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Translator: uly
Chapter: 7
Chapter Title: Whispers at the Wall
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Lately, rumors had been spreading one after another at the Mallidan Wall, to the point where no one's mouth ever ran dry.
Thanks to that, people could forget the cold, if only a little.
Even while standing guard, time flew by.
There were more soldiers than usual chattering away.
The topics were two.
One was, naturally, the monster horde.
"The monster horde's holding out longer than expected."
"We're seeing new types of monsters pop up one by one. They're not much of a threat, but we should still call in the capital's monster scholars for a proper investigation—"
"Wall repairs are underway every day, but we might need to switch up the timing. The monsters are ambushing us right when we're fixing things."
Monster hordes appearing outside the Mallidan Wall wasn't a rare occurrence.
But this one was dragging on longer than usual, so they'd requested reinforcements from the kingdom's nobles.
The second topic was, of course...
About the son-in-law from Helmunt who was coming in response to that request.
"Helmunt? Helmunt's really sending someone?"
"Aren't they hosting the Sword Festival this time? And they're still coming?"
"I heard they're sending their live-in son-in-law. Figures, since it's the great Helmunt family."
"Ugh, pulling some sneaky stunt like that. Bunch of brute-force orcs."
In a small tavern inside Mallidan's fortress.
It was a place built personally by the margrave himself, a gesture of care for the frontline soldiers guarding the wall.
In a way, this spot served as the foremost rest area and strategy room at the Mallidan frontline.
Amid the knights, the owner of snow-white hair like fresh eyes sipped juice instead of beer.
Silberna Caldias, the margrave's only daughter, clicked her tongue with a smirk.
"Too bad. I was hoping the eldest daughter would come."
"Ooooh!"
"That's our lady!"
"Even Helmunt's Blood Rose would drop to her knees in one strike before your spear!"
Cheers erupted from all corners of the tavern.
Silberna raised her hand to quiet them, then picked up her spear from beside her.
Anna, her aide sitting across the table, jumped up hurriedly to follow.
"Heading out on duty!"
"Take care!"
"Fight on, lady!"
"Yeah."
She replied indifferently and stepped outside.
"Achoo!"
The chilly wind made her cloak flutter, tickling Anna's nose as she followed.
"Ugh, it's so cold even in April."
"It's always like this here."
The massive wall came into view the moment they stepped out.
As long as the Mallidan Wall stood, this unnatural chill would never fade.
As they headed to the wall for duty, Anna kept chattering away.
"But lady, you don't really need to stand guard yourself, do you?"
Uldiran Caldias, the margrave and lord of these lands.
As his only daughter, she didn't have to pull regular soldier shifts like the others.
"I'm a soldier guarding this wall too. Duty's duty. And Anna, you're just saying that because you hate following me on shifts."
"..."
Anna flushed red, her weak spot hit.
"That's why I told you to just stay as my maid. Why'd you learn the spear and tag along?"
"But it's my duty to serve you! It's always been that way since we were kids!"
"Didn't expect you'd follow me all the way to the military."
Silberna and Anna arrived at the wall, pale smiles on their faces against the biting wind.
After handover from the previous shift, they climbed up.
Unlike the forward-facing posts, the rear wall duty was laid-back.
No monsters would charge from behind, after all.
So the staffing here was minimal.
"Rear wall duty's kinda boring."
"Everyone else seems happy when their turn comes up here. They say it's comfy."
"No tension."
Silberna yawned, flipping through the pass list from handover.
Most of the entrants were nobles.
Which made sense—they'd called for noble reinforcements, and here they were.
"Tch."
But Silberna clicked her tongue skeptically.
"Look at this, Anna. Drakemoor, Hairendel, Blackhand, Silverbrook. All the famous houses sent nobodies we've never even heard of."
"Ha, haha..."
"Is the frontline just a training camp for their promising pups now?"
"Well, nowhere's safer for real combat experience than Mallidan. Plus, they can pick up some spear skills on the side."
"Tch, that's why I say we don't need their 'help.' Why cater to nobles who only look out for themselves?"
"Can't be helped. Law says if a horde lasts three months, we mobilize the nobles."
"It's ridiculous! Are we the ones supposed to go out and fight? We're the guardians holding the wall! We just smash any monsters that bash their heads against it until the horde fizzles out naturally! Sure, it takes time—!"
"Yeah, yeah, we get it. Everyone knows, but what can we do?"
"The royals are deliberately not repealing the law. They're using us to train their young nobles!"
"Then we're contributing to the kingdom. Wow, great."
"...Anna, are you sulking because of what I said earlier?"
Anna silently checked the list. Everyone who was coming had arrived—except the most important house.
"No Helmunt yet?"
"Rumors would be flying if they had."
This remote place was full of folks who'd shared years of hardships; word spread fast.
They were tough soldiers who never retreated a single step defending the wall.
But their tongues were lighter than falling snow.
"Rianna's live-in son-in-law... Never seen him myself."
