“A baron? Becoming a baron? Does that an Dereck will beco a noble? Did I hear that right?”
When Dereck nodded, Pheline took a step back, bringing her hands to her temples as if she were dizzy. They were in a dark alley behind the tavern “Tears of Beldern.”
After causing a commotion inside the tavern, Dereck had brought her out, thinking staying would only cause more misunderstandings.
He had left Aiselin and Siern with the escort and hurried to loosen Pheline’s tongue to resolve the matter quickly.
“I need a title. Pheline, as you know, I want to beco a high-level mage. At this point, to increase my magical prowess without consequences, I need to raise my status and prestige.”
“You went north to work… and this is what you had in mind?”
“It’s not like I planned it, but the opportunity ca up and I took it.”
Pheline, leaning against the shadowy wall of the alley, stroked her chin with a serious expression.
“You know well that my hotown, the village of Radel, was completely destroyed by those damned nobles. I deeply hate dealing with those pretentious aristocrats.”
“Don’t worry. I just need the pretense. Who else but you, Pheline, could I ask for sothing like this?”
“No… are you asking
to play pretend marriage with you…?”
Pheline tapped her thigh as if trying to imagine it, then spoke with a pale face.
“Dereck… this is physically hard for …”
“Do you think I want to do this…? I’m having a hard ti too… I just hope I don’t throw up…”
“…The way you say it makes
uncomfortable.”
“You think I like this?”
Dereck and Pheline stared at each other for a while.
To a stranger, their repulsed attitude might seem odd, but Dereck and Pheline had taken on rcenary mission boards together since childhood, with a bond closer to family than lovers.
Of course, they didn’t treat each other as warmly as real family but at least there was a level of trust that neither would betray the other.
Pheline crossed her arms and finally spoke with a serious tone.
“Sorry, Dereck. I have no intention of living a married life that isn’t my destiny. I just want to survive fighting with Uncle Jayden or the guild mbers.”
“Is there really no way, no matter what?”
“Dereck.”
Pheline stood up, fixed her tied hair, and spoke firmly.
“No matter how much you insist, it’s not going to happen. Dereck, I’d do almost anything you asked, but this is too much.”
“…I’ll give you money.”
“Ugh… No matter how stingy I am, there are things I can do and things I can’t. Even if you’ve made so money among aristocrats, how can you think of buying a marriage proposal with money…? I’m still a woman, Dereck!”
“…I’ll give you a lot. I know how hard you work, so I’ll compensate you well. And when I get the title and everything improves, I’ll give you a big reward and let you go again… I promise. It’ll be a considerable sum.”
“How can you say sothing like that?! I like money, but I know well that not everything in the world can be solved with money.”
Dereck took a big step closer and whispered the specific amount in her ear.
“…”
Upon hearing it, Pheline shuddered.
“……”
Finally, Pheline spoke with wide eyes.
“Take care of … my lord!!!”
“…”
There are no absolutes in this world.
Pheline was a highly skilled rcenary archer.
She wore a reddish-brown leather blouse, light wooden armor on top, and an old wide skirt with two or three leather belts tied around it. It had many pockets and pouches.
Her wrists were wrapped in black bandages or leather gloves, and she had potion flasks on her thighs. The weapons strapped to her back were imposing, but she always covered them with a reddish-brown hooded cloak.
Her platinum blonde hair was tied up, giving her a sharp look.
It was clear she had been killing monsters since she was young. If not for Dereck, she would have been the promising star of the Beldern rcenary Corps.
But that person now wore a simple linen dress and a straw hat as she entered the tavern.
She had carefully chosen an outfit that didn’t look luxurious, as if she were the wife of a rural baron.
“…”
Upon seeing her, Jayden comnted.
“She looks like a gorilla in a dress.”
“Jayden, sir…”
“…Sorry.”
The tavern had already closed.
Almost all the custors had left, and only Dereck, Aiselin, and Siern sat at the central table.
