Chapter 54 :

Bloodstained Ball (1)

When Young Lady Denise returned to the main house, starting with the head butler, all the maids were thrown into chaos. It was because a wound had formed on her beautiful body.

Denise was someone for whom even a small cut on her fingertip would make the maid attending her kneel and beg for forgiveness all day, yet now her forehead had split open and she was even bleeding.

"Young Lady Denise!"

"A-are you all right! Please, hurry inside the mansion first. You must receive treatment!"

Denise, who was getting down from the carriage, had her hair in disarray and her dress was torn here and there.

Judging from the fact that she was even covered in dirt, it was clear that something unusual had happened in the spar with Delia.

As servants gathered around to check Denise’s condition and kept asking the accompanying servants and the coachman what in the world had happened, the affairs of the mansion were thrown into disorder for quite some time.

However, Denise smiled gently with a composed look and said as if it were nothing.

"Nothing happened."

Despite being in such a battered state, it would have been natural for her to be angry, but Denise instead looked refreshingly cheerful.

*

"So the moment I laid search-type magic, that wild-horse-like kid Delia just froze with a blank look. At that point I wondered what cool line I should say, so I tried to think of something stylish, but nothing suitable came to mind............ Should I have prepared a better line beforehand .. "

Denise returned to the mansion as if her injuries were nothing, and while receiving treatment from the maids, she was pouring out her tale of valor to Derrick. Listening to Denise’s story, Derrick was feeling it was unexpected.

In his heart, Derrick had thought that Delia was practically his own prized disciple.

He even thought that compared to Delia’s talent, even Ellente was still lacking, so no matter how capable Denise was, he believed she would have a hard time against Delia.

Above all, Delia’s ever-changing use of mana would not have been easy to deal with for noble young ladies who were accustomed to Discipline School–style magic.

However, contrary to Derrick’s worries, Denise was completely overwhelming Delia.

The speed at which Denise was achieving mastery of magic faster than even Derrick had expected could be said to be such that in Ebelstein there were hardly any who could keep up with her.

"And then she made that completely wounded-pride face and started crying big tears. When she was being rude at the tea party like she wanted to eat me alive, she was so fierce, but now, serves her right. Serves her right."

"Are your injuries all right?"

"As you can see, there are some abrasions, but they said there won’t be any scars. But more importantly, Derrick, you should have seen her face. Ehehe. If I weren’t in a situation where I had to keep up appearances, I would have laughed at her properly~."

Denise said this while looking at Derrick, with no intention of lowering her raised shoulders.

"No matter how good she is, at a level that’s only just starting to be polished, she can’t beat me. Ugh..... In the end, she lacked sparring experience, and she also lacked decisiveness at crucial moments. She couldn’t even show the kind of wit I did, like throwing away my accessories to create an opening. And she’s not even prettier than me. If you look closely, my skin is better and my features are more refined, right?"

".....”

"What do you think, Derrick. You warned me not to look down on Delia, right? You didn’t think I’d come back winning so clearly, did you?"

Denise puffed out her chest and spoke confidently to Derrick. In short, it seemed she wanted praise.

But Derrick shook his head and spoke firmly to Denise.

"Removing your protection magic during a spar is something that, if you make even a small mistake, could cost you your life. No matter what, that is not something you should do."

"You have to take at least that much of a gamble to buy time to cast a 2-star magic in front of that mad-dog-like kid, don’t you? They were only 1-star magic anyway, so the chance of it becoming a fatal blow was almost none. More than that, at that moment, her expression was...... "

"Young Lady Denise."

Derrick said in a low voice.

Even though he was just a commoner, that alone made Denise hiccup in surprise.

Derrick was always brimming with motivation in front of Denise. Basically he was a taciturn person, but even so, when dealing with Denise, it was obvious that there was at least a bit of goodwill at his core.

However, the Derrick standing in front of Denise, who had returned with news of victory, did not look very pleased.

The reason soon became clear.

"No matter what the reason is, removing your protection magic in a sparring situation cannot be justified."

"..... What?"

"Didn’t you see the power of Young Lady Delia’s magic. If it had hit wrong, it wouldn’t have been strange if you had been crippled in one arm or leg."

Even if it was 1-star magic, its power varied greatly depending on the mage’s ability.

Delia’s magic was already at a level where there were hardly any among her peers who could keep up, so if she had been hit without protection magic, she could have lost her life in an instant.

