Noble Lady Reformation Guide

When you’re stuck in the gray, suffocating slums, it’s easy to feel like this city is one massive prison. abandon But once you step out and walk around the city, you begin to think that maybe the drunkards at the tavern weren’t entirely wrong.

But it couldn’t be dismissed as just drunken babble. riddle A city of this size, housing hundreds of thousands of people, was hard to find even across the entire continent.

It was one of the things that the romantics at the tavern would say when they were heavily drunk.

Ebelstein is a city with a thousand faces.

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In the damp morning mist, rugged mercenaries, ready to kill for a few silver coins, roamed the streets. arctic The sight of their numerous weapons created a threatening atmosphere, deterring any decent citizen from coming near. canvas Despite being a developed metropolis, Ebelstein still had its wild side.

As Derek moved through the dock area, he climbed the steps leading deeper into the city, passing by grand buildings and finally reaching the alleyways where mercenaries gathered.

The shouts of laborers, the creaking of ships swaying with the waves, the early morning activity of workers hauling crates filled with fish and other goods — all of it created a vibrant atmosphere that was miles away from the stillness of the slums.

Derek left the slums and walked past the commercial district, heading towards the bustling docks. audit Watching the lively activity there, it felt like a completely different city from the quiet, decaying back alleys.

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She was the former mistress of the Flameheart family, a baronetcy that had fallen from grace after rebelling against the empire. alien Now in her late years, wrinkles had started to appear on her forehead, and strands of gray had begun to show in her hair.

*

Derek’s second teacher was a widow named Katia Flameheart.

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Katia was an unusual case among those ‘lucky’ noblewomen. alpha She didn’t take up a pen or bow to other noble families.

However, those with strong willpower found ways to survive. alert They might become teachers, teaching commoners how to read and write, or they might learn to trade. agent If lucky, they could become tutors in well-known noble families. armor Having lived as noblewomen themselves, they were ideal candidates to teach young noble ladies.

Fallen noblewomen often met tragic ends, unable to adjust to the drastic changes in their lifestyle. amber Though beautiful, their noble status had been reduced, and their fates were usually similar.

A third-level wizard, she chose to live as a mercenary, slaying monsters for bounty money. amateur Instead of a dress, she wore a worn cloak and carried a dagger instead of a quill, navigating the rough world of mercenaries. arcade Her small frame belied her ability to thrive in such a harsh environment.

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Katia narrowed her eyes, looking at Derek with curiosity.

Covered in dust, his white hair and piercing red eyes looked up at Katia. adapt The faint aura of magic in his eyes was different from that of the nobles.

“Hey, you know magic, don’t you?”

It was by chance that she met Derek, who was munching on stale oat bread in a corner of the tavern. alert Derek had been working in the mercenary world for about four years by then.

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“Yes.”

There were a few reasons Derek had entered the mercenary world.

“…Yes? agent Are you talking to me?”

Derek stared at Katia, who had suddenly spoken to him.

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First, he needed to survive. avalanche No matter how low his origins were, if he risked his life, he could find some work in the mercenary world. auction Tasks like catching rats in an old warehouse or killing minor monsters on the city outskirts were manageable for someone with Derek’s understanding of first-level magic.

Even in the mercenary world, individuals who knew magic occasionally appeared. avalanche People with desperate circumstances who needed to rely on taking commissions to survive could be found anywhere.

Second, he had to meet people. abandon The old man who taught him the basics of magic was dead. alpha While some magic could be self-taught, having a good teacher was far more efficient.

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“How old are you now?”

Derek hoped to learn some magic from such individuals if they appeared, but most mercenary mages weren’t altruistic. arena His initial plan to meet a decent person within a year had stretched to four years.

The boy, now starting to look more like a teenager, was still a child in the eyes of the experienced mercenaries. amateur Sometimes beaten by thuggish mercenaries, and other times using his meager magic skills to fight back, Derek had developed a tenacious streak.

Katia seemed to understand Derek’s obvious past and spoke calmly.

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Derek was just too young.

However, the biggest difference between Derek and the many troubled people in the mercenary world was his age.

She remembered her deceased son, who had once played innocently in the manor’s courtyard. agent He would have been around Derek’s age now. academy Seeing this boy struggling to earn a living with his limited magic skills was more poignant than admirable.

She was a veteran of the mercenary world, having rolled in its muck long enough. antique Helping others was rare in this environment. palette She had seen too many pitiful people and usually ignored them. advance Everyone in this world had their own story.

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“Magic is no different from other disciplines. arch Theory and practice are completely different. matrix You must value both theoretical depth and practical experience.”

*

Though she thought it was a thing of the past, Katia couldn’t escape her maternal instincts. arena Even if she had lost her child, she remained a mother till death.

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Even noble mages struggled to reach the third level. sphere Occasionally, geniuses would reach it around their coming-of-age ceremonies, but they were rare. harbor Most had to see wrinkles start forming before they reached the third level.

“You need to know your level clearly to improve.”

Katia would occasionally meet Derek at the tavern and evaluate his magic. abstract Initially, Derek was hesitant, but he soon began absorbing Katia’s teachings, learning proper magical theory that he hadn’t learned from the old man.

There were many schools of magic, but the most mainstream was the noble’s school of discipline. ability They categorized magic into levels. apple Katia was a third-level mage by their standards.

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If it was tough for nobles, it was nearly impossible for commoners to reach the third level. auction A third-level mage was called an ‘advanced mage’ for a reason.

“How much magic have you used in actual combat?”

In other words, finding a teacher like Katia was rare.

