There Are No Bad Young Ladies in the World

Duplain (1)

It was quite common for a noble lady to step into the Ebelstein mansion for a social circle preview.

And to assist a noble lady who had been separately gifted an estate, at least 40 servants were said to be necessary.

The head maid, the butler, three housemaids, three cooks, four kitchen maids for cooking assistance, three scullery maids, five personal maids, a housekeeper to manage the personal maids, footmen and pages, coachmen, gardeners, and so on…

Moreover, a high-ranking retainer must be attached, and if one is preparing for a social debut, tutors from various fields are required, often numbering up to a dozen.

Especially, a teacher in the field of magic, considered both a privilege and a quality of nobility, was regarded as the most precious resource. There were hardly any advanced magicians deeply versed in magic, and even if there were, they were more likely to take up important positions rather than become a lady’s home tutor.

The fact that Elvester, the most famous war hero of the eastern provinces, personally took Katia under his wing had such a background.

An individual with a deep understanding of noble culture, outstanding magical skills, and the charisma to teach others was more precious than gold. It was no surprise that all the prestigious families were clamoring to secure such a talent.

The story of Count Delerus, the victor of the north, who personally rode a carriage to the capital to fetch a three-star tutor, had become famous. It was said to be urgent for fear of another noble snatching the tutor away, but it was unbecoming frivolity for his position.

In the end, parents were ready to sell their liver and gallbladder, so to speak, to attach a good teacher to their child.

The nobles who sat on thrones and manipulated the world were no different.

With retainers, servants, tutors, and even knights for escort… In the end, for one noble lady, it was as if a small army or an entire guild was moving.

It felt like the whole world was moving for one petite girl who wasn’t even an adult yet.

Such was the stature of a lady from a renowned noble family.

…Derrick lived in a completely different world, so it was only natural that there should be no point of contact between them.

*

“After a while, we’ve snagged a proper one. It’s a request from the very Duplain ducal family.”

Jayden was the owner of ‘Beldern’s Tears,’ a tavern located at the very end of the pub street, and the captain of the Beldern Mercenary Band.

“So don’t grumble about being called out suddenly without notice the day before, Derrick. You know well that I usually do things with proper procedure.”

“The Duchy of Duplain, you say? It’s hard to believe… What could such a place lack that they would entrust us with their affairs?”

“Hard to believe as it may be, it’s true. For the Veldern Mercenary Band, such an opportunity is rare indeed.”

To the common folk of Ebelstain, the image of a mercenary band is one of two things.

One is a legitimate military group that stations in a specific region, undertaking commissions for a territory or a nation.

They are usually formed around retired generals and seldom venture out from their garrisons, making them a rare sight.

The other is a local group that operates around places like the tavern streets of Ebelstain, taking on various commissions.

There are limits to what a lone mercenary can do. The skilled ones band together to take on more challenging and demanding commissions.

The former have a strong sense of camaraderie among themselves, but the latter, not as much as one might think. They feel more like business partners, in fact.

Jayden was a middle-aged man who founded such a Veldern Mercenary Band. His words were grand, but the scale was not so impressive.

Yet, he was a figure of great ambition, aspiring to develop it into a remarkable mercenary band someday.

Derek wasn’t deeply involved with the Veldern Mercenary Band, but he did occasionally take on commissions with them.

“If I miss such a golden opportunity, even if the gods forgive me, I, Jayden, will not forgive myself!”

Jayden himself was once a robust warrior who had participated in many wars.

But now, time has passed, and he has become a man with a notable stubble, meddling in the tavern business as its owner.

Decent mercenaries tend to gather in decent taverns, so it was a necessary part of his role.

“You know how nobles are with their spending. They generously throw gold for even the most trivial tasks, and once they recognize good talent, they become premium clients who keep coming back.”

“So, what’s the commission about?”

Derek, sitting in front of the tavern table with his robe trailing, asked with a nonchalant expression.

“As I said, it’s nothing grand. Just a simple task of subduing a few monsters on the outskirts of the ducal territory.”

