Early morning.
Isaac was out in the garden with a bag slung over his shoulder.
The rose garden, known as the pride of Helmunth, hadn’t yet reached its season, not even a single bud in sight.
By June, when the Sword Festival begins, the roses would be in full bloom, spreading their enchanting fragrance everywhere.
Helmunth’s roses are a special breed, blooming until just before winter arrives.
‘It was beautiful.’
In this place, Helmunth, where only ugly and bitter memories remain.
The only thing that could truly be called beautiful was this very rose garden.
In a corner of that garden.
A single purple lilac, blooming ahead of its time, as if it had no sense of timing.
“……”
That stubborn little thing, making one’s brow furrow, was a flower Isaac had planted.
He couldn’t understand why the meticulous gardeners of Helmunth had left it there.
‘I should pull it out.’
Just as he was about to yank it out.
A knight, slightly taller than Isaac, with a youthful appearance, stood before him and saluted.
“Chung! I am Jonathan, assigned to escort Isaac Helmunth to the frontlines of Malridan! Please take care of me!”
“Ugh.”
Isaac instinctively frowned at the booming voice.
Jonathan, with a bright, childlike smile, was clad in the heavy armor and greatsword of Helmunth.
His short blond hair, like a soldier’s.
He extended his hand for a handshake, looking so innocent.
“I’m Isaac. Take care of me.”
“Yes, sir! I will definitely keep you safe until the Sword Festival!”
He was one of the minimal conditions Arandel Helmunth had set for sending Isaac to the frontlines of Malridan.
In case Isaac died or ran away, they had assigned him a guard who also served as a watchdog.
‘He’s more sloppy than I expected.’
Probably, the family head ordered a knight to be assigned, and after being pushed around, this half-baked guy ended up being the one.
After all, there was no need for an exceptional knight to watch over Isaac, who couldn’t even wield a sword.
“Well then, let’s—”
“Ah! Isaac.”
Just as they were about to leave, another interruption came.
This time, it was the eldest son, Loengreen, who approached with a gentle smile.
His red hair fluttering, a red aura emanating from his entire body.
It seemed he had just finished training.
The eldest son, Loengreen.
To put it simply, a personality disorder.
A madman with extreme emotional swings, who had beaten Isaac countless times to vent his anger.
And now, for the first time, he was smiling at his brother-in-law.
“I heard you’re leaving. No, how could this happen? A divorce. We’ve shared so many years and memories.”
‘Crazy bastard.’
How can someone spout such nonsense so tastily?
The only memories were of him beating me up or forcing me to play along whenever he was in a bad mood.
Loengreen whispered with a smile.
“Lianna, that woman demanded a divorce from you, right? She’s aiming for the family head position! Father said you could have a child, but a divorce means she’s after that, right?”
“……”
The eldest son and daughter.
Even though the eldest son was a year older, this conversation revealed why Arandel had been torn between the two.
“If you have a child, you can’t become the family head! That’s why she deliberately divorced you. A divorce means she won’t get pregnant, and the chance to become the family head remains!”
“Ah, yes.”
Loengreen grinned as if he had discovered something monumental.
“Isaac, don’t you want revenge? Don’t you want to take thrilling revenge on Lianna, who abandoned you just for the family head position?!”
“……”
“Come on, get stronger.”
Then, he secretly handed something to Isaac from his pocket.
“This.”
“You know what this is, right? Roselixir! The secret elixir of Helmunth, only allowed for those of the family’s bloodline!”
Loengreen smirked as he whispered.
“As the eldest son, I can take care of you. Drink this, survive, get stronger, and come back. I believe in you, brother.”
With a wink, Loengreen returned to his training.
‘Brother, my ass.’
Just a few days ago, he was forcing me to hold a sword and beating me up because my swordsmanship wasn’t improving.
It’s pitiful how he’s trying to backstab Lianna to secure his position as the family head.
“Uh, Sir Isaac?”
“Pretend you didn’t see it.”
Jonathan glanced around cautiously.
Isaac sighed and opened the lid of the Roselixir he had been given.
The unique scent was faint.
“Tsk.”
Roselixir, my foot.
Look at this, it’s diluted even among the diluted ones.
‘He’s probably trying to frame Lianna by saying she gave the family’s secret elixir to me, a son-in-law.’
All he could do was sigh.
Probably, the moment Isaac leaves, they’ll use the discrepancy in the Roselixir ledger and the actual count to pressure Lianna.
‘Pathetic.’
Honestly, Lianna doesn’t seem like the type to be swayed by such petty schemes.
He glanced back.
Inside the mansion, Lianna wasn’t coming out.
She must be deeply asleep, having been drunk last night.
[Take care.]
A farewell too sorrowful for someone leaving.
“Let’s go, Jonathan.”
He no longer wanted to stay in this mansion.
Isaac and Jonathan headed to the frontlines.
* * *
[Isaac, the Grand Master said it. If only your legs were intact, you would have become a great swordsman.]
In a vivid memory.
A woman with long white hair smiled at me.
