The writing continued late into the night.
Before long, it was time for dinner.
"Phew."
The intense concentration had even caused a slight headache, but the sense of accomplishment was far greater.
Opening the window, Isaac let the cold breeze hit his face.
Despite being April, the chilly, knife-like wind brushed against his cheeks.
"Whoa."
As he hurriedly caught a paper about to fly away in the breeze,
His eyes landed on a rose-patterned vial placed beside the desk.
It was the Roselixir given to him earlier by the eldest son, Lohengrin.
There were rumors that this potion from Helmut could enhance physical abilities.
But usually, such things take a toll on the body, and without blessed genetics, drinking it recklessly could lead to problems.
'It's diluted anyway.'
He pondered whether to drink it for a moment.
Knock, knock, knock.
The sound of knocking came from outside.
After bundling the papers he'd been writing and tidying them up, he opened the door.
Standing there was Silverna Caldias, her striking white hair reminiscent of pure snowflakes.
"Allow me to reintroduce myself. I am Silverna."
"Isaac Helmut."
'Short hair, huh.'
In her previous life, her hair had been long enough to reach her waist. But now, it only grazed her shoulders.
"Your welcoming gesture was quite impressive. It showed the spirit of Caldias."
"I was driven by my desire to witness the Radiant Sword of Helmut. Please forgive my rudeness."
"That's unfortunate. As a son-in-law, I neither wield greatswords nor display the Radiant Sword."
"Then I have been even more impolite."
Their gazes met.
The polite smiles on their faces were masks, hiding their true feelings.
To summarize their conversation bluntly:
'You pissed me off at the wall.'
'So what? You put up with it?'
'Because I lost.'
'What a weakling.'
Just as Silverna was about to say something with a composed smile,
"Let's drop the pretense, Silverna Caldias."
Isaac struck first, and Silverna's smile gradually faded until her face was expressionless.
But then, her lips curved again, forming a bold and spirited grin.
"Seems like we'll get along better than I thought. Pretending to smile was giving me cheek cramps."
"You're the one who started it at the wall. Pretending to be polite, seriously?"
"Anna suggested it. She said being polite now would annoy you more."
'Anna?'
Isaac's gaze shifted past Silverna's shoulder.
Standing there was a petite woman by the door. She gave a slight nod in greeting.
'So, that's Anna.'
Silverna's closest friend, whom she had missed so dearly.
Though she was originally a maid, she had learned to wield a spear and enlisted in the military alongside Silverna.
In her previous life, she had tragically died when the Wall of Malidan was breached.
"I heard you wooed Liana… Well, you've got a decent face. But that's not all there is to you, is it?"
Silverna's lips curled into a mischievous smile.
"They say you're quite the smooth talker. How about using that same skill to deliver a 'motivational speech' tomorrow?"
"A motivational speech?"
"Most of the dispatched nobles have arrived. Starting tomorrow, there'll be some basic training and field assignments. It's to rally everyone to work together."
"Am I allowed to do that?"
"You're a Helmut, aren't you? Even if you're just a 'weakling,' who would dare oppose a Helmut?"
"Well, alright."
Isaac readily agreed.
A good idea had come to him.
Seeing how unbothered he looked, Silverna couldn't resist adding a remark.
"My father will also be attending. So, you'd better prepare well."
"Alright, got it. Is that all you had to say?"
"Huh? Oh… yeah, that's about it."
"Okay? Then can you let me rest? The travel fatigue hasn't worn off yet."
In truth, it wasn't the fatigue he wanted to recover from—he was itching to return to his desk and continue writing.
There was plenty of time to deal with Silverna later. With about two months left before the Sword Festival began, he could afford to delay things a bit.
Hesitating for a moment at Isaac's subtle dismissal, Silverna took a step back.
"By the way…"
Her shoulders shifted slightly before she leaned in, whispering conspiratorially.
"Does Liana Helmut, like… act all cute in front of you?"
"..."
