READ NOVEL ONLINE Chapter 41 - The Two Women’s Resolve
Announcement
With this, the novel draws its curtain on on Fenrir Translation because of certain circumstances.
You can now read it on other TL groups at NU that will be translating it.
I hope you liked my translation so far!!!
✦ Chapter 41 — The Two Women’s Resolve ✦
「Translator — Creator」
᠃ ⚘᠂ ⚘ ⚘᠂ ⚘ ᠃
“Hah! Hah!”
“The beasts are retreating!”
Atop the Wall.
Though they had repelled yet another wave of demon beasts, the soldiers’ voices carried not relief or jubilation, but sighs that bordered on lamentation.
It had been a month and some days since this had been confirmed as a grand demon beast nest, and even though the soldiers of the Malideen Wall had held strong, they were growing increasingly exhausted.
The daily onslaught of beasts was wearing down both their bodies and spirits. Recently, the attacks had become so frequent that some days there were two waves instead of one.
Before the battle against beasts, it had become a fight against fatigue itself.
“…This cannot continue.”
Silverna, captain of the 5th Scouting Unit, muttered while leaning on her spear. She too seemed to have her own thoughts about the recent surge in beast attacks.
“…………”
Among the exhausted faces, Rianna Helmund stood with dignified bearing.
Her crimson hair danced in the wind that swept across the rampart.
Without a hint of exhaustion, she silently stared out at the beasts beyond the Wall, a presence that radiated the very reason why Helmunds were so revered.
Slowly, she turned her head.
Among the other soldiers, a man with black hair tied back sat wearily, engaging in casual conversation with nearby soldiers.
Though far off, the conversation reached Rianna’s ears clearly.
“That was close. I almost died this time.”
“Thank you, Lord Isaac. If you hadn’t pushed me aside then, that rock would have given me a concussion.”
“Don’t mention it. You saved me last time, remember?”
“Did I?”
“Wasn’t that you? I’ve had so many close calls lately, they’re starting to blur together.”
Isaac chuckled lightly, joking with the soldiers, but the weight of the conversation was far from trivial.
Moreover, two broken curved swords lay at Isaac’s feet.
To have shattered two blades — it spoke volumes of the danger he’d faced.
Could they really continue like this?
As the doubts deepened, a sudden roar echoed through the air.
*BOOM—! CRASH—!*
“Whoa, what was that?”
“Lightning, right? Was that a lightning strike?”
“Thought it was another beast for a moment.”
Beyond the mountain range.
Rianna’s eyes widened as she witnessed lightning strike from cloudless skies.
🎕
“This situation has become perilous.”
Within the strategy tent.
The First Battalion Commander of the Malideen Wall pleaded his case to Ulderan, who sat at the head of the gathering.
“The situation is becoming more dire by the day. The number of wounded soldiers keeps increasing, and the morale within the Wall is in tatters.”
Each day brought endless spear thrusts and beast slaying. Yesterday’s companion, who shared jokes and laughter, today lay crushed beneath a hurled boulder; the weight of being at the frontline was pressing down on them more heavily than ever before.
“The beast hordes show no signs of thinning. From recent reports, even monsters from other regions have been appearing, which suggests that creatures from distant areas are gathering as well.”
“Hmm.”
The Margrave, seemingly sharing these concerns, stroked his beard while studying the map before him.
“As commander, I implore you to make a decision.”
As the Battalion Commander’s report concluded, another commander seated opposite immediately raised his hand to speak.
“Your Excellency, the Malideen Wall’s purpose is defense. While our casualties mount, the number of beasts we’ve slain is beyond counting.”
“Abandoning our advantageous position to venture out for subjugation? The risk is too great. Moreover, we’ve yet to identify the beast commanding this horde. Moving out now would be premature.”
Each commander’s argument carried its own rational weight.
They had both led soldiers on the Wall, so although their opinions were in direct opposition, they showed mutual respect for one another.
“Hmm.”
Ulderan naturally fell into deep contemplation.
Should they continue with this unending war of attrition, with no clear end in sight?
Or should they capitalize on the reduced beast numbers and launch an offensive beyond the walls?
Silverna’s tongue itched to speak, but she knew her place as merely the 5th Scouting Unit Captain. Understanding it wasn’t her position to speak freely, she could only bite her lip and fidget restlessly.
