47 – 47. The Returning Sisters

“……”

“……”

Isaac had rushed at once upon hearing that the March Lord had called for him.

Despite being called the guardian of the North, the giant of a man standing stiffly before him was just a doting father.

“How is your arm?”

The question was spoken as if in concern, but his tone was far from it.

As if testing its durability, Isaac answered promptly.

“It has not yet healed. From what I hear, it seems it will take some time.”

“Ahem!”

Uldiran openly displayed his disappointment.

Having cast aside the mantle of the March Lord defending the kingdom, he was rather unsightly.

“That’s not why you called for him, is it?”

Finally, Celini Caldias intervened.

As his wife stepped in, Uldiran cleared his throat awkwardly to change the atmosphere, then extended his hand.

Isaac handed over ‘Respected and Beautiful Goddess Silverin,’ which was hanging from his waist.

Uldiran examined it, swinging it around a few times, before letting out a faint sound of admiration.

“Hoh, remarkably light.”

“I specifically requested it. Given my lacking strength, I asked for it to be as light as possible.”

“And you naturally resolved the decrease in the sword’s durability with frost silver?”

“…That is correct.”

Then, Uldiran offered the sword to his wife. Celini took it and swiftly left the office.

A situation they’d expected.

Even if it was a gift from Silverina, an item made of frost silver should not be carelessly leaked to the outside world.

Especially if it was Helmunt.

Standing there stiffly, Uldiran looked down at Isaac and sighed.

“As you know, this is not a matter to be taken lightly.”

“I am aware.”

“The crucial point is that Silverina ‘personally’ leaked the frost silver. This is not a situation I can overlook.”

“……”

Was he fretting over having to hold his own daughter to account?

But if that was the case, Uldiran’s expression was surprisingly bright.

“So you never received a sword then. Let’s just leave it like that.”

“Understood.”

If it had never been there to begin with, perhaps it wouldn’t have been such a thing.

Having it, and then not, made Isaac all the more disappointed.

He tried to conceal these feelings, but Uldiran seemed to see right through him.

He added with a sly grin,

“Instead, it will be bestowed upon you in a formal ceremony. A reward for your recent accomplishments.”

“……Pardon?”

As if he’d been waiting for this reaction, the corners of Uldiran’s mouth nearly reached his ears.

A giant of a man, yet his expression was that of a five-year-old.

“I said, the issue was giving it to you personally. Fortunately, many witnessed your feats this time.”

“……”

“Well, giving a sword made of frostsilver to Helmunt’s son-in-law might raise some eyebrows. But so what? Let them come and chirp about it if they dare.”

The insular society of the northern island.

A brazen act only possible in the North.

Furthermore, given his recent contribution in stopping the horde, it was difficult to call Uldiran’s actions unreasonable.

“I will speak to the royal family. However, your name may be tossed around a bit. Deal with that as you see fit.”

“……Thank you.”

“Therefore, we will keep it in our possession until the official presentation.”

The sword he thought was being taken away was now going to be given through proper channels, and Isaac’s joy doubled.

In truth, when he went back to Helmunt, he had been worried about how to explain the sword.

This took care of that dilemma completely.

“I witnessed your swordplay.”

Arms crossed, Uldiran had already assumed the stance of a warrior.

He chuckled, tinged with admiration, recalling Isaac’s sword techniques.

“I don’t intend to criticize your skill, but know that it was also the power of frostsilver at work.”

“Of course.”

Had I wielded a different sword, that outcome wouldn’t have been possible.

No, truth be told, even now, if I swung a sword again, it was doubtful I could recreate that cut.

Wasn’t my arm nearly broken from the strain right then and there?

I had clearly reached a level that my current body shouldn’t have been able to handle.

“It’s an ice crystal that can only be mined in caves where cold is concentrated. Unlike common minerals, it has the biting chill of the north embedded in it.”

“…”

“As you carry that sword, never forget. That rising cold can engulf you at any moment. And that Silvrena isn’t to be trifled with.”

“I’ll keep that in mi- huh?”

Uldiran, his eyes blazing with a fire that could melt even frostsilver, glared at Isaac, puffing out his chest as he added,

“The moment you dare to even glance at my daughter, the chill of my spear, forged from frostsilver, will envelop you.”

“In case you’ve forgotten, I already have a wife.”

“Good, I hope you two live happily ever after. If you even think about flirting with Silvrena, it’ll only be over my dead body…or a divorce. Got it?”

“……Understood.”

“Hahaha! I apologize for even mentioning divorce to such a loving couple!”

Uldiran, remembering how Rianna had knelt for Isaac, laughed heartily and clapped him on the back.

Isaac, with a mortified expression, chose to keep his mouth shut.

* * *

Two days later.

Sharen idly kicked at the ground in front of the carriage.

“It’s a shame.”

The injuries inflicted by Brikala had already completely healed.

Helmut’s remarkable physical capabilities were once again on full display.

And today, having received the letter to return for the Sword Ritual, they were going back to Helmut.

Along with the bustling caravan, Helmut’s knights were busy preparing for departure.

Sharen seemed to be regretting leaving the north.

It was the first time he’d been away from the Helmut estate for so long, and it seemed that the connections and memories he’d made on the outside weren’t all bad.

