There Are No Bad Young Ladies in the World

The Beltus Subjugation (5)

– “Hey, Robenalt. I heard there’s a guy named Derek who’s going to take charge of the Rodelen region. Help him get the baron’s title.”

The eldest son of the Beltus family. Robenalt was an old friend of Linus, who had left the Belmiard family.

Linus seemed like a man who wandered around gambling dens, living a carefree life, but in important matters, he revealed an intelligent gaze and could see the big picture.

No one knew why such a man left the Belmiard family and wandered around in rags, but at least Robenalt trusted Linus’s insight.

Robenalt, who lacked confidence in everything and had shallow ambitions, was not properly recognized as the heir of Beltus.

Always overshadowed by his capable younger brother, Denis, who produced excellent results in everything he did, Robenalt was always watching the vassals’ reactions, making it hard to consider him a ruler.

However, occasionally, when Linus brought good liquor and they had a drink… he would pat Robenalt on the shoulder and say,

“Who does well from the beginning?”

– “If the time comes when my youngest brother Leonard starts scheming, the only external person who can help Elente is that guy. So I want to support him a little.”

– “I can give my consent… but it’s been a while since you’ve taken such a liking to someone, Linus.”

– “Well, the Belmiard family’s matters are a problem, but… that guy will influence the Beltus family in some way. It won’t be a bad thing.”

I don’t know what Linus was thinking, but he seemed to hold Derek in high regard.

With a casual smile, Linus placed his hand on Robenalt’s shoulder and, reeking of alcohol, said,

– “In my opinion, it’s time to overhaul Beltus.”

– “W-what do you mean, Linus? You can’t just say things like that…”

– “That commoner-born magic teacher, Derek, will try to rise up in some way. In the process, he will inevitably clash with your father.”

The Duke of Beltus, who would trample and ravage anyone for power, using and selling even his own blood relatives without a second thought.

How did that power-hungry figure appear in Linus’s eyes? At least, Robenalt had never thought about it.

Having left behind the power of Belmiord, Linus seemed to be predicting some future for the noble politics of the southwestern continent, despite being immersed in alcohol and gambling.

Robenalt knew Linus’s insight.

The reason he could wander the gambling dens and live in drunkenness without ending up on the streets was… thanks to his innate ‘sense.’

An insight that pierced through the depths of people. Linus had an extraordinary ability to measure someone’s worth.

He was drawing a big picture. Though Robenalt couldn’t see it, Linus viewed the political landscape of the southwestern continent as a large canvas.

– “If you give it a little push, it will help uproot Beltus in some way. So, if the opportunity comes, seize it. Robenalt.”

– “Linus… I am a man of Beltus, and I can’t stand by if you speak ill of Beltus like that.”

– “Oh, right. I’m sorry, I’m sorry. Just think about it.”

Linus wasn’t unaware.

Robenalt, the eldest son of the Beltus family, was small-minded and lived like a machine, swayed by the Duke of Beltus’s orders without harboring any grand ambitions.

Perhaps living that way for a lifetime might even bring happiness to him.

Nevertheless, sometimes opportunities arise to break the cradle.

There are times when one faces an indescribably huge wall, and times when one must overturn the values of life built up until now.

In Linus’s view, Derek was more than capable of causing such upheaval.

– “You and Drinis, you both live under the shadow of Beltus’s glory. Do you think that life will continue forever?”

– “…”

– “Robenalt, you may feel great gratitude to the Beltus family for raising and supporting you, and you may consider loyalty a virtue… but think about it, just once.”

The eldest son of Beltus and the eldest son of Belmiord.

The two men, staring at each other over their drinks, had completely different values and ways of acting.

– “You are the next head of Beltus. Think about the weight that fact carries.”

– Whooosh!

– Crackle!

The giant magic spire to the east of the main building of the Duke of Beltus’s residence.

The place where the wizards affiliated with the Duke of Beltus conducted their research and training in magic… It was a symbol of the magical achievements accumulated by all the wizards, including the Grand Duke of Beltus.

The top of the spire that soared higher than the main building.

There, an emergency protection magic circle was inscribed, which could be activated in times of crisis.

The protection magic circle, supervised directly by the Grand Duke of Beltus and constructed over nearly half a year by four to six wizards of at least 4-star rank, once activated, would completely isolate the main building and each facility, identify intruders, and launch magical bombardments… It was truly a decisive weapon for siege defense.

The magic circle had already begun to activate, expanding to cover the entire sky.

