Chapter 62: After the Sword Festival

Three days had passed since the Sword Festival ended.

Strictly speaking, it couldn't really be said to have ended.

No matter how much Helmut valued the Sword Festival, it didn't make sense to see it through to the end in a situation like this.

At that very moment, Arandel was busy dealing with the aftermath of the festival.

Liana and Lohengrin were also handling various compensations and tasks related to it.

And as for Isaac…

"..."

He stood in front of a small, nameless grave.

Since Millie was the culprit behind the assassination of Galenia, a proper grave for her was out of the question.

So, in his own way, Isaac erected a tombstone to mourn her.

Of course, with Galenia's true identity now revealed, people's perception of Millie would eventually change.

But with everything in chaos, no one had the time to correct the record for a mere chef's death.

"…How ridiculous."

After coming here every day for the past three days, he had already said everything he wanted to say.

Would she have forgiven him?

Would she have watched from wherever she was, smiling, as all of Helmut looked at him with shocked eyes?

The initial surge of emotions had now settled, leaving only a soft smile.

Still, the reason he continued to visit this place daily was simple.

It brought him peace.

In the cold, harsh land of Helmut, the time he spent with Millie was the only warmth he had ever known.

Whenever he came here, those memories resurfaced, wrapping around him like a bonfire's warmth.

But he couldn't stay here forever.

The sound of footsteps approached from behind.

When he turned his head slowly, as if welcoming a guest, he saw Princess Clarice and her escort, Heirad, standing there.

Heirad was a handsome blond man who, unlike Isaac, exuded the air of someone who had been raised with care.

Perhaps because he served as the princess's personal guard, there were secret rumors among the court maids about a forbidden romance between them.

…If they got caught, it would be a disaster.

"I was told that if Isaac was missing, I should come here. And here you are."

"Greetings, Sir Isaac."

Clarice greeted him casually, as she often did now, while Heirad bowed deeply with utmost respect.

This was one of the noticeable changes since the Sword Festival.

Those who wielded swords, in particular, now regarded Isaac with a mix of awe and admiration.

"Isaac, let's go back to the mansion. There's a meeting about the Transcendents, and we're already late."

Isaac followed her without complaint.

Isaac silently followed her. Walking alongside Heirard, Clarice deliberately slowed her pace, pushing Heirard further back and taking the spot next to Isaac.

"Isn't this ridiculous? Even for Helmut, this is too much."

"..."

She clearly wanted to vent about Helmut, and it seemed she preferred Isaac over Heirad as her audience.

Isaac remained silent, listening to the princess's complaints about staying at the Helmut estate for three days.

"So, the one who colluded with the Transcendents was Galenia. That much, I understand.

But how did Helmut manage to wash their hands of this so cleanly?

They didn't know anything? They executed Galenia themselves?

They handled the Transcendents on their own?

They suffered losses, even though they were the ones who prepared for the Sword Festival the most?!"

…She's more frustrated than I thought.

Isaac glanced at Clarice with an awkward expression, while Heirad averted his eyes, looking uncomfortable.

"Are you kidding me?! Who doesn't know that Galenia sacrificed herself to protect her family?!"

"Aside from you, Princess, most people don't know."

"What kind of fools-!"

Clarice's words weren't wrong.

But not many people realized Galenia's true intentions.

Only those who had deep insight into the situation would have been able to see through it.

Love.

An act driven by that single emotion—

Madness, obsession, and devotion all tangled together into a tragedy.

"Love isn't something that can be explained with logic or words."

"So, is that why you married Helmut?"

"..."

"Oh, sorry. That slipped out. I'm just so angry."

What truly frustrated Isaac was that he couldn't even deny it.

"Sigh… In the end, Galenia made the best possible choice in the worst situation."

"Yes."

There was no changing the outcome.

She had already been exposed as a collaborator.

If she wanted to protect Arandel, the best course of action was to die.

At Arandel's own hands, no less.

Thanks to that, Helmut—who should have been the one bowing their heads in shame—was now able to hold their ground.

And on top of that, the sudden attack had caught even the Transcendents off guard, making their initial strike their only strong moment.

The fact that the Transcendents had infiltrated human society didn't result in as many casualties as one might expect.

That was because, at the time of the Sword Festival, Helmut's knights were everywhere.

Galenia had even turned the Transcendents into sacrificial lambs and companions for Arandel. Isaac couldn't help but think that her cunning bordered on something beyond madness.

"They're compensating the nobles well, even holding a large-scale memorial for the villagers… Fine. I get all that. But—"

Helmut's response was, if nothing else, appropriate.

They acknowledged their responsibility while drawing a clear line between themselves and Galenia.

They spared no expense in compensating the victims.

Even though the Sword Festival must have drained their finances, they showed no hesitation in opening their coffers.

Apart from swords, they were willing to give up anything, and that principle was evident here as well.

"But it's infuriating how they take responsibility while neatly avoiding guilt, isn't it? I swear, I just want to smack every Helmut on the head."

Not that it would do anything but hurt her own hand.

