There Are No Bad Young Ladies in the World

Power and Love (5)

“Miss Elente, until the head of the family gives further instructions, please stay in your room.”

The group of retainers who had escorted Elente wore heavy expressions.

Elente remembered each of their names. Monter, Briana, Revilin, Tion, Fior…

They were all people who had been with Elente since childhood, and she had watched them rise to higher positions in the Belmiard estate from the closest vantage point.

Therefore, the retainers did not seem very happy about having to confine Elente.

“You all don’t say a word to me about the investigation results.”

Elente didn’t intend to blame them, but she still wanted to leave a remark.

The room, usually used for entertaining guests, was luxurious and spacious. However, it couldn’t compare to Elente’s personal room.

Elente’s personal room was under investigation, so it was probably unusable.

“I’m sorry, Miss Elente. We…”

The old man standing at the front of the group of retainers spoke hesitantly. Monter. The head of the guards who managed the retainers and had been Elente’s personal guard during her childhood.

He tried to say something but then closed his mouth again.

It seemed that there had been instructions among the investigators not to give Elente any information hastily.

The other retainers standing around were clearly watching his reaction.

“…We have to suspect you, Miss Elente.”

In that uncomfortable atmosphere, Briana, the most capable scribe of the Belmiard family, spoke up.

She was always blunt and businesslike, but Elente knew well that she had a warm heart.

“We will inform you of the detailed investigation results in due course. However, at this point, we cannot give you even a single hint. As you know, we must carry out the instructions we have been given.”

—

—

Briana’s businesslike tone made it seem as though her heart was as cold as her words.

However, Elente looked at Briana and spoke with warm eyes.

“Have you found any decisive evidence?”

“…”

Briana gritted her teeth as if in agony, and finally spoke as if vomiting out the words.

“As I mentioned… we are in a position where we must suspect you, Lady Elente. However, that does not mean we have lost faith in you.”

Still showing deep respect, Briana spoke to Elente.

“I believe this suspicion is a means to prove your innocence, Lady Elente. Everyone here knows better than anyone that you are not someone who would dabble in necromancy.”

“Briana…”

“Therefore, we must understand how this situation came to be, who orchestrated it, and under what circumstances. Suspicion is necessary in this process. To truly prove your innocence, we must convince everyone that you had no reason to engage in such magic.”

All verification begins with suspicion.

Knowing this, Elente understood the complex and subtle emotions of the retainers who looked at her.

Elente took a deep breath and looked at the expressions of each retainer who believed in and followed her.

Then, biting her lower lip for a moment, she nodded.

“Leave me. Since I have been granted some time alone after a long while, I shall immerse myself in Professor Felo’s books on magic.”

With a relaxed smile, she sat by the window and said,

“I trust you all.”

*

‘Stay calm.’

Once the retainers left, Elente closed the book and walked to the window.

She saw the servants with anxious expressions walking through the garden filled with the warm spring sunlight. The Belmiord mansion was now in the midst of a swamp of anxiety.

The fact that Lady Elente, the legitimate heir of the Belmiord family, was suspected of dabbling in necromancy.

If this fact began to spread outside the family, the situation would become uncontrollable.

Whatever it takes, this matter must be resolved within the family.

It has not even been a year since the madness of necromancy devoured the great star that was the Duplain family.

In this social atmosphere, the moment one is entangled with necromancy, their lifeline as a noble, let alone as an heir, would be severed.

Elente swallowed dryly and tried to maintain her composure once again.

In this situation where there was no information, the more she appeared to be floundering, the worse the situation would become.

However, the cold gaze of a man she saw in the hallway continued to float in her memory.

– ‘Lady Elente. Just a little more strength. You can do it!’

—

—

“Just one more time…! Now is the moment. When you’re exhausted and can’t move anymore, pushing yourself one more time… that’s the secret to growth!”

The man who had encouraged Ellente with overflowing energy while teaching her magic, with his cold eyes glancing at her, was etched into her heart like an engraved sculpture.

The fact that Derek had succumbed to Leonard’s persuasion meant that he was now hostile towards Ellente.

“Derek is a deep thinker and quick to judge. Leonard wouldn’t be able to persuade him so easily…”

However, Ellente knew Leonard as well as she knew Derek.

Leonard was skilled at persuading people, sometimes with cunning whispers, sometimes with grand speeches, or if not, with offers that were hard to refuse.

Derek wasn’t someone who would easily fall for such tricks, but Leonard might have used some kind of scheme.

He constantly spread rumors about Ellente, emphasized her moral flaws, and promised Derek ample rewards.

