35. Memories of the Night, Like the Curtain Falling on the Stage
Sunset faded, and night fell like darkness behind a curtain closing on the stage of memories. The Mallidan Wall had been abuzz with the arrival of Lianna Helmont, but as the beast horde launched its assault, the excitement fizzled out as if it had never happened.
"You all did great today. Get some rest."
Reconnaissance Team 5, minus Jonathan who lay in the infirmary, wrapped up their day. From the front wall, the beasts' roars and the soldiers' urgent shouts still echoed.
"...Shouldn't we go help?"
"Resting is helping. If we rest now, we give the ones fighting a chance to rest later."
"Oh."
"The assault isn't that massive anyway. We can handle it with room to spare."
Anna added this to Sharen, who nodded in understanding. Finally, Silberna's gaze turned to the red-haired woman standing beside Isaac.
"And Lianna Helmont."
"..."
"Thanks for the help, but starting tomorrow, we're interrogating you. Why the maid disguise? Why hide until now?"
"Fine."
Silberna scratched her head at Lianna's unflinching acceptance, then added,
"On the flip side, that means you get to rest easy today."
A small gift from the Kaldias family to Lianna.
"Keep that in mind and prepare. Dismissed."
Silberna turned to leave but hesitated, then confessed honestly.
"Today... really, thank you. You saved a lot of lives."
It bruised her pride, but preventing harm to the nearby residents mattered more to her, allowing her to express genuine gratitude.
"Anna! Let's grab a drink! We deserve at least one!"
"Now?!"
As Silberna headed to the soldiers' tavern inside the fortress, Anna caught up but paused to tell Isaac,
"I'll send over bedding."
"Bedding?"
Isaac blinked at the sudden comment, but Anna grinned and whispered,
"You can't stay in the maids' quarters anymore. It'd look odd to give a separate room to someone who might be in a cell for interrogation tomorrow, so naturally, you'll stay together."
"...Me?"
Isaac stared blankly, and Anna looked flustered instead.
"Yes, you're married."
"Right."
"..."
Lianna's cheeks puffed slightly at Isaac's hesitant reply before settling back. It was so fleeting no one noticed.
"Just in case you didn't know—the soundproofing there isn't great."
"..."
"..."
"Anna! Hurry up!"
"Coming!"
Isaac and Lianna watched them go in silence.
Creak.
Thud.
The door shut. The two entered the room.
The day's fatigue weighed heavily, but far from relaxing them, it only heightened the tension.
"..."
"..."
His wife stood rigidly by the door, staring blankly at him—that was why.
An awkward silence hung in the air. They had once been the closest of souls.
When did time together become this uncomfortable?
That's just how time works, isn't it? We call the inexorable change 'the years.'
"Here."
Lianna wasn't one for words, so Isaac broke the ice first. He pulled a note from his pocket—the one she'd sent via Sharen that morning, filled with her insights on his swordsmanship.
"Ah."
"Thanks."
"You knew?"
"Kinda? Sharen I know wouldn't analyze sword structures in such detail."
And Sharen couldn't act to save her life. It was like she wasn't even trying to hide it.
"Isa—"
"I'm going to wash up."
"..."
Lianna shut her mouth as Isaac cut her off mid-call. He glanced at her briefly, but she averted her eyes and gestured for him to go, so he stepped out.
Thirty minutes later.
They'd taken turns bathing. While Lianna was out, Isaac continued writing about swords, detailing his thoughts on her technique from today and what he could adopt.
"...Isaac."
A voice from behind startled him; he jumped up.
She'd returned, dressed in a pristine white negligee used as sleepwear.
"Uh, when did you get back?"
"You still lose track of your surroundings when focused."
Did Lianna smile? It was so brief he couldn't be sure.
Isaac closed the manual, cleared his throat awkwardly, and met her gaze. Her face was faintly flushed as she looked back.
"Sit here a bit."
He patted the bed. Lianna hesitated, then perched on the edge. Recalling his past comment about her stiffening when tense, she deliberately pressed her cheeks with her palms.
"Can I guess why you're here? I heard the family head sent Sharen."
Time to get down to business. Lianna lowered her hands from her cheeks and spoke carefully.
"I thought you might be in danger."
"Because it's the front lines? That's a given."
"Not just that—"
She started to say more but clamped her mouth shut. Or rather, she couldn't say it.
"..."
"..."
Silence settled again. Familiar air.
"So you came to protect me?"
"Yes."
Isaac nodded after hearing her out.
"Honestly, it doesn't feel very convincing, Lianna."