“How formidable are these monsters…”

“From what I’ve heard, it seems to be a few short-statured Ains. The most dangerous foes might be trolls, at worst.”

“Is that all?”

“Yes. In fact, just sending you or Pheline would suffice to handle it, but given the situation, I must go myself. I can’t sit idly by when the future of our Veldern Mercenary Band is at stake!”

Behind the tavern table hung the large greatsword Jayden used in his active days.

Now, he may act as the mercenary band leader and tavern owner, but in his prime, Jayden was a man even the renowned warriors would acknowledge.

Derek had to admit that much.

Jayden had the skills to claim the title of a mercenary band leader. He was a bit money-minded, somewhat optimistic, and a little blinded by ambition.

“…The Duchy of Duplain.”

Ebelstain is a city located at the southern tip of the massive Belcos Peninsula, which juts out from the western part of the continent.

And the northern half of that Belcos Peninsula is entirely the territory of the Duchy of Duplain. Considering the scale, it certainly seems to be an extraordinary client.

So, it rather left me feeling uneasy. The Duplain Duchy’s private army is excellent, so there was no need to reach out to a local mercenary group in a tavern district like this.

Even dealing with simple Ains, if things really got twisted and dangerous, it would be just about handling trolls. It could be resolved by the standing army within the Duplain Duke’s domain. Yet, here we are, feeding and housing knights who aren’t even needed for such tasks.

“Something seems fishy here.”

“Derrick. We’re mercenaries.”

Jayden, who was wiping cups, said with a suppressed laugh.

“We just take on commissions and get paid. There’s no point in digging into whatever circumstances lie behind it until they come to light.”

“Not wrong, but… if the captain himself is going out, then there’s no need for me, right?”

Derrick was a valuable asset.

He knew at least the basics of swordsmanship and had a grasp of magic.

In a tavern street filled with commoners, being able to cast even a one-star spell was a talent coveted by all mercenary bands. Because they are talents who can adjust to the battlefield environment and cope with all sorts of variables encountered during exploration.

However, even so, as a mercenary, he couldn’t be more valuable than Jayden, a veteran of countless battles.

Jayden alone could handle the Ains and trolls. In short, there was no reason for Derrick to step in for this commission.

But Jayden shook his head.

“There’s a reason they called you in such a hurry the day before. I don’t know why, but a vassal from the duke’s domain insisted on bringing a mage.”

“A mage, really? Why not just quickly exterminate the monsters?”

“I asked for the reason too, but they just kept repeating that we must bring a mage, in case something happens.”

Jayden sighed deeply as he lamented.

“The more I hear, the more unsettling the commission seems…”

“Well, worrying too much won’t do any good. Let’s look on the bright side. Here, take a look at this.”

Jayden placed a gold coin on the table.

Derrick’s reaction came first with a gasp.

“It’s an Aidel gold coin. They threw it over without any price negotiation. Crazy, right? Makes the times we went around taking odd jobs for a few silver coins seem pointless.”

“Indeed, the nobles are generous. To lavish a whole gold coin for a commission to hunt down a few monsters.”

“Want to hear something even more surprising? This isn’t the commission fee; it’s just the advance.”

Derrick had no choice but to change his attitude.

*

As the afternoon approached, the clients who had promised to come sat down in the tavern.

There aren’t many people who drink from the middle of the day, so the tavern was quiet.

Derrick, sitting at the long bar table, casually observed the clients’ appearances, and it was clear from their good skin and fine clothes that they were from outside this tavern district.

Three people entered the tavern. Among them, an old man at the front seemed to be leading the group.

At first glance, his countenance bore the unmistakable signs of weariness, from the half-bald head to the sharpness in his eyes, and the deeply etched wrinkles that seemed to reveal his character.

Behind him stood a woman, her hair peppered with white, suggesting her advanced age. Another figure was cloaked in a robe, their face obscured.

As soon as they settled in, Jayden personally went out to serve them fruit drinks.

“Ah, you’ve arrived earlier than expected. I’ve been waiting for you.”

The elder leading the group glanced at the fruit drink Jayden offered, then pushed it aside without a sip, his demeanor lacking any pretense of politeness.

