Though he was reluctant, he knew opportunities like this didn't come often.
Especially since Uldren Caldias would soon return to the North in a month.
And once he was there, he'd be far too busy helping construct a new barrier to spar like this again.
Realistically, this match with Uldren was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, unlikely to ever come again.
'Thinking that way… I don't want to let this chance slip away—but still…'
"Hang in there! Fighting! Show them the strength of the North!"
"..."
"Isaac! Just blow my father away!"
Starting with Helmut's sisters cheering for Uldren, Silverna was cheering for Isaac from the opposite side.
"Urgh!"
And seeing Silverna's support going to Isaac instead of him, Uldren clutched his chest in pain.
It was certainly a golden opportunity, but emotionally, it was hard to accept.
"Um, Lord Margrave—"
Isaac eventually tried to say he wanted to back out.
BOOM!
But Uldren struck the ground heavily with the tip of his spear. The aura rising from his entire body evoked the chill of the northern frost.
"Very well. So you're saying you really want that date with Silverna?"
"…Excuse me?"
He was about to correct the misunderstanding, but—
"Yes! Isaac totally said that! That he'd even defeat the Guardian of the North just to go on a date with me!"
Behind him, Silverna raised her fists and cheered him on with bright enthusiasm.
"What—?!"
"Don't want to?"
"I mean, no matter what the reward is, wouldn't most people not want to fight the Margrave?"
"But I'll even kiss you during the date~"
"GRAAAAAHHH!"
BANG! BANG! BANG!
Uldren slammed the floor with the tip of his spear again, now burning with fiery resolve.
He had always believed that, of all the men who had ever received a kiss from young Silverna, he was the only one.
Now, that belief turned into a fury hot enough to melt even the coldest frost.
"I'LL KILL HIM!"
"..."
Even Helmut's sisters had switched over and were now cheering for Isaac's defeat.
At this point, it was no longer a simple sparring match—it had become something inevitable. A battle that could not be avoided.
"Get into stance—!"
At Uldren's shout, Isaac placed his hands on the two blades at his waist.
CLAAANG—!
As Uldren stepped forward, Isaac's sword was already striking his spear.
"Hah."
Uldren couldn't even see the moment it was drawn. He acknowledged that the boy he'd once known in the North had grown tremendously.
"A sword too fast for the eye to follow?"
But Uldren had already placed the spear shaft in front of himself, blocking the path of the sword entirely.
"I'll admit it, but—"
He stepped forward. His massive frame shook the ground as he quickly closed the gap between them.
"If I can block it, there's no need to see it."
Even if the sword was too fast to track, as long as he could block it, it didn't matter.
No matter how fast a sword was, if it lacked the power to pierce him, it would never defeat him—that was Uldren's certainty.
Isaac, with a short breath, stepped forward as well.
From the experience of fighting many powerful opponents, he knew that once you gave up the initiative, it wasn't easy to take it back.
"A frontal clash?! Hah!"
Uldren laughed brightly.
"I like your spirit, but if you can't tell the difference between recklessness and courage, you're not worthy of Silverna!"
'God, seriously…'
Even though he wanted to focus on the fight, Uldren's words kept pulling him out of it.
Of course, Isaac didn't receive Uldren's spearhead-on.
He instead crossed his two swords like shoulder guards and slid Uldren's spear along their length.
THUD!
But Uldren's spear suddenly stopped mid-swing.
It wasn't brute force that halted it—no, it was too strong of a strike for that.
Instead, Uldren had countered with aura from the opposite side, forcibly redirecting the trajectory so Isaac couldn't deflect it anymore.
"This is what trickery looks like."
"…!"
The heavy weight that should have slid past now crushed down on him.
It felt like he was holding up the sky. That's how intense Uldren's pressure was.
But Isaac didn't crumble just from a single trick.
Instead, he saw an opportunity.
Screeeeech—!
In the realm of "cutting," he had now reached a level no one else could touch.
From his lowered posture, an overwhelming energy burst upward.
The two swords resting on his shoulders were not clashing with Uldren's power—
They were meeting the thick spear shaft absorbing Uldren's strength.
"…!"
Isaac's twin blades rose upward in a sweeping arc, spreading like a rainbow.
And rather than striking Uldren himself, he sliced clean through the spear shaft.
"Hah!"
