"You fool! This part has to be as smooth as possible! That way, when you draw the sword—!"
"No, no! That's not it! The most important thing when forging a sword with Jingol Steel is—!"
Antonio and Lapillion.
The argument between the two master blacksmiths showed no sign of ending.
Isaac quietly stepped outside the forge.
They might be arguing nonstop, but they were experts—they'd figure it out on their own.
He'd shown them enough of his swordsmanship and explained his special requirements clearly. If anyone could handle it, it was them.
Sharen had already run off ages ago.
'Isaac, you're gross.'
She had thrown him a cold look before leaving, disgusted by the way he'd been passionately debating sword-making with the blacksmiths, practically spitting with excitement.
'I guess I should head back to the Mage Tower.'
He wanted to meet Liana and tell the matter regarding subjugation.
Who knew when the Transcendents would invade again—but for now...
"…."
Isaac felt a strange discomfort.
What was he doing right now?
'Why… was I waiting for them?'
It was a passive kind of battle—just defending against the enemy's aggression, unable to cross dimensions.
But was it really true that there was no other way? A part of him wasn't so sure.
"Hey—!"
Just then, a woman came running toward him from a distance.
She marched straight up to Isaac and bumped into him as she shouted:
"There's so much good food here! Why is there so much good food?! I should've eaten more properly last time I was here!"
"..."
He remembered hearing Sharen mutter things like "that northern bumpkin" about Silverna.
And seeing her now… Isaac could kind of see why.
"Isaac, want to grab a drink for the first time in a while? What do you think? I know a place people say is really good."
"Mm, I'm up for a drink."
"Then let's go! Let's get drunk in broad daylight—"
"Aren't you supposed to head back north?"
"..."
Silverna froze.
The arm that had just grabbed Isaac's wrist lost its strength and slowly drooped.
After standing there blankly for a moment, she cleared her throat and asked,
"Why? Would you prefer it if I left?"
"You know I didn't mean it like that."
"Well, that's what it sounds like."
"I said it's not."
What even was this conversation?
Whatever he'd been thinking about before was long gone.
"Why are you acting like it's such a bother? Am I annoying you? I'm just asking you to have a drink."
Silverna crossed her arms and grumbled.
Watching her, Isaac was reminded of the couples he used to see at village festivals.
"Oppa, what do you think of this?"
"Uh… it's pretty."
"Why are you saying it so half-heartedly, Oppa?"
"What? No, I said it's pretty."
"Am I annoying you?"
"I said it's pretty…"
Back then, he'd thought those scenes were kind of cute.
Now that he was the one going through it, it was way more awkward than he'd imagined.
Liana hardly ever spoke her mind, so even as a married man, this sort of thing still felt unfamiliar.
"And you know what? There's something that really hurt my feelings."
"…So that's what this is about? You were upset from the start?"
Silverna shut her mouth tight.
She lowered her head slightly, as if he'd hit the nail on the head. Seeing that, Isaac figured he had the upper hand and smirked.
"When did the tough lady of the North get so timid? If you've got something to say, just say it."
"..."
"Did coming from the cold North to the warm center soften your heart? Suddenly all feminine—"
"It's because it's you."
Isaac's tongue froze mid-sentence.
Silverna turned her head away, as if to hide her blushing face, and muttered under her breath.
"I only act this way in front of you, idiot."
"..."
"You're still drinking, right?"
Struck straight in the heart by that unexpected blow, Isaac stiffened like a statue—
—and before he knew it, he was nodding.
***
It was still a little early for evening.
The sun was up, and people were subtly preparing to leave work for the day.
A man and a woman entered a tavern.
They looked like a perfect match—handsome and beautiful—and their black and silver hair formed a quiet but elegant harmony.
"Oh? There's no one here."
"Because no one else would be drinking at this hour—except us."
"Stop yapping already. In the North, people drink even at this time."
"Because it's cold up there—"
Unable to hold back anymore, Silverna stomped on Isaac's foot and took her seat.
They sat down and ordered beer and some food.
"Baron Logan must be pretty loaded since he's competent, right? I'm gonna order the expensive stuff."
"Go ahead."
It's not like anything in a tavern like this could be that expensive.
Before the food came, the beer arrived first, and the two clinked glasses and drank.
"Phew! Isn't alcohol from the central region kind of sweet?"
"Really? Tastes the same to me."
He didn't think it was especially sweet. If anything, the North probably brewed their drinks with an overly bitter taste.
"Tch, maybe it's just because I'm drinking with you."
