Noble Lady Reformation Guide

The dormitory facilities of the Ravenclaw Academy, Amaryllis House, were a building almost comparable to a work of art, constructed with all the dedication of Aiselin Eleanor Duplain.

The exterior walls, made of gray stone and white marble, were solemn; the sharp towers rising here and there inspired awe with their grandeur, and the innumerable arched windows were so many that it was impossible to count them.

The enormous double wooden doors were engraved with the amaryllis flower motif, and the delicate vine patterns of the metal ornaments supporting the doors seemed to protect the young noble ladies, as delicate as greenhouse flowers.

The young noble ladies who saw that building for the first time could not help but have their hearts fill with excitement at the thought that they would spend their academic lives there.

‘Just how much money in the world did they throw into this…?’

Trisha swept her gaze over the corridors leading to each independent wing after passing through the common lobby filled with fireplaces and all kinds of decorations.

Wherever she looked, the building’s finishes were impeccable, the atmosphere was classical, solemn, and silent, and the air was permeated with fragrance.

As an institution meant to educate the children of the most influential families across the entire continent, even the smallest detail had to be perfect.

The director of the dormitory was Aiselin Eleanor Duplain.

That workaholic, who held no fewer than twenty-seven different positions within the Ravenclaw Academy, carried out this enormous responsibility without batting an eye, as if it were merely a side job.

“……”

During this week, all future instructors would enter the academy, and after next week’s opening ceremony, the students would officially begin their training.

Each of them was the child of a territorial noble, a central bureaucrat, or some powerful family.

Eight out of ten were nobles, and the rest were descendants of illustrious figures of the continent.

It was not one or two people, but nearly one hundred and fifty.

Saying that more than half of those who would someday become famous names across the continent would pass through the Ravenclaw Academy was no exaggeration.

And Trisha was to become the leader of one of the five dormitory wings that would function as the central core of that educational institution.

Suddenly, she felt an upset stomach and pressed her temples hard while leaning against a window.

‘I-I am the most refined lady of the great Renuel family, but… even so, I never imagined they would entrust me with a responsibility of this level…’

When leading the construction of the dormitory, Aiselin Eleanor Duplain had established three shared principles as the central axis of ladies’ education noble responsibility, individuality in harmony, and growth with dignity.

Under those three principles, the young ladies could enter the dormitory of their choice according to their personalities and develop their social activities there.

At that point, it was obvious that the Ravenclaw Academy would become the social center of the south and west of the continent.

Just as in Elvester County in the east, it would function as a true gateway to the social world of noble ladies.

Moreover, it was an institution officially recognized by the imperial family under the leadership of Princess Roselin.

Once fully established, Baron Dereck Lydorf Ravenclaw would become the great reference figure of the social world of the southwest.

That large-scale image was, somehow, unsettling.

‘I wonder how the others are handling it… I should take a look now that I can.’

Although there was still some time, it seemed that the representatives of each wing were already organizing the interiors of their respective dormitories.

Diella, Ellen, Denise, Siern—each was a renowned figure.

Trisha wanted to observe a bit how they planned to fulfill their roles as dormitory leaders.

That was why Denise had arrived so early at Amaryllis House.

Thus, Trisha took a deep breath, composed herself, and walked through the corridors again.

She planned to diligently visit the other wings to find out what guidelines they were establishing amid such a chaotic situation.

“We need to impose discipline and accept only those who can stand firm above others. In the Camellia wing, which I will lead, I don’t need people who get dragged along by others or who doubt themselves. I don’t really care whether their magical level is high or low. But those who are always concerned about others and shrink back have no right to set foot in my dormitory.”

Diella was in a corner of the Camellia wing, with an easel set up, painting.

Although her appearance resembled that of a small cat, beneath that layer hid something much closer to a wild beast.

Among those who knew her, she was called the lioness, and true to that nickname, she seemed to have no intention whatsoever of accepting students of weak character.

“I-I understand…”

“At least that’s what I believe Sir Dereck expects of me. I don’t have any other intentions either. I will simply move forward alongside those I consider excellent.”

“Our dormitory…? Let’s see. I don’t know what plans you have, Miss Trisha, but I will prioritize leadership and dignity. After all, to grow into someone capable of properly guiding everyone in noble society, one needs the ability to move and coordinate many people. That is why, in the Rosemary wing, we will accept those who know how to understand and guide others.”

Ellen had gone straight to Amaryllis House after finishing the affairs of the Belmierd family and seemed to be personally supervising the interior decoration of the Rosemary wing.

Since it was a task entrusted directly by Dereck, she had decided to handle it with complete seriousness.

Rosemary motifs, as red as her hair, were engraved everywhere in the wing, perfectly matching the large portrait of her hanging in the center of the hall.