It was the very large-scale magic circle that had never been activated since the completion of the Duke of Beltus’s mansion.

As one of the most important facilities, the control of the magic circle was limited to the Grand Duke of Beltus himself, a few direct family members, and two highly trusted senior retainers.

Among them, Robenalt was the ultimate authority in charge of this magic spire.

“Scribe…! Legal officer…! Inform the main building that the protection magic circle is now active…!”

“Yes…! Young master..!”

Robenalt, clutching the magic stones necessary to activate the magic circle, ran down the spiral staircase from the top of the spire.

As soon as the anomaly occurred in the mansion, he had run up to the top of the magic spire and activated the protection magic circle. Now, he just had to hold out until the magic circle was fully deployed.

Although he was timid and fearful by nature, he was thoroughly knowledgeable about what needed to be done.

The protection magic circle, built by numerous high-ranking wizards over countless years, was already beyond the level that an individual could construct, resembling a war weapon. Activating it once would inevitably entail astronomical costs, but now was not the time to worry about such things.

‘Once it’s activated… I can handle the rest…!’

Even a 5-star wizard couldn’t break through with firepower alone; it would take a 6-star wizard to invest some time to destroy it.

Of course, there was a 6-star necromancer named Pine currently present at the Duke of Beltus’s mansion. Robenalt was unaware of this.

However, her necromancy was not specialized in firepower.

As Robenalt thought, once the protection magic circle was activated, the commotion inside the mansion would be settled.

With the help of the deployed protection magic circle, the Orel mercenaries stationed inside the mansion would cut down the monsters one by one, secure the isolated sections one by one, and hold out.

However, Robenalt couldn’t help but swallow dryly in tension.

‘I don’t know what kind of commotion is happening inside the mansion, but if things have escalated to this point… the culprit is likely to have some knowledge of the internal affairs of the Duke of Beltus’s mansion.’

The swarm of monsters pouring out from inside the mansion.

Judging by the situation, someone behind the scenes had clearly orchestrated this.

If the plan was so thoroughly prepared, they would surely know the might of the protection magic circle rising from the magic spire of the Beltus family.

Once the magic circle was activated, they would know how foolish it was to wage a siege against the Duke of Beltus’s mansion.

In that case… before the protection magic circle could fully expand… they would try to seize the magic spire first. The magic spire was the key stronghold that must be captured first to attack the Beltus mansion.

And who was the one to protect that magic spire?

It was none other than Robenalt himself.

“Don’t tremble… You can do it…”

Robenalt jumped down to the middle floor of the spire and shouted at his retainers and wizards.

“Take up defensive positions immediately! Deal with the monsters gathering around the spire! We must ensure there are no other variables!”

“Yes, my lord!”

The retainers did not usually follow Robenalt closely.

However, they were not so unreasonable as to disobey their superior’s orders in such an urgent situation.

They immediately began to survey the surroundings from the spire and take up defensive positions.

Fortunately, being on a high floor provided a clear view below.

The members of the Orel Mercenary Corps, who had rushed out from the garrison, began to clear out the monsters as they advanced towards the main building.

The main building was already half-destroyed. Considering the fire elemental giant and the demon’s hand that had covered the sky a moment ago… it was highly likely that Grand Duke Beltus was also engaged in battle with some entity.

“I want to go to the main building and check right now… but I must not forget my duty…!”

The victory condition for the Beltus Ducal House was to activate the protective magic circle and isolate the intruders in each section to defeat them individually.

Since Robenalt held the key, it was not a situation where he could act rashly.

“What’s that…?”

As Robenalt was surveying the situation inside the mansion, he began to sense something unusual.

The vast grounds of the Beltus Ducal House, as large as a decent-sized village.

The grand outer wall that traced its perimeter was larger than the walls of most noble estates.

Beyond that wall, in the forest… there were armies he had never seen before.

At the center of the Beltus Ducal House was the main building where the Grand Duke resided.

Surrounding it were the garrison, training grounds, gardens, magic spire, and servants’ quarters, all protected by the outer walls.

And beyond that was nothing but forest, yet he could see unidentified cavalrymen running through the trees.

Robenalt and his retainers widened their eyes.

Approaching the southeastern main gate of the mansion were the private soldiers dispatched from the Count of Belmiord. The emblem of Belmiord was clearly visible on their flags.

At the forefront was Ellente, who had been given full authority over Belmiord’s forces, riding towards them.

To the northeast of the mansion were the members of the Beldern Mercenary Corps, who were on friendly terms with Derik. The person leading the front line was the one-armed general, Jayden.