Especially since Derek was more dedicated to magical achievements than anyone else, he might be persuaded by guarantees of magical treasures or conditions that would help his achievements.

If Leonard had painted Ellente as a villain to ease Derek’s conscience and then lured him with appropriate rewards…?

Leonard was a boy with a developed sense of understanding people’s desires, so it wasn’t entirely impossible. He might have seen through Derek’s obsession with magical achievements.

“If Derek was simply swayed by Leonard’s words, I could defend myself by meeting and talking to him. The problem is… it’s not a situation where I can meet Derek right now…”

Ellente took a deep breath and steeled her resolve once more.

Her eyes, gripping the window frame tightly, burned with renewed determination.

Misunderstandings can be cleared up.

No matter what tricks Leonard used to instill slander in Derek, in the end, Derek would understand that all the slander was a misunderstanding.

Don’t lose your composure in the face of momentary confusion.

In this game of intrigue, the first to lose their composure would be the one to fall.

Losing Derek might have been a painful move, but he could be won back.

Leonard’s tricks were just about creating false evidence to corner Ellente.

False evidence always has flaws, and if those flaws could be exposed, the game could be turned around.

So, all she needed to know was what that evidence was.

Ellente calmed herself down, constantly reassuring herself.

*

—

Dear Prince Valerian of the Duplain family,

I have been deep in thought since receiving your last letter. I have once again considered how dangerous the path we are pursuing is, and what results might await us at the end.

But when I think about the changes our research will bring, I believe all these risks are worth taking. If we fully understand the secrets of necromancy, we will be able to transcend the boundaries of life and death. With that power, we can change this empire, no, the entire continent.

The ancient texts from the White Zone that you sent were truly invaluable.

Especially the spell ‘Echo of the Soul’ was astonishing. As a result of my experiments in my underground laboratory, I was able to momentarily animate the corpse of a small animal. It is still incomplete, but I am confident that we will achieve greater results soon.

—

—

Next month’s full moon, you will be able to visit the Duplain family naturally at Lady Diela’s debutante party.

I hope we can meet at the promised place and talk in more detail. I also want to share some new spells I have discovered.

Please be careful. I feel that Prince Valerian has been too influenced by necromantic magic lately. Please be extra cautious to ensure our secret does not leak out.

From your eternal comrade,

Ellente

—

Count Belmiord, who had read the letter from the underground laboratory to the end, sat on the desk in his office with a heavy expression.

He casually placed the letter on the table and looked at the faces of the vassals who participated in the investigation.

Among them, Advisor Revilton, who led the investigation, spoke with his eyes closed.

“Upon examining the handwriting, it was written with the hydrangea-scented Beloff ink used by Lady Ellente. It was also sealed with the secret seal of the Belmiord family.”

“…”

“This letter was not sent and was just left in the drawer. It might have been rewritten due to some corrections, or the situation might have changed.”

Following him, Brianna and the head maid also recited the investigation results with heavy expressions.

“There was also a faint scent of Lady Ellente’s perfume. We investigated it directly through our watchdogs, so it is probably accurate.”

“…”

The letter was about exchanging opinions on necromantic magic with Valerian, the eldest son of the Duplain family.

According to known information, Valerian of the Duplain family gradually lost his mind to the necromantic relics from the White Zone and eventually went berserk.

In other words, it was evidence that he had been researching necromantic magic together with that person.

Physical evidence and circumstances.

The two matched exactly.

Ironically, Ellente actually attended the Duplain family’s banquet on the day of the great disaster of the Duplain family.

Even in a situation where many people died or were injured, Ellente escaped without a scratch… Moreover, despite such a major incident, she did not hold the Duplain family accountable or demand compensation.

Circumstantial evidence alone is not very powerful, but when several conditions overlap and combine, they can become significant.

Ellente’s visit to the Duplain family was purely to celebrate Diela’s debut in society.

Ellente did not hold the Duplain family accountable simply because she did not want to burden Iselin.

Ellente was able to survive without any harm from the Duplain family because she handled the situation swiftly.

The truth is usually that simple and insignificant. It was just that Ellente was broad-minded, mature in character, and deeply compassionate, so she overlooked everything.

From noble mtl dot com

However, the overlapping circumstances ironically made her actions suspicious.

Could it be that she was really colluding with the Duplain family to research necromantic magic?

Just planting that seed of doubt was enough for all this evidence and circumstances to play their role sufficiently.

—

Count Belmiard pressed his temples and let out a deep sigh.

