"Ahem, I must have shown an unsightly appearance."
Brushing off the dirt clinging to him after rolling on the ground, Reian Leviath awkwardly dusted himself off.
Entering the tent in a slightly unsteady stance, he introduced himself as if nothing had happened.
"Greetings, Blood Rose of Helmut. I am Reian Leviath, often called the Noble Young Lord of House Leviath."
"Yes."
At Reian's greeting, Liana nodded expressionlessly. She no longer looked like the woman who, just moments ago, had flared up with righteous fury at Lohengrin's words.
"I have met you a few times before. Do you remember?"
"You attended my wedding."
"That's right. As expected of Lady Liana, your memory is remarkable."
She did not actually remember him. She simply assumed he must have attended, as invitations had been sent to the Leviath family.
It was customary for noble families to attend high-ranking weddings—not out of obligation but as a way to strengthen ties between noble houses.
Additionally, such gatherings provided a suitable atmosphere for unmarried nobles to meet potential partners.
"Though circumstances have led us here, perhaps this too is the will of the goddess."
"Yes."
Liana responded simply. It wasn't that she disliked him or felt offended.
She simply had no thoughts on the matter.
There was no reason to pay attention to him, nor any particular interest to engage in conversation.
"A woman is often compared to a flower, and as the Blood Rose, I expect you will bloom most beautifully on the battlefield."
"Yes."
On the other hand, who was Reian Leviath?
The older brother of Marlin.
A man so accustomed to such exchanges that he had mastered them.
'A battle of spear and shield!'
Watching from the side, Sharen widened her eyes and pulled out some snacks.
Crunch, crunch.
"If you ever find yourself in danger on the battlefield, call upon Reian Leviath. Even if I were to lose a leg, I would come running for you."
"Yes."
The spear wavered slightly, but the shield remained unshaken.
Truly an entertaining spectacle.
'It would have been even better if Isaac were here to watch!'
Crunch, crunch!
***
The next morning, at dawn.
As usual, Isaac rose early and practiced his swordsmanship.
In each hand, he held a sword.
Particularly, Baekseol, forged from Frostsilver, felt exceptionally cold in his grip.
'Does it sense that we are nearing home?'
The earring crafted by Silverna also emitted a fierce chill.
Lately, Isaac had been feeling a resonance between Baekseol and the earring more frequently.
Because of this, he had started wielding Baekseol in his left hand deliberately, matching it with the earring he wore only on his left ear.
"Hm."
Amid the sound of his blade cutting through the crisp morning air, a quiet exclamation blended in.
Standing silently nearby, clad in armor, was the Supreme Commander, Eisenwolf.
When Isaac gave him a respectful nod, Eisenwolf approached and asked,
"Is that the swordsmanship of the Transcendents?"
"…Similar, but different. I have refined it to suit my own body."
"I see… Eisenwolf, by the way. I realize I was late in introducing myself."
Eisenwolf extended his hand for a handshake.
Isaac clasped the offered hand politely.
"I am Isaac Logan. I have heard much about you."
"Princess Adeline has instructed me to rely on Baron Logan's assistance."
"You flatter me. It is likely because my knowledge of the Transcendents is somewhat broader than most."
"We are here to exterminate the beasts and reclaim the North. It is not yet certain whether the Transcendents are involved in this situation."
"…There have been no reports from the Malidan Wall."
They had disappeared overnight without a trace, shrouding everything in mystery.
But Isaac was certain.
"The Transcendents must be involved. If not them, then no one else could have orchestrated such an anomaly."
"Hmm. Do you have any evidence?"
"A phenomenon beyond human understanding—only the Transcendents have ever turned such things into reality."
"So, because no other possibility seems likely, you assume this must be the truth?"
"Precisely."
Eisenwolf's expression hardened, his face devoid of emotion. It seemed he was not entirely satisfied with the answer.
Even Isaac found it difficult to explain the Transcendents' incomprehensible power.
"As the commander leading this army, I cannot accept such a simplistic conclusion."
"I understand."
"However, I will keep it in mind as Eisenwolf, the man."
Isaac unconsciously widened his eyes in surprise. That alone was enough—he lowered his head without another word.
At that moment—
"Ah."
A familiar figure appeared.
Liana Helmut.
She had emerged at dawn, a greatsword strapped to her back. At first, it seemed she was simply out for morning training.
