The Son-In-Law Of A Prestigious Family Wants A Divorce

✦  Chapter 18 — Support  ✦

「Translator – Creator」

᠃ ⚘᠂ ⚘ ⚘ ᠂ ⚘ ᠃

*Clang!*

The clash of sword and spear rang out, sharp and resonant, as Anna’s eyes widened in astonishment.

‘Again.’

It was the same sensation she had felt countless times during their exchanges. At first, she dismissed it as mere coincidence—a fluke of chance. But as it persisted, as every strike, feint, and thrust was mirrored in kind, Anna had no choice but to accept the truth.

‘He’s reading me completely.’

Isaac could predict every trajectory of her spear, moving almost in perfect synchrony with her attacks; the spear technique she had honed over years to serve her lady’s cause had been unraveled in mere moments.

At first, it rankled—a prickling sense of indignation paired with frustration. Yet as time went on, her irritation gave way to wonder.

“Hmph!”

But admiration did not stop her relentless assault.

“………….!”

Isaac anticipated the path of her strike and moved to counter it. Yet, at the last moment, the faint quiver at the tip of her spear disrupted his rhythm. He faltered, forced off balance, and toppled backward.

She seized the opportunity, spinning on her heel with a dancer’s precision, twirled her spear and brought its blade to Isaac’s throat in one clean, decisive motion.

“I’ve lost.”

As Isaac raised his hands in surrender, Anna slowly retracted her spear.

“…Can I call this a win?”

Despite having emerged victorious, Anna asked hesitantly, genuinely thinking she had lost.

“My spear—every move was read,” she admitted quietly. “At some point, your sword was faster than my decisions.”

“………………”

“I only won because I had the advantage in raw strength and stamina. That is all.”

“………………”

“If you trained for even a month… defeating me would be effortless.”

The thought of being overtaken by someone who had only recently begun pursuing the martial path weighed heavily on her and she found herself questioning her abilities. She had once been proud of how far she’d come—from a humble maid to a soldier wielding a spear.

But now…

“You’re not expecting me to comfort you after losing to you, are you?” Isaac chuckled awkwardly, shaking his head.

But even as he spoke, his hands were busy flipping open a notebook. It wasn’t a training manual or an ordinary journal—it was a meticulously detailed dueling log. Each page cataloged his experiences in training bouts, noting his errors and areas for improvement.

Anna glanced at it, her curiosity piqued, though a hint of embarrassment colored her expression.

“You really are something else, Master Isaac,” she murmured.

“What do you mean?”

Isaac was already scribbling down notes. On the page, he sketched a simple diagram depicting Anna’s final strike and his flawed counter, accompanied by neat annotations.

“You’re really confident, even after losing. You must be certain you’ll win in the end.”

“There’s no such thing as that kind of certainty,” Isaac replied, his tone unusually firm.

However, startled by his rare candor, Anna blinked in surprise.

“I’m not unafraid of losing,” he continued, still focused on the pages before him. “I’m just grateful that I can lose.”

“Not even being given the chance to try—do you know how painful that is? That’s why losing doesn’t bother me.”

“………………..”

“There’s no time to dwell on defeat. I just want to keep swinging my sword.”

Isaac’s gentle smile carried an unshakable resolve, and for a fleeting moment, Anna felt her heart skip a beat.

“Is this how you managed to win over Lady Rianna?” she teased.

“Out of nowhere?” Isaac’s expression twisted into an awkward grimace.

Anna’s expectant gaze demanded an answer, and with a sheepish scratch of his cheek, he relented.

“I wasn’t like this when I courted her. I was… more assertive back then.”

“Wow.”

The conversation now had shifted seamlessly into the realm of romance, and with a mischievous glint in her eye, Anna broached a topic that had been nagging at her.

“Speaking of which, what do you think of Lady Silverna?”

Isaac’s eyes narrowed slightly as he replied.

“Silverna? She’s a great friend. She’s been instrumental in helping me refine my swordsmanship.”

“And that’s it? Really?”

“Why?”

Anna sighed, leaning closer as she crouched in front of him; the two of them were huddled in a secluded corner of the expansive training grounds, speaking in hushed tones.

“Master Isaac, as someone who has been by the lady’s side since childhood, let me be honest with you.”

Her tone grew serious as she raised two fingers.

“For the lady, people fall into two categories: enemies or comrades.”

Isaac chuckled lightly.

“That’s a harsh classification.”

