Dinner
“Sort out the parts you felt were lacking and tell me tomorrow.”
The sky had already darkened into dusk. Sharen blinked in bewilderment at Isaac, who added this while sheathing his sword.
“Me?”
“Yeah, you did great earlier. What you said was pretty helpful.”
“Oh, right... I did say that.”
Sharen's sheepish reply. What she'd said before was just repeating what Lianna had told her, so it felt a bit awkward. It was strange that he was asking her to do it again.
“Do I have to say it?”
“It'd be good if you did. Why? Too hard?”
“No, no! I can do it! I can! I'll strip it down clean like filleting a fish bone from today's sword demo and bring it back!”
Isaac couldn't help but chuckle at her waddling stance, fists clenched and raised high. He wasn't really expecting anything from Sharen herself.
It was more like consulting the woman behind her.
'Talking face-to-face with her now that we're divorced would be awkward.'
But this way, with Sharen as the messenger pigeon, he'd use her for as long as it worked.
“Hey, Isaac, you're heading to dinner, right? Mind if I tag along?”
“I've got an invitation tonight. Can't eat together.”
“Invitation? Now? Who from?”
“The Warden of the Marches called for me.”
“Uldiran Kaldias?! Why you?”
“Beats me.”
Isaac answered casually, as if minding a child, but he was quite puzzled himself. Normally, he'd shrug it off, but this was wartime with monster hordes swarming. A dinner invite in this situation didn't bode well.
“Hey, Isaac... you thinking of remarrying or something?”
“...”
Isaac fell silent at Sharen's sudden question, caught off guard. He swallowed, sensing he might blurt something impulsive.
Then, calmly: “No.”
“For real?”
“I said no. Why ask? Not your concern.”
“I-I'm just checking! Worried you might end up as Kaldias's son-in-law!”
“Sigh, Sharen. Since you don't get it, let me spell it out.”
“Okay?”
This tomboy, clueless beyond swinging a sword, needed to learn this wasn't the mansion.
“Don't spout weird stuff outside. Lianna and I are still legally married.”
Isaac showed the ring on his left ring finger.
“See? Talking divorce or remarrying into Kaldias out loud? Very dangerous.”
“...”
“What if someone overhears? You know how many nobles from other houses are here?”
“Uh, yeah.”
“How many?”
“...Dunno.”
“Then you don't know.”
Sharen, staring blankly up at him, nodded unwittingly.
“Y-yeah.”
She tilted her head, feeling oddly outmaneuvered in the conversation. Before she could recover, Isaac pressed on.
“So watch your mouth, asleep or awake. I'll be gone from Helmont in a month. But you? You're staying.”
“Right.”
Sharen nodded, then perked up suddenly. “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 pondering and headed for dinner.
“...”
Isaac had been invited to Kaldias's dinner once before, so he wasn't too fazed. They'd spent plenty of time together already—no need for formality or unease.
“Please, eat.”
But he was thrown by the unexpected woman at the table.
Her name was Selene Kaldias, Uldiran's wife and Silberna's mother. Long white hair cascading down, beauty undimmed past her forties, and ample bosom. Silberna clearly took after her mother physically.
“Thank you for having me.”
The simple spread was hardly lavish for an invitation—barely different from soldiers' rations.
“What, disappointed no banquet?”
Uldiran, fork in hand across from him, asked lightly.
“I'd be disappointed if there was one.”
Isaac smiled softly. Uldiran grinned and nodded. Even a Warden of the Marches wouldn't feast lavishly in wartime—not the Kaldias he knew.
“...”
“My, Silberna. Guest is here—don't just stuff your face.”
Silberna, head down inhaling food, flinched at her mother's words. She gulped water to clear her mouth, then mumbled:
“I'm... hungry.”
“He's still one of your squad.”
“...”
Silberna, who'd been avoiding Isaac's eyes, glanced over. Her cheeks flushed with embarrassment.
Awkwardly: “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 savage warrior.”
“You look too slender for that.”
Surprisingly, their talk flowed smoothly—even Silberna was shocked. She'd kept distance since realizing her feelings, deeming them hopeless. Had she overdone it?
“Want me to cut it?”
“You know how?”
“Sure. Sliced off a few beast horns.”
“...”
“Spear instead of scissors okay?”
Uldiran cut in amid the teasing banter.
“Isaac Helmont, Antonio came to me out of the blue today.”
“...Antonio, you mean.”
It matched Isaac's top guess for the invite.
“Wants to forge a sword with frostsilver. For you.”
Isaac inwardly cursed the blacksmith's audacity but was glad he'd broached the touchy topic. He couldn't mention frostsilver lightly himself.
“Guess I ignited his artisan spirit. If he offended you, I apologize on his behalf.”
“Oh, he did. Bastard barged into my office demanding it.”
“Really?”
This mad blacksmith. Isaac felt sweat prickling his back, but the Kaldias family seemed unfazed.
“Not the first time.”
Silberna's words suggested it happened often. Uldiran chugged beer, laughing heartily.
“But this was different. Usually it's for his own work. This time? A sword for you, Isaac.”
“...”
“Said something like... he thought Helmont was the finest blade the gods ever wrought. Wants to best it for real.”
Under the table, Isaac's hand clenched into a fist.
“Thinks that thin sword you'll wield can beat Helmont.”
