"..."
"Anyway, you know—our Silverna had a talent for the spear since she was a child. And not just that!"
"..."
"She understands the true duties of a Caldias. How can we plan for the future if we forget our past?"
"..."
"She's smart, beautiful, skilled with a spear—just an exceptional woman in every way. It's a wonder how she grew up so gracefully in the harsh environment of the North."
They say a parent's pride in their child knows no bounds.
Even if their child simply eats well, a parent's heart swells with the desire to boast.
So how much more would Uldren want to brag, having raised a woman like Silverna?
At some point, they had moved to the parlor where tea was being served.
But there was still something that felt unfair.
"Yes, of course. I'm aware."
Even just nodding politely, as if he were listening, was enough to trigger—
"Aware? What do you think you know? Do you believe you understand our Silverna completely?!"
"..."
"You're not foolish enough to think you can win her over, are you? Haven't you heard the saying? The Guardian of the North never closes his eyes."
He was desperately trying to block any approach to Silverna.
'What exactly does he want from me?'
Isaac couldn't help but think: If it's okay to say this—then the late Arandel Helmut and Uldren were polar opposites.
Arandel gave not even a sliver of attention, while Uldren gave far too much.
Isaac sighed internally, thinking how the two men didn't match in that way either.
Even the so-called Guardian of the North turned out to be just a doting, overprotective father.
At that moment, urgent footsteps echoed from outside.
Then, without knocking, the door was thrown open with all the force of a headstrong woman.
"Father!"
Silverna Caldias.
To Isaac, she looked like a savior, coming to rein in her father.
"Si-Silverna? How did you know I was—"
"What do you mean how? Do you think your bulky frame can be hidden? Anyone could see where you were headed the moment you stepped outside. You think no one noticed?!"
"..."
"What do you think you're doing to Isaac?!"
"Ah, well, I—"
Uldren looked helpless, glancing at Isaac for assistance.
Catching his signal, Isaac stepped in.
"The Margrave was asking if I could help with the upcoming construction of the Northern Wall."
"Ah! Yes! That's right! Baron Logan is incredibly skilled, after all."
Although it might be hard to recreate its former glory, the construction of a new Malidan was planned.
The more capable fighters there were to protect the workers during construction, the better.
Especially someone like Isaac—who could now easily hold his own against a hundred.
If he came to the North, he would be a great asset.
"Hmmm?"
Silverna, who had been fuming, folded her arms and grinned slyly at Isaac.
"So, are you coming to the North in a month?"
"Ah, well…"
It wouldn't be difficult to go.
Isaac didn't really have much else on his plate now.
In a month, there would be a victory banquet—a celebration of their triumph—where he'd be promoted from baron to a higher rank.
But that didn't mean Isaac would be managing a territory or raising a private army.
'Princess Adeline seemed to want to appoint me as the Captain of the Royal Guard, but…'
Isaac felt uncertain.
He had already had enough of teaching others to last a lifetime.
"Ahem! Ahem! Silverna? Isn't Baron Logan a busy man? It would be rude to ask him to come just like that."
"But weren't you just talking with him about it? Doesn't that mean it's mostly decided already? Isaac doesn't have anything pressing to do anyway."
"..."
Uldren had stepped on his own tail.
Was this really the so-called Guardian of the North?
"Mm, I'm still thinking about it. I need to check if there's anything I should do in Evergard first—"
"Should do?"
"I was thinking I could maybe take a little break."
"..."
That part, at least, was entirely sincere.
Isaac needed rest.
He had grown rapidly—too rapidly—and had acted accordingly.
For someone who'd been running tirelessly, a bit of rest was more than justified.
"Oh, that's right."
Silverna seemed to agree, then added:
"Then how about taking a break with me? What do you say? Let's go into town and get something tasty."
Right in front of Uldren, she threatened Isaac's life in broad daylight.
Bang!
Uldren couldn't hold it in.
He jumped up with such force that the sofa he had been sitting on flipped backward.
"Silverna—! How dare you talk about strolling around with some man—in front of your father!?"
"…Isaac is just some man?"
"It's a figure of speech! Your father is watching with both eyes wide open, and you're talking about what?!"
"Lord Uldren, please calm down."
Isaac tried to step in between them.
But it only added fuel to the fire.
