There Are No Bad Young Ladies in the World

Northbound (1)

“Yes. To put it bluntly, our Veltus family won’t stop you from leaving.”

Lady Drinis spoke with her usual indifferent expression.

The hem of her pretty silk dress was sweeping the floor. She was in the midst of getting ready for her philosophy class in the afternoon.

Even after finishing his training routine with Derek and having breakfast, she showed hardly any signs of fatigue. Drinis herself realized that her stamina had greatly improved.

“It’s obvious what Father is thinking. The Belmiard family has already started laying the groundwork to support Lady Elente as the successor, and the Duplain family is not able to exert much power… so the value you hold, Derek, has greatly diminished.”

“That’s certainly true.”

The reason the Veltus family wanted to keep Derek was largely to prevent him from going to another family.

At this point, there was hardly any reason to forcibly keep Derek by giving him a large sum of money.

However, if Drinis strongly demanded to extend the contract with Derek, the situation could change.

“And, I have no intention of holding onto you, Derek.”

However, Drinis spoke firmly.

She was tying her beautiful platinum blonde hair back and was in the process of putting on a necklace with a brooch on her exposed nape.

Drinis spoke without even glancing at Derek, who was standing with his hands behind his back in a corner of the room.

“As I said, I’m merely a puppet of the Veltus family. Even if you talk about my value, there’s nothing to gain from sticking to me right now.”

“For someone who says that, you certainly crushed Lady Diela with all your might when she challenged you to a duel.”

“Ugh…”

Drinis flinched as if she had been hit in a sore spot and then let out a deep sigh.

“Derek, you’re oddly dull where you should be sharp, and unnecessarily sharp where you could afford to be dull.”

“…”

“Well, my pride was somewhat involved with Lady Diela, and in the end, the Duplain family suffered greatly… so sticking with the Veltus family was the right answer, wasn’t it? You should be grateful.”

“That’s true. Thank you.”

“I didn’t expect you to honestly say thank you… ugh…”

She tried to cover her awkward and embarrassed feelings with arrogant words, but Derek never acted according to Drinis’s intentions.

Drinis put a few butterfly-shaped decorative pins in her hair, straightened the hem of her dress, and finished tidying up.

Then she strode over to Derek, put her hands on her hips, and looked up at him with her lips slightly pouting.

“It’s obvious without even looking. You’re planning to go teach Lady Siern, aren’t you?”

—

—

“…”

“No matter how much I tried to stop you, you can’t resist anything related to magic. I don’t know what you plan to get from Sir Melverot, but if you can get involved with a 6-star mage, you’ll do whatever it takes.”

Denise is the one who saw Derek’s ecstatic expression up close when he mastered magic with Drest.

Sir Melverot has a somewhat arrogant disposition, but if you decide to exploit him, what you gain will be enormous.

And Derek is someone who never misses such an opportunity.

Therefore, Denise had no intention of holding Derek back.

He is a reliable person who stands by his allies in any situation.

Even when the Duplain family was in this state, you could see him extending a helping hand to Diela and Aiseline.

However, he was also someone who couldn’t be held back recklessly.

You can’t keep him by your side by suppressing his ambition. His pure enthusiasm, which even felt somewhat noble, couldn’t be easily broken.

Denise closed his eyes for a moment and let out a hollow laugh as he thought.

‘Now I understand why the Duplain family let this man leave.’

The first student Derek taught was Diela.

Denise never understood why Diela let Derek leave for Ebelstein.

He thought Derek might have made an excuse to leave first, or there might have been some internal political dynamics within the family.

But now, it seemed he could see the reason.

Denise, who had been closing his eyes gently, let out a deep sigh and raised his head to speak.

“The North is a dangerous place, unlike the Southwest. Unlike the peaceful plains of the Southwest, there are many rugged mountain terrains, and the weather can be harsh. Also, the appearance of monsters is much more frequent than here… Sometimes, really dangerous high-level monsters appear.”

“Yes. The harsher the place, the tougher the people, and they tend to be wary of outsiders.”

“People living in such dangerous territories where life-threatening situations arise from time to time, they can’t be the same as those in these peaceful big cities.”

Denise gestured to the servant who had helped him dress and whispered something in his ear.