"…You're saying stuff like that without a second thought these days, huh?"
"This actually takes a lot of courage, you know. Bartender! Another drink!"
Silverna ordered another drink with a playful smile. Probably wanted to get tipsy fast to cover up her embarrassing comment.
Isaac drank along with her, and recalled something she'd said earlier.
"You said something hurt your feelings. What was it?"
"You're from the future, aren't you?"
"Kegh! Cough!"
Isaac spat his beer all over the floor.
A worker came over to clean it up, and he looked back at Silverna with a flustered expression.
"That's—"
"Sharen told me."
"She'll probably blab to the Transcendent Clan next."
For the second daughter of Helmut, her mouth was endlessly lighter than her greatsword.
"So, you returned through some magic from the Mage Tower. Why didn't you tell me?"
"There just wasn't a good time. I was planning to tell you when the time was right."
"Don't you think now is that time?"
"…Yeah. I guess so."
Just then, their food arrived.
Perfect timing for a conversation without alcohol getting in the way.
***
Before they knew it, the tavern had filled with people.
Silverna had said it was a popular spot, and she was right—but probably not because the food was good. More like, the waitress was just really pretty.
But despite the bustling crowd, their table remained silent.
They had finished talking about the regression.
Silverna just sat there quietly.
She didn't speak, didn't drink, didn't even touch the food.
And Isaac waited for her patiently.
'She must be overwhelmed.'
In the future he knew, the northern wall had completely collapsed.
The North had essentially been abandoned, falling to ruin.
The death of Uldren Caldias, the story of Silverna abandoning her name to live as Caldias—
So much was different from the present.
And so was he.
He thought it was only natural for her to be in shock.
"…Whew. Hey."
Maybe she had sorted out her thoughts a bit.
Taking a deep breath, she asked him—just to make sure.
"Back at the Grand Colony… was the reason you came to Malidan because of me?"
"To be honest, that wasn't the only reason—"
But if he had to choose—
"Seeing you was definitely the biggest reason."
"…Ha!"
Silverna gave a wry smile, as if she couldn't believe it, then held up her beer glass.
"So in the end, you're the one who saved our family, aren't you?"
"Well… I won't deny it."
Their glasses clinked together with a soft cheers.
To be honest, Isaac still felt awkward just accepting such a statement.
But Silverna looked as if something had finally clicked in her mind.
"You've been fighting a longer battle than I thought, Isaac."
"Yeah."
"Your knowledge about the Transcendents, the hatred you hold for them, the depth of your swordplay—it's starting to make sense now."
"…"
"And the way you treat me, like you're emotionally detached… your complete immunity to women, even."
"…Huh?"
"What? Not true, Isaac oppa?"
"...?!"
Thankfully, he wasn't drinking beer this time—otherwise, he might've spit it out again. Still, his shock was even greater.
"O-… Oppa?"
"Why not? Mentally speaking, you're probably ten years older than me, right?"
"Ah, well… I guess that's true."
"Then you are oppa. Huh, turns out I like older guys. That explains why you felt so dependable."
"…"
Isaac didn't answer, clearly embarrassed. Silverna let out a soft chuckle.
"I know. That you're not in a place where you can return someone's feelings."
The long, long battle still wasn't over.
And now, after hearing everything—Silverna understood that even more.
"You've experienced so much tragedy, haven't you? That's why you couldn't respond."
"…Yeah."
Isaac quenched his dry throat with beer before answering with a heavy voice.
"A lot of people died. I know all too well what kind of scars are left behind for those who survive."
War takes many things.
Especially those we love—and it seems to feed off the sorrow that blooms in their absence.
"My chances of dying are high. The Transcendents are definitely aware of me."
"…"
"But even so, I have no intention of stopping this fight."
That's why… he couldn't afford to carry someone in his heart.
To that quiet rejection, Silverna answered calmly.
"The day you left… it was colder than any day I'd ever spent in the North."
"…"
"They say first love is like spring. I guess that wasn't a lie."
Her voice trembled slightly. Her fingertips lightly quivered on the table.
"I'll become your 'Malidan'."
The Malidan Wall wasn't deified by the people nearby merely because it protected them from beasts.
It blocked the frigid winds from the north.
And brought an early spring.
"So fight with all you've got, Isaac. As long as you're putting everything on the line—"
"…"
"I'll fight only to protect you."
Isaac couldn't say anything. He just stared at her, stunned.
"And just like you're still living on that battlefield…"
Silverna smiled, playfully but tenderly.
"…I'm still stuck in the season called you."