In Arandel’s sight, his two daughters are caught.
The eldest, Lianna, and the second, Sharen.
It was somewhat expected that Lianna would volunteer to go to the Malidan Wall.
She must still be worried about her husband, Isaac.
But in Sharen’s case, it was hard to guess her intentions.
‘Sigh.’
Arandel knew well that he wasn’t a good father.
Understanding his daughters’ intentions was particularly troublesome for him.
Especially since Sharen Helmunth was still a young tomboy, making it even harder to judge.
“Sharen, why are you volunteering?”
In times like this, a direct approach was best.
At Arandel’s question, everyone’s gaze turned to Sharen.
They too were curious why Sharen suddenly wanted to go to the Malidan Wall.
“Father.”
Sharen placed her hand on her chest and stepped forward.
Young as she was, she was still a Helmunth.
She was old enough to be familiar with etiquette.
“I have decided it is my duty to go.”
“Tell me the reason.”
Don’t add unnecessary words.
As Arandel warned with a stern look, the ease faded from Sharen’s lips.
“I-I’m sorry. I got ahead of myself.”
Her trembling eyes.
The nervous Sharen quickly and briefly explained.
“The Sword Festival is approaching. It’s natural that my brothers can’t go, and Lianna must stay as well.”
She took a breath.
“But the youngest, Edel, can’t go. So, even if I’m lacking, as the one who can wield Helmunth’s sword, I believe it’s right for me to go.”
“Hmm.”
Arandel immediately realized Sharen was lying.
Seeing the self-centered tomboy Sharen using duty as an excuse.
Clearly, she had other intentions.
‘But there’s no reason to refuse.’
Arandel judged that Sharen going was the most ideal scenario.
A suitable candidate who wasn’t crucial for the Sword Festival but wouldn’t be a liability in battle.
Moreover, he thought it would be good for the still immature Sharen to gain some experience on the battlefield.
“It’s a grand gathering. Don’t let your guard down, and show them the greatness of Helmunth.”
As permission was granted, Sharen smiled brightly and bowed.
“I will show the world what Helmunth’s sword is and return.”
For a moment.
Arandel’s face turned gray, but no one noticed.
“Father! I-!”
Lianna stepped forward to volunteer, but Arandel, displeased by Sharen’s words, frowned and gestured.
“Go now.”
“……”
That was the end.
No one present could defy the family head, Arandel.
And so, everyone left.
Arandel remained alone in his office to handle his duties.
Even then, Sharen’s determination kept spinning in his head.
[I will show the world what Helmunth’s sword is and return.]
Helmunth’s sword.
“Sigh.”
Arandel’s wrinkles seemed to deepen with his sigh.
A voice mixed with lamentation escaped.
“Which of you is truly wielding Helmunth’s sword?”
His bitter muttering dissipated like gray smoke from a cigarette.
* * *
Lianna’s steps were hurried.
She wanted to rush to Sharen and beg her to tell their father she couldn’t go to the wall.
“Lianna!”
While walking through the second-floor corridor, a voice full of temper called from behind.
The eldest son, Loengreen, approached her with big strides and shouted.
“It was you, wasn’t it? You pushed Sharen to go!”
“…What are you talking about?”
Though a year older, Lianna had long since abandoned any respect for Loengreen.
“If not, why would Sharen volunteer to go to the Malidan Wall? You should be the one going!”
“……”
“You bitch. Did you want the family head position that badly? Was it so hard to pass it to your brother?”
“Sigh, stop with the nonsense. How many times have I said it? I’m not interested.”
Lianna tried to ignore Loengreen and walk away, but he grabbed her shoulder.
*Thud!*
Lianna’s hand swiftly knocked away the eldest son’s grip.
The murderous aura that made Loengreen flinch for a moment.
But soon, he flared up again.
“How did you even persuade Father?! He just let the Rosewick incident slide!”
“Sigh.”
Rosewick.
Helmunth’s elixir that enhances physical abilities.
Right after Isaac left.
Loengreen had told Arandel that Lianna stole the elixir, reserved only for direct descendants, and gave it to Isaac.
But Arandel showed no reaction or punishment and simply let it go.
“Father knew it was just your petty trick.”
A family head wouldn’t be swayed by such childish antics.
“Actually, it’s good timing, Loengreen. Let me make it clear. Stop with the nonsense. Father already sees you as the heir, so don’t embarrass yourself by showing your incompetence.”
Loengreen’s expression turned grim at Lianna’s emotionless words.
“So, you’re trying to steal the family head position from me? Ha! Foolish! Lianna, let me make it clear, there’s not a single chance you’ll become the family head.”
“No, sigh…”
What to do with this blockhead?
A sigh escaped as even the slightest familial affection began to fade.
“Mother will return for the Sword Festival. She will surely support me.”
“……”
“Moreover, if I overwhelmingly defeat your pathetic sword at the Sword Festival, that’s it. You know our sparring record, don’t you?”
A smug smile spread across Loengreen’s lips.
37 matches, 31 wins, 6 losses.
Loengreen boasted an overwhelming record against Lianna.
Though the number of spars was relatively low for siblings, it was because Lianna had deliberately avoided them.
“In the end, I’ll prove it with my skills. But if you try any underhanded tricks-!”
