Chapter 6: Duplein (3)
"I suppose you've never heard about my younger sister, Diela."
An interior several times more luxurious than the carriage they had ridden when going to subjugate monsters.
The carriage bearing the seal of the Duplein Ducal House was covered all over with gold trim and extravagant decorations, to the point that just getting on it felt burdensome.
Inside, Aiselin was seated together with the servants, and across from her sat Jayden, who had come as Derrick's companion and was a representative figure of the Veldern Mercenary Corps. Derrick was also sitting quietly beside him, looking around at the surroundings.
With the sound of the carriage wheels rolling as a backdrop, a conversation was exchanged between Jayden and Aiselin.
"Young Lady Diela... I think I've seen her in the Duplein family genealogy."
Jayden was no longer laughing frivolously.
The young lady of the Duplein family sitting right in front of him was not someone he could treat carelessly.
When they had not revealed their status, he could smile cheekily, but now the situation was a bit different.
"She isn't someone who shows herself much in public, is she?"
"Yes, that's right."
Derrick saw Aiselin lower her gaze once.
It seemed that talking about her younger sister, Diela, was not something she found particularly pleasant.
'The succession structure of the Duplein family was ... right, two sons and two daughters, wasn't it.'
Under Raymond Oswald Duplein, a 5-Star mage, there were four children.
He had heard as far as the news that the third and fourth were being treated as young ladies of the Duplein family and were preparing to debut in high society.
However, while many stories circulated about how dignified and kind the third, Aiselin, was, there was surprisingly little known about the fourth, Diela.
"Diela needs a magic teacher."
" ..... So that's why you were entrusting requests to various mercenary groups to verify their aptitude?"
"Yes. I'm sorry we hid our identities. As you know, there's nothing good that comes from making it public."
At the side, the head maid Katarina quietly poured black tea with a graceful demeanor.
The carriage wheels were as tall as a person, and there were as many as six horses pulling the carriage. At this point, the carriage barely shook at all, to the point that it was easy to drink hot tea.
On the small table between the seats, teacups with a refined fragrance were lined up.
However, no one reached for them.
"It's strange. To teach a young lady of the Duplein Ducal House, would a magic teacher from commoner origins even be acceptable?"
Jayden's point was valid. It was strange enough that even Derrick himself nodded.
He had often heard that the nobles' sense of privilege and authority was beyond imagination.
For such a noble young lady's teacher, searching for mages from the lowest ranks of mercenaries was far too unnatural.
As said, nobles are the sort who would be ready to sell their liver and gallbladder just to attach a good magic teacher to their child.
With the authority of the Duke of Duplein, he could easily find and assign a magic teacher with a good name and bloodline. No matter what anyone said, wasn't this one of the top three most prestigious families in the Empire.
In fact, without even mobilizing outside manpower, just searching within the family alone would surely turn up plenty of people with deep knowledge of magic.
So the fact that Aiselin herself had gone out to look for a teacher was, in itself, proof that this was not a normal situation.
Derrick spoke in a quiet voice.
"I've heard that in the Duplein family, there are at least three or four known 4-Star mages. Is there any reason to rummage through mercenary groups while leaving such good teachers alone?"
" ..... Having deep knowledge of magic and teaching magic well are completely different abilities."
" .... That's true."
"And of course, we've attached many such teachers. But it didn't go as well as we hoped ... "
It didn't go as well as hoped.
It was an implicit expression, but Aiselin's expression looked truly complicated.
Still, at the foundation, there was only one feeling. The feeling of loving her one and only younger sister.
"Diela is ..... to the point of despair, she has no talent for magic."
"....."
Jayden closed his mouth for a moment after hearing that. He couldn't quite understand it.
The Duplein family was a famous magic household known to everyone. Even so, to be born with that bloodline and yet have no talent for magic was not a very common thing.
"If this goes on, she won't even be able to start studying for high society and will only be treated as a burden. I can't just stand by and watch Diela be treated like that."
The noble young ladies of the Belcos region often came to Ebelstein when they reached a certain age to prepare for high society. Usually, they would be given an entire mansion and practice even the role of mistress.
