Chapter 70: To the North (1)
Ty2ZM“Yes. To be blunt, our Beltus family won’t stop you from leaving.”Q5x
Fa9k9OVDenise spoke with her usual indifferent expression.stD
bYIxB57The hem of her fine silk dress brushed the floor. She was in the middle of getting ready for her afternoon philosophy class.Mc1
Y6VsEven after finishing her morning training session with Dereck and eating breakfast, she showed barely any signs of fatigue. Even Denise herself could tell her stamina had improved noticeably.b7Nai
G9K“Father’s thoughts are obvious. The Belmierd family has already started moving to support Ellen as their successor, and the Duplain family doesn’t hold much power anymore… so your value, Dereck, has dropped quite a bit.”8lnFj4
8qPhKWW“That’s true.”pUN
kXYm5FRThe main reason the Beltus family had wanted to retain Dereck was to keep him from going to another house. At this point, there was no reason to tie him down with a large sum of money.v2zf
sMKZlHHowever, if Denise firmly insisted on renewing the contract with Dereck, the situation could have changed.RTE3Aef
XuWBC“And, I have no intention of keeping you, Dereck.”bylb
0Y1cNevertheless, Denise said this firmly. She was tying up her beautiful platinum hair and fastening a necklace with a clasp over her bare nape.yBz
j4TShe spoke without even glancing at Dereck, who stood in a corner of the room with his hands behind his back.BMw2SFE
eBKWs“As I said, I’m just a puppet of the Beltus family. Even if you speak of my value, there’s nothing to gain from being with me right now.”pPPG0J
oUBwxR“For someone who says that, you certainly crushed Diella with full force when she challenged you to a duel.”QgfeV
7ocLmR“Ugh…”TLq2QP
wNHun6RDenise flinched like he’d struck a nerve, then let out a long sigh.a8HA
f6A“Dereck, you’re strangely dull where you should be sharp, and sharp where you could afford to be dull.”fvJmgWw
O6B0tO“…”A6F45
QQHX“Well, my pride was a little involved with Lady Diella, and in the end, the Duplain family suffered quite a bit… so staying with the Beltus family was the right choice, don’t you think? You should be thankful.”gezo8
1B4“I am. Thank you.”G6GC9Lm
OyLp81“I didn’t expect you to say thank you so honestly… ugh…”PmEI7
qaQzTnPShe tried to mask her discomfort with arrogant words, but Dereck never acted the way Denise wanted.89Hkjw
McOShe placed a few butterfly-shaped pins in her hair, smoothed the hem of her dress, and finished getting ready.WPE
2qSkThen she walked over to Dereck, placed her hands on her hips, and looked up at him with her lips slightly pursed.m9UBNl
SajZ“It’s obvious without asking. You’re going to teach Lady Siern, right?”FO4
9Jufo“…”jMC9X7
UCsu“No matter how much I tried to stop you, you can’t resist anything related to magic. I don’t know what you plan to gain from Lord Melverot, but if you can get involved with a six-star mage, you’ll do whatever it takes.”jX74Y9
06LDDenise was the one who had seen Dereck’s ecstatic expression up close when he mastered magic under Drest.mex
ISzFqc5Lord Melverot had a somewhat arrogant demeanor, but if Dereck decided to take advantage of him, the payoff would be immense.sCm
V5KIqAnd Dereck was someone who never missed an opportunity. That’s why Denise had no intention of holding him back.ZPEJx
h7w9He was reliable, always standing by his allies no matter the circumstances.aqLY
7mweVEven when the Duplain family was in dire straits, he continued to help Diella and Aiselin.evnvmZA
sf8D5But he was also someone who couldn’t be tied down easily. You couldn’t keep him close by stifling his ambition. His pure, almost noble passion couldn’t be broken so easily.Ac3jp
IysDenise closed her eyes for a moment and let out a hollow laugh as she thought:bRG98
ZY5‘Now I understand why the Duplain family let this man go.’wxT3ztq