Looking down at his now-broken spear, Uldren let out a laugh.
Even though it wasn't his original weapon, would that have made a difference?
It would've been cut just the same.
He was sure of that as he pulled the broken spear back and twirled it.
"I didn't expect such a technique from that stance."
Uldren was genuinely impressed.
His earlier demeanor had vanished, and now he simply marveled like a fellow warrior. Isaac felt a little awkward.
"It was just a trick, nothing more."
"When something like that comes from someone with a solid foundation, it's no trick—it's a technique."
"…"
"I didn't expect you to cut through my spear. I had reinforced it with aura, too."
Now, a thrill began to shimmer in Uldren's eyes.
He had known Isaac had grown stronger, but he hadn't expected him to become this much of a threat.
"Didn't he lose since his spear broke?"
Sharen tilted her head and asked, but no one else—including Isaac or Uldren—considered this a defeat.
'No… this is where it really begins.'
Uldren twirled the broken spear shaft in his hand, as though unshackled.
"Now that the blade's gone, you don't have to worry about dying."
Which, in reverse, meant: now he would come at Isaac with the intent to kill.
Isaac gave a quiet nod and slid his swords back into their scabbards.
The next time he drew them, it would be with the intent to kill Uldren Caldias.
If not, he would be crushed by the sheer force of the man.
He couldn't guarantee victory, but it was too soon to speak of defeat.
And then, amid the thick tension—
Someone moved first.
"Dear!"
A voice came from the entrance. It was Lady Selene Caldias, Uldren's wife.
"...!?"
Uldren, just about to charge forward, lost his balance and stumbled.
He looked up in surprise and saw Selene, clearly flustered.
"Y-You?! Weren't you in the North?"
"I heard everything was already over, but you and Silverna hadn't returned, so I came looking."
"Ah, ahh… I was supposed to stay another month because of the victory celebration. I guess our letters got crossed."
Uldren awkwardly tried to regain his composure and move toward his wife as if nothing had happened.
But someone beat him to it.
"Mother!"
Silverna darted forward and quickly explained the situation to her mother.
"You've got to be kidding me?!"
Selene immediately turned to her husband with a glare.
"You're interfering with your daughter's marriage prospects? As her father, no less?"
"N-No, that's not—"
"Baron Logan is a fine match, isn't he?"
Lady Selene strode confidently toward Isaac, speaking as though appraising him.
"Even if he's of common birth, he's proven himself with his own strength. Word of his accomplishments in the war against the Transcendents has spread even to the North."
"Back when we were in the North, it was obvious he didn't care for power or politics. He prefers honing himself over socializing."
"And the respect he showed the Caldias family back then? It moved the hearts of all Northerners."
"From what I just saw, he's evenly matched with you, and he's still young."
Trying to interrupt her torrent of praise, Uldren spoke.
"Well, I mean… he does have some flaws."
"Flaws? Look at him! What flaw?!"
Selene threw out her arms and pointed directly at Isaac.
"I'm proud of Silverna for finding someone like this! Where in the world did she dig up such a perfect man?!"
"Ahem, Mother? He's good-looking too."
Silverna sidled up and whispered to her mother. Selene nodded vigorously.
"Yes! He's handsome! Like, second-best-looking on the continent!"
"Second?"
Silverna blinked and asked curiously.
"Then who's number one?"
"Who do you think? Your father, of course."
"…."
Silverna's expression turned sour as if she'd bitten into something foul.
On the other hand, Uldren, visibly touched, came forward and hugged Selene.
"My love!"
"Fufu. You really are the most handsome."
Why things had turned in this direction, Isaac didn't know.
But he figured the duel probably wasn't continuing and stepped back.
'So… what happens now?'
Just then, Silverna linked her arm with Isaac's.
"Let's go. If I watch any more of that, I'm going to puke."
"…"
It seemed they were naturally slipping into a date.
But then—
"Wait! I just thought of Isaac's flaw!"
Sharen, who had been deep in thought, suddenly brightened up and exclaimed.
"He's divorced!"
"..."
At her words, Selene, who was still in Uldren's embrace, froze.
She clicked her tongue and slowly nodded.
"…That is a bit of a blemish."
"Right?!"
Sharen looked pleased, like she'd answered a difficult question.
Beside her, Liana silently watched, then gently reached over and patted her head.