There Are No Bad Young Ladies in the World

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“D-Derek. It seems you’ve become busier since we last met. It didn’t seem this large-scale during the opening ceremony of the Ravenclaw training center.”

“That’s how things turned out. But when winter comes, I plan to enter a period of rest, so I think I’ll have more leisure and be able to focus more on my training.”

“It seems the barony’s finances have also become much more comfortable.”

“The issue of making a living has been resolved. It’s a significant improvement compared to when I was wandering the slums.”

Derek took off his coat and hung it on the back of the chair, then sat down opposite with a polite greeting.

Although he could be considered quite an expert in magic, he couldn’t handle the situation around Ebelstein alone. Derek’s power was still weak compared to the high-ranking nobles.

Therefore, if he were to enter into a psychological battle with the powerful, he would inevitably need the help of other forces.

Fortunately, Derek was in a position to maintain quite a connection with the Belmiord family.

“I heard that Lady Aiseline is not in good health, so I brought some medicinal herbs and potions. The butler should have received them separately.”

“Yes, I received the report. Lady Aiseline said she would come to thank you personally.”

After exchanging a few pleasantries and discussing the trivial matters near the Belmiord and Ravenclaw estates, Derek got to the main point.

“It seems the Beltus family sees me as a thorn in their side.”

“…”

At those words, Ellente’s fingertips trembled slightly. It seemed that Ellente also had some expectations about how the Beltus family might react.

“Since the Duplain family faced a major crisis, the Belmiard and Beltus families have been reigning as the real power holders of Ebelstein. To be honest, if the Beltus family decided to crush me, I would be in great trouble.”

Derek spoke frankly, with his gaze lowered.

No matter how high he had risen in the ranks of magical teachers, he could not raise his voice against a grand duke family that had swallowed an entire region.

The number of vassals Derek had was only in the hundreds, so he couldn’t even think of competing with the scale of the Beltus territory.

“…The Grand Duke of Beltus is a man who is serious about power struggles, especially in the southwestern part of the continent. Even though the Count of Renouel has gained great power and started to rise to prominence, he wouldn’t welcome the emergence of a new force.”

Ellente sighed deeply, crossing her arms.

The Grand Duke of Beltus was also a troublesome opponent for the Belmiard family. He was a renowned 5-star summoner, a collateral of the Guttrel royal family, and a competent official who had monopolized high positions from the capital.

However, compared to the other three major families, the Beltus family had a shorter history, and despite its vast territory, its foundational power was weak.

Their military power was at a level that could be called high nobility, but half of that force was mercenaries following General Orel, a former soldier.

They were brave and loyal, but ultimately, they were only loyal as long as they were paid in gold.

Moreover, maintaining such a large military force required astronomical amounts of money. The Grand Duke of Beltus’s exploration of the labyrinths in the White Zone to monopolize treasures was also under the pretext of maintaining his territory stably.

Given his position, he was sensitive to the rise of new forces.

If he could crush Derek and bring him under his control, it would be one thing, but as the Marquis of Belmiard said, Derek was more like a lone wolf roaming the wild mountains than a loyal servant serving his lord.

“But it’s strange. Didn’t the Grand Duke of Beltus cast a vote in favor when you were awarded your title?”

“That… I received help. Young Master Linus tipped off the eldest son of the Beltus family.”

“Linus… You mean Brother Linus…? Now that you mention it, I think he did say something like that…”

The one who helped Derek the most when he received his baron title was Linus, the eldest son of the Belmiard family.

It had been quite some time since he had set foot in the Belmiard main house.

Whenever Ellente thought of the unrefined eldest son who always smelled of alcohol and tobacco and laughed boisterously, she couldn’t help but feel disgusted.

“It’s understandable if that reckless brother of mine pulled some strings. At least he had a wide network. He must have wagged his tongue at Prince Robenalt of the Beltus family.”

“You don’t get along well with Young Master Linus, do you?”

“More than not getting along, I don’t even want to talk about that person.”

Ellente had never liked Linus, as she had felt for some time. However, it seemed to be more of a sibling’s aversion or physiological repulsion rather than any deep-seated grudge.

“…”

Indeed, Linus was a person who was hard to like, even in Derek’s opinion.

With his sharp and handsome appearance, he might look dashing if he dressed up, but he was a man who burped with the smell of alcohol, didn’t bother to trim his rough beard, and tied his greasy hair back like a ponytail while loitering around gambling dens.

He was the complete opposite of the noble ladies who always had to maintain a beautiful and noble demeanor, making it hard to believe he was the eldest son of the Belmiard family. Compared to Valerian, the eldest son of the Duplain family, the difference was stark.

“Though it doesn’t sound good, if it were a man like Valerian of the Duplain family, the succession structure of the Belmiard family might have changed. I don’t know if I should consider this a blessing… I’m not sure…”

“Indeed. Brother Valerian was truly a man befitting a high noble.”

“…!”

It was when Ellente was talking with a complicated expression.

Aisellin, who had finished dressing up, had somehow opened the door to the reception room and entered.

It was quite a coincidence, as they were talking about the deceased of Duplain at that moment.

