10 – 10. Trash

“Sister?”

Early morning.

Alois, the third son, training, discovered his sister kneeling alone in the garden.

‘How can she be so beautiful?’

Even just her back view is brimming with grace, her red hair exuding a nobility unlike their own.

Alois truly loved his sister.

Simply taking a step towards her made his heart race with a fluttering in his chest.

‘If only roses were in bloom, the atmosphere would be much better.’

Grinning mischievously, Alois saunters forward.

“Sister, skipping work so early in the morning?”

They whisper their tryst, low enough that no ears might catch it.

But, Rianna, she doesn’t answer, head bowed instead.

‘Hm?’

Before her, a single lilac blooms.

The moment he sees it, Alois’s brow furrows, a sigh escaping him.

“What in the world are the gardeners doing?”

Alois speaks, annoyance coloring his voice, like he understands why Rianna lingers.

“Elder sister, I’ll tell the gardeners to manage things properly. Don’t worry so mu-”

“Alois.”

Alois steps back, startled.

The strange chill in Rianna’s voice, it frightened him without his meaning to be so.

“Y-yes? Elder sister? What’s wrong?”

“This flower, it is one I cultivate.”

“…You do?”

“Yes, so do not touch it carelessly.”

“A-alright.”

Though he answers, Alois’ head tilts in confusion.

The Rianna he knows would never care for lilacs, much less plant one in the family’s garden.

“Hah.”

Slowly, Rianna rises, turning her body away.

“I must go for training now.”

As she passes by Alois, he catches sight of the red flush creeping around her eyes. In that instant.

It was as though lightning struck the crown of his head, a fierce jolt that made the hairs all over his body prickle.

‘Elder sister, she cried?’

A sight he’d never before witnessed in his life.

He was stunned, questioning if the woman he’d seen truly was Rianna.

“Heh.”

Alois’ lips stretched into a long, crooked grin without him even being aware, forcing him to quickly cover his mouth with his hand.

He’s thrilled.

His Elder Sister’s tears, like they’ve toppled a fortress made of steel, a fortress that was meant to stand forever.

The sight of her, lost in sorrow, writhing in torment…

It gifted him a thrill, a sharp pleasure he’d never known before.

‘Is it because of Isaac?’

Alois, quick-witted, grasped the situation roughly.

That lilac, too, was likely tied to Isaac, wasn’t it?

‘I could ask the gardener and know soon enough.’

But that wasn’t important now.

Alois, deliberately trailing behind Rianna at a brisk pace, feigned cluelessness.

“Sister, have you settled on your next marriage partner?”

Rianna froze.

In her icy gaze, a subtle blend of murder and rage simmered.

‘This is promising.’

Alois fought back the urge rising in his lower body, forcing a genial smile.

“After all, dragging out a divorced state isn’t very good, wouldn’t you say? Although, rushing into another marriage so quickly doesn’t look so good either-.”

He deliberately kept prodding.

It was the first time his sister had ever shown such an emotional reaction.

Alois was curious to see how Rianna would react.

“Still, someone with your caliber is spoiled for choices. So just forget about Isaac.”

She had no grounds to get angry.

Would she then grieve?

Would she flee, saying she didn’t want to hear it?

“That man was never worthy to begin with. Rather, it’s probably for the best for Isaac that they divorced now, isn’t it?”

This was sincere.

If Isaac hadn’t asked for a divorce, he would have surely suffered a great misfortune.

Because the head of the household had permitted Rianna’s pregnancy.

‘The fact my sister would carry the brat of such a b*stard-’

Intolerable. Alois had planned to drop the chandelier on purpose.

Though he’d failed.

Rather, wasn’t it for the best that Isaac had left on his own?

“Honestly, it’s quite hard for a commoner to endure in a family like-“

“Alois.”

A voice, flat and without inflection.

Rihanna had, in an instant, returned to her usual composure.

While he was inwardly disappointed, Rihanna offered, nonchalantly, her proposal.