Even Aiselin, who was sitting right in front of Derrick, was living in the noble society of Ebelstein rather than in the ducal territory.
Beyond the Northern Wall, in the wealthy district where nobles lived, she was engaging in various exchanges, studying, and cultivating the qualities of a refined lady.
However, that was only when one had the bare minimum aptitude.
Even though she was born with the Bloodline of the Duplein family, if she couldn't properly use even a single magic, then as a noble, she possessed a fatal defect.
Rather than being a source of pride for the Duplein family, she was far more likely to become a disgrace. Everyone in the ducal residence who needed to know probably already knew.
It wasn't hard to imagine what kind of treatment the girl named Diela was receiving.
"I see. But I'm not sure that's a suitable reason to be rummaging through mercenary groups. If she's having trouble learning magic, wouldn't it be better to look for an even more outstanding teacher?"
"....."
" ... Did I ask a rude question?"
"No. It's just ... I was thinking about how to answer."
Aiselin, with a face full of worry, spoke calmly.
"Diela has changed more than twenty teachers over the past eight months. There's no one left who can handle her anymore."
"..."
"But I can't give up."
As she said that, Aiselin's expression became serious.
"Derrick, you think differently from the old mages who came before, and you handle magic in a very different way too, so who knows what might happen? I plan to try everything I can."
Little by little, Derrick was starting to get the idea. In short, that young lady named Diela didn't seem to be an easy person to teach.
They say that noble young ladies are often either ill-mannered or have their heads in the clouds, one or the other.
Which of the two the girl named Diela was, he couldn't really judge at this point.
*
–Bang!
The mansion of the Duke of Duplein, boasting the greatest splendor in the Belcos region.
The door to that great duke's office was flung open as if it were about to break. There weren't many people who could open the door to the duke's office like that, a place that even ordinary nobles couldn't meet eyes with.
"Father! Brother Valerian! I'm sorry to interrupt while you're in the middle of talking!"
Inside the office, Duke Raymond Oswald Duplein was sitting at a grandly large desk, and in front of him, a blond young man was discussing opinions about this quarter's tax revenue of the ducal territory.
The eldest son, Valerian, was a handsome man with a tall and well-built physique.
Designated as the next head of the family, he had gone through his coming-of-age ceremony last year, and even at that time, he had already learned the beginnings of 2-Star magic, making him a prodigy. The elders of the Duplein family were already keeping an eye on him.
He placed the documents he had been reporting on the desk and spoke in a gentle voice.
"Raig. What on earth is all this fuss? Mind your dignity when you act."
"Please listen to me, brother! I really can't take it anymore!"
The young man called Raig grabbed a maid who had been in the corridor and threw her onto the floor of the office.
–Thud!
"Kyah!"
As the maid rolled around on the office floor, a stinging smell replaced the faint scent of incense that had filled the office.
The maid had been doused with bucket water used for mopping. Not only that, but her maid uniform was torn here and there, and her hair was completely disheveled. Anyone could see that she had been abused.
"That bastard Diela is even laying hands on my personal servants now!"
"Raig. Lower your voice."
"I'm saying this because I can't stand it anymore! Last month alone, the number of servants who quit because of that bastard is already in the double digits! The number of dishes she's broken because she was in a bad mood is already in the hundreds! She even smashes buildings just because she's bored ... how long are we supposed to keep indulging that mad dog? Just because she's young and the youngest, is that enough?"
Raig walked to the center of the office and raised his voice toward the Duke of Duplein, who was looking through documents beyond the desk.
"Father! Please give me an answer!"
The Duke of Duplein quietly put down the documents he had been looking at and stared straight into Raig's eyes.
Raig knew well the emotion that lay in those eyes.
"Father ... "
Raig took a breath, and then finally spoke in a voice that had lost some of its force, as if lamenting.
"Do you really think that that unruly brat can even behave in a way worthy of the name Duplein? We've ... we've done everything we could ... as a family ... and as nobles ... we've fulfilled our duty."
"That is not for you to judge, Raig."
