There Are No Bad Young Ladies in the World

Northbound (4)

– Crunch, crunch.

The sound of Derek’s boots crunching in the snow could be heard.

—

—

In the snowfield where the blizzard was raging, Derek finally appeared towards the carriage, carrying Lady Sieren over his shoulder.

Her limp and fluttering appearance looked like he had captured the carcass of a wild animal, causing the servants gathered at the scene to tremble with fear.

“I apologize for the commotion.”

“N-no… How…”

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Lady Sieren was rolling her eyes, unable to come to her senses.

Although it was unclear what kind of exchange had taken place between Derek and her in the blizzard where visibility was almost zero, Derek had no injuries except for a single stream of blood flowing from his temple.

‘He subdued Lady Sieren, who is almost equivalent to a 3-star mage, so easily…?’

Butler Layton looked at Derek with disbelief, but Derek, without a hint of concern, asked while carrying Sieren.

“It seems the carriage is completely destroyed. Is it far to the Rochester estate?”

“N-no… It’s not too far to walk. The weather is a bit harsh, so it will be tough, but…”

“Then let’s go quickly.”

With that, Derek trudged into the blizzard.

He seemed to think nothing of such severe cold.

*

– Crackle, crackle.

The Rochester estate looked like a spire rising in the blizzard.

Although the scale of the building itself was considerable, its grandeur seemed faded due to the harsh environment.

Unlike the Duplain estate, which overwhelms you with its vast garden as soon as you enter, the Rochester estate felt entirely practical.

Considering that monsters often popped out and raided the estate, it was only natural.

“You must have had a hard time as soon as you arrived at the Rochester territory. As the butler, I am deeply ashamed.”

“No, it’s fine. I now understand what kind of person Lady Sieren is.”

It seemed customary for the people of this region to guide guests to the fireplace first when they arrived from afar.

Derek, warming himself in front of a fireplace larger than a person, waved his hand as the butler brought the servants to greet him politely.

“Where is Lady Sieren?”

“She is unconscious, so we have laid her in a private room in the spire.”

“I should go see her. We will be seeing each other often now.”

The butler swallowed dryly as he looked at Derek.

Even after seeing Lady Sieren, who recklessly attacked him with dangerous assaults at their first meeting, he maintained his composure.

If he had been an inexperienced mage, he would have been defeated immediately. In fact, Lady Sieren had often ambushed and severely injured high-ranking mages who were off guard.

“She is even more formidable than I thought. I’m not sure if I can fulfill my role…”

—

—

Aislin, who was warming herself by the fire behind Derek, spoke in a timid voice.

Coming all the way to the north, she seemed to realize it. This place was fundamentally different from the bountiful and beautiful Duplain estate.

Although she had cheerfully shouted to be given any task due to the urgent need for money, she seemed to be terrified when she actually faced Lady Siern, who was aiming for her life.

“Not only can I not communicate, but I might also get seriously hurt trying to do anything. Mr. Derek is highly skilled and experienced in combat… but I’m not…”

“…Are you very afraid?”

“…Yes.”

Aislin spoke honestly.

Her gaze lacked a lot of confidence. However, she was not someone who would just sit there and complain.

“But I have to do it. I’ll find a way in my own way.”

Soon, she clenched her fists tightly and spoke with determination.

“If I decided to do it, I have to do it. Besides, nothing will change if I just keep complaining.”

“That’s a good point. Actually, there’s no need to worry so much.”

“What?”

“Even though I suspect it will be quite harsh, do you know why I asked you to accompany me, Miss Aislin?”

“…Because you thought I would agree immediately since I urgently need money…?”

“…That reason is not entirely absent.”

Derek sat next to Aislin by the fire and spoke.

“Because someone like you needs to accompany me.”

“Someone like me…?”

“Specifically, someone who is obviously elegant, graceful, and beautiful.”

“Huh.”