"Do you know why no one can say anything against them? Because they're Helmut. That damn Great Sword! That damn deterrent force!"

Though it was more accurate to say that Galenia had orchestrated this entire situation at the cost of her own life rather than it being Helmut's intention.

But what was the point of discussing someone who was already dead?

Isaac and Heirad simply listened in silence to Princess Clarice's complaints.

They arrived at Helmut's estate.

As they stepped into the reception room, they found Arandel, Liana, and Lohengrin already there.

Not only them but also the nobles who had participated in the Sword Festival, including Uldren Caldias and Silverna.

Isaac instinctively moved to sit among the noble faction.

But feeling the puzzled gazes around him, he awkwardly cleared his throat and took a seat beside Liana.

"…Am I late?"

"No, you're right on time."

Nodding at Liana's response, Isaac glanced around. Since he was still in the position of a son-in-law, he naturally sat with Helmut's side.

Snnff! Snnff!

The sound of heavy breathing was clearly audible.

Lohengrin, veins bulging in his eyes, was glaring at Isaac like a leashed dog ready to pounce.

'Damn Helmut.'

Helmut's natural healing was remarkably fast.

Magic must have helped, but regardless, Lohengrin's wounds had already healed completely.

"Turn your eyes away."

Liana, seated between them, openly warned Lohengrin.

Even though her voice was quiet, he must have heard it clearly, yet he kept glaring.

"Lower. Your. Eyes."

Liana's voice carried the weight of a threat.

At last, Lohengrin clenched his lips and turned his gaze away.

"...I didn't know you could talk like that."

"You have to speak a dog's language to a dog."

Isaac hadn't expected Liana to be so assertive. At her words, Lohengrin flinched but didn't respond.

Lohengrin's attitude, Sharen shutting herself in her room, Liana's resolve—

Galenia's death was clearly shaking things up within Helmut.

"Well then, let's begin."

Clarice spoke from the center of the room.

Despite being the youngest among them, she naturally took the lead as a princess.

"Soon, the royal family will move to strike the Blackson territory, which was colluding with the Transcendents."

It was a planned operation even before the Sword Festival.

The incident had delayed it somewhat, but Clarice saw it as an opportunity.

"According to my sources, Blackson has already fully betrayed the kingdom."

Their land was eerily silent, with nothing but the cries of crows.

Dark clouds loomed permanently in the sky.

Clarice's informant had described it as if the land itself was dying.

"And the reason I'm declaring this here is simple—Helmut, we're not letting you off the hook so easily for this incident."

Her violet eyes gleamed.

"So, as an act of atonement and proof that you are not traitors—"

It was as if she was asking Helmut directly—

Are you really as strong as you claim?

"You will take the vanguard."

Follow us to Blackson.

***

A misty mountain.

A woman who, while not an immortal, lived a life akin to one, resided there.

"Yawn…"

Holding a massive bowl-like cup,

She gulped down the liquor within, her long hair sprawling across the wooden platform like a spilled cascade.

Beside her leaned an unusually long and curved sword, resembling a crescent moon—known as the Great Tachi (Odachi).

[TLN: The term "대태도 (Great Tachi / Odachi)" refers to a massive, curved Japanese sword historically used by samurai. For readability, I may sometimes refer to it as a "great sword."]

"How is life so dull?"

The woman muttered indifferently, her black hair sprawled across the wooden platform like spilled ink. Her wolf ears, perked up atop her head, twitched slightly.

At the same time, a faceless man appeared before her.

Despite having neither scent nor presence, the woman slowly sat up and grinned at him.

"How many times must I tell you that I won't eat you? Seeing you trembling even when you come here in your astral form—it's starting to make me more curious than amused."

Her sharp canine teeth gleamed.

"I wonder… what kind of face you'd make if you stood before me in person."

Licking her lips, she let out a low growl, as if eager for a fight.

But the man remained silent and spoke only the message he had come to deliver.

—Have you heard the news about the Sword Festival?

"Hm? The Sword Festival? You mean Helmut? Is it that time of the year already?"

She took another sip of her drink and tilted her head. The sudden mention of Helmut made her curious.

—Rumors say that Helmut's sword has been broken.

"That's nonsense, spoken only by those who know nothing. As long as Arandel is alive, Helmut's sword is not broken."

—Nonetheless, that is what the rumors claim. And Helmut has not denied them.

"..."

—This could be of use to us. Will you investigate?

"Hmmm."

Perhaps it was the alcohol making her feel pleasantly tipsy. Or maybe she was just bored of sitting idle.

Either way, it didn't matter.

"Send a carriage."

With that answer, the faceless man vanished as suddenly as he had appeared—without a trace, without a sound.

"Damien! A carriage will be arriving soon, so prepare yourself!"

"Yes, Master!"

A man, who had been standing with his hands behind his back at a distance, immediately descended the rocky mountain.

"Heh."

The woman stood from the bench, slinging the Great Tachi (Odachi) over her shoulder, and snorted as she recalled the conversation.

"Helmut's sword broken?"

She didn't know who they were.

But for the first time in a long while—she felt truly intrigued.