“Are you Jayden, the prosecutor who made significant contributions to the Dawn War?”

“Yes, that’s correct. I’ve since retired from military service and, as you see, now run a small business.”

“If that’s the case, I trust your abilities are reliable.”

At the elder’s cue, the aged woman and the robed figure approached and took their seats at the round table.

Derek, sitting at the bar, perked up his ears and took a sip of cold water to quench his thirst.

“I am the direct emissary of Steward, the chief secretary of the great Duchy of Duplain. You may call me Melvin.”

The chief secretary, a high-ranking official among the duke’s retainers. His direct subordinate would be someone quite trusted among the retainers.

Jayden greeted them with a sly smile.

“And this is my maid, who accompanies me as my aide, and the one in the robe is an apprentice prosecutor. Both are affiliated with the duchy.”

Derek pretended to drink his cold water while observing the two figures.

Both were cloaked in robes bearing the duchy’s emblem, but the maid’s features were distinct under her hood.

The seasoned maid exuded a mature elegance, her neat appearance complemented by a glimpse of her well-arranged maid’s attire beneath the robe.

In contrast, the figure in the hood was indistinct, though their silhouette suggested a rather small stature.

“If you’re a prosecutor… then you report directly to His Grace the Duke. I must make a good impression. Heh.”

“No need to be too formal; after all, I’m still an apprentice. Anyway, I believe we were to bring a magician…”

“Ah, of course. I’ve brought along the most skilled magician I know. Derek! Come and introduce yourself!”

As Derek rose from the bar and moved towards them, he felt all eyes converge on him.

With a sheepish air, he stepped forward, pulling back his auburn robe’s hood to reveal his face.

“My name is Derek.”

His neatly groomed white hair framed striking red eyes. His gear, made of leather and iron, was well-oiled and maintained.

Beneath the robe, Derek’s equipment was not luxurious but practical.

Over his freshly laundered white tunic, he wore a clean leather armor; a dagger hung on one side of his quality belt, and on the other, a serviceable longsword rested in its sheath.

Along with a leather pouch—a wanderer mercenary’s essential—his gloves and boots were spotless, indicating diligent upkeep.

First impressions are often telling among the rabble. Derek, to anyone’s eye, was a seasoned figure.

However, he was not without his flaws.

“…Isn’t he too young?”

The envoy, who introduced himself as Melvin, frowned as he looked at Jayden.

“We wanted a skilled magician. Are we to be accompanied by this child, who clearly hasn’t even undergone the coming-of-age ceremony, as a magician?”

Speaking so nonchalantly in front of the person concerned was typical of the nobility’s workforce.

Though they were of commoner origin themselves, working among the noble bloodlines made them feel elevated.

Melvin scowled deeply at Jayden and protested.

“I was told you were a steadfast character, but how can I trust this kind of workmanship… tsk…”

“Ah, it’s problematic to judge by appearances alone. And in a place like this tavern, magicians are rarer than beans in a drought; there are parts you must understand.”

“A common-born magician is bound to have a certain level, but if he’s this young, he’ll probably know only one or two first-grade spells. Do you think we came to this remote tavern because we needed a magician of that level?”

Melvin said so and glared at Derek once more.

Derek, with nothing more to say, shrugged his arms with an indifferent expression.

If they didn’t like it, he had no particular desire to work either.

Perhaps it was Derek’s relaxed response that irked him more, but Melvin clicked his tongue and said,

“If this is how it’s going to be, we might as well return…”

“Mr. Envoy.”

Just as Melvin was about to raise his voice, a maid seated at the round table called out to him.

After exchanging some words with a figure in a robe, the maid approached Melvin and whispered something to him.

Hearing this, Melvin sighed deeply, then glared at Derek again and asked,

“How old are you this year?”

“Sixteen.”

“And how well can you use magic?”

“I can handle a bit of first-grade magic.”

“Ha, that’s impressive for your age. Consider yourself lucky.”

With that, Melvin sighed deeply again and then said to Jayden,

“Well, given the circumstances, there’s nothing we can do. Let’s depart as we are.”

