Chapter 18 -----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: uly
Chapter: 18
Chapter Title: After the Transcendent Clash
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After the battle with the Transcendent Race.
The Mallidan Wall, now revealed as the site of the Great Horde, buzzed with activity every single day.
It wasn't just about standing guard atop the ramparts. They dispatched scouting parties daily for reconnaissance.
Everyone prayed for the safety of those detachments heading out each day to scout the dangers beyond.
An unintended catastrophe.
"Haa."
"I want to go home."
The nobles who had arrived relaxed, assured that a mere monster horde would be a walkover, now wore grim expressions.
A calamity straight out of the history books, striking after twenty-three long years.
The terror of finding themselves right in the middle of it gnawed at them.
And the memory of last night's utter defeat—powerless against the Transcendents, not even mounting a resistance—had seared itself into their minds like a trauma.
[Don't tell the others about them.]
Isaac had shared everything he knew about the Transcendents with Uldiran and Silberna Caldias.
But Uldiran chose not to make it public.
The connection between the Great Horde and the Transcendents hadn't been confirmed yet. With morale already in the gutter, announcing it would only plunge them into deeper chaos.
He had already contacted the royals about the Blackhand family.
Their betrayal was likely being methodically investigated by the crown as they spoke.
"Hup!"
Amid all this frenzy...
Isaac alone found his days satisfying and fulfilling.
His contributions had earned him an exemption from wall duty.
In these special circumstances, when every extra hand was needed, Silberna Caldias's influence had made it possible for him to train his swordsmanship alone.
"There he goes again."
Silberna, emerging after lunch, watched Isaac from afar.
Isaac sparring with Jonathan.
They had repeated spars and drills daily for days now.
But there was something peculiar—
"Lord Isaac is winning."
Anna, who had finished eating with her, handed Silberna a cup of ginger tea as she spoke.
"Slurp."
As Anna said, Isaac's sword felled Jonathan all too easily.
The fallen Jonathan rose with a woeful face, vowing to challenge him again.
The man had stamina in spades, that was for sure.
Anyway.
Beating a Helmunt knight was impressive, no matter how low on the totem pole.
Yet both wore troubled looks.
"There's a record kept of spars among the dispatched nobles. Lord Isaac's is 41 matches, 2 wins, 39 losses so far."
"..."
"For reference, Jonathan's is 23 matches, 17 wins, 6 losses."
Theirs wasn't official, so it wasn't logged.
But aside from the early days, Isaac had been overwhelming Jonathan lately.
"Of course, Lord Isaac mostly sparred with the more skilled nobles..."
Some of whom had lost to Jonathan.
Odd record, wasn't it?
Silberna wanted to voice her thoughts but held back—they weren't words she should say aloud.
"If I may speak for you, my lady."
Anna scratched her cheek awkwardly and answered.
"Lord Isaac seems... almost like he was made to counter the Helmunt family."
"..."
"He dispatches other greatsword nobles with ease, but against Helmunt folk, he moves and acts several steps ahead."
"..."
"That's why he can beat Jonathan even without full training yet."
"Haa."
"Anyone else, maybe. But a Helmunt son-in-law doing that? It's a bit..."
It was as if...
He had spent years building knowledge just to topple the Helmunt family.
"Enough. Don't worry about it. He'll handle his own path."
A Helmunt son-in-law turning into a hunter specialized for Helmunt prey.
It felt deeply unsettling, but it was Isaac's life, wasn't it?
"Gah!"
Right on cue, Isaac downed Jonathan once more.
"...You're done for today."
Isaac, now thoroughly accustomed to Jonathan, clicked his tongue. He figured there was nothing left to learn from him.
Silberna, seeing this, headed toward Isaac.
"I'll be back."
"Going again? You've been hanging around him too much lately!"
"Just friends. And it's not play—I'm helping him with that manual. Picking up some advice along the way."
Anna sighed worriedly as Silberna walked off.
'Is that the face you make for a mere friend?'
She was already beaming with a smile that could melt the autumn chill.
She had been watching him all this time just to time her approach, hadn't she?
'My lady, please.'
He's a married man!
Anna wanted to shout it.
"Isaac, I'm here."
Silberna greeted Isaac, who was wiping sweat with a towel.
"Silberna, you came again today."
Isaac welcomed her warmly, and Silberna shot back with a sly grin.
"Haa, I'm seriously swamped. You know I'm only here because you asked, right?"
"Yeah, I know. You say that every day."
"Be more grateful. Who else around here could help you like I do?"
Silberna had been Isaac's sparring partner and research aid for his swordsmanship.
She was deeply involved in the manual he was writing, Isaac's Sword.
"Got it. Remember where we left off yesterday? Strike a stance and parry for me."
