Wild Horse (1)
After Derrick left the Duplein Ducal House, countless years passed, and the seasons changed many times.
Delia Catherine Duplein sent off the mentor who had had the greatest influence on her life, but even so, her growth curve did not bend or regress. Rather, once she firmly set her direction, her innate talent began to bloom.
It was already well known that the most important thing in magic achievement was first Bloodline, and second also Bloodline.
Her magical achievement, which had been sluggish until then, began to soar toward the sky like a fish in water with just a slight adjustment of direction from Derrick.
The growth curves of ordinary talents are usually similar, but the ways in which geniuses blessed by the heavens are completed are each different.
Valerian, Raig, Aiselin, Delia.
Even among the siblings of the Duplein family who were all achieving unique magical achievement, Delia's growth was the most unusual.
She did not try to pierce through the essence of magic like Valerian, did not aim for secular ascent like Raig, and did not absorb the vast knowledge of the Discipline School at a desk like Aiselin.
As always, she roamed the forest, gazed at the night sky, and accepted magical truth in her own way without being bound by any discipline.
The ice spears she manifested were twisted and bent this way and that, and the Flame Arrows burned in a dark crimson light.
Transformation-type magic produced results different from theory, and Illusion-type magic had effects subtly different from what was known.
And yet, it was not that she was completely detached from noble culture either.
She casually absorbed etiquette education and refinement education, as well as the art of dealing with people, governance, and even kingship studies conducted at the family level.
She learned the Central Continent language, social dances, flower arrangement, piano, flute, history, literature, modern philosophy, and political science, and also finished studying clothing and etiquette, becoming able to maintain a modest demeanor.
In the field of art, she was already making a name for herself in her own way.
Her works, with her exceptional talent for landscapes and portraits, had already begun to catch the eyes of artists, and some of them were already circulating at Ebelstein's art auction house.
Delia's artistic world was completely removed from the general painting styles of the same era. It had already been recognized among critics, and it was believed that once she became a little more mature, she would become a famous artist on the continent.
Having come this far, even though she had not yet debuted in Ebelstein High Society, rumors began to spread noisily.
There was a rumor that the small girl who was curling up in the annex of the Duplein mansion was enough to threaten even Aiselin, currently the most noble figure in Ebelstein High Society.
Was it that the only person who could be compared to the flower of the Duplein family was, in the end, a Young Lady from that very Duplein family?
It seemed as if, in Ebelstein High Society, all families that could break the prestige of the Duplein family would eventually disappear. It felt as if the era of Duplein was coming.
More than anyone, Aiselin herself heard such rampant rumors from the closest position... and in truth, her feelings could not help but be complicated.
She felt no anxiety at all about being overtaken by Delia. Because she was a person with deep family affection and kindness, she was rather honestly happy about Delia's growth.
However, there were also parts where rumors and reality were a little different.
"I don't understand at all why I have to belong to Rosea Salon. Honestly, unless it's elder sister or Young Lady Ellente or Young Lady Denise, everyone else seems more or less the same kind of people."
"...Ah, no. Delia. If you look only at magical achievement, it might be so, but everyone has deep refinement... and if you get to know people widely, there are many good people too."
"Hmm..."
Aiselin had come down to the Duplein mansion to help with Delia's debutante.
Since Aiselin herself had a successful debutante experience, she thought she would be of great help, but surprisingly, there was not much for Delia to be helped with. To be honest, even if she debuted in High Society right away, there would not be any major problems.
The mansion Delia would soon move into was scheduled to be completed, and within the family, the selection of servants and high-ranking retainers to assist Delia had already been finished.
A huge banquet to bless her High Society debut was planned, and dresses as expensive as decent magic weapons were prepared. It was the time just before and after the debutante, the most splendid period for a Young Lady born into a noble family.
A splendid path lay before her, but the expression of Delia, who was sitting at the garden tea table, did not look so refreshed.
For the ladies of noble families, a High Society debut was always considered to be full of dreamlike romance, but Delia seemed to have no interest in such things at all.
The only reason she felt even a little bit of anticipation was the faint sense of adventure of going outside the Duplein mansion, where she had entrusted her body for her entire life. She had no interest at all in the social culture of the Ebelstein noble district, which was said to be splendid.
