Chapter 16: Second Dispatch

Within the sight of Arandel, he sees his two daughters.

His eldest daughter Rihanna and his second daughter Sharen.

He had somewhat expected Rihanna to say she would go to the Malidan Barrier.

She must still be worried about her husband, Isaac.

But in the case of Sharen, it was hard to discern her true intentions.

‘Haa…’

Arandel knew well that he wasn’t a good father.

Compared to his sons, grasping the feelings of his daughters was also quite a challenge for Arandel.

Especially Sharen Helmut, still just a young tomboy. It was even harder to read her.

“Sharen, why are you volunteering?”

At times like this, going straight to the point was best.

As Arandel asked, everyone’s gaze fell upon Sharen.

They, too, were curious as to why Sharen had suddenly decided to go to the Malidan Barrier.

“Father.”

With her hand placed on her chest, Sharen stepped forward.

Young though she might be, she was still a Helmut—old enough to be well-versed in proper etiquette.

“I only say that I will go because I believe it is something I must do.”

“State your reason.”

…Don’t add unnecessary words.

At Arandel’s warning, given as he propped his chin on his hand, the easy confidence vanished from Sharen’s lips.

“I-I’m sorry. I let my feelings get ahead of me…”

Her eyes trembled faintly.

Nervously tense, Sharen explained briefly and swiftly, enough to sound a bit urgent.

“The Sword Festival is approaching. It’s obviously impossible for my older brothers to leave, and my sister Rihanna must remain here as well.”

She took a breath.

“But the youngest, Edel, cannot go. Though I am lacking, I am at least someone who can wield the sword of Helmut, so I believe it proper that I go.”

“Hm.”

The moment he heard it, Arandel realized Sharen was lying.

For the self-centered tomboy Sharen to bring up a great cause—it meant she surely had another motive.

Still…

‘There’s no particular reason to refuse.’

Arandel also judged that sending Sharen would create the most ideal situation.

Someone suitable in terms of battle strength who wouldn’t be too vital to the approaching Sword Festival. Moreover, Sharen, who still lacked maturity, might gain some sense if she went to the battlefield.

“This is a major cluster of enemies. Don’t be careless. Show those gathered there the greatness of Helmut.”

At his permission, Sharen beamed brightly and bowed her head.

“I will show the world what the sword of Helmut truly is.”

For a moment—

Arandel’s face turned a shade grayer, but no one noticed.

“Father! Let me—!”

Rihanna took a step forward to say that she would go, but at Sharen’s remark that had soured his mood, Arandel frowned and waved his hand.

“Leave.”

“…….”

That was the end of it.

No one present could go against the words of Arandel, the head of the family.

Thus, everyone departed, and Arandel remained alone in his office to finish his work.

Even then, in his mind, Sharen’s declaration swirled endlessly.

[“I will show the world what the sword of Helmut truly is.”]

The sword of Helmut.

“Haa…”

It was a sigh that seemed to deepen Arandel’s wrinkles slightly.

A voice mixed with various laments leaked out.

“Who among you is truly wielding the sword of Helmut, I wonder.”

His bitter murmuring, like a weary sigh, dispersed like grayish pipe smoke, fading quietly away.

****

Rihanna’s steps were urgent.

She intended to run straight to Sharen and beg her to tell their father she couldn’t go to the barrier after all.

“Rihanna!”

As she walked down the second-floor corridor, a petulant voice called from behind.

Lohengrin, the eldest son, approached with long strides and shouted at her:

“It was you, right? You’re the one who pushed Sharen to go!”

“…What are you talking about?”

Though he was a year older, Rihanna had long abandoned any sense of respect for Lohengrin.

“If not for that, why would Sharen volunteer to go to the Malidan Barrier! It’s originally something you should be doing!”

“…….”

“You bitch. Are you that hungry for the position of the family head? Do you hate the idea of me inheriting it that much?”

“Ha, don’t spout nonsense. How many times have I said I’m not interested?”

As Rihanna tried to pass by ignoring him, he grabbed her shoulder.

Smack!

Rihanna swiftly knocked away Lohengrin hand. For a brief moment, at her murderous intent—like she’d kill him if he dared touch her again—Lohengrin flinched.

But he quickly flared up again.

“How exactly did you sway Father? He even let the Rose elixir incident slide!”

“Haa.”

Rose elixir.

A Helmut elixir that enhances physical abilities.

Right after Isaac departed, a single dose of the elixir, reserved only for direct family members, had gone missing. Lohengrin accused Rihanna of stealing it to give to Isaac, but Arandel had shown no particular reaction or punishment, simply letting it go.

“He realized it was your ridiculous scheme.”

The head of the family wouldn’t be fooled by such childish tricks.

“This works out fine, Lohengrin. Let me say this clearly: don’t do anything useless. Father already considers you the successor, so stop making pointless efforts that only reveal your incompetence.”

With a blank expression, Rihanna’s words stabbed deep. Lohengrin’s face twisted grimly.

“So that’s how it is. You’re trying to snatch the headship from me? Ha! Foolish! Rihanna, let me be perfectly clear: you don’t stand a chance at becoming the head of the family. Not even a speck!”

“Ugh, ha…”

What could she do with this blockhead?

With a sigh, even the last shred of familial affection began to slip away.

“Mother will return at the Sword Festival. She’ll surely give me her support.”

“…….”

“And if I demonstrate overwhelming skill with the sword against your sorry blade at the Sword Festival, that’s it. You know the record of our sparring matches, don’t you?”

A sneer crept onto Lohengrin lips.

37 matches, 31 wins and 6 losses.

Lohengrin boasted an overwhelmingly favorable record against Rihanna. Though low for siblings, that was because Rihanna had deliberately avoided sparring with him.

