Chapter 16 -----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: uly
Chapter: 16
Chapter Title: The Great Horde
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"Hah! Hah!"
Gasping for breath, he stared at the Transcendent impaled on the spear.
Even standing tall like that, it almost felt like a grave marker in its own right.
'Thank goodness.'
His breath came too ragged for words, but Isaac was truly relieved from the bottom of his heart.
He believed that if he could just reach Uldiran Caldias, the man would surely kill the Transcendent.
No matter how impressive the Transcendent was, someone of Uldiran's caliber could handle it with ease.
'It wasn't one of the really strong ones among the Transcendents.'
Judging coldly, it wasn't particularly powerful compared to the Transcendents Isaac knew.
"Are you all right?!"
"We'll get you down right now!"
The firmly shut gate of the wall swung open, and soldiers came rushing out. Isaac pointed in the direction he'd been thrown from and shouted.
"The wounded first! Hurry!"
Starting with Jonathan.
Silberna and her adjutant Anna, the nobles and their escorts.
A lot of people had been taken down by a single Transcendent.
He himself had only minor injuries aside from those from the fall.
Right now, others were more important than him.
Following Isaac's words, the soldiers raced urgently toward the foothills.
"You okay?"
Uldiran approached Isaac, who had slumped down to catch his breath.
Isaac tried to stand hastily, but Uldiran's hand gently pressed his shoulder, urging him to rest.
"Yes, I'm fine."
"Hmm. What about that beast?"
Even Uldiran seemed to be seeing one for the first time.
Isaac gave a wry glance at the corpse and answered.
"It's called a Transcendent... They're like humans but also like mana beasts."
Uldiran crossed his arms and studied the corpse thoughtfully.
"Hmm. Seems you know quite a bit about it?"
"I'll explain later."
Isaac slowly rose to his feet.
The moment he spotted a man lying on a stretcher carried by soldiers, he wanted to rush over immediately.
Seeing that pure concern, Uldiran chuckled softly and nodded.
"Don't worry about it—go on. Caring for your comrades is only natural."
"Thank you."
Leaving Uldiran behind, Isaac hurried to Jonathan.
"Jonathan! You okay?!"
Jonathan, being carried away on the stretcher, flashed a thumbs-up and gave a faint smile.
"I'm a Helmunt knight, aren't I?"
"Ha, haha... Yeah, good thing."
Being a Helmunt knight wasn't exactly music to Isaac's ears.
But at least Jonathan was alive. That was a relief.
"What the hell happened?"
The Transcendents Isaac knew never let humans live.
They showed no mercy; their hatred for humanity felt almost instinctual, like an insatiable desire.
Jonathan scratched his cheek awkwardly while lying down.
"Honestly, I don't know. After sending you off, its greatsword was right at my throat."
He tilted his head slightly to show his neck. Sure enough, there was a wound where blood had beaded up near his Adam's apple.
"But it just stared at me and left."
"Left?"
"Yeah. It called me a filthy one and just went."
"Filthy one?"
Isaac tilted his head in confusion at Jonathan's words.
A Transcendent passing up a chance to kill a human and just leaving?
'What?'
This didn't make sense within Isaac's common knowledge.
"Lord Isaac! I'm fine, Jonathan! No need to worry!"
"Ugh, still, stay put."
"You need to get checked by a healer first."
Jonathan was dragged away just like that.
Isaac couldn't relax seeing Jonathan safe and sound. Doubts piled up, drawing him into thought.
Then someone suddenly hugged him from behind.
"Isaac!"
"Silberna?"
Startled, Isaac turned his head.
Silberna clung tightly to him, visibly relieved.
"Thank goodness! Really, thank goodness, Isaac! I thought something happened to you!"
"Well, yeah..."
Embarrassed, he glanced back.
He could feel Uldiran Caldias staring right through them.
'This is bad. I might end up skewered like that Transcendent.'
He didn't want to meet the same fate as the one dying on the spear, so he tried to gently push Silberna away.
"Nngh."
Outmatched in strength, Isaac couldn't pry her off.
As he pondered how to disentangle himself from her tight embrace.
"Ahem. Silberna."
Uldiran Caldias finally approached stealthily and cleared his throat to call his daughter.
"Ah, s-sorry!"
Only then did Silberna realize what she'd done, blushing as she pulled away.
"..."
Uldiran's gaze turned to Isaac. He seemed like he had something to say.
"Ahem."
Isaac pretended to scratch his nape, subtly showing the ring on his left ring finger.
That softened Uldiran's gaze a bit.
"What about Holstein's luggage?"
Back to business, Uldiran asked. Silberna stood at attention and reported.
