READ NOVEL ONLINE Chapter 30 - Laughter
✦ Chapter 30 — Laughter ✦
「Translator – Creator」
᠃ ⚘᠂ ⚘ ⚘ ᠂ ⚘ ᠃
In the early dawn hours,
The Malideen Wall slumbered in serene darkness.
From its farthest corner, a light glowed softly like a match struck in the night.
In front of the forge, Antonio lit a cigarette, taking a moment to smoke before beginning another day’s labor. As he exhaled a stream of smoke, his thoughts wandered back to yesterday, to his confrontation with Margrave.
“I knew it was impossible, but it’s more bitter than I expected.”
The divine embodiment of swordsmanship.
What greater glory could there be for a blacksmith than to forge something capable of surpassing Helmund with his own hands?
Antonio didn’t want to let the opportunity slip through his fingers. He was already contemplating alternative approaches.
“How strange it all is.”
When his apprentices heard of this endeavor, they had been startled, trying vehemently to dissuade him.
How could a man who had yet to prove himself possibly defeat Helmund just by being given a sword?
When Antonio had heard those words, he hadn’t been able to offer a strong rebuttal.
After all, his decision had been based purely on instinct—a gamble with no guarantees.
‘But I want to try.’
Yet Antonio found himself drawn to Isaac with an intensity he had never experienced before.
Vision.
‘That boy has vision.’
Isaac carried himself with an air of certainty, as though assured of a future where he would surpass his limits. His perspective on the sword ran deeper than most, coupled with an almost terrifying ambition for violence.
Antonio couldn’t fathom where such resolve came from. It was as if the boy was possessed by the spirit of a swordsman who had died without realizing their potential—a relentless, desperate determination burned within him.
Of course, sheer determination alone wouldn’t be enough to defeat Helmund; if it were, anyone could have done it.
“Antonio.”
A soft, silken voice cut through the stillness of the dawn air.
“My lady?”
There stood Silverna, her spear slung casually over her shoulder.
“Are you heading out for duty?”
Antonio extinguished his smoke and asked, but Silverna shook her head slightly.
“No, I just had something I wanted to ask.”
“Oh? Of me?”
She hesitated a moment, then spoke carefully, wary of being overheard.
“Why are you so obsessed with Isaac’s sword?”
“Hmm.”
“Don’t get me wrong—he’s improving. But is it really worth using Frostsilver to forge a sword for him? He’s not that remarkable.”
Indeed, Isaac had grown.
He now maintained a high victory rate in sparring matches with the dispatched nobles. Unlike his early days when he nearly ranked last in physical training, he now led the pack.
While his rapid progress inspired many,
If asked whether he was exceptional enough to warrant the use of a treasure like Frostsilver, the answer would be no.
“Heh heh.”
Antonio sighed, regretful about the cigarette he had discarded, and swallowed the rest of his words.
“It’s a new challenge, you could say. What he’s asking for is something I’ve never crafted before.”
“……………”
“And he’s challenging himself too. You might say it’s beyond his years, but I wanted to dip a toe into that challenge as well.”
It sounded like a flimsy excuse—an explanation that didn’t quite hold water. Yet, Silverna found herself strangely resonating with it. After all, she had posed the question because she herself felt the same uncertainty and needed clarity.
“Antonio.”
Her resolve now firm, Silverna held out her spear.
“Use this.”
“My Lady?”
Silverna’s spear—a weapon forged with Frostsilver.
“I know I’m asking a lot, asking you to melt down a spear you’ve crafted so painstakingly. But… can you do it?”
“My Lady, that’s a rather dangerous thing to say. Even so—”
“Isn’t it rich coming from someone who picked a fight with the Margrave out of the blue?”
“…………”
Antonio closed his mouth.
Hiding a smile in the shadowed dawn, Silverna continued, “Please.”
He could tell from her tone that her feelings weren’t entirely aligned with his. Beneath the surface lay a tenderness he couldn’t quite match. Unable to refuse, he simply accepted the spear she offered.
“Thank you.”
With that, she turned to leave, retracing her steps through the early morning stillness.
‘What a strange feeling.’
She examined her emotions candidly.
Even after handing over her cherished spear, she felt regret—not for what she had done, but for not being able to do more.
This is what tenderness feels like.
This is what unrequited love feels like.
“It’s fine.”
A radiant smile spread across her face as she looked up at the sky.
Beyond the Malideen Wall, the rising sun peeked over the horizon, its gentle rays seeming to commend her.
“Though we can’t walk the same path,” she murmured softly, “I’m grateful that I could, at least, help you along yours.”
“That’s enough.”
To know that her secret affection would accompany him on his journey gave her satisfaction.
“This is enough for me!”
As if affirming her resolve, the wind swept through her hair, carrying her voice across the dawn-lit plains.
A refreshing new day had begun.
