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

Bang! "Puhahaha!" While Isaac and Rihanna took turns taking showers, Silvanna found herself enjoying a beer in the tavern set up for soldiers within the castle. "Why does it taste so good today?" "You said you were tired, Miss." Beside her, Anna was sighing yet ordered another round, understanding Silvanna's heart. She worried verbally but didn't outright forbid drinking. "Did the owner put honey in this today?" "How could I afford to put something so expensive in beer, Miss?" "What is this? It's so tasty." 'She's already tipsy.' Leaning heavily against the table, Silvanna let out a long sigh. Today, Anna decided she would listen to Silvanna's grumbles without interruption. 'Perhaps it's for the best.' She knew Silvanna hadn't completely let go. If it had been so easy to extinguish those feelings, there would’ve been no hardship. But since Rihanna Helmont had come, this was a good opportunity to decisively sever those emotions. "My father used to say that when life is bitter, alcohol tastes sweet. Is that why?" "You kept mumbling how sweet it is just to say that, right?" "..." Without another word, Silvanna picked up her beer glass again, only to put it down, disappointed that it was already empty. Just then, the beer Anna had ordered arrived, and Silvanna began to drink it like water. "It'll be okay, Miss." Anna gently patted her back to comfort her. "He was never going to be the one, right? It's better this way than to suffer needlessly." "So easy for you to say!" 'She's drunk.' On a normal day, she would have pretended to agree out of pride. "Have you ever felt this way, Anna? Have you!?" "Why are you taking it out on me?! Besides, I’m an expert in romance, you know?" Silvanna’s jaw dropped in shock at Anna's reply. "What?! You’ve been in a relationship? You were always grumbling about being busy with my errands, and now I find out you’ve been doing everything you wanted on the side?!" "No matter how much, of course, I maintain some respect for my personal life. You told me to do so, remember?" "I told you to keep your privacy, not to sneak around and fool around behind my back!" Bang! Silvanna slammed her beer glass onto the table. The owner's face stiffened but chose to turn a blind eye, unwilling to intervene. "Fool around? Why describe it so crudely...?" "Anna, you're the one being crude!" Has she lost her mind? If she wasn't a lady, she would have smacked her upside the head right then and there. "Phew, I actually haven’t been in a relationship." "...Hm?" "You know those romance novels? I'm friends with a merchant from the capital who gets them for me separately. I've read quite a few." Anna scratched her cheek, seemingly embarrassed by her own admission, while Silvanna let out a smirk. "What's with that confidence then? We’re the same after all." "At least I don't fancy married men." "..." Silvanna clamped her mouth shut. Seeing her slightly distraught expression, Anna quickly patted her shoulder. "Oh dear! I'm sorry! Those words were harsh, weren't they? Don't get hurt! I just got a bit carried away too." "No..." Anna apologized for her sharp words, but Silvanna shook her head, determination gleaming in her eyes. "Tell me more." "Excuse me?" "I need to be sure about what I shouldn’t have done. Tell me more." "...Are you serious?" "Yes, I'm serious." Though she was tipsy, Silvanna’s sincerity was unmistakable in her voice, prompting Anna to consider and then speak up. "Honestly." Gulp. "They were such a perfect match." "Argh!" Silvanna clutched her chest. Being jabbed by a relatable truth hurt far more than any fanciful lie. "They looked like a match made in heaven. Like the gods paired them perfectly together." Snap. "It’s no wonder they made waves in the social circles for a while. A love that defied status. The fact that it involved Helmont and a commoner made it even more sensational, and both of them were so strikingly good-looking..." Anna stole a glance sideways for Silvanna’s reaction. "One shouldn’t interfere in such a pairing." A breath slipped through gritted teeth from Silvanna, who tried to drown the thoughts with more beer. She now acknowledged she truly had been out of her mind. There was one more thing she was a little concerned about. "Hey, Anna." "Should I stop now?" "It’s not that." Silvanna gestured for her to lend an ear, and when Anna inclined her head, she whispered softly. "...Are you insane?" In shock after hearing the contents, Anna glared incredulously at Silvanna. "You’re planning to melt down the spear? To make it into a gift?" Silvanna's spear, crafted from frosted silver light, a metal that could symbolize Caldias itself. To have it melted and reformed, intended as a gift for Helmont’s son-in-law? "W-Well... Isaac is trying, so shouldn’t I help him out a little?" Fidgeting her fingers, Silvanna mumbled sheepishly. Anna slapped her forehead with a resounding ‘thud’ and lamented in a voice tinged with despair. "The work's already started, right?" "P-Probably." "And if you go now and ask them to return it, they won’t, right?" "Probably." "Of course, since you caused a ruckus directly at the border lord's mansion. There’s no way they’ll give it back." "W-What do I do? I just have to give it naturally, right? It won't look strange, right?" "Who wouldn’t find it odd? Caldias giving a sword made from frosted silver light to Helmont as a gift." "..." "Especially with the wife right there! Argh, it’s like declaring war!" Silvanna clutched her face with both hands. "I'm such a fool." "No, you’re not." "Anna..." "Foolish doesn’t even begin to cover it. Call it something worse." "..." Unable to stand it any longer, Anna jumped up and began walloping Silvanna's back. "No matter how thoughtless, could you really do something like this?! Saying you’re all about pure love! Thinking you've moved on makes me even madder!" "Ahh! Anna! I’m a noblewoman!" "Just fire me! Just go ahead and fire me! Ugh, maybe I should just quit so I won't have to worry!" Anna, who had been on a tirade, finally plopped onto the seat, nodding with resolve. "There's only one way now." "What is it?" "You should use it yourself, Miss." "..." "There's no other way. Why not take this chance to try using something other than a spear?" Silvanna let out a sigh, thinking Anna was speaking nonsense. Yet, as Anna didn't mean it seriously, she was about to let it pass when— "By the way." Suddenly, she remembered what Northemus had mentioned today. "Didn't Northemus say that Isaac's sword techniques were of the Transcendents?" "...Right." "He also seemed very familiar with their sword style and the sword called Taito." "The same goes for their spells." "That's why from tomorrow, Rihanna and I will start the investigation. That's what Father said." Of course, by "investigation," she knew that the two would likely answer openly without concealing anything. Here, most things were in Ruldani's discretion, so it wouldn't escalate into a serious problem. Just then— Creak! The door swung open, revealing a young girl with braided hair. "Owner! Make it strong!" "Miss..." Sharen Helmont and her maid, Kelsey, made an entrