Chapter 47: The Returning Sisters

"...."

"...."

Upon hearing that the Margrave had summoned him, Isaac rushed over immediately. Yet, the towering man standing before him, supposedly the Guardian of the North, was nothing more than a doting father.

"How's your arm?"

The question sounded concerned, but his tone was far from it. It felt more like he was testing its durability rather than expressing genuine worry, prompting Isaac to respond swiftly.

"It's not healed yet. I heard it'll take some time."

"Ahem!"

Uldren openly showed his disappointment. Having set aside his position as the Margrave who protected the kingdom, he now appeared rather undignified.

"You didn't call him here just to say that, did you?"

Stepping in to mediate, Selene Caldias spoke up. The moment his wife intervened, Uldren awkwardly cleared his throat to change the mood before reaching out his hand.

Isaac handed over Revered and Beautiful Goddess Silverna, which was hanging from his waist. Uldren took the sword, swung it around a few times, and let out a faint exclamation.

"Oh, it's very light."

"I specifically requested that. Since I lack physical strength, I wanted it to be as light as possible."

"And you compensated for the reduced durability with Frostsilver Ore?"

"…That's right."

Then, Uldren handed the sword to his wife. Selene took it and stormed out of the office.

It was an expected outcome.

Even if the sword was a gift from Silverna, allowing an item made of Frostsilver Ore to leak outside was unacceptable.

Especially when it concerned Helmut.

Standing still, Uldren let out a sigh as he looked down at Isaac.

"As you know, this isn't something that can be taken lightly."

"I'm aware."

"The critical issue is that Silverna personally leaked the Frostsilver Ore. I can't just turn a blind eye to that."

"...."

Was he troubled by the fact that he had to hold his own daughter accountable?

But judging by his expression, that didn't seem to be the case at all.

"In that case, let's just say you never received the sword. That's how we'll handle it."

"Understood."

If he had never possessed it in the first place, it wouldn't have mattered.

But having it taken away after receiving it left Isaac with a lingering sense of regret.

Though he tried to hide his disappointment, Uldren clearly saw through him.

With a sly grin, he added,

"Instead, it will be awarded to you in an official ceremony as a reward for your recent achievements."

"…Excuse me?"

Uldren's grin widened, almost stretching to his ears.

For someone of his massive stature, his expression resembled that of a delighted five-year-old.

"I told you, the issue was that it was given personally. Fortunately, many people witnessed your contributions this time."

"...."

"Of course, there will be some talk about awarding a sword made of Frostsilver Ore to Helmut's son-in-law. But so what? Let them try saying anything to my face."

A bold move, characteristic of the North.

A brazen, defiant stance that only the northern nobility could afford to take.

Moreover, considering his role in stopping the massive colony, calling this move unreasonable would be difficult.

"I'll speak to the royal family myself. But your name will be brought up quite a bit, so handle it as you see fit."

"…Thank you."

"Until the official ceremony, we will keep the sword in our possession."

What he thought was being taken away was actually going to be granted through proper procedure, doubling Isaac's joy.

He had been worried about how to explain the sword when he returned to Helmut.

But now, that concern was completely gone.

"I saw your strike."

Uldren, arms crossed, had unconsciously taken on the stance of a warrior.

Recalling Isaac's swordplay from that time, he let out a small, admiring chuckle.

"I'm not here to criticize your skills, but you should know that the power of that strike also came from the Frostsilver Ore."

"Of course."

If he had wielded any other sword, he wouldn't have achieved that result.

In fact, even if he swung the sword again, he wasn't sure he could replicate that same strike.

After all, he had pushed himself too hard and ended up breaking his arm.

It was clear that, at that moment, he had reached a level his body wasn't yet ready for.

"Frostsilver can only be mined from caves where cold energy condenses. Unlike ordinary minerals, it retains the Northern frost."

"...."

"Always keep that in mind while carrying that sword. The cold it harbors could one day consume you. And remember—Silverna is not someone to be taken lightly."

"I'll Keep That in Mind—Wait, What?"

Uldren, his gaze burning fiercely enough to melt even the Frostsilver Light, glared at Isaac and huffed as he added,

"If you so much as lay a finger on my daughter, my Frostsilver spear will pierce right through you."

"In case you've forgotten, I already have a wife."

"Yes, I hope the two of you live happily together for a hundred years. Unless you plan on divorcing, don't even think about Silverna. Understood?"

"…Understood."

"Haha! My apologies for even bringing up the word 'divorce' to such a devoted couple!"

Recalling how Liana had once knelt for Isaac's sake, Uldren laughed heartily and patted his back.

Isaac, wearing an awkward expression, chose to remain silent.

***

Two Days Later

In front of the carriage, Sharen absentmindedly kicked the ground.

"I'm going to miss this place."

Her wounds from Bricalla had already fully healed. Once again, Helmut's extraordinary physical resilience had shown its worth.

And today, she had received a summons to return to Helmut for the Sword Festival.

With a bustling convoy of carriages and knights preparing to depart, the departure scene was lively.

Sharen sighed wistfully at the thought of leaving the North.

It was the first time she had been away from Helmut's mansion for so long, and she found that the bonds and memories she had built outside weren't so bad after all.

Of course, it hadn't been without hardships.

Comparing her to how she was when she first arrived in the North, she almost seemed like a completely different person.