🎕
In the early hours of dawn.
“Shauren”
Like a furtive whisper in the quiet, Shauren’s voice quivered with surprise.
“Sister?!”
In these tender morning moments, Rianna’s unexpected appearance at her door startled her. Since learning that Rianna had been sharing quarters with the handmaids, her shoulders had tensed with worry about losing her own room. Yet now they lifted slightly, alert and uncertain.
“W-what brings you here?!”
But Rianna, paying no mind to her premature fears, simply extended something resembling a neatly folded letter envelope.
“Here – I’ve written down my thoughts about Isaac’s sword.”
“Ah.”
Relieved that her room was safe, she accepted the envelope. She hesitated, wondering whether to open it, but decided to set it aside for now.
“Shauren, I heard your unit will soon begin operating outside the walls, like the other scout groups.”
“Hmmm? That’s right. We’ve been getting a better read on the Giant’s movements, so we’re fully transitioning to reconnaissance duties now.”
“I see.”
Her voice carried layers of complex emotions.
She gently stroked Shauren’s hair.
“Be careful out there, Shauren.”
“S-sister?”
“I’d like to go with you, but… it would draw too much attention. That’s not something I can afford right now.”
“Yeah, you’re probably right.”
“Please, take care of Isaac for me.”
At Rianna’s earnest request, Shauren’s eyes sparkled as she nodded with determination.
“Of course! Don’t worry, sister!”
This was the first time Rianna had asked something of her, and Shauren’s excitement bubbled over in her loud response.
Seeing her like this lightened Rianna’s heart somewhat.
‘Was she always this cheerful?’
She hadn’t noticed during their time at Helmund.
Back then, she’d simply thought of her as an immature child who didn’t know her place But seeing how such a simple gesture as patting her head could bring such joy…
“Shauren.”
Rianna decided to take things a step further.
“Yes?”
“When you use the Crimson Wave, you worry about the Red Descent becoming too pale, don’t you?”
“H-how did you know?!”
Shauren’s Red Descent sometimes took on a pink plum blossom hue, which had been a significant source of concern for her.
After all, Helmund’s Red Descent was supposed to be rose-red.
“Don’t get too caught up in that. That color will become your own unique Red Descent.”
“B-but Father’s doesn’t look anything like this.”
“You’re not Father.”
“That’s… true?”
“Don’t worry, let it flow naturally. Helmund’s blade isn’t about being trapped by something. It’s not about striving to become something.”
A Helmund isn’t…
Someone who strives for greatness.
But someone who cannot help but be great.
It’s not about forcing yourself to achieve something, but about letting your true self bloom within the sword.
“Don’t get trapped in the mold. Father… that’s why he doesn’t acknowledge us.”
“……………”
“Is that too hard to understand?”
Shauren shook her head.
“No, I’ll give it a try! Thank you, sister!”
“Good.”
As she eagerly picked up her sword, her determination was evident. Rianna smiled at the sight, but then, as if compelled, she repeated a warning she had given many times before.
“And one more thing. Never tell anyone about Isaac or me. Not a word. Be careful not to let it slip, even by accident.”
“I get it already! You and Isaac always treat me like I’m some kind of idiot.”
‘And yet, I can’t help but feel uneasy.’
🎕
“Today’s task is nothing special. It’s a simple job to give us a break after all the hard work we’ve been doing,” Silverna said cheerfully.
In the gentle light of morning, before the rear Walls that faced the kingdom.
While fierce battles raged at the front, the rear remained pristine in comparison, serving merely as an entrance to the Walls.
“We just need to collect some simple taxes from the nearby villages.”
Silverna announced with pride.
Silverna grinned confidently as she explained. Despite her assurance that even during a major offensive, responsibilities had to be upheld, her words left the group looking puzzled.
“Why are we doing this?”
When Shauren raised her hand to ask, Silverna nodded, acknowledging it as a good question.
“Honestly, the taxes are just a pretense. Even if we collect anything, it’ll only be enough for snacks or something trivial.”
Silverna smiled, resting her spear against her shoulder.
“The true purpose is more of a morale patrol. Yes, there’s been quite a stir about the grand demon beast nest lately, but we’re here to reassure them that we’re protecting them.”
“Ah? That’s such a hassle.”
“Just keep your mouth shut when we get there. That’s a direct order from your Commander.”
Shauren found herself suddenly stripped of her speaking privileges.
“Anyway, we’ll visit the village elders, let them know everything’s fine, and spread some peace of mind. Thanks to my reputation from the battles at Caldias, I have a bit of symbolic weight in these matters.”
Having torn through the frontlines in battle, this mission was essentially a reprieve.
“Let’s make good time today.”
Silverna gestured toward the tethered horses.
And so, the 5th Scouting Unit found themselves granted a day’s respite from the intense battlefield they’d known.