‘Empty comfort, I’m sure.’
As I forced a bitter smile, the woman frowned and retorted.
[The Grand Master giving comfort? And I think the same. If only your legs were fine. If only you hadn’t become that damned Helmunth’s son-in-law…….]
‘Don’t get so worked up, it’s your flaw.’
[Those muscle-brained idiots of Helmunth—]
[They didn’t even recognize your talent.]
‘They’re not listening, huh?’
[Mute Sword Isaac! A man who wields his sword with words and knowledge. We all know how much your textbooks have helped. Thanks to you, my spear has advanced several levels.]
‘Yeah, I get it. How many times are you gonna say it?’
[I mean it, Isaac.]
[I really do.]
[Thank you.]
[It’s such a shame I met you so late.]
‘Have you been drinking?’
[With the decisive battle against the Transcendental Tribe just around the corner, I guess there’s no chance we’ll survive, huh?]
‘…….’
[If I had met you earlier, our family wouldn’t have been wiped out so meaninglessly.]
‘You’re overestimating me.’
[Oh? You think so? I don’t.]
He forces a bitter smile.
[It’s late, Isaac. Go get some rest.]
‘Yeah, don’t push yourself too hard, Caldias.’
[……Hey, you know.]
‘Hm?’
[It’s Silverna.]
‘…….’
[The name I abandoned for the sake of my family.]
[Silverna Caldias.]
[That’s my real name, Isaac.]
* * *
“Sir Isaac!”
“Hmm?”
Isaac opens his eyes at Jonathan’s call.
It’s already been a few days.
Riding in the carriage for so long has left his body aching all over.
But youth is a blessing.
He stretches his right foot, still amazed it can move, and listens to Jonathan’s shout.
“We’re almost there! The frontlines are supposed to be tough, but the road’s clear, so we got here fast, huh?”
“Yawn, yeah. Seems like it.”
A white puff of breath escapes with the yawn.
Even with the blanket, the chilly air seeps into every corner of the carriage.
This is the northern part of the kingdom.
The great Malidan Wall, built to hold back the flood of demonic beasts.
And those who guard it are—.
“We’re entering enemy territory now, so we need to be careful.”
“We’re fellow nobles of the kingdom. What enemy territory?”
After spending a few days with Jonathan, I’ve realized something.
To put it nicely, he’s pure.
To put it bluntly, he’s an idiot.
He even seems to be getting bullied.
He said they controlled his sleep, food, outings, and even bathroom breaks under the guise of training.
He even wet himself once…….
“Sir Isaac! This is Caldias’ territory! Helmunth’s rival! The great sword of Helmunth, the spear of Caldias!”
He’s spouting some heroic tale, but it’s just a feud between nobles’ egos.
Anyway, it’s true that Helmunth and Caldias don’t get along.
That’s why Lianna was worried.
If they find out we’re from Helmunth, they’ll give us a hard time.
“What if they hit us? I’ve had my blanket stolen at night before, but here they might actually beat us up, right?”
“It’s fine. Luckily, we’ve both got plenty of experience getting hit.”
“Sir Isaac, you’ve been hit too!?”
“You haven’t seen me helping with Helmunth’s training?”
I got beaten up all day there.
Any Helmunth knight would know that.
“Ah, I can’t participate in the training. I’ve only been a Helmunth knight for a year.”
“Then what do you do?”
“Lately, they’ve been training us to mimic horses because a knight should know how to communicate with them!”
“You idiot- *ahem*, Jonathan? I’m serious, you should quit being a knight. At least try somewhere other than Helmunth.”
“My heart is made of roses!”
“Then you’d be long dead.”
Sighing, he looks up at the approaching Malidan Wall.
I’ve never seen it in person in my past life, but it’s just as I’ve heard in stories.
‘Now I get why the northerners revere the Malidan Wall.’
It’s truly a monument protecting humanity.
The traces of time, like medals, scattered across the wall show how long it has guarded our land.
That’s why, when the Malidan Wall fell in my past life,
The kingdom was helpless as the frontlines collapsed.
If Helmunth’s great sword hadn’t held the line, the capital would’ve been taken in no time.
As we got closer to the wall,
“I thought I smelled something stinky and sweet, like something a brat would love!”
A woman’s booming voice echoes through the sky.
Along with it, mocking laughter from atop the wall.
“To bring such a delicate flower scent to the north! It’s so nauseating, I might throw up the bear meat I ate today!”
“Uh, uh, Sir Isaac?”
“Stop the carriage, Jonathan.”
“Yes!”
Jonathan stops the carriage with a screech.
The woman on the wall frowns as she looks down at Isaac stepping out.
“Ha! I am the spear and shield of the Malidan Wall!”
She introduces herself boldly, even though he hasn’t said a word.
“Silverna Caldias! State your name!”
He couldn’t help but laugh.
So, she hadn’t abandoned the name Silverna yet.
‘Right, Silverna.’
As the wind blows.
I came to meet you.
“Who are you, punk!?”
“……”