“It’s the truth. Two categories — nothing more, nothing less,” Anna insisted. Then, with a slight pause, she raised a third finger. “Or at least, that was the truth. Lately, the lady has been acting strange.”

“It’s as if… a third category is emerging. And that ‘third’ is you, Master Isaac.”

“………….?”

“Now, Master Isaac, you’re a married man, so I trust you understand what I’m implying. Surely, I don’t need to elaborate on my lady’s potential embarrassment?” Anna’s sharp gaze bore into him.

Isaac sighed, nodding as an uneasy smile spread across his face. “I get the gist.”

“‘Gist’? That’s all?”

“I get it, alright! You’re telling me to keep a reasonable distance, to avoid blurring the lines between Helmund and Caldias, yes?” Isaac replied, carefully choosing his words.

And Anna beamed at his understanding. “As expected from Master Isaac. They say handsome men have a knack for reading women, and you’re no exception!”

“…………….?”

“Come on, be honest. You’ve had this kind of attention before, haven’t you? Didn’t you once work as a ferryman? I bet you were famous as the ‘handsome ferryman,’ weren’t you?”

“You don’t need to know.”

But it was the truth.

Isaac had, indeed, been a ferryman, operating a small, rickety boat.

And it was also true that his looks had attracted a fair share of female passengers.

“Anyway, Master Isaac, since you’re a married man, I trust you’ll maintain clear boundaries.”

“I know, I know.”

At that moment,

The sky darkened ominously.

A shadow loomed over them.

As Anna and Isaac, crouched low in their huddle, cautiously lifted their heads, they were met by the sight of Silverna standing over them with her arms crossed. Her piercing gaze bore down, unreadable as ever.

Did she overhear?

The same thought flashed through both their minds, but…

“Anna, you’re on duty.” Silverna’s voice was calm, neutral.

Either she hadn’t heard their conversation, or she chose to ignore it.

“What? Duty? I’m off for another two hours.”

“Bolten’s come down with something. He doesn’t look well. You’ll have to take his shift.”

“…………..”

Anna squinted at her, skeptical.

Bolten? The man who’d wolfed down two full servings of lunch just hours ago?

So that’s who she was talking to earlier, Anna mused.

She had noticed Silverna speaking with Bolten before he left, though she hadn’t thought much of it.

Letting out a resigned sigh, Anna rose to her feet.

“Well, I guess I have no choice. I’ll get going then.”

With a polite bow, she turned and began walking away. But just as she was leaving, Silverna’s voice reached her from behind, soft and almost too quiet to hear.

“What a shame. Now that Anna’s gone, who’s going to help you?”

“Hmm, that’s too bad.”

“If it’s really necessary, I can help. I mean, I’ve got time. Plenty of it,” Silverna offered, her voice hitching slightly.

“……Alright.”

Isaac hesitated for a moment before accepting.

Silverna immediately brightened, her reserved demeanor evaporating as she seized a spear. Her voice, now bubbling with excitement, echoed through the training grounds.

“Let’s gooo!”

Watching from afar, Anna paused mid-step and smacked her forehead with her palm. Her shoulders slumped in exasperation.

What an idiot, my lady.

Her mistress might insist they were ‘just friends,’ but her actions betrayed her feelings.

Having spent her years in the North wielding spears and hunting demon beasts, Anna knew her lady was not quite familiar with romance, to say the least. Silverna’s inability to recognize her own emotions wasn’t surprising —- it was just a matter of time.

Well, Master Isaac will handle it, Anna thought.

He was a married man, after all. Surely, he’d maintain appropriate boundaries. If Silverna tried to cross any lines, Isaac would be firm enough to stop her. This will probably just become another fleeting, icy memory for her—beautiful, but destined to fade.

Still, Anna couldn’t help but feel a twinge of regret.

If Master Isaac weren’t already married, she would have gladly supported Silverna’s pursuit of him.

It would’ve been nice if things were different, Anna mused wistfully as she made her way to the wall for her shift. The thought lingered as she trudged forward, spear in hand.

[I’m not unafraid of losing. I’m just grateful that I can lose.]

[There’s no time to dwell on defeat. I just want to keep swinging my sword.]

As she walked, Isaac’s words echoed in her mind.

‘No time to wallow in loss…’

It sounded almost cliché, but hearing those words from someone who truly embodied them… it struck a chord.

A fresh wave of motivation surged through Anna.

She tightened her grip on her spear, her steps quickening.

🎕

The Helmund estate was unusually bustling with activity.