CziGS74The first student Dereck had taught was Diella. Denise had never understood why Diella let Dereck go to Ebelstein.VVH42T
Fb6CShe’d thought maybe he’d made some excuse, or there were internal issues in the family.YqfH4t
A21EMnMBut now, she seemed to get it. Denise, who had closed her eyes softly, sighed deeply and raised her head to speak.FoP14m
ISQj“The North is a dangerous place, very different from the Southwest. Unlike the peaceful plains of the Southwest, it has many mountainous areas and the climate can be harsh. Monsters appear much more frequently… sometimes, even truly dangerous high-level ones.”YWng8f
KiB“Yes. The harsher the place, the tougher the people, and they tend to distrust outsiders.”HPRgj
Zcy91“People who live in such dangerous territories, where threats to life are common, can’t be the same as those who live in peaceful big cities like this.”ErO
uWxDenise gestured to the servant who had helped her dress and whispered something into his ear.vS0Fr93
kc27The servant, after nodding, quickly went to the jewelry storage room.EOf
JYlzSoon after, he returned with a large bracelet and handed it to Dereck.OdZ
Zmebn“What is this?”z16J5iC
tOG“It’s one of the magical accessories made by the Arendale Society and sold to high-ranking nobles. Its main function is to indicate the location of the person wearing the matching item.”OYHUf
shQ04H“…”CFW0W9Y
bkxW“It’s worth dozens of gold coins. Be careful not to let it get stolen.”l5oXO
j6M9Denise rarely gave Dereck gifts. He took the bracelet and, feeling a sense of déjà vu, tried to collect his thoughts.lkj
yO704s‘It’s a magical accessory sent by the Arendale Society as a coming-of-age gift. It comes paired with this ring, and when worn, they can show each other’s location.’CAnCW
umnEi87He remembered receiving a similar item from Lady Freya during the disaster at the Duplain mansion.ze8
FLVpAKThough he carried it in his inner pocket, he’d never had the chance to return it, even though it was an expensive item.9aKj
RXjWhen Dereck pulled it out, Denise’s eyes widened in surprise.5M13l
jpoUBqm“Wait, someone else gave you one besides me?”40Mz
eTdISb“Lady Freya gave it to me. It’s so small I had no reason to take it out, so I just kept it.”ytXb
VwTHRn9“…”y0PhDld
R5UvcoHDenise suddenly squinted at him. While Dereck looked at her with a puzzled expression, she sighed and sat back down at her vanity.WBI
yL62gWu“This is usually given as a sign of trust. Do you think a high-ranking noble lady would give an item that reveals her location to just anyone?”cDpw2NE
tnoC“Well, the situation was urgent… I thought it would be best to know where we were.”bdyc31
xOx“I understand the situation, but… it’s better not to take something like that out in front of other ladies.”4pTa
e2dV1E“Is it a problem?”7vk8QZ
avr7c55“It’s usually given to someone they want to pair with for dances or events. Well, Lady Freya and I gave it to you for practical reasons, but… the fact that they can track each other’s location could be interpreted more romantically than you think.”POCEzH
VJNyGSDenise looked at Dereck up and down again. She knew he was handsome, but now that she took a good look, he was really attractive.Nlv53i
6A0sHPeHis well-maintained mercenary attire gave him a rugged air, but that was part of his charm.l7ON6l
naKv“What will people think if they see a good-looking man carrying multiple magical items gifted by noble ladies?”F6WnzvL
chy“…”EywSX
e6BQtnL“Well… there are some vulgar noble youths who collect things like that and brag about their conquests, but even jokingly, it’s not a good look. The ladies who gave gifts to such a promiscuous man would look like fools too.”wAmxm
EZgg“I suppose that’s true.”mufvR
G8UeB“I trust you because you’re not that type. If you take it out at the right time, it’ll prove you have the recognition of the Beltus family, and you can use that authority.”S96CUr