‘He’s doing everything himself, beating the drum and playing the gong.’

Derek nodded to the envoy, who was visibly angry, with an indifferent expression.

Jayden, wearing a satisfied smile, patted Derek’s shoulder. It seemed that the clients wouldn’t have set off without a magician.

In any case, from Jayden’s perspective, Derek’s presence had landed him a big deal.

“You’ve heard already, but I am Melvin. As I said, I’m the envoy.”

“I am Delia. A scullery maid at the Duchy of Duplain, handling various minor tasks.”

The envoy is a direct subordinate of the highest-ranking secretary in the household.

A scullery maid is among the lowest-ranking servants in a noble’s estate, primarily assisting in cooking or managing the dishware.

It was the moment I shook hands with the last person, a mysterious figure cloaked in a robe.

Their hand was unexpectedly slender and soft, and upon closer inspection beneath the robe’s hood, it was a woman.

“As Mr. Melvin introduced, I am an apprentice inspector. I am a retainer tasked with ensuring tasks are well managed and reported.”

Her skin was not just pale, but ghostly white. A glimpse of her hair revealed ebony black strands, contrasting with her clear, bright eyes.

Even under the shadow of the dark robe, those two eyes seemed to shine brilliantly, and within her graceful smile, there lingered an air of nobility.

Every slight movement carried a dignity that unmistakably flowed from high birth.

“I apologize for not removing my robe to greet you properly. My skin is sensitive to sunlight.”

“That’s alright.”

Derek shook hands appropriately and then distanced himself, bowing his head once more.

It seemed the situation had resolved well, as Jayden wore a satisfied smile and said,

“I’ve arranged for a coachman at the stables ahead. Since the negotiations seem to be over, let’s finish up the work quickly. It’s not a task so difficult that we need to make such a fuss.”

*

“Though they may lack some manners, all nobles are like that, so don’t take it to heart. They do pay well, after all.”

Worried that Derek might be upset due to the altercation at the tavern, Jayden whispered to him as they headed towards the stables.

“Well, I’m not too bothered by it.”

Derek replied nonchalantly and looked ahead.

The trio of the ducal retainers walked towards the stables in the distance.

Trailing slightly behind, Derek rested his chin in his hand, lost in thought.

“Well, they may not give the best first impression, but they do look like they have some money. What do you think, Derek?”

“It seems like all three are lying.”

“Really?”

Though Derek came from the slums, he had learned about noble culture in general from his mentor, Katia. She often recited stories of the nobility to pass the time, whether before sleep or while strolling through the streets.

And Derek, who hailed from the bottom rungs of society, had a habit of closely observing anyone he met.

“I’ve heard that noble envoys are often young, vibrant men because they have to travel far. They’re usually sociable since they often speak on behalf of the duchy. From that perspective, that old man doesn’t seem quite right for an envoy.”

“Is that so?”

“That woman who introduced herself as a scullery maid is also strange. She’s dressed as a maid, and her demeanor is certainly that of a servant… But when we shook hands, her hands were smooth, without any sign of eczema, and her nails were well-kept. It seems she’s past the stage of doing menial work.”

In short, both seemed to have understated their true status.

Both vassals and servants, each person’s rank and status are worlds apart. At the pinnacle of the Duplain Duke’s household, even the commoners can’t dare to look upon the authority vested in his vassals and servants.

“From that perspective, if we consider this apprentice inspector donning the robe…”

“Derrick.”

Just as Derrick was about to say more, Jayden cut him off with a laugh.

His expression seemed to know exactly what Derrick was about to say.

“…”

“Didn’t I tell you? We don’t need to dig too deep. Being too perceptive isn’t always good.”

Mercenaries do their work and get paid. That’s all that matters.

Many have suffered the consequences of unnecessarily delving deep into the affairs of the high and mighty.

These were words Jayden often repeated like a mantra.

Derrick agreed with them, so after a deep sigh, he looked down as if to say it didn’t matter.

Jayden was right.

On these streets, wild as the wilderness itself, the most important goal is simply to survive.

Everything else, well, it doesn’t matter.