LIGHTNOVELWORLD Chapter 4 - A Face to Hide
✦ Chapter 4 – A Face to Hide ✦
「Translator – Creator」
As they stepped out of Arandel’s study, Isaac and Rianna couldn’t have looked more different.
A sense of relief, almost a lightness, played on Isaac’s features, while Rianna’s face was a mask of barely suppressed frustration and tension.
He noticed her irritation but chose to ignore it.
Some battles, he’d learned, were best left unfought.
‘Glad the conversation went well.’
The discussion with Arandel had been smooth.
Additionally, Isaac secured monetary and material support for his departure the next day.
The financial support was particularly substantial, essentially hush money to ensure the details of the divorce remained undisclosed.
‘I’m excited, absurdly so.’
Unlike his previous life, where he had fled like a coward, this time, Isaac was leaving proudly on his own terms, which thrilled him.
‘They say he respects people who are bold, even if rude. It was true.’
Reading Arandel Helmund’s autobiography-cum-will in his past life had proved hugely beneficial during their confrontation. Arandel’s no-nonsense personality meant that trusting his written words was the right move.
‘Divorce is the best.’
It was a miracle making one from two.
A symbol of freedom.
Moreover, the hefty divorce settlement was a bonus.
Someone had once said,
you realize the value of something only after losing it.
Having realized the value of his bachelorhood after marriage,
Isaac was fully prepared for another round of bachelorhood.
“Isaac.”
Rianna called out to Isaac, who was descending the stairs swiftly, planning to depart the next day.
“Hmm?”
“Do you know what it means to go to the Malideen front line? It’s the front line, Isaac.”
“I know. The area thought to be a simple demon beast nest turned out to be a grand nest.”
A beast nest is a place where demon beasts gather, but it’s different when it’s a ‘grand nest’; a grand nest is larger than a regular nest, as it is led by high-ranking demon beasts with intelligence.
“It hasn’t been confirmed as a grand nest yet.”
‘Ah, right.’
This was still the timeframe before confirmation.
But Isaac knew it was indeed a grand nest.
“And the problem isn’t the demon beasts. You also know that the Caldeas family guards the Malideen front line, right?”
“Yeah, I know. I also know they have a very hostile relationship with Helmund.”
Mortal enemies.
Rivals, the Helmund and Caldeas families.
The main reason Arandel disliked sending his sons to the front line was precisely this; an only Helmund son stuck amidst the Caldeas family, their archenemy.
“You don’t know how you will be treated. Especially if, like you, they know you can’t handle a sword properly-.”
“Rianna.”
A bitter laugh escaped him, a sound more painful than humorous.
“Whatever the Caldeas do…”
His gaze, filled with a faint, piercing contempt, seemed to look beyond her—beyond this moment.
“Anything will be better than Helmund.”
“I’m sure they’ll treat me better than the Helmuts ever did,” he added, his voice laced with a bitterness that chilled her to the bone.
Rianna wanted to argue, to point out that he knew nothing about the Caldeas family, but the words caught in her throat. It was as if he’d placed his trust, however misplaced, in their sworn enemies over his own family.
She watched as he continued down the stairs, his footsteps echoing through the silent hallway.
“You’re leaving tomorrow, right?”
A sigh escaped him.
Rianna’s heart sank, but Isaac stopped and answered.
“Yes, I’m leaving tomorrow.”
“How about we have dinner together?”
“Dinner?”
“Yes,” she pressed on, her voice barely a whisper. “We were, after all… husband and wife.”
It was an unusual request, coming from her.
Rianna rarely, if ever, initiated social engagements, let alone with him.
However.
“Sorry, I have plans tonight.”
“But it’s the last night together.”
“It can’t be helped. I’ve already made other plans.”
He had promised Mili and the head chef that he would join them for a final meal, a gesture of gratitude for their unexpected kindness. Having Rianna there would only make things awkward.
“Perhaps a drink then?”
Rianna was unusually persistent today.
Her question now carried a hint of dropped pride.
“Haha, a drink is even less possible.”
Isaac responded with a gentle laugh.
“…………..”
