Silent Tribute
Isaac's writing session stretched late into the night. Before he knew it, it was time for dinner.
"Phew."
A faint headache throbbed from the intense focus, but his sense of accomplishment overshadowed it. He opened the window to let in some cool air. Even in April, a chilling gust carrying a bite of winter brushed his cheek.
"Whoa."
He hurriedly grabbed a paper that nearly flew away in the wind. That's when his eyes caught the rose-patterned vial on the desk beside him—the Rose Elixir Roengreen had given him before leaving. It was said to be a Helmont secret potion that boosted physical abilities when consumed. But such things usually strained the body, and without blessed genes, drinking it recklessly could lead to disaster.
It's diluted, though.
As he pondered giving it a try, a knock echoed from outside. Knock knock knock. He bundled up his writing papers and tidied them away, then opened the door.
There stood Silberna Kaldias, her striking white hair like pure snowflakes.
"Allow me to greet you again. I'm Silberna."
"Isaac Helmont."
Short hair. In his previous life, it had cascaded down to her waist. Now it barely reached her shoulders.
"Your welcome was quite memorable. I could feel the spirit of the Kaldias house in it."
"It was my own selfish desire to see the Helmont light sword in action. Forgive my rudeness."
"That's a shame, then. As a son-in-law, I neither wield greatswords nor have a light sword to show."
"I've been even more rude, it seems."
Their gazes met. Polite smiles masked the tension at the corners of their mouths. To sum up their exchange without pretense:
'You pissed me off at the wall.'
'You gonna take that?'
'I gave as good as I got.'
'Touchy, aren't we?'
As the demure Silberna smiled and opened her mouth to say something, Isaac struck first.
"Enough with the pretense, Silberna Kaldias."
Her smile faded gradually into a blank expression, then curved back up with a competitive gleam. Her bold reply brimmed with fighting spirit.
"You're more straightforward than I thought. I was worried my cheeks would cramp from all the fake smiling."
"You started it at the wall, so why bother pretending now?"
"Anna advised me. She said using polite speech would annoy you even more."
'Anna?'
Isaac's gaze shifted past Silberna's shoulder. There stood a slightly shorter woman at the door, bowing her head in greeting.
So that's Anna. Silberna's closest friend, whom she cherished so deeply. A maid who learned the spear and enlisted alongside her mistress. In his previous life, Isaac had heard she'd tragically died when the Mallidan Wall fell.
"I heard you seduced Lianna... You're not bad-looking, I'll give you that. But that's not the end of it, right?"
Silberna flashed a meaningful smile.
"They say you're quite the smooth talker. With the tongue that charmed the Blood Rose, care to handle tomorrow's 'encouragement speech'?"
"Encouragement speech?"
"Most of the dispatched nobles have arrived. Starting tomorrow, there'll be basic training and field deployments. It's just a 'let's do our best together' pep talk."
"I can do that?"
"You're a Helmont, aren't you? No matter how much of a son-in-law you are, who'd dare defy a Helmont?"
"Sure, why not."
Isaac accepted readily. A good idea had just come to him.
Irked by his unflappable demeanor, Silberna added pointedly,
"My father will be there too. So you'd better prepare well."
"Got it. Anything else?"
"Huh? Oh... no, that's it."
"Good. Then can you let me rest? I'm still wiped out."
In truth, it wasn't just fatigue—he wanted to get back to writing as soon as possible. There would be plenty of time to teach Silberna later. With about two months until the Sword Festival began, a short delay was fine.
Silberna hesitated at his dismissal, stepping back.
"Hey."
She suddenly shrugged and whispered conspiratorially.
"Does Lianna Helmont, like, act all cute around you or something?"
"..."
His expression screamed What kind of question is that? Flustered, Silberna hurriedly added,
"No! I just can't imagine the Lianna Helmont I know doing anything romantic like that!"
"She doesn't act cute."
"What about pet names? Darling? Honey? Baby?"
"Isaac."
"..."
They locked eyes. Silberna nodded in satisfaction and stepped out.
"See, Anna? No way that woman got swept off her feet by some guy!"
"Romance has returned to reality."
Isaac smiled faintly at their conversation echoing down the hall and picked up his pen again.
* * *
The next morning, the training grounds buzzed with assembled soldiers. Excluding those on wall duty, every soldier of the Mallidan Wall stood in perfect formation, their ranks like a massive shield wall. Their grandeur was beyond words, and Isaac felt proud knowing they defended the kingdom.
"Sir Isaac is giving the encouragement speech? I-I'd be too nervous to even step up."
Jonathan fidgeted wildly, glancing around—whether from cold or excitement, it was hard to tell. Isaac sighed and smacked his back.
"Settle down. Stop squirming."
"Yes, sir! Sorry!"
They stood among the dispatched nobles' ranks. Unlike the disciplined Mallidan soldiers nearby, these nobles looked like a ragtag bunch. Most lacked combat experience but were promising talents recognized for their potential.
