Chapter 30
Chapter 30
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 30
Chapter Title: Dinner and First Memories
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"Sort out the parts you felt were lacking and tell me tomorrow."
The sky had already begun to darken before he knew it.
Sharen blinked in bewilderment as she watched Isaac add that while sheathing his sword.
"Me?"
"Yeah, you did great earlier. What you said was pretty helpful."
"Oh, right... I did say that."
Sharen's awkward response.
What she'd said earlier had come straight from Rianna's stories, so it felt a bit disconcerting.
It was strange that he was asking her for more of the same.
"Do I have to?"
"It'd be great if you could. Why? Too hard?"
"No, no! I can do it! I can do it. I'll dissect that swordsmanship from today like filleting a fish and bring it back to you!"
Isaac couldn't help but chuckle at the sight of her clenching her fists and rising on tiptoe like a waddling child.
In truth, he wasn't expecting anything from Sharen herself.
He was simply consulting the woman behind her.
'Talking face-to-face after the divorce would be awkward anyway.'
This way, Sharen could act as his messenger pigeon—for as long as it lasted, he'd make use of it.
"Hey, Isaac, you're heading to dinner, right? Mind if I join?"
"I've got an invitation for tonight, so I can't eat with you."
"An invitation? Now? From who?"
"From the Margrave."
"Uldiran Caldias?! Why would he call for you?"
"Beats me."
Isaac replied casually, as if minding a child, but he was quite puzzled himself.
Normally, he'd brush it off, but this was wartime, with the Great Horde pressing in.
An dinner invitation in this situation?
It probably wasn't anything good.
"Hey, Isaac... You thinking about remarrying or something?"
"......"
Isaac clamped his mouth shut in surprise at Sharen's sudden question.
He had a feeling blurting out an impulsive answer would lead to a mistake.
After swallowing once, he answered flatly.
"Nope."
"For real?"
"I said no. But why ask? It's none of your business."
"I-I'm just checking! I was worried you might end up as a son-in-law to the Caldias family!"
"Sigh, Sharen. Since you don't get it, let me spell it out."
"Yeah?"
This tomboy, hopeless at anything but swinging a sword, needed to learn this wasn't the estate anymore.
"Don't say weird stuff like that out here. Rianna and I are still married."
Isaac showed her the ring on the ring finger of his left hand.
"See? Talking about divorce or remarrying into Caldias out loud? That's really dangerous."
"......"
"What if someone overhears? You know how many nobles from other families are here, right?"
"Uh, yeah."
"How many?"
"......No idea."
"Then you don't know."
Sharen, staring up at him blankly, nodded without thinking.
"Y-Yeah, you're right."
She tilted her head, feeling like she'd been talked in circles. Before she could snap out of it, Isaac pressed on.
"That's why you gotta watch your mouth all the time. I'll be leaving Helmunt in a month anyway. But you? You're staying."
"Right."
Sharen nodded, then suddenly perked up and asked back.
"Wait, are you worried about me?"
"What the— Sigh. Whatever, think what you want."
Conversations with kids like her could veer anywhere.
Isaac gave up trying to predict it and headed to dinner instead.
"......"
He'd been invited to the Caldias family's dinner once before, so he hadn't thought much of it.
They'd been around each other long enough that he figured there was no need for formality or feeling burdened.
"Please, eat up."
But Isaac was a bit taken aback by the unexpected woman at the table.
Her name was Selene Caldias.
Uldiran's wife and Silberna's mother.
Long, flowing white hair, undimmed beauty past her forties, and ample bosom.
It seemed Silberna had inherited much of her looks from her mother.
"Thank you for preparing this."
It was a simple spread.
Nothing fancy for an invitation—barely different from soldier rations.
"What, disappointed there's no fancy banquet?"
Uldiran asked lightly from across the table, fork in hand.
"I'd be disappointed if there was a banquet."
Isaac replied with a soft smile, and Uldiran grinned and nodded.
Even a Margrave wouldn't indulge in luxury alone during wartime—not the Caldias he knew.
"......"
"My, Silberna. We have a guest—shouldn't you focus less on stuffing your face?"
Silberna flinched at her mother's words, having been staring at her plate and shoveling food in.
She gulped down some water to clear her mouth, then replied.