“Let’s not make any mistakes, Rianna. Save the champagne for your next husband.”
“You’re my husband right now.”
“I’m still your husband, for now.”
“………….”
“Well, excuse me. I’m quite busy right now.”
I need to pack to leave.
With that, Isaac continued down to the first floor.
❖
Alone in his study, Arandel leaned back in his chair, his eyes closed in contemplation.
His son-in-law’s audacity, his willingness to not only demand a divorce but to negotiate its terms, had taken him aback. It was unlike anything he’d witnessed from the young man before.
‘Is there a side to him I don’t know?’
Arandel had always seen Isaac as unremarkable, utterly ordinary.
With a decent appearance and some charm that had captivated his daughter, Arandel had thought Isaac to possess some conversational skill.
However, Isaac had never fit in with Helmund.
Like a herbivore, he seemed to fear Arandel, so Arandel had never felt the need to interfere.
‘Surprising.’
Despite living in the same mansion for four years, Arandel hadn’t known about this side of Isaac; the Isaac he knew wouldn’t have spoken so boldly in his presence. It was rare for anyone to stand before him without cowering.
“If only my children showed even half of what I just saw…”
Arandel sighed, something uncharacteristic of him.
If his eldest son, Roengrin, had shown such spirit, he would have already handed over the succession. Whenever he thought of his children who lived crushed under his shadow, Arandel felt a sense of disappointment first.
A Helmund was meant to overcome, dominate, and oppress anyone; even their own father.
“I wish they could learn something.”
He never thought he’d tell someone to learn from his son-in-law.
It indicated how much his evaluation of Isaac had risen and how intriguing he now found him.
“……………..”
Initially, he thought the divorce was part of Rianna’s scheme.
He had decided to pass the succession to his eldest son, Roengrin, even if he was lacking, for the Sword Festival. He had then instructed Rianna to freely bear children and support the family.
He thought that they were seeking divorce because Riamna disliked that idea…,
…wanting to bid for the family head position.
“But that wasn’t it.”
The regret visible in Riana’s eyes had been too pitiful for him as a father to bear.
“Phew.”
Enough.
Arandel decided not to concern himself with Isaac and Rianna any further.
His interest lay only with the strong.
And Isaac had yet to reach the ranks of a true swordsman.
And yet…
‘Intriguing.’
Despite not being a swordsman, Isaac’s bold demeanor lingered in Arandel’s mind.
❖
It was dinner time.
“Did you enjoy your meal?” asked the head chef, approaching with a gentle smile and refilling Isaac’s cup with black tea; the clean taste provided a pleasant end to the meal.
“Very much so. Thank you for making my last night at Helmund so delightful. The food was so delicious that I almost didn’t want to leave.”
“Haha! We would be honored if you stayed, Master Isaac!”
His words were genuine; the head chef truly wished Isaac would stay.
There was no one else in the mansion who brought him so much satisfaction in cooking.
As a chef, he felt a great sense of fulfillment and pride, knowing his efforts were valued.
After years of serving masters who ate silently, only ever requesting improvements or displaying picky eating habits, Isaac’s genuine appreciation was a stark contrast.
“If only you had been honest from the start.”
Isaac too felt regret.
It was only at the end that he could express such gratitude to them.
“Master Isaac.”
“Mili!”
Mili was a tanned chef, the same age as Isaac. She was holding a carefully wrapped lunchbox.
“I packed you a lunchbox with your favorite, sandwiches. It’s enchanted with a preservation spell, so you can eat it on your way out tomorrow,” she said.
“Mili, thank you so much,” said Isaac, touched by her kindness. To him, she was like a benefactor from his past life. He desperately wanted to take her with him, but it was practically impossible.
He would miss her food dearly.
“Mili, do you know why I like sandwiches?” Isaac asked, trying to lighten the mood.
In his past life, Mili’s eyes had been filled with sorrow and worry as she watched him leave. He wanted to avoid that this time.
“Is there a particular reason you like them, Master Isaac?” she asked.
“You can eat sandwiches while playing card games. That’s why I like them.”
“Pfft, that’s such a frivolous reason.”
“…I like it.”