"Whoa, th-that's Uldiran Kaldias."
At Jonathan's words, eyes turned sideways. A man even larger than Helmont patriarch Arandel strode forward, his white hair slicked back in a ponytail, a neatly trimmed beard framing his face. The giant of the North, Uldiran Kaldias. His only daughter, Silberna, followed behind.
The event began as Uldiran took his seat behind the podium. These ceremonies followed a familiar script: salute to the flag, national anthem, drills, and so on.
"Next, representative of the nobles, Isaac Helmont of the Helmont family, will deliver the encouragement speech."
It was time. Predictably, the gazes on Isaac weren't friendly. Amid the silent, orderly Mallidan soldiers came cold stares. As Kaldias affiliates, they naturally resented Helmonts. And it wasn't just them—the dispatched nobles openly grumbled.
"Ugh, what the hell."
"You're kidding? Boosting a Helmont?"
"Black hair?"
"Kaldias is doomed."
"Trying to psych us out early."
They knew Helmont was a great house, but these nobles came from respectable families too. Resentment boiled at the Kaldias unilaterally picking a commoner-born son-in-law as their representative. Propelled by their dissatisfied glares and murmurs, Isaac ascended the podium.
Heavy.
The eyes of countless soldiers and nobles weighed on him. But heavier still was the gaze of Uldiran Kaldias pressing down on his shoulders from right behind.
He leaned toward the violet gem on the podium, enchanted to amplify his voice, and spoke calmly.
"Warrior, be great."
No introduction. Just those stark words. Yet they seized everyone's attention.
"Follow your duty."
Because those words...
"Warrior, simply be great."
...were the famous saying of Kaldias' founding patriarch, Border Duke Wolfdrun Kaldias, who had personally overseen the wall's construction.
A Helmont representative had just uttered words akin to the rival house's creed.
"Coming here, I wondered about the truth behind 'be great.' As you all know, 'greatness' can feel rather abstract."
Killing intent crushed down on him. Pressure poured from all sides. Especially from behind—Uldiran's aura was so ferocious that a moment's lapse might impale his heart on an invisible spear tip. How dare a Helmont mock our beliefs?
Isaac endured their icy glares piercing like the cold wind and continued.
"What makes one great? I pondered endlessly. Guarding the kingdom from beasts with the wall at our backs?"
"Wielding a massive greatsword to cleave foes in one strike? Upholding honor and conviction to smite injustice? Persuading enemies to surrender with eloquence?"
"Ah, of course those are great. Truly great."
The dispatched nobles glared daggers, their eyes screaming Read the room, idiot. Just shut up. The training grounds seethed—not with northern chill, but with heat.
"Yet I thought this:"
"True greatness... is fitting even the common man into that mold."
Fists clenched. Sincerity rang in Isaac's voice.
"Those born noble from the start, blessed by the goddess's bloodline, exalt themselves."
"But rather than those great by birthright—making the ordinary great! That is what merits true awe."
The atmosphere shifted subtly. Great by birthright fit the Helmonts perfectly. Their innate superhuman strength and prowess could only be called a goddess's blessing.
"And today, right here, I have witnessed that greatness. Please, witness it with me."
He snatched a decorative spear from below the podium, thrusting it high.
"This! The very thing you all hold!"
Soldiers glanced at their own spears. Bewilderment replaced their anger, fading it away.
Isaac smiled faintly and shouted,
"If someone vows to master the martial arts! I will cry out!"
"Behold the North! Upon that towering wall, the spear of mighty Kaldias, piercing the continent's zenith!"
The world's view of the Kaldias spear was simple: faithful to basics, universal, easy to learn. Perfect for the sparsely populated North, where any soldier could master it. That's why it was dismissed. Anyone can learn it. Even the duke's daughter and her maid had picked it up and enlisted.
Though I, never properly wielding a sword, was called the Silent Sword...
As the compiler of countless treatises, the Silent Sword declared: When it came to martial precision, nothing rivaled Kaldias.
"You who grasp the Kaldias spear! Following Wolfdrun's final words, simply be great warriors!"
"I know—a single greatsword cannot fell hundreds, thousands of spears!"
"And I know! You great ones do not retreat, even if heads fly or hearts are pierced!"
Because it was true. He knew all too well. A woman who bore all their deaths on her shoulders, living only as Kaldias after forsaking her name, had told him so.
"Great guardians of Mallidan's forefront."
His voice softened calmly.
"With gratitude for your selfless devotion."
A gentle smile touched Isaac's lips.
"And to share this meaningful moment with those great martyrs who have fulfilled their duty and now rest in this land—"
Slowly.
He closed his eyes.
"A moment of silence."
As Isaac bowed his head, for an instant, the Mallidan guardians followed suit.
Thank goodness.
Years from now, they'd hold out a full month without aid, defying the kingdom's staff who predicted collapse in five days.
To have this chance to thank you all...
You held strong. You endured. Your struggle was truly great.
It's late, but once more... my thanks.
Silent tribute.