“I asked them to choose the simplest clothes from my mansion in the noble district. This… shouldn’t attract too much attention.”
Aiselin looked at them with a worried expression.
Pheline looked sowhat downcast and absent, while Dereck, watching her, clenched his jaw with a blank face.
To a stranger, she might seem like a common woman, but for those who knew Pheline, the scene provoked an indescribable discomfort.
One must not be fooled by her fragile appearance.
Pheline was a girl who could dismber four or five goblins in one slash with a dagger.
That’s why Dereck always brought her on dangerous missions.
“Dereck… right now… I’m disillusioned with my whole life…”
“Pheline. Don’t think so negatively… The clothes suit you…”
“Look
in the eyes and say that.”
“Damn it… I got dust in my eyes…”
Dereck, who desperately needed Pheline’s help, was trying to cheer her up as best as he could.
anwhile, Aiselin, who watched them, felt a strange sense of relief inside. In truth, Dereck and Pheline didn’t look like a romantic couple at all.
When you live your life as a rcenary, surviving day to day, romance dies out sooner or later.
Dreaming of a prince on a white horse or a northern duke who’s only warm to you is a privilege reserved for those who live comfortably in a greenhouse.
Aiselin, for her part, had grown up since childhood in the noble and peculiar environnt of Duplain, so she still held on to so romantic notions.
But Pheline was a practical person. She touched the loose linen dress and pointed out its flaws, saying, “I can’t even run in this.”
“Dereck… I’m… sleepy…”
Siern was drinking a sweet infusion Jayden had given her, and curled up in Aiselin’s arms as she fell asleep.
And there were Pheline, frowning, and Dereck, planning their next step.
Jayden watched them silently from the side and thought.
“I don’t know what happened in the north, but this is a complete ss.”
There wasn’t a single thing that didn’t raise concern. He wondered if they could really receive the baron title like this.
There wasn’t a single aspect that wasn’t concerning. He wondered if they could really receive the baron’s title like this.
*
“Dereck… is getting married…?”
The news of Dereck’s marriage, a magic master active in the southwest of Ebelstein, spread after the eting the following week at the Rose Hall.
“Yes…”
“Wow… this is a bit sudden…”
It was the day Aiselin, who had traveled north to earn money, finally returned to the Rose Hall.
She no longer belonged to one of the three great families. Aiselin, now running around like a fallen noble, must have seed quite pitiful to them.
Most of her followers had gone off to live their own lives, and the few who remained only felt pity for her.
That’s why Ellen and Denise wanted to ask her about her current situation during that eting, moved by past affection.
Although the tension among the three great families had been intense, Aiselin had always behaved in a mature and sensible manner, even in those difficult relationships.
Ellen and Denise couldn’t be entirely pleased about Aiselin’s downfall.
However, what Aiselin privately told them after the eting was so shocking that, for a mont, they forgot their sympathy.
“She t a woman nad Pheline from the Beldern rcenary Corps, and they’re going to form a beautiful ho… a love nest…”
Aiselin didn’t ntion that it was all part of a desperate struggle to obtain the title. She didn’t want to add unnecessary words that could cause problems later on.
As a result, Ellen and Denise’s expressions hardened.
In reality, if asked whether they saw Dereck as a potential romantic partner, the answer would be no.
He was a good teacher, a reliable person, and soone they’d hire if the opportunity arose — nothing more. Or at least, that’s what they thought.
But the news of Dereck’s marriage was so unexpected that it left them speechless.
Ellen set down the teacup she was about to raise to her lips and, sweating a bit, asked Aiselin:
“R-Really…? That woman nad P-Pheline… When did they start dating for them to already talk about marriage…?”
“I heard they’ve worked together as rcenaries since childhood… They t again after returning to Ebelstein, and she’s undoubtedly a strong and determined woman.”
“…Really?”
“She was an archer with platinum-blonde hair tied back. Her skills were nearly perfect, and many rcenary groups tried to recruit her.”