Seeing Isaac's baffled expression at the bizarre question, Silverna blushed and quickly added,
"No! I just… the Liana Helmut I know seems like someone who'd never be into romance, that's all!"
"She doesn't act cute."
"Then what does she call you? Darling? Honey? My love?"
"Isaac."
"..."
They locked eyes.
Silverna, seemingly satisfied, gave a knowing nod and left the room.
"See, Anna? There's no way that woman would fall for a man!"
"Ah, how the dreams of romance crumble into dust."
Hearing their conversation echo down the hallway, Isaac chuckled softly and picked up his pen again.
***
The Next Morning
The training grounds were packed with people.
Aside from the soldiers stationed on the wall for defense, every single one of the Malidan Wall's soldiers stood in perfect rows and columns.
Their unified presence resembled an impenetrable shield.
The sight was awe-inspiring, a reminder of the pride they held in defending the kingdom.
"To think Sir Isaac is giving the motivational speech… If it were me, I'd be trembling too much to even step forward!"
Jonathan, wide-eyed and fidgeting, scanned the surroundings nervously. Isaac sighed and smacked him on the back.
"Calm down. Stop fidgeting."
"Yes, sir! My apologies!"
They were standing in the section reserved for the noble representatives.
Unlike the disciplined soldiers of the Malidan Wall, the nobles looked disorganized, more like a ragtag group of recruits.
Most of them lacked real combat experience but were considered promising talents due to their potential.
"Whoa… that's Uldren Caldias!"
Following Jonathan's gaze, Isaac turned his head.
A massive man, even larger than Arandel, the head of the Helmut family, was walking by.
He had his snow-white hair tied back and a well-groomed beard that commanded attention.
This was Uldren Caldias, the "Giant of the North."
Trailing behind him was his only daughter, Silverna.
Uldren took his seat behind the podium, signaling the start of the event.
Such events usually followed a predictable flow.
Saluting the national flag,
Singing the national anthem,
Drills and formalities and so on…
"Next, we will hear a motivational speech from Sir Isaac Helmut, representative of the noble faction and a member of the Helmut family."
Isaac's turn had come.
As he stepped forward, all eyes turned to him, and unsurprisingly, the gazes weren't friendly.
The soldiers of the Malidan Wall, standing in perfect formation, stared at him with cold hostility.
As someone aligned with Caldias, it was only natural for them to look at a Helmut with disdain.
Furthermore, it wasn't just the soldiers of Malidan who harbored such sentiments.
The dispatched nobles openly voiced their dissatisfaction.
"Ha, what's with this?"
"Is this a joke? Are they trying to boost Helmut's ego?"
"His hair is black, isn't it?"
"Caldias has really fallen."
"This is just a power move to humiliate us."
While it was acknowledged that the Helmut family was a great house, the nobles present were also from notable families with significant reputations.
However, they were displeased with Caldias for unilaterally selecting Isaac, a commoner-born son-in-law, as their representative.
Amid their disgruntled gazes and murmurs, Isaac stepped onto the platform as though pushed forward by their discontent.
'Heavy.'
The countless eyes of soldiers and nobles fixed on him.
Yet, more than their collective gazes, what weighed on him the most was the stare of Uldren Caldias behind him, bearing down like a physical weight.
'On par with Arandel.'
The world might have slightly favored Arandel as being superior, and that was likely true.
But the two were so evenly matched that their victories could vary depending on the day's conditions.
On the platform lay a violet gemstone, enchanted with magic to amplify voices.
Drawing close to it, Isaac calmly delivered his opening words.
"Warriors, be great."
He skipped even the formalities of an introduction.
It was a brief statement, but it was enough to capture everyone's attention.
"Follow your calling."
Because those words…
"Warriors, just be great."
…were the famous saying of Wolfdren Caldias, the founding head of Caldias, who had personally overseen the construction of the Malidan Wall.
Isaac, the Helmut representative, had just uttered what was essentially the Caldias family motto.
"As I came here, I found myself pondering the true meaning behind those words. To be honest, isn't the phrase 'be great' somewhat abstract?"