"..."
"I'm not moved, or particularly grateful. Feels like you came from too far for that."
"I suppose."
"I know what kind of woman you are. You're not after anything from me."
"..."
"No other reason?"
She wouldn't be here demanding he revoke the divorce or profess love—that wasn't her.
"Just..."
She fidgeted with her clasped hands before confessing.
"I didn't want you leaving injured, if possible."
"..."
"So you could live well after leaving the family."
Like rowing alone back then. Isaac stared, and she looked down, rambling to explain.
"I'm investigating the wedding anniversary incident too. Busy with the Sword Festival, but still, I'm—"
"Alois."
"..."
Lianna froze mid-sentence. She slowly lifted her head and asked Isaac,
"What?"
"Helmont's third son, Alois, is the culprit."
Straight-backed like a painting, she asked cautiously,
"Why would Alois target you—?"
"Ask him yourself when you get back."
"...Okay."
Her calm exhale carried resolve. She'd confront Alois the moment she returned home.
"..."
"..."
Quiet again. Isaac probed lightly.
"You believe me?"
"Huh?"
"Your little brother. And I'm... just the husband who's leaving soon."
Why trust him on the verge of departure? Lianna looked baffled instead.
"Why would you lie about that?"
Her matter-of-fact tone left Isaac stumbling briefly, but he masked his feelings.
"Whew."
Lianna took a deep breath, clenching her fists as if steeling herself.
"Isaac, since we're on family matters, I have something to say."
"An apology?"
"..."
Hit the mark. Isaac smiled softly and shook his head.
"Don't."
"Don't?"
"Yeah, no need."
It might only be a month here, but...
"Feels like the time to accept one has passed."
In him, it was a decade-old past. He had no desire to dredge up what was forgotten, overcome, or buried.
"Not planning to accept it anyway."
"..."
"I used to wonder why you left me alone."
But not anymore.
"Don't care about Helmont family drama now."
"..."
"That you had no choice but to neglect me?"
Slowly.
Isaac rose and approached her. He knelt before her on the bed, matching her eye level.
"Probably. Coming to the front lines for me like this... There must be tangled misunderstandings between us."
He gently wiped the tears welling in her eyes. She closed them softly, feeling his touch.
"But Lianna."
Regrettably.
"I don't even want to hear that."
"..."
"I might understand. Might even want to forgive. Then I'd end up back in Helmont."
No matter what.
"I don't want that."
Just one small mercy.
"The silver lining—"
He'd pondered it endlessly. Why, even in her dying moment after ten years, did she still wear the ring?
The answer was simple, but accepting it was hard.
"That we—"
But looking at her now, he couldn't deny this one thing.
"Never regretted loving each other."
He smiled softly, taking her hand. Her eyes wavered. Fresh tears traced her cheeks as she spoke from parched lips.
"Loving me—"
Her voice trembled.
"You don't regret it?"
To her pitiable question, Isaac answered plainly.
"Hated you sometimes, resented you plenty—"
Too many to count.
"But never regretted the days I loved you."
Because.
Those memories shone brilliantly. Bright enough to illuminate me even in the suffocating darkness of Helmont mansion.
"Hic! I... too..."
Tears streaming, Lianna nodded.
"Me too, Isaac."
The Sword Festival loomed. The horde might delay it slightly, but in his memory, it proceeded without a hitch. He'd holed up in his room back then, skipping it.
Anyway, things would wrap up then.
"Hoo."
Lianna swallowed her tears, steadying her breath. Isaac moved to release her hand, but hers clung tighter.
"..."
"Ah, Isaac."
Was her flushed face from crying or embarrassment? As he gazed, she hesitated, then whispered secretively.
"H-Hold me."
"Lianna?"
Such an abrupt request. But she was serious.
"Please. Just one night. Not asking for responsibility. Use me and toss me like a brothel girl if you want—just once more..."
Like our first night.
Hold me.
Sharen's room.
She'd squeezed every drop of Red Aura today and should have been asleep long ago, yet sleep evaded her.
"Wh-What do I do!"
Kicking the blankets in bed, Sharen wailed in distress.
"Sis is gonna kill meee!"
Knock knock.
A knock pierced her flailing. No one should visit this late—Sharen bolted up, cautiously opening the door.
"S-Sis?"
There stood Lianna.
"Wh-Why are you here?! Weren't you staying with Isaac?"
Sharen stammered at her timing, but oblivious Lianna sniffled and replied,
"I g—"
"You g—?"
"Got kicked out."
"..."