Silberna's Reconnaissance Squad (1)
Silberna's reconnaissance squad consisted of exactly seven members. The leader was Silberna Kaldias. The rest included her adjutant Anna; Isaac, Sharen, and Jonathan from the Helmont family—three in total; Meladic Drakemoor, who had once sparred with Silberna and learned swordsmanship from Isaac; and finally, Pollu Blackhand.
"Wh-why am I even here? I don't get it."
Pollu Blackhand was on the younger side among the dispatched nobles. Just turning twenty, he fidgeted anxiously, unable to fathom why he'd been included.
Silberna's made quite the bold move here.
Isaac was skeptical of Silberna's decision to slot Pollu Blackhand into his own reconnaissance squad. The Blackhand family had been branded traitors to the kingdom, though few knew it yet. Thanks to Uldiran’s report, the royal family was quietly investigating them in secret. Isaac figured it best to leave them be until then.
But Silberna took the opposite view: precisely because he was a potential threat, she wanted him close at hand. Both sides had their rationales.
"Ah, ah, L-Lord Isaac! Th-that guy over there…!"
During the pre-departure muster, as Silberna gathered the team, Jonathan approached Isaac. Pointing at Pollu, who stood awkwardly beside Meladic Drakemoor, his words came out in a tremble.
Ah, right.
When Isaac had revealed the truth about the Transcendents and the Blackhand family, Jonathan had been nearby.
"D-don't worry! This Jonathan will stake his life to protect Lord Isaac—!"
"Jonathan, don't talk to him. You'll give it all away."
"Y-yes, sir."
Jonathan looked relieved. He knew full well he had no talent for lying.
But something was off about Jonathan. His gait was a bit unsteady, his stance crooked.
"Take off your armor."
"Pardon?"
"Now."
Jonathan hesitated, then complied. Beneath the armor, bruises and wounds bloomed across his body—strategically placed where the plates wouldn't show. Flames ignited in Isaac's eyes.
"You crazy bastards—!"
When the Helmonts' second dispatch arrived, their knights had come too. Isaac hadn't expected them to brutalize Jonathan like this in just one day. He nearly stormed off in rage to confront them, but—
"L-Lord Isaac! I'm fine! Really, no problem at all! The seniors were just disciplining me for my shortcomings!"
"Discipline? We're heading beyond the wall soon—how the hell are you supposed to fight like this?!"
"I'm okay! I can handle it! Don't worry!"
Jonathan acted nonchalant, but that only made Isaac's chest tighten more. Then Jonathan clung to him, voice breaking.
"Please, I beg you. If you make a fuss, it'll be even worse for me later!"
"Jonathan…"
Isaac bit his lip hard. The boy was right. Jonathan didn't know about the divorce, but Isaac was leaving the Helmonts in a month anyway. Threats here wouldn't matter; as a mere son-in-law, they'd brush it off. Plenty of knights had seen Isaac get beaten by direct Helmont scions before. They probably wouldn't care.
"What."
Just then, Sharen sauntered up behind Isaac, arms crossed, eyeing Jonathan.
"This kid a Helmont knight too? Never seen him before. And what's with his body?"
"Sh-Sharen, ma'am!" Jonathan snapped to a salute.
Isaac sighed and gave a brief explanation.
"Hmm?"
Sharen held up one finger and stated flatly,
"All you guys above him—assemble."
"…Pardon?"
"Assemble."
Jonathan blinked in confusion. Isaac grinned and gave him a nudge.
"What're you waiting for? Direct family scion's giving an order. You're Helmont knight stock—fall in."
They'd just arrived yesterday, so no duty rosters yet. Now was the time to round them all up.
Ten minutes later, armored knights lined up in the training yard. Even at seventeen, Sharen was direct lineage. Since she'd never summoned them like this, they all looked baffled.
"You lot who beat up that kid yesterday—front and center."
With Jonathan at her side, Sharen's gaze sharpened. The knights exchanged uneasy glances.