At Derek’s sudden shower of compliments, Aislin held her breath and then, in a shabby manner, lowered her gaze and spoke.

“E-even if you suddenly compliment me like that… nothing special will come out of it…”

“It’s just the truth. Unlike me, who is somewhat rough and common, Miss Aislin is clearly someone with culture and elegance. This difference is important.”

Aislin’s face flushed with heat at Derek’s unabashedly embarrassing words, but she knew he wasn’t saying this to win her favor.

“I mentioned that I had something in mind. I had roughly heard about Lady Siern and there were parts that seemed difficult for me alone. I was planning to get some help from you in those parts.”

“So… things like etiquette as a lady, social manners, and knowledge of balls…?”

“No. Those are all secondary.”

“What…? Aren’t those important…?”

After all, such cultural knowledge could be taught as long as they could win over Siern.

—

The most important thing is how to take control of Siern.

“We need a carrot and stick approach. I’ll be the stick, and you, Miss Aiselin, will be the carrot.”

“W-what do you mean by that…?”

“Hmm… I have a plan laid out. Would you like to hear it? Actually, it’s a strategy I got from an old friend in the slums, and it seems quite credible, so I decided to adopt it.”

Derek had many acquaintances in the slums, but not many he would call ‘friends.’

Since Derek was always treated as an outsider in the noble circles, Aiselin was curious about who this old friend he mentioned was.

‘Why am I even curious about that… I think I’m getting too nosy…’

However, she quickly shook her head and focused back on Derek’s words.

“It’s called… the ‘Battered Wife’ strategy…”

“…”

“Does it sound strange?”

“Your friend’s family life… must not have been smooth either…”

Derek recalled the young archer who used to run around the slums to support her elderly mother.

Now that her mother had passed away, her life as a complete orphan was no smoother than Derek’s.

“There’s no one from the slums without a story. I didn’t bring this up to talk about gloomy things. Miss Aiselin, you just need to play the role of the battered wife.”

What on earth does that mean? That was the question that was about to come out.

Aiselin waited quietly, thinking Derek would explain soon.

“Then I’ll play the role of the pathetic husband.”

“H-husband? W-what do you mean by that? H-husband… If someone hears, they’ll misunderstand!”

“It’s a metaphor. I’ll explain the detailed plan.”

Derek looked out the window at the swirling snowstorm.

Behind Aiselin, who was twisting her fingers and glancing around, the snowstorm was growing stronger.

Staying in this remote place for too long wouldn’t be good. It was best to get as much as they could from Lord Melverot and leave quickly.

To do that, they needed to reform Lady Siern’s mindset as quickly as possible.

After all, she was the only daughter of the greatest wizard on the continent.

Once they had her under control, it wouldn’t be surprising if rumors spread that there was no lady on the continent they couldn’t teach.

Personal gain was important, and there was also a magical artifact Derek wanted to get from Lord Melverot. There was no reason to waste time here.

Derek spoke with a more serious expression.

“Miss Aiselin. Are you good at acting?”

“Y-yes?”

—

As Derrick continued his explanation, Aisellin’s expression slowly hardened.

“D-Derrick, are you really okay with this?”

*

– “U-Ugh! It’s a monster!”

– “Sir Melverot! No matter what, how can you bring something like this into the mansion! This is not something that can be taught or managed! We must inform the royal family officially…!”

– “S-Save me! Please! Just my life… You can cut off my arms and legs… Just let me live…”

– “What… are you…?”

– Whoosh!

In the moment when countless fragments of memories surged from the other side of the dream, Siern’s eyes snapped open.

The air warmed by the cozy campfire. The scent of well-laundered linen blankets tickled her nose, and occasionally, the sound of a snowstorm tapping against the window glass filled the room.

Lady Siern, who had abruptly sat up, recalled her last memory.

It was the memory of exchanging magic with a man named Derrick.

He moved as if he knew exactly where Siern was heading, predicting her every move, and without giving her a chance to counterattack, he subdued her with a three-star spell.