The reason for this commotion was clear: one person was to blame.

“Aaah…!”

Inside Lady Rianna’s chambers, Alois was sprawled across her bed, his face buried in a pillow, tears soaking through the fabric. His sobs came in waves, the kind born of heartbreak and helplessness.

It had been ten days—ten unbearable days since he had last seen Rianna.

The timing was no coincidence.

It matched precisely with the day Shauren had departed for the Malideen Wall.

Naturally, Rianna would face severe punishment for defying the orders of her father, Arandel Helmund. Mercy was not a trait he extended, not even to his daughter.

And that fear had held Alois back.

Despite his longing to follow her, he had stayed behind, wracked with worry and left to pine for her in torment.

But he tried to suppress his feelings, focusing on Lyanna’s absence instead.

“Riannaaa!”

He clutched the pillow tighter, his wails muffled against the bed.

🎕

A neatly paved carriage road.

A procession of Helmund carriages stretched out in a line, finally coming to a halt at the imposing Wall. Helmund’s arrival was notably later than other noble houses, but there was a deliberate reason for this.

“We have to maintain our pride,” Shauren muttered, more to herself than anyone else.

Arriving too early would make it seem as though they were waiting on other nobles. And rushing here at the summons of Caldias? That would be a blow to Helmund’s dignity.

“Ugh, the trouble I go through because of Isaac,” she grumbled, popping a snack into her mouth.

Yet despite her complaints, she didn’t seem particularly irritated. Isaac was just one of many excuses, and besides, she was too excited about her own adventure to care.

The checkpoint for the carriages.

Stepping lightly from her carriage, Kelsei, Shauren’s maid, moved discreetly toward the accompanying luggage wagons. She offered a polite nod to the Helmund knights standing nearby before ducking inside one of the wagons.

“Lady Rianna?” she called softly.

The response came as a faint rustling from beneath a white cloth. Slowly, Rianna emerged, her expression as calm as ever, though her presence in such a setting felt incongruous.

“We’ve arrived. The Malideen Wall. The carriages will take a while to pass through, so it’ll be about two hours.”

“…I see,” Rianna replied, her tone measured.

She began retrieving the items she had prepared earlier from beneath the cloth. Among them was a maid’s uniform.

Only Shauren Helmund’s visit had been announced.

If Rianna’s presence were discovered, Caldias would undoubtedly make it an issue. To avoid unnecessary complications, Rianna had decided to conceal her identity.

Kelsei, however, looked concerned.

“I don’t know what has brought you here, my lady, but I trust you have your reasons for going to such lengths.”

“……………”

Rianna didn’t respond, simply nodding as she adjusted the fabric in her hands.

“If there’s anything I can do to help, please let me know. I’ll do my utmost,” Kelsei added, offering Rianna a head covering and mask.

While Kelsei stepped outside to stand guard, Rianna quickly changed into the maid’s attire. Moments later, she emerged, dressed not as the noble daughter of Arandel Helmund, but as a simple servant.

It was a bit embarrassing to have her forehead completely exposed, her hair tied back tightly with a hairband, but it was necessary. A headband covered the rest of her bright red hair, and the mask effectively concealed her features.

“You look perfect, Milady.” Kelsei smiled approvingly, giving her a thumbs-up.

Rianna nodded in satisfaction. Slowly, she turned her gaze toward the towering Wall before them.

There, atop the Wall, a woman with an air of confidence stood out, her gaze boldly sweeping over the arriving Helmund knights and carriages.

‘Silverna Caldias.’

Rianna’s memory flashed back to her.

A remarkably skilled spearwoman, especially for her age.

A woman worthy of carrying the future of House Caldias on her shoulders.

Rianna had fought her once, and the memory still lingered.

‘She’s stronger now.’

She could tell, just by watching her. Silverna had grown even stronger since their last encounter.

‘Good match, that was. Not just about winning or losing, but about learning from each other-.’

And then,

a man with black hair emerged from behind Silverna.

Rianna’s eyes widened in surprise.

A wave of relief washed over her at the sight of Isaac, safe and sound, despite being on the front lines; they chatted and laughed together, and Rianna watched, her heart sinking as she saw Silverna unhesitatingly take a bite of the snack Isaac had offered her.

‘………………’

Rianna clenched her fists unconsciously.

She looked down, her voice laced with a strange mix of confusion and self-doubt.

“I… I won that spar.”

Then why?

Why did she feel like she’d lost?

END of CHAPTER

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