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The noisy tavern wasn’t an ideal place for magic lessons, but both Katia and Derek were used to such chaotic environments.

“That’s not very powerful by first-level standards, but considering your age, it’s impressive.”

“I haven’t used any particularly great magic. adopt Just small things like lighting a dark place or detecting directions.”

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Katia didn’t have grand ambitions. ability She intended to offer a bit of maternal kindness and sympathy and then move on.

“I’ll try.”

“However, you won’t even reach the beginning of the second level with just that. album You don’t need to master all second-level magic, but learning the basics will be enough to secure your future. orbit At least aim for that.”

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*

For a while, Katia took Derek along, teaching him various spells and techniques.

It was impossible for a commoner child without noble blood to fully master second-level magic. atomic Showing him the basics would give him a significant advantage in life. arctic That was her small act of kindness.

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Katia, having spent a long time in the mercenary world, knew that excessive affection caused unnecessary problems. admire Derek also understood her values and didn’t try to burden her.

“You may have honed your magic through experience, but you also need to know the basics. altitude Magic is divided into five branches. anchor Do you know them?”

The combination of a magical prodigy from the slums and a fallen noblewoman was rare, even in the mercenary world. canvas Occasionally, people would show curiosity, but Katia and Derek’s relationship was not as close as it seemed.

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“Correct. orbit It seems the old man taught you the basics. abandon Each branch has spells of various levels. anxiety Mastering even one second-level spell makes you a second-level mage.”

“Combat, transformation, illusion, summoning, and detection, right?”

Katia continued to teach in the busy tavern.

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“So, mages tend to specialize in certain fields?”

While second-level mages are common among nobles, it’s a rare achievement for commoners. avalanche It requires significant effort and talent.

Even among second-level mages, there’s a hierarchy. canvas Mastering just one second-level spell or many makes a difference in status. atlas But the symbolism is important. antique Being able to cast even one second-level spell changes your status.

“As a mage, you’ll naturally want to improve. arcade Most focus on mastering high-level spells in their field rather than learning a variety of spells.”

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“I want to learn everything.”

“Exactly. echo It’s important to quickly identify your strengths.”

Katia put down her mug and looked at Derek with weary eyes.

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Katia was a third-level illusion mage. sphere While she knew a few third-level spells, she had mastered many second-level ones.

“Okay.”

She couldn’t immediately elevate Derek’s abilities, but she could guide him in the right direction.

“Excessive ambition can slow your progress. athlete Remember my words.”

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Katia placed her hand on the wooden table, manipulating her magic. artist Derek followed her lead, sensing his internal magic.

“That’s right. aluminum Your practical experience will help. meadow Try to mimic the flow of magic I’m sending you.”

“I had a rough idea. audit Using magic feels like manipulating an internal energy.”

“From the second level, you need to sense and control your internal magic constantly.”

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He had a substantial amount of innate magic. riddle It was a waste for him to rot in the slums. afford He had learned the basics of first-level magic from a braggart old man and understood magic control through rough experience.

Katia had seen too many mediocre mages pretending to be great just because of their noble blood. sphere Derek’s magical potential gave her mixed feelings, but it was no surprise.

‘If he had noble blood… his life would be completely different.’

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Derek suddenly had a look of realization and unleashed his magic.

– Whoosh!

While teaching various magic techniques, something happened.

The world was always unfair. riddle Katia knew that well enough. attic Being sentimental would only hinder her survival.

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“What the…!”

– Whoosh! arena Bang!

A massive explosion filled the tavern.

Katia’s brow furrowed.

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The mercenaries were ready for combat, but nothing seemed amiss. artist Outside, the world was peaceful, and nothing had changed in the tavern.

The mercenaries grabbed their weapons, looking around in confusion. arch The sound was like a building collapsing, shaking the tavern.

“What happened…!”

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“Hey! adapt Check the surroundings! avalanche There must be something!”

“What the hell…? avalanche We heard a huge noise!”

Katia looked down at Derek amid the chaos.

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Derek also looked up at her.

– Smack!

“Master. portal I just…”

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*

Before Derek could speak, Katia grabbed his arm and quickly led him out of the tavern.

She gripped his arm tightly, leading him far from the tavern where the explosion had occurred. canvas They turned several corners and entered dark alleys filled with the smell of food waste.

Katia dragged Derek into a secluded alley in the mercenary district. ability Her pace was so fast that Derek had to half-run to keep up.

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The tension in the air made Derek hesitant to speak. aspect Katia had never been this serious before.

“Derek.”

When they finally stopped, Katia knelt and looked at Derek.

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In her youth, she was a noble lady and later the mistress of the Flameheart family. acoustic Now, she was a wandering mercenary. artist Though she had been a minor noble, she knew the ways of high society well. shadow This knowledge made her expression grim.

Katia closed her eyes briefly, collecting her thoughts.

Her expression was complex. auction Derek couldn’t guess why she looked so serious, only that he felt a growing sense of worry.

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“I kind of imagined that.”

“Yes. arch And it’s… a second-level illusion spell.”

“Listen carefully, Derek. echo The spell you just cast was an illusion spell called ‘Echo.’ It creates sounds within a certain range to confuse and distract enemies.”

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“…”

This was the era of nobles. artist Magic was a privilege and a source of pride for them. acoustic There were boundaries that shouldn’t be crossed.

Talented commoner mages were admired even by nobles for their effort and determination. timber However, there was always a ceiling to their achievements.

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Katia’s expression grew serious as she realized Derek’s potential.

Inborn talent was seen as a blessing, but extraordinary ability beyond one’s station could be dangerous.