Chapter 64: Nighttime Visitors

After leaving behind a warning mixed with expectation, Arandel departed.

He probably returned to his office to finish his work.

With the lady of the house gone, Arandel was undoubtedly the busiest person in Helmut.

"Hmm, the atmosphere has changed a bit." muttered Uldren, who remained standing in the same spot.

Even Uldren, who had seen Arandel in his younger days, felt this way. Naturally, Liana, who lived in the same household, shared similar sentiments.

'Did killing Mother hold some meaning for Father?'

Liana suddenly found herself wondering.

What if she were in a situation where she had to kill Isaac?

For a moment, she felt dizzy and tightly shut her eyes, shaking her head vigorously.

That would never happen.

On the other hand, Isaac felt a strange sensation as he watched Arandel's back.

If he had to describe it, it seemed as though Arandel was preparing to leave.

As the only one present who knew about Arandel's illness, Isaac couldn't help but sigh.

'In any case, a lot has changed situationally.'

After Arandel's death, the Transcendents began to act.

But this time, Arandel himself took the initiative to start hunting down the Transcendents.

The direction had completely shifted, and to counter the Transcendents' offensive, Isaac had brought the strongest card he could.

'But is Arandel's illness really natural?'

Honestly, Isaac doubted whether Arandel was truly ill.

Galenia had contacted the Transcendents to save Arandel.

Couldn't it be seen the other way around?

'This is difficult.'

Isaac decided to focus on the immediate problem at hand.

Before Arandel's death, the Transcendents must be eradicated.

Humanity, morality—none of that mattered.

In the first place, few people expected such things from Helmut.

Protection and safety.

No matter what, they only desired peace.

Isaac hoped that the eradication of the Transcendents would be completed before Arandel's death.

"Silverna, let's go."

At that moment, Uldren called for Silverna.

After a brief hesitation, Silverna let out a deep sigh and followed Uldren.

"Ahem, I have something to say."

"Don't. I won't listen."

"…Why are you acting like a child?"

"I said I won't listen—!"

Suddenly, the ground rumbled.

Glancing back, Isaac saw Uldren running away with his massive frame, and Silverna chasing after him.

"What a lively family."

Isaac muttered with a laugh, and Liana nodded slightly in agreement.

A bittersweet rose fragrance wafted through the air.

The garden of Helmut was filled with roses that could symbolize both tragedy and resilience, blooming vividly in shades of blood-red and crimson.

Before long, the lingering purple lilacs, which had stayed late into the season, disappeared.

This signified that it was time for Isaac to leave Helmut.

***

Late at night.

Preparations to leave for Blackson would begin in earnest tomorrow, but Isaac wasn't particularly busy.

As if tidying up the house one last time, Isaac walked through Helmut's mansion with Liana, a place filled with nothing but unpleasant memories.

Ironically, even as he wandered through the mansion, Isaac couldn't find any particular trauma or pain.

He clearly felt that the trials and suffering he had endured were now part of the past.

Liana and Isaac parted ways to their respective rooms.

"Good night."

"Yeah, you too, Isaac."

Liana's room was on the second floor, while Isaac's was on the first, so they naturally went their separate ways.

Liana subtly turned her head to glance at Isaac.

"..."

She watched Isaac's retreating figure until he entered his room without looking back.

After a moment, Liana also entered her room.

Even after returning to his room, Isaac slowly continued to organize his belongings.

The act of preparing to leave felt somewhat awkward, but it wasn't entirely unpleasant.

'There's some dust accumulating here and there.'

While he had carefully maintained Millie's portrait and the two swords, the other items felt less like his own, so he hadn't bothered with them much.

Knock knock knock.

Just then, a knock came from outside.

"Liana?"

He thought it might be Liana, whom he had just spoken to, but the voice that answered from outside was unexpected.

"It's me."

"Sharen?"

Isaac hurriedly opened the door.

There stood Sharen, awkwardly, and Edel, the 15-year-old youngest sibling.

Earlier, he and Liana had tried to visit them, but they hadn't opened the door.

For them to come so late at night, it seemed they had something to say.

Isaac let them in and sat them on the bed.

Normally, he would offer them something, but Isaac's belongings were sparse, so he had nothing to give them to drink.

"Ah, Isaac."

The two got straight to the point, not expecting anything.

Both had swollen, red eyes, evidence of how much they had cried.

