“Isaac-nimmm!”
He was so excited, running straight over like a pitiful sight to behold.
Just how long had he waited that he would charge in like that? Isaac let out a deep sigh, smacked his forehead, then covered his face with one hand.
“That man really does like you, huh.”
“Ugh, I’m telling you, this is embarrassing. I can’t call that thing my brother.”
Grandmaster looked at Isaac with a sly grin, while Sharen, like him, covered her face with her hand and pretended not to see anything.
“You’re finally hereee! Do you have any idea how long I’ve been waiting?! I’ll show you the greatness of Helmut for real—!”
It was as if, now that Alois—known as the Madman of Helmut—was dead, soone had to take over that role. Lohengrin ca barreling forward, shoving aside the infantry with thundering steps.
He was charging like a mad bull, seeing nothing but Isaac. But the one who stood in his way wasn’t Isaac; it was an old veteran.
It was sir Eisenwolf, the commander of the entire procession.
His warhorse snorted and looked down upon Lohengrin. Eisenwolf likewise glared at the young Helmut with disapproval.
“Lohengrin Helmut, it’s been a while.”
“…Eisenwolf-nim.”
Lohengrin, who had been all fired up just a mont ago, suddenly cald down. He bit his lip, working hard to conceal the fighting spirit radiating from his body.
“Such disrespect. Should we say Helmut has fallen this far?”
“N-no, sir.”
Usually, rank in an army goes by years of service.
And no matter how headstrong Lohengrin might be, he couldn’t easily defy a near-retirent veteran like Eisenwolf.
Especially now that Helmut no longer had Arandel, they no longer had the privilege of everyone turning a blind eye to their rash behavior.
“Fall into line.”
“…Understood.”
With a dejected shuffle, Lohengrin joined the procession. Even then, he kept craning his neck to look for Isaac.
“Isaac, please, keep your head down. Make sure he doesn’t co over here.”
“Yep, already doing that.”
Isaac and Sharen both ducked their heads, pretending not to notice Lohengrin.
“This is so embarrassing I could die.”
Especially Sharen, who was mortified by her own brother’s behavior. Monts like this proved she really was still just a teenage girl at heart.
At that mont, the ones who rescued the dejected Lohengrin—abandoned by even his own family—were the mbers of Pure Flow Association.
“Lohengrin-nim, please co this way. I’ll lend you a horse.”
“Haha, what got you so worked up that you ca running like that?”
“With the eldest son of Helmut here, it looks like this campaign to reclaim the North will go smoothly.”
They were the Young Nobles’ Association. Naturally, they paid attention to soone like Lohengrin, who was close to their own age. In fact, it seed they already knew each other.
“Ah… right.”
For his part, Lohengrin didn’t look particularly interested.
“Oho, how intriguing.”
Grandmaster narrowed her eyes into crescents as she observed Pure Flow Association.
In the midst of the group welcoming Lohengrin, there was one man who remained silent.
That man was Rayahn of the Leivice family.
As the effective leader of Pure Flow Association, he didn’t seem happy at all about Lohengrin joining them. He was probably worried about his own position.
“Entertaining, isn’t it? They bicker among themselves too, in the end.”
When Grandmaster asked this while smiling, Isaac shot a quick glance that way and let out a bitter laugh.
“They’ll soon realize.”
The whole matter of Pure Flow Association and whatnot.
They’ll figure out it’s not exactly ti for infighting.
A few minutes later, the dispatched troops arrived at the Northern Front.
Though it was only a temporary line, the confrontation here had gone on so long that the palisades were worn out. The stench of blood hung heavy in the air, and crows cawed all around.
Soon, a young woman—the interim commander of the Northern Front, Rihanna Helmut—ca out to greet them. Despite her young age, she had secured this position by virtue of the Helmut na.
“…….”
The mont Isaac saw her in the distance, he felt sothing strange. She was… exactly the sa.
Her crimson hair still glead. Her eyes were the color of deep blood. Her expression was stiff as a statue carved from stone.
And finally, she was beautiful in a way that resembled a rose.
Rihanna approached Eisenwolf with a command baton in hand. Eisenwolf also dismounted his warhorse and greeted her.
“It has been a while, Rihanna Helmut. You’ve beco even lovelier.”
