy
8cRoHearing the sound, Denise stopped snoring and suddenly opened her eyes. She still felt drowsy.tbDB
muVzQ“Ugh… Is it already dinner time? Ugh!”mMp
audG3While stretching and struggling to get up, Denise tilted her head at the sight of Dereck’s expression.25Cen
63ry“What is it, Dereck? Is something bothering you?”0Y3
T4rsXEqWithout answering, Dereck quickly walked to the door and turned the knob. However, the door didn’t open.lhjLT5
Q17It didn’t seem to be locked. Concentrating, he felt a bluish magical energy flowing around the handle.ik4NDF
djClkBG“The door won’t open.”qeDNqZ
9JVON1T“Huh? Really? Call a servant to check it.”jQvUDi8
cD8ooTrStill without responding, Dereck moved quickly to the window. The banquet was about to begin.zxt
SFvPDtJIt should have been a busy moment, with guests strolling through the garden, servants attending to things, and carriages arriving late to the mansion.1I5wu
E1aHowever, the view from the window was eerily silent. The instincts of a mercenary, sharpened after long periods hiding in the noble district, remained on high alert.qMAz3g
7gNWWb6His sixth sense detected an anomaly. It was a feeling Dereck had trained and retrained for countless hours.EEJ
U0apKgVDereck briefly pressed his ear to the door to understand the situation outside.8bHD
8CydHowever, it remained silent outside. Though there should have been noise from servants guiding guests to their private rooms, there were no signs of life.U7s2roh
bSODereck closed his eyes silently and muttered a detection spell.CYZMtiO
tdR2EHe felt a large amount of magical energy on the other side of the door.TuwFjTD
jtX“Miss Denise.”GzLmGH
vOr6F“Yes?”PUC
n3DgThe serious tone in Dereck’s voice was not unfamiliar to Denise, who was now sweating nervously.A2MV
i1ljKWithout changing his expression, Dereck spoke.UeWW3
Um0“I’m going to break the window.”TLT
u1Ka71dHis decision was as swift as a machine.gYBdZ
mRNzOfZDereck was a man who had spent half his life on the battlefield.qSMJe
TSrtWThe indecision on the battlefield meant death.jsKPIH
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