Proposal at the Castle Gate
Lianna stared impassively at the soldiers blocking her path before the castle gate. The soldiers' shoulders hunched under her gaze, chillier than the northern winds, as they instinctively drew closer together. Even with the gap narrowed, it felt as cold as a raging bull's breath. Finally, a savior appeared for the soldiers enduring this indescribable sharpness.
"Ha." It was Mallidan Wall's guardian deity, Uldiran Kaldias.
"A lowly one has come to such a noble place."
"……."
Lianna showed no reaction to Uldiran's wordplay. It might seem like Kaldias was provoking her outright, but in truth, her mere presence here was an immense rudeness to him.
"The daughter of Helmont pays her respects to the Margrave."
Lianna offered formal courtesy in her greeting. Her voice and expression were flat, yet those around her oddly sensed anxiety.
"Surely the Margrave has heard of the gravity of the situation."
"Hm."
"Let me go. I, Lianna Helmont, swear on the name of Helmont to resolve it."
"Refused."
She cut off Lianna's plea like a blade.
"Sorry, Helmont, but you must head to the underground dungeon right now. I need to know why you're here—and if the situation worsens—."
"Keep in mind it could lead to a military tribunal."
The already heavy atmosphere turned even more hostile.
"The Helmont name only gets you indulgences back in that grand mansion of yours."
With that, Uldiran's spear slowly aimed at Lianna's throat. Close enough that a mere extension of his hand would pierce it. Her unwavering crimson eyes met his.
"I will take responsibility for disrupting the front lines. But first, resolving the situation is the right course."
"That's not for the criminal to decide."
"Margrave, it's no boast, but I am Helmont. No one here can reach the site faster or resolve it."
"……."
"If we're too late, nearby villagers could be at risk. Please, let me go."
"Helmonts are slow on the uptake."
Uldiran clicked his tongue. His spear tip didn't waver even slightly at her plea.
"I already answered: this isn't for the criminal to meddle in. Helmont, worry about what excuse you'll spit in prison to survive."
Lianna took a moment to steady her breath. Her impassive mask began to melt away.
"Margrave."
A faint tremor. Not from the spear tip at her throat.
From fear of the future beyond the wall she couldn't reach in time.
"I beg you earnestly."
Not as Helmont.
As Lianna.
She slowly dropped to one knee and bowed her head.
"Please... allow me to go save my husband."
"Kwaaaang!"
As the Red Aura pouring from her greatsword faded and dimmed, Sharen desperately turned her back.
"This is really pushing it nowwww!"
Behind the fleeing Sharen stretched a dank, black pool. The shadow subordinates spread deep and wide, playing an empty game of tag on unoccupied ground. Wherever they passed, light couldn't reach—like a world without sun.
Even Silberna, blocking them head-on, seemed to be tiring.
Clench.
Gritting her teeth, she swung her spear wrapped in white aura. Her aura swirled along the spear's arc, unleashing a storm-like momentum.
But like slicing water, it briefly regained color—only for darkness to reclaim it swiftly.
'Not enough.'
She felt in her bones that her aura couldn't hold them back.
Coldly put, in this regard, Sharen's Red Aura was more useful than hers.
'Why am I so powerless—.'
Pushing her aura to the limit for explosive growth, but the tragedy was its timing.
'Enlightenment always comes too late.'
Her guts twisted inside.
No one could point fingers at Silberna.
Yet she blamed herself—that was Silberna.
'If only I'd trained my aura harder—!'
"Silberna!"
A cry pierced her tangled thoughts. She whipped her head toward Isaac calling her.
"Don't get lost in your emotions!"
"……!"
It felt like a club to the back of her head.
'Almost messed up again.'
She'd nearly repeated the mistake from the yeti incident—letting emotions cloud cool judgment.
If Isaac hadn't pointed it out early, she'd have stood frozen, swinging her spear until buried in darkness.
'You really—.'
How does he know me so well?
To others, she just looked like she was swinging her spear.
But Isaac saw something more.
Too profound for mere insight—something stirred warmly in Silberna's chest.
He was witness to her enlightenment lagging a step.
"We retreat."
Isaac pulled his reins, turning direction.
They'd held this long; reinforcements from Mallidan Wall should be coming.
Regroup and plan.
The shadow subordinates pursued. Swimming through the vast pool.
From Andes Village onward, they corrupted everything in their path.
Nortemus's shadow still pointed at Isaac.
"Can you block them?"
"Just break through the shadow subordinates around Nortemus. That's enough."
Call in aura users to carve a path and strike him down.
All roots led to Nortemus.
"Yeah, right."
"Hah! Hah!"
Silberna and Sharen's faces were ashen. Expected after squeezing every drop, but Isaac couldn't help the ache.
'What's the difference from when my leg was injured?'
It infuriated him. So he buried the emotion deep—for the path ahead.
"Huh?"
Then, a faint fragrance rode the wind.
Silberna blinked in confusion, but Isaac and Sharen tensed, gripping reins tighter.
From atop their galloping horses, they scanned afar.
There stood a lone woman gripping a greatsword. Her long red hair whipped in the wind as an intensely vivid red light exploded from her entire body.
"Whoa."
Sharen, of the same house, gasped in admiration.
"……!"
Silberna, her peer, felt the gap keenly.
And.
"Ha—."
Absurdly, Isaac recalled an unforgettable day in his fateful life.
That day was just like this.
Riding a wind carrying rose scent—.
[Marry me.]
Suddenly, a proposal.
'Marry me.'
Absurdly, Lianna thought today felt much like that day.
Seeking Isaac.
Without context, emotion, or romance.
Just like the day she proposed.
"Sisiiiister!"
"I beg you, Lianna Helmont."
She offered no reply to the greetings from the two women riding past.
Last, after seeing Isaac pass.
Lianna raised her greatsword high.
The white bandages wrapping it unraveled like mist in the Red Aura.
The Red Aura overflowing the blade scattered everywhere—evoking a strike she thought she'd never unleash again in life.
A once-in-a-lifetime blow.
[Huh?]
'Marry me.'
Was he playing ronin? The twig in his mouth fell as Isaac stared blankly.
[Isn't this too sudden?]
'Is it?'
[Yeah, usually you set the mood first.]
'Wasn't the mood good enough?'
[We haven't even greeted each other today.]
A bit aggrieved. Every moment seeing you.
Anytime.
Was I alone in feeling the mood was perfect?
'Don't you want to?'
Hiding anxiety, his playful reply came.
[Ah, it's not that I don't want to.]
'Good.'
[But wouldn't it be troublesome?]
'Why?'
She thought it was about the family, but no.
[I'll be the one to row your boat.]
[How will you cross this river without me?]
She realized now. You were just dragging it out from shyness.
'Yes.'
Her answer was the same as now.
The greatsword raised to the sky.
Toward the crimson river holding the sunset.
'I want you.'
Her life's most desperate strike.
Everything before her eyes began to part.
The shadow world split in two.
Just like the river cleaved that day.
Her smile hidden amid the pouring river like rain.
Could someone innocently say no need to row anymore?
Yet that's why she was lovable.
And why he admired her.
'Probably...'
No, surely.
The reason he couldn't set down his sword.
Was because that proposal lingered unforgettable.
"The horses... won't move."
"W-Wait, Sis was that strong?!"
One swing.
Darkness receded, light returned—the two gaped in shock.
The same reaction as his first sight.
"I told you."
Isaac added with a small smile.
"I could cleave the river."