LIGHTNOVELWORLD Chapter 16 - The 2nd Dispatch
✦ Chapter 16 — The 2nd Dispatch ✦
「Translator – Creator」
᠃ ⚘᠂ ⚘ ⚘ ᠂ ⚘ ᠃
Arandel’s gaze fell upon his two daughters.
Rianna, the eldest, and Shauren, the second.
He’d anticipated Rianna’s desire to go to the Malideen Wall, to some extent. She was undoubtedly worried about her husband, Isaac.
However, Shauren’s case was unclear.
‘Hmm…’
Arandel was self-aware enough to recognize his shortcomings as a father. Understanding his sons was one thing, but deciphering his daughters’ thoughts was a challenge, to say the least.
And Shauren, with her youthful impulsiveness, was even harder to read than most.
“Shauren, why do you wish to go?”
Sometimes, the best approach was a direct one.
And his question drew everyone’s attention to Shauren; they were all curious about why she would suddenly volunteer to go through the Malideen Wall.
“Father.”
She placed a hand on her chest and took a step forward.
Despite her age, she was a Helmund. By now, she had been drilled on proper etiquette.
“I believe it is my duty to go, so I have spoken.”
“Your reason.”
No need for flowery language.
Arandel’s curt words, spoken with a frown, wiped the nonchalant smile off Shauren’s face.
“I-I apologize. It seems I allowed my emotions to get the better of me.”
Her eyes flickered nervously.
Visibly tense, she rushed through a carefully constructed explanation.
“The Sword Festival is fast approaching. It is only right that my brothers remain, and Sister Rianna must also maintain her position within the family.”
She paused for breath.
“Therefore, as our youngest brother, Edel, cannot possibly go, I believe it is only fitting that I, as someone capable of wielding the Helmund sword, should answer this call to duty.”
“Hmm.”
Arandel’s expression changed as soon as he heard Shauren’s words. She was lying.
For Shauren, a self-centered whirlwind of a girl, to use the greater good as her justification…
She clearly had an ulterior motive.
‘But there’s no reason to refuse her.’
In fact, sending Shauren to the Malideen Wall was the ideal scenario, in Arandel’s opinion.
She carried little weight in the upcoming Sword Festival, yet possessed decent combat ability. Not only that, but perhaps experiencing the harsh realities of the battlefield would do the immature girl some good.
“This is a grand demon best next we’re talking about. Do not underestimate the situation. Show those gathered there the true might of House Helmund.”
As soon as Arandel gave his permission, she smiled brightly and bowed her head.
“I shall make the Helmund swordsmanship known throughout the land.”
For a fleeting moment,
Arandel’s face turned ashen, but no one seemed to notice.
“Father! I-”
Rianna stepped forward, ready to volunteer herself, but Arandel, still bothered by Shauren’s earlier declaration, simply frowned and gestured towards the door.
“You are dismissed.”
“………………”
That was the end of the discussion.
And no one present dared to disobey Arandel, the Patriarch.
And so, one by one, they all filed out,
leaving Arandel alone in his study to resume his work.
Yet even as he worked, his mind kept returning to Shauren’s parting words.
[I shall make the Helmund swordsmanship known throughout the land.]
The Helmund swordsmanship.
“Hmph.”
A sigh escaped Arandel’s lips, deepening the lines on his face.
His voice, laced with a weariness that ran deep, broke the silence once more.
“Which one of you… which one of you dares to claim mastery over the Helmund swordsmanship?”
His lament, tinged with bitterness, dissipated into the air like a wisp of gray cigarette smoke, unanswered and unnoticed.
🎕
Rianna’s steps were hurried.
She was about to head straight for Shauren and urge her to retract her decision in front of their father when…
“Rianna!”
A voice, sharp with accusation, rang out from behind her as she walked down the second-floor corridor.
It was Roengrin, her eldest brother, striding towards her.
“It was you, wasn’t it? You put her up to this!”
“……What are you talking about?”
Despite being a year older, she had long since abandoned any pretense of respect for her brother.
“That’s not it. You’re just trying to make it seem like Shauren’s doing it, when in reality, you should be the one going.”