"No, father. Even if I can't compare to my brother, I am still a member of the Duplein family. I also have the right to speak. It's time to admit it. That child Diela is a disgrace and a defect of our family."
Unlike the gentle nobleman-like Valerian, Raig had a face like a sharp-featured general.
If you asked which of the two looked older, many people would pick Raig, but he was clearly the second son of the Duplein family.
"Father. Even if Diela can't become someone worthy of the family ... we still have Aiselin, don't we? The gods simply gave all the noble dignity that should have been shared with Diela to Aiselin instead. So let's let Diela go now."
"Raig. You'd better choose your words carefully in front of your father."
"Brother. Don't you think the same?"
When Raig shot those words at him, Valerian couldn't answer right away either. Seeing his troubled expression, Raig, as if encouraged, spoke to the Duke of Duplein.
" ... I had the chief steward look into a monastery in the Anhel region."
"Raig!"
"Someone has to be resolute! If no one does it, then I have no choice but to take on that role!"
Raig raised his voice again at the Duke of Duplein.
"They say it's a place where many noble children gather, so the facilities are good, and the Empire also keeps a close watch on it. Rather than living here being treated as a burden, wouldn't it be better for Diela to serve the will of the gods? If we leave her like this and it ends up becoming a big disaster for the family, then rather ... "
–Bang!
Raig couldn't finish his sentence.
The Duke of Duplein grabbed Raig by the head and slammed it into the desk.
"Kaak!"
Pressing down on Raig's head as he screamed, the Duke of Duplein whispered in a cold, chilled voice.
"I told you it's not for you to judge."
"Keugh .. ugh ... father ... "
"Do I need to make you hear the same words twice?"
Even with his face pressed into the desk, Raig did not bend his will until the very end.
"Father. When it's time to decide ... you must decide ... "
–Thump!
True to being a son who shared the blood of a ruler, Raig did not easily bend his will. Even while being pressed down by the duke's hand, he held onto his resolve to the end, and eventually, he was swept up by the duke's mana and lost consciousness.
"...."
A brief silence.
In the office, only the quiet sound of the frightened maid sobbing echoed softly.
The duke sat back down in his office chair and pressed his brow for a moment.
Worries and concerns are like lifelong companions to a ruler. Even so, one never gets used to them.
Valerian, who had been quietly looking at the duke with a weary expression, gently supported the unconscious Raig and helped him up.
He also lightly patted the shoulder of the maid who was sobbing on the floor.
"You must have had a hard time. I'll tell my head maid separately, so for today, wash up and rest in your quarters."
After gently comforting the maid, he said to the duke while supporting Raig.
"The matter of tax revenue isn't urgent right now, so I'll take my leave for today. Please get some rest, father."
"Very well."
Just as Valerian was about to leave the office while taking care of Raig and the maid—
"Valerian."
" ... Yes."
The duke, sitting in his chair and pressing his brow, spoke in a low, heavy voice.
"To love one's children equally ... is not an easy thing."
"....."
Valerian gave a bitter smile, lowered his head deeply, and left the office.
*
"Oh my, brother Valerian."
The corridor in front of the office.
Aiselin, who had returned to the ducal residence after a long time, ran into Valerian coming out of the office and tried to greet him happily.
However, when she saw that he was supporting the unconscious Raig, her expression had no choice but to stiffen.
The maid following behind, drenched in dirty water, was the same.
"Br, brother ... "
"Oh. Aiselin. It's good to see you after so long. How is Ebelstein? Is it livable?"
Valerian forced a smile and returned Aiselin's greeting.
"As you can see, the situation is a bit complicated, so we'll have to catch up later."
" ... Yes."
As Valerian tried to pass by Aiselin while supporting Raig, several servants ran out and took Raig from him. In the process, Valerian saw the faces of the people Aiselin had brought with her.
Along with the servants she usually kept with her, she had two mercenaries who looked at a glance like they had come from outside the ducal residence. Jayden and Derrick.
"......."
He knew that Aiselin had been running around day and night for the sake of her youngest sister, Diela.
