Chapter 48
Chapter 48
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 48
Chapter Title: The Margrave's Warning
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“...”
“...”
Isaac rushed over at the news that the Margrave had summoned him.
The hulking man standing awkwardly before him seemed far from the guardian deity of the North—he was nothing more than a doting father.
“How's the arm?”
The question sounded concerned, but his tone betrayed no such worry.
It felt more like he was testing its durability. Isaac answered promptly.
“It hasn't healed yet. They say it'll take some time.”
“Ahem!”
Uldiran made no effort to hide his disappointment.
Stripped of his role as the kingdom's defender, he came across as rather petty.
“That's not why you called him here, dear.”
Selini Caldias finally stepped in to mediate.
At his wife's intervention, Uldiran cleared his throat awkwardly to lighten the mood and extended his hand.
Isaac handed over the sword at his waist, named 'The Respected and Beautiful Goddess Silvrin'.
Uldiran hefted it, swinging it this way and that, letting out a faint sigh of admiration.
“Hmm, it's incredibly light.”
“I made a special request. Since I'm lacking in strength, I asked for it to be as light as possible.”
“And you compensated for the reduced durability with frostsilver ore?”
“...Yes.”
Then Uldiran offered the sword to his wife. Selini took it and dashed out of the office without a word.
It was a development Isaac had anticipated.
Even if it was a gift from Silberna, an item made from frostsilver ore couldn't be carelessly leaked outside.
Especially not to someone from Helmunt.
Uldiran, left standing there, looked down at Isaac and sighed.
“As you know, this isn't something we can just brush off.”
“I'm aware.”
“The key point is that Silberna leaked it 'personally.' I can't turn a blind eye to that.”
“...”
Was he conflicted about punishing his own daughter?
But if so, his expression was far too pleased.
“So, as far as you're concerned, you never received the sword. We'll leave it at that.”
“Understood.”
If it had never existed in the first place, he wouldn't have minded.
But having it and then losing it made Isaac all the more regretful.
He tried to hide his feelings, but they must have been plain as day to Uldiran.
The Margrave grinned slyly and added,
“In exchange, it'll be presented to you officially at a formal occasion. As a reward for your recent exploits.”
“...Pardon?”
It was the reaction Uldiran had been waiting for—his mouth stretched nearly ear to ear.
For such a massive man, his expression was that of a five-year-old.
“I told you, the problem was giving it personally. Fortunately, plenty of people witnessed your performance this time.”
“...”
“Sure, handing a frostsilver sword to the Helmunt son-in-law might raise some eyebrows. But what of it? Let anyone who dares come here and complain try.”
An island mentality in high society.
Something only possible in the North.
And with his feats in repelling the great horde this time, it was hard to call Uldiran's actions unreasonable.
“I'll handle the royal family. But your name will be buzzing around a bit. Deal with that yourself.”
“...Thank you.”
“So, we'll keep it on our side until the official presentation.”
He wasn't taking the sword away after all—he was promising to give it through proper channels. Isaac's joy doubled.
In truth, he'd been agonizing over how to explain the sword when he returned to Helmunt.
This resolved that worry entirely.
“I saw your strike.”
Arms crossed, Uldiran had slipped into the stance of a seasoned warrior.
Recalling Isaac's swordplay from back then, he let out an admiring chuckle.
“I won't disparage your skill, but remember—much of it was the power of the frostsilver.”
“Of course.”
He couldn't have achieved those results with any other blade.
No, even now, swinging a sword again, he wasn't sure he could replicate that strike.
Hadn't his arm broken from the strain already?
It was clear he'd reached a realm beyond what his current body could handle.
“Ice crystals that can only be mined in caves where the cold has congealed. Unlike ordinary ore, they're infused with the North's chill.”
“...”
“Never forget it while you carry that sword. The rising frost could swallow you whole at any moment. And don't you dare lay eyes on Silberna carelessly.”
“I'll keep that in—”
“Pardon?”
Uldiran glared at Isaac with eyes blazing hot enough to melt frostsilver, snorting as he continued.
“The moment you make a move on my daughter, the chill from the spear I forge with frostsilver will engulf you.”
“In case you've forgotten, I already have a wife.”
“Yes, I wish you two a long and happy marriage. But if you so much as flirt with Silberna, divorce her first. Got it?”
“...Understood.”
“Haha! Sorry for bringing up divorce with such a devoted couple!”
Remembering how Rianna had knelt for Isaac's sake, Uldiran laughed heartily and clapped him on the back.
Isaac, looking embarrassed, said nothing.
Two days later.
In front of the carriage, Sharen idly kicked at the ground.
“It's a shame.”
The wound from Bricala had already fully healed.
Helmunt's exceptional physique had proven itself once more.
And today, having received a letter ordering her return for the Sword Festival, she was heading back to Helmunt.
The carriages bustled amid the Helmunt knights busy preparing to depart.
Sharen, reluctant to leave the North.
