There Are No Bad Young Ladies in the World

Magic (3) (Start of Paid Content)

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Hear this, Derek, the magic instructor from the Beldern Mercenary Band.

As conveyed through the butler, Clerven, I am aware that you have commenced teaching Denise at the Ebelstein mansion.

First, I commend your efforts. Your reputation for excellence precedes you, and the Beltus family has made many efforts and sacrifices to bring you here. I hope you will show results worthy of that reputation.

As the teacher directly instructing my daughter, it would be proper to meet and greet you in person, but as you know, the situation in the southwestern part of the empire is too chaotic for me to leave my post.

However, calling a teacher who is fully engaged in instructing my daughter to the domain would only delay matters, so please accept this letter in lieu of a personal meeting.

My daughter Denise has stood out in various fields of magic even before her activities in Ebelstein’s social circles, but at some point, she hit a wall and has made no magical progress.

As a renowned magic instructor, I eagerly await your breaking through that seemingly impenetrable wall of achievement for my daughter.

I entrust you with full authority over Denise’s education. If you need anything, speak through the butler or the mansion’s servants, and if there are achievements to report, send a letter directly.

—The wisest and longest-standing lord of the Beltus domain.

His Grace, Andeloph Kellock Beltus, the Grand Duke.

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Reply

To His Excellency, the Grand Duke Beltus.

It is a great honor to receive a handwritten letter from you. I will uphold the trust you have bestowed upon me and remain faithful to my duties.

Please do not worry too much about Miss Denice’s accomplishments.

If I say I will do it, I will.

Derrick.

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*

For Denice, attending the gatherings at the Rosier Salon was nothing short of an ordeal.

From early morning, dressing up, maintaining a graceful demeanor, and exchanging pleasantries with the nobility while wearing a smile she did not feel, was utterly exhausting.

As she walked through the various opulent corridors of the noble district, Denice would think to herself every time. How she wished to return home, collapse, and read a romance novel.

However, as things stood, attending the Rosier Salon gatherings had become a form of respite. Because home was even more of a hell.

“Derrick won’t be coming to the mansion today, will he? In the morning, I plan to attend a lecture on Aintress philosophy at the Salon Cultural Center… and in the afternoon, I must go to the Rosier Salon gathering. It will be late at night by the time everything ends….”

“Yes. There hasn’t been any particular contact from Mr. Derrick. It would be meaningless for him to come since you’ll be engaged in social activities all day.”

“I must… I must finish dressing quickly before that stubborn man arrives. The schedule is set to leave after breakfast, but let’s just eat something simple and leave the house before dawn.”

Yet, Derrick was already standing at the main gate, laden with various magical training tools.

“Good morning, Miss Denice.”

“Eek!”

“The dawn air is quite fresh. Today, let’s focus on basic physical fitness and theoretical lessons rather than magical training.”

“De-Derrick! Lessons are fine, but social activities as a noble lady are important too!”

“Yes, you are absolutely right.”

Derrick was not inflexible.

No matter how much he rolled up his sleeves to correct Denice’s lazy mindset, there was nothing he could do about her duties as a noble.

Therefore, with a refreshing expression, Derrick said to Denice:

“I will wait at the mansion until you finish your schedule. I have much personal training to focus on as well. Please don’t worry about me, and devote yourself to the Rosier Salon and your social activities.”

“…You’ll wait? At the mansion?”

“Won’t you finish up around dinner time and return to the mansion? From then until you fall asleep, if you squeeze in the time, you can train for over six hours. Considering you’ll be physically exhausted, let’s focus on theory lessons. I’ve prepared all the teaching materials. I’ve even dipped into my savings to procure them, so please read them thoroughly.”

“De, Derek sir… such expenses should be billed to the mansion…”

When the exclusive maid Bella exclaimed in surprise, Dennis shook his head vigorously, locking eyes with her.

“I, for now… I’ll go attend the meeting!”