A murderous aura bore down from all directions, the pressure almost suffocating.
Particularly from Uldren behind him, the oppressive feeling was so intense that if Isaac let his guard down even slightly, it felt as if a blade might pierce straight into his heart.
Helmut…
How dare he belittle their creed.
Receiving the cold, piercing gazes as though they were cutting into his skin, Isaac continued speaking, his tone steady.
"What does it mean to be great? I kept wondering. Is it to guard the kingdom from beasts while standing by the wall?"
"To wield a colossal sword and slay your enemies with a single strike? To uphold honor and justice and eradicate wrongdoing? Or to use eloquence to make your enemies surrender?"
"Ah, of course, all of these are great. Truly great."
The dispatched nobles glared at Isaac, their eyes brimming with irritation.
Their expressions screamed, Read the room already! And Just shut up!
The atmosphere in the training grounds grew heavier.
It wasn't the northern chill but the heat of rising tension that filled the space.
"However, I came to think of it this way."
"True greatness… is the ability to elevate even the ordinary."
A tightly clenched fist.
Isaac's voice carried sincerity.
"There are those born noble, blessed by the goddess through their bloodline, who elevate themselves simply by existing."
"But more than those who are great merely because they were born into high positions—
It is those who elevate the ordinary to greatness… that are truly worthy of reverence!"
The atmosphere shifted into something more complex.
Greatness by virtue of birth.
That phrase resonated most strongly with the Helmut family.
Their innate superhuman strength and physical abilities could only be explained as blessings from the goddess.
"And today, right here, at this very moment, I have witnessed such greatness. I hope all of you will see it with me."
Isaac grabbed a spear displayed beneath the podium, raised it high, and shouted:
"This is it! The very thing you hold in your hands!"
The soldiers' eyes turned to the spears they were holding. Their angry expressions gradually faded, replaced by bewilderment.
With a faint smile, Isaac continued to shout:
"If anyone declares their desire to learn martial arts, I will proclaim this!"
"Look to the North! To the towering walls! To the great spears of Caldias that rise above all else on this continent!"
Public opinion about the spears of Caldias was straightforward:
They were simple, fundamental, universal, and easy to learn.
Because of the small population in the North, these spears were designed to be mastered by any soldier.
For that reason, they were often dismissed.
After all, if anyone could master them, what was the point?
Even the only daughter of the margrave had learned the spear and voluntarily joined the army as a soldier, which said it all.
'I may have been called the 'Silent Sword,' having never properly wielded a blade.'
But as someone who had penned countless martial arts treatises under that name, he could say with certainty:
If you measured the precision of a martial art, nothing compared to the spear techniques of Caldias.
"To those of you who hold the spears of Caldias! To the warriors who follow the legacy of Uldren, the great founding lord!"
"I know this truth! That even a single massive sword cannot cut down hundreds or thousands of spears!"
"And I know this as well! That you, the great warriors, will never retreat, even if your heads are severed or your hearts are pierced!"
Because it was true.
He knew it all too well.
A woman who had carried all their deaths on her shoulders, abandoned her own name, and lived only as a Caldias, had told him so.
"To the great defenders of Malidan, who guard the frontlines."
His voice lowered and grew calmer.
"I thank you for your unyielding devotion."
A soft smile formed on Isaac's lips.
"And to honor this meaningful moment, let us take a moment of silence for the great fallen heroes who have fulfilled their duties and now rest in this land."
Slowly, he closed his eyes.
As Isaac bowed his head, the defenders of Malidan followed suit, bowing their heads.
'Thank goodness.' he thought.
Years from now, these very defenders, who military strategists predicted wouldn't last five days, would astonish everyone by holding out for an entire month without any support.
To the men and women standing before him now,
"I'm so grateful to have this chance to express my thanks… Truly grateful."
You stood firm.
You endured so well.
Your struggle was truly great.
Though this gratitude comes far too late,
Once again,
Thank you.
A moment of silence.