“……………….”
“You wretched woman… Are you that desperate for Father’s approval? Is it so unbearable to think of your brother inheriting everything?”
“Hmph, you’re delusional. As I’ve told you countless times, I have no interest in that.”
She tried to brush past him, but he grabbed her shoulder.
*Thwack!*
In a flash, she slapped his hand away.
Her gaze was cold, murderous, and for a moment, Roengrin recoiled.
But his anger quickly returned in full force.
“Father must have really been taken in by your lies! You just swept the Rosericer case under the rug, didn’t you?”
“Hah.”
Rosericer.
Shortly after Isaac’s departure,
Roengrin had accused Rianna of stealing a vial of the elixir, which was only to be used by direct descendants, and giving it to Isaac.
And yet, their father hadn’t reacted at all.
He hadn’t even reprimanded her.
“He saw through your pathetic little charade, that’s all.”
Arandel wasn’t one to be fooled by such petty tricks.
“This is perfect timing, Roengrin. Let me make one thing crystal clear – stop with these futile attempts to undermine me. You’re just showcasing your incompetence to Father, who has already chosen you as his successor.”
Her words, spoken with chilling indifference, made his face contort with rage.
“So you’re trying to steal the position from me? Hmph! Foolish girl! Let me tell you this, Rianna – you have less than zero chance of becoming the head of this family.”
“Oh, for…”
What was she supposed to do with this imbecile?
Rianna sighed, the last vestiges of familial affection fading away.
“Mother will be returning for the Sword Festival. And she will surely lend me her support.”
“……………………”
“And once I demonstrate my superiority over your pathetic swordsmanship at the ceremony, it’s over for you. You wouldn’t have forgotten our sparring record, have you?”
A triumphant smile spreads across Roengrin’s face.
Thirty-one wins, six losses, out of thirty-seven matches.
He had an overwhelmingly positive win rate against Rianna in their sparring matches.
The number of duels between Rianna and Roengrin has been relatively low, but that’s because Rianna had been intentionally avoiding him.
“My strength will prove everything in the end! But to think you’d resort to underhanded tactics like-!”
“That’s right.”
Rianna cut him off, her usually emotionless eyes widening slightly.
“You’re right.”
“……What are you talking about?”
A slow smile spread across Rianna’s face as realization dawned on her.
“With Isaac gone…” Her tone was laced with a chilling finality.
“I have no reason to hold back.”
“What?”
“To the training grounds, Roengrin.”
Crimson energy surged from Rianna’s entire being; the sudden burst of her Red Descent momentarily stunned Roengrin.
“Don’t get ahead of yourself.”
And with that, she brushed past him, heading for the training grounds, leaving her stunned brother in her wake.
🎕
“Gah… Ugh?!”
Roengrin couldn’t even manage a proper scream.
He lay sprawled on the ground, his own cloak tangled around him, his vision obscured, his greatsword lying forgotten somewhere in the dirt. Even his Red Descent had been effortlessly brushed aside, rendered utterly useless.
The only saving grace…
They were in the abandoned underground training grounds beneath the vast estate.
No one had witnessed his utter and complete humiliation.
“Roengrin.”
Rianna’s voice was like ice, her tone implying that her victory was nothing short of expected.
Roengrin burned with shame.
In that spar, he hadn’t even managed to swing his sword properly before being completely overwhelmed.
“If I truly desired the position of family head, I would have taken it by force.”
“……………….!”
“Don’t overestimate your position. And stay out of my way.”
Roengrin scrambled to his feet as Rianna turned to leave.
“You… You were toying with me?! All this time, you hid your true strength?!”
“Haa…”
She paused, but she didn’t turn around.
“It was because of Isaac,” she murmured.
“……What?”
“Never mind. I don’t feel like explaining.”
She walked away, leaving Roengrin’s frantic cries echoing behind her.
“I’m the eldest son! I… I will be the head of this family!”
“I, I don’t know it, but do you really think my father doesn’t know what you’re capable of?”
“But even then, Father will choose me! I… I will succeed him and become the greatest Helmund of all time!”