"When I went to the tea party hosted by the Lora Academy, or when I went to the festival in the Elontain Region, I did see some noble Young Ladies from Rosea Salon. Most of them seemed to be only interested in useless show-off social activities. They just try to curry favor, and keep saying flattering things they don't even mean..."
"Di, Delia... It's not something you can say in a public place, but you have to understand that difference in position. We often don't realize it because we are high-ranking nobles of the Duplein family, but for lower-rank nobles, opportunities to widen their connections are precious."
Aiselin was a noble high-ranking noble from birth, but she understood the position of lower-rank nobles well.
That was why, even if her followers sometimes said embarrassing flattery, she did not become particularly arrogant.
Half of the goodwill she received was awe toward Aiselin herself, but the other half was respect for the background of the Duplein family.
"Only when you take off those colored glasses can you finally see the essence of people. We have to practice seeing through that essence a lot. That's also why we belong to a salon and meet people of various classes..."
"If elder sister Aiselin says it that far, then I'll go out to next week's meeting..."
Since she had not even finished the debutante process yet, Delia's visit to the salon would be nothing more than just showing her face.
Even so, Delia had an indifferent expression.
She was born with extraordinary talent and was making it bloom, but even so, the fundamental nature of the person called Delia did not change.
She was arrogant, did not think very highly of those inferior to herself, and despised the suffocating disciplines created by inferior people. However, she became skilled at not showing it outwardly and wearing a mask of courtesy.
It was a kind of unwritten rule that the Young Ladies of the most noble families belonged to Rosea Salon.
However, Delia was a person like a wild horse of the plains, who paid no attention at all to such rules and regulations. One must not be fooled by her lovely appearance like a beautifully made doll.
She was a person standing at a completely opposite point from her elder sister Aiselin, so asking the noble Young Ladies raised in greenhouses to control her was an overly unreasonable demand.
"It would be good to check the servants who will work at your mansion too. Now you'll be the mistress of the mansion, so they'll all be under your direct command. Getting help from the servants of the Duplein mansion and commanding them as their master will feel very different."
"In fact, since almost all the maids who worked in the annex are coming over, I don't think my living environment will change much. It'll probably just be the difference between the Duplein mansion and Ebelstein."
"That may be so. Still, even servants you usually had no contact with will all come under your control. The sentries guarding the area around the mansion, the servants who do physical labor, and even the retainers who handle accounting and finance will all work only after receiving your confirmation and permission."
If she understood that gap, the fact that she would become the mistress of the mansion would feel much more real.
Delia did not yet really feel it, but looking at Aiselin, who was thorough in everything, she could at least know that it would not be an easy matter.
Still, among high-ranking nobles, it was something that all Young Ladies who moved into Ebelstein High Society went through.
"Not only that, you might have to personally select the person who will be in charge of your escort outside the mansion... and you might also have to look for a dedicated chef to your taste, or a personal instructor you need."
"Most of them are all more or less the same, so I don't think I'll care too much... But if it's about an instructor..."
Even though she was facing the once-in-a-lifetime event called the debutante, Delia, who had shown not a single sign of tension, suddenly began to shine starlight in her eyes when the topic of a personal instructor came up.
"You said Derrick is doing mercenary work in Ebelstein, right?!"
"As I said, right now he's teaching Young Lady Denise at the Beltus family. Before Derrick Mr.'s affiliation was decided, I went to see him once... and he looked like he had already made up his mind to go in as Young Lady Denise's instructor."
"Hmm..."
Quite some time had passed since she said farewell to Derrick. Even so, Delia clearly remembered what kind of person Derrick was.
Derrick was not someone who had a great fear or aversion to getting involved with nobles, but no matter what, he had a tendency to prioritize his own magic achievement above all else. Even so, she could not understand why he was attached to the Beltus family.
"Why of all places the Beltus family...? There shouldn't even be any point of contact..."
In any case, there were often reasons behind his actions.
Even though Duplein and Belmiard had sent letters, he suddenly headed to the Beltus family, so there seemed to be a reason for that too.
"...Did he get some kind of weakness held? I heard that if it's Young Lady Denise, she's a person whose insides are impossible to read..."
"Di, Delia... I'm telling you in advance just in case, but taking away a person who has already joined another family can be a great discourtesy. There's a reason why Father is not touching this matter any further either."
Of course, beneath the surface, there was a war of nerves where rival families tried to take away talent, but doing it openly was a completely different matter.
