8 – 8. Clumsy North

Just before the pep talk.

Sylverna Caldias, waiting for the Lord, watches from afar as the soldiers gather on the parade ground.

Behind her, Anna, her lady-in-waiting and adjutant, has a dark expression.

“The fiends aren’t dwindling.”

“……I’ve seen and heard it too.”

“It’s unnatural. If this goes on, there’s a real possibility of a major swarm, my lady.”

“Haa.”

Her troubled feelings seep into her voice.

If it’s true, it’d be a major fiend swarm after 23 years, which would also mean a second assembly of nobles.

“First, keep the soldiers quiet. The newly arrived, all those nobodies, will panic if they hear about a major swarm, and nothing will get done.”

“Yes, my lady.”

As the conversation ends, the two women’s gazes naturally turn to the parade ground.

To lighten the gloomy, serious atmosphere, Sylverna grins and asks,

“How do you think the pep talk will be?”

Isaac, standing among the nobles, immediately catches her eye.

Even among the nobles who eat well, dress well, and sleep well, his appearance shone.

That’s why he was easy to find.

“Wouldn’t the time have been tight? Even so, he could have written some formal words of encouragement.”

“That’s exactly the problem. Anna, listen carefully to your master’s scheme.”

“……I’ve joined the army, so the Malridian Wall is my master now.”

Ignoring Anna’s words, Sylverna begins a long-winded explanation.

“If an ordinary noble did it, they’d have shrugged it off, but it’s Helmut’s speech. The soldiers will be wide-eyed and listening, eager to see what he’s going to blabber about, right?”

In front of an audience with already negative perceptions, even being unremarkable can be poisonous.

“What about the nobles? The dispatched nobles seem unhappy that a commoner was chosen to represent them, though?”

Already, some nobles can be seen standing crookedly, not keeping formation.

“It’s a power struggle. They’re showing that they won’t be treated equally here.”

A chance for Isaac Helmut to reveal how hostile the Malridian Wall is to them, and a clever move to break the haughty nobles.

Sylverna looks at Anna, expecting praise.

“Ah, the Lord is coming.”

“Honored to serve such an outstanding lady? Thank you.”

Ul’diran Caldias and the other one moved towards the platform together.

Positioned behind the head of the family, the two stood rigidly, silently awaiting the order for their encouragement speeches.

“Oh, he’s here.”

“My lady, shush.”

Seeing Isaac ascend the stage with a far better expression than she’d expected, Silverna felt a strange sensation.

‘What is this?’

There’s no way he wouldn’t have noticed the hostile atmosphere radiating from all directions.

But to stand there so boldly, he must have some sort of confidence.

Isaac’s first words on the platform threw Silverna into disarray.

“Warriors, be great.”

“Follow your calling.”

“Warriors, simply be great.”

“Huh?”

A small gasp from Anna at her side.

In contrast, Ul’diran and Silverna, seated, watched his back, their lips pressed tightly together.

“Coming here, I was curious about the truth held within the phrase ‘be great’. In fact, as you all know, the word ‘great’ is rather abstract, isn’t it?”

Just, hearing up to there.

Silverna’s head burned.

“How dare he—.”

With a clack of gritted teeth, her hostility towards Isaac surged to the limit.

The very words of the first family head, Wolfdren’s creed, dared to be uttered by an outsider of Helmount, and with questions?

Even in front of the head of the family?

A desire to beat him to death, as natural as breathing, welled up.

Even the head of the family, Ul’diran Caldias, held a very chilling murder intent towards him.

Yet.

This changed gradually as the encouragement speech proceeded.

“Rather than those who are great simply because they were born into great positions—it is making the ordinary great—! That’s what is truly worth admiring.”

His remarks, which could be seen as specifically directed towards Helmount, caused the burning rage to somewhat lose its way.

“This is it! This, which you all hold in your hands!”

When he grasped the spear, she was baffled.

“If anyone! were to speak of learning the Way of the Blade, I would shout!”

“Behold the North! Upon those high ramparts! See the soaring spear of Kheldia, the grandest in all the continent!”

To hear Kheldia’s spear proclaimed as great, a surge of emotion, a burning fire, would even rise within me.

Kheldia’s spear techniques are so universal that all may learn them, and thus, they are dismissed out of hand.

