The Black Sword Tournament (1)
Alois, leaning on a cane, came as a fresh shock to Isaac. It was a sight he hadn't anticipated at all. So the laughter that burst out was a clear mistake, but he had no intention of taking it back.
"No, brother-in-law."
Alois knew it too, so despite his irritation and wounded pride, he let it slide without further comment. "Sister is acting strange!" There were more important matters. "She said I was the one trying to harm you! This is so unfair!"
Tears welled up in his eyes as Alois cried out. "I've always been on your side, brother-in-law! I helped you when the other siblings bullied you, and I was the one who aided you during those four years of marriage!"
"……."
"Why would someone like me ever harm you? She didn't listen to a single word of my side and crippled my leg like this! If I weren't a Helmont, I might have been lame for life!"
It should have been that way, Isaac thought with a pang of regret, smacking his lips. Alois's plea was thick with pathos. In his previous life, Isaac had never once suspected him. But now, knowing the full truth, all he could see was how pathetic the man was being.
If she's ignored him this badly, he'd feel less angry and more utterly defeated.
Alois was acting this way out of absolute certainty that Isaac would believe him. He'd probably heard something from the North but still thought he could sway Isaac. It was just another sign of how much he underestimated him.
Hmm.
Isaac pondered for a moment, then nodded and placed a hand on Alois's shoulder. "There's no way you'd do that, brother-in-law. I have no idea what this is suddenly about, but I'll talk to her for you."
"Brother-in-law!"
Alois nodded through his sobs. Isaac patted his shoulder and walked past. If I could... He wanted nothing more than to tear Alois apart right then. But Lianna smashing his leg had been somewhat satisfying. And in a way, wasn't Alois the surest gateway to the transcendents?
Revenge on Alois? Sure, it would feel good, but he didn't want to look like someone who'd devoted his life to it. Better to use Alois to see beyond, to something greater.
I don't need to shape my life's purpose around a worm like him. Don't cheapen yourself, Isaac. And personally... once his leg fully healed, he wanted to claim it properly. Doing it now would just look like luck thanks to Lianna.
As he watched Alois's relieved back retreating, Jonathan strode up beside him and saluted. "As of this moment, I conclude my bodyguard duties for Isaac Helmont!"
"Alright, good work."
"Thank you, sir!"
Jonathan beamed. He'd have to keep his transcendent half-blood hidden well, and the bullying from the seniors wouldn't fully stop. But Jonathan could handle it. Isaac patted his shoulder—this time with genuine encouragement, unlike with Alois.
"I'm heeeere!"
Then a 17-year-old kid burst through the mansion doors. She passed Alois without a word between them, though he ground his teeth, clearly harboring some grudge against Sharen.
"Izaaaac!"
Sharen bounced up to him and thrust her head forward expectantly—a demand to pet her. When Isaac stared blankly out of stubbornness, she slyly stepped on his foot. Rub rub.
"Isaac! Big trouble! Huge trouble!"
Then Sharen flailed her hands like a fish out of water as she explained.
"What?"
Isaac's eyes widened.
Rattle.
It was a first. Opening Lianna's door without any warning.
"Ah."
Lianna sat on the edge of the bed. Isaac had never seen her like this—haggard, her red hair dull and lifeless, her eyes vacant until they met his, then slowly regaining their color like ink spreading in water. And finally, the shackle on her ankle.
"Isaac, you're back."
As Lianna slowly rose, Isaac approached and demanded, "What's going on? House arrest, and you try to run away?!"
"……."
While Isaac had been returning, several incidents had rocked the Helmonts. The biggest was Lianna attempting to escape the house head's confinement order. She'd tried to flee but was recaptured. They'd clashed swords again, and Lianna had been utterly defeated. The result: this. A warning not to challenge the house head's authority again.
"This isn't like you, Lianna. Why?"
At Isaac's question, Lianna's lips parted. In the old days, she'd have clamped them shut. "I think... I wanted to run from the choice."
