There Are No Bad Young Ladies in the World

Pine (3)

As one experiences various deaths through countless reincarnations, the weight of death itself naturally becomes lighter.

Therefore, the girl sometimes walked through the communal cemetery of the Tigris Barony and thought.

Death is just a final destination that comes equally to everyone.

All humans are beings who will one day lie in a grave and take the rest called death.

Thinking that way, her life is like a journey without a destination.

What meaning can be given to a life that is just sailing, swayed by currents without direction?

Now, the self of her first life, which has been buried in the distant past and is no longer well remembered, for what did she study necromancy?

In the end, all that remains is emptiness and meaninglessness.

A cold wind blew in the communal cemetery of the Tigris Barony.

In the wind that scattered the girl’s hair, she just thinks. The appearance of the few remaining 6-star magicians of this era.

Melverot lives to keep a promise with a departed friend.

Kohela lives with a pure desire for magic.

Drest lives reminiscing about a happy time.

However, there was nothing left for Pine.

“Futile.”

A life that just continues endlessly and repeats itself cannot be given any meaning.

Occasionally, there are extraordinary ripples, but even those are just faint tremors in the face of the massive wall of time.

It is only then that the girl realizes.

A person’s life is valuable precisely because it has an end.

*

“I am a seeker who pursues the ultimate in necromancy, ravaging both the living and the dead.”

Derek stood still, watching Pine with his staff lowered.

Behind Pine, who was perched on a large rock, an ominous aura began to emanate. Indeed, it appeared to be a conglomeration of vengeful spirits, and its energy was clearly unusual at a glance.

When Derek furrowed his brow, Pine scoffed.

“I am a master of necromancy, which everyone in this continent despises and avoids, so you are truly unlucky.”

Derek just stood there, staring at Pine. He needed to gather his thoughts on how to handle this situation.

Pine, a 6-star necromancer, was a person who rarely revealed her identity until she achieved her goal.

However, seeing her casually exude the power imbued with vengeful spirits in front of Derek, it seemed she had no intention of hiding her identity.

After organizing his staff, Derek adjusted his posture and spoke.

“…Is that true?”

“Your reaction is bland. You’re like plain water.”

Pine clicked her tongue once, and her white hair, tinged with a subtle lavender hue, fluttered as she floated to the top of the rock.

Sitting there with her legs crossed and her chin resting on her hand, she looked every bit the queen.

6-star necromancer. Pine Raffaella Tigris. Known as the Witch of Tigris.

Unlike Melverot, Drest, and Kohella, she was a completely different kind of 6-star mage, and it was not easy to predict her mood or behavior.

Capricious, emotional, vicious, and cruel.

She was closer to a demon than a human, and those who came into contact with her usually did not meet a good end.

Derek couldn’t understand her sudden revelation, but he decided to remain calm and composed.

“If what you say is true, then I have committed a great discourtesy.”

“Yes. It is indeed true. You have committed a great discourtesy to me.”

“…”

“Whenever you had the chance, you would spout third-rate philosophy, meddle, make trivial criticisms, and spread shallow insights as if they were the truths of the world. It felt like my patience was being tested.”

“I did it with Miss Pine’s best interests in mind.”

“You funny guy!”

Pine shuddered, her tiny body trembling.

Derek’s condescending attitude, which he had put all his effort into, seemed to have hit her hard as well, as she recalled the past with a horrified expression.

Then she propped her chin up again, tapping the end of her leg as she continued her story.

“Seeing him perform magic, he seems to be a decent guy, but he only picks on me. Should I be angry or not? He acts normal with the other ladies at the training center…”

“Even so, I didn’t expect him to reveal his true identity in this way.”

“Well, it’s not just because of that… I just wanted to say it since the situation turned out like this. Why is he so strict only with me?”

It was because Pine knew that Derek was a necromancer.

Of course, Derek couldn’t tell her the truth, so he made up an excuse with his quick wit.

“Miss Pine, you may not have noticed, but considering the way you handle magic, your understanding of basic magical theory, and your reaction speed during practice, it was clear that you were an extraordinary magician. I already mentioned that I noticed you were conserving your power.”

“So, you knew my true identity?”

“Not to that extent, I just thought you were someone with exceptional talent. You can’t teach ordinary people and extraordinary people in the same way. For someone with high expectations, you expect more. That’s why your education was different from the other ladies.”

His words flowed like a river.

What he said wasn’t entirely wrong. Pine was indeed a magician of a different caliber compared to the other ladies, and glimpses of her prowess might have shown even in her casual use of magic.

