Chapter 57: Sword Tournament (4)

 

“So, Isaac, you’re certain that Galenia Helmut is the traitor?”

 

“Yes, that’s correct.”

 

Upon hearing Isaac’s words, Clarice clamps her mouth shut. On one hand, his reasoning seems plausible enough.

 

And in truth, Clarice herself judges that there’s a fairly high possibility he’s right.

 

“I’m sorry, but I have one question.”

 

Clarice insists on pointing something out.

 

Though she knows Isaac’s current situation and doesn’t particularly want to argue with him, personal feelings shouldn’t be involved here.

 

Especially since this concerns Helmut.

 

They’re called the war deterrents of the kingdom. Even the royal family can’t carelessly poke at Helmut.

 

Which is why absolute certainty is needed.

 

“Before the Sword Tournament started, someone from Blackthorn came as a guest of Helmut.”

 

“…….”

 

“It was Blackthorn’s eldest son. And do you know what happened to him? Arandel killed him personally. In a brutal way.”

 

In response, Blackthorn has kept silent ever since. They also did not attend the Sword Tournament.

 

Clarice crosses her legs and continues.

 

“Right? Even for my brilliant mind, something feels off. It was strange how they arrived so openly in the first place. If they really were conspiring together, why kill him? To deflect suspicion? Would they go so far as to sacrifice the eldest son for that? Now Blackthorn only has a second son left.”

 

Clarice spoke with frustration, but Isaac replied all too easily.

 

“Please don’t misunderstand.”

 

“Excuse me?”

 

“Galenia Helmut is the one who’s Transcendent—Arandel is not.”

 

“…….”

 

Clarice went silent for a moment.

 

Because Helmut naturally leads one to think of Arandel, her mind seemed to freeze for a second.

 

“That makes even less sense to me. If Arandel turned out to be a Transcendent, we could say, ‘He betrayed humanity! He’s trying to overthrow the kingdom! It’s a coup!’ and so on.”

 

Words that should never come from a princess’ mouth pop out without hesitation.

 

If anyone else heard, they’d be taken aback, and it wouldn’t be surprising if strange rumors started to spread.

 

“But what’s the point if just one noble lady becomes a Transcendent? What would she do with that?”

 

“…She probably wants to save someone.”

 

“Pardon? Who?”

 

Only now does Isaac feel like the pieces are coming together.

 

In his past life, Arandel died from an illness.

 

It was certain that, in some way, this tied back to the Transcendents. Galenia must have gone over to them to save Arandel.

 

‘That’s the sort of family they are.’

 

“Haa, either way. So, you believe Arandel isn’t actually involved in treason, right? That’s a relief, at least.”

 

As long as their greatest military asset—Arandel—hasn’t had a change of heart, it’s not a huge concern for the royal family.

 

Of course, a man can turn traitor any time at his wife’s urging, but seeing how Arandel cut down Blackthorn’s eldest son, Clarice can guess where his feelings lie.

 

“We’ll have to move quickly.”

 

Clarice, rising from her seat in a single motion, slowly stands.

 

“This will be the noisiest Sword Tournament yet.”

 

Her violet eyes glistened with a sense of anticipation. Feeling that they’d finally seized a clear lead, Clarice snickers.

 

“If we’re really stuck, we can just stab her in the stomach. From what I hear, Transcendents can regenerate from something like that.”

 

“…Princess?”

 

“I’m not joking.”

 

Normally, one would say “I’m kidding” in a situation like this.

 

“More importantly, this is a serious matter. If a human can turn into a Transcendent, we never know who might change sides.”

 

“I doubt it’s that simple.”

 

From what Isaac knows, there’s never been a case of a human truly becoming a Transcendent.

 

He has encountered those on the brink, though.

 

For example, Alois, who was forcibly turned into a ‘vessel.’

 

And the Grandmaster, who was a half-blood child of a Transcendent and a human.

 

Isaac suspects some sort of sorcery might have caused Galenia’s body to undergo a specific transformation.

 

“I certainly hope so. Because we can’t live suspecting one noble after another.”

 

With brisk steps, Clarice strode past Isaac.

 

She must have a lot to prepare as a princess and some checks to do to be absolutely certain.

 

Left alone, Isaac looks around the garden for a moment.

