There Are No Bad Young Ladies in the World

Elente (3)

When Aiselin entered the noble district’s magic dueling arena, there was already a considerable crowd gathered.

The magic duels of the nobility were essentially a quaint hobby, a means to verify each other’s magical achievements, hone skills, and engage in social activities.

Yet, when word spread that the scions of influential families were dueling, many would quickly gather to watch, dividing into two distinct groups.

The first were those genuinely interested in magic itself, and the second were those with ulterior motives, hoping to connect with the nobility.

The former often included members of the magic society from the southwestern provinces or royal guests, while the latter were usually wealthy merchants or children of influential families.

As people gathered, knights and soldiers were inevitably drawn to maintain safety, and those in command would also mix in, unavoidably leading to congestion.

Being a scion of an influential family meant always drawing a crowd. Despite knowing this, Aiselin often felt overwhelmed by such scenes.

‘It’s a duel between the Duplain and Belmierd families, so naturally, more people will gather…’

But it’s just a practice duel.

The outcome of such duels could easily be reversed over time. Nevertheless, the onlookers would buzz about the results of these trivial magic duels.

Aiselin disliked the short-sighted attitudes of these people, but she never showed it.

She was kind to everyone.

“Hello, Miss Aiselin. The cold seems to have eased quite a bit.”

“Yes, Miss Taniem, do take care of your health, especially at times like these.”

“I looked into the book you mentioned at the last tea party, Miss Aiselin. Just as you said, it was filled with poignant expressions and descriptions.”

“Oh, you really read it? I’m so glad you liked it, Miss Lakail.”

While Aiselin greeted her clingy followers with a radiant smile, her pace did not slow. She wanted to quickly get ready for the duel, warm up, and finish the magic duel with Miss Elente.

Her lower-ranked noble followers shivered at her busy appearance, but they knew they wouldn’t have another chance to speak with her if not now.

Among those eager to exchange even a word with her, crossing the old-fashioned corridor quickly was quite a struggle.

As she made her way toward the center of the dueling arena, a boy engrossed in a small book in the corner of the corridor caught her eye.

“…!”

As Miss Aiselin turned her head swiftly, her followers and servants halted in their tracks.

“Excuse me for a moment.”

Miss Aiselin apologized to the chattering girls following her and quickly crossed through them, walking demurely.

She approached the boy, who was mixed among the crowd in the corner of the dueling arena’s corridor, reading a book on magic history.

His white hair and red eyes, his features that seemed gentle at a glance but revealed a resolute temperament upon closer inspection, were the same as ever.

“Mr. Derek!”

As Aiselin called out with a flush of excitement, the boy’s pupils quivered slightly.

Surrounded by such a crowd, he turned his head in surprise, seemingly unaware of her presence until then.

There stood Miss Aiselin, as always, dressed prettily in an elegant dress, speaking in a lively tone.

Behind them stood various lower nobles, followers, and servants, all watching intently. The boy had to quickly assess the situation.

“It’s been a while, Miss Aislin.”

Bowing politely seemed to be the correct response.

Having parted in late spring and now in late winter… it had indeed been quite some time since he had seen Miss Aislin.

“Did you come to watch the duel, Mr. Derek? It’s been so long, yet you haven’t changed a bit.”

“Yes. Miss Aislin, as always, you are beautiful. You’ve become even more elegant.”

“Oh, you flatter me. Mr. Derek, you’ve become skilled at complimenting ladies. Is it from working in the noble district? Haha.”

It wasn’t strange for Aislin to seem so pleased.

Derek was the man who had solved the most troubling problem Aislin had harbored for years, and he was also exceptionally talented in magic.

He was a well-mannered individual, though he retained the roughness characteristic of a mercenary. Miss Aislin perceived Derek’s roughness not as rudeness but as a sign of his free spirit.

However, the gazes of the followers and servants around her had become quite meaningful.

They had been so eager to catch Miss Aislin’s eye, so it was no surprise that they viewed someone who suddenly appeared familiar to her with both envy and caution.

“…”

Derek looked ordinary at a glance. A snug tunic and trousers, leather boots, a robe worn instead of a cloak, a dagger at his right hip, and a longsword on the opposite side. Though he still had traces of youthful innocence, he was already advancing towards young adulthood.

The reason Aislin greeted such a plain commoner with such warmth was not hard to discern from their conversation.

“It’s already winter, and here I am, having invited you to enjoy some fine tea at the estate.”

“I’m ashamed. Your consideration is truly appreciated, but life has been hectic.”

“I hear you’ve been looking after Lady Elente’s magic.”

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“You’re well-informed. I happened to cross paths with her and shared a few tips.”

Those around them finally realized that this man before them was the wandering magic tutor Lady Elente had spoken of.

He was the mercenary who had reformed the Duplain family’s black sheep and whom Lady Elente trusted entirely with her magic duel lessons.

Yet, Miss Aislin wore a look of concern.

“You haven’t been too harsh, have you…?”

“…?”

“Lady Elente has been looking quite fatigued lately… I was a bit worried.”

Miss Aislin knew well, from her sister Diella’s testimony, that Derek’s magic lessons were not the kind that a typical noble lady could endure.