“I’m relieved to see you looking fit as well, Eisenwolf-nim. I hereby formally relinquish command to you.”
“Mm.”
Rihanna was just a temporary placeholder, after all.
It was only natural that soone more experienced, like Eisenwolf, would beco the official commander-in-chief.
And the very first thing Eisenwolf did upon taking the baton was—
“Rihanna Helmut, now that you’re the head of the house, you must not disgrace the Helmut na.”
—to lay down the law.
“What do you an by that?”
“Hm.”
Eisenwolf made an annoyed face and jerked his chin. He was indicating Lohengrin standing among the Pure Flow Association crowd.
Rihanna’s crimson eyes widened slowly as she grasped the situation.
Crack.
She bit down on her lip before bowing her head in apology.
“I’m sorry, Eisenwolf-nim. It seems a mber of my house has committed a grave discourtesy. I’ll see to it that he’s properly disciplined.”
“Rember, this is the most crucial ti for Helmut. If you fail to keep it together, the prestige your father built for Helmut will crumble before you know it.”
“Thank you for your wise counsel.”
Eisenwolf stared intently at Rihanna, then let out a small laugh and nodded.
“I’ll be watching.”
* * *
The dispatched troops began swiftly taking positions along the makeshift front. It was called a “makeshift” front for one simple reason:
They were deliberately refraining from advancing.
Rihanna had enough forces to push farther north, but doing so would stretch the front line, delaying the arrival of the main force. Instead, she was purposely conserving her strength, facing off against the monsters here, poised to launch a decisive strike in one big push once everything was ready.
While the captains gathered for a eting, Isaac, unfortunately, was not high-ranking enough to attend. All he could do was pitch his tent outside and wait.
“Isaac, I’d rather set up sowhere sunnier,” Sharen whined beside him.
Isaac replied with an incredulous look.
“You’re not sleeping here.”
“Why not? I want to sleep next to Isaac. We used to do that all the ti up north.”
“That was a special situation.”
It happened when the main forces left the barrier to subjugate Bricalla. Back then, he had to stay at the barrier, sandwiched between Sharen and Jonathan.
‘I wonder how Jonathan is doing?’
It reminded him of the item Helia Bell—who was practically a mother to Jonathan—had asked him to pass along…
“Isaac-nimm!”
He felt a rough hug from behind, forcing him forward a step. Montarily startled, Isaac couldn’t help but smile when he heard that warm, friendly voice.
“Jonathan, how’ve you been?”
“Isaac-nim! Ahhh! I’ve missed you so much! I’m doing really well! I’ve been training day after day, trying to beco a knight worthy of the Helmut na—!”
“Helmut isn’t that frivolous,” grumbled Sharen from the side, but Jonathan pretended not to hear her and continued his enthusiastic greeting. Isaac saw this as the perfect chance and pulled out the item Helia Bell had given him.
“Here, Sister Helia asked to pass this on to you.”
“Sister Helia did?!”
It was a rosary. Adorned with the symbol of the goddess Helia served, the rosary brought Jonathan close to tears as he reverently placed it around his neck.
“I really should go see her one of these days. I keep telling myself I will, but it never seems to happen.”
“Well, drop by Evergarde soti. I’m there, so you can stay at my place.”
“As expected of Baron Logan!”
Jonathan grinned broadly, playfully switching to a more formal address. He’d gone from a bullied rookie knight to soone noticeably more dignified. And despite the lingering stench of blood and the sight of scattered bodies around them, he seed to be holding himself together rather well.
“How’s the situation at the front?”
“Don’t even get started. I’ve really co to appreciate just how crucial Malidan Barrier is—”
“Isaac-nim!”
“Oh, please…”
Sharen hid her face again, clearly not wanting to witness her brother’s latest embarrassing display.
“There’s no way that thing is related to ,” she muttered darkly.
But Lohengrin showed no hesitation.
“You there! Step forward and draw your sword! I’ll repay you for all my past humiliations!”
“…It’s been a while.”
“You must have grown, yes? But Helmut marches in the steps of giants. Crushing any ager tricks of yours will be child’s play.”
“…I see you’re in good health.”
“Please, soone just put him out of his misery.”
It seed that Sharen was not being heard at all.
“Co! Your attitude will surely kneel before my greatsword, and the true Helmut shall—!”
“Have you been getting along with the Pure Flow Association?”