“What is Lady Rianna’s opinion on this matter?”
Ulderan turned to Rianna, present as representative of the dispatched nobles.
Rianna, a Helmund herself, hadn’t expected to be asked for her opinion. She slowly turned her gaze toward Ulderan.
“Earlier—”
So this was Ulderan Caldias.
As she quietly mulled over her thoughts, she finally spoke.
“After the beasts retreated, I sensed faint traces of mana in the lightning strikes a few times.”
“Hmmm?”
“Ughhh”
Subtle murmurs filled the tent as the others processed her words.
None of them had noticed this detail.
Normally, such a claim might have been dismissed outright, but-
‘Of all people, a Helmund.’
‘It’s possible.’
‘This complicates matters.’
Their hesitation stemmed not merely from the Helmund name. Rather, it was their intimate knowledge of Helmund physiology that made the situation so delicate.
A Helmund’s words couldn’t be dismissed as mere nonsense.
Yet basing judgment solely on one person’s testimony posed its own difficulties.
“I believe this may be the work of the beast commanding this major nest.”
Naturally, Rianna calmly expressed her thoughts, indifferent to the reactions around her.
“If we go there, we can find the creature?”
“I cannot say with certainty… but I believe it warrants investigation at the very least.”
🎕
*Clang—!*
The clear ring of steel resonated from the corner of the training grounds.
A place that had now become Isaac’s designated spot.
As his curved sword thrust forward in a straight line, Shauren’s greatsword responded by following the same trajectory, but-
With a sudden hop, Isaac leapt into the air like a rabbit, spinning once mid-flight.
Shauren’s greatsword passed harmlessly through the space where he had been.
As he landed, he immediately swung his blade again, aiming for her neck.
“Hoh! Hong—!”
Before her desperate cry could finish, crimson energy erupted from her greatsword in a burst of apricot-colored light.
As it expanded to envelop Isaac, his airborne form, unable to complete its landing, was sent flying.
“Loed Isaac! Oh no! Lord Isaaac!”
Jonathan, who had been watching the sparring match, rushed forward in exaggerated panic.
Isaac tumbled across the training grounds, rolling before finally coming to a stop. He lifted his head sharply and shouted.
“I told you not to use the Red Descent!”
“He-he-Helmund knows no defeat!”
Despite declaring before the match, [Aura? Hmph, I hadn’t even considered using it.] when pressed into a corner, she had unhesitatingly unleashed her aura in retaliation.
“Hah, fine. I’ve got a good sense of it now anyway.”
Shaking his body to brush off the dirt, Isaac stood up. Shauren approached him, looking a little embarrassed and searching for the right words to say.
Though she meant to apologize, Isaac asked something else entirely.
“How was it?”
“Huh?”
“The swordplay – until you used aura, we were fairly evenly matched, weren’t we?”
“………….”
Much as she hated to admit it, Isaac spoke true.
In reality, Shauren had struggled quite a bit as their swords clashed.
Of course, without the Red Descent, Helmund would have lost half of her power.
But on the other hand, it meant that Isaac, who had been unable to properly wield a sword just a month ago, had managed to catch up to Shauren, who was now only half her level.
“Just be honest. Tell me exactly what you felt, raw and unfiltered.”
At Isaac’s request, Shauren placed a finger to her lips in contemplation before cautiously speaking.
“I-I was irritated.”
“…………”
“I don’t know, I just didn’t feel right. It was like you knew exactly how I was going to swing my sword.”
“………….”
“After our third exchange. You noticed when I deliberately increased my speed, didn’t you?”
“Yes, I did.”
“And you were already prepared for it, knowing I’d get frustrated and speed up?”
He had indeed anticipated it.
He’d judged that Shauren would try to close the gap at this point, and it was no surprise when she did.
“I hated it… I was tired, alright! It had been only 30 minutes since the Wall defense ended, and then you suddenly wanted to spar!”
She pouted like a child, making excuses upon realizing she’d been completely read.
On the other hand, Isaac felt quite satisfied.
This marked the second Helmund sword he’d managed to counter.
Sparring with Jonathan had become almost mundane, and Shauren, who once overwhelmed him completely, could now be beaten on technical merit.