However, when Valerian saw the faces of the people she had brought, he couldn't help but show a pitiful smile.
At first, Aiselin had brought in famous teachers from among 4-Star mages.
However, no one could handle Diela. People kept coming who were humiliated, injured, or simply gave up and left on their own.
As Diela's bad reputation as a mad dog spread among the upper class, fewer and fewer people volunteered for the teacher's position.
Even so, Aiselin did not give up and, while asking around here and there, somehow brought in even 3-Star and 2-Star mages, as long as they were stubborn and upright.
However, even that had reached the point where she had to resort to bringing in a mage procured from a mercenary group into the ducal residence.
The effort was admirable, but from the perspective of her older brother who was watching, there was no choice but to taste bitterness in his mouth. Now, it only made him realize that there was truly no one left to bring.
Valerian quietly walked down the corridor past Aiselin.
It felt as if a heavy weight was hanging in his chest.
"Aiselin. How is life in Ebelstein?"
"Thanks to your concern, father, every day is enjoyable. These days, I'm learning portrait painting, and if I have time, I'd like to paint a portrait of you, father."
"Is that so? Then we should hang it in the hall of the mansion when it's finished."
"Father, really. I'm not that good yet. Please wait a little until I'm good enough that the servants won't criticize it."
When Aiselin spoke cheerfully with a bright smile, the duke's face, which had been full of worries and concerns, relaxed a little.
No matter what anyone said, Aiselin was someone who received a great deal of love from the people of the ducal residence. Born with the character and dignity of a noble young lady, not only her parents but also her two older brothers and even the retainers all doted on her.
Because she was like that, as soon as she came of age, she was given a mansion in the wealthy district of Ebelstein and began studying for high society in one smooth motion. She was truly like a jewel of the Duplein family.
"Ah, and I wanted to introduce him in advance. I brought a mage from Ebelstein."
"..... Is that so."
The duke's brow narrowed for a moment as he looked at Derrick.
Aiselin had brought more than one or two people claiming to be Diela's teacher.
And no matter who it was, they couldn't even last a few weeks before running away.
At this point, it was hard to place much meaning in bringing anyone else, but in any case, this was a person his beloved daughter Aiselin had looked into.
"Very well."
That was all he had to say.
From some point on, the Duke of Duplein no longer offered long opinions.
Aiselin looked quietly at the duke like that, then let out a small, bitter smile.
"Then I'll go rest and recover from the journey first, and let's talk more in the reception room later. Father. I have a lot I want to say."
"All right. I'll see you in a bit."
Just as Aiselin finished her greeting and was about to leave the office—
"You there, stay behind."
The duke called Derrick to a halt.
*
A quiet office.
The Duke of Duplein was scratching away with a quill, staring intently at a document for a long time.
It seemed to be an important agenda related to the management of the territory.
The duke did not handle anything carelessly and was thinking deeply about it.
It seemed that he lived the entire day being crushed by such busy work.
After signing one document that needed immediate handling, the duke spoke as if throwing the words out, without even making eye contact.
"You're quite young."
"Yes."
"Sixteen?"
"That is correct."
The duke looked over the next document again and drew a few lines with his quill.
As he continued processing the agenda items, he spoke in that low, heavy voice.
" ..... To what extent can you handle magic?"
As he asked while moving the quill, Derrick answered without much hesitation.
"I can handle a little 1-Star magic."
"Heh heh .. "
The duke let out a low chuckle.
It wasn't hard to guess the meaning of that laughter.
At the mere age of sixteen, having properly learned magic and reached a level where he could teach others was an amazing thing for a commoner.
There was a bit of awe mixed into it, and the rest was lamentation.
Even so, it was only the level of commoners.
Was that laugh of lamentation because he had to entrust his daughter's magic teacher to someone like that?
Derrick guessed as much—but that guess was only half correct.
"There's no need to lie."
At some point, the Duke of Duplein's glittering eyes were pointed straight at Derrick. In those eyes, the lingering aura of mana flickered.
"Humility does not always work as a virtue."
He had already seen through the fact that Derrick's level of magic did not end at merely 1-Star.
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