Though the hardships were still there.

Compared to when he first came to the north, he seemed like a completely different person.

“Ask Millie to make you some Star Cookies. She’ll bake them for you in no time.”

“Ah, that’s right! Star cookies!”

Sharen jumps, beaming a bright smile when I mention why we came here.

The whining about not having sweets for a while had vanished too, just like that.

She must be happy to think of those sugary treats again.

“I want to go eat them quickly. Isaac, come back soon too! Let’s eat star cookies together!”

Isaac offered a bitter smile, watching Sharen, so carefree and oblivious.

For the record, Isaac wasn’t going back just yet.

His right arm hadn’t healed, he needed Vivian’s continued treatment.

He’d received a healing spell, so the splint and bandages were off, but

Vivian had held him back, saying the wound wasn’t fully healed and that she’d use another healing spell, just in case.

“I’ll let you taste my hidden stash of treats too!”

Sharen giggled, looking thrilled.

The small child’s adorable smile was contagious, even Isaac was mirroring it.

So much had changed in the North.

Including how he viewed Sharen, clearly.

From a selfish, tomboyish brat, she had become a respectable young lady, even showing a noble grace.

Isaac would never forget her back, when facing off against Brikala.

If it hadn’t been for Sharen and Jonathan, he’d have died before even swinging the Great Merge.

He placed a hand on her head, giving a grateful pat.

She seemed pleased, giggling brightly and nuzzling into his touch.

“Hehe! Well, I’m off!”

“Thank you for your hard work.”

Sharen and Kelsi, her maid, bowed together before heading towards the carriage.

Rianna approached him naturally.

Isaac still felt awkward from the last “Lia nickname incident,” and cleared his throat before asking,

“You’re leaving too?”

“Yes, I have to.”

“I wonder what Father will say….”

“It’s fine. I’ve prepared for it.”

What should I say as I see them off?

Rianna spoke first, before a Isaac could even voice his concerns.

“There’s things I got from the subjugation, as a reward.”

“Hm? You weren’t officially involved, you wouldn’t get anything.”

“True. But the Margrave recognized my contribution.”

Rianna’s part was crucial in slowing down the Brikala before it reached the fortress wall, even though she was badly injured.

But officially, they couldn’t acknowledge her contribution, so the reward was given secretly, unofficially.

This was also what Rianna had asked for.

“I left it all in your room. Use it.”

“What is it?”

He asked, a sliver of anticipation in his voice. Rianna replied plainly.

“A bit of the Brikala’s bone, some skin, and some of its innards.”

“…Are you dumping trash on me?”

A bewildered expression took over his face.

But Rianna had already thought of a way they could be used.

“Before you left, remember the Rose Elixir Loenghren gave you?”

“The one that was heavily diluted?”

Loenghren had threatened Rianna for leaking the family’s precious elixir.

But, Arandel didn’t seem to care at all.

And Isaac who received it didn’t find it useful so just stashed it away somewhere.

“Yeah, try combining it with that and using it. It might have some effect.”

Since the Brikala was a creature with an immense, monstrous amount of mana.

The fact the Rose Elixir was diluted might be why they can be combined with other things.

“Oh.”

Rianna had given advice from a place he hadn’t considered.

Isaac, impressed, nodded.

He could ask Vivian, a mage and healer, to introduce him to an apothecary, or even ask her directly for advice.

He was stuck here to get treatment, but it seemed it would be a more fruitful time than he’d expected.

“Then, I’ll be off.”

“Yeah, thanks.”

“Take care not to get sick, Isaac.”

“……”

Come to think of it, hadn’t he told her to be careful not to catch a cold last time through Sharen too?

“Alright, I will.”

Anyway, she’d worried about him, so Isaac nodded and saw her off.

The short conversation with Isaac left a bit of a longing ache, but still, just having a normal conversation like this was an encouraging achievement for her.

Rianna headed for the carriage.

There, Silverna was exchanging final goodbyes with Sharen.

She tried to slip past her and into the carriage, but,

“Rianna Helmunth.”

Silverna purposefully stopped her.

“Why.”

Rianna was uncomfortable around her.

She knew she was after Isaac.

She also knew she shouldn’t show any reaction to that.

Therefore, Rianna didn’t show any reaction to Silverna’s actions.

But being uncomfortable was still being uncomfortable.

The two stared at each other.

Silverna slowly extended her hand for a handshake.

“Thanks for your hard work. You were a great help. Both on the front lines and personally.”

“…Right.”

Rianna, who didn’t know how to express gratitude frankly, grasped her hand back.

Their gazes met for a brief moment.

“Ah, ouch!”

Sharen, who was standing between them, suddenly made a fuss and hopped inside the carriage.

Silverna, who let go of her hand first, spoke calmly.

“There’s no need for a long farewell. We’ll be meeting again soon, anyway.”

“Meeting again?”

“The Sword Sage. We were invited too, weren’t we?”

“……”

Rianna felt like she understood now.

So, he’d greeted me just to bring that up, huh.

Rianna, thinking about Isaac and Sylverna parting ways in a few days, was about to leave with a slightly lighter step.

“See you then, Rianna Helmun.”

“……”

Strangely, her feet wouldn’t move.