*

The three-way meeting between Aisellin, Ellente, and Derek began without any prior notice.

None of the three felt comfortable in this situation.

Ellente had already declared war on Aisellin, and Aisellin was also uncomfortable with Ellente.

Derek, too, could not act carelessly in front of the figures who were like the flowers of Duplain and Belmiard.

As a result, the scene of them watching each other across the round table looked like a three-way battle.

…In reality, it was just a war of nerves between Aisellin and Ellente.

“I misspoke. Lady Aisellin. The topic of Prince Valerian must have been like a reverse scale to you.”

“It’s okay. It’s my fault for barging in suddenly. You all came running because you were worried about my condition, so how could I hold a grudge?”

“I see. Still, I cannot deny that I acted rashly. I formally apologize.”

“Oh my. Someone called the flower of Belmiard shouldn’t bow their head so easily. I’ll accept your apology in spirit.”

“Uhuhu, as expected, Lady Aisellin, your heart is as broad as the sea.”

“Rather, Lady Ellente, you seem to be thoughtful and open-minded. Uhuhu.”

“That can’t be. Uhut.”

“Ahahat.”

“Uhuhu.”

“Ahaha.”

Listening to the conversation, it sounded like a warm chat between elegant ladies, but the butler Delbritton, who was assisting Derek from behind, was sweating profusely.

Ellente was openly hostile to Aisellin, and Aisellin was trying to gently deflect her hostility.

The war of nerves between them had changed significantly from what had been shown in the Ebelstein social circle.

One trying to take away the old-fashioned man who only knew magic, and the other trying to protect him. It felt more secular, making it difficult to interpret the situation.

As for Derek, he was lost in thought while drinking the tea Delbritton had brought.

Regardless of the war of nerves between the two women, Derek was focused on predicting how Grand Duke Beltus would act.

As a noble lord responsible for a mansion, personal emotional squabbles had to take a back seat to broader geopolitical judgments.

Aisellin and Ellente were staring at each other, then suddenly sighed deeply as they looked at Derek, whose expression had become serious.

Finally, Aisellin spoke with her head bowed.

“Grand Duke Beltus’s checks on the new forces are already an open secret. Just listening to the rumors circulating in the Ebelstein social circle, there are many unsettling parts.”

She had only just woken up after collapsing from overwork, but it seemed she had already inquired about the social news revolving around the Ravenclaw Barony.

“Baron Lotoel, who was famous for his labyrinth conquests, and Lady Cruella, who was once an adventurer, both suffered significant setbacks due to Grand Duke Beltus’s checks. I thought Derek would be fine, but it seems that as the training center grew, Grand Duke Beltus’s thoughts changed a lot.”

Aiselin spoke in a dark tone, her voice barely audible.

“And I had a bit of a hand in setting up that training center. If you think about it, it’s largely my responsibility that Derek fell out of favor with Grand Duke Beltus.”

“…Is that what you think?”

“It’s not wrong, is it?”

It was ultimately Aiselin who took the lead in setting up such a large training center for Derek. She had no intention of causing this much trouble from the beginning.

Aiselin, feeling responsible for that fact, spoke with serious eyes.

“I promise that the Duplain family will support and protect Derek no matter what.”

“It seems that Lady Aiselin has great trust in Derek. With all due respect, Lady Aiselin’s trust is noble and beautiful, but it doesn’t have enough influence to change the situation.”

At that moment, Elente interjected with a sophisticated tone.

Those words might have felt insulting to Aiselin, but since they were true, she couldn’t refute them.

The Duplain family once boasted greater power than Beltus, but now their influence had significantly declined. There was a reason why Aiselin called herself a fallen lady.

“But, it’s a bit different with Belmiord.”

Elente smiled and looked at Derek this time.

“Your father, Marquis Belmiord, holds you in high regard. And at this point, he has almost entirely delegated his political authority to me, and I also consider you a highly trustworthy person.”

Whatever the past may have been, at this point, Aiselin and Elente were on different levels.

As if to emphasize that fact, Elente swept her red hair back and smiled arrogantly.

“I told you before, didn’t I? Derek, you are the person I trust the most in the world.”

As Derek hesitated, unsure of how to respond, Elente stood up, leaned forward, and looked down at him intently.

“And, I am Belmiord.”

Elente’s seductive smile carried countless meanings.

Whatever tricks Beltus might pull, at least Belmiord would not stand idly by.

Although it felt like gaining a thousand troops, it was still uncertain what tricks Grand Duke Beltus might employ.

“Miss Elente, thank you for saying that…”

“Yes! Indeed!”

Aiselin, who had been sitting quietly beside them, suddenly interjected with a high-pitched voice, as if feeling anxious.

“Th-that’s right! Lady Elente’s words are very reassuring for ‘us’ in the Ravenclaw Barony!”

“…Us?”

“Us…!”

“…”

With half-open eyes, Ellente glanced at Aiselin, sighed deeply, and then plopped back down into her seat.