f9vDenise spoke in a light tone with her arms crossed, but in reality, she was telling him she would support him.JJJYGy
nGCz6F“As you know, noble society is built on connections. Knowing a few influential figures can be a huge help. Even though the North is far, the name of one of the three great noble families is widely known.”5pe
3YYOv“You’ve been considerate with me. Thanks to you, I won’t have many problems proving my identity wherever I go. Thank you.”SCiauN
XFxQFj“Ugh…”TtFuL
Wdg“…?”sACcU
swfgir“No, it’s just that… sometimes you thank me so sincerely, but when you teach magic you’re like a beast, and it’s strange… I’m not used to it.”r76B1
RPMeLVIn short, she felt a little embarrassed. From Dereck’s perspective, being considered kind was a bit awkward, so he just accepted it quietly.ytVj
QZbEven that reaction was so typical of him that Denise could only glance at him a few more times from the corner of her eye.iaLm0J9
2O4TdL“Sigh… Well, no matter how crazy Lady Siern of the North is, she won’t get the better of you so easily. You’re skilled in both magic and social skills, so I won’t worry.”0fA
hbx“I’ll do my best.”jOWB
QPs“But… things like lady etiquette and high society culture? You can’t teach those, right?”MWs
UG6“I already found an assistant. Someone with a solid foundation, great knowledge of the aristocratic world, capable and willing to take on those tasks.”V71fx
xv44rn“I knew your network was broad, but you had someone like that? That kind of talent isn’t common…”G9D
VgaB“No need to go far. It’s Lady Aiselin.”YMvops
jDOXGw“…What?”Xb2
JVwCEDenise, who had been listening to Dereck’s story with relaxed shoulders, sharpened her hearing and opened her eyes again.0uv5p
xJL6bHer feminine intuition screamed. She instinctively knew that Aiselin’s affection for Dereck wasn’t just admiration for exceptional talent.rZUgU3
pKwz“Ah, you’re going north with Lady Aiselin?”bfC
yBNkcb“I might not be able to go to the Rose Salon as often, but Lady Diella said she’d take on more responsibility.”v70e
Ecvb7“Ah, no… why would Lady Aiselin go to a place like that?”zZZK2TU
VRVPfhV“She said she urgently needed money.”9vT
g1wOIurIt wasn’t an entirely far-fetched situation. No matter how noble and beautiful a woman was in the southwest of the continent, if money was tight, she had to do something.TlR
T8i0jDenise wasn’t unaware of Aiselin’s circumstances, but the fact that she would accompany Dereck gave her an immediate bad feeling.2H200
y0xb‘Is something really going to happen…?’Hg8cU6f
ti3Aiselin seemed wise and thoughtful, but having been raised like a precious gem, she’d realized her romantic feelings far too late. Such were girls raised in greenhouses.b1RGtF
RONIf it was already decided she would go north with him, then only one course of action remained for Denise. Even if it was drastic, she needed to apply some shock therapy.neiTL
vtr“Dereck.”cJtIleA
lU4jE4Denise looked at him seriously.IN5dNN
PMB88“I think Lady Aiselin likes you.”k8kBOA
Lhmur“I also like Lady Aiselin. In times like these, a person so steadfast is truly rare. I should consider myself lucky to have someone like that as an acquaintance.”dWU
niQO6j“That’s not what I mean. I think she likes you as a man.”X1hAt
AgeIFyiDenise got straight to the point without hesitation. Once she made a decision, she didn’t hold back on what needed to be done.kOoD0
H1VWRu“…”qWuHaC2
pu9LHuEven Dereck, a man of steel, was momentarily speechless.MtOU
b314HDFHe wasn’t entirely oblivious to the matter, so he hadn’t overlooked Aiselin’s recent odd behavior.jIX
Yw3dEven so, he hadn’t connected it to romantic feelings. There were many handsome, high-status men around Aiselin. Her standards had to be high.ClD