Whenever I hear that the clan head is strong not because of their spear techniques, but because they are an exceptional warrior themselves, my blood boils.

“You who wield the spears of Kheldia! By the will of Wolfdrun, simply great warriors!”

A shiver, a jolt, ran through my entire being.

Nobles, who fail to recognize and dismiss us.

And among them, the man of Helmund, the furthest on the opposite side.

“The great guardians, defending the forefront of Malydian.”

He was recognizing and acknowledging us.

Calling us great.

His voice carried such sincere passion.

It pierced the heart of Kheldia, so often belittled despite its struggles in the northern cold.

“To share this meaningful moment, and toward those great fallen heroes who have completed their duty and now slumber in this land-“

He was even commemorating the nameless soldiers who had crumbled in the northern cold.

“A moment of silence.”

The moment our eyes closed and heads bowed.

Those who had protected the walls of Malydian merely closed their eyes, bowed their heads.

And barely held back the tide of hot breaths surging within their chests.

* * *

“Sniff.”

“…Miss, are you crying?”

After the ceremony, while lining up before the nobles’ training,

To Anna’s question, Silverna hastily wiped at her eyes with her hand, shouting,

“Ah, I’m not crying! Just got something in my eye!”

“…….”

“Aw, dang it, feel bad now.”

Silverna felt guilty now.

For overlooking a man who, more than anyone in the kingdom, recognizes and respects Kheldia.

Truth be told, she’d only shoved him up on that podium for a bit of payback, hadn’t she?

“Anna, sniffle. What do I do?”

“What do you mean what do you do? Just treat him well.”

“How can I, I feel so bad.”

“Aish, it’s okay. From what I heard you talking about him yesterday, he’s got a clean, refreshing personality, which is nice.”

At Anna’s words, Silverna’s gaze drifts towards Isaac, who’s starting his run on the parade ground for the physical test.

“Ugh, what should I do? I think I’m starting to like him.”

Silverna grumbles, making Anna, startled by her side, cry out.

“My Lady?! That man is married! The Helmund son-in-law! Don’t forget it!”

“No! Who said anything about liking him as a man?! I just mean he seems like a decent person.”

Just knowing he recognized the Spear of Caldias had already shot his favorability sky-high.

It couldn’t be helped.

He’d so openly and proudly acknowledged one of the most precious things in her life.

And that too, while shouldering the name of their rival family, Helmund!

“Well, yeah, you’re right. He is likeable. After all, I’m also proud of the Spear of Caldias.”

“Right? Ha, why does he look so lovely?”

“My Lady, watch your words. If rumors start spreading, they might say you’re seducing the Helmund son-in-law.”

“…That’s the worst.”

Silverna’s face is etched with horror.

As someone who’s been by her side for years, Anna is relieved by Silverna’s reaction.

‘She really doesn’t see him in a romantic light.’

After all, her lady had never shown even a snowflake’s worth of interest in men.

There are so many men around her, but they are all comrades, fellow soldiers.

Not men and women, but just soldiers.

“But, still, wouldn’t it be okay to care for him a bit? He’s from Helmund after all, so wouldn’t it be okay to give him a bit of special treatment?”

“My Lady…”

“Ah, I really want to do something for him.”

Leaving her fidgeting Lady behind, Anna, who was dazedly watching Isaac running, offers a suggestion.

“How about a fur hat? It’s cold here, and if he’s from Helmund, his winter gear might be a bit thin.”

“Perfect! Ah, wonderful. We had some leftover yeti fur from last time, right?”

“Yes, I’ll tell the craftsman separately to make some for you.”

“Have him make a hat.”

“A hat and gloves, I’ll do.”

“Giving me two?”

“I need some too.”

“…….”

“…….”

Like I said before.

Anna was also a Malidonian Wall soldier, trained in the Kaldiian spear.

* * *

’34th place.’

That was his rank from the run just now, taken to assess basic stamina.

34th out of 37 dispatched nobles was, effectively, last place. Some among the nobles didn’t take to martial arts as a profession, after all.

‘At this time, I’d almost given up on training.’

There were times he’d striven tirelessly to build his strength and stamina.

As a son-in-law, he’d tried tooth and nail to wield Helmont’s greatsword, no matter what.

