Chapter 8: Inexperienced in the North

Right before the speech of encouragement.

Watching the soldiers gather in the drill yard from a distance, Silverna Caldias waited for the head of the house to arrive.

Standing right behind her was her maid and aide, Anna, her expression dark.

“Monsters are not decreasing,” Anna said.

“……I’ve seen and heard it too,” Silverna replied.

“It’s strange. This could very well turn into a great den if things go the way they’re going, my lady.”

“Haah.”

A heavy sigh carried the weight of her troubled thoughts. If it really turned out to be a great monster den, it would be the first in twenty-three years. That might even trigger a second noble summons.

“For now, keep the soldiers’ mouths shut. If these random nobles who just arrived hear talk of a great den and panic, we’ll get nowhere.”

“Yes, my lady.”

With that, their conversation ended, and both sets of eyes drifted naturally toward the drill yard.

Silverna, trying to lift the somber and serious mood, flashed a small grin and asked, “What do you think his speech of encouragement will be like?”

Out among the nobles stood Isaac Helmut, catching her eye.

Among nobles who ate well, dressed well, and slept in fine places, his appearance stood out brightly.

Because of that, it was easy to find him.

“He probably doesn’t have much time, right? Still, he must have managed at least a formal encouraging address,” Anna said.

“That’s the problem. Anna, listen carefully to your mistress’ plan.”

“……I’m enlisting in the army now, so the Malidan Barrier is my master,” Anna said dryly.

Ignoring Anna’s remark, Silverna began a grandiose explanation.

“If it were a run-of-the-mill noble speaking, the soldiers might just listen halfheartedly. But this is a speech by a Helmut. The soldiers will be all ears, glaring, waiting to hear what he dares to say.”

Before an audience that already held him in poor regard, even a bland, safe speech could become poison.

“And the nobles? The dispatched nobles seem displeased that someone of common birth was chosen to represent them,” Anna noted.

Indeed, several nobles standing crookedly out of line could already be seen.

“It’s a power play. It’s a way of showing them that they won’t be treated as highly here,” Silverna said.

For Isaac Helmut, it was a perfect chance to openly show him how hostile the Malidan Barrier was toward them, and for the haughty nobles, a clever move to cut them down to size.

Silverna cast a glance at Anna as if urging her to praise her cleverness.

“Ah, the head of the house is coming,” Anna said.

“You mean it’s an honor to serve such a remarkable lady? Thank you.”

Together with Uldiran Caldias, the two made their way toward the platform.

Positioned behind the head of the house, the two stood silently, waiting for the encouragement speech to begin.

“Oh, he’s here.”

“My lady, shh.”

Silverna, watching Isaac ascend the platform with an expression far better than anticipated, felt a strange sense of unease.

‘What is this…?’

He must have noticed the hostile atmosphere pressing in from all sides. Yet he stood there so boldly. Did he have something up his sleeve?

From the very first words Isaac Helmut uttered at the podium, Silverna felt disconcerted.

“Warriors, be great.”

“Follow your calling.”

“Warriors, simply be great.”

“What?”

A small gasp escaped Anna by her side.

In contrast, Uldiran Caldias and Silverna pressed their lips together, watching him from behind.

“I came here wondering what truth lay behind the command to ‘be great.’ After all, as you all know, ‘be great’ is somewhat abstract, isn’t it?”

At that very moment Silverna felt her head heat up with anger.

“How dare he—.”

Her teeth clenched audibly, and her hostility toward Isaac surged anew.

The words “be great” were the creed of the house’s founder, Wolfdren. How dare a Helmut outsider question them—especially in front of the head of the house?

She wanted nothing more than to strike him down right then and there. Even Uldiran Caldias, the head of the house, bristled with a murderous aura toward him.

Yet…

As the speech continued, the atmosphere began to change.

“However, here is what I think: True greatness… is that which even the ordinary can be brought into.”

This could be taken as a direct jab at Helmut, and the fiery rage that had surged so fiercely suddenly found no clear outlet.

“Look at this! The very thing that you yourselves hold in your hands!”

It was confusing enough when he gripped a spear.

“If anyone were to say, ‘I will learn the art of war!’ then I would proclaim:”

“Look to the North! Look upon that high wall! Look upon the most grandly soaring spear of Caldias in all the continent!”

When he praised the Spear of Caldias, it stirred something deep inside them.

