Chapter 17 -----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: uly
Chapter: 17
Chapter Title: Sharen's Resolve
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Arandel's gaze settled on his two daughters.
The eldest, Rianna, and the second daughter, Sharen.
He had somewhat anticipated Rianna declaring she wanted to head to the Mallidan Wall.
She must still be worried about her husband, Isaac.
But Sharen's intentions were harder to read.
'Sigh.'
Arandel knew full well he wasn't a good father.
Figuring out his daughters' minds was an even greater headache for him than with his sons.
Especially Sharen Helmunt, that young tomboy—she was impossible to judge.
"Sharen, why are you volunteering?"
In moments like this, a direct charge was best.
At Arandel's question, everyone's eyes turned to Sharen.
They were all wondering why she had suddenly volunteered for the Mallidan Wall.
"Father."
Sharen placed a hand over her chest and took a step forward.
Young or not, she was a Helmunt.
She was plenty old enough to know proper etiquette.
"I have declared that I shall go, for I judge it to be my duty."
"State your reason."
Don't add any needless words.
Arandel warned her, chin resting on his hand, and the leisure vanished from Sharen's lips.
"I-I'm sorry. I let my emotions get ahead of me."
Her pupils quivered faintly.
Taut with tension, Sharen's explanation came out brief and rushed, carrying a hint of urgency.
"The Sword Festival is fast approaching. It's naturally out of the question for my brothers to go, and Sister Rianna must hold her position here as well."
She caught her breath.
"However, the youngest, Edel, cannot go. Thus, I deem it fitting that I—who can wield a Helmunt sword, however inadequately—should be the one."
"Hmm."
The instant he heard it, Arandel knew Sharen was lying.
A self-centered tomboy like her, using the greater good as her excuse? Please.
She clearly had ulterior motives.
'But there's no reason to refuse.'
Arandel judged that sending Sharen was the ideal picture.
A fitting pick—not crucial for the Sword Festival, yet solid enough in combat strength.
Besides, he figured the immature Sharen might finally mature a bit on the battlefield.
"It is a Great Horde, make no mistake. Stay vigilant, and let those gathered there know the greatness of Helmunt."
Permission granted, Sharen beamed and bowed her head.
"I shall show the world what the Helmunt sword truly is—and return."
For an instant.
Arandel's face drained to a ashen hue, but no one noticed.
"Father! Let me—!"
Rianna stepped forward insisting she would go, but Arandel—freshly soured by Sharen's words—frowned and waved her off.
"Out."
"..."
That was that.
No one present could defy the family head, Arandel.
With everyone gone.
Arandel remained alone in his study, handling his duties.
Yet Sharen's vow from moments ago kept swirling endlessly in his mind.
[I shall show the world what the Helmunt sword truly is—and return.]
The Helmunt sword.
"Sigh."
A sigh that seemed to carve Arandel's wrinkles even deeper.
His voice emerged laced with layers of lament.
"Just who among you is wielding the Helmunt sword, anyway?"
His bitter murmur, like a pained sigh, drifted away and dissipated—like gray pipe smoke.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Rianna's footsteps were hurried.
She wanted to rush straight to Sharen and beg her to tell Father right away that she couldn't go to the wall.
"Rianna!"
Halfway down the second-floor corridor, an irritated shout rang out from behind.
The eldest son, Roengreen, strode up to her and yelled.
"You! You pushed Sharen to go, didn't you?"
"...What are you talking about?"
He might be a year older, but Rianna had long abandoned any respect for Roengreen.
"Why else would Sharen volunteer for the Mallidan Wall out of nowhere! You should be the one going!"
"..."
"You filthy bitch. Craving the family head seat that badly? Hate handing it over to your brother that much?"
"Sigh. Cut the nonsense. How many times have I told you? I'm not interested."
Rianna tried to brush past, ignoring him, but he grabbed her shoulder.
Smack!
Her hand swiftly knocked away the eldest son's grip.
The moment he touched her, a murderous aura surged—promising death—and Roengreen flinched back for a moment.
But he quickly flared up again.
"How the hell did you sway Father?! He just glossed over the Rose Elixir incident too!"
"Haa."
Rose Elixir.
Helmunt's secret medicine, boosting physical prowess.
Right after Isaac left.
Roengreen had accused Rianna to Arandel of stealing a stockpile—meant only for direct kin—and feeding it to Isaac.
Arandel had let it slide without reaction or punishment.
"Father knew it was your pathetic little scheme."
The family head wouldn't stoop to such childish games.
"Perfect timing, Roengreen. Let me make this clear: don't pull stupid stunts. Father already sees you as successor—don't waste effort exposing your own incompetence."
Her deadpan words stabbed like a knife, twisting Roengreen's face into a scowl.
"So that's it—you're scheming to steal the seat from me? Ha! How foolish! Rianna, mark my words: you have zero chance of becoming family head."
"No, ha..."
What was she supposed to do with this blockhead?
With a sigh, the last thread of familial bond frayed.