“Let’s spar.”

“……Huh?”

“Morning training. Let’s spar. I think it’s been a while since we last did.”

“……”

“I’ll see how much you’ve improved.”

“W-wait, Sister.”

Alois, flustered, called out to Rihanna.

Sparring right now could lead to any number of calamities.

He never imagined she’d vent her frustrations this way, and before Alois could even say anything…

Rihanna had already drawn her crimson greatsword, Ragnavel.

“Follow me, Alois.”

The red aura radiating from Rihanna’s whole being was the ‘Crimson Descent,’ a Helmund-specific blade energy.

Though it’s called blade energy, the crimson power enveloping her whole body protected her like armor, her long hair swaying as if dancing.

“……”

Alois, who had gotten himself carried away, ended up looking like he was about to cry, and reluctantly grabbed his sword, forced to head to the training grounds.

* * *

‘A crazy, booze-soaked father and daughter, they are.’

Clutching his throbbing head, Isaac forced himself onto the parade ground.

The cold morning air of the North pierced his lungs, at least easing the effects of yesterday’s potent spirits.

“Sir Isaac, are you alright?”

Jonathan approached with a worried expression.

It seemed like Isaac’s face clearly wasn’t in great shape.

“I’m fine, but more importantly, Jonathan. How did I get back to my room yesterday?”

It was no joke, he couldn’t remember.

He clearly remembered having a heated debate about swordsmanship with the Caldius father and daughter, a good time, it seemed.

He’d been continuously drinking the drinks Anna was pouring him, and then, his memory cut off.

“Yesterday, I was truly shocked. Lady Silverna practically had to carry you back to the lodgings. I was worried sick, kept waiting for you, Isaac-nim.”

“…Was that so? Sorry.”

He slaps his forehead with his palm, lets out a sigh.

Even in the sigh, the lingering scent of alcohol makes him wrinkle his face.

‘Reminded me of the times I drank with the Grand Master, guess I overdid it without realizing.’

But Isaac had been excited, that was the truth.

Uldiran Caldias was a hero he’d never met in his previous life.

A great general who’d held out for a month during the transcendent invasion, without any support from the kingdom.

Drinking with him like that, it’d gotten Isaac more pumped up than he’d expected.

“I need to apologize to Silverna too.”

While he was at it, he should see if he’d said anything wrong last night.

“Um, Isaac-nim.”

“Hm?”

“I know it’s a bit… presumptuous of me to say this.”

Jonathan eyes him warily, fidgeting.

He keeps his hands neatly folded, lowers his head and gives his counsel.

“Isaac-nim, you are Lady Rianna’s spouse, are you not? Therefore, it might be… best if you kept contact with other, ah, *outside* women to a minimum.”

“…Yeah, you’re right.”

“I’m sorry! I’m so sorry for being presumptuous!”

He grabs Jonathan’s shoulder before he can bow all the way to the ground, stops him.

“No, you spoke the truth.”

“T-thank you!”

They were planning to divorce, but they weren’t divorced yet.

Also, that fact wasn’t known by anyone but the Helmont direct line and the cooks, so it was a common sense piece of advice.

He strokes the ring on his left ring finger, feeling bitter, deliberately changes the subject.

“Jonathan, are you joining us for training too? I heard that the knights or escorts who came as adjutants were going straight into work duty.”

Unlike the dispatched nobles who needed to have their fundamentals checked, since they’d had such a surge of promising recruits.

Their aides were all skilled people, so they were immediately assigned to the wall duty.

“No, I’m on afternoon duty, so I came to assist Isaac-nim. And I’d like to do some personal training as well.”

He was earnest, so artless.

Isaac clapped him on the shoulder, offering a ‘hang in there’ to the lad with the simple, country-boy smile.

“Why the hell!”

A voice, raw with spite, ripped through the training grounds.

A gaggle of nobles, assembled for morning drill.