Isaac neither affirmed nor denied. He simply accepted the weight of expectations.
“Isaac Helmont.”
Uldiran slowly set down his mug. His expression hardened, drunken haze vanishing from his eyes.
“Obviously, I can't give frostsilver.”
“...”
“Not because you're Helmont. Don't misunderstand.”
“Understood. Sorry for the trouble.”
Uldiran said no more, just wetting his lips with another sip.
“Why beat Helmont if you're Helmont?”
Selene chimed in naturally, breaking the tension perfectly.
“Mm, my own resolve, I guess.”
Isaac smiled awkwardly, glossing over it. Couldn't mention divorce outright. But Uldiran interjected:
“The Sword Festival.”
“Sword Festival?”
Mother and daughter turned to him. Uldiran smiled slyly, spinning the tale like an old story.
“Helmont's event every four years. Invites kingdom nobles; direct descendants duel.”
He grinned. “Outsiders can join, but usually don't. Get crushed by Helmonts anyway.”
“You?”
“Me?” Uldiran chuckled sheepishly. “Tried once, twenty years back. Lost to Arandel. Shame.”
“Then Isaac—.”
Silberna's gaze met his.
“Son-in-law or not, I'm her husband. So I'll enter instead of my wife Lianna.”
Isaac smiled awkwardly. Silberna's eyes widened.
“That's why you've been sparring Sharen a lot lately?”
“Can say that.”
Not just the festival, really. It was a milestone, but Isaac wanted to be a swordsman. Rare chance to duel Helmonts—especially post-divorce in a month.
'Squeezing every bit I can now.'
Good if they took it positively.
“So romantic.”
Selene smiled warmly.
“Pardon?”
Isaac's startled tone slipped out; Selene took it as shy deflection.
“Entering for your wife—to honor her name.”
'Not quite.' Isaac's lips twitched awkwardly.
“Y-yeah.”
“Sigh, nice. Wish my husband had some romance. Too stoic's no fun. Needs flair.”
“Ahem!”
Uldiran coughed awkwardly. “Need some air.”
He fled the table. The mood lightened; Selene leaned in, eyes sparkling.
“Isaac, any romantic wife stories? Everyone here's so stiff.”
“Mother?!”
“Haha...”
Silberna tried intervening, but Selene propped her chin, silencing her.
“You need to hear this. You've got your dad's disinterest in romance.”
Unable to stop her gushing mother, Silberna buried her face in her hands.
“How'd you meet?”
“First meeting...”
Caught in the momentum, Isaac murmured. Four years married, one year dating—five total. With his past life? Fifteen years.
Yet vividly:
Beneath warm sunlight—
The river ran golden.
“Beautiful, yet thorny—like a rose.”
Before his eyes, Lianna from their first meeting bloomed vividly.
[I want to cross the river.]
No greeting. Just her dry demand.
'One silver coin.'
[Don't have any now.]
'Too bad. Need silver to row.'
[...I'll pay later.]
'On what faith? Collateral?'
[Only got this sword.]
'Looks heavy.'
[...]
Her blank stare tempted a tease.
'Smile once? That'll do as collateral.'
Big win at cards that day. He'd accept absurd payment.
[Joking?]
'If you dislike, no choice. Off for a nap.'
[...Wait.]
The rose sighed, awkwardly lifting her lips.
'That's your smile?'
[Best I got.]
'Sigh. Can you make me smile instead?'
Her earnestness intrigued him then. Could've ended with her greatsword at his throat.
[Once upon a time—]
She wracked her brain for a tale.
'Boring as hell.'
Chillingly dull.
[...]
Lianna clamped her mouth, biting her lip in frustration. Cheeks flushed—sun or shame?
Irresistibly alluring.
'Haha!'
He lost the bet unwittingly.
[You smiled.]
'Guess so.'
Trip over his own defeat, he rowed anyway. On the little ferry, her relaxed smile as she savored the river breeze.
He'd thought then: I want to make her smile.
“Looking back, I fell for her from the start.”
Isaac smiled unwittingly, ending awkwardly.
“Whatever now—.”
Back then, surely.
He'd loved her.
After Isaac left.
Selene visited Silberna's room.
“Mother?”
Silberna, preparing for bed, looked conflicted. Isaac's dinner story had stirred her heart more than expected—piercing it too.
“Heard you're in love you shouldn't be.”
“Anna told you.”
“Meant to snap you out of it... but seems I hurt you instead.”
Selene smiled comfortingly. Silberna, eyes wide, shook her head gently.
“No, I think I can sort my feelings now.”
“Was hotter than expected... but envious too.”
Selene murmured about romance. Silberna agreed. How'd he marry her? But hearing it, it felt inevitable.
Selene hugged her slowly.
“Silberna, everyone's been through love's pains. This'll lead you to better love.”
“Mother...”
“Sorry.”
“No, my fault.”
Her daughter confessed it was her own for loving the unattainable. Selene hugged tighter.
“Silberna.”
“I'm fine. Learned my lesson. Next fateful man, I won't miss. Too late this time.”
Selene smiled softly. She'd chased Uldiran boldly once.
“Yes, you're my daughter. You'll do great.”
Comforting her in embrace. Her girl's strong.
Yet something nagged.
'...'
[Whatever.]
Isaac's parting words.
[Now or not.]
Oddly grating to Selene.