“In the end, I just have to prove myself with skill. But if you keep pulling strings behind the scenes—!”

“Right.”

“?”

At that moment, Rihanna’s emotionless eyes opened a fraction wider.

“Exactly.”

“…What do you mean?”

Realizing something, the corners of Rihanna’s mouth subtly curved upward.

And then—

“Now that Isaac isn’t here, I guess I don’t need to hold back.”

“What?”

“Come to the training yard, Lohengrin.”

A dark crimson-fighting aura erupted from Rihanna’s entire body. In the dazzlingly scattered scarlet energy, Lohengrin was momentarily taken aback.

“You really should know your limits.”

Passing by him, Rihanna headed straight to the training grounds.

****

“Ugh, huh?!”

Lohengrin couldn’t even let out a proper scream.

Fallen pathetically backward, tangled in his own cloak, he couldn’t see straight ahead.

He had already lost his greatsword, and his aura had been shattered all too easily.

If there was any saving grace—

It was that, thanks to sparring in the old, unused underground training hall beneath the vast Helmut estate, nobody had witnessed his disgrace.

“Lohengrin.”

A cold voice reached his ears.

The tone implying her victory was only natural, made Lohengrin burn with humiliation.

Yet in the duel just now, he hadn’t even managed a single proper swing before being utterly overwhelmed.

“If I’d had any desire to become the head of this family, I would have taken it by force.”

“……!”

“So don’t provoke me.”

With that, Rihanna turned and left.

Desperate, Lohengrin pulled himself together and screamed:

“All this time! All this time you were mocking me?! Hiding this kind of power?!”

“Haa.”

Rihanna paused momentarily, not turning her head, and murmured quietly:

“It was because of Isaac.”

“……What?”

“Never mind. I don’t want to talk about it anymore.”

After that terse remark, as Rihanna left, Lohengrin, driven to fury, continued to howl behind her:

“I am the eldest son! I will become the head of the family!”

“I—I may not have known, but do you really think Father is unaware of your skills?!”

“Even so, Father will choose me! I will succeed him and become the great Helmut leader!”

Rihanna clicked her tongue at his cries.

He thinks their father doesn’t know?

‘Of course he knows.’

Arandel was not foolish enough to miss the difference in skill between the two.

However—

‘That doesn’t matter at all.’

In Arandel’s eyes, the skill gap between Lohengrin and Rihanna was negligible—just one and the same.

He only hesitated to choose Lohengrin because he was foolish.

‘Is there even anyone who could gain Father’s acknowledgment purely through swordsmanship?’

Emerging aboveground, Rihanna crossed the first-floor hall, heading once more toward Sharen.

“…….”

She spotted a brown-skinned woman in a chef’s outfit moving busily about.

‘That’s Milli, isn’t it?’

Rihanna recalled seeing Milli chatting amicably with Isaac.

They were about the same age, and she’d heard that Isaac even gave Milli a gift in the end.

As soon as Milli noticed Rihanna, she bowed her head hastily.

“Greetings, my lady.”

“…….”

Expressionless, Rihanna accepted the greeting, staring down at Milli. After a moment, Rihanna spoke curtly.

“You received a gift from Isaac, didn’t you.”

“…Pardon?”

Taken aback by the abrupt remark, Milli looked up, but quickly answered:

“Y-Yes! That’s correct. Isaac drew my portrait.”

“May I see it?”

“Huh? Oh, of course.”

Milli led Rihanna to the servants’ quarters outside the mansion.

Once inside Milli’s room, Rihanna glanced around.

A commoner background.

Same age as herself.

A bright personality.

‘She’s just like Isaac.’

A woman who was the complete opposite of herself.

Was this the type of woman Isaac liked?

While Rihanna was lost in thought, Milli brought over the portrait.

“Here it is. I never knew Isaac-nim had such talent for painting. He’s so gifted in many areas.”

Milli praised Isaac without reservation. Although she knew about their eventual divorce, she had no desire to speak ill of him.

“Ah…”

The painting was indeed impressive.

A portrait of Milli.

Rihanna had never known that Isaac possessed such artistic talent.

“I—.”

Not even once had he drawn her.

Stifling the words that almost spilled out, Rihanna turned and stepped outside.

“I’ve seen enough, thank you.”

Without waiting for a reply, she left the room. Her steps felt a bit drained of strength.

****

The next morning—

“Make sure you’ve packed enough sweets. It’d be troublesome to run out on the way.”

Carriages lined up in front of the Helmut estate, ready to depart for the Malidan Barrier.

Already seated in the most luxurious of these carriages, head stuck out the window issuing various orders, was Sharen Helmut.

Unlike Isaac, who had only Jonathan with him, this time knights of the Helmut family were mobilized to confront the mass enemy camp.

“Haah, all this fuss because of just one Isaac.”

Despite her words, Sharen’s eyes sparkled brightly.

Like a child excited for adventure.

Anyone could tell she was treating the battlefield like a game.

‘My lady, really…’

Kelsey, Sharen’s personal maid, was worried.

She fretted that if Sharen went on so carelessly, she might get seriously hurt.

‘It would’ve been nice if one of her siblings were going with her.’

Especially if Rihanna Helmut were accompanying them, Kelsey could relax a bit.

Kelsey busied herself loading the supply wagon, carefully packing Sharen’s snacks and sealing them properly.

Inside the dim carriage, between luggage crates, something covered by a white cloth was bulging out.

‘What’s this?’

Since Kelsey had handled all the packing herself, she was curious about this unfamiliar item. She lifted the cloth—

“R-Rihanna N-Nim?!”

There crouched Rihanna Helmut, cheeks flushed with embarrassment, pleading in a whisper:

“P-Please pretend you didn’t see anything.”

– – – The End of The Chapter – – –

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