Chapter 76: People (3)
EZfM8Siern was hugging her knees, her head buried in a corner of the central tower of the Rochester mansion.QTd0YU
lRlk2jjWhile she had been out, the sheets on the soft bed had been changed for clean ones. Even in such a frightening situation, the servants of the Rochester family continued to fulfill their duties to the end.qaIedK
F7LXFeeling that uprightness, Siern remained still, head down, not moving an inch.FvYYc
SjcsJIIn the silence, the only sound in Siern’s room was the tinkling of the windowpanes, shaken by the storm outside.oOP
9E0cThe desolate scene stood in stark contrast to places like the Duplain mansion, located in the midst of a fertile prairie. This girl had always grown up in such a bleak environment.SP4
7VS9yvxAnd so, she remembered her earliest memory.eDzw
kXcAt an age when she couldn’t even read, she killed an entire pack of wolves in the snowy northern fields.ESfPw
b3EaTC9Even at preschool age, she had already reached a level where she could kill beasts using only her immature magical senses.CH9iHX
FOD2cCovered in blood in the snowfield, when she suddenly came to, the whole world was drenched in the smell of blood.8spF
QtNsNVA cold body that didn’t even feel the cold. When she saw the half-dead wolf sobbing, her father, Melverot, came running and grabbed her wrist.e7n2YA
KKQEThus, the girl was dragged by Melverot’s strength and walked again through the snowy field. They did nothing but march straight back to the Rochester mansion.thbm
KNfbIKnock, knock.DtBpOn
az9Melverot’s back, which the girl watched from below, was steady. His expression wasn’t visible.1vya
YKRJmZdThe back of her father, simply dragging her forward, was the earliest image Siern could recall.llkEeI
xoToBs***3DJsq
ecq5FPs“What a bold request you make. You should know better than anyone that titles in this era are not something easily traded.”6OyZ
DWHitC“Yes. No one is unaware of that.”lbnH
IHhVwKa“You know well how many years it took your master, Drest, to receive a barony without even owning land, don’t you?”z5GliXk
xGWb8w“Yes, but Master Drest’s situation was quite different.”0e1Qb
f6vntPDereck continued speaking without changing his expression. It seemed all his tension and anxiety had transferred to Aiselin, who stood behind him.toJvs
tx9Indeed, Aiselin looked quite flustered, as if she hadn’t expected Dereck to say something like that.dX55Gz
P4sL“My master Drest didn’t get along with the nobility. I, on the other hand, maintain ties with several prestigious families, and my magical abilities are not lacking.”Z6lIWDs
hFEIRWp“It seems you’re not aware how closed-off the high nobility in the capital is.”jYl8
22EQ08“I’m very aware. That’s why I ask for your help, Lord Melverot.”sGjw
5yanru4No one would deny this is the age of nobility.ANYhCk4
eoIUAnd magic was no less than a symbol of that privilege. Their survival strategy was to preserve pure bloodlines, protect acquired interests, and kick away the ladder from the undeserving.5SYjE
90K0sTo grab their ankles, one needs proper backing.auCEoeA
ZTGAHjIf Dereck managed to secure the support of Duplain, Beltus, Belmierd, and even Melverot, then the idea of him receiving a title wouldn’t be so far-fetched.B3hrpa5
X3fEven a minor title, the lowest one, would suffice. Once he broke into that world, climbing within it would depend solely on Dereck’s abilities.Xe1u
U2PPXMelverot, who quickly grasped Dereck’s intentions, let out a dry chuckle.gsacg
4YuWk3Ambition must be proportional to capability, but if it’s too inflated, it only brings ruin.I0pqJNR
zpEWHyLIf the capital’s high nobility heard this, they wouldn’t hesitate to chastise him for such blasphemous words.rowrJ
YycrRHowever, Melverot, resting his chin on his hand, merely gave him a cold look.R2BJYp
2ZsX“I can’t promise you a title. Beyond my will, granting a significant title to a plebeian from the slums would be seen as disgraceful by the elders of the capital. And let’s not even mention His Majesty, the Emperor.”GtYJO
LxNGDw9Melverot’s magical power was legendary, but not everything in this world could be achieved by force.HoPCFL
agQOIK7Especially in the world of noble culture, where justification and tradition were deeply rooted.Ble
hqLPiStill, Melverot didn’t adopt an entirely negative stance.FID1
Hwt“But I can support you.”Mjs
6da“…”R5hhKga
l7OP“In political judgment and magical skill, you far surpass those with fine blood but nothing else. Yes. As long as there’s a justification, it’s not impossible to secure a position. So I promise this.”strPZ
tdqEecMelverot spoke in a resolute tone.ZwJdcQ
DBoOo15“If your proposal for a title is taken seriously, I will write a letter of recommendation with the utmost courtesy. A letter written directly by Melverot of the North would be a powerful weapon.”DM3aR