jjtAfter all, the three leading ladies of the Rose Salon received marriage proposals whenever they got bored. One of their daily tasks was to reject noble sons of questionable repute who lingered around them.gskQR4
0IxJ4Why would someone like that take interest in Dereck? He was very self-aware in that regard. That’s why he answered frankly.Dxa
H20qWaz“You’ve been reading too many romance novels.”tU2duE
UtoY“Are you underestimating my intuition?”fzTxW74
ZrpY“I knew Miss Denise had a good eye… but this feels like too much of a logical leap.”a6WI9
YRQjDereck crossed his arms with a thoroughly incredulous expression.p04M
y7PvL“I knew you’d react that way, Dereck. But my wild instincts never fail. Aiselin likes you romantically, and if you go north together, who knows what might happen.”coA6A
ebsnZo“…”L54FPM
d9H“So I’ll tell you directly now. If you don’t keep your head cool, something big could happen. I’ve never seen a relationship between a commoner and a noble lady end well.”4MxF2lB
nENIt wasn’t uncommon for heads of families or young lords to secretly keep concubines or touch their maids.iMBfPuL
dCm2teuHowever, for a noble lady, getting involved in that kind of scandal was a massive burden. If it remained a rumor, it could still be managed, but if it were true and not just gossip, the problem became far more serious.WIP
aiZ6jmcThat’s why Denise was warning Dereck—for Aiselin’s sake.nmcjxkE
e1ubp“Do you understand what I’m saying, Dereck?”1DTto
0u6g“To be honest, I don’t have the kind of confidence that makes me think a highborn lady would take a personal interest in me. If I did, I’d be an extreme narcissist.”BACosAJ
RndaW“…”frRwbV
IwNX“Even so, if Miss Denise says so, I can’t just sit by. I’ll do something about it in my own way.”dQi6MRJ
3I4inAa“You’ll do something? What are you going to do?”TRp7hx
2aZcSRoAt that response, Denise showed an ambiguous expression.ynmHt6F
5ULveIt wasn’t a smile, nor a frown, nor was it expressionless… It was truly peculiar and indescribable.A2KH
LlXJIB***XmtB7vj
oi75“Miss Aiselin, do you like me romantically?”RSMw2
ZKSGS“Pffft!”3My5wy2
xjgXcfDSeeing the sun rise in the west or Aiselin spit out tea ungracefully and nearly choke were equally unreal sights.J4OGJ
TFINMWatching her lose her composure like that was something extremely rare.Z3yHezo
FqPEven so, Aiselin, seated in the half-ruined reception room, averted her eyes and spoke to Dereck.Tf3u
CwB“D-Dereck. I’m sorry. Did I mishear you? I’ve been handling family matters all day lately… I think I’m hearing things…”IkB
ycISnu“I asked if you like me romantically. I know it’s an extremely presumptuous and disrespectful question, but I think it’s better to make things clear.”nGvcCC
UWn3sAsking directly. It was a response only Dereck could give.dnU1i6
RQrC2XIHow could anyone with a heart do something like that? Despite such questions, Dereck seemed immune to emotions like embarrassment or shame.Fria
bIvqEven when he was covered in dirt by Diella, or when he recited the novel written by Denise… he was a man of steel, immune to any emotion.ssjY3B
vhlkeURaised in the slums, walking a path stained with blood, the delicate sensibilities of a young girl were to him stories from another world. They didn’t even graze his emotional ice.IJH
lGbK1That absolute rationality was a blessing for a mercenary.t446
V4gaj3However, for a woman trying to approach him, it was an impenetrable fortress. Gaining psychological ground on him wasn’t easy, not even for those who’d seen it all.57icAmo
upModFor Aiselin, who was practically a novice in these matters, it was an unbearably harsh test.iRPJ
1shg“T-that…”zL90ba
EyZAAiselin’s eyes began trembling uncontrollably, unable to focus, as if struck by a blow.MigA