In any case, what Derek was saying was that she was such an excellent magician that he wanted to teach her more seriously.

Hearing this, Pine looked satisfied and swung the end of her crossed leg back and forth.

“Well. Even though you have a useless condescending attitude, you have a keen eye for people. Recognizing even a glimpse of my prowess means you have some talent.”

It seemed that Pine was naturally arrogant and proud, and she was quite weak to compliments.

Actually, Pine, who was laughing with a hum, looked very pleased, and it didn’t seem like she would harm Derek immediately.

After laughing with her nose in the air for a while, she finally spoke to Derek again with narrowed eyes.

“I have lived countless ages that you can’t even imagine, encountering all sorts of people. Among them were people you might have only heard of in history books.”

“…I see.”

“But I haven’t seen many like you. Above all, you are sincere in your magical achievements.”

“Isn’t that natural? A magician always looks upward.”

“Yes. You are not a chaff chasing empty dreams. You have quite a talent, in my opinion. However, you seem to be stuck in front of a wall.”

Pine then smiled slyly, her lavender eyes glowing with a reddish light.

At some point, the wandering spirits around her made the forest scenery eerie.

It was said that the path the witch of Tigris walked was marked by the traces of unjustly killed souls.

Derek understood that this was not just a superficial description from a game setting.

She was a terrifying witch who led unjustly killed spirits and preyed on human corpses.

Ordinary people would lose their color just by facing him, so Derek couldn’t relax either.

“I can teach you and elevate you to the rank of a 4-star mage.”

“…”

“Trying to break through the wall of 4-star alone is excessively inefficient. It’s best to explore the methodology of your unique magic utilization with someone sufficiently experienced. And in that regard, I am second to none.”

The old man from the slums who taught him 1-star magic, Katia Flameheart who taught him 2-star magic, and Drest Wolftail who taught him 3-star magic.

And now, at the 4-star level, it was a legendary necromancer whom the entire continent was desperate to behead – thinking about it, this might be quite a dangerous situation.

“That would be truly appreciated, but it’s not a favor I can easily accept.”

Derek spoke in a calm voice. Fine maintained her chin-resting posture with a “ho-oh” sound.

Even with a 6-star necromancer right in front of him, he showed no sign of trembling. Those born with a strong heart never lose their composure in any situation.

Fine liked Derek’s disposition very much, and she spoke with a smirk.

“Won’t you take me as your master?”

“Because I see no reason to. The 6-star necromancer who never reveals herself even when the royal family of Kohella searches for her personally, why would she reveal herself to me in this way and even help me reach the 4-star level? This situation only leaves me with questions.”

Derek still looked straight at Fine with cold eyes.

“Miss Fine has no reason to help me. Accepting a favor without seeing a reason usually doesn’t end well.”

“Yes. It’s good to be that cautious. Don’t worry. Teaching you magical achievements directly, even though we have no connection, is for my own sake.”

Fine didn’t erase her sly smile. She was a fascinating figure, looking both like a mischievous child and an authoritative queen.

“Of course, I have no obligation to explain that reason. But I know. You are someone who would do anything for magical achievements.”

“You know me well.”

“My eye for people is accurate. You’re a madman. You’re crazy about magic.”

Eventually, Fine’s seductive eyes shone again.

Derek’s figure was clearly engraved in those two pupils. It was as if she was trying to see through the essence of the man named Derek.

“No one crazy about magic would refuse the teachings of a 6-star mage. Even though you’re saying that, you’re estimating how much magical achievement you can extract from me. Do you think I wouldn’t know that?”

“…You’re sharp. Indeed, that insight is worthy of a 6-star mage.”

“Mm-hmm. It’s best not to underestimate me.”

When Derek admitted honestly, Fine hummed a tune and raised her chin again.

At this point, Derek realized for sure. This girl was weak to compliments.

“But, you should know this much.”

Sometimes she would smile triumphantly like a girl her age, but soon her eyes would shine again, scattering ominous energy. Whenever she spoke more seriously, the surrounding spirits would sway and stir.

“I am a villain.”

“…”

“I kill people, desecrate corpses, and knead blood and flesh. I take others’ lives and commit evil deeds to satisfy my selfishness. I desecrate the dead, disregard death, break taboos, and shatter laws without hesitation.”

Pine lived a life stained with the stench of blood.

In the process, she killed many. It wouldn’t be strange if the blood on her fingertips formed a river.

“I am the witch living in the Tigris Barony. I don’t know if the fact that you learned magic from me will be beneficial to you or not. Well, it’s none of my business.”

“I have also killed many people.”

