Chapter 97: Power and Love (2)
4iQZ0r‘Ah! If there is a god, I want to ask! Why have you given me such a cruel fate? Why have you made me love the princess of an enemy country and live with this burning heart?! All the glory of the empire is mine, and everyone bows before me, but she alone will not look at me…!’0k63G
9Mi‘Instead of living with this cruel fate, I will give up this glory and head toward her. A life without her is worth nothing, so I will even give up the power that rules this world!’xrBmqA
leDL9RThe opera at the Calimford Theater was a famous performance.fD5bzz
et1IozIn her childhood, Ellen, holding the hand of the Countess of Belmierd, accompanied her to the theater, where she became completely absorbed watching the passionate performances of the actors.Ln40T6V
sZsZgy4Although she was not yet ten years old and could not fully understand the artistic value of the stage, the countess wanted her to experience the stage culture of high society early on.xGcSMar
FgqkUAnd, contrary to the concerns of the adults, Ellen was utterly captivated by the actors’ voices and lines, becoming completely immersed in the play The Love of Prince Rodian.2aYZ
nMhRkBy witnessing the detailed love story of Prince Rodian, who loved the princess of an enemy country, one could deeply feel the playwright’s message about human agony and the sublimity of love.fJzJ
rP0ayDVThe final backdrop of the stage was a cliff bathed in the setting sun.om02
NccIpBWith his decision to abandon all his authority as prince and embrace Princess Iriana, the curtain fell, singing the value of a beautiful love.oCEJ
lE5RWhen the play ended with the moving music performed by the orchestra, the high society audience, seated in their chairs, applauded with tears in their eyes.TdSXpdv
oIVThe countess also stood, applauding for the beautiful and sublime story, and Ellen followed her, clapping with her small hands.xnEo
uaBf6Thus, the countess and Ellen left the Calimford Theater together. The sun was already setting.UjA
AOllgmp“It was a good play. What did you think, Ellen?”g47j
sYZfDN“The actors’ performances were truly impressive. The orchestra’s performance was also of great quality, much more varied in melody than what I’ve heard in my music lessons.”grY
t6S6X5Since Ellen had an extraordinary artistic sense from a young age, she could easily express her impressions of the play she had seen.VD7k
x0yrDz“But… I really couldn’t empathize with the characters’ thoughts.”zFp
PSovGwA“Oh, really? I thought the moving love story of Prince Rodian was very beautiful…”L9eYLwS
ifWeAN8“When you say prince, all the power in the world is his, right?”lhRRFON
GXrSI7eAlthough she was still young and did not fully understand the power a prince had, she could perceive how lofty that authority was.CsLhk91
RnATherefore, Ellen spoke to the countess with a nonchalant expression.tTGru
1ICS“With such great power, to be swayed by such fleeting emotions…”yw5
l2dqThe prince’s decision to abandon his power and choose Princess Iriana was something with which Ellen, as a spectator, could not identify.qcfFY
C8JHaving lived in the nobility since she was small, Ellen knew better than anyone how noble and beautiful the value of power was.m7P4Mg7
iWi6From childhood, she loved power.7zRv
Svr8tAlthough she sometimes harbored a romantic notion about the sublimity of love found in fairy tales or literature, in the end, what she always kept by her side was a strong will to hold on to power.NLKH
KsOfDLShe had never loved anyone in her entire life.csTvsA
guZbEASThus, it was not so strange that her emotions were directed toward power.qoMIow
AxOqPk3***9Xhd7H
hK21u‘If it’s Leonard of the Belmierd family, would he be the youngest that Lady Ellen spoke of?’GpdZ
atIYHe had been absent on a long pilgrimage and had recently returned to the Belmierd family.Sjni1L
LDh3msFor some reason, the youngest of the Belmierd family, who had returned only recently, sent a letter to Dereck.nZcstIm
rpNDereck opened the letter, but it contained nothing much.9NsPP
ogUYGIt was a request to meet and talk with him, asking if he could spare some time at the Belmierd estate.Nzc
BudMM“…”CiS6N
7yrlPBrDereck was lost in thought for a moment.meo
koMfLeonard, the third son of the Belmierd family, seemed at first glance to be a religious and benevolent person, but in reality, he was known to be a shrewd individual skilled in politics and intrigue.I77P1t
xXeof1WThere must have been a reason why Ellen showed such caution toward him, so Dereck had no desire whatsoever to associate with that man.Uz0Fj