KeYThough she was quick-witted, her thoughts seemed jammed. Her tongue moved on its own, and somehow, she managed to respond as naturally as possible.YG4aCw
V9TRQ“Nooooo!”qzny8v
8S5mAlthough in reality, it was anything but natural.xvWS
HBGHer tone was absurdly abrupt. She concluded that, given the situation, outright denial was best.qDbzFD
3JdL2QtIn fact, that was the most appropriate response when dealing with commoners. The elegance instilled in her since childhood finally kicked in.bv6N3
taYc4XM“That can’t be! Mister Dereck, of course I always think you’re dependable, and that you’re amazing in both appearance and ability, but thinking of you romantically is something completely different!”hDuth
AS8l“I see. I apologize. It seems my self-esteem inflated too much from my recent achievements. I’m embarrassed.”jhAHhU
A9I“Everyone makes mistakes! It’s okay! Don’t be so embarrassed!”JpIME
CVAGvAiselin’s behavior, acting like a soldier on high alert, was excessively unnatural.Lc4UU
G1Y2qEven though Dereck was supposed to be the one embarrassed, her tone and conduct made it hard to tell who was more flustered.fD8
VSTz“Anyway, I came to talk about the travel itinerary to the north, so let’s get to the main topic.”9Vntl
iL9oo7“Let’s!”62FaX
XgN82hY“But I’ll go get the map first. I’ll be right back, please wait a moment.”vd87l
iXg3N9o“Yes!”fZFHb9V
rnc6bxGAs soon as the door closed, Aiselin collapsed into her chair as if melting. Her ragged breathing lasted for a while.5SP6
SXVASIn silence, she thanked the heavens that Dereck was so dense about these matters.gHTA
BYZGF***xt7JmF
yfj8“…”ImwMQ
SS2Dereck, after closing the door, walked silently down the hall, sat on the windowsill, and rubbed his chin.6dj7q
Iz6CyfA‘I shouldn’t take what Miss Denise said lightly. I should be careful.’vL9qT
IEfVAiselin, who knew little about relationships between men and women, thought Dereck simply wasn’t interested in them.OvSqW
ofNeBut that was a naive view. Growing up in the suburbs, one saw all kinds of murky, twisted, and unhealthy relationships.tg120
kZLqsThose scenes might be far from the glamorous social culture, but at the very least, it was an environment where one inevitably developed male awareness.Kr5X
uuUkmKP‘Good thing I checked in advance. I need to keep my head cool.’E5E
Nf7o6kSIt’s naive to think Dereck has no interest or knowledge about women.zXve2
PpS8iLoRather, he was someone who even evaluated female affection with logic. He was very much the type noble ladies would call “a dangerous man.”xAoF2wY
I2KHFor the naive Aiselin, trying to handle him alone was excessively difficult.pE6
QKviXS7‘Let’s finish the preparations soon.’QV4tpAs
isYAfter straightening his clothes, Dereck crossed the hall.JX876C
OVNWhatever it was, he just needed to finish the northern business quickly and return.tezFgw
OZLN***9QvFQP0
APzRd7RSwoosh, swoosh.KaBEB
TGpeLate at night, Denise, who had been writing quietly, suddenly stopped.TT20mPe
7uKShe set down her pen and looked up at the moon in the sky, arms crossed.q0d
IrG‘Thinking that Dereck’s contract is about to end makes me feel empty.’6Qtj
mbrt9yAfter all, she was quite fond of him. She worried about him going north because he’d given her so much in so many ways.LbIC63v
iLp2bEven though she was concerned he’d be traveling with Aiselin to teach Lady Siern, it wasn’t good to interfere with a bird that had already left its cage.cDcART
0uMqmxt‘Maybe I should’ve meddled a little more? I’m worried something might happen…’CmhqptU
vGmsIn any case, Denise had already done nearly everything she could.q51lPc
epxwZEven so, she still felt a strange frustration about the Aiselin situation. It was like something was stuck in her chest, bothering a corner of her mind.GOlqlj
UyBIt wasn’t even that serious… but it was a truly strange matter.BHFa3wC
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