Uldren shouted at Isaac, spitting in his face.
"Calm down?! Did you just tell me to calm down?!"
"..."
"My delicate little girl is saying she wants to go out with a man she's not even betrothed to! Central folks like those in Evergard are nothing but smooth-talking scoundrels! I'm sure he's planning to sneak off somewhere secluded with our Silverna—!"
"Smooth-talking scoundrels?! Are you calling Isaac a smooth-talking scoundrel now?!"
"Baron Logan is… different, sure. But still, he's a man! And besides, if you walk around town with him, won't you get tired? How is that supposed to be rest?!"
"Because I heard that just walking with a pretty girl on your arm while she flirts and rubs her chest on you melts all the fatigue away!"
"Who?! Which degenerate bastard told you that nonsense?!"
"The soldiers of the North!"
For a moment, it felt as though a chill wind from the North had blown through the room.
He couldn't even deny it. Those were his own loyal soldiers, after all.
Because in the end, they were a military unit. A group of men, stuck together constantly.
And wasn't it Silverna herself who stood guard at the Malidan Wall like any regular soldier?
Countless times, he'd turned a deaf ear to the lewd banter they jokingly exchanged.
"Ah… Aaah…"
Trapped between a rock and a hard place.
The guardian of the North, cornered.
"If you really want to go…"
But even before his regression, Uldren had stood his ground, even when the Transcendents shattered the Malidan Wall.
And this time, too, he would not yield.
"Then defeat me and go."
***
In the mansion's garden.
Many had already sparred here; the grass was flattened and the earth dented.
Isaac thought this place might as well be officially turned into a training ground.
"Sigh…"
Just looking at the giant standing across from him made him sigh.
He hadn't meant for things to come to this.
He didn't mind a spar, but this situation made it seem like he was dying to beat Uldren just so he could go on a date with Silverna.
'Well… not that I hate the idea.'
He glanced to the side—and saw Silverna pumping her fist, cheering loudly.
"Isaac! Fighting! Smash him!"
"S-Silverna—!"
Uldren reeled at the sight of his own daughter cheering for Isaac to destroy him.
It gave Isaac an unintentional upper hand—at least mentally.
Standing beside Silverna were two other women.
The Helmut sisters, who had been chasing each other around moments ago.
Both Liana and Sharen stood on Isaac's side, cheering him on.
Sharen, especially, was having a blast.
"Fighting! Fighting! Isaac! You're the best! Isaac! So cool! Isaac! So handsome!"
"..."
She jumped and twirled around, waving her hands excitedly—purely like a young girl.
She even wrapped her fists in crimson energy and waved them around, making her cheer look dazzling and fun.
"D-Do your best… Isaac."
Liana, on the other hand, spoke softly, a bit shy.
She was glancing nervously at Silverna—perhaps still feeling guilty for saying she'd give up on Isaac, only to later go back on her word.
Silverna, unfazed, waved her hand even more wildly and shouted:
"Fortune favors the bold! Isaac, do your best! You still have to go on that date with me!"
"Grrrgh!"
Uldren groaned in agony, as if his eyes might bleed tears of blood.
Even Isaac felt a pang of guilt.
'Should I even be fighting this guy?'
Honestly, when you stripped away the context, sparring with Uldren was a good thing for Isaac.
After everything ended, he'd been feeling somewhat aimless, and Uldren was providing him a new spark—though in a very strange way.
"Huh?"
It wasn't just Uldren who reacted to Silverna's words.
Sharen, mid-cheer, suddenly stopped and asked Silverna,
"If Isaac wins, he gets to go on a date with you?"
"Yep! That's why he has to win!"
Isaac tried to pretend he didn't hear that.
But Sharen, upon hearing it, suddenly scurried over to the other side—
And stood next to Uldren, raising both hands and bouncing again.
"Fighting! North! Fighting! Lord Uldren! You're super big! Fighting! Strongest of humanity! Fighting! Smells like an old man!"
"..."
How could someone flip sides so quickly?
Isaac chuckled under his breath, but then noticed someone quietly following in Sharen's footsteps.
Liana.
She hesitated at first.
'Can I really do this?'
She wanted to cheer for Isaac—but when she imagined him on a date with Silverna, she hesitantly clenched her fists and muttered,
"…Lord Uldren, good luck."
"..."