“Huh? What do I care about those worm-like fools? How can a tiger possibly mingle among dogs?”
“That’s just so Helmut.”
At Isaac’s mumbled remark, Sharen lifted her head and pouted.
“That’s not Helmut at all.”
“But what do those bug-like Pure Flow Association matter—Ah-ha?”
A sly grin spread across Lohengrin’s face, as though he’d just caught on to sothing.
“I see.”
“Shut it, please.”
“Sharen! Is that any way to speak to your older brother?!”
“Flare Burst!”
“Hrrngh!”
Their bursts of energy collided at the sa ti. It all happened so suddenly. But Sharen’s Flare Burst was pushed aside by Lohengrin’s force and vanished.
“You’ve beco sowhat useful, but you’ve got a long way to go.”
“Tch.”
Looking smug, Lohengrin switched back to the main topic.
“So, you’re keeping an eye on Pure Flow Association because of Rihanna, right?”
“Uh…what?”
“I know. A lot of those guys have their eyes on Rihanna. Why? Worried about your forr wife?”
“N-no, that’s not—”
“Rihanna is already at the age for marriage. Sure, you two divorced, but we’re Helmut. Plenty of potential spouses are lined up for her, and as the head of the house, she shouldn’t remain single for long. She needs an heir.”
“……”
“Probably quite a few nobles here have designs on her—”
“There you are.”
That short, emotionless voice felt like an ice pick digging into everyone’s ears. All eyes turned in unison. Rihanna, having finished the eting, stood behind Lohengrin with an expression as cold as ever.
“Lohengrin, co with . I need to ask about what Eisenwolf-nim said earlier.”
“…Alright.”
“Don’t forget, this is an official setting.”
“Yes… Understood, Patriarch.”
Lohengrin ground his teeth audibly. He was clearly about to get an earful—especially after already being scolded by Eisenwolf.
When Lohengrin stepped aside, the forrly married couple found themselves looking at each other.
Isaac gave a sowhat awkward smile and opened his mouth to greet her first—
“Long ti—”
“Sharen, you co with us too. Even if you’re currently away from the family, you’re still a Helmut. For this campaign, you’ll act under the Helmut banner.”
“Huh? But I don’t—”
“Sharen.”
Just that subdued calling of her na was enough to make Sharen pout and nod.
“Yes, Patriarch.”
With that, she left Isaac’s side and stood next to Rihanna.
Finally, Rihanna addressed Isaac. Her voice was so calm it betrayed no hint of emotion.
“It has been a while, Baron Logan.”
That was her greeting.
Isaac was taken aback for a mont, but then he managed a wry smile and bowed.
“It’s an honor to see the head of Helmut again.”
***
“Ugh, damn it, I got dragged here because of you!”
Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump!
“You? Did you just call your older brother ‘you’?!”
Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump!
“Well, act like my “older brother”, then!”
Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump!
What was that sound?
What on earth was happening?
So loud that the bickering of Lohengrin and Sharen behind her couldn’t be heard, the pounding noise thundered in Rihanna’s ears.
She soon realized it was the beating of her own heart. Her cheeks began to flush.
Isaac Logan, whom she’d just seen for the first ti in so long.
Sotis…
No, to be honest, quite often…
Well, really, at least once a day—
He crossed her mind, that ex-husband of hers.
Because of that, she’d believed she could remain calm and composed even when seeing him again.
He was no longer hers, after all, and acting with a polite distance was the right thing to do.
And indeed, on the surface, Rihanna had carried herself well. But inside—
‘It didn’t look strange, did it?’
She felt as though her insides were burning with anxiety.
‘You… it’s just been so long that I got nervous.’
Her eyes trembled faintly. This was more frightening and nerve-wracking than facing down any monster.
It had only been half a year, yet there were subtle changes in Isaac.
His once-slender fra had filled out sowhat, his shoulders broader.
That small topknot of hair he’d kept was now trimd more neatly, exuding a certain refinent.
His face bore the marks of hardship, and a faint trace of ti’s passage lent him a strange, mysterious weight.
‘What in the world…?’
To be honest, Rihanna felt caught off guard.
Her ex-husband, whom she hadn’t seen in half a year—
‘Why does he look so handso?!’
He looked far too good.
– – The End of The Chapter ––
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