 

Helmut’s rose garden was always a magnificent sight. Roses in full bloom, stretching across a vast estate.

 

Their hidden thorns beneath the blossoms—Isaac thought it was quintessentially Helmut-like.

 

“…….”

 

He saw several nobles strolling through the garden. Laughing and chatting, marveling at the sights one can only see during the Sword Tournament.

 

Following the fluttering butterflies drawn by the fragrant roses, Isaac eventually arrived at a familiar spot.

 

In the midst of the roses, like a playful secret, there was a flowerbed where purple lilacs were planted.

 

And there—

 

Rihanna Helmut stood, gazing down at the lilacs.

 

Because of the assassination incident involving Galenia, Rihanna’s confinement was lifted, so it was no longer strange to see her freely roaming about.

 

Though Rihanna had never been particularly stout to begin with, the aftermath of her confinement made her look so fragile she seemed liable to break at any moment.

 

“…….”

 

A single lilac bloom, thriving despite the season having passed.

 

Rihanna stood there, staring down at it absently.

 

“……today.”

 

She somehow sensed Isaac’s presence—how, he couldn’t tell. But in a calm voice, she spoke:

 

“Do you think you can leave?”

 

Why wouldn’t she turn around? Guilt, perhaps. Or maybe she felt her current appearance was laughable.

 

Whatever the case, she didn’t seem to want Isaac to see her just then.

 

Never before had Rihanna seemed so small to him.

 

“Don’t worry about the Sword Tournament. I’ll attend in your place.”

 

“…….”

 

“How about heading north? I’ll handle any pursuers. Silverna will definitely—”

 

“Rihanna.”

 

She had been deliberately avoiding his gaze, focusing only on the lilac.

 

But before she knew it, Isaac was standing beside her.

 

“What do you think our biggest problem was?”

 

“...I didn’t do—”

 

“Haha, I’m not asking you to blame yourself. Let’s just look at the truth objectively.”

 

Rihanna had been about to shout, clutching her chest, but the words caught in her throat.

 

A small smile graced Isaac’s lips—one that reminded her of the lilac.

 

“It’s because I was useless.”

 

“Isaac, that’s not—”

 

“From the very start, Helmut wanted someone truly worthy of their family. I was just a rower.”

 

“Isaac!”

 

“I ended up seducing a naive noblewoman who knew nothing about love, who didn’t know how to express it—”

 

“Stop it!”

 

Rihanna, in a rush, grabbed Isaac’s arm. Her hand trembled.

 

“We loved each other… Don’t say it was something wrong.”

 

When Isaac spoke as though their love itself had been a sin, Rihanna pleaded desperately.

 

“You’re right, I phrased it too harshly.”

 

Isaac admitted it without hesitation. Their conversation had grown uncomfortably sharp.

 

“But Rihanna, we still have to face the truth. If I had been the son-in-law Helmut wanted—if I’d had enough ability—they never would’ve given us trouble in the first place. We’d have been happy together from the start.”

 

“It’s cruel to expect that of you.”

 

“Maybe so.”

 

A brief silence followed. The gentle, warm breeze seemed to calm them, the faint scent of lilac mingling with the roses.

 

“Why didn’t you tell me that your mother invited those guests from Blackthorn?”

 

He shifted the conversation slightly. As Isaac glanced at Rihanna, her expression darkened again, but she spoke honestly:

 

“Because I didn’t want you tangled up with Helmut anymore.”

 

“…….”

 

“I wanted you to be free from it all, to quietly leave and start a new life.”

 

Rihanna spoke as though she were pouring out all her pent-up emotions.

 

“In the end, I messed up again. If only I had told you earlier…”

 

“You think Milli wouldn’t have ended up like that?”

 

Rihanna didn’t answer. In truth, she did think so—she was blaming herself.

 

“Did you kill her?”

 

Rihanna’s body flinched. Isaac’s voice was colder than she’d ever heard—like a chill digging into her skin.

 

“Wh-what...?”

 

“I asked if you killed her—Milli.”

 

“No, that’s not—”

 

If she’d spoken up sooner, maybe Milli could have been saved.

 

Isaac only grew angrier at her regretful silence.

 

“Then what? If I was the one closest to Milli, am I the one who killed her for not noticing something was wrong sooner?”

 

“…….”