It wasn’t as if she was off to knight training; where else would one find someone pushing a graceful and beautiful lady through training that even seasoned soldiers would struggle with?

But Derek was a man who would not hesitate to use any means necessary to achieve his client’s goals.

Seeing the worry on Aislin’s face, Derek eventually said,

“Don’t worry, Miss Aislin. In fact, it’s not good to worry too much about the other person.”

“Yes…?”

“Do not let your guard down too much.”

Derek said so and bowed politely.

Lady Aislinn was also busy amidst her schedule, and the surrounding gazes gathered around were overwhelmingly burdensome.

Realizing belatedly that the current situation itself could be a great burden to Derek, Lady Aislinn said to him with an awkward smile,

“Next time, come to the mansion and let’s have a chat, Mr. Derek. I have another appointment, so I must be going.”

“Yes, please go ahead.”

With that, Derek donned his robe’s hood and walked away, his steps steady and deliberate, heading in the opposite direction from Lady Aislinn.

Though he was still a boy with a year left until his coming-of-age ceremony, he often seemed like an old man who had experienced all the trials and tribulations of life. He was indeed a mysterious boy.

*

Lady Aislinn was also faintly aware of the inferiority complex Lady Ellente harbored towards her. In fact, it would have been stranger if she hadn’t noticed.

But she didn’t attach too much significance to it. It was because she was magnanimous.

For those who have reached the pinnacle, feelings like envy and jealousy are naturally part of life. Ellente was not the only one who harbored jealousy towards her.

Although Ellente’s jealousy was particularly intense and persistent, there were plenty of others, less than her, who appeared and tried to smear Lady Aislinn.

Despite the numerous checks and balances, only those who could stand tall could truly be called a lady of the Duplain family.

Therefore, the emotion Lady Aislinn felt towards those who were jealous of her was sympathy.

She hoped that those consumed by such negative emotions, eroding themselves, would escape from that worthless cycle as soon as possible. It was not a good thing for Aislinn, nor for them.

The same went for Ellente.

Pointless jealousy only eats away at oneself. She wanted to shed such shackles quickly, to share conversations, cultivate culture, and become worthy competitors. However, she was well aware that it was not as easy as it sounded.

“Hello, Lady Aislinn.”

“Have you been well, Lady Ellente? You haven’t been attending the salon meetings much lately, have you? I heard you’ve been busy preparing for the duel… I guess I should be nervous.”

“…”

In the eyes of Lady Ellente, who had stepped onto the dueling ground, there was a venomous intent.

On the grand dueling stage, various influential figures and noble ladies gathered in the spectator seats, engaging in discourse about magic.

At the center of it all, Lady Ellente and Lady Aislinn were the protagonists who would compete in today’s event.

As the two beautiful roses adjusted their attire on stage, a neat round of applause poured down from the podium.

Around the luxurious dueling arena, protective magic had been cast.

The rules of the duel were as always: to conclude within 10 minutes, and the first to activate the protective magic engraved in the lady’s accessory would be the loser.

“Then, I look forward to a good match.”

Lady Aislinn gathered her magic power and greeted Ellente with a nod.

Elenté quietly lifted her head in response, echoing the same words. The chill in her eyes was a familiar sensation.

“…”

An indescribable sense of unease was rising.

As always, Lady Elenté stood calmly, her beautiful red hair cascading down.

However, the look in her eyes as she gazed quietly at Aiselin was tinged with an unusual disquiet.

Aiselin, lost in thought, quietly observed Lady Elenté’s demeanor.

It didn’t take long to grasp the nature of this unease.

Whenever she conversed with Aiselin, a subtle emotional turmoil lingered in Elenté’s eyes.

But now, as she demurely watched Aiselin, focusing solely on her magic, no such sentiment was apparent in Elenté.

The eyes of Lady Elenté, once as fiery as flames, had somehow turned as cold as ice. She was concentrating on the duel.

Could it be that Elenté had finally freed herself from the envious heart that had tormented her for so long?

Had Derek, a masterful figure as a mentor, extricated Lady Elenté from the shackles of those dark, dreary times?

It was a moment brimming with hope. Yet, it didn’t take long to realize that this was not the case.

When she opened her eyes after a blink, the entire field of vision had turned red.

It was then that Lady Aiselin finally realized that Elenté’s blazing arrows of flame were engulfing the entire battlefield.

In the midst of the flames, Lady Elenté, with her fiery gaze, rose like a phoenix.

*

– ‘You absolutely cannot win if you rely solely on pure magical prowess. Shift the flow of the battle elsewhere.’

– ‘…Shift it elsewhere…? In a magical duel, if not for magical prowess, what else determines victory?’

Typical noble ladies practice magic elegantly in well-polished training halls with renowned masters.

But Lady Elenté asked Derek, seated on the ground in the midst of a labyrinth filled with the stench of blood and rotten mucus.

Her body was utterly exhausted, and after a day of witnessing monsters being dismembered, she felt nauseated. Her face had completely paled, resigned to the fact that this was indeed the hell Derek spoke of.

Despite her haggard appearance, Derek continued his teachings. He was someone who always fulfilled his commissions.