The spear techniques of Caldias are common, learnable by anyone, and thus often looked down upon. Whenever someone said the head of the house was strong not because of their spear technique, but because they themselves were simply an exceptional warrior, it always sparked frustration.

“To those of you who hold the spears of Caldias! Following the final words of Wolfdren, you are simply warriors of greatness!”

A tingling sensation coursed through their entire bodies.

Those nobles who didn’t understand and who mocked them…

Among them stood a man from Helmut, once seen as their polar opposite.

“Great guardians of the Malidan frontline who protect it!”

He recognized them, acknowledged them.

He called them “great.”

With heartfelt passion pouring from his voice, his words seeped into Caldias, who had fought and struggled against the northern cold.

“And to share this meaningful moment, let us offer a brief silent prayer to the great heroes who have completed their duty and now rest beneath this land.”

He even offered a tribute to the nameless soldiers shattered by the northern cold.

“Let us bow our heads in a moment of silent prayer.”

Closing their eyes and bowing their heads…

Those who had defended the Malidan Barrier merely lowered their eyes, holding back the hot surge rising within their chests by sheer will.

****

“Sniff.”

“…My lady, are you crying?” asked Anna.

It was right after the event had ended and before the nobles’ training began as they fell into formation.

At Anna’s question, Silverna Caldias quickly wiped at her eyes with her hand and shouted, “N-no! I’m not crying! Something just got in my eye!”

“…….”

“Ugh, sorry,” Silverna muttered.

She was feeling guilty. She had forced a man—someone who respected and acknowledged Caldias more than anyone else in the kingdom—onto the podium just to give him a hard time.

“Anna, sniff, what should I do?” Silverna asked, voice trembling slightly.

“What do you mean, what should you do? Just treat him well from now on,” Anna replied.

“How can I do that? I feel bad.”

“Come on, it’s fine. From what I heard yesterday, he’s got a neat and forthright personality. Didn’t you say you liked that?”

At Anna’s words, Silverna looked toward Isaac Helmut, who had started running laps on the drill yard for a physical assessment.

“Dang it, what do I do now? I think I’m starting to really like him,” Silverna grumbled.

“My lady?! He’s married! The Helmut son-in-law! You mustn’t forget that!” Anna exclaimed, startled.

“Who said I like him as a man?! I mean I’m starting to really appreciate him as a person.”

Her affection had soared just because he understood the Spear of Caldias. And who could blame her? He had openly and proudly acknowledged something she held dearly in her life.

And he was even bearing the Helmut name, their rival house’s banner!

“Well, true. Honestly, I’m fond of him as well. I’ve always been proud of the Spear of Caldias.”

“Right? Hah, why does he suddenly look so endearing?”

“My lady, please watch what you say. If strange rumors start spreading, people might say you’re trying to seduce Helmut’s son-in-law.”

“…That’d be the worst,” Silverna said, making a face of horror.

Anna, who’d spent years by Silverna’s side, found relief in her reaction.

‘So she’s not actually seeing him romantically.’

Honestly, her lady had never shown even a snowflake’s worth of interest in men. Despite so many around, they were all comrades and fellow soldiers, nothing more.

Men and women alike were just soldiers in her eyes.

“Still, maybe I can do something nice for him? He’s from Helmut, so a little special treatment wouldn’t be out of place, right?” Silverna said.

“My lady…,” Anna sighed.

“I really want to do something,” Silverna insisted, fidgeting anxiously.

Anna, who had been watching Isaac run laps, finally offered a suggestion.

“What about a fur hat? It’s cold here, and since he’s from Helmut, his winter gear might not be warm enough.”

“Great idea! Yes, perfect. Don’t we have some leftover yeti fur from last time?” Silverna asked eagerly.

“Yes. I’ll have a craftsman make one. I’ll ask them to work on it right away.”

“Tell them to make a hat.”

“I’ll also have them make gloves.”

“Two items?”

“I should give him something as well.”

“…….”

“…….”

As mentioned before, Anna was also a soldier of the Malidan Barrier trained in the Spear of Caldias.

***

‘34th place.’

That was the rank Isaac had just received in the running assessment meant to gauge basic stamina.

Out of thirty-seven dispatched nobles, he was essentially at the bottom. Then again, some nobles didn’t specialize in martial skills at all.

‘At this point in time, my past self had basically given up on training.’