“O-of course… that’s very much like you, Miss Ellen.”

“You are very kind. We will soon be busier, so I hope you can manage your affairs smoothly as well, Miss Trisha. And if there is anything I can help you with, please don’t hesitate to tell me.”

“The Iris wing will probably choose people with practical wisdom, useful skills, and the ability to improvise, in addition to specialized knowledge. No matter how noble they are, not everyone will prioritize only dignity and decorum. And well… those with an inclination toward writing will also be welcome, I suppose…”

The Iris wing that Denise was organizing looked almost like a library on the inside.

A soft bluish light gently filled the entire space, while a calm atmosphere spread throughout the area.

In the center of the hall was a large circular table, perfect for young noble ladies to drink tea and freely discuss academic matters.

Although Denise often spent her free time reading third-rate romance novels whenever she had a moment, the truth was that she was an intelligent person with extensive knowledge.

Therefore, rather than prioritizing “noble dignity,” she seemed determined to focus more on the learning and academic formation of the young ladies who would enter the Iris wing.

In the basement, she even appeared to be planning to build a separate secret library, as workers kept coming in nonstop, carrying books of all kinds and from multiple fields of knowledge.

“I-it’s impressive. Where did you get so many books?”

“I made a separate contract with a bookstore on the Rodfell side. If they are requested with dormitory funds, Sir Dereck will grant permission without any problems.”

“I-I see. Th-this was… very helpful. Thank you.”

“Guidelines…? I don’t have any in particular. I don’t intend to accept mages below 3 stars.”

“…Eh?”

On the other hand, the Lavender wing, which Siern was to lead, barely had any decoration to speak of.

Hardly anything had changed since the wing was assigned to her, and Siern herself simply stayed in her private room, calmly combing her hair.

“As Sir Dereck asked me to, I’ll devote some time to this, but I have no intention of doing anything grand as a dormitory representative. I don’t have that kind of leadership.”

“3 stars…? Reaching that level before even the coming-of-age ceremony is something that… almost no one achieves.”

“Didn’t you say that only children of noble families and influential lineages, selected over and over again, would come here? If there are one hundred and fifty people, it wouldn’t be strange if among them there were a couple who brush against 3 stars. Besides, if there are more than five, I won’t be able to handle them.”

With an indifferent gaze, Siern shook her pretty dress with a couple of flicks and continued.

“I came to learn magic from Sir Dereck, not to go around taking care of others. Even so, if they want to stay under my wing, they should at least be able to manage on their own.”

A small and select group.

The Lavender wing that Siern would lead had all the makings of becoming an elite group in which, even adding up all the classes, perhaps only two or three people at most would be admitted.

To catch Siern’s attention, mediocre talent would not even be enough to present oneself.

Without a doubt, it would be a dormitory that would inspire admiration in everyone.

“……”

Back in the Sepia wing, which she herself would manage, Trisha sat down at the common table, pressing her head.

‘They all have clear criteria, firm guidelines, and on top of that they know how to handle things with ease…!’

She felt her head spinning.

The dormitory director, Aiselin.

And beneath her, Dereck’s direct disciples Diella, Ellen, Denise, and Siern.

Each wing they led had a clearly defined personality and a distinct atmosphere.

Now she understood what Dereck had intended by structuring the dormitories that way.

Without a doubt, it was an intelligent decision.

But the problem still remained.

‘And what about me… what am I supposed to do? What guideline am I supposed to establish…?’

At heart, Trisha was nothing more than a vain young noble who had joined, dazzled solely by the authority of being a direct disciple of the Ravenclaw faction.

And even that had only been possible because Countess Rodelia had never stopped pressuring her, forcibly pushing her into that position.

With great effort, she had managed to climb onto the last wagon and take the position of the youngest disciple, but her magical achievement was mediocre, and her family’s authority also lagged behind.

Simply put, she had nothing going for her.

She had lived her entire life believing herself to be an exceptional bird among hens, but if she looked reality straight in the face, it was exactly the opposite—a hen lost among cranes.

She was surrounded by people whose gaze she could not even meet on equal footing.

‘I-I have to find something. Something that only I can offer, something that distinguishes me from the other direct disciples of the Ravenclaw faction… If I don’t… no one will want to come to the Sepia wing…’

Pressing her lower lip hard, Trisha fell into deep thought.

But no matter how much she turned it over in her mind, she could not come up with a policy of her own or a clear direction for managing her wing.

It was only natural—she had never led a group of people before.

‘………………’

After nearly thirty minutes of absolute silence, Trisha stood up, drenched in cold sweat.

The Ravenclaw faction, filled only with people who seemed to live above the clouds.

Amaryllis House, governed by them.

To survive there, there was only one option.

***

“……A dormitory for underperforming students, you say?”