– ‘It’s mental strength.’

Upon hearing this, Lady Elenté couldn’t help but wear a look of disbelief.

Who in the world doesn’t know the benefits of mental strength? If one could win a magical duel solely with mental strength, why would there be distinctions in magical ranks and a sense of superiority among magicians?

However, Derek was not one to speak idly. Over the past few weeks, attending Derek’s lessons, Lady Elenté was certain. There had to be a deeper meaning to his words.

– ‘Haven’t you repeatedly scraped together every last bit of your magical power to its utmost limit during our lessons?’

– ‘I thought that was just your bad taste.’

– ‘I have no such hobbies. When both parties are completely drained of magical power, it’s often the person’s mental strength, rather than their magical prowess, that determines the outcome.’

Derek’s voice had taken on a more serious tone.

– “Spread the magic as lavishly and grandly as possible, drawing it out into a war of attrition. In the very end… it will be the one who somehow summons the magic that seems impossible to scrape any more of, who will win.”

– “…What if Aislinn has more magical power than me?”

– “Then you lose.”

– “…”

– “Of course, the amount of a person’s magical power is largely innate, but Miss Ellente of the Belmierd family won’t be far behind. So… believe in yourself.”

Derek was cloaked in the blood of the demon race. He had just slaughtered a spider larger than a human body with his sword and burned it with magic.

The sight of him killing the demons made him seem like a different person. Every moment following him through the labyrinth, I couldn’t help but think, if there were a real demon, it would be this boy.

This place was not a safe magical dueling arena, but a demon’s den where a moment’s inattention could cost your life.

If one had lived in such a place all their life, a duel on the stage would feel like nothing more than child’s play.

It is only in a battle for life that a person can draw out their limits.

Only on the thin ice where one misstep could lose everything does a human pull out all the strength hidden in their subconscious. That sensation cannot be easily learned, even for all the money in the world.

That’s why Derek pushed Lady Ellente into the labyrinth.

He made her use magic all day long.

She dodged axe blows among charging goblins and set the noses of trolls ablaze.

Life and death. The scene in between.

The pressure of not knowing when the protective magic layered on thick might shatter.

The cold sweat that rises even when standing still. The trembling legs. The blurring vision.

Only in such an environment can one taste, even a little, the sensation of drawing out all the strength that remains at the very bottom.

There is a realm that can never be realized by always sitting in an old-fashioned mansion, playing at dignity.

The flowers in the greenhouse never know, until they die of old age, the sensation of scraping everything from the very bottom and standing up.

As a teacher, Derek was someone who knew how to awaken such things.

– Whooosh!

– Boommmmm!

The spectators watching the magical duel near the stage all gasped in admiration.

No matter how outstanding one’s magic utilization or how vast their magical power, the limits of 1-star magic are ultimately set.

Yet, despite this, Ellente’s flame magic, which covered the entire stage so brightly, was dazzling to behold.

– Whoosh!

Aislinn quickly wrapped her magic around herself for protection and hurriedly tracked Ellente’s position.

On the stage filled with flames, amidst the scorching heat, Ellente, cloaked in fire like a witch, stared directly at Aislinn.

In those eyes lay jealousy, unmistakable. A grand scale of envy directed at the perfect Aislinn, mixed with a slight self-loathing.

Aislinn, reading those eyes, understood.

They were too emotional on one hand, yet unyielding in reason during a duel—the very eyes her sister Diella had when facing Leig.

Derek’s disciples harbor a fiery passion in their hearts and a cold frost in their gaze.

Their master teaches them to pair a burning desire for victory with the cool rationality of competition.

It’s a look where heat and cold fiercely collide, exuding an aura that makes their opponents swallow dryly.

Only then did Aislinn grasp why Leig had to fight with all his might against Diella that day.

Derek’s disciples, unlike typical noble ladies, possess a different will to compete.

Faced with their near-obsessive determination for the first time, anyone would inevitably take a step back.

But the one standing opposite was Aislinn Eleanor DuPlain.

“Still… I will win.”

She’s not one to flaunt her achievements, but her confidence in her own abilities is ample.

No matter how skilled Derek’s disciples may be, Aislinn is on the verge of becoming a two-star. Even against a one-star magician like Elente, the difference in class is significant.

She was certain she would not lose if it came down to a contest of skill.

Thus, from Aislinn’s body began to rise the cold magic of ice.

Simultaneously, Elente’s eyes widened. An immense number of flame arrows began to burst forth from the opposite side.

“…”

Elente had spent the past few weeks surveying the world Derek lived in.

The traces of the world she glimpsed were reflected in her pupils. Most of it was blood. The rest, too, was horrific.

Sticky fluids, pungent odors, severed limbs of monsters, eggs of poisonous spiders, scattered corpses, the cold of stone floors, remnants of slaughter, seas of blood spread out, the screams of monsters.

Emerging from between these, standing straight in her original place, everything seemed as peaceful and warm as a meadow.

Even this dueling ground, bombarded with countless spells, was no different. The girl coolly assessed every situation amidst this grand display of magical power.

As magic clashed with magic, a great radiance began to envelop the dueling ground.