Their haggard faces and dry, red hair were uncharacteristic of Helmut.

They had witnessed their father killing their mother.

It would have been strange if they weren't traumatized.

"I… want to go with you."

Surprisingly, Sharen made a bold request.

The tear stains were just that—stains. In a way, they were proof of both sorrow and moving on.

"You want me to take you? Do you even know where I'm going?"

"To Blackson, right?"

"And after that?"

"I don't know!"

Yeah, of course, she wouldn't.

"But take me with you."

"Sigh, Sharen. Do you even understand what you're saying—?"

"I'm begging you. If it's not you, I'll have no choice but to go to Silverna."

"..."

"I don't want to stay in this mansion anymore."

Sharen's expression, now clouded, felt distant from the innocence she once had.

"I want to leave. Can you talk to Father for me? I think he'd listen to you now."

"..."

"I heard you're going to Blackson. I've fought Transcendents before, and I've even fought Bricalla, so—"

"Is this just running away?"

Their gazes met.

Sharen, having thought this through beforehand, answered without hesitation.

"I want to see Helmut… from a distance."

"..."

"The Helmut I saw in the north was different from the Helmut I lived in. And—"

Sharen clenched her fists tightly, her voice trembling as she confessed.

"The mother I knew and the mother everyone else knew were so different… It was confusing."

"..."

"So I want to understand. If I stay here, I'll just remain the same Sharen Helmut."

As the silent sword.

Isaac had often seen the determined looks of those who pushed past their limits.

Though their stories and fates were different, they all shared one common trait: overcoming.

The moment Isaac heard the girl's resolve, he realized he had no choice but to accept her request.

[You're too soft.]

Having taken in several disciples in a similar manner before, Isaac could almost hear the Grand Master's scolding echoing in his mind.

Isaac gently patted Sharen's head, then turned his gaze to Edel.

Isaac hadn't had much interaction with Edel.

He had mostly been dragged around and beaten by the eldest and second sons.

In fact, he had barely exchanged more than a few words with Edel, the youngest, let alone sparred with him.

So he was curious.

Why had Edel come to him?

"I'll stay behind."

Isaac remembered him as a child with an adorably clumsy walk.

"If my sister goes out to see Helmut from the outside—"

Though still chubby with baby fat, it was clear the boy would grow into a handsome man.

"I want to change Helmut from within."

The boy's intelligence and bold aspirations even surprised Isaac.

"I-I know you were the one who suffered the most at our hands. S-so I came to ask you just one thing."

Edel fidgeted nervously, glancing around. Sharen patted his back to ease his tension.

"Is Helmut… beyond saving? Has it fallen too far?"

The reason he was asking Isaac this was likely because he believed Isaac harbored more hatred toward Helmut than anyone else.

And because Isaac was the one who could judge Helmut by the strictest standards.

That's why Edel was asking him.

"That is—"

Just then, footsteps echoed from the crack in the door.

And a voice, whispering as if hoping no one would hear.

"B-brother-in-law. You're still awake, right?"

The third son, Alois Helmut.

The moment Isaac heard his voice, his eyes calmly lowered.

Isaac, staring at the door, silently pointed to the wardrobe with his finger.

Edel looked bewildered by the gesture, but Sharen, following Isaac's lead, quietly and carefully slipped inside without a sound.

'In a way, this might be the best way to show him.'

Thinking this would be a good answer to Edel's question, Isaac gripped the sword forged from Bricalla and opened the door.

At that moment.

A hand wrapped in crimson aura lunged for Isaac's throat.

Eyes bloodshot, breath mixed with madness and obsession.

The Sword Festival had ended, and before Liana's full interrogation could begin, Alois made his final, desperate struggle—his last chance to act.

However, Isaac, who had been prepared even before opening the door, smoothly stepped back with an almost casual ease and thought to himself.

'I can already hear the princess collapsing from shock tomorrow.'

She was already thrown into chaos just from the divorce—when the news spreads tomorrow, she'll probably be foaming at the mouth.

Shing!

Isaac's blade was drawn in a smooth, fluid motion.

The lightning of Bricalla shattered Alois's crimson aura, and with a swift motion, Isaac slashed through the narrow gap.

In an instant.

A spray of red blood splattered across the neatly organized room.

"Aaaargh!"

Alois's scream tore through the night.