 

“This happened once before, and I didn’t suspect Milli. Did I kill her by failing to see it?”

 

“…….”

 

“No. Milli took her own life out of guilt. Your mother was the real culprit.”

 

“That’s right.”

 

Rihanna’s voice grew softer.

 

She was admitting that her mother had done something she never should have.

 

“Rihanna, even if you say you’re sorry to me, don’t make it sound like it was all your fault. That just insults both of us.”

 

“…Alright.”

 

Rihanna apologized honestly.

 

“The name Helmut… it has nothing to do with love, and yet love is what’s tearing everything apart.”

 

It was a thought that suddenly came to her.

 

Rihanna had wavered between the love she felt for her family and the love she felt for Isaac.

 

Galenia had drawn the Transcendents into the picture out of love for her husband.

 

Alois had shattered his brother-in-law Isaac’s legs because of a forbidden love for his sister.

 

“Rihanna, I’m not asking you to turn against your mother and help me fight her.”

 

Isaac cautioned her calmly.

 

“I know how cruel it is to tell a daughter to raise her sword against her own mother.”

 

That’s just the way it is with parents and children, isn’t it?

 

A love beyond logic.

 

Ordinarily, people place their own lives first, but when it comes to family, there are countless exceptions.

 

“But if you stand in my way, I’ll cut you down, too.”

 

It wasn’t a question of whether he really could.

 

It was about how serious he was.

 

Milli’s death had changed many of Isaac’s feelings.

 

Rihanna squeezed her eyes shut. Echoes of the past swirled around her like regrets, binding her in place:

 

[Our Rihanna, you’re so pretty.]

 

[Huh? A gift for Mom? Really?]

 

[You want to sleep next to Mom? My goodness, and without telling Dad?]

 

Those phantom touches—memories that might be ordinary for most—were among the few gentle recollections Rihanna had from that bleak mansion.

 

[Why is our daughter so beautiful? Maybe it’s because she looks like me?]

 

[It’s all right. Even if he talks that way, I know he truly cherishes Rihanna.]

 

[My child who’s like a rose. A delicate rose more graceful than any other.]

 

Amid the gentle motherly words drifting on the lilac-scented breeze:

 

[Rihanna, you really are just like me.]

 

And finally:

 

[So desperate for love.]

 

[Even knowing it would lead to your own downfall, you still couldn’t let go.]

 

Those words, coming so late, lodged in her heart like thorns.

 

Now that she knew what Galenia had done, her mother’s remark about being alike weighed heavily on Rihanna’s shoulders.

 

“Rihanna.”

 

As she was sinking deeper into her thoughts, Isaac called her name, snapping her back to the present.

 

Her face—worn and wearier in just those few moments—revealed the burdens she carried.

 

“Don’t let love blind you.”

 

A sensation like her heart was shattering.

 

Something struck her so hard she could almost hear it.

 

Because, more than anything, it stung that the person she loved most was rejecting her love.

 

“You’re right, Isaac.”

 

All at once, Rihanna’s breathing steadied. Color slowly returned to her eyes.

 

The crimson hue settled, and where Rihanna Helmut had been standing, now stood—

 

The kingdom’s next great swordmaster.

 

The blood-red rose who would lead the next generation from the front lines.

 

“No more. I won’t just stand by.”

 

“Rihanna…?”

 

“I was ignorant and powerless, and because of that, I lost you.”

 

A wound so painful—but pain can bring growth.

 

One can find many reasons for one’s actions. For example:

 

She distanced herself from Isaac because her mother threatened her.

 

Trying to protect Isaac from her siblings carried the danger that he might be harmed even more.

 

If she told Isaac everything, he might not have been able to bear becoming her burden and would have left.

 

She kept swallowing everything on her own.

 

But explaining each of those reasons, one by one, to the victim—Isaac—felt like an insult.

 

Trying to justify those actions with reasons…

 

Was exactly like her mother.

 

“I wanted to hold on to everything, and that was my greed.”

 

Even if she didn’t want to accept it, she had to.

 

“And in the end…”

 

Now that the consequences of looking away had caught up to her—

 

The time had come to lose everyone she’d ever loved.

 

Rihanna closed her eyes, acknowledging the truth.

 

“I’ve lost it all.”

– – – The End of The Chapter – – –

 

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