Dennis felt a chill run through his body, as if the magic tutor’s persistence clung to him like a water ghost.

*

Derek quietly watched Dennis’s retreating figure as he fled, then followed the servants’ guidance into the mansion.

The servants had cleared out the guest lounge entirely for Derek to be at ease. After all, with the lady of the house away, there were no distinguished guests to visit.

Derek laid out various magical tools and letters he had brought with him on the lounge table.

He also unpacked all the groceries and household items he had bought from the market section. There was a reason he had carried all these things since the crack of dawn.

‘Phew…’

In the absence of the young lady he was to teach, Derek busied himself nonetheless.

He took off his cloak, folding it neatly to one side, and rolled up his sleeves.

After all, to gain favor among the three noble families, one must show at least some results.

Whether intentional or not, Derek had gained recognition among the noble families for teaching their young ladies. Given the circumstances, it was right to give his all to the current situation.

What does it mean to teach someone?

If it were merely about transferring knowledge, reading books would suffice. Teaching someone means genuinely connecting and communicating with that person, moving forward together.

Therefore, the current situation, with Lady Dennis feeling burdened and running away from Derek, could not be seen as positive.

Lady Dennis was completely different from Lady Elente. While Elente actively absorbed Derek’s teachings, Lady Dennis seemed to be pushing him away. This meant that a different approach was necessary.

Derek was a man who handled everything efficiently and methodically. It was his habit to research the most certain and cleanest way to accomplish any task.

To dominate Lady Dennis, to forge magical achievements, to correct her attitude towards magic, and to clear the debts with the Beltus family. This grand plan would start by firmly tying down Lady Dennis so she couldn’t protest.

Although he had already been recognized by the Duke of Beltus as a magic tutor, that alone was not enough.

To truly dominate Lady Dennis, it would be best to slowly overturn her environment.

This mansion was her kingdom.

Supported by the Beltus family, it was a gathering place for servants who came together solely to serve her as their lady.

The first thing to do was to win over the servants who sweat year-round, solely assisting her.

That was precisely why Derek had come to the mansion early in the morning, even though Lady Dennis was away.

The first person Derek sought out was the burly gatekeeper of the mansion.

“Please take it easy. With the temperature differences becoming more extreme, you must warm up properly to avoid health issues.”

“Oh, such precious tea… Thank you. You are the magic teacher who came to instruct Miss Dennis, aren’t you?”

“Yes. The young lady is currently away, so it’s a bit relaxed here.”

“Hahaha… Someone uneducated like me is indeed different in spirit from her. Even though we’re both commoners, the difference is stark… Still, please take good care of the young lady. She may seem lackluster, but she’s a person of good nature.”

“Of course. I’m here to work for Miss Denise, so I must be faithful to my duty.”

And so, that day, until Denise returned, he shared tea and worldly stories with the mansion’s gatekeeper.

In the evening, after lessons were over, claiming there was good liquor to be had, he took the gatekeeper out to drink at the docks by the sea. Thus, he occasionally drank with the gatekeeper.

Next, he discussed the taste of food with the mansion’s chef and the head maid.

Derek spent the entire day in the cultural corridor’s library, studying various ingredients and gourmet culture.

As he passed through the corridors, he would talk at length about the details of the ingredients used in that day’s meal and debate the profundity of their flavors.

From time to time, Derek would bring precious ingredients from the market to the chef, cook delicacies together, or even serve them to Denise.

When Denise praised the taste of such delicacies, the chef, with a satisfied expression, would put his arm around Derek in the kitchen.

Watching Derek slowly enter the world of gourmet, the chef excitedly spat as he lectured on the differences in sweetness between fruits from the western and northeastern continents, and explained for over thirty minutes the way the direction of the cuts on ingredients affected how the sauce permeated.

Derek listened with interest to all these stories.

He also discussed the vegetation of the southwestern continent with the gardener whenever he had the chance.

He too had spent the whole day devouring books on plants and ecology to build a foundational knowledge. He couldn’t amass the knowledge of an expert just by reading a few books, but at least he could pretend to be someone who could hold a conversation and learn something.

Having worked for various noble families, becoming friendly with the maids was no trouble at all.

Knowing somewhat of the servants’ hardships, he empathized with them, occasionally helping with laundry or cleaning, and sharing the kitchen’s delicacies, which soon had them smiling warmly whenever they caught his eye.

It was easy to form a rapport with the seedsmen and guards. They were very interested in the raw lifestyle of mercenaries. They perked up their ears to Derek’s tales of slaying monsters in various labyrinths.

The butler was the toughest nut to crack, but once he realized Derek’s ultimate goal was to rehabilitate Denise, he even came to Derek’s lounge first to share stories about the mansion’s history.

“Miss Denise! Mr. Derek has arrived…! He’s brought a lot of fine ingredients today! Would seafood be alright for dinner tonight? I’ll showcase my skills without restraint!”

“Oh, Derek. You poor man. You’ve been working hard since early morning. Take it easy.”

“Mr. Derek. I’ve fixed the clothes you mentioned last time. It was a great help for the apprentice maids’ practice.”

And so, when he came to his senses, the burly mansion gatekeeper was laughing heartily with his arm around Derek, the maids were greeting him warmly, and the butler was offering a satisfied smile.

The gardener was spreading good words about the man, saying he was truly a person of substance, and some of the clumsy apprentice maids blushed as he passed by.

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“…He’s better at socializing than I thought. But of course, to make your mark in the rough world of mercenaries, you’d at least need a keen eye for people and some tact…”

“No… Bella… Even so, it’s strange how quickly he’s blended into the mansion… Could he have used some bewitchment or trickery?”

“…Well, it’s true that Mr. Derek himself is a person of substance. Though as a mentor, it might be harsh.”

“Ugh….”

Denise lay sprawled on the bed, enduring the aching pain that racked her body.

Since it was lunchtime, Derek had stopped training and gone out to converse with the servants.

Even though he had not been appointed as a teacher for long, among the servants, his reputation was already soaring high.

Of course, this favor was not earned for nothing.

He had spent his own money on various gifts, and despite being busy with magical training, he studied people’s interests, listened to their words, and helped them late into the night when needed, slowly building relationships. All of this was the result of time and effort invested.

Above all, there was an unbridgeable gap between Denis and Derek. Denis was a noble of high standing, one to be approached with caution, while Derek was a commoner who had risen from the very bottom.

It was clear who the servants would feel more comfortable with.

“And what… It’s not so strange to get along with the servants, is it?”

“It is, but… I feel uneasy. That mercenary is blunt and indifferent, he wouldn’t bother to curry favor without reason… But he must have a reason for going out of his way like this. Surely… it must be a tactic to ensnare me…”

“…”

“Bella… you must not… fall for the unknown intentions of that mercenary.”

Bella quietly rested her chin on her hand, lost in thought.

Indeed, Derek had always been kind to Bella. The magic teachers who entered the mansion were usually arrogant and haughty, treating the servants poorly, so his freshness was a pleasant change.

He would help Bella dust off the artworks using a light wind spell, and when she struggled with cleaning supplies late at night, he would approach indifferently and help her carry them.

It might seem like an overt attempt to win favor, but it was hard to believe that someone as respected as Derek would try to win the favor of lowly servants… After all, he would simply help without seeking praise and then go about his business.

“…Could he just be a genuinely good person?”

“Be, Bella… even you…!”

When she came to her senses, Derek had already completely infiltrated Denis’s mansion. It was becoming increasingly difficult to cut him out.

It was hard to grasp this aspect of him when only seeing him immersed in magic in a dirty cave. Derek was already becoming adept at social maneuvering. Most of it was influenced by the tavern owner, Jayden, who handled any guest with ease.

Denis felt as if he was gradually being sucked into his grasp.