‘Of course, if she uses the Red Descent, that changes everything.’
While he could handle Jonathan’s crude aura, the moment she employed hers, the difficulty spiked dramatically.
As Isaac’s concerns about aura continued to deepen-
“………..”
“………..”
An utterly mismatched pair.
Rianna and Silverna approached together.
Neither looked at the other, yet they walked in perfect unison, creating an awkward spectacle of forced companionship.
“Wow, those two really don’t match.”
Hearing Shauren’s mumble, Isaac remembered to ask something he’d forgotten.
“Shauren, you haven’t mentioned anything to Silverna about Rianna and me, have you?”
He asked because Jonathan was present, but Shauren flinched before responding incredulously.
“Do you think I’m stupid?! As if I’d say something like that!”
“You really didn’t?”
“I didn’t! I’m not an idiot!”
🎕
“Hey.”
As they walked toward Isaac, who was bickering with Shauren,
Silverna called softly to Rianna.
“……”
Though Rianna offered no response, it wasn’t difficult to sense that she was listening.
“For this dispatch operation, we’ll keep Isaac out of it.”
But at Silverna’s next words, Rianna finally turned her face toward her.
And then.
“Wise.”
She nodded.
“A beast capable of wielding lightning of that magnitude – even approaching it would put Isaac in danger.”
“Yes, we think alike.”
They knew of his dedication.
Could be certain that he would, in time, become a remarkable swordsman.
But
“It’s too soon.”
“Indeed.”
The two women had judged that he wasn’t yet ready to step onto their battlefield.
“…………..”
“…………..”
In their shared desire for one man’s safety,
They found their first moment of mutual understanding.
🎕
That evening.
Upon Anna’s urgent message about being sought at the forge, Silverna hastily donned her robe and arrived.
The forge typically fell silent in the evenings, the din of metalwork forbidden at such hours.
This only hastened Silverna’s steps.
“Is it finally ready?”
Silverna asked Antonio with a bright smile the moment she arrived.
Isaac’s dejected face from earlier — when told he’d be excluded from the operation — still lingered in her mind.
She thought a sword would swiftly mend his wounded spirit.
“You arrived quickly, my lady.”
“Skip the pleasantries. Is it finished? Let me see!”
Antonio sighed, tempering Silverna’s eagerness.
“Ah well, it’s nearly complete. But that’s not why I called for you today.”
“What?”
Her lifted shoulders slumped.
Anticipation crumbled into disappointment in an instant.
“Then why did you call?”
“We have some Frostsilver ore remaining. What should we do with it?”
In Antonio’s hand lay a blue-green crystal the size of a finger.
“I thought you’d quietly pocket any leftovers.”
She’d wondered at the old craftsman’s unexpected honesty.
“What can be made with such a small amount?”
Antonio clicked his tongue regretfully.
Had there been more, he likely would have kept it for himself.
“Hmm, with this much-“
Silverna rolled the Frostsilver between her fingers, contemplating.
Then, as if struck by an idea, she ventured cautiously:
“Ahem. Antonio? Per-perhaps… could you craft something like a ring?”
“…………”
“Ah, no! Just! Wouldn’t it be nice to wear as a memento!”
“I have an apprentice who works with ornaments… but this would barely make a single ring.”
A somewhat disappointed response.
‘Well, yes. I was getting ahead of myself. It’s not like there’s anywhere to wear it now anyway.’
Silvena reminded herself to be more practical, but before she could stop herself, the words were already coming out.
“What about earrings? Just one, for one ear.”
After all, with his hair tied back, his ears were often visible.
“That should be possible.”
Antonio’s indifferent answer made Silvena smile broadly again as she handed him the Frostsilver.
“Please. Nothing too ornate – something more subtle and serene. That would suit him better.”
“…Very well.”
Antonio chose to see and hear nothing.
With a resigned sigh, he accepted the request, mentally preparing to get back to his hammer and anvil.
END of CHAPTER
тяαηѕℓαтσя’ѕ ησтєѕ
The author has made Helmunds some kind of invincible monsters!!!
☩
If you liked the novel, do not forget to rate and review the novel on ⟿ NOVELUPDATES.
Also, if you cannot wait to see what lies ahead in the story, curious about what to unfold, you can now read the advanced chapters on the site.