It was commendable that she had brought back news of victory, but Derrick could never tolerate such dangerously reckless behavior.

He was a boy who had weighed his life on the battlefield all his life. He knew better than anyone how heavy the risk of staking one’s life was.

Only by making her properly understand the weight of that act would this girl stop making such reckless judgments.

That was why, even though Denise had returned victorious, Derrick kept a firm expression.

It was a rare happy occasion, but Denise had not expected Derrick to be so indifferent. It was truly disappointing, but she could not express those feelings.

The reason Derrick was angry was because he was worried about Denise.

Once she realized that much, she could not help but admit that Derrick’s scolding was justified.

Denise was a clear-headed person, so she was already somewhat aware of how reckless her actions during the spar had been.

Facing Delia, who was glaring and trying to take Derrick away, she herself had become impatient.

As the atmosphere seemed to harden for a moment, the maids who were helping Denise with her grooming swallowed dry saliva.

Considering Derrick’s background, scolding someone like Denise was itself absurd.

However, Derrick was the kind of person who conveyed what he thought was right without reservation. Denise also knew that.

"All right, I’m sorry."

So she apologized first without any particular complaint. To those who did not know the circumstances, it would have been a scene that made their eyes pop out.

Derrick, perhaps feeling that Denise’s reply was not just lip service, eventually let out a small sigh and eased the mood.

"Still, it seems you achieved something, so that is fortunate. I was glad to hear the news."

"Ufufu.....it was me, you know."

"But if I may speak my honest opinion...... from Young Lady Delia’s point of view, wouldn’t Young Lady Denise look like a truly sinister person?"

"W-what are you talking about. Where else is there someone as kind as me in this world."

"Shouldn’t you also think about it from Young Lady Delia’s point of view."

"Um? Uuum....."

Denise, feeling the maid’s hands combing her hair, fell into deep thought.

In any case, it was Denise herself who had written a letter and lured Delia out.

At first, she really had intended to lose, but halfway through she changed her mind and went all out.

Thinking about it that way, from Delia’s perspective, she could not help but look like a truly ill-natured person.

She lied in a letter to lure her into a duel, then beat her down with strength and broke her pride.

From Delia’s point of view, she had no way of knowing about Denise’s change of heart, so she must have thought there was no more rotten person than this.

Up until now, there may have been some unfairness in Delia’s hostility, but looking at the current situation, Denise was nothing more than a person who beat up Delia because she felt bad.

"Have you realized it now?"

"Derrick. It might be true that I’m a bit of a bad person..... "

Saying “Have you only realized that now?” would have been going too far.

"It’s probably just a misunderstanding, so wouldn’t it be fine if you talk it out properly?"

"If you were Young Lady Delia, would you talk to me?"

".....Considering her personality, I don’t think she would."

On top of that, since she had won the duel, she could sell off the suspicious landscape painting as promised.

In many ways, to Delia, Denise was practically an enemy.

"T-this is unbelievable...... B-but...... I don’t know how my words will sound, but...... I don’t actually dislike Young Lady Delia that much......? "

"Y-you know, Young Lady Delia really likes you, Derrick, so couldn’t you explain things well to her?"

"At this point, even if I try to persuade her with words, I don’t think it will have much meaning....."

"I-I don’t want to earn that much hostility from the Duplein Ducal House. What’s the point of making an enemy of the most famous powerful family in the southwest of the Empire?"

"Young Lady Denise...... that is the seed you yourself sowed."

"Aaagh!"

Denise scratched her head with both hands. Only the maid who had been diligently fixing her hair panicked and broke out in a cold sweat.

Denise was someone who was adept at moving among the young ladies of powerful families and conducting herself appropriately. Her policy was not to make enemies, nor to be particularly hostile to anyone.

But if she was to keep Derrick in her family, she could never get along with Delia.

That much she had to accept.

*

When Aiselin visited Delia’s mansion, Delia was completely heartbroken and had her head buried on the garden table.

She had charged at Denise with all her might, but in calmness, experience, and the refinement of magic, she had been inferior in every respect.

"Delia....."

"Elder Sister Aiselin. You’re here. As you can see, I was miserably defeated and I’m in a state beyond consolation."

"Don’t be too discouraged, Delia. You haven’t even properly entered the world of social sparring yet. It’s not such a big deal to lose to Young Lady Denise, who has gained many experiences while being part of the Rosea Salon."