There had been a time when he tried hard to build strength and endurance, straining to wield Helmut’s greatsword as a son-in-law. But it had proven impossible.

‘Like a crow-tit chasing a stork, I tore my legs trying.’

Realizing the futility, Isaac had gradually abandoned effort, and by the fourth wedding anniversary, he had lost a leg and fallen into utter despair.

But now things were different.

‘Running like this feels good.’

Moving his body felt refreshing. Being able to run after living as a cripple felt as though the world had opened up—invigorating and liberating.

The notion that it wasn’t impossible provided an unexpectedly strong motivation.

“Just all talk, huh.”

“Acted all high and mighty, but still a commoner at heart.”

“All that sweet talk, but with that fitness level, I bet he just flailed around in bed.”

“Pfft, stop it. Don’t embarrass him.”

The nobles snickered, but Isaac hardly cared. His mind was already occupied with revising the training manual he’d drafted for himself late last night.

‘It’s more flexible than I expected. My soles grip the ground well. When I get back, I need to revise the draft. Thinking back, I might’ve written it too timidly, trying not to overstrain my lower body.’

During the short break, as Isaac caught his breath, lost in thought—

“Ahem.”

A soldier serving as an instructor approached, clearing his throat softly.

“Hm?” Isaac looked up, curious.

The soldier glanced around, wary of other nobles, then discreetly offered Isaac a towel from inside his jacket.

“You must wipe your sweat thoroughly in the North. If you let it sit, you’ll catch a cold easily.”

“Ah.”

Embarrassed yet grateful, Isaac took the towel. The soldier flashed a bright smile before returning to his duties.

“Huh.”

The towel was warm, steam rising from it.

The other nobles, wiping their sweat with cold towels brought by their aides or attendants, shot him sharp looks.

“Ha, 34th place is rather poor,” said another approaching officer, one who seemed to hold some rank. He crouched before Isaac, tilting his head.

“This is probably a shoe problem. Running on snowy ground is tough. You can attach chains, but I suggest you just buy proper northern boots.”

“…….”

“How about it? I can introduce you to a fine craftsman. Mention my name, and he’ll give you a discount.”

“Sure.”

“Please, speak comfortably. Even though we’re in training, you are still a noble.”

“…All right. Thanks. I’ll go buy them.”

He had money, so getting boots wouldn’t be an issue.

As training resumed, their attentive kindness didn’t stop.

“Thermals are a must. I have a spare set I never use, want them?”

“This broom used for clearing snow—doesn’t it look like a spear? By the way, did you know the basics of Caldias spear technique—”

“Stretching is crucial. It’s cold here, your body stiffens easily. It’s to prevent injuries.”

“Are you all right?! It’s slippery! Medic! Mediiic! Ah, not that serious? Good. No need to be embarrassed. We slip often, too.”

Watching these instructors fuss over him so openly, Isaac couldn’t help but laugh quietly.

‘Should I call them naive?’

He appreciated their goodwill, but they were so blatant about it that it felt almost clumsy.

And then—

Another person lacking subtlety showed up.

“Ahem, ahem. Your speech… was quite impressive, Isaac.”

It was Silverna, arriving with an awkward cough. At Isaac’s friendly greeting and smile, she quickly approached.

“You have good eyes. People tend to look down on the basics as something trivial, but in truth, fundamentals are what matter most. The fact that they ignore that shows why they dismiss Caldias. But you’re different. You understand it well. The Spear of Caldias is, in fact, meticulously crafted after extensive research and—”

“My lady, please stop. You’re overwhelming him,” Anna intervened.

“Uhm, s-sorry.”

Silverna stepped back awkwardly. With her lady retreating, Anna stepped forward, wearing a gentle smile, and politely announced their purpose.

“The Margrave has invited you to dine with him this evening.”

“The Margrave?” Isaac asked.

“Yes. Will that be all right?”

Of course, this was just a formality—refusal wasn’t really an option.

Isaac nodded in agreement.

Silverna and Anna were pleased and turned to leave.

But before they left, they came back once more.

“Sss, his head is a bit small. The size might be…” muttered Silverna, taking Isaac’s head in both hands and turning it this way and that, gauging measurements.

“His hands are unexpectedly soft. I’ll order one size smaller,” Anna said as she measured Isaac’s hand size with care.

– – – The End of The Chapter – – –

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