"You're still on that?"
The two now swung sword and spear with familiar ease.
A few minutes passed.
"Wait here," Isaac said, grabbing his pen, crouching, and resuming his writing.
'Impressive.'
He had told her he was advancing Caldias spearwork.
Yet watching him build his swordsmanship from the ground up gave Silberna a sense of an insurmountable wall.
Was this the gap talent made?
"How's Blackhand?"
Isaac asked, still scribbling.
Blackhand—the noble house that aided the Transcendents.
One of their scions was even among the dispatched nobles.
"No unusual moves. The one's here is young; probably didn't know about the Transcendents."
"..."
Isaac kept writing without a word.
He had sparred with the Blackhand dispatch a few times himself but found nothing suspicious.
Silberna stared down at him blankly, her lips twitching.
She had a question—sensitive, so she hesitated.
"Rianna and—"
The words slipped out, more instinct than thought.
"Hm?"
She clapped a hand over her mouth too late; Isaac had heard and turned to look.
Too late.
Silberna pondered a beat, then forced an awkward smile.
"Rianna's skilled, right?"
Thinking it casual, Isaac nodded and returned to writing.
"Yeah. Strongest in Helmunt besides the family head."
Her siblings couldn't touch her.
"I beat the eldest son easily, but I lost to Rianna. Though! I was exhausted by then!"
She added hastily, and Isaac chuckled.
'Cold assessment.'
Silberna wasn't a match for Rianna right now.
Not yet awakened, after all.
'But she's working hard.'
After Isaac's words last time, she was seeking her own Caldias path.
"Rianna, well... she's an incredible swordswoman."
Isaac glossed over vaguely, not keen on dwelling on her.
But oblivious Silberna prattled on about her rival.
"Actually, some say Rianna's rep is overhyped. Blood Rose and all, but she hasn't shown much compared to eldest brother Roengreen."
"..."
"But I've clashed with them. I know—there's an immeasurable gap between Rianna and Roengreen."
"Yeah, pretty much."
Isaac paused, staring blankly at the ground.
"You know..."
Recalling the past, he muttered with a hollow laugh.
"Rianna can split a river."
"...Huh?"
Silberna stared, baffled. Isaac grinned at her expression.
Still lost, she ventured:
"What, a metaphor? Like for Red Aura?"
"Haha, think what you want."
He chuckled at the absurd memory.
Sensing no joke, Silberna tilted her head.
"Why split a river?"
Pure curiosity.
Why bother with a river when training sufficed?
Her piercing question hit home.
Isaac shrugged it off as ancient history, nonchalant.
"It was a proposal."
"What? What does that mean?"
Silberna pressed, but Isaac brushed it aside as no big deal.
"Anyway, got time? Can you help a bit more?"
He closed the book and asked.
"Huh, again?"
She had time, plenty.
"Tch, hold on. Gotta check with Anna."
"Thanks."
"It's tough, you know. I'm busy."
Silberna twisted away deliberately, heading to Anna waiting in the distance.
"Heehee."
Isaac needing her, holding on like that—it thrilled Silberna.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ The next day, same time.
Silberna finished lunch and went looking for Isaac.
'Where's Anna?'
Oddly, Anna was nowhere, so she searched and ran late—but she was here now.
"Silberna?"
"Ah, my lady."
Isaac smiled brighter than yesterday, while Anna awkwardly gripped her spear before him.
"What... is this situation?"
Silberna asked, dazed. Isaac thumbs-upped.
"You're super busy, right? So I asked Anna to help today."
"..."
"No need to make time for me. Felt bad hogging yours lately."
"Ah, okay."
Silberna stood frozen, nodding blankly.
Her usual blank expression turned to Anna.
But Anna stood firm, unyielding.
'For my lady!'
Anna knew Silberna's growing fondness for Isaac. This was her special measure.
A married man.
Husband to Helmunt's eldest daughter, no less.
'I see nothing but disaster ahead!'
It wouldn't end with mere heartache—society's finger-pointing at Silberna would be ruthless.
"Ah, right. Um... guess you don't need me today."
Her voice flat and chill as northern winds, Silberna nodded and turned away.
"Yeah, perfect."
"I was actually swamped. Pushing it a bit."
"This to do, that to do."
"Ah, good timing then."
"Haha, lucky. Was getting annoying."
"Sure, sure, Isaac. I'm off."
"Phew, great."
Anna's heart ached watching Silberna trudge away, but she endured.
"Anna, shall we start?"
"Yes, sir."
She took the pose and weapon Isaac wanted, serving as his sparring partner.
Through it, Isaac gained insights and understanding.
"..."
A prickling on her back made her glance over her shoulder.
At the training field's edge.
Silberna lurked behind a tree, glaring daggers.
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