"It was a chance to bring Derrick over .. "

Delia had a face like a corpse.

If there had been even an excuse, she might have been able to preserve her pride, but the content of the spar itself was nothing short of a complete defeat for Delia.

It was only because they fought in Delia’s private training ground; if they had fought in an official dueling ground in the noble district with many onlookers, she would have been utterly humiliated.

Of course, even with just the defeat, rumors would already spread among the salons.

Delia did not care about such gossip or rumors. In the end, what mattered was the fact that she had lost.

"In the end, if you want to bring Derrick to your family, isn’t Derrick’s own heart the most important? I don’t think there’s much meaning in forcing things through the result of a duel...... So don’t put too much meaning into losing, Delia."

"Thank you for comforting me, Elder Sister Aiselin. Still, a loss is a loss. My pride is really hurt."

“....”

"What’s even more unbearable is the fact that if Derrick hadn’t personally taught that sinister woman, I might have been able to win. Whether it’s 2-star magic or not, the reason she can handle it so skillfully must surely be because of Derrick’s influence."

Delia shook her head and finally eased her expression.

"Anyway, it’s not good to leave Derrick with another family. If we can bring him over, we absolutely must."

"B-but.....you lost the spar, and there’s no justification to take him away from the Beltus family, is there?"

"Elder Sister Aiselin. You said that what’s more important than tying him down with contracts and such is Derrick’s own heart, right? I thought about it too, and I agree with that opinion."

Delia let out a long sigh and then gently brushed her hair down with her small fingers.

It was a habit she had whenever she was thinking hard.

"It won’t be easy to bring Derrick over with money, and it also doesn’t seem easy to create a proper justification.....So..... maybe something like a honey trap .. "

“....”

“....”

".... If even a honey trap won’t work, then maybe human warmth, or making him feel respect, could also move his heart, don’t you think?"

“.....”

“.....”

Aiselin’s silence was consideration. Delia knew that, so she did not say anything more.

In truth, in looks and authority, it would not be easy for Delia to beat Young Lady Denise.

No matter what it was like internally, externally, Young Lady Denise’s image was close to that of the most perfect noble young lady.

Even when Aiselin herself stepped in, Derrick had shaken his head, so it was obvious that no matter how much the still-young Delia struggled, she would be no match.

"Kwaaah!"

Unlike when she ruled over the servants like a tyrant, at times Delia would suffer inwardly like a child her age.

Her current appearance, shaking her head and letting out a scream, was just like that.

"First, if you want to bring Derrick to the Duplein Ducal House, you have to become someone worthy of that. Make a name for yourself in the Rosea Salon too, and if he thinks you’re worth teaching, then Derrick will also waver. Isn’t that right?"

"How am I supposed to persuade someone that even Elder Sister Aiselin failed to persuade?"

"That...... you never know...... The important thing is to try something, isn’t it?"

Since coming to Ebelstein, Delia had always been complaining.

As her elder sister, seeing that made Aiselin’s heart ache, so she went to sit next to Delia and patted her back.

Delia wanted Derrick this much, so for her sake as well, she wanted to do everything she could.

"Shouldn’t you first finish your debutante and properly enter High Society? From the audience with the Emperor to the ball, all the preparations are already done..... Let’s first finish everything that needs to be finished."

"Ahh...... it can’t be helped."

In any case, Delia’s debutante was just around the corner.

Sometime next week, she would go to the Imperial Capital, have an audience with the Emperor, then return to the mansion, and hold a ball.

Countless nobles would come to congratulate Delia in front of a luxurious banquet.

There, she would receive all the spotlight, make her debut in High Society, and then return to Ebelstein as the master of this mansion once more.

Thus, Delia would become someone who could stand shoulder to shoulder with other young ladies.

Once that process was finished, it seemed that the relationship between Denise and Delia would also change. Aiselin hoped that Delia would adapt well to this thin-ice-like world of High Society.

"I sent another letter to the main house to check. We’ll depart directly from this mansion to the Imperial Capital next week. After the audience is over, you’ll attend the main house’s ball as the protagonist."

"The servants at the main house must be busy too. If they’re inviting many distinguished guests and holding a ball, there must be a lot to prepare from now on."