isd5FvNo matter that he was the third son of the Belmierd family, there was no need to meet with him.qFvUaB
4D2hKIgnoring a letter sent by a noble was discourteous, but Dereck had a good excuse to politely reject Leonard’s request.YzdvR
fd7e“Please fill in the central part of the second-floor column with a thicker one! It seems the insulating material isn’t needed yet… For now, start with the brickwork!”OoPp1
qVbu0YWhile he was sitting quietly on a log, watching the construction site, a peculiar figure was raising her voice among the burly workers.J1tB5
wNml1czHer name was Aiselin Eleanor Duplain, the precious daughter of the Duchy of Duplain and lady of the Rose Salon.7smN6
l2zThe young woman, who looked like a fairy descended to earth, was directing the site while wearing safety gear over her luxurious frilled dress.2RHM9
c1bjz6It was a strange sight, like an elephant riding a bicycle.yFZP
KJfThe members of the Ravenclaw barony already knew well how such a situation had come about.CPEWs
ZbwHh“Team 2, take a break, and Team 3, start the general work as soon as your break is over! Ah! There’s cold water, so if anyone feels dizzy, make sure to hydrate immediately!”nYt1k
JPcb0BNAlthough it was still late spring, the midday heat was already apparent. However, Aiselin, as if the heat did not affect her, casually rolled up the sleeves of her pretty dress and managed the burly workers.IAU3M5r
MkOUCcHer authority, almost like that of a foreman, was so commanding that even the workers directed by the delicate young lady felt no discomfort.utviP11
Fnw“Sir Dereck, if you’re tired, you can go to the office! The construction of the dormitory is already well underway, so there shouldn’t be any major decisions that require your confirmation.”le5d
OMg“No, it’s fine. I was just sitting to read a letter.”qnl
7eoqRl“A letter? Oh? Is it from the Belmierd estate?”Eq48NwC
lA0n2“Yes. But it’s nothing important.”cBGvJZ
W7hr04Dereck had no desire to approach Leonard, so he simply crumpled the letter and slipped it into his pocket.qTUaV
LU5He appreciated the invitation, but the Ravenclaw barony was far too busy with a major construction project to go and meet him; that would be the excuse he used.DmGIkVc
f13IaIn fact, the construction of the Ravenclaw baron’s estate was so large that the size of the classroom and dormitory buildings even surpassed that of the main house.dV7
NlUizADereck thought as he watched the facilities slowly grow.RYahAd
F74e‘I’m sure this used to be my domain… how strange…’qFSKRAy
8o70“Yes…?”drA8r
6w5BxpO“It’s nothing—let’s go check the progress of the classroom building’s construction.”y6rbQza
UU94VJ“Yes!”eiI6
hiOVu2Aiselin’s spirited reply. She seemed more energetic than ever.wVbC
xwafKHIt was a busy time.1Nu
u3e***iIgq8d
JweoNWCaw, Caw.xXIsdo
2eJY7tThe setting sun painted the sky red.Pcc
5xamGxThe era, too, was fading like the sunset.tubjKB
RCIrlThe once-mighty Duplain family, which had seemed destined to rule Ebelstein’s high society forever, had fallen so far that it seemed only a matter of time before it vanished into the annals of history.ILfgMld
Osl93“At the recent meeting of the local nobles, we completely lost control of the outer trade routes, the granary in the southeast, and the northern villages of Duplain territory. Now, less than a third of the territory remains compared to its peak.”Gfz1v3
i3OLeigh, the last son of the declining Duplain family, spoke while quietly gazing at the sunset.Ps61z
D2lThe place was a cemetery on a hill southeast of the Duplain mansion.5DpucJ8
e8RiaThere stood a tombstone with the name of Grand Duke Raymond Oswald Duplain, and beneath it, another with the name Valerian.iW5z9t
B1FLBJudging by the still-clean appearance of the tombstone compared to the others, it was clear that its owner had not been buried long.6Pk
H3F7In front of the grave, Diella sat silently with her eyes closed. The light of the sunset looked like red watercolor paint.5koa
Fszx4Looking down at the long shadows wrapping around her feet, Diella quietly stood up.VOf9HeA
2hH6SeLeigh, standing farther back, lowered his somber gaze.JMzbD
vJUMSoon, a tear nearly fell from the eyes of the burly man.9RHA
wn6B“I did nothing, Diella.”hOQn
cZP“…”QckF1
1Y3“While this foolish brother of yours lay bedridden, unable to move a finger… my dear sisters must have been fighting against the world.”Yy5n
txqS8nAiselin and Diella had endured all kinds of humiliation to somehow restore the fallen Duplain family.Wnwc
TyoLeigh was not ignorant of this, and he felt deep shame.wLHoqYY
O5GBEven so, the helplessness and fear rising in his chest consumed him.iMD