Then, sitting at his desk, he spoke to his retainers.

“I… don’t want to doubt Ellente.”

“…”

“You all feel the same way, don’t you?”

Count Belmiard, who loved his daughter more than anyone, was being tested.

In his heart, he wanted to return his daughter’s freedom and encourage her by saying, “Father believes in you, so don’t worry about anything.”

However, he was the lord of the Belmiard territory, a position that commanded numerous vassals and subjects.

Rumors had already begun to circulate within the mansion, and if left unchecked, the news might spread to external cities or even beyond the territory.

If it were to be revealed that he had concealed and hidden the enormous flaw of necromancy solely because she was his daughter… it would escalate beyond Ellente’s problem to become an issue for the entire Belmiard territory.

A father before a count. A count before a father.

Caught in that gap, Count Belmiard could only writhe in agony.

*

– “Did you hear about Lady Ellente dabbling in necromancy? Do you think it’s true?”

– “Oh, come on. You know what kind of person Lady Ellente is. Could that really happen?”

Doubt is like a tiny spark that blooms amidst the branches.

Usually, such doubts are not very powerful and often disappear quickly.

However, sometimes they persist, burning the branches and eventually growing in size.

Doubt, when not definitively resolved, lingers for a long time, exerting its influence just by remaining.

Rumors are distorted, exaggerated, and embellished.

What breaks a person’s spirit is the rumor that has been embellished.

These baseless rumors, which are neither logical, rational, nor reasonable, drive people into a corner.

They break the heart and make it difficult to maintain one’s composure. Even the wise eyes of a sage become blurred, and only the feeling of injustice surges like waves, causing one to lose their calm.

The important thing is time.

What eats away at a person is not a large, painful blow that comes all at once.

It is the persistent pain that gnaws at the corners of a person’s heart little by little.

Each small twist that gradually pushes a person into a corner is usually something that naturally blends into everyday life.

– “Oh, it’s Lady Ellente.”

– “Shh, shh…! Don’t talk to her…!”

While being escorted by the retainers to have a meal, the servants cleaning in the corner of the garden broke out in a cold sweat and fled.

Thus, a day passes, and another day goes by.

—

—

– “But, what about Lady Ellente?”

– “She is still under house arrest.”

– “To think that the one who once reigned over the Rosé Salon of Ebelstein is now confined so lonely in her room… The investigation results must have been quite serious…”

– “Ho… Could it be that she really dabbled in necromancy…”

– “Shh. Watch your mouth.”

Late at night. When you open the window and read a book, you can hear the secret conversations of the retainers seeping into the room.

As you do that, three days pass, then four days.

– “What if, by any chance, Lady Ellente really did dabble in necromancy?”

– “Haven’t you heard about the tragedy of the Duplain family? They will never… never let it slide.”

– “Then, what happens to the heir position of the Belmiard family?”

– “Well… Since Young Master Linus declined, it would go to Young Master Leonard, but… Young Master Leonard insisted that it would never happen, that he has no desire for power…”

– “As expected… He is a detached person…”

It was a conversation that reached Ellente’s ears, who was using detection magic to gather information from the next room.

As five days pass, the weight hanging in her chest starts to grow heavier.

– “Lady Ellente. I brought you some clothes to change into.”

Briana’s cold gaze, gradually becoming more businesslike.

– “Lady Ellente. We need to hear your statement.”

Monter’s confident eyes, with no trace of apology left.

Each scene of daily life piles up in her heart like poison.

The frightening thing is, she doesn’t even realize it.

A person’s mind is cornered so slowly.

Like a kettle placed on a fire, the temperature gradually rises, and before you know it, you find yourself swimming in unbearable heat.

When she was commanding the skies and raising her nose in power, everyone looked up to her.

The retainers saw her as a being above the clouds, the servants and maids helped her cautiously as if handling glassware, and her family praised her as beautiful as a flower.

However, when the accumulated suspicions over time finally reached a critical point… something like a line in the heart was bound to snap.

“Gasp.”

How many days had passed?

Ellente, who was sitting in a dark room with a candlestick lit, suddenly came to her senses. She could hardly feel the time flying by.

A gentle spring breeze was coming in through the half-open window. The moon hanging in the sky was bright, but it felt eerily chilly.

Ellente stood up and quickly shook her head.

—

—

“I lost my mind for a moment. That’s not like me.”

During the past time, Ellente made efforts to clear her suspicions in her own way. She tried to probe the retainers to find out what the evidence was, and sent letters outside to inform the Duplain family of this fact.