He was a seasoned mercenary who had experienced the Dawn War and was the spiritual leader of the Beldern Mercenary Corps.

Additionally, the detachment of Countess Rodeia was already running through the gardens of the Beltus mansion.

They glanced at the magic spire, which was beginning to emit a faint magical power, but continued to run towards the main building.

“This can’t be… Belmiord has drawn their swords against Beltus…? And Renuel too…? Who… who could have mobilized all these forces…!”

Robenalt thought, trembling.

The Grand Duke Veltus has no hesitation in antagonizing and crushing other forces, but Belmiord is different.

To move Belmiord, who sits like an old lion, merely observing the situation, requires more than just ordinary trust.

‘We must complete the protective magic circle before it grows any larger…! Captain Orel is a seasoned commander, but he can’t hold them off all by himself…!’

“How much longer until the protective magic circle is complete?”

“It’s more than 70% finished! Once the purification process of the tower’s magic is done, we can immediately isolate each section!”

“We must finish it before Countess Rodeia’s forces reach the main building!”

“It’s, it’s alright! Even if they reach the main building… once the protective magic circle is deployed, we’ll have plenty of ways to deal with them!”

The retainers of the tower boasted confidently.

Since it was a protective magic circle equivalent to a 5-star level, they weren’t wrong. Once activated… the Grand Duke’s mansion would surely have a chance to counterattack.

The protective magic circle would isolate each section and create an environment where they could bombard at will. Countess Rodeia’s forces, who recklessly charged towards the main building, would find themselves surrounded, unable to do anything.

‘…’

However, a streak of unease crept into Robenalt’s mind.

Countess Rodeia was a veteran among veterans, having commanded numerous battlefields, not just Rodentz Island.

For such a person to charge blindly towards the main building without any information about the mansion’s internal affairs…

Anyone could see that the immense power of the magic circle emanating from the tower was unusual.

In such a variable-filled environment, the sight of Countess Rodeia charging into the deepest part of the enemy’s territory felt out of place.

An inevitable question arose.

Would that battle-hardened veteran really command so thoughtlessly?

It was… a scene filled with too much incongruity. It was as if she firmly believed that the path to the main building would inevitably be cleared.

The reason she didn’t bother to turn her forces towards the magic tower to neutralize the protective magic circle first…

There was only one possibility that rose in Robenalt’s mind.

“A detachment…! She sent a detachment…!”

“W-What?!”

“Listen carefully, everyone…! Killing the monsters around the tower is important, but… maintaining a strict vigilance is even more crucial…!”

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“Y-Yes…! But, there are too many monsters, and the situation is too chaotic with monsters already inside the tower…!”

“That’s exactly what the enemy is aiming for! I don’t know what trick they used, but they intend to throw the mansion into chaos. Taking advantage of that gap… they plan to occupy the core facilities first! So, forget about the monsters’ rampage for now…”

Robenalt’s words were cut off.

– Boom! Crash!

The inner wall leading to the corridor.

A massive explosion occurred on that wall. It was at least a 3-star level magic.

– Crash! Crackle!

– Thud, thud, thud, thud

The magic spire, centered around the spiral staircase, stretches all the way to the top floor.

Already, there are intruders who have sneaked in, taking advantage of the chaos among the monsters.

When Robenalt activated the spire’s protective magic and descended to the middle floor, they had already swiftly moved and invaded the interior of the spire.

– Whoosh!

Smoke poured in from the broken wall, and the few retainers and wizards in the room all took up battle positions.

Dust rose from the collapsed wall. Robenalt also tightly grasped the hem of his cloak and swallowed dryly.

He is someone the Countess Rodeia trusts enough to entrust her back to. He must never let his guard down.

– Thump, thump

‘Damn…! Damn…!’

Robenalt’s heart began to race uncontrollably. In a situation where his life was at stake, combined with the enemy’s attack, his hands started to tremble.

No matter who comes through that dust, he must never give way.

Those guarding the command room of this spire… Along with Robenalt, the four retainers are wizards who have already mastered second-level magic. They were not people who would be easily defeated.

In such a tense atmosphere, the wizards who had gathered their magic power continued to stare at the collapsed inner wall.

In the tension where each second felt like an eternity… As the dust settled─ there was no one there.

“…What?”

– Bang!

By the time they realized that the act of breaking the inner wall was a diversion, it was already too late.

A man burst through the main door of the command room.