"Not coming forward? Should I just head back and tell Father dear that Helmont knights are bullying some kid like playground brats?!"
"Sh-Sharen, miss."
A veteran knight stepped up cautiously—the eldest among the dispatch, with a touch of gravitas from his chin beard.
"This is the Mallidan Wall. Doing this'll just tarnish Helmont's reputation—"
Sharen faltered at his words. Is that right? She tilted her head, pondering, and all her earlier reliability evaporated.
"Opposite."
Isaac stepped forward.
"Abusing someone out here at the Mallidan Wall is already a disgrace. Covering it up? That's Helmont's real shame."
"Lord Isaac…"
"And does this look like it'll end quietly within Helmont?"
As if on cue, Silberna approached. Her icy glare pierced their armor joints like northern gales.
"You did this to a squad member heading out on recon today? This could go to military tribunal—know that?"
"…!"
"We trusted Helmont knights to handle their own. If you sweep it under, we can't just stand by."
Silberna stood tall beside Jonathan, backing him up. With even Kaldias weighing in, Sharen finally found her footing.
"You're humiliating Helmont like this?! Should I really run and tell Father everything?! I'm dying to hear what he'd say!"
The mood shifted the instant Arandel was invoked.
"Forgive us!"
The veteran bowed deeply in apology.
"Where'd you sell your knightly honor?! Helmont's proud knights, stooping to filthy thug shit?!"
Sharen ramped up, berating them fiercely.
"S-sorry, Jonathan."
"Our fault."
"Please… forgive us…"
The three culprits stepped forward, heads bowed low in contrition. Isaac wondered if this was enough, but the victim himself didn't want it dragged out, so they let it slide.
The chastened knights dispersed. Silberna eyed Jonathan with concern.
"Jonathan, if you're not up to it, sit this out."
"No, ma'am. I'm good!"
"Sigh. We have a mage who can do recovery spells, but… can't waste 'em on this."
Wartime meant no squandering precious healing magic.
"Jonathan, you should sit today out."
With Isaac chiming in, Jonathan finally relented. He'd get treated in the infirmary and rest, leaving the squad at six.
"If this happens again?! I'll bolt straight to Father, horde or no horde!"
The middle-aged knight lingered, still catching an earful from Sharen. Apologizing profusely to a girl younger than him, vowing better oversight—it was almost pitiful.
"Mind if I ask something?"
Isaac cut in. Sharen shot him a look for interrupting but held her tongue.
"Yes, Lord Isaac!"
Grateful for the save from Sharen's scolding, the knight turned to him. Isaac lowered his voice and asked straight.
"Don't Helmont knights value upholding chivalry too?"
"Y-yes. That's why this incident has me reflecting deeply—"
Direct lineage might be a mess, but knights didn't usually pull lowlife stunts like this. Ignoring the knight's earnest repentance spiel, Isaac pressed on.
"So why target Jonathan? Specifically him."
The knight hesitated, then whispered so only Sharen and Isaac could hear, explaining the reason.
The moment Isaac heard it all, Sharen's head slowly turned. Spotting Jonathan trudging toward the infirmary, she bellowed,
"That crazy bastard?!"
* * *
The reconnaissance squad ventured beyond the wall. Silberna led, spear in hand, advancing steadily. Time had slipped past noon to 2 p.m. The Jonathan incident had delayed them, arriving later than planned at the designated point.
"This spot should keep us hidden from nearby eyes. We call it 'Snowflower.'"
Silberna's 'Snowflower' was a dense forest clearing. Near the mountain range entrance rumored to host the beast horde. Northern trees, blanketed in snow like blooming white flowers, blocked the sunlight.
"Here, beasts won't sneak up unseen—the snow'll give 'em away. Tracks, or fallen snow from branches, we can pinpoint positions."
"A northern trick."
Impressive how nature doubled as a security system. In emergencies, they could even bury themselves in snow for cover.