"Mother returns for the Sword Festival. She'll back me for sure."
"..."
"And once I crush your pathetic sword there, it's done. You know our sparring record, don't you?"
A sleazy grin spread across Roengreen's lips.
37 matches: 31 wins, 6 losses.
An overwhelming record against Rianna.
Sibling spars were few for their house—thanks to Rianna dodging them on purpose.
"In the end, my skill will prove it. But if you pull some backhanded—!"
"Fine."
At that moment, Rianna's blank eyes widened ever so slightly.
"You're right."
"...What?"
Realization dawned; the corner of Rianna's mouth twitched up.
Then.
"No Isaac means no need to hold back."
"What?"
"Training hall. Now, Roengreen."
Crimson-black battle lust poured from Rianna's body. Roengreen faltered at the splendid flurry of Red Aura.
"Know your place."
Rianna brushed past him toward the training hall.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "Guh, heuk?!"
Roengreen couldn't even scream properly.
He rolled backward in pathetic defeat, tangled in his own cloak, vision blocked.
His greatsword was long dropped; his Red Aura shattered like tissue paper.
The one mercy.
The sprawling family mansion.
Sparring in the now-disused underground hall meant no witnesses to his shame.
"Roengreen."
A chilling voice.
Her tone—victory a foregone conclusion—humiliated him.
Yet in that spar, he hadn't landed a single proper swing before being crushed.
"If I wanted family head, I'd have taken it by force."
"...!"
"So quit provoking me."
Rianna turned to leave.
Roengreen scrambled up, bellowing in fury.
"All this time! You've been mocking me this whole time?! Hiding this power!?"
"Hmph."
Rianna paused but didn't turn, murmuring low.
"It was for Isaac."
"...What?"
"Forget it. Don't want to talk anymore."
Roengreen's enraged, desperate screams chased after Rianna's back.
"I'm the eldest son! I—I will be family head!"
"I didn't know! You think Father doesn't know your real strength?!"
"Even so, Father will choose me! I'll succeed him and make Helmunt great!"
Rianna clicked her tongue at his yells.
Father knows it all?
'Of course he does.'
Arandel wasn't blind to the skill gap between them.
But.
'It doesn't matter.'
To Arandel, the gap between Roengreen and Rianna was negligible.
He just hesitated because Roengreen was a fool.
'Can anyone even earn Father's approval with swordsmanship?'
Rianna emerged aboveground.
Passing the first-floor hall en route to Sharen again.
"..."
A brown-skinned woman in cook's whites bustled into view.
'Milli.'
She'd seen her chatting amiably with Isaac often.
Same age peers; rumor had it Isaac gifted her something at the end.
Spotting Rianna, the busy Milli bowed hastily.
"Young Lady, good day."
"..."
Rianna acknowledged the greeting blankly, stared down at her, then blurted.
"You got a gift from Isaac."
"...Pardon?"
Milli blinked up, thrown by the non sequitur.
But answered promptly.
"Y-Yes! Right. Sir Isaac drew my portrait."
"Can I see it?"
"Pardon? Oh, sure."
Milli led Rianna to the servants' quarters outside the mansion.
In Milli's room, Rianna glanced around.
Commoner born.
Same age.
Bright personality.
'Like Isaac.'
The polar opposite of herself.
Did Isaac prefer women like this?
Lost in thought, Milli fetched the painting.
"Here. I had no idea Sir Isaac was talented at art too. So multifaceted."
Milli praised Isaac candidly.
She knew the divorce was coming, but had no desire to trash him.
"Ah..."
The painting was striking.
Milli's portrait.
Rianna never knew Isaac had this talent.
"I—"
He never drew even one for me.
Rianna choked back the words.
She pivoted and headed out.
"Saw it. Thanks."
Her footsteps felt drained as she left without waiting for a reply.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ The next morning.
"Pack plenty of sweets. Running out on the road would suck."
Carriages lined the Helmunt mansion for the trip to the Mallidan Wall.
Sharen Helmunt rode in the grandest one, head out the window barking orders left and right.
Unlike Isaac's solo escort with just Jonathan.
To tackle the Great Horde, Helmunt knights were tagging along in decent numbers this time.
"Sigh, what a mess over one Isaac."
Her words said one thing, but Sharen's eyes sparkled with excitement.
She looked like a kid off on adventure.
Anyone could see she treated the battlefield like a game.
'Young Lady, honestly.'
Kelsi, her dedicated maid, fretted endlessly.
Worried sick she'd come back badly hurt.
'If only other siblings came too.'
Especially Rianna Helmunt—Kelsi inwardly grumbled that it'd ease her mind.
Kelsi packed the cargo wagon diligently, sealing Sharen's treats airtight.
Dim wagon interior.
Amid the luggage, a white cloth draped over something bulging oddly.
'What's this?'
She handled all packing herself, so curiosity won—she lifted the cloth.
And there.
"La-Lady Rianna?!"
Rianna Helmunt crouched, cheeks burning with shame, pleading.
"P-Pretend you saw nothing."
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