Upon hearing those words, Ellen suddenly recalled the image of a woman buried in her mory.
It was the sa archer Dereck had brought as reinforcents for the escort when they were struggling in the labyrinth during one of their classes.
She looked to be around the sa age as Ellen, but was already used to blood-soaked battlefields.
‘Of course… Dereck would feel more drawn to a companion with extensive combat experience than to a noble lady who knows nothing of the world…’
Ellen thought as she ran her fingers along the edge of her teacup. It was completely natural.
While she got lost in her thoughts, Denise, sipping her tea on the other side, had already finished analyzing the situation.
‘…Lady Aiselin is lying.’
Denise was a quick thinker.
She had been a little surprised to hear the news, but after taking a sip of tea and calmly organizing her thoughts, she quickly understood what was going on.
Before Aiselin went north, Denise had already noticed she harbored unusual feelings for Dereck.
If Aiselin had received a marriage proposal from Dereck, she wouldn’t be telling others about it so casually.
If it were true, she would clearly be distressed or upset.
She wasn’t the type of person who could have such a relaxed conversation. Aiselin was smart and knew how to carry herself in society, but in this regard, it was obvious she lacked experience.
‘A letter recently arrived about granting Dereck the title of baron. Since not having a family disqualifies one, it seems they’re planning a forced marriage to et the requirent.’
Denise’s intuition and insight were unmatched within the Rose Hall.
If Dereck received the title of baron, the territory assigned to him would be the Rodelen region, bordering the Duchy of Beltus.
In a way, that would make him a neighbor of the Beltus family. The physical distance would be considerable, but they could see each other often if disputes over tariffs or trade routes arose.
‘It’s a barony in a remote area that everyone avoids, but if he ets the requirents, he could truly beco a noble. And in terms of magical ability… he lacks nothing. Should I start treating him with the courtesy of a noble next ti I see him?’
Thinking about it, the image of that man who only focused on magic ca to her mind.
‘He truly… aims to reach 4-star level or higher.’
His magical achievents were hard to believe even when seen firsthand.
Being a 3-star mage at that age ant he might really reach the 4 or even 5-star level in the future.
If he reached 4-star level at such a young age, the entire continent wouldn’t leave him alone.
Among the well-known figures who reached 4-star level at a young age, there were only two — lverot and Kalimford. Both went on to reach 6-star level.
At this point, he was already beyond the level of a re magic master.
‘The old folks in the imperial capital don’t know. They can’t even imagine what will happen when Dereck receives the baron title and joins the ranks of the nobility.’
Denise thought calmly, eyes narrowing into crescent moons.
It seed she had been taught by soone far more extraordinary than she had imagined.
“Oh, but if it isn’t Lady Aiselin.”
It was at that mont, while Denise was reflecting on the power dynamics among the nobility.
In the middle of the lively conversation about Dereck’s partner, a girl dressed in a beautiful and luxurious gown approached them from behind.
The girl, smiling as she placed a tray of floral-decorated desserts on the table, was Trisha from the viscount Renouel family.
Though her smiling face looked cheerful, her true intentions were obvious.
She was soone who coveted the spot among the three great families, now vacant after the fall of the Duplains.
‘…’
Denise forcibly suppressed the urge to frown. In the social circle of Ebelstein — which was like a thin sheet of ice — mastering one’s expressions was a basic skill.
“Oh, Lady Trisha. Long ti no see.”
Aiselin greeted the smiling Trisha warmly. Trisha just held a aningful smile as she stared intently at Aiselin.
Denise nearly clicked her tongue. It was obvious why Trisha had co to this informal eting.
The declining Duplains and the rising Renouels.
She wanted to make the contrast clear and sohow seize actual control of the Rose Hall.
The grim and sinister power struggles among noblewon were sothing Ellen and Denise had experienced to the point of nausea. Still, they never got used to it.
She had co to crush Aiselin.
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