"I'm just... hungry."
"Even so, he's one of your squadmates."
"......"
Silberna, who'd been deliberately avoiding Isaac's gaze, finally glanced over.
Her cheeks flushed red with embarrassment.
Isaac tried an awkward line.
"I told you to cut your hair."
"You were serious?"
"Of course."
"I'll do it later. Northern barbers all wanna turn me into some wild warrior."
"You look too slender for that."
Surprisingly, their conversation flowed smoothly.
Smooth enough to surprise Silberna herself.
She'd been keeping her distance after realizing her feelings and accepting she had to give up on him, but maybe she'd overdone it.
"Want me to cut it for you?"
"You know how to cut hair?"
"Sure. I've lopped off a few magic beast horns."
"......"
"Spear instead of scissors okay?"
Uldiran cut into their teasing banter.
"Isaac Helmunt, Antonio came barging in on me out of the blue today."
"......Antonio, you mean."
It matched the most likely reason Isaac had suspected for the dinner invite.
"He wants to forge a sword with Frost Silver Ore. For you, no less."
Isaac inwardly cursed the blacksmith's brashness but figured it was for the best that he'd brought up the sensitive topic.
Isaac himself felt burdened even mentioning Frost Silver Ore.
"Looks like I ignited his artisan spirit. If he said anything rude to you, Margrave, I apologize on his behalf."
"Oh, he was rude, alright. The fool stormed into my office demanding I hand it over."
"Really?"
This crazy blacksmith.
Isaac felt cold sweat trickling down his back, but the Caldias family didn't seem too offended.
"Not the first time, though."
According to Silberna, it had happened before.
Uldiran chugged his beer and nodded with a hearty laugh.
"But this time was different. Usually, he wants it for his own works, but now it's for a sword for you, Isaac."
"......"
"What'd he say? He thinks Helmunt is the greatest masterpiece forged by the gods so far. But he wants to surpass it for real."
Under the table, Isaac's hand clenched into a fist.
"He seems to believe that thin sword you'll wield can beat Helmunt."
Isaac neither affirmed nor denied it.
He simply accepted the expectations piling up on him in silence.
"Isaac Helmunt."
Uldiran slowly released his beer mug.
His expression shifted, the drunken haze vanishing from his eyes.
"Of course, I can't give you the Frost Silver Ore."
"......"
"Not because you're a Helmunt. Don't misunderstand."
"Understood. Sorry for causing you needless worry."
Uldiran asked no more, said no more.
He just wet his lips with another sip of beer.
"Why does Isaac have to beat Helmunt if he's a Helmunt?"
Selene chimed in naturally.
A timely question that broke the odd tension.
"Mm, it's my own sort of resolve."
Isaac smiled awkwardly and brushed it off.
He couldn't openly discuss the divorce, so he tried to gloss over it—only for Uldiran to interject.
"It's the Sword Festival."
"Sword Festival?"
The mother and daughter turned to Uldiran.
He explained calmly, like recounting an old tale, with a sly smile.
"Helmunt's event every four years. They invite kingdom nobles, and the direct Helmunt heirs duel."
Uldiran grinned mischievously.
"Outsiders can join, but they usually don't. No point getting crushed by Helmunt."
"What about you?"
"Me?"
Uldiran gave an abashed grin.
"Tried it once, about twenty years ago. Lost to Arandel. Shame."
"Then Isaac—"
Silberna's gaze landed on him.
"Son-in-law or not, I'm her husband. So I'll be entering instead of Rianna, the wife."
Isaac's sheepish smile widened Silberna's eyes.
"That's why you've been sparring with Sharen a lot lately?"
"You could say that."
It wasn't just the Sword Festival, really.
That was just one step along the way.
Isaac wanted to become a true swordsman, and chances to duel Helmunt were rare—he was just seizing them.
Especially since after the divorce in a month, duels would be a pipe dream.
'Squeezing out every last bit while I can.'
At least they seemed to interpret it positively. Good enough.
"How romantic."
Selene said with a gentle smile.
"Pardon?"
Isaac's surprised tone slipped out, but Selene took it as him hiding his embarrassment.
"Entering in your wife's place—to keep from tarnishing her name, right?"
No, not at all.