As everyone secured their belongings to their horses, Anna quietly approached Silverna.
“By the way, my lady, where’s your usual spear?”
“Oh? Hmm, I left it behind. Thought I should get used to handling different spears.”
“Oh? That’s unusual for you.”
“We probably won’t need to wield spears today anyway.”
Even though Anna knew Silverna well, she couldn’t have guessed that her lady had offered her spear to be melted down.
“I see.”
She let it pass, assuming it was nothing significant.
Meanwhile, the rest of the team mounted their horses, engaging in light conversation as they prepared to depart.
“There were times like this in Helmund too,” Jonathan remarked to Isaac with a smile from atop his horse. “Whenever bandits or beasts showed up near the villages, we’d head out to deal with them.”
“Oh, right. That did happen,” Isaac replied, his expression darkening momentarily.
As he fumbled for a response, Meldick interjected.
“I’m surprised bandits dared to appear in Helmund’s territory at all.”
“I thought the same, but apparently, these fools were too ignorant to realize whose land they were trespassing on.”
“Good heavens, no wonder they resorted to banditry.”
It was an unmistakably aristocratic response.
Well, everyone lived in different worlds after all.
And so they began their journey, spurring their horses toward the nearby villages, moving together as one unit through the morning air.
🎕
In the stark morning light, they first directed their path to Andes Village.
Though termed ‘first,’ it was actually the farthest settlement from the Wall, chosen as their initial stop in a carefully planned route that would wind its way back, touching each village in succession.
“…My back hurts.”
Isaac muttered as he tapped his lower back while riding; three swords hung from his waist.
Two were regular blades, and one was Falchion.
The two regular swords were for training since they broke easily, and the Falchion was kept for when both of the other blades broke.
“That’s quite an excessive way to carry them,” Anna remarked with a hollow laugh, drawing a bitter smile from Isaac.
“I suppose I’ll be carrying them like this until I receive a proper sword.”
“Well, I hope Antonio does his best.”
“At least it’s lighter than the Helmund greatsword.”
“Really?”
Anna’s eyes widened as they fell upon Jonathan and Shauren’s greatswords. She probably wanted to try lifting them herself.
Silverna, who had been leading the way on horseback, cleared her throat and interjected.
“Ahem, he’ll craft it soon enough. Antonio is an extraordinary blacksmith.”
“It will still take some time though.”
“No! Don’t underestimate Antonio. He’ll create something truly magnificent.”
“……………”
Though they couldn’t understand why Silverna sounded so sure, she shrugged her shoulders and didn’t add any further explanation.
As the 5th Scouting Unit crossed into Andes Village…
“…Everyone dismount.”
Silverna’s command cut sharp through air thick with a terrible stench.
The atmosphere hung heavy with layered notes of blood, while above the village, countless flies buzzed in a cacophonous chorus.
The Malideen Wall wasn’t known for having many casualties, but this stench was far worse than anything encountered on the battlefield; the smell of rotting corpses and writhing maggots was overwhelming.
Everyone gripped their weapons as they entered the village, and there, piled high in front of them, were the bodies of the villagers.
“It hasn’t been long.”
“They’ve carved out specific parts – eyes, hands…”
Isaac and Anna assessed the scene with clinical detachment,
while others either struggled to contain their rage or fought back waves of nausea.
“Kek.”
A sound from behind made everyone turn their heads.
The sound came from one among their group.
“Kek, kekek.”
Unbidden,
The words of the Helmund knight drifted back like autumn leaves.
[He’s an unsettling man.]
It hadn’t merely been about tormenting the youngest, they’d thought.
After all, Helmund knights generally held their chivalric code in high regard.
[We often provide aid to nearby villages, but…]
“Keke, kekeke.”
[Sometimes, regrettably, we witness villagers caught in tragedy.]
“Kekek Kikikihii, ah, sss. Kuhp! Kuhehe!”
[And every time. Especially… when there are many victims.]
“Ahh! Hmph! Ah, damn! Kikhii, kekek! Kikhii, Ahhhh—!”
[He laughs at the sight, as if delighting in it.]
Isaac stood frozen, staring at the man in front of him, suddenly doubting if this was really the same awkward knight he had traveled with.
No, could this even be considered a human being?
In this tableau of horror…
“Kikihikkhihi! Ahh! S-sorry-! Ahahaha!”
Even though the man had covered his mouth with both hands, he was laughing so hard it seemed as though his face would tear apart.
But this wasn’t an attempt to suppress laughter.
It wasn’t a struggle against unbidden mirth.
Rather, it was a natural, radiant smile.
He wasn’t trying to contain it, but to conceal it.
“Hmph, huff-huff… Phew! Kikikikiki!”
Even bent double, face covered,
Jonathan’s blood-chilling laughter showed no signs of ceasing, echoing through the village like a twisted hymn to death itself.
END of CHAPTER
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