8Rq88C“…”Fu9S4K
QFUZ5bf“Do you want to strike down the arrogant nobles of the capital? Or become a figure who dominates this era?”KMI
ipA“I have no such thoughts.”ARqUMX
Aec0Fq4Those who had long endured poverty often harbored resentment toward the nobles, even if they concealed it.w1t52In
Q7EQRTIt was natural to curse the country and the era when suffering in misery.ruiM
KsdyC6But Dereck held no such petty thoughts.V7Ahj
3R2vHQM“I just want to become a higher-level mage. The title is merely a means to that end.”10EpEY
d8wlHe was a man of notable consistency.xtezl
E8wHMelverot had lived like a monarch for many years. He had his own way of evaluating talent.A9Rjmj
p8n0LGTo accomplish great things, one needed to know the present reality and the times, but overly enthusiastic types often failed to fulfill their duties because they got too distracted by such matters.xUbn76E
2IEg6A swordsman must excel with the sword, a mage must elevate their magic, a chancellor must master economics, and a servant must know how to manage the house.0tQg
zTJThe situation, the times, ambition, aspirations, broad vision, sociability, study of governance, support—those things often came naturally once the core qualities were in place.WlxEI
Ib74jZFTrue talent needs no elaborate introduction.5EKGNw4
e0bOtDereck.oATWA
ilUpMdiHe was a mage.2srz
raP7T5“I see… Now I understand why you came to negotiate.”LNPXV
oTkhkse“Thank you for considering it positively. Then, I’ll return to my duties.”fwlU
SDJInu“Is that all you’re going to ask?”WKF
IOT7As Dereck was about to leave after saying his goodbye, Melverot called him again.PZD9Z
fp6Turning silently, Dereck looked at him. Melverot let out another chuckle, still resting his chin on his hand.OkK
AhOMM1“You’re not asking the most important thing. Aren’t you curious why I have monsters in the main hall of the mansion?”qWpv
KyAO8g“I don’t meddle in things unrelated to my work. However, if you believe it would be useful for me to know, I don’t mind hearing it.”Lthy
D00z“I see. That may be your stance, but it seems the young lady from House Duplain thinks otherwise.”qcUvm92
powAiselin was glancing sideways, trying to pick up the tone of the conversation.Q8641
AxlDDYIn fact, it was strange that Dereck showed no curiosity. In a situation like this, anyone would want to know Melverot’s true intentions.pBH
xzFARPPWhen Dereck remained silent for a few seconds, Melverot let out a hollow laugh and said:zSCHn9S
9qbCXw“This may be a belated revelation, but Siern is not my blood daughter. She is the legacy left by an old friend of mine.”kKysEGN
QO4Aiselin was already swallowing hard, shocked, but Dereck had partly suspected it.PvSw
asfXorIJust from having fought her once, he’d noticed that her way of handling magic was completely different from Melverot’s.iPKcVU
stP“Though countless years have passed since that blood-soaked war ended, it still feels as vivid as if it were yesterday. That damned great demon, Noir, who killed my old friend Kalimford… and I fought the final battle in the Grand Snowfield of Rosenhaven.”NIUVhO
DzNC“…”p417
PPPU“The insane magic that demon wielded was far beyond human reach. If you observe the scars still visible in the Rosenhaven snowfield, you’ll see that it unleashed such massive magic that the maps had to be redrawn countless times.”QNv
lq8h1qvAiselin’s expression gradually hardened. It seemed she had no idea what Melverot was about to say.ejVcwVv
Ks1kdn“Yes… the realm forbidden to humans… the 7-star level mentioned in the records of the great mage Adelbert… If it truly exists, it must resemble that.”FnGcaMj
i69LMelverot slowly stood up.y9Kz5z
BvOEfiThe “Dawn War,” recorded as the most horrific demon war in the continent’s history.bNou
lok8veIt was Melverot, the historical figure who ended it, who was now speaking directly.b2ZHA
Cq5LJm“I’ll tell you a shocking fact. Not even the high nobles of the imperial capital, nor Emperor Gatrell himself, know this.”chBU6g
biAgt8Why was he telling them? It was to make clear that they were already in the same boat, with no way off.Ticf
mYOJ“Noir… I couldn’t kill him.”1tuRvfa
nbbWFu3***bgVdiY9
201FT0The great demon Noir is a monster that parasitizes humans.uotYUv
k4Tk3pIn the form of a fist-sized spirit, it infiltrates directly into a person’s soul, awakens demonic instincts, and furthermore, grants magical talents far beyond human capabilities.uqwoz1
iViLWhen its core power fully blossoms, it begins using magic that truly surpasses human levels, and in the end, it transforms into a colossal demon visible even from the horizon.qwRl3qF
rWxuWhen Melverot struck the final blow to Noir… the monster became a spirit and possessed the body of Kalimford’s late wife, Feria.ifXoM
IrokWjFeria, a renowned priestess, had joined the subjugation squad to help avenge her husband Kalimford.TisIrj