Rianna simply clicked her tongue at his outburst.
Father will surely know?
‘Of course he knows.’
Arandel wasn’t foolish enough to be oblivious to the difference in their abilities.
However,
‘That… that doesn’t matter.’
From Arandel’s perspective, there wasn’t much difference between her and Roengrin in terms of swordsmanship.
He’d only hesitated to choose the incompetent fool because he was the eldest son.
‘But in the first place…’
Rianna emerged from the underground training ground, her expression grim.
‘Is there anyone who can truly earn Father’s acknowledgement through swordsmanship alone?’
Riana emerged from the underground training ground.
As she was walking through the first-floor hall, heading towards Shauren’s room once more, she noticed a woman in a cooking uniform, tanned, busily moving around.
‘That’s Mili.’
Rianna had seen her talking to Isaac a few times; they seemed rather friendly.
If she remembered correctly, they were the same age, and Isaac had even given her a gift recently.
The woman, Mili, noticed Rianna and hastily bowed her head in respect.
“Greetings, Milady.”
“……………………”
Rianna acknowledged her with a curt nod, her expression unreadable. She studied Mili for a moment before speaking, her voice flat.
“Isaac gave you a gift, didn’t he?”
“……Pardon?”
Mili’s head shot up in surprise, momentarily stunned by the unexpected question.
But she quickly regained her composure and answered.
“Ah, yes! That’s right. Master Isaac drew a portrait of me.”
“May I see it?”
“Yes? Oh, of course.”
She led Rianna towards the servants’ quarters, located outside the main estate.
As they stepped into Mili’s room, Rianna glanced around, taking in her surroundings.
A commoner.
The same age as Isaac.
A bright, cheerful demeanor.
‘They’re alike, in a way.’
A woman who was the opposite of Rianna.
Could it be that Isaac… preferred women like her?
Lost in contemplation, Rianna was brought back to reality when Mili returned with the portrait.
“Here it is. I didn’t know Master Isaac was skilled at painting. He’s quite talented, isn’t he?”
Her praise for Isaac was genuine.
Although she knew that Isaac and Rianma were getting a divorce, she didn’t want to harbor any ill feelings towards Isaac.
“…………..”
The portrait was genuinely impressive.
It was a portrait of Mili, captured with surprising skill.
She hadn’t known Isaac did possess such a talent.
“He…”
He’s never even drawn me once.
The unspoken words hung heavy in the air.
And abruptly, she turned to leave.
“It was lovely. Thank you.”
She didn’t wait for a response, her steps heavier than before as she walked away.
🎕
The next morning.
“Make sure to take enough food with you. If you’re short, it’ll be inconvenient.”
Carriages lined up in front of the Helmund estate, prepped for departure to the Malideen Wall. Shauren Helmund, seated in the most luxurious carriage of the bunch, leaned out the window, barking orders and making last-minute requests.
Unlike Isaac, who had traveled alone with just one companion, Jonathan.
This time, the Helmund knights would also join Shauren on this journey to face the large demon beast horde.
“Honestly, the things I do for Isaac.”
Despite her words, her eyes sparkled with excitement.
She looked like a young adventurer, taking on a great challenge.
Anyone could tell that she viewed the impending battle as nothing more than a game.
‘Honestly, Milady…’
Kelsei, her personal maid, could only sigh in worry.
What if Sharen got hurt, throwing herself into danger like this?
If she goes off like this and gets hurt, it’s not just a matter of concern.
‘If only the other siblings would accompany her…’
She would feel much better if Rianna were by her side, Kelsei thought wistfully.
She carefully stowed supplies in the luggage carriage, taking extra care to properly store Shauren’s precious snacks.
Suddenly, she noticed something bulging beneath a white cloth in a dark corner of the carriage.
‘What is that?’
She was in charge of packing; she should know what every item was.
Curious, she lifted the cloth…
And came face-to-face with,
“L-Lady Rianna?!”
Rianna Helmund was huddled beneath the cloth, her cheeks flushed red with embarrassment.
“P-pretend you didn’t see that.”
END of CHAPTER
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