“The number is different from mine. I am used to looking down on the world from a mountain of corpses.”

Derek sat on a rock, watching Pine with satisfied eyes.

Seeing her hair floating, drawn by the energy of vengeful spirits, it felt like he was looking at a ghost rather than a person.

What does it mean to learn magic from the witch of Tigris?

Depending on the situation, if that fact becomes public, Derek could also become an enemy of the empire.

“I’m not sure if learning necromancy is a wise choice.”

“Hahaha, I have no intention of teaching necromancy in the first place. And, let me warn you… it’s better not to touch it out of curiosity.”

This was an unexpected statement, and Derek tilted his head.

He thought that Pine, who had devoted her entire life to the study of necromancy and became a master, would naturally try to spread the greatness of that magic.

However, Pine made a complicated expression and, still swinging her legs, said,

“I don’t care about the commoners on Rodents Island who can’t even understand half of my writings. But if you, who have a deep understanding of magic, excellent learning ability, and the potential to become something great in the future… you should not touch my writings or magic.”

“May I ask why?”

“Necromancy above the 5-star level is a curse, not a blessing. Usually, it ends up devouring the user as well. Well, if you really want it, I have no reason to refuse to teach you.”

Pine said this and then smiled slyly without further explanation.

Derek looked at Pine quietly, nodded without asking more.

“I am a person with benevolent and merciful aspects. If you accept my offer, I will help you achieve your goals in every possible way, to the point where you might shed tears of gratitude.”

“…What are the conditions? Miss Pine doesn’t seem like someone who would work for free.”

“Sharp one. Well, it’s not a bad condition for you either.”

Pine chuckled and said,

“In the future, if you succeed in becoming a talent of the 6-star level… you must grant me one request without any conditions.”

“A request?”

“It won’t be a difficult task. If you’re really worried, I can formally promise. My request will not negatively affect your life, status, body, or soul in any way.”

Derek listened to Pine’s story and couldn’t help but tilt his head.

No matter how he looked at it, it was a favorable story for Derek. When receiving an offer that seemed too good to be true, Derek’s principle was to be suspicious.

However, in reality, he had no choice.

Pine had already revealed her true identity. If Derek shook his head here, there was no telling how she would react.

Anyway, Derek was also struggling, blocked by the wall of a 4-star rank. Since it had come to this, it might be better to steer things in a direction that was beneficial to him as well.

“This is also a good thing for me. However, there is something that must be promised for mutual stability.”

“Are you proposing a negotiation with me? Your courage is commendable, but I don’t see any reason why I must accept it.”

“Well, Miss Pine, you can’t just ignore this. After all, aren’t you hiding from the eyes of the Empire?”

Derek continued with a serious look in his eyes.

“It’s a good thing for me to serve Miss Pine as my master and receive your teachings. However, we must be conscious of the public eye. To the world, I am the head of the Ravenclaw Training Center, and Miss Pine is a noble lady from the outskirts who came to seek teachings there.”

In reality, Pine was an overwhelmingly powerful figure, an unparalleled grand mage who ruled the world… but her hidden identity was merely that of a low-ranking noble lady from the remote Tigris Barony.

For Derek to serve Pine as his master was bound to raise suspicions among those around them.

Pine listened quietly to Derek’s words and nodded as if she agreed.

“Yes. Although I can be your master, we cannot ignore the public eye.”

“Indeed. Therefore, during normal times, I will act as the master at the training center, and when there are no prying eyes, Miss Pine, you will teach me as my master.”

“That’s a reasonable suggestion. I also agree with your opinion. When there are many eyes watching, you must act as my master.”

It was questionable whether a mutual master-disciple relationship could be established, but in the current situation, this was the best they could do.

“At least during the day when the training center is active, I will act as the master. When the sun sets and everything falls asleep, Miss Pine, you will teach me as the master.”

“Hehe… It sounds like a role-playing game, which is quite fun. I’m starting to get excited. Yes, I will also be one of the noble ladies attending the training center.”

Pine leaped from the rock she was sitting on and landed calmly on the grass.

Her movements were so smooth, it was as if she was barely affected by gravity.

“The magic classes at the training center are dreadfully boring, but the etiquette and culture classes are quite worthwhile. Perhaps my values have become old-fashioned over the years, but I find tea ceremonies and history quite interesting. That girl, Iselin, has quite a persuasive way of speaking too.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes. So, playing the role of a disciple during the day and enjoying the role-play doesn’t seem too bad. So, if there’s anything you can teach me, go ahead.”

Her satisfied smile and the way she arrogantly puffed out her chest were impressive, but in reality, it was an unreasonable demand to teach a 6-star mage anything.