Just before she fell, when their eyes met, Siern involuntarily swallowed her dry saliva.

He was different from the magic teachers who had come all the way to this distant northern land to teach her.

He was not a bookish scholar, but a man who had truly lived through countless battles, tearing apart numerous monsters.

Although Siern had no prior information about him, she could feel it just by facing his murderous intent.

He had indeed killed countless monsters. He was a man accustomed to taking lives.

‘It would be best not to face him. I should ambush him when no one is around, or attack him while he’s asleep and somehow drive him out of the mansion.’

It was when Siern was thinking this and turned her gaze outside the bed.

“Gasp.”

“Are you awake?”

The white-haired man she had just been thinking about was sitting at the table in the corner of the room, reading a book with his legs crossed.

He looked so relaxed that the image of him chasing her through the snowy field, bleeding, felt like a distant past.

Siern quickly threw off the blanket and jumped to the opposite corner, taking a defensive stance.

“You… you… why are you here…”

“You already know the reason, don’t you? Lady Siern, you will learn magic from me.”

“Why should I learn magic from you? You’ll probably just spout nonsense, then give up and run away.”

“I will be the judge of that. I will also set the class schedule starting tomorrow.”

“Go to hell.”

—

—

Sieren used telekinesis to fling the table away. Derek closed his book, lowered his stance, and rolled on the floor to dodge it.

– Crash! Crack!

– Thud! Boom!

Several other pieces of furniture flew at him, but none touched Derek’s body.

Derek dodged here and there, and before he knew it, he was right in front of Lady Sieren, grabbing her arm.

– Snap!

“Ahhh!”

As he looked down at her with an intimidating gaze, Sieren’s body began to tremble again.

Even if the opponent was an arrogant brat, Derek didn’t bat an eye. His murderous red eyes were excessively terrifying for this naive girl.

At this point, Sieren realized. The opponent was an expert in this field.

Surely, his goal was to subdue or coax people like Sieren, taming them like docile sheep.

As soon as she realized his goal, a stronger sense of rebellion arose.

“Do you think I’ll listen to you? Don’t waste your time and go back to the southwest. There’s no place for you in the north.”

“It seems you need a bit more beating to come to your senses.”

No matter how you look at it, a commoner shouldn’t speak to a noble like that. How could he keep his head attached after doing such things?

It was unbelievable, but Derek had already built up numerous achievements. The reason he could act so arrogantly towards nobles was that he had long proven himself as a verified magic instructor.

The story of him slapping the infamous brat Diela from the southwest as soon as they met was no longer a family secret, but a well-known fact among those who knew.

Derek’s unique uprightness, which didn’t falter even in front of a noble lady, was something that ordinary magic instructors couldn’t imitate. If a commoner without any achievements did such things, they would be considered a traitor, but for a magic instructor with numerous achievements, the meaning was entirely different.

Of course, his skills were also accompanied.

No matter how genius Sieren’s magical abilities were, she couldn’t easily escape Derek’s grasp.

– Boom!

But that didn’t mean she wouldn’t try.

Sieren cast the 2-star combat magic ‘Rapid Explosion,’ setting the room on fire.

– Fwoosh!

Derek quickly used his magic to defend against the shock, but he lost his grip on her wrist.

With her newfound freedom, Sieren kicked the door open and ran out of the tower. She expressed her strong will not to deal with Derek any longer.

– Whoosh!

However, Derek quickly chased after Sieren. His movements were even faster than when he hunted monsters.

The murderous intent in his eyes remained. He was a ruthless human being, as if he had come to beat Sieren to a pulp.

“Ugh…!”

—

—

Sieren quickly wrapped herself in magic and ran outside the mansion’s wall. As long as she could create some distance and escape, Derek wouldn’t be able to find her in the vast snowy field.

Just as she was about to leap over the wall, Derek, moving like a beast, grabbed her by the nape.

– Snap!