One of them stepped forward, yelling at the instructor, a high-ranking officer.

“Are you disrespecting the Drake-Moore family? You think you’re something just because you can wield a spear?!”

“That’s not the case.”

‘Drake-Moore?’

Like Helmunt, a famous swordsmanship family.

Though, their stature fell far short of Helmunt, they were still not to be scoffed at.

“We haven’t dispatched you noble sirs just for guard duty on the ramparts. There’s escort missions outside, reconnaissance patrols, supporting nearby villages. We have many roles, in fact.”

Even if they’re green, they’re nobles.

The instructor, faced with what was practically insubordination, kept a level tone.

“So? What are you getting at? Who said we wouldn’t do it? Did we say we didn’t want to?”

“……”

“It’s insulting, being treated like we’re fools with this kind of training. I tried to hold it in yesterday, but… are you really going to make us do these basic drills again today?”

A murmur of agreement rippled through the dispatched nobles.

“You lot couldn’t clean up the monster nest properly, so we’re here. You’re testing the people who came because of your incompetence? Instead of offering a solution to the nest?!”

The air grew heavy.

Even if they were nobles, they’d crossed a line.

But the other nobles stood behind the Drake-Moore fool, their stance of support stopping the officer from acting rashly.

A misstep here could turn the entire powerful noble faction against him.

“Hah!”

A short-haired woman scoffed, snatching up her spear, walking onto the training grounds.

Silberna Caldias.

A fierce, competitive grin plastered on her face as she stopped in front of the Drake-Moore noble.

“Name?”

“Meladic Drake-Moore.”

Meladic casually rested his hand on his sword hilt.

Silberna’s lip twitched.

“Got a bit of sense, do you? Draw your sword. Let’s see if you truly have the skill to survive duty on the Wall, not just talk about it.”

This was the way of the North.

A foreseen future and outcome, right from the start of the ruckus.

Eventually, all eyes focused on the two.

“Jonathan, watch Silvana’s spear techniques closely. They’ll be a great help to you.”

“But I use a greatsword?”

“Don’t speak nonsense, just watch closely.”

“Yes, sir!”

Jonathan saluted, eyes wide, watching the duel.

‘Nostalgic.’

Isaac crossed his arms, a soft smile playing on his lips.

In his past life, he’d met Silvana a few years later than this.

That was…

After the Malridian Wall had fallen to the Transcendents, and she had survived alone thanks to the sacrifice of everyone else.

Silvana had abandoned her name, living as Caldias, before the Grand Master had brought her to him.

‘I was so shocked.’

When he first saw her spear techniques, he was swept away by a shock that felt like entering a new world.

He’d even followed her around for a while, hobbling on his staff, asking questions.

“It’s not like I just haphazardly called her spear techniques great.”

“I see!”

Isaac added quietly to Jonathan, his smile widening, looking forward to a good show after such a long time.

The duel started.

Meladic didn’t even last five exchanges, landing on his backside, his sword flung away.

At the same moment, cheers exploded from the soldiers all around.

“As expected of the Lady! The best!”

“Incredible! A flawless spear!”

“Great Caldias!”

In contrast, the dispatched nobles’ spirit faltered instantly, resentful glares pouring down on Meladic.

Jonathan also showered her with praise.

“I-incredible. That is Caldias’s spear technique!”

Jonathan, in the midst of his flailing, screeching fit.

Isaac was gaping, denying it all.

“No….”

“Pardon?”

“No, it’s not, it’s not….”

“W-what are you talking about, sir?”

Jonathan’s flustered question drew a response from Isaac, unusually panicked, baring his heart.

“It’s not! That’s not it! That was just, just garbage a moment ago, right?!”

What in the world had he just witnessed?

That?

That was truly Silvarna’s spear?

His cry, born of bewildered panic, stretched long.

And then.

“What?”

Alas.

It seemed the sharp northern wind carried his voice all the way to Silvarna’s ears.