The torn-off wooden door, driven by the man’s weight, crushed one of the retainers standing in front of it.

“Argh!”

– Bang! Crash!

The retainer, pinned under the torn-off door, tried to struggle, but a first-level combat magic ‘Fire Arrow’ pierced through him.

The retainer foamed at the mouth and fainted from the severe burns and pain. One of the four retainers was lost at the start of the battle.

“You, you are…!”

It was the moment when Robenalt gritted his teeth and gathered his magic power.

The white-haired man in mercenary attire who had burst through the door─ Baron Derrick Leidolf Ravenclaw was drawing another spell from his hand. He had already been chanting it before breaking through the door, so there was no catching up to his speed.

– Whoosh!

First-level transformation magic. ‘Light Creation’.

Derek’s movements, specialized in orchestrating the battlefield and ravaging enemies, are an insurmountable wall for scholars accustomed to noble culture.

“Argh!”

In an instant, they had to shut their eyes tightly against the sudden brilliance.

Taking advantage of that very brief moment when the opponent’s vision was obscured… Derek kicked off the office desk next to the door and leaped, tackling one of the retainers beside it.

He plunged a dagger into the retainer’s thigh and, before the scream of agony could even rise, grabbed the retainer by the collar and flung him backward. The series of movements flowed smoothly like water.

Thus, Robenalt lost his second retainer.

“An attack…! An attack!”

– Thud!

“Ugh!”

And just as another retainer, who had quickly regained his sight, was about to shout while drawing out his magic, Derek’s boot flew and struck his throat.

Simultaneously subduing one retainer by throwing him down, Derek followed up with a back kick. One of the remaining two retainers momentarily lost his breath but, with near-superhuman mental strength, maintained his composure… and drew out a first-class combat magic ‘Magic Arrow’ aimed at Derek.

– Pababak!

The magic arrow grazed Derek’s shoulder, but the impact was fully conveyed. Though the pain was unbearable, Derek gritted his teeth and endured it as if he was used to it.

Derek’s expression, with his brows furrowed for just a moment to endure the pain, was that of a berserker undaunted by agony.

Living as a mercenary wandering the labyrinth and slaying monsters, one would inevitably experience being hit directly by magic or stabbed by a sword at least once.

The difference between those who know how to endure pain and those who don’t brings stark results in real combat.

“Huff…!”

“Stop! You scoundrel!”

As Derek grabbed the neck of the retainer who still had some sanity left, the last remaining retainer drew his sword and charged at Derek.

However, when Derek used the body of the other retainer he was holding as a shield, the charging sword came to a sudden halt.

“Ugh…!”

A moment of hesitation.

Derek, a veteran in real combat, did not miss that brief gap. He threw the unconscious retainer away and kicked the sword handle out of the retainer’s hand.

As the retainer, now weaponless, looked on in terror, Derek had already closed in, driving his fist into the retainer’s solar plexus.

“Ugh, huff…”

The last remaining retainer rolled on the ground, and Derek mounted him, subduing him. Soon, his breathing began to calm down.

How many seconds had passed until this point?

In the brief moment of confusion and held breath, all the retainers guarding the command room were subdued, leaving only Robenalt and Derek.

Sitting atop the last retainer sprawled on the floor, Derek confirmed he was completely unconscious and then swiftly looked up.

The last person guarding the command room, Prince Robenalt, was etched into his eyes.

‘Huff…!’

In an instant, fear filled Robenalt’s heart.

However, he gritted his teeth and picked up the magic wand that was lying on the command desk.

“Baron Ravenclaw….!”

“….”

Derek, who didn’t even respond, seemed to be possessed by a ghost.

Derek, who roamed the battlefield, was completely different in impression and spirit from when he was sitting in a peaceful noble mansion.

Pine once said that Derek’s true abilities only revealed themselves in bloody places.

As if to prove that fact, Derek’s eyes were endlessly cold. When thinking of his gentle demeanor when talking to Lady Aiseline, the gap was enough to send chills down anyone’s spine.

– ‘Robenalt. If you ever meet Baron Ravenclaw, it would be wise to be cautious.’

The words of his old friend, Linus, who had thrown them out with a hearty laugh, came to mind.

‘Huff… Huff…’

When Robenalt was young, he once encountered a wild wolf in the forest while riding a carriage home.

Facing that beast, which exuded a seasoned aura even amidst the rising killing intent, one couldn’t tell who was the hunter and who was the prey, engulfed in immense fear.

The emotion he felt now was similar to that fear back then.