‘It was impossible.’

A crow-tit chasing a stork and tearing its legs apart.

Realizing the impossibility, Isaac gradually gave up on his efforts, and on the fourth anniversary of his marriage, he completely fell into despair, even losing a leg.

But now it’s different.

‘It feels good running like this.’

Moving his body is refreshing.

Having lived as a cripple and now being able to run, the world felt like it had changed, so invigorating it was.

That it wasn’t impossible, it was a bigger motivator than he’d thought.

“All talk and no action.”

“Well, thought he was so great, but he’s just a commoner after all.”

“What good is sweet talking, at that level he’d have just flopped around in bed.”

“Pfft, stop talking. He’ll be embarrassed.”

The surrounding nobles’ sneers reached him, but Isaac didn’t care much.

His mind was filled with the thought of revising the manual he had written just for himself late last night.

‘Moves more fluid than I thought. Good power in the soles of my feet too. Need to go back and revise the draft. Thinking about it now, I was probably being too passive in my writing, intentionally avoiding putting too much strain on the lower body.’

A brief rest break.

As I caught my breath, lost in thought…

“Ahem.”

One of the soldiers acting as an instructor subtly approached, clearing his throat.

“Hm?”

Wondering what was up, Isaac looked at him, and the soldier, glancing at the other nobles, furtively offered a towel from his gear.

“In the North, you need to wipe away sweat carefully. Leaving it like that makes it easy to catch a cold.”

“Ah.”

Accepting the towel sheepishly, the soldier smiled brightly at Isaac and turned back.

“Hmm.”

The towel was warm, almost steaming.

While the gazes of the other nobles, who were wiping their sweat with cold towels their attendants or aides had brought, sharpened…

“Haa, 34th is a little… bad.”

This time, a higher-ranking officer approached, cocking his head and crouching down in front of Isaac.

“It’s a shoe problem. Hard to run on snow, isn’t it? You can attach chains separately, but it’s better to just buy some boots for the North.”

“……”

“How about it? Should I introduce you to a good craftsman? Mention my name to him, and he’ll give you a discount.”

“Yeah, sure.”

“Don’t be so formal. Even during training, you’re still a noble.”

“……Okay. Thanks. I’ll go buy some.”

I have plenty of money; I can afford boots, at least.

Training resumed, but their fussing didn’t end.

“Innerwear is essential. I have some I don’t use; should I give you one?”

“That’s a snow-clearing broom. But doesn’t it… doesn’t it look like a spear? Oh, did you know? The basics of the Caldias spear technique are-.”

“Stretching is important. Your body stiffens quickly in the cold. It’s to prevent injuries.”

“Are you alright?! It’s slippery! Medic! Meeedic! Ah, it’s not that bad, you say? That’s a relief. No need to be embarrassed. We fall often too.”

Watching the instructors treat him with such overwhelming care, Isaac couldn’t help but chuckle dryly.

‘Are they just… naive?’

I’m grateful they’re being so nice, but being this openly solicitous seems… lacking in finesse.

And then.

Another one, clumsy as ever, appeared.

“Ahem, ahem. The speech was very impressive, Isaac.”

Silberna, with an awkward cough, emerged.

Isaac smiled and greeted her, and she, glancing furtively, hurried closer.

“You have an eye for it. Others tend to look down on the basics, but actually, the basics are most important. They don’t understand that, so they disregard Caldias. But you’re different. You recognized it very well. Caldias’s swordsmanship, you see, it’s actually a meticulously woven tapestry of immense research and deliberation-.”

“My lady, please stop. You’re startling him.”

“Erm, s-sorry.”

Silberna awkwardly retreated.

Anna, on behalf of her mistress, with a gentle smile, politely stated the reason for their visit.

“The Lord invites you to dinner this evening.”

“The Border Count?”

“Yes, will you be available?”

This was merely a formality; there was no option to decline.

Isaac nodded.

Silberna and Anna, pleased with the response, turned to leave.

Or so it seemed.

They turned back again.

“Tsk, his head is a bit small. The size-.”

Silberna, grasping Isaac’s head with both hands, turned it this way and that, checking its size.

“Your hands are surprisingly fine. I’ll order a size smaller.”

And then Anna measured the size of his hands.