Leaning against the work desk in the director’s office, Dereck had been reading several documents related to the territory of Tigris when he raised his gaze, eyes narrowed.

Trisha nodded while sweating profusely.

That was the clever idea she had arrived at after much agonizing.

“A-after touring the dormitories of the other young ladies, I saw that they were all excellent and magnificent. B-but… if they all have such firm criteria, don’t you think there will also be people who don’t fit the conditions of any dormitory…?”

“That may be true, but I was planning to adjust things anyway and assign them appropriately…”

“No need! I, Trisha, the most noble and lofty lady of House Renuel, will take them all in with a compassionate heart!”

“……”

After a brief silence, Dereck set aside the reports from Elvester County, crossed his arms, and spoke.

“Miss Trisha.”

“Y-yes?”

“Isn’t it that, intimidated by the momentum of the others, you are proclaiming yourself in charge of a dormitory for underperformers without thinking it through too carefully?”

More than a sharp observation, it felt like a knife piercing her chest.

At Dereck’s pointed remark, Trisha let out a small hiccup, but after taking a couple of deep breaths, she straightened her chest again and replied.

“What do you take me for!? Do you see me as someone who would give up just because she was outshone in presence and raise the white flag without a fight?”

“……”

“Deny it.”

“Ah… no.”

“I wasn’t expecting you to beg like that…”

Suppressing the hollow feeling flooding her, Trisha spoke with moist eyes.

“I am, by nature, compassionate and understanding. I simply want to take in the underperforming students who cannot belong to any other dormitory. Truly!”

“If you gather all the underperformers into a single dormitory, they will be at a clear disadvantage in exchange events or joint activities.”

“I understand that perfectly. Do not underestimate the vastness of my heart. The shared spirit of Amaryllis House… noble dignity… this mercy that embraces everyone is precisely the identity of our Sepia wing. What do you think? It doesn’t sound bad, does it? Ufufu… fufufufu…”

Dereck watched Trisha in silence for a moment.

Although she maintained a proud posture, the cold sweat streaming down her face was pitiable.

Trisha’s final strategy was, in essence if she was going to get beaten anyway, she might as well offer her backside first.

If she was certified from the outset as a “dormitory for underperformers” and lay down without resistance, no one could stone her afterward.

‘Is it really right to concentrate all the underperformers into a single dormitory?’

As he asked himself that question, Dereck fell into brief contemplation.

It was not a matter that could be decided lightly.

As he held his chin and thought, Trisha loosened the tension in her shoulders and spoke again.

“…The Ravenclaw Academy will take in countless talented and dazzling people from all kinds of noble families. Gathered together, they will look like a night sky full of stars.”

Her voice sounded more relaxed, even serious.

“When so many people gather, there will inevitably also be those who do not shine as brightly, those who are not extraordinary… people closer to uncut stones. Baron Ravenclaw is a genius who rose to this position through his own efforts from the slums, but precisely because of that, there are realms he cannot understand.”

“……”

“I can understand them. The talents the Ravenclaw Academy needs are not only those extraordinary ones who shine like stars.”

Although they were words spoken to justify herself, even in her halting speech the core was clear.

Creeeek.

Before entering Dereck’s office, Trisha recalled the main hall she had glanced at for a moment when leaving the Sepia wing.

The large portrait of herself hanging at the center was undoubtedly beautiful, but compared to the portraits of the young noble ladies of the other dormitories, it lacked splendor and inherent authority.

And yet, the confidence radiating from her face was overflowing, regardless of what her interior concealed.

“I know better than anyone how an ordinary person survives when surrounded by geniuses. That is a realm neither a natural prodigy like Baron Ravenclaw nor a lofty lady like Miss Aiselin can reach.”

“……”

“Mediocre people also have their own way of living.”

Having said that, Trisha bowed her head deeply for a moment, as if she had finished a confession revealing her most vulnerable point.

Dereck, who had been listening with his arms crossed, nodded in silence.

“Without a doubt, you are right.”

“R-really?”

“I must apologize. I believe I judged Miss Trisha too lightly.”

Receiving an apology from Dereck was not something common.

When Trisha shuddered and put on a stunned expression, he continued without preamble, with unexpected seriousness.

“I thought that, after visiting the dormitories of the other young ladies, you had lost confidence and decided to accept only the underperformers with a ‘what does it matter’ attitude, then sought a convenient justification afterward. I apologize.”

“……”

“…Why aren’t you responding?”

Trisha, still pale, averted her gaze while gripping the edge of her dress tightly; her hands trembled, soaked in cold sweat.

She was the very image of someone who had been struck right in a sensitive spot.

Dereck brought a hand to his forehead and leaned his head back.

In any case, once the opening ceremony was held next week, the structure of the dormitories would begin to take shape.

How exactly it would turn out could only be known when the time came.