She also inquired about the nobles of the Rozea Salon who might defend her, but she couldn’t find anyone with a strong enough heart to easily step into such a serious matter.

As a result, she found herself sitting blankly, staring at the candlestick in the middle of a private room where only the cold night wind was coming in.

She is not someone who easily loses consciousness. She was a person who never lost focus, even in the most boring philosophy classes.

It was the first time she had suddenly lost her mind like this, so she washed her face dry and brushed her hair back.

“Yes. Are you trying to corner me like this? It’s unfortunate, but ruling over people means you can’t escape suspicion and tests. Do they think that I, who have ruled as the heir of the Belmiard family for such a long time, will be shaken by such a petty trick?”

In the end, the Belmiard family cannot easily dismiss Ellente.

Even among the numerous pieces of evidence, there were still many retainers who wanted to believe in Ellente.

However, the dark room remained silent.

As the cold wind came in and shook the candlestick, Ellente’s shadow also wavered with it.

Ellente did not walk alone to reach this position.

The word “loneliness” could only be found in the dictionary. With so many people believing in and following her, how could a small seed of doubt bring a person down?

However, she did not know.

What protects a person’s heart is not the respectful gaze of those who follow her. Secular authority cannot protect a person’s heart.

When heated slowly with anxiety and suspicion over a long time, even a fish in any aquarium cannot help but eventually stop breathing.

It’s just a matter of whether it takes a week or a month. The time is different for each person, but the moment inevitably comes.

As soon as Ellente stood up and saw the mirror in the corner of the room, she gasped.

Hollow eyes. Brittle hair.

Wondering if this was really herself, she quickly rubbed her eyes and took a comb out of the drawer to start tidying her hair.

“Keeping oneself neat is the most basic of basics… What has really happened to me…”

Ellente began to brush her hair with trembling fingertips.

But the brushing felt awkward. The ends of her hair seemed to catch, and it was not easy to brush all the way through.

Only then did the girl realize. How long had it been since she last combed her own hair?

The servants who always followed her like a part of her body had taken care of her hair. She couldn’t even remember the last time she had tidied it herself.

And then, the dark room came back into her view.

No one was there.

She, who ruled the world, reigned like a king of Belmiard, and was renowned as the lady of the Rozea Salon, the flower of the inner chambers.

She was power itself.

But beside her, there was only empty darkness.

—

—

No one is here. That fact doesn’t change no matter how many times I close my eyes and open them again.

In this narrow room, no one is here.

*

‘It seems to be the necromancy book from Rodentz Island.’

The necromancy book found in Ellente’s room was a dangerous item, so it seemed the high-ranking retainers quickly took care of it and sealed it with magic.

However, traces of it remained in the basement. Standing alone in the blood-scented basement, Derek took a deep breath as he felt the lingering traces of that magic.

‘Yes. It was strange ever since he suddenly converted to religion and went on a pilgrimage.’

Derek muttered to himself as he looked around the basement filled with the sticky air. It was known as Ellente’s necromancy research lab.

After informing the Ravenclaw Barony about the news of Belmiord, Derek visited again as a guest. Seeing this chaotic atmosphere, it was strange to receive external guests at all.

If the head of the family was sane, there would be no reason to bring outsiders into the mansion in such a situation.

Nevertheless, Derek could freely wander around the Belmiord family as a guest. It seemed to have some meaning in this situation.

‘…’

Derek rested his chin for a moment, then shook his head and trudged up the stairs leading to the ground.

– ‘There is intelligence that low-ranking necromancers who escaped from Rodentz Island have hidden in Ebelstein. If we capture and interrogate them, we might get some clues about that 6-star necromancer.’

Before coming to the Belmiord family, Lady Trisha had given Derek this request. Derek had refused it.

He wasn’t very knowledgeable about necromancy.

However, there was one thing he knew.

The existence of the faceless 6-star necromancer whom the necromancers of Rodentz Island worshipped like a prophet.

She was almost unknown to the world, but her followers had one common trait.

A deep desire for necromancy.

– Step, step.

As Derek climbed the stairs, he was convinced.

It seemed that Leonard was one of the necromancers from Rodentz Island who had been hunted down by the Renouel Viscounty. He seemed to be a survivor who escaped when the island was raided. The fact that traces of necromancy remained at this time fit too perfectly.

In short, he had never gone on a pilgrimage in the first place.

If anything, his pilgrimage was to Rodentz Island, the headquarters of necromancy.

Derek chuckled as he climbed the stairs.

There was no evidence. But it didn’t matter.

Evidence could be made.

Just like Leonard did.