The servant, after confirming Denise’s nodding expression, quickly went into the jewelry storage room inside the dressing room.

After a while, he brought out a large bracelet and handed it to Derek.

“What is this?”

“It’s one of the magical accessories made by the Arendale Society and sold to high-ranking nobles. It mainly indicates the location of the person wearing the other item in the set.”

“…”

“It’s worth dozens of gold coins. Be careful not to get it stolen.”

Denise rarely gives gifts to Derek. Derek took the bracelet and, feeling a sense of déjà vu, tried to organize his thoughts for a moment.

– ‘It’s a magical accessory sent by the Arendale Society as a gift for my coming-of-age ceremony. It’s a set with this ring, and when worn, they can indicate each other’s location.’

Thinking back, he remembered receiving a similar item from Lady Freya during the disaster at the Duplain mansion.

—

—

Although he carried it in his inner pocket, he hadn’t found an opportunity to return it despite it being quite an expensive item.

When Derek took out the item that had been tucked away in the corner of his inner pocket, Denise’s eyes widened in surprise.

“Wait, someone else gave you this besides me?”

“Lady Freya gave it to me. It’s so small, and I didn’t really have a reason to take it out, so I just kept it in my pocket.”

“…”

Denise suddenly stared at Derek with narrowed eyes.

As Derek looked at her with a puzzled expression, Denise sighed deeply and sat back down on the dressing chair.

“This is usually given as a sign of trust. Think about it. Would a high-ranking noble give an item that can track their location to just anyone?”

“Well, the situation was quite urgent at the time… I thought it would be better to know each other’s locations.”

“I understand the situation, but… it’s better not to take out such an item in front of other ladies.”

“Is there a problem?”

“It’s often given to people they want to partner with at balls or social gatherings. Well, Lady Freya and I gave it to you for practical reasons, but… the fact that you can always know the other person’s location can be interpreted more romantically than you think.”

Denise looked Derek up and down again.

She knew he was decent-looking, but when she looked at him calmly, he was quite handsome.

His well-dressed mercenary outfit gave him a somewhat rugged impression, but that was also part of his charm.

“What would people think if they saw a handsome man carrying multiple magical trinkets given by noble ladies?”

“…”

“Well… some vulgar young nobles collect such things and boast about their exploits, but even in jest, it doesn’t look good. The ladies who gave trinkets to such a promiscuous man would also look quite foolish.”

“I suppose that’s true.”

“I trust you because you’re not that kind of person. When you take it out at an important moment, it will prove that you are recognized by the Beltus family, and you can borrow that authority.”

Denise spoke in a nonchalant tone with her arms crossed, but she was actually saying she would support Derek.

“As you know well, the noble society is all about connections and acquaintances. Knowing even a few authoritative figures can be a great strength. Even though the North is a distant land, the name of a top three noble family is already widely known.”

“You’ve been considerate of me. Thanks to you, I won’t have much trouble proving my identity wherever I go. Thank you.”

“Ugh…”

“…?”

“No, it’s just that sometimes you express your gratitude so straightforwardly, but when you teach magic like a tiger, it feels strangely different, and I can’t get used to it…”

In short, she felt a bit embarrassed.

From Derek’s perspective, it was a bit awkward to be considerate, so he just quietly accepted it.

Even that reaction was so typical of Derek that Denise could only glance at him a few times.

“Sigh… Well, no matter how crazy Lady Siern of the North is, she won’t be able to easily mess with you. You’re an expert in magic and social skills, so I won’t worry.”

—

—

“I’ll do my best as far as I can.”

“But… what about the etiquette of a lady or the culture of high society? You can’t teach those things, can you?”

“I’ve already found an assistant. Someone with a solid background, outstanding knowledge of high society, capable, and willing to step up for such tasks.”

“I knew you had a wide network, but did you have someone like that? Such talent doesn’t seem common…”

“Well, there’s no need to look far. It’s Lady Aiselin.”

“…What?”

Denise, who had been listening to Derek’s story with relaxed shoulders, perked up her ears and widened her eyes again.

A woman’s intuition screamed. She instinctively knew that Aiselin’s affection for Derek was not just a warm feeling one has for a good talent.