“Well, anyway, it’s still completely unknown what kind of trick the Grand Duke of Beltus will pull. When he crushed Baron Rotoel, he merely spread slander and rumors to tarnish his reputation. But when he crushed Lady Cruella and Baron Bilton, he imposed tariffs on the borderlands and actively incited their servants to betray them. It was quite despicable.”

Despicable. Using such an expression carelessly towards the head of one of the three great families of the southwestern continent was an act of disrespect.

Ellente would never make such a basic mistake. Rather, she deliberately mixed in such expressions to make it clear to Derek.

It was a process of confirming that she was on Derek’s side. By belittling a common enemy together, the bond between allies naturally deepened.

“It’s a fact known only to a few, but he has even incited assassinations or kidnapped family members to threaten them. It’s a rather old story, but… it’s not a pleasant one to hear. If he succeeds in seizing a pretext, he might even launch a military action. He’s the kind of person who would do that.”

“…”

Seeing Aiselin bow her head deeply without showing surprise, it seemed to be a story that was somewhat hushed among the high nobility.

The Grand Duke of Beltus was that desperate to protect his power. Once you fell out of his favor, something was bound to happen.

“If it’s just spreading rumors, Lady Aiselin and I, who have authority in the social circles, can handle it. But if it goes beyond that, Derek, your response will become more important.”

“H, but Derek has long experience as a mercenary, so he wouldn’t easily fall for a simple assassination attempt, right? He might even catch the tail of it.”

“That’s right, Lady Aiselin. But the problem is, the Grand Duke of Beltus is not unaware of that fact.”

With a serious expression, Ellente stood up and strode towards the window of the reception room.

In her line of sight, she saw a girl with silver-gray hair being guided by the servants from the central garden towards the main building.

That elegant girl, who had let down her silver-gray hair, seemed to be coming up to greet Aiselin after hearing that she was in the reception room.

Her name was Denise, and she was one of the most capable chess pieces employed by the Grand Duke of Beltus.

Ellente’s eyes narrowed even further.

At least Derek trusted Denise quite a bit, but Ellente did not.

“Then, what is the most extreme move the Grand Duke of Beltus could make?”

Aiselin, looking visibly tense, asked hesitantly.

“Whether it’s assassination or kidnapping… trying to do something directly to Derek is not a very wise move. If that happens, he would probably target someone Derek holds dear. Someone who, if touched, would not cause much trouble afterward, and who Derek would react most sensitively to—someone like—”

Aiselin swallowed dryly.

It seemed that both Ellente and Aiselin simultaneously thought of the same person.

The person officially closest to Derek.

Someone whose status was not so noble that touching them would cause significant repercussions, and someone Derek would be greatly concerned about if something happened to them… there was only one candidate left.

A moment of silence.

The worried expressions of Ellente and Aiselin.

In that subtle atmosphere, Derek finally opened his mouth slowly, sweating slightly.

“That… wouldn’t be a very wise move…”

*

“Ugh, I’m getting drunk…”

After completing the harpy subjugation in the Roben Mountains, Felinne, who had returned to ‘Tears of Veldern’ after a long time and was drinking mead, was lying on the bar table, making dying sounds.

The bar was almost empty as it was nearing closing time.

A few mercenaries were gulping down beer while spewing rough curses, and in the corner of the opposite seat, a suspicious group in robes was watching Felinne.

The bar owner, Jayden, had left the place to prepare for closing.

Late at night. The time when even the moon was ready to sleep.

In the noisy tavern scene, even if a drunken girl were to be subdued by a confusion spell and disappear into the night streets… there wouldn’t be many who would notice.

Three suspicious men in robes approached the bar table where Felinne was groaning.

They approached her back as she lay on the bar table, humming a tune they had never heard before. And just as one of them was about to place his hand on her shoulder.

– Thud

Without any warning, a dagger was stuck in the man’s shoulder.

Blood spurted through the air.

“What…!”

As the man reacted, a sharp pain shot up his shoulder.

It was a strike controlled just enough not to be fatal. However, the sharp pain that followed was not so merciful.

“Ugh, ugh!”

“Do you want to die?”

Under the shoulder where blood was spurting, a pair of red eyes glowed.

She had a delicate appearance like a noble, but inside that skin was a bloodthirsty she-wolf.

She was a comrade who had roamed the battlefield with Derek for half her life and had survived in this rough mercenary world without a scratch.

A beast that has lived on the streets is born with a sixth sense to detect hostility.

As proof of that, Felinne kicked the face of the men in robes before they could do anything.

– Crash! Bang!

One burly man was thrown onto the bar table and rolled on the floor with a loud noise. A blood-stained dagger was trembling in his shoulder.

The remaining two men, who were still in good condition, looked at Felinne with trembling eyes.

Felinne, staggering from drunkenness, was seen standing while holding onto the bar table. Her eyes were gleaming again.

“Ugh… I already feel nauseous…”

She was officially the consort of Baron Ravenclaw, and if dressed up properly, she would appear demure and noble.

However, in reality, the number of lives she had taken had already comfortably exceeded double digits.

The murderous intent had become like a part of her body, clinging to the corners of her eyes like a ghostly aura.

In order to survive in the rough underworld, it was, in a way, a natural thing.