"Especially with a major horde—smart beasts likely. Naming outposts vaguely keeps 'em from pinning locations easily."
"Here."
As Silberna explained, Anna pulled a water bottle from her pack.
"Put on all the robes I gave you earlier. Strong deodorant—keep it off your clothes."
"Deodorant? Pass."
"Beasts sniff out human scent like pros. Gotta spray."
Despite Sharen's grumble, Anna uncapped the deodorant. They doused the fur-lined brown robes meant to mask them, hoods up.
"H-huff! Huff!"
Pollu Blackhand was tenser than expected. Nearby, Meladic Drakemoor and Sharen chided him.
"Hey, ease up. Just recon."
"Too much of a kid? Hope he pulls his noble weight."
(Sharen was three years younger than Pollu, FYI.)
Silberna hadn't anticipated Pollu's nerves either. Her plan to monitor the traitor's bloodline up close now felt embarrassing.
"Pollu, if it's too much, hang back here. We need one sentry anyway—"
The wind split.
A silent projectile—a 'bone'—struck.
"Urk—blegh!"
Snow turned foul. Pollu knelt, spewing dark red blood, staring at the spear-shaped 'bone' lodged in his chest. His eyes quivered.
"G-guh! Hngh!"
"Lord Pollu!"
Anna rushed to check him. Silberna and Sharen drew weapons, glaring toward the bone's origin.
"Sniff sniff."
Thick hide, white fur. Massive bulk, bulging muscles.
"Sniff sniff."
Weapons crafted from beasts and beasts slung on its back.
"Sniff sniff."
A famed northern beast—the Yeti. But this one's demeanor screamed abnormal.
"Sniff sniff."
Knocking its nose, grinning wide—fangs gleamed.
"Human scent. Sniff sniff."
"It remembers the deodorant smell."
Isaac muttered bitterly. Anna gaped.
"Pardon? The deodorant?"
"Probably caught another recon squad—not us."
"But they should've reported something that critical—!"
Crack!
A hurled skull shattered against Silberna's spear like a stone.
"A recon team still out?"
"T-Team 3. They were due to rotate with us—"
Hatred filled Silberna's eyes as she readied her stance.
"Proxsa, Torbik, Kalden, Irkasr?"
"Y-yes!"
"Figures. Makes me wanna puke."
The Yeti gripped another skull. Three human-shaped ones. With the one Silberna blocked, that made four.
"Pollu's status?"
"Critical. Not bleeding out much, but needs a mage's treatment back now."
"Sharen, if you carry him and bolt—time to wall?"
"Ditch gear? Fifteen minutes."
Sharen had already dropped her greatsword and supplies. Gone was the innocent girl from before; now a Helmont warrior primed to run.
"Sharen, take Pollu and go first. We'll cover and follow."
Silberna ground her teeth—first mission, already a bust. Isaac drew Peulseon, standing by her.
"We learned of Team 3's wipeout and a named beast. Solid recon intel."
"Isaac…"
"Drag this out, and the range's beasts swarm. Retreat's the play, Silberna. Payback later."
Bitterness lingered, but he was right. Silberna breathed deep, nodded. As Meladic and Anna backpedaled—
"Kyaaah!"
Sharen's scream whipped heads around. From Pollu's body flowed not blood, but viscous black ooze, engulfing her.
"Wh-what is this?! What the hell!"
Panicking, Sharen dropped him. The black liquid seeped ever more from the unconscious Pollu, seeking to devour her.
Shamanism!
If humans had magic, Transcendents wielded shamanism. Rare as magic, of course.
Isaac realized Pollu had been tampered with by Transcendents the instant he saw it. As he moved to aid Sharen—
Crack!
A side impact this time.
"Ngh?!"
A skull smashed into Silberna's shoulder, exploding. She recoiled, brow furrowing.
"Sniff sniff."
Thudding steps—the Yeti closed in.