XvupTiThe once-confident figure who had proclaimed his ambitions to the world was nowhere to be found.XRD4m
mOBzQN“Since I got out of bed, I’ve tried to speak up at several meetings, but… I couldn’t do anything.”DRgpGtk
q8xB1g“…”QhNVuMQ
bXW“Aiselin works tirelessly, day and night, to earn even a little more money, but her brother only gets beaten, robbed, and humiliated wherever he goes. I… feel pathetic… and ashamed…”L647r
yHOwmLeigh looked again at the sky turning red.FvON
QcVdGHis eyes were also dyed the same red as the sky.PdKxRV
oSKtq4v“I don’t have the confidence to take responsibility for this family. My ability… only went this far.”TLyM
rxYwLONo one can resist the passing of an era.ubr
XcfFjt7The Duplain family had already lost its base of support and the trust of the nobility.lV8T
V5xJZRwThere was a limit to what Leigh could do alone.IrZpb1
970M1aFor that reason, Diella had no intention of blaming him. Rising gracefully, she spoke with a determined look.hmY
E2Hj5“Yes. I was already mentally prepared for this. Perhaps the Duplain family… truly has nothing left but to collapse now. Maybe one person really can’t do anything against this trend and flow.”eyrqR1q
N6YqvZIt was painful to see Leigh in such a state of helplessness, but Diella had no intention of pitying that weakness.8q9Yu7
pAvAEven so, keeping that strong heart was no easy task.Qjslo9Q
Hhp‘The power structure of the nobility can change at any time, but… is there any way for a family that has fallen so low to rise again?’KWq47
7v93YEven Aiselin, who rolled up her sleeves and worked tirelessly at everything, might think it in secret.9wH0Sx
VkABh1CThe Duplain family was already finished, and they were only struggling to delay its fall a little longer.quZC7
w5GiktThinking of it that way, Diella also found it difficult to bear the helplessness and emptiness growing in her chest.gZCPen
BNP5QRThe setting sun felt unbearably painful.2v2vn
2nB4YLThe era was ending.0ct62Gq
O3DEven so, they had to endure. Because Aiselin was enduring.HlC3
61iAs long as she stood firm, Diella also had to stand on both feet.6DCve
t0uThat was the minimum courtesy owed to Aiselin, who bore all this misfortune.OyS7i
bDfThe captain steering a sinking ship must bear such misfortune as part of their fate.1c8xk
IVPnse6That was why, for the sake of Aiselin, who fought in the midst of that misfortune, Diella thought she must endure.vl58
0N1NOgHowever, unfortunately, Aiselin had no intention of rebuilding the family.bS6
QYO***NSW
22se“I secured some funds by organizing an investment seminar at the minor nobles’ seminar in the Rose Salon. We could even build a large auditorium.”H3O5D
jqG7“…What?”ar3T
d8xh2l“Many nobles agreed on the commercial potential of the Ravenclaw Training Center. When I assured them of a good return, they all lined up to sponsor with gold coins, so it was exhausting.”4Z3yAsS
OFyAiselin had even organized an investment seminar using her noble connections, managing to raise additional funds.r6ilBG
ICp8zct“Since we need a social dance class and a magic training field, let’s also build an auditorium!”OqzL
ShI“…”epJvShv
KfkYo“We’ll need some administrative staff, and since Sir Dereck can’t teach everything by himself, we’ll also hire some assistant instructors.”h3cuy
hdAJw“Wait, do we have that much funding?”9zC
Gyb5r6“In fact, we could expand the garden a little more and build a proper school gate. We could also get better teaching materials.”CPaX
QiKGStPAiselin scribbled numbers into the ledger with her quill.l9fGT
ARSDereck, upon confirming the scale of the funds, widened his eyes and slumped onto his desk.yaHjs
o9c“…”LF19zOp
tN6DCTJ“This way, we can secure more money under the pretext of facility and teaching material expenses. As you know, noble ladies open their purses easily, so they won’t feel it as a burden. This will increase the expected income by 25%, and we can use it to request more loans to decorate the interior.”smS1
YKut“Isn’t the schedule a bit tight?”EmP
HDrWhm“That’s why I’ve already hired all the staff. However, for the hiring of assistant instructors, I thought it would be better for you to select them personally, so I only organized the paperwork. Mr. Delbriton helped me—he’s very good with documents!”wKaG
ZgByKAt that point, things were moving so quickly it felt like a race. Not even Dereck had expected Aiselin to be so motivated.xrNqNc
c7xoUThen, with her eyes shining, Aiselin said something truly astonishing.JoLE
hrM9nq“Business… is more fun than I thought…!!!”9ofPB
YwtoPjR“…”y60UzP
wEfH“I think… I’m getting addicted…”IlqwJ