As Derek looked troubled, Pine raised the corners of her mouth again.

“The most renowned magic teacher in Ebelstein and the pioneer of noble education looks troubled. I thought you had a strong sense of professionalism… I’m disappointed.”

“Miss Pine, you are a very special case.”

“Even though my past is complicated, the fact remains that I am a noble lady of a household. Didn’t you always say that there are no bad noble ladies, only the way they are taught matters?”

Pine placed her hands on her hips and looked at Derek with half-closed, seductive eyes.

Her relaxed demeanor was like that of a stray cat that had settled in its territory.

“Yes, in a way, I might be the one to test your values.”

“…”

“They say there are no bad young ladies in the world, but I am the very existence that contradicts that motto. Didn’t I tell you? I have no qualms about killing people, desecrating corpses, and doing whatever it takes for my own gain?”

Fine laughed heartily once, then returned to her seductive smile and continued speaking.

“I am a villain.”

There was no hesitation in the girl’s story.

“Yes. The most renowned teacher in Ebelstein, are you trying to rehabilitate someone like me?”

The confident smile on Fine’s face had a clear basis.

In this vast continent, only four people had reached the level of a 6-star mage.

Considering the monstrous 6-star mages Derek had encountered in his life, it was understandable why Fine was so confident.

As Derek pondered what to answer, Fine spoke in a slightly subdued voice.

“Well, I think we’ve reached a conclusion, and it seems an uninvited guest has arrived, so let’s end it here.”

– Swoosh

“Oh! There you are, Mr. Derek! There’s been a change in next week’s schedule, and I need your confirmation! Sorry to bother you on your day off!”

As that voice was heard, the ominous energy that had filled the forest disappeared in an instant.

The peaceful scenery of lush greenery returned, and Aiselyn appeared from the bushes, holding a stack of documents.

*

“Oh, were you exercising? Just the two of you, Lady Tigris…”

“Miss Aiselyn. I made you come a long way. If you had left it in the office, I would have checked it separately.”

“No, it’s a rather urgent matter.”

As for Fine, she had already erased her arrogant demeanor and returned to the confident and elegant Lady Tigris.

Bowing her head politely and greeting Aiselyn, she was the very image of a graceful baron’s daughter.

“I’m sorry, Lady Aiselyn. My lack of achievement has caused Sir Derek to take time even on his day off.”

“No, Lady Tigris. It’s something that should be done at the Ravenclaw Training Center level. By the way, you’re sweating a lot…”

“Yes, yes… I’m not used to physical exercise…”

“I see…”

Aiselyn alternated between looking at Derek and Fine, nodding her head anxiously.

After finishing with his staff, Derek spoke to Aiselyn.

“There seem to be a lot of documents, so we should go to the office to handle them. I’m sorry, Miss Fine, but we’ll have to end today’s supplementary lesson here.”

“It’s alright, Sir Derek. I’ve learned a lot, and I’m very grateful.”

Fine showed a refreshing smile along with her elegant smile. Despite the immense incongruity, Derek took a deep breath and spoke.

“…Then, let’s finish by jogging back to the baron’s mansion. Do you remember the breathing technique? Huff huff ha, huff huff ha… You must not forget this rhythm.”

“…Yes?”

Pine didn’t know the man named Derek.

He was the most renowned mercenary from the Ebelstein tavern district, and his motto was to do everything properly if he was going to do it at all.

He never did anything carelessly, even the smallest task, and his seriousness earned him the love of many clients. It was this seriousness and diligence that were the secrets to Derek’s success.

During the day, Derek was the teacher, and at night, Pine was the teacher.

──And now, the sun was high in the sky.

Undoubtedly, as a teacher, Derek never did anything carelessly.

“Ah, no… I mean… I’m too tired right now… I’m not good at physical activities to begin with…”

“Oh, Miss Pine. Haven’t you had enough rest? If you avoid training to improve your stamina like this, you’ll be stuck in the same place forever.”

“No… it’s just…”

Pine hesitated, glancing at Aiseline, but Derek spoke firmly without mercy.

“Come on, let’s run. We’ll run together. Huff huff ha, huff huff ha.”

“……………..”

Pine was dumbfounded, but Derek didn’t care.

His rigid nature couldn’t be changed just by instilling a bit of fear.

In fact, Pine knew this too.

Those born with extraordinary talents often had some quirks.

Derek was no exception.

“Come on, we have work to do! Miss Pine!”

That evening, Pine had the opportunity to thoroughly learn what true muscle pain was.