He forced an awkward smile.
His mouth twisted wryly.
"Y-Yeah, something like that."
"Sigh, how nice. I wish my husband had that romance. Being too steadfast gets boring in a man. Needs some flair."
"Ahem!"
Uldiran coughed awkwardly.
"Gonna step out for some air."
He fled the table entirely.
With the mood lighter, Selene straightened up, eyes sparkling.
"Isaac, if you're okay with it, mind sharing some romantic stories from your marriage? Everyone here's so stiff."
"Mother?!"
"Ha, haha..."
Silberna tried to intervene, but Selene propped her chin and silenced her.
"You need to hear this stuff too. You've taken after your father too much—no interest in romance."
Unable to stop her gushing mother, Silberna covered her face with both hands and bowed her head.
"How was your first meeting?"
"First meeting..."
Caught up in the momentum, Isaac murmured without thinking.
Four years of marriage.
One year from meeting to wedding—so five years total.
Even counting his past life.
Over fifteen years, yet...
"Under the warm sunlight—"
Surprisingly vivid.
"The river ran yellow."
That day's memory, crystal clear.
"Beautiful, yet thorny—the name rose suits her perfectly."
Before he knew it, the Rianna from their first meeting bloomed in his mind.
[I want to cross the river.]
Not even a greeting.
A flat demand.
'One silver coin.'
[Don't have any now.]
'Too bad. I need silver to row.'
[...I'll pay later.]
'What guarantee? Got collateral?'
[Only got this sword.]
'Looks heavy.'
[...]
Her blank stare tempted him to tease a bit.
'Smile once? That'll be collateral.'
He'd won big at cards that day.
Would've ferried her for less anyway.
[Joking?]
'If you don't like it, oh well. This guy's off for a nap.'
[...Wait.]
The rose woman sighed, awkwardly lifting her lips.
'That's your smile?'
[Take it or leave it.]
'Sigh. Can you make me smile instead?'
Her earnest clumsiness had intrigued him then.
Even though drawing her greatsword to his throat would've ended it.
[Once upon a time—]
She wracked her brain for a story.
'Boring as hell.'
Too boring.
Chilling the mood, even.
[...]
Rianna pursed her lips tight.
Bit them in frustration.
From the sun? Shame? Unclear.
But her flushed white skin.
So alluring.
'Haha!'
He lost the bet unwittingly.
[You smiled.]
'Guess so.'
Upending like tripping over his own feet, yet he rowed anyway.
On the little ferry.
Her chin propped, savoring the river breeze, lips softening.
He'd thought it then, for sure.
I want to make this woman smile.
"Looking back now, I think I fell for her at first sight."
A smile crept onto Isaac's lips unbidden as he wrapped up the awkward tale.
"Anyway, doesn't matter now—"
Back then, surely.
He'd been in love.
After Isaac left.
Selene visited Silberna's room.
"Mother?"
Silberna, preparing for bed, still wore a complicated expression.
Isaac's story tonight had made her heart race more than expected.
But it had pierced her heart just as deeply.
"I heard you're in love with someone you shouldn't."
"Anna told you."
"I meant to snap you out of it... but it seems I unintentionally hurt you badly. So I came."
Selene smiled comfortingly.
Silberna, eyes wide, slowly shook her head.
"No, I think I can sort out my feelings now."
"It was hotter than I expected... but also enviable."
Selene murmured about romance.
Silberna felt the same.
She'd wondered how he married someone like Rianna.
But hearing his story made it feel inevitable.
Selene drew near and hugged her.
"Silberna, this is just the pain of love everyone goes through. This experience will lead you to something better."
"Mother..."
"I'm sorry."
"No, I'm sorry."
She hugged her confessing daughter tighter, blaming herself for loving an unattainable man.
"Silberna."
"It's okay. I learned my lesson. Next time I meet my fated man, I won't miss my chance. Too late this time."
Selene smiled faintly at her words.
She'd been the same.
Her bold pursuit of Uldiran Caldias in the past.
"Yes, you're my daughter. You'll do great."
Selene comforted her in the embrace.
My daughter is strong, after all.
Even so, something nagged at her.
'...'
[What.]
Isaac's parting words.
[Doesn't matter now.]
They irked Selene oddly.