5IYsWith an expression as if she had made a discovery, she looked ecstatic.reyu
KQ54umA noble lady who had lived like a flower in a greenhouse, discussing metaphysical topics like art and philosophy—this was her first experience with the practical studies of the outside world.z7Fz6l3
WEjEHow far does opening one’s eyes to a new world push a person into a state of extreme excitement?2R8YJMS
h8NQeThose who have experienced it once know—no stimulus can compare to that sense of accomplishment.0De
zzWiq1PWatching her, Dereck thought.36xb
GA0MWSP‘If we start making a profit… let’s be sure to allocate a good portion to the Duplain family…’fot
Jz0d“As for the start date of the classes, how about we hold a Q&A session with the people who learned magic from you before they officially begin?”FmLda
hAbbdAs if ideas kept flowing endlessly, Aiselin continued.DP9aFJf
JSFbyA“All of Sir Dereck’s students are famous, right? I’ll ask Lady Diella separately. If well-known people like Lady Denise or Lady Ellen come and make an appearance, it will increase the credibility of the teaching. Also, the news will spread faster.”jmTe
tHwbcB“Well… it’s not easy for the ladies of the Beltus or Belmierd families to come, but…”FD2
6LF88Considering that Lady Denise had come all the way here just to see Dereck, and that Lady Ellen occasionally visited to ask him for magic advice, it didn’t seem they would reject the request.OXX8
3f2WRSo Dereck had no choice but to remain silent.kyKIZrB
u6X“It’s not unrealistic.”ATPd
ssncO“Right? Of course, if we’re going to make a formal request, we should be courteous, but I think if you show up in person, both will gladly agree. Just buy some gifts and visit their mansions to show the minimum courtesy!”TS4
caurXAiselin clenched her fists tightly and began thinking about the gift list.6sxKUX
OJyIVFpIt seemed even a seasoned imperial official would have trouble keeping up with her pace.hh9La0
N5eJO1Although Aiselin had lived her whole life being treated like a precious jewel, could it be she was more competent as an advisor? Dereck found it difficult to put that feeling into words.acQx
mg4FA person’s talent, if placed in the wrong environment, withers without ever blooming.1uKD0jn
FlOhIn that sense, considering Aiselin’s situation, it was ambiguous to call it either misfortune or blessing.1eIanp
imkBxN***ECBA
DoscA“There won’t be any major problems while you’re away. I’ve checked everything necessary. Here, I’ve prepared the gifts for the Belmierd family through Butler Delbriton. They’ll be loaded into the carriage soon.”FozUl
R0KCfJiThe next day, Dereck’s business trip was decided.KPsUp
pBVWWhile swiftly moving her quill over the ledger, Aiselin came out to see him off just as he was about to board the carriage.Owc
2QkPCmEither way, if he wanted to directly involve the count’s daughter in academy affairs, he had to follow the proper procedures and make a formal request.HuWE
AuNLh2dThus, Dereck, lord of the Ravenclaw Barony, had no choice but to personally visit the Belmierd family.HvRctG
uRQ“The visit to the Beltus family isn’t confirmed yet, so let’s first handle what’s necessary. Marquis Belmierd holds you in high regard, so he’ll probably welcome you warmly.”Ir7sJx
2xPc“Yes. It’s just a visit to chat and make a request, so there shouldn’t be any issues. Please supervise the construction while I’m away.”Vm4ko
o7Vkb“Don’t worry, Dereck!”epB
C8PPYumAlthough Leonard’s letter had said he was very busy, circumstances had led Dereck to visit the Belmierd family first.jzEKy
LWEMSvlThe situation had become a bit delicate, but he had to take responsibility for what he had started.UkPr
79y9vThe journey to the Belmierd family.q3Yv
D5JsHnAlthough he had visited Ellen’s private residence in Ebelstein’s noble district a few times, this was his first time visiting the count’s mansion in Belmierd territory.vsJ
wZZRLhExpecting a quiet trip, Dereck boarded the carriage and silently looked toward the baron’s mansion.5IWQaK
6g641mClang! Clang!QXzI
L2mXgQwScreeeech!8Syu
WgwVblAmid the workers focused on the construction, a small mansion came into view.JTUyphu
MlMLQDue to Aiselin’s expansion plans, the scale of the work had more than doubled.aBoCvH
9vb3Inevitably, it seemed Dereck’s private mansion had been buried in the middle of the construction site.Q2kQ
5nZfIn‘This… is still my private mansion… right…?’WjR
aQxGxLIDereck murmured quietly. He had already said it once before.pdqWZTr
9eLhRVEither way, it was time to depart for the Count Belmierd’s mansion.NZZW8vk
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