"Ah, you skipped the wedding. Got beat by Rianna back then."
Silberna bristled instantly.
"I didn't lose! I was just worn out from fighting the eldest son first!"
"The eldest daughter was way stronger than the eldest son, though."
"By a margin that made comparison pointless."
Silberna clicked her tongue again, then a question arose.
"A commoner who melted the heart of that woman colder than the North. Gotta admit, I'm curious."
"Word is he was a ferryman rowing across the river. Handsome face, silver tongue—super popular."
"Ferryman?"
"Yes! Social circles went wild calling it a century's love transcending status. So romantic."
"Romantic."
From the perspective of someone who'd met Rianna Helmunt in person, it was hard to imagine a woman less suited to the word.
"Helmunt carriage incoming!"
At the soldier's shout, Silberna grinned and bolted off.
"L-Lady?! Don't do anything rash! Technically, they're guests under the Helmunt name!"
"Once they're at Mallidan Wall, they follow Caldias. Romantically."
Her smile brimmed with mischief.
Her eyes were already locked on the opulent Helmunt carriage.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
The main gate creaked open with a roar like a giant's wail.
Isaac cautioned Jonathan as they advanced beside the carriage.
"Jonathan, don't show fear. The moment you flinch for no reason, they look down on you more."
"R-Right. I'm the great Helmunt's rose, after all."
Not a bad way to think about it.
He hadn't asked for it, but he was here bearing the Helmunt name.
"Welcome to Mallidan."
A soldier greeted them with a mocking smile as they entered.
Everyone here was practically Caldias retainers, so they had no reason to welcome Helmunt arrivals warmly.
'Even Silberna outright mocked us.'
No doubt the other soldiers would underestimate them too.
'That's why the family head didn't want to send anyone.'
Imagine if the eldest son, Roengreen, had come instead.
The gate would've barely opened before he drew his greatsword and charged.
Silberna would've subdued him, establishing a clear pecking order.
"Noble dispatch personnel, your lodging is that building over there. If it's not to your liking—"
The soldier pointed to a shabby structure, subtly probing.
Probably some spoiled young nobles had griped or refused before.
But in the end, they'd all meekly gone in.
This wasn't a place that tolerated bratty nobles throwing tantrums.
"It's fine. Let's go, Jonathan."
"Yes, sir!"
With Jonathan puffing out his chest to feign confidence, they pulled the carriage toward the lodging.
"Huh?"
The soldier, well-acquainted with Helmunt arrogance, hadn't expected such a response. He stared blankly at Isaac's retreating figure.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
"No commotion?"
"They were surprisingly gentlemanly. Th-Throw me off."
Atop the wall.
Silberna, who'd gripped her spear expecting the Helmunt son-in-law to rage at the insult, looked baffled.
"The provocation didn't land."
"Commoner stock, but seems he has some self-control."
She'd assumed he'd share the Helmunt temperament.
"Didn't expect him to swallow being called a mongrel."
"So, what now? You know causing a scene at the noble quarters would be trouble."
"I know. I'm not some thug. If they act civil, no need to get rough."
"Then—"
"But."
Silberna slung her spear over her back and grinned.
"We should show our esteemed Helmunt guests what this place is really like."
"Lady?!"
She started toward the noble quarters but halted abruptly, muttering as she turned back.
"I'm on duty. Almost slipped up."
"..."
"I'll go after shift!"
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
The noble lodging wasn't bad at all.
Private room for one—that was enough.
Aides like Jonathan bunked in the adjacent building.
He'd peeked earlier; it was one big barracks-style hall.
"Compared to that, this is fine."
Austere, but it had everything needed.
Bed, desk, chair.
Not much different from guest rooms back at Helmunt—no complaints.
After unpacking roughly, he pulled out paper, ink, and quill.
'Not frozen—lucky.'
He sat at the desk and began to write.
Swinging the sword with words.
The Silent Sword, Isaac.
Many called him that with respect, but Isaac had never sought such a title.
Which was why, in this life,
the first book he penned was none other than
'My Sword.'
A manual for himself alone.
In his past life, he'd written dozens of books, but not a single line had ever been for himself.
'Fun.'
Phrases he'd pondered hundreds, thousands of times in his mind,
abandoned to the world due to his ruined right leg, now stretched forth.
'Fun.'
Theories blocked by the wall of reality now transcended time's barriers, unfolding.
The black ink, elegant script, the quill's scratch.
'So much fun!'
His racing heart sped the quill unwittingly faster.
[You're like a child reaching for the stars. You know it's impossible, yet you stretch out to the end.]
'Master, you were right.'
Back then, he'd denied it.
Unable to accept the tragedy of wielding only a quill when he yearned for a sword.
'I never gave up, not for a moment.'
Using the knowledge in his head for himself for the first time thrilled him; time slipped away unnoticed.
The sun had set.
Though night fell, his room held no shadows.
Isaac's eyes shone brighter than any star outside.