“Right.”
At that moment, Lianna’s emotionless eyes widened slightly.
“Exactly.”
“…What are you talking about?”
A hint of realization dawned on Lianna, and the corner of her mouth lifted slightly.
Then.
“With Isaac gone, there’s no need to hold back.”
“What?”
“Come to the training ground, Loengreen.”
A crimson aura erupted from Lianna’s entire body. The dazzling red energy made Loengreen momentarily panic.
“Don’t mess around too much.”
Riana passed by him and headed to the training ground.
* * *
“Kuh, huff?!”
Loengreen couldn’t even let out a proper scream.
Humbled and rolling backward, he was tangled in his cloak, unable to see clearly.
He had already dropped his greatsword, and his pride was shattered so easily it was almost laughable.
At least there was one silver lining.
The spacious family mansion.
Since they were sparring in the now-unused underground training ground, no one witnessed his disgrace.
“Loengreen.”
A cold voice.
Loengreen felt humiliated by the tone that suggested her victory was a foregone conclusion.
In the sparring match just now, he hadn’t even managed to swing his sword properly before being completely overwhelmed.
“If I had any ambition to be the family head, I would have taken it by force.”
“……!”
“So, don’t push your luck.”
With that, Riana walked away.
Loengreen, hastily pulling himself together, shouted in frustration.
“All this time! Have you been insulting me all this time?! Hiding this kind of strength?!”
“Huh.”
Riana paused briefly, not turning her head, and whispered softly.
“It was because of Isaac.”
“……What?”
“Never mind, I don’t want to talk about it anymore.”
As Riana added that, Loengreen’s desperate, enraged voice continued behind her.
“I am the eldest son! I, I will become the family head!”
“I, I didn’t know! But do you really think Father doesn’t know about your strength?!”
“Even so, Father will choose me! I, I will succeed Father and become the great Helmunth!”
Riana clicked her tongue at his outburst.
Does Father really know everything?
‘Of course, he knows.’
Aranel wasn’t foolish enough to not see the difference in skill between them.
However.
‘That doesn’t matter.’
From Aranel’s perspective, the difference in skill between Loengreen and Riana was negligible.
He hesitated to choose Loengreen simply because he was foolish.
‘Is there even anyone who can earn Father’s recognition through swordsmanship?’
Riana, having come up to the surface.
As she passed through the first-floor hall to head back to Sharen.
“……”
A busy-moving woman in a kitchen uniform with brown skin caught her eye.
‘That’s Millie.’
She had often seen her chatting amiably with Isaac.
They were the same age, and she vaguely remembered hearing that Millie had received a gift from Isaac.
Millie, who had been bustling about, quickly bowed her head upon seeing Riana.
“Good day, Miss.”
“……”
Riana, expressionless, stared down at Millie and then casually remarked.
“You received a gift from Isaac.”
“……Huh?”
Caught off guard by the sudden comment, Millie hesitated but quickly responded.
“Yes! That’s right. Isaac drew a portrait of me.”
“Can I see it?”
“Huh? Oh, of course.”
Millie led Riana to the servants’ quarters outside the mansion.
Entering Millie’s room, Riana glanced around briefly.
A commoner.
Same age.
Bright personality.
‘She’s similar to Isaac.’
A woman who was the complete opposite of herself.
Did Isaac like women like this?
While lost in thought, Millie brought out the painting.
“Here it is. I had no idea Isaac was so talented at drawing. He’s really multi-talented.”
Millie praised Isaac honestly.
Though she knew the two were getting divorced, Millie didn’t want to speak ill of Isaac.
“Ah……”
The painting was truly impressive.
A portrait of Millie.
Riana had no idea Isaac had such talent.
“I-.”
He never drew me.
Riana swallowed her words and turned to leave.
“Thanks for showing me.”
Without waiting for a response, she walked out, her steps slightly unsteady.
* * *
The next morning.
“Make sure to pack enough sweets. It would be troublesome if we run out on the way.”
The carriages were lined up at the Helmunth mansion, ready to depart for the Malidan Wall.
Among them, Sharen Helmunth, seated in the most luxurious carriage, stuck her head out the window, giving various instructions.
Unlike Isaac, who only had Jonathan with him.
To face the Great Horde, the Helmunth knights had decided to bring a decent number of troops this time.
“Sigh, all this fuss because of Isaac.”
Despite her words, Sharen’s eyes sparkled with excitement.
Like a child setting off on an adventure.
It was clear to anyone that she saw the battlefield as a game.
‘Miss, really…’
Kelsey, Sharen’s personal maid, was filled with worry.
She couldn’t help but fear that Sharen might get seriously hurt.
‘If only the other siblings had come along.’
Especially if Riana Helmunth had joined, Kelsey would have felt much more at ease.
Kelsey busily packed the luggage in the carriage. She made sure to seal Sharen’s sweets properly.
In the dark carriage.
Between the luggage, something covered with a white cloth bulged out.
‘What’s this?’
Since she was in charge of all the luggage, Kelsey lifted the cloth to see.
What emerged was.
“R, Riana?!”
Riana Helmunth, crouching down, her face red with embarrassment, pleaded.
“P, pretend you didn’t see me.”