acObO***zdt
baWRsTap, tap.hO03Z4
7JWaustAiselin and Dereck, who had left the office, walked down the corridor.1vR
rjFlUyThey descended the spiral staircase of the tower, crossed the frozen garden, and returned to the annex without exchanging a single word.cvNTTt7
74qdSBoth were ruminating on Melverot’s words.7gKNmBZ
8ev“Back then, Feria, who was already pregnant, asked to wait until she gave birth to Kalimford’s daughter. As a high-ranking priestess, she could somehow resist Noir’s influence.”uCK7
9FAgjM“So… she gave birth to Lady Siern?”6ks
7ag5AZ“Yes… Then she entrusted her to me and left, apologizing. When I later heard about her… it was not pleasant news.”qD1s
V1HgyMelverot hadn’t bothered explaining Feria’s fate. It wasn’t hard to imagine what kind of end the mother of Lady Siern met. She likely wished to end it all herself.MYVTEEQ
yfzIn the end, only Siern remained.giorP
oyZuA daughter with no blood ties, no connections. In fact, for someone of Melverot’s level, taking care of a child without kin posed no burden.SKR
Y4jyHe had immense wealth, glory, status, and power. Even if he couldn’t give her love, he could provide an environment no one would envy.Tw69
9Haw6SQHowever, Siern was not an ordinary girl.WGvCh
SQswBefore learning to read, she tore apart a pack of wolves. By the time she was old enough to understand, she had already killed servants, and before her coming-of-age ceremony, she had begun handling three-star magic.3VwTulx
8p4DSMelverot must have felt it.G1a
UHuThe murderous impulse and desire for slaughter engraved in her blood were not human emotions.dcBqRJ6
xujIt was clear she had inherited them from the mythical demon Noir of the “Dawn War,” who had killed countless humans.w31X
23TeqiIf he had realized it, he should have killed her then and there.jKj
UUVFHe should have slain that small girl standing amidst the mangled corpses of wolves in the snowy field.BnwNAv
dYg“Why are you protecting Siern?”ftaxn
D3ZBut Melverot didn’t. His choice was completely different.YYkoS
RP5sInstead, he assigned her various tutors and tried to integrate her into human society somehow. He is the legendary hero who saved the North. He also was the one who witnessed Noir’s great massacre up close.F4tMVU
VrxBIzoWhy would someone with such a history not make the right decision? Was it out of compassion, because she was the daughter of his old friend Kalimford? Was it in honor of the late priestess Feria?WEgvVb
F4GUjOr did he simply think it was wrong to kill an innocent life from a humanitarian standpoint?3B2wB
UOXNone of those were true. None came close to the correct answer.mE9g
Rucbfi“There are no six-star mages who are sane.”wZQBIM
tRTsDIt was Melverot himself who had said that.OGTF
YWpJWz“Wasn’t it clearly written in Adelbert’s memoirs? That there is a limit to what a human can reach.”TpDv
8HIPX7w“Then, if someone wants to reach the realm of seven stars, what’s the first thing they must abandon?”oubqiw
STjcPgMages are those who, even if just a little, seek to reach a higher level.7Uat8dt
PkAR4AONo matter how enormous the wall imposed on them, their symbol is the almost deranged curiosity that drives them to climb it.w21kmz
MghKZD“Humanity.”DZU
g80KZHe was glimpsing a fragment of seven-star magic in Siern.RBUCHZ
kLdryCWhiiing.HTaIE
pMSwajBefore entering the annex, Dereck and Aiselin looked up toward the central tower in the distance.XkPZ90
2WHThe tower, visible from anywhere in the Rochester mansion, stood firm that day too, beneath the blizzard.sI8f
F7eZTrYInside, Siern was surely watching the blizzard in silence, with her elegant hair falling and wearing a nightgown.KTqQ2
lwHa5D“Sir Dereck.”HqozAt
AKwH3pZFinally, Aiselin spoke.QizJ
f9KzaMPAmid the icy cold, Aiselin hesitated, thought about what to say, and finally spoke with difficulty.QRUG
q5w“I… my thoughts are a mess.”6Nj
Bpwny“Don’t dwell on it. The tasks we have haven’t changed. However…”9TZu196
aKeDereck frowned as he looked toward the tower.GnKo1B
cI8Y9so“That war hero… it seems he’s still hiding something.”bjmo04
rwj“What?”FAbBRx
Ipjc9Aiselin asked with a bewildered expression.GrIDe
WPa“After telling us all that… you still think he’s hiding something?”Wuc
V6c3x“He’s lived as a ruler of that level for countless years. We can’t underestimate him.”99y
lRtDereck never let his guard down.gTS
huwMelverot seemed to have laid everything bare, but something was still hidden. His intuition told him that clearly.nsECHo
JNzE“It’s cold. Let’s go inside.”odU
CEUoaHWhatever the situation, the promised reward was still fair, and their assigned tasks hadn’t changed.g6bANWk
hCByC1Dereck was a magic tutor. A teacher’s job is to teach their students.XUDy
wNQe2And that essence had not changed in the slightest.XvlfF
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