This time, Mili was smiling as they said their goodbyes. He was glad. It meant he wasn’t a burden or a worry to her. That thought filled him with immense joy.
“So if I make a lot of money playing card games, Mili, you’ll be my personal chef, right?”
“Huh?”
“My taste buds are already prisoners of your cooking. So I’ll come back for you.”
Mili chuckled at Isaac’s playful demeanor.
“My salary is quite high, you know? I’m not at Helmund for nothing.”
“Come on, you can give an old friend a discount, can’t you?”
“No way.”
It was a comfortable conversation.
Isaac reached into his bag and pulled out a drawing he had made.
“Here, Mili. This is a gift for making me delicious food and listening to me talk all this time.”
“You drew this… of me? This is amazing!”
“Wow, I had no idea you were so talented!” the head chef added.
Isaac had drawn a portrait of Mili.
And now, both Mili and the head chef were astonished by his skills, praising his talent.
‘Back in those days, I couldn’t draw anything like this.’
In his past life, he had authored countless textbooks; he was so renowned for it that he earned the nickname ‘Silent Sword.’ While compiling these textbooks, he had realized that some concepts were too difficult to explain with words alone, and so he started drawing diagrams. Much to his surprise, he had a knack for it, and his skills had developed quickly.
They exchanged the drawing and the lunchbox.
Feeling the weight of the lunchbox, Isaac smiled gently.
“Thank you, Mili.”
“Thank you so much. Please be happy, Master Isaac.”
“I will. Let’s stop with the formalities now, you’re making the head chef uncomfortable,” said Isaac, noticing the head chef’s awkward fidgeting from beside them.
“I feel like I’m intruding on a secret rendezvous,” the head chef mumbled, scratching his head.
It was a bold statement, but since it was just the three of them, it didn’t matter.
“…………….”
Suddenly, standing behind the head chef was Rianna Helmund.
In her pajamas, she was holding a bottle of wine.
“Head chef.”
“L-Lady Rianna?!” he stammered, whirling around. His eyes widened as he spotted her, and he immediately dropped into a deep bow.
“Oh, my apologies, Lady Rianna! This foolish one misspoke! I merely got caught up in the moment—!”
“Enough.”
However, Rianna cut him off, her expression betraying how uninterested she was in his excuses. She glanced at Mili briefly before ordering in a flat voice, “Take everyone and leave.”
“A-as you wish, Lady Rianna!”
The head chef and the chefs who had prepared dinner left, sneaking glances and bowing as they departed. The head chef, who seemed to have been preparing drinks, smacked his lips in disappointment about leaving unfinished tasks.
*THUD*
Rianna had taken a seat and placed the bottle of wine on the table.
Her face was flushed, evidence of how much she had drunk.
Isaac had to dig deep into his memories, past the point he could recall, to remember the last time he had seen her intoxicated.
“How much have you had?” he asked, reaching for the bottle with a disapproving frown. He intended to confiscate it, but Rianna’s grip was surprisingly strong, and the bottle didn’t budge.
“I didn’t want to show you this side of me.”
“…….…..”
Her gaze seemed to demand an explanation, a ‘why?’ hanging in the air between them. But Isaac didn’t ask; he simply wasn’t curious enough.
“How did things end up like this between us?”
“You said you didn’t want to show me your drunk side. Then stick to that.”
“Isaac.”
“Enough, Rianna.”
Isaac sighed deeply.
“It’s already over. Don’t act like you have regrets.”
That kind of behavior was truly meaningless.
He wasn’t going to halt his departure, nor did it instill any moral guilt.
In several ways, their relationship was beyond repair.
“Don’t make excuses. Just remain as you are. The Rianna Helmund I knew was a woman who didn’t regret her actions.”
“…………”
“A woman I disliked.”
However.
“Remembered as a woman with her own convictions.”
“……………”
Rianna released the bottle, propping her chin with her hand, covering her eyes with her fingers.
After a long pause, she finally spoke. “Isaac.”
Her voice was low, controlled, the emotions she held back evident in its quiet intensity.
“Take care,” she said, bidding him farewell.
END of CHAPTER