If it had been when Derrick had no fixed affiliation, that would be one thing, but now he was formally under contract with Duke Beltus and had gone in as Young Lady Denise's instructor.
If the previous contract had been completely finished like when Ellente hired Derrick, that would be another matter... but no matter how much it was the Duplein family, there was still such a thing as business ethics to be kept.
Of course, business ethics are not always kept. But when you break such unwritten rules, you have to be prepared for relations with the other side to sour.
Fearing that Delia might do something unexpected, Aiselin hurriedly warned her, but Delia, resting her chin on her hand, spoke as if it were nothing.
"When I went to the festival in Elontain, I did see Young Lady Denise from afar. I didn't talk to her or have any contact... but she looked very mysterious, sitting in a carriage wrapped in that elegant silver-gray hair. I thought she looked like an angel drawn in a religious painting."
"Th, that's right. Yes. Young Lady Denise is a precious person whom the Beltus family cherishes too... so of course a capable instructor like Derrick Mr. would be attached to her."
Delia was about to take a sip of tea, then put down the teacup and said with serious eyes.
"Elder sister Aiselin. Aren't you frustrated? We are the Duplein family, you know?"
".... Delia?"
*
"How is it? Isn't it a bit interesting?"
Young Lady Denise's mansion had nothing unnecessary at all.
The artworks were displayed only to the extent of maintaining minimum dignity, and the exterior of the building was also just enough to not be overshadowed by other mansions. That was because Denise, the mistress of the mansion, liked to go with the flow only to that extent.
Therefore, there was no way it would have magnificent training facilities like Young Lady Ellente's mansion.
In the end, Derrick had no choice but to demonstrate magic in the grasslands on the outskirts of Ebelstein, accompanied by some servants and guards.
Derrick's magic had tremendous firepower even if it was called basic-level magic.
Even though Denise herself had quite a bit of knowledge about magic skill, she could not help but admit that Derrick's skill was a level above. This boy had honed his use of mana to the extreme, producing results no different from mature mages.
At first, she even clapped while watching such Derrick's magic demonstration, but once the full-scale mastery training began, her composure quickly disappeared.
It felt like she had come out of the mansion after lunch, but before she knew it, the sun was setting.
Denise, who was sitting down on the grassland ground, panting heavily, was already drenched in sweat.
And Derrick, who was sitting in front of her, leaned his face in and said.
"Compared to the beginning, the operable range of Mana Arrow has increased greatly. Now Young Lady Denise can also intercept enemies outside her field of vision."
"Th, that's true...."
"You can properly feel the sense of mana itself, right? The sensation you feel in your body will be different from when you just shoot arrows in a single direction."
"Ugh... pant... pant... I, is that so..."
"It's a subtle difference, but if your senses sharpen every time you use magic, you will feel it more strongly. And once you can clearly feel that difference, your mana sense will rise to a higher level."
"I, I see... pant... pant... wait, I can't breathe..."
Derrick pushed his face even closer and spoke.
"That's how you come to feel the rise of mana. Isn't it interesting? Training the mana you were born with like this, isn't it very profound?"
Interesting?
Say it's interesting.
At Derrick's tone that even felt oppressive, Denise swallowed her dry saliva.
That white-haired boy in front of her was really completely crazy about magic.
Denise did feel that her own magical mastery was growing rapidly day by day, but in the process, she could not possibly keep up with Derrick's overflowing stamina.
Is it interesting?
Honestly, if she threw away all her pride and said it, it was interesting. When people feel interest in something, it is when every bit of effort they pour in returns as results.
In fact, training together with Derrick, she could feel that her magic skill was improving by leaps and bounds.
However, for Young Lady Denise, who had strong shut-in tendencies, the training process itself was like death.
If you were born as a freshwater fish and dragged into the sea, it was natural to suffocate and die.
"Hmm..."
"De, Derrick?"
"It seems that Young Lady Denise has not properly realized the profundity and enjoyment of this process. I think we should take a different approach...
"Eh? What do you mean?"
"I mean exactly what I said. I have not been doing instructor work for many years in earnest, so I have many immature parts. If Young Lady Denise cannot feel great interest in magic achievement, then it must be entirely my insufficiency as an instructor. I am deeply feeling that responsibility."
Derrick grabbed one of Denise's shoulders and spoke seriously.