Sieren, still in her dress, rolled on the snowy ground, shaking off the snow from her hair, and glared at Derek.

“Ugh… It hurts…”

“It needs to hurt more. Since you won’t listen to words, I have no choice but to discipline you with pain.”

“You… Do you think… this is okay?”

“I’ll take care of the consequences.”

With that, Derek pulled out the staff that was strapped to his back. Seeing this, Sieren’s eyes widened, and she swallowed dryly.

It was the four-star staff ‘Footsteps.’ Four old wooden branches intertwined and twisted together, ending with a large gem embedded at the top.

‘He knows how to use a staff…?’

Using a magical weapon requires not only high-level magical skills but also seasoned experience.

Whether it’s a wand or a magical weapon… Just being able to use it means one has already far surpassed the realm of an ordinary magician.

She had sensed something unusual when he subdued her without much damage, but he had already risen to a position where he wouldn’t be intimidated by most nobles.

“Do you know the name of this staff? Since it’s from the north, you might know it, Lady Sieren.”

“Made by Aidenbrew… ‘Wanderer’… or… ‘Footsteps’…?”

“No. Actually, I renamed it.”

It’s not uncommon for users to rename their magical weapons. Although the original name is usually more famous, and out of respect for the creator, people rarely do so… Derek wasn’t one to care about such things.

“…It’s ‘Love’s Whip’…”

“You’re… truly insane…”

– Whoosh! Whoosh!

Derek swung the staff like a club. It was doubtful if he was really a magician.

– Whoosh! Whoosh!

The sound of the staff cutting through the air was terrifying. Even one hit would make her calves swell red with pain.

Sieren swallowed dryly once more and tried to leap away again. But Derek, who had already learned her patterns, easily tripped her to stop her.

– Snap! Thud!

Sieren rolled once in the thick snow, gritting her teeth and pushing herself up with her hands. She looked back and swallowed dryly again.

Holding the ‘Love’s Whip,’ a hideous man, embodying love, devotion, and the virtues of a teacher, was approaching. He was truly a master of this era.

“I’m not doing this because I want to. I’m doing this for your own good, Lady Sieren. Hitting people is never a good thing. When I swing this whip… my heart aches and breaks. I feel a burning pain inside… My heart hurts… But! Correcting people is my job! Even if my heart breaks and my mind shatters, I have to do this for you, Lady Sieren.”

“L-Liar..! Your heart breaks… W-When did you ever…! Don’t come any closer…!”

—

—

“Now, how many hits would you like to receive? Miss Sieren, you decide. Tell me as much as you think you deserve. I will give you the chance.”

Derek’s eyes gleamed and his breath came out in huffs.

Seeing him like an uncontrollable monster, Lady Sieren somehow stepped back on the snowfield.

However, she couldn’t shake off Derek. It was practically impossible to escape from Derek, who was skilled in search magic, with only transformation acceleration magic.

Just as Lady Sieren’s fingertips began to tremble, an unexpected event occurred as she was at a loss on how to escape, her vision darkening.

“Mr. Derek! Stop!”

– Whoosh!

Lady Aiseline, who had rushed out through the snowfield, stood between Derek and Sieren.

With her arms spread wide, she blocked Sieren with a frown.

Having lived a long life as a high-ranking noble, she exuded elegance even while sitting still.

Even in the raging snowstorm, her nobility shone through.

Her bold appearance was like that of a heroine shining brightly amidst all trials. It was the kind of strength seen in the protagonist of Lady Denise’s novels.

Derek, an avid reader of ＜Arrogant Lord Robain＞, admired Aiseline’s appearance inwardly.

Soon, with a face full of determination, Aiseline shouted for all to hear.

“Violence! Is bad! Yes! It’s bad! Violence!!!”

Unfortunately, heaven did not grant her the same sense of dialogue as Lady Denise.

“…”

Derek fundamentally acknowledged Aiseline, but he couldn’t bring himself to highly praise her acting skills.