"Recovered. Anna's guarding it now. But she's injured too, so she should rejoin us soon."
"Good. I'll go myself."
Silberna panicked at the idea of Uldiran moving personally.
"We can't let our guard down."
The bitterness in his gruff voice was palpable. Frowning, he shared his assessment of the situation.
"That freak called a Transcendent is concerning, but the number of mana beasts is what's really off."
Indeed.
Even Silberna thought there were far too many mana beasts near the wall.
"You mean—"
"Silberna, prepare a dispatch immediately."
It had been 23 years since the last one appeared.
"It's a Great Horde."
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Helmunt mansion.
"Gaaah!"
A man's agonized cry echoed through the halls.
Considering the early hour, it could be mistaken for a rooster's crow gone wrong.
The source of the scream was the third son, Alois Helmunt.
Lately.
He'd been sparring every morning.
With none other than the eldest daughter, Rianna Helmunt, no less.
Whoosh!
Rianna sheathed her greatsword, 'Ragnavel,' and sighed.
"Get into stance, Alois."
Her words signaled it wasn't over yet.
Usually, Alois praised her eyes as jewel-like treasures, but lately, they seemed tinged with blood.
"S-Sis! Sparring every day! I'm gonna die for real!"
Spending time with Rianna was nice, but not like this.
Every day, his body felt like it was breaking apart.
But Rianna showed no mercy.
"I spar with you every day, but you haven't improved a bit."
"No, that's—"
That's how it looks to you, Sis.
Alois swallowed those words.
Strictly speaking, he had grown.
But from Rianna's level, it probably felt negligible.
"Pick up your sword."
Rianna wouldn't back down.
Her impassive expression only made her sincerity feel more intense.
'Bringing up remarriage in front of Lilac... was a mistake.'
Alois was paying dearly, day after day, for his remarks dismissing Isaac alongside the remarriage talk.
And one more person.
Isaac wasn't the only one stirring up unrest in the Helmunt mansion—Rianna and Alois weren't alone.
The second daughter, Sharen Helmunt, felt the same.
At 17, the youngest in the family aside from her 15-year-old baby brother Edel.
Right now, in her room, she was thrashing on her bed, kicking the blankets wildly.
"Aaaargh! Where is it?!"
If one had to describe her.
A tomboy, wild and free-spirited.
Had she not been born a Helmunt, she'd be just a rowdy village girl.
But as a Helmunt, she was a bit extreme.
And the moment that brought out her wildest side was when snacks were involved.
"Where the heck is it?!"
Especially her favorite treat.
Lately, Sharen hadn't tasted it at all.
"Where did Isaac even buy that from?!"
Because.
Isaac, whom she'd treated like an errand boy, had been dispatched to the front lines at Mallidan Wall.
Thanks to that, she couldn't get the snacks Isaac brought.
Local bakeries sold pastries too, so she'd checked every one nearby, but no luck.
As Sharen stewed over it.
Her personal maid, Kelsi, burst in and called urgently.
"Young Lady! The family head has summoned everyone!"
"Father?!"
The Sword Festival was still a month and a half away.
It wasn't time yet for the family head to call everyone for it, so something else must be up.
And so, the direct descendants of Helmunt were summoned to the family head's office.
Eldest son Roengreen.
Eldest daughter Rianna.
Second son Armin.
Third son Alois.
Second daughter Sharen.
Youngest Edel.
It had been a while since they'd gathered like this outside of breakfast, creating an awkward atmosphere.
Arandel, chin propped on his hand, spoke with a troubled expression.
"A messenger came from Mallidan Wall."
Instantly, everyone glanced at Rianna like startled rabbits.
Mallidan Wall, where Isaac had gone in their stead.
Had news of his death arrived?
That seemed the most likely.
Rianna clenched her fists, desperately steadying her pounding heart.
"The mana beast horde at Mallidan Wall has been confirmed as a Great Horde."
The tension shifted to a different kind.
A Great Horde, unseen for 23 years.
The reason for the messenger was clear.
"They need more support."
Caldias's request, relayed through the kingdom to the nobles, was straightforward.
For a regular horde, promising youngsters for combat experience would suffice.
But now confirmed as a Great Horde.
They needed real firepower.
"Sigh."
With the family's major event, the Sword Festival, looming, Arandel regretted the timing.
But once declared a Great Horde, he couldn't prioritize Helmunt alone.
"Someone has to go to Mallidan as reinforcements. Any volunteers?"
So Arandel asked.
"I'll go."
"Father! Send me!"
The two women in the room.
Rianna and Sharen answered simultaneously.
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