"If we move on to more full-scale training and achieve great accomplishments, you will be able to feel more interest.
As it is, with just a surface-level feeling, it is insufficient, so let's really go at it properly. I will completely review the training intensity as well."
"What are you talking about, Derrick. Magic is really fun. I love magic."
"Young Lady Denise... You don't have to take care of me like that. Rather, such consideration makes my heart hurt even more."
It was not consideration but a struggle for survival, but Derrick did not accept that.
"If you did not feel a sense of achievement, that is entirely the instructor's fault. I am greatly disappointed in my own incompetence. I am sorry. I will make sure such a thing never happens again...!"
"No, it's fine. It's fine, I said it's fine, Derrick! Where are you going! Wait, aaah!!!"
Derrick had already put all of Denise's future schedule into his head.
She would attend the upcoming Rosea Salon meeting, and on the weekend, attend the reading meeting at the Cultural Corridor.
There would be refinement classes scheduled in between, so if he gathered all the spare time here and there, there was enough time to secure training time to head to the next realm.
Of course, Denise's own will was a separate matter.
In the deepest part of the noble district, at the Adelbert Cultural Hall, which became the center of cultural exchange among various salon members, the Young Ladies of Rosea Salon were gathering.
Including even lower-rank nobles, the number became quite large, but in the end, the center of them was only the three who were known to be the most noble. Aiselin, Ellente, and Denise.
Many followers sent them greetings, said flattering words to curry favor, and whenever there was a chance, talked to their families to send gifts or request artistic exchanges.
Thus, for the past few years, these three Young Ladies had been leading Rosea Salon centered around Adelbert Cultural Hall, but today was expected to be the day when a great upheaval would occur in that structure.
That was because today, the younger sister of Young Lady Aiselin, who was called the most noble Young Lady in Ebelstein High Society, Delia Catherine Duplein, would come to stamp her face at the salon meeting.
As she crossed the hall where a grand refreshment table was set, gazes were being drawn to her.
Even among girls of that age, her build was small, and her behavior felt dainty.
When that doll-like girl, wearing a pretty frill dress, entered the salon refreshment hall, it was inevitable that all eyes would be drawn to her at once.
She was a lovely girl that made you want to hug her just by glancing at her, but at least those who had been close to the Duplein family knew her past well. She was one of the worst ruffians in the history of the Duplein family.
If Aiselin was a girl like a warm spring, then she was truly a cold winter. It was also surprising that close sisters of the same blood could be so opposite.
She had improved a lot by meeting a good instructor, but there was also quite a lot of speculation that her nature had not completely disappeared. Still, anyway, the current Delia had cultivated quite a bit of sociality. The ruffian-like appearance of her prime had already disappeared.
However, if you asked whether she was a warm human being like Aiselin, you could not nod your head there.
"Everyone's got their eyes on fire trying to get even a slightly good connection."
Delia climbed up the platform, looked at the lower-rank nobles for a moment, and then snorted.
Their greedy eyes, buried in secular hierarchy, were clearly visible even to this young girl.
They talked about art, philosophy, and magic, but in the end, what they clung to was the obsession to exchange even one more word with children of prestigious families.
She could understand why Young Ladies of high-ranking noble families became arrogant with their self-esteem piercing the sky if they stayed long in High Society. If you spent all four seasons in such an environment, you would really feel as if you had become a king.
"I thought I'd feel like throwing up, but it's not as bad as I thought. I think I get why everyone gets addicted."
Delia snorted inwardly and went deeper into the refreshment hall.
And at the very innermost part, she saw the appearance of a girl who was exchanging greetings with some lower-rank nobles.
With her beautiful silver-gray hair hanging down, she looked like a noble angel.
However, whether her insides were also angelic was another matter. She was famous in High Society as a person who did not easily reveal her inner thoughts.
She looked quite tired, but anyway, Delia knew the name of that girl who possessed dignity befitting her reputation. It was Young Lady Denise of the Beltus family.
She was the one who broke through all that recruitment competition and took hold of Derrick.
She heard that the Beltus family held Derrick tightly in the grip of their power and absolutely had no intention of letting him go.
"...."
Delia briefly straightened the hem of her dress and then approached Denise with a stiff expression.
The gazes in the hall subtly gathered on the two of them.
[Dear readers, you can support me here: https://ko-fi.com/reaper87 ]