"Choice?"
As Isaac faltered, Lianna shook her head with effort. Her hand twitched toward him but dropped back down, as if she had no right. Yet her eyes sharpened—the opposite of the reed-like fragility from moments ago.
"Isaac."
With him right there, Lianna finally clenched her fist as if resolved and declared, "I will become house head—"
"……!"
"The day the Black Sword Tournament ends, you'll leave this mansion safely."
Without fail. "I promise."
"……."
He couldn't shake the uneasy feeling. As Isaac stepped out and descended to the first floor, lips pressed tight in thought—
"Izaaac, Izaaac!"
A voice called from the second floor. Sharen, back in her room already, beckoned him slyly.
"……."
"Come ooon! Hurryyy!"
"Sigh."
Entering Sharen's room, snacks were arrayed inside. Kelsey had even brewed black tea, the scent thick with Helmont's signature rose aroma.
"Tada! My secret stash! I said we'd eat together!"
"Oh."
He'd forgotten.
"The young miss prepared so diligently. She held back even when tempted by the last few, saving them for your arrival."
"D-don't say it!"
Isaac chuckled at Sharen's embarrassment. Things had been complicated moments ago, but sweets eased his mind a bit.
Star cookies.
Come to think of it, he hadn't greeted Milli yet. Probably busy greeting guests. He wanted to say hi soon and eat her food. Popping another star cookie, Isaac naturally scolded Sharen. "Just how far did you go for these star cookies?"
"Wh-what?! Why?!"
"Because of one star cookie... Sigh, never mind."
Who'd believe she'd nearly become humanity's betrayer over snacks? Isaac sighed to brush it off, but Kelsey had plenty pent up. "Exactly, miss. Do you know how hard it was for the servants? We scoured the nearby villages."
"Eh?! N-no! But they're so good..."
Her voice trailed off. As Kelsey and Isaac stared, she finally hung her head, deflated, and apologized. "S-sorry... I won't do it again."
Sharen really had changed. Amazed, Isaac popped another star cookie.
The Helmont mansion. Lavish banquets filled the hall every evening lately, treating invited guests appropriately.
Especially tonight, talk swirled about the Black Sword Tournament preliminaries starting tomorrow. Usually, Helmonts dueled among themselves to flaunt their prowess. But outsiders lurked this time.
One was Silberna. Not arrived yet, but she'd sent word of her participation.
No Milli here.
And here, participating as Lianna Helmont the Blood Rose's husband: Isaac. Despite being Helmont, no one approached him, and he paid them no mind. Rather, he missed his one friend in the mansion, stuck in the kitchen as chef.
"Ah, there you are!"
The woman's voice from the market called him—the one who'd shown him around. No longer in shabby adventurer garb, Clarice Evangelle Regardia stood in elegant princess dress. The princess approaching him first. Nobles whispered and glanced over. Awkward, but he couldn't shoo her away.
"I was looking for you. I worried my rude look made me seem un-princess-like."
Clarice smiled brightly. Isaac, thinking it an odd worry, changed the subject. "So, lots of info today? You said running around yourself would yield precious intel."
Clarice's face stiffened slightly at his question, then she smiled awkwardly and nodded. "A guy named Poron from a nearby village got stung by a bee yesterday."
"……."
"His neighbor Jake had a tooth pulled. Hurt like hell, apparently."
"……."
"And that skewer place? People complained it was bad—"
"……."
As Isaac stared blankly, Clarice clutched her chest, exhaled sharply, then fixed him with a grave stare and declared, "I'll logically explain just how important that info is—even a fool could understand. Follow me."
Oh god, what now.
Clarice, unwilling to admit her info was useless, burned with competitive fire to prove herself right. Isaac looked exasperated, but her guard interjected sensibly. "The matchups are out."
The Black Sword Tournament draw had been underway at the hall's front. Isaac scowled upon finding his name.
Isaac Helmont vs Silberna Kaldias