"Ask Millie to bake you star cookies. She'll make them for you right away."

"Oh, that's right! Star cookies!"

Hearing the reason she had come here in the first place, Sharen bounced excitedly, her face lighting up with joy.

She had been sulking about not eating sweets for a while, but now, just the thought of indulging in delicious treats again seemed to lift her spirits.

"I can't wait to eat them! Isaac, hurry up and come back too! Let's eat star cookies together!"

Isaac gave her a wry smile as he watched her innocent enthusiasm.

But for now, he wouldn't be returning.

His right arm hadn't fully healed yet, and Vivian insisted on continuing treatment.

Although a single round of healing magic had been enough to remove the splint and bandages, the wound hadn't completely closed. Just to be safe, Vivian had insisted on applying healing magic once more, keeping him there for a little longer.

"I'll let you try my secret stash of rare sweets too!"

Sharen laughed as if she was having the time of her life.

Her bright, childlike smile was contagious, and before he knew it, Isaac found himself mirroring her expression.

So much had changed in the North.

And his view of Sharen was certainly one of those things.

She had transformed from a mischievous little brat who only thought of herself into a dignified young lady who carried herself with noble grace.

The sight of her back during the battle against Bricalla was something Isaac would never forget.

Without Sharen and Jonathan, he would have died before he even had a chance to wield his dagger.

Placing his hand gently on her head, Isaac ruffled her hair as a gesture of gratitude.

Grinning happily, Sharen swayed her head in rhythm with his hand.

"Alright, I'm off!"

"Safe travels."

Sharen and her maid, Kelsey, gave their farewells before heading toward the carriage.

At that moment, Liana naturally stepped forward.

Still feeling awkward about the whole "Lia nickname incident," Isaac cleared his throat before hesitantly asking,

"You're leaving too?"

"Yeah, I have to go."

"What will your father say…?"

"It's fine. I've already made up my mind."

Before Isaac could figure out how to properly see her off, Liana spoke first.

"I received a reward for my contributions in the subjugation."

"Hmm? You weren't officially part of the operation, so you wouldn't be eligible for one."

"You're right. But the Margrave still acknowledged my efforts."

It was undeniable that Liana played a crucial role in severely wounding Bricalla before it reached the fortress walls.

However, since her contributions couldn't be officially recognized, the Margrave had chosen to reward her in secret.

This was something that Liana had requested as well.

"I left all of it in your room. Use it."

"What is it?"

Isaac asked with slight anticipation, and Liana responded matter-of-factly.

"A few of Bricalla's bones, some leather, and a portion of its internal organs."

"…Aren't you just dumping garbage in my room?"

Isaac's face turned to one of disbelief. But Liana had already thought through its usefulness.

"You remember the diluted Roselixir that Lohengrin gave you before you left?"

"That one that was watered-down stuff?"

Lohengrin had initially intended to use it as a reason to threaten Liana for leaking the family's elixir.

However, Arandel hadn't cared much about it.

And as for Isaac, he didn't find it particularly useful, so he had just stashed it away in a corner.

"Yes, that one. Try blending it with these and taking it. It might be effective."

Bricalla had possessed an absurd amount of mana, almost monstrous in scale.

Since the Roselixir had already been diluted, this could be an opportunity to mix it with something else for better results.

"Oh."

Liana had given him an unexpectedly helpful suggestion.

Isaac nodded in admiration.

He could ask Vivian, who was both a mage and a physician, to introduce him to an alchemist,

Or he could just seek advice from him directly.

Though he had remained here to recover, it seemed his time would turn out to be more productive than expected.

"Then, I'll be going now."

"Alright. Thanks."

"Take care not to catch a cold, Isaac."

"...."

Now that he thought about it, hadn't she already told him the same thing through Sharen last time?

"Yeah, I'll be careful."

Since she was expressing concern, Isaac simply nodded and saw her off.

Their conversation had been short, which left Liana feeling a little unsatisfied,

But the fact that they could now talk this casually at all was, in itself, a positive outcome for her.

Liana made her way toward the carriage.

There, she spotted Silverna exchanging final goodbyes with Sharen.

She tried to quietly slip past them and into the carriage—

"Liana Helmut."

But Silverna deliberately called out to her.

"What?"

Liana found Silverna bothersome.

She knew Silverna had her sights on Isaac.

She also knew she shouldn't let that affect her.

That's why she never reacted to Silverna's actions.

But that didn't make the situation any less irritating.

The two stared at each other.

Then, Silverna slowly extended a hand for a handshake.

"You worked hard. You were a great help—both to the front lines and to me personally."

"…I see."

Liana hadn't expected Silverna to express gratitude so openly.

So, after a moment of hesitation, she clasped Silverna's hand.

Their eyes met briefly.

"Ow!"

Standing between them, Sharen suddenly made a fuss and scurried into the carriage.

Silverna was the first to release the handshake. She spoke calmly.

"No need for a long farewell. We'll be seeing each other again soon anyway."

"Seeing each other again?"

"The Sword Festival. We were invited as well, remember?"

"...."

Only then did Liana realize—

Silverna had called her over just to remind her of that.

She had been planning to leave feeling somewhat lighter,

Thinking Isaac and Silverna would soon part ways.

"See you then, Liana Helmut."

"...."

But strangely enough, her steps suddenly felt much heavier.