It was the first time she'd been away from the Helmunt estate for so long, and the connections and memories she'd made here didn't feel so bad.
Despite all the hardship.
Comparing her arrival in the North to now, she seemed like a completely different person.
“Ask Milli to make you some star cookies. She'll whip them up right away.”
“Oh, right! Star cookies!”
At the mention of why she'd come here, Sharen jumped up with a bright smile.
She'd been whining about not having sweets for a while, but that seemed forgotten now.
Thinking of those sugary treats clearly lifted her spirits.
“I wanna go back and eat them already. Hurry back, Isaac! Let's eat star cookies together!”
Isaac gave a wry smile at Sharen's innocent cheer.
For the record, Isaac wasn't returning yet.
His right arm still hadn't healed, so he needed continued treatment from Vivian.
One healing spell had removed the splint and bandages.
But the wound wasn't fully closed, so Vivian insisted on one more session, just in case, and kept him there.
“I'll let you try my secret stash of snacks too!”
Sharen laughed gleefully.
Her childlike cute smile even brought a similar expression to Isaac's face before he knew it.
A lot had changed for him in the North.
And the way he saw Sharen was definitely one of them.
From a selfish tomboy kid, she'd grown into a poised young lady who could pull off a noble air in her own way.
Isaac would never forget the sight of her back during the final clash with Bricala.
Without her and Jonathan, he would've died before he could even unleash that great sword technique.
Isaac placed a hand on her head, stroking it gratefully.
She seemed pleased, shaking her head happily into his touch with a beaming smile.
“Hehe! See ya!”
“Safe travels.”
Sharen and her maid Kelsi bowed and headed to the carriage.
Rianna approached naturally.
Still awkward from the 'Ria nickname incident' last time, Isaac cleared his throat unnecessarily and asked,
“You're going too, right?”
“Yeah, I have to.”
“What will Father say...”
“It's fine. I was prepared for that.”
What should he say to see her off?
Before Isaac could decide, Rianna spoke first.
“I got some rewards from this subjugation.”
“Hm? You weren't here officially, so I thought you couldn't receive any.”
“Right. But the Margrave acknowledged my contributions.”
Before Bricala reached the wall, Rianna's efforts had dealt it serious injuries.
However, since it wasn't official, the rewards were given discreetly and unofficially.
And it was what Rianna had requested.
“I left them all in your room. Use them.”
“What are they?”
Asking with a flicker of anticipation, Isaac got a flat response from Rianna.
“A bit of Bricala's bones, some skin, and parts of its organs.”
“...You're not just dumping trash before leaving?”
His face twisted in disbelief.
But Rianna had already thought through its uses.
“Remember the Rose Elixir Roengreen gave you before you left?”
“That super diluted stuff?”
Roengreen had tried to threaten Rianna over leaking the family elixir.
But Arandel hadn't cared much.
Isaac, who received it, found no use for it and had shoved it in a corner.
“Yeah. Fuse it with that and try consuming it. It might have an effect.”
Since Bricala had possessed monstrous mana reserves.
The dilution of the Rose Elixir had ironically made it mixable with other things.
“Oh.”
Rianna's advice touched on something Isaac hadn't considered.
Impressed, he nodded.
He could ask Vivian, the mage and doctor, to introduce him to a pharmacist, or get advice directly.
He was staying for treatment, but it seemed like the time would be more productive than expected.
“Well, I'm off.”
“Alright, thanks.”
“Don't catch a cold, Isaac.”
“...”
Come to think of it, last time she'd said the same through Sharen.
“Yeah, I will.”
She was worried for him, after all. Isaac nodded and saw her off.
The brief talk with Isaac left her a little wistful, but managing such a normal conversation felt like a huge step forward for her.
Rianna headed to the carriage.
Silberna was there, exchanging final goodbyes with Sharen.
She tried to slip past quietly and board.
“Rianna Helmunt.”
But Silberna deliberately called her out.
“What.”
Rianna found her uncomfortable.
She knew Silberna had her eyes on Isaac.
And she knew she shouldn't react to it.
So Rianna showed no response to Silberna's actions.
But uncomfortable was uncomfortable.
The two stared openly.
Silberna slowly extended her hand for a shake.
“You did great. You helped a lot. On the front lines, and personally for me too.”
“...Yeah.”
Not expecting genuine thanks, Rianna took her hand.
Their eyes met briefly.
“Ow, hot!”
Sharen, standing between them, fussed dramatically and darted into the carriage.
Silberna released first and said calmly,
“No need for long goodbyes. We'll meet again soon anyway.”
“Meet again?”
“The Sword Festival. We're invited too.”
“...”
Then it clicked for Rianna.
She'd gone out of her way to remind her on purpose.
Rianna had been planning to leave with lighter steps, thinking Isaac and Silberna would part in a few days.
“See you then, Rianna Helmunt.”
“...”
For some reason, her feet wouldn't move.