"Everyone is working joyfully to celebrate your debutante, Delia. So what you need to do is show the appearance of a noble young lady with a character befitting a lady. Delia."

Aiselin emphasized in a warm voice.

So many people were working hard for the sake of Delia’s debutante alone. If everything ended successfully, the whole family would celebrate Delia.

"Since all the people from powerful families will be invited to the ball..... Mr. Derrick, who belongs to the Beltus family, might also attend as a representative."

"R-really? He came to deliver a letter this time too, and it seems he’s getting a lot of trust from Young Lady Denise’s side....."

"I’ll send a separate invitation. If you show that you’ve grown well into a proper lady at the ball, Mr. Derrick’s view of you will also change a lot. So let’s do our best, Delia."

"Ugh....."

Encouraging her by using Derrick like bait felt unpleasant, like teasing a monkey with a banana, but it would be a lie to say she was not concerned.

Delia let out a deep sigh and nodded.

The ball of the Duplein Ducal House celebrating the young lady’s debutante was enormous in scale.

The servants made a fuss, saying that the young lady who became the protagonist of that place would radiate a light like an angel descended to earth. The splendor of that place was directly connected to the pride of the servants who prepared it.

If she could firmly imprint her intent of commanding such a place, Derrick’s thoughts might also change.

"That’s right. For now, I should focus on what I have to do right away. Another chance will come."

Delia let out a deep sigh. She was in too busy a position to just be depressed.

"By the way, Elder Sister Aiselin. When did you send the letter to the main house? I sent one recently too, but the reply isn’t coming."

"Hm? Let’s see… It was a few weeks ago for me. Maybe the main house is also very busy and can’t reply to letters right away?"

"Is that so?"

"Yes. You know Valerian Orabeoni came back recently. I heard that to deal with the spoils he brought back, they invited Kohela, a magic advisor from the Imperial Palace, to hear her opinion."

While staying in Ebelstein, even Aiselin could not grasp all the news of the main house exactly. It was unavoidable because of the physical distance.

"That mage named Kohela should be visiting the main house about now, so...... the main house must be very busy too. Still, there shouldn’t be any big problems preparing for your ball, right?"

"Even just the ball will have a ton of guests to invite...... and since even the chief magic advisor of the Imperial Palace visited the mansion, the servants must all be exhausted."

"But they probably think of it as an extension of preparing for your ball. If she visits the mansion at this time, she’ll probably plan to attend your ball too."

Kohela, the chief magic advisor of the Imperial Palace.

The reason replies to letters had been late was probably because things had become that much busier after she visited the Duplein Ducal House.

Even so, not replying promptly to letters sent by the most noble young ladies of the family would be a great discourtesy, but Aiselin decided to forgive it. She knew well how hard the servants worked when happy events overlapped like this.

Since they could not get in touch well, they did not know what was happening at the main house, but…

In any case, when they visited soon, they would be able to see them again.

Delia’s most splendid and luxurious debutante ball was approaching.

Looking forward to her beloved younger sister’s brilliant debut in High Society, Aiselin smiled in satisfaction.

‘Since it’s that kind of place, I hope Mr. Derrick will definitely attend too. If I ask directly, the Beltus family will probably allow at least this much, right? They need someone to send in a formal capacity anyway.’

*

–Rustle

‘So even the day comes when I get invited to a noble family’s ball.’

Early in the morning, a letter arrived for Derrick, who was in his quarters swinging his sword this way and that with his upper body bare.

The letter stamped with the seal of the Duplein Ducal House was inviting Derrick to Delia’s debutante next week.

Since he was the only person who had extended a hand to her when she was shut away and wandering, it seemed that the Duplein Ducal House also regarded Derrick as a great benefactor.

Otherwise, they would not send such a formal invitation to a commoner.

"Not only the southwest of the Empire, but there’s a good chance even people from the north and east will attend. It’s rare for the Family Head to come in person, but..... Most will probably send representatives....."

The Beltus family would also have to send someone in a formal capacity, so Derrick, who at least had acquaintance with Delia, would be an appropriate choice. It seemed Aiselin had sent the invitation considering that situation.

‘It’s been a long time since I went to the Duplein mansion, but it probably hasn’t changed much.’

They must have decorated a lot since a grand ball would be held, but in any case, it was a place he had stayed at for quite a long time.

Feeling that it would be nice to visit again after so long, Derrick put the invitation into his coat pocket.