But the fact that she had walked all the way to Isaac's tent made it clear she had a specific reason for being there.
"Hmm, this old man should take his leave. Standing around at dawn makes my knees ache."
"Your thighs look twice as thick as mine, though."
"And try not to cause too much commotion. Even ten minutes of sleep is precious to the soldiers on the battlefield."
"Thank you."
Receiving Liana's gratitude, the elderly warrior with his sturdy lower body tactfully withdrew.
Now, the man and woman stood face to face.
A pair with a somewhat awkward relationship.
"I greet the head of House Helmut."
Isaac spoke first.
He thought it would be fine to act as he had yesterday, but Liana's lips jutted out ever so slightly.
Then, she spoke concisely.
"Spar with me."
"Let's do it."
"...."
Isaac slowly sheathed the sword he had been holding in both hands.
Just yesterday, she had warned Lohengrin not to engage in unnecessary duels.
And yet, here she was.
It was amusing in a way.
But Liana must have understood that as well—hence why she had come to him so early in the morning, avoiding prying eyes.
She knew Isaac always trained at dawn.
No further words were exchanged between the two former spouses.
They took their positions at a distance, facing each other.
Bowing their heads simultaneously to show respect, they assumed their stances.
With a heavy, resonant sound, Liana's greatsword was drawn. Simply standing with it in her grasp was enough to radiate an overwhelming presence.
The mighty Ragnavel was ready.
Swoosh!
Isaac subtly pulled his right foot back, scraping against the ground. Instead of dust, the northern chill rose, and their breaths became visible in the frigid air.
Isaac was the first to move.
If I let her take the offensive, there's no way I'll win.
It was questionable whether he could even match Liana's strength.
Both of their swords were drawn simultaneously, resembling the flapping of wings—hence the name Twin Wings.
Isaac's initial strike sliced through the air.
Clang!
Yet, Ragnavel blocked it effortlessly while Liana, her crimson eyes unblinking, gazed at him beyond the greatsword.
Thud!
As the two blades clashed, her greatsword swung as if pushing him away.
It wasn't infused with Crimson Aura.
Even so, had Isaac not instinctively retreated, he would have been sent tumbling to the ground.
The distance between them widened once again.
Without a word, Liana sheathed her greatsword and took a step forward.
Boom!
With a powerful stomp, she leaped forward, closing the gap in the blink of an eye.
If it's Helmut's style…
Isaac had already predicted her sword trajectory.
Helmut's greatsword techniques emphasized brute strength.
Thus, they unconsciously favored positions and angles that maximized power.
Clang!
As Ragnavel sliced down, Isaac tilted both of his swords at an angle, letting the greatsword slide off them.
Got it.
Even though the impact left his hands tingling, deflecting Liana's strike with this little damage was a feat in itself.
He was about to counterattack—
"…!"
—that's when he noticed it.
She was gripping her greatsword with only her right hand.
Her left hand had let go of the hilt and was now swinging directly toward him.
This was where she revealed her hidden crimson aura.
The aura concentrated around her arm took the form of a beast's claw.
Not just in this life.
Even in his past life, he had never seen such a technique.
It was an art unlike anything typical of the Helmut lineage.
Whoosh!
"…!"
The crimson aura, resembling a beast's claw, stretched out as if to grab Isaac's neck but stopped just short of touching him.
The duel was decided.
"I've lost."
Lowering his swords, Isaac admitted defeat. Liana calmly withdrew her aura and nodded.
"I wanted to show you… No, I wanted you to see this, Baron Logan."
"Me?"
"Yes, that's right."
She hesitated, unsure of how to phrase her words, her tone stiff.
Yet, her intent was clear.
"Because of you, Helmut has been completely broken down."
"…"
"Just now, too. If I had mindlessly swung my greatsword, you would have seen through my moves and I would have been the one in trouble."
"…"
"The Helmut you knew no longer exists. It has changed, and it will continue to change."
Isaac's eyes widened.
Sheathing her greatsword, Liana lowered her head deeply, bowing with utmost sincerity.
"I've learned a lesson."
She wasn't referring just to this duel.
It was gratitude for showing her the way to break free from Helmut's rigid traditions and move forward.
"Will I… see you again tomorrow?"
It felt like she was sending him a letter through her words.
At her request—no, her plea—Isaac responded with a gentle smile and a nod.
"It's 0 to 1. Tomorrow will be different."
At that, a faint smile touched Liana's lips.