“Ah, you’re heading north with Lady Aiselin?”

“It might be hard to show up at the Rosea Salon often, but Lady Diela said she would put in more effort.”

“Ah, no, why would Lady Aiselin go to such a place?”

“She said she urgently needed cash.”

It wasn’t an entirely unreasonable situation. No matter how noble and beautiful one might be in the southwest of the continent, if money was tight, one had to go out and do something.

Denise was not unaware of Aiselin’s predicament, but the thought of her accompanying Derek brought an immediate sense of foreboding.

‘Is something really going to happen…?’

Lady Aiselin seemed wise and thoughtful, but having been raised like a precious gem, she was too late in realizing her feelings of love. That’s how it was with girls raised in greenhouses.

If it had already been decided that she would accompany him to the north, there was only one course of action Denise could take at this point. Even if it was somewhat radical, she had to use shock therapy.

“Derek.”

Denise looked at Derek with a serious expression.

“I think Lady Aiselin likes you.”

“I like Lady Aiselin too. In times like these, such a solid person is really rare. I should consider myself lucky to have such a person as an acquaintance.”

“That’s not what I mean, I think she likes you as a man.”

Denise hit the nail on the head without hesitation.

Once she made up her mind, she never hesitated about things that had to be done.

“…”

Even Derek, a man of steel, was momentarily at a loss for words.

He wasn’t completely oblivious, so he hadn’t missed the fact that Aiselin’s behavior had been strange lately.

Nevertheless, he couldn’t link that strange behavior to feelings of love.

There were many high-status handsome men around Aiselin. Her standards must have been raised accordingly.

In the first place, the top three of the Rosea Salon were people who received marriage proposals whenever they were bored. One of their daily tasks was to fend off the noble sons of ambiguous families who were constantly eyeing them.

—

—

Why would someone like that set their eyes on Derek? Derek was a person who was very self-aware in this regard.

Therefore, Derek answered bluntly.

“You’ve read too many romance novels.”

“Are you underestimating my insight?”

“I knew that Miss Denise had a good eye… but isn’t this too much of a leap?”

Derek crossed his arms and had a look of utter disbelief.

“I knew you would react like that, Derek. But my beast-like instincts never miss. Aislin likes you romantically, and if you accompany her to the north, who knows what might happen.”

“…”

“So, I’m telling you outright at this point. If you don’t keep your wits about you, something really big could happen. I’ve never seen a commoner and a noble lady get entangled and end up well.”

It was not uncommon for heads of families or young lords to secretly have concubines or lay hands on their servants.

However, for such a scandal to be attached to a noble lady of a family is an enormous burden. If it ends as a mere scandal, it might somehow be managed, but if it is the truth rather than a rumor, the problem becomes much bigger.

Therefore, Denise was telling Derek to keep his wits about him for Aislin’s sake.

“Do you understand what I’m saying, Derek?”

“To be blunt, I am not so self-assured as to think that the most noble lady would have a personal interest in me. If I were, I would be a severe narcissist.”

“…”

“Still, if Miss Denise says so, I can’t just sit still. I’ll try to do something in my own way.”

“Try to do something? What are you going to do?”

When Derek answered that question, Denise made an ambiguous expression.

It was neither a smile nor a frown, nor was it expressionless… It was a truly peculiar and indescribable expression.

*

“Miss Aislin, do you like me romantically?”

“Pfft!”

The sight of the sun rising in the west and the sight of Lady Aislin spitting out her tea ungracefully and gasping for breath.

If you were to compare which of the two was more unrealistic, it would be a pretty good match.

Seeing Aislin lose her composure so ungracefully was such a difficult sight.

Nevertheless, Aislin, who was sitting in the half-destroyed reception room, rolled her eyes and spoke to Derek.

“De, Derek. I’m sorry. Did I hear something wrong? I’ve been handling family matters all day lately… am I hearing things…”

“I asked if you liked me romantically. I know it’s an extremely presumptuous and rude question, but I think it’s better to be clear about this.”

Asking directly. It was a response that only Derek could manage.

How could someone with a heart do such a thing? Despite such questions, Derek seemed to be a person who did not possess the emotions of shame or embarrassment at all.

—

—

Even when he was covered in filth by Diela, or reciting Denis’s self-written novel… he was a man of steel, unmoved by any emotion.

Growing up at the bottom of the slums, walking a blood-stained path all his life, the delicate sensibilities of a young girl became tales of another world. They couldn’t even scratch his frozen emotions.

That thorough rationality was a blessed quality for a mercenary.

However, from the perspective of a woman trying to get to him, he was nothing short of an impregnable fortress. Gaining psychological superiority over him was not easy, even for those who had been through all sorts of trials and tribulations.

For Aiselin, who was practically a novice in such matters, it was an unbearably harsh ordeal.

“Th-that…”

Aiselin’s eyes began to waver uncontrollably, unable to find direction, as a sudden blow pierced her heart.

Though she was quick-witted, her thoughts seemed to be stuck, unable to move forward.

Her tongue moved on its own, and somehow, she managed to respond as naturally as possible.

“No!!!!!”

In truth, it wasn’t very natural.

Her tone was absurdly abrupt. She had concluded that, given the complicated situation, it was best to deny everything.

In fact, it was the closest to the correct response when dealing with commoners. The elegance she had been educated in as a noble since childhood finally played its role.

“Th-that can’t be! Mr. Derek, of course, I always think you’re reliable, and you’re outstanding in appearance and ability, but considering you romantically is a completely different matter, isn’t it!!!!”

“I see. I apologize. It seems my self-esteem has unnecessarily heightened due to my recent achievements. I’m embarrassed.”

“Everyone!!! makes mistakes!!! It’s okay!!! Don’t be too embarrassed!!!!”

Aiselin’s behavior, acting like a soldier on high alert, was excessively unnatural.

Though Derek was the one feeling embarrassed, from her tone and actions, it was hard to tell who was actually embarrassed.

“Then, I came to discuss the schedule for the trip to the north today, so let’s get to the main topic quickly.”

“Shall we!!!!”

“Before that, I’ll go get the map. I’ll be right back, so please wait a moment.”

“Yes!!!!!”

With that, Derek opened the door and stepped out to head to the supply room.

As soon as the door closed, Aiselin sank into the chair like melting ice. Her heavy breathing continued for a while.

She silently thanked Derek, who was quite oblivious to such matters.

“…”

Derek, who had closed the door, walked quietly down the corridor, then sat on the window sill and stroked his chin.

‘Miss Denis’s words shouldn’t be taken lightly. I might need to be careful.’

Aiselin, who had little knowledge of relationships between men and women, thought Derek was simply uninterested and oblivious to such matters.

But that was too naive a thought. Rolling around in the slums, one would see all sorts of gloomy relationships and sticky, fishy love affairs over the shoulder.

—

—

It may be a scene far removed from the bright and beautiful social culture, but at least it is an environment where one has no choice but to develop a sense of awareness as a man.

‘I’m glad I checked in advance. I need to get my head straight.’

It is a naive judgment to dismiss Derek as a person who has no interest or knowledge about women.

Rather, he is someone who even judges a woman’s affection rationally. He was close to what noblewomen call a ‘bad man.’

For the naive Aiselin to try to handle him on her own was an excessively difficult task.

‘Let’s finish the preparations quickly.’

After tidying up his appearance, Derek crossed the hallway.

Whatever it was, he just needed to quickly wrap up the affairs in the north and return.

*

– Swoosh, swoosh.

Late at night, Dennis, who was quietly moving his quill, flinched and stopped.

Soon, he put down the quill and looked up at the moon floating in the sky with his arms crossed.

‘Thinking that Derek’s contract is ending soon makes me feel empty.’

No matter what, he has a lot of affection for Derek.

Worrying about Derek heading to the north is also because he has received a lot from him in various ways.

Although he is worried about Derek leaving with Aiselin to teach Lady Siern, it is not very good to meddle with a bird that has left the cage.

‘Should I have interfered a bit more…? I’m worried something might happen…’

Anyway, Dennis has done almost everything he can.

From noble mtl dot com

However, there was still a strange frustration left regarding the matter involving Aiselin. It was like something was stuck in his chest, constantly bothering a corner of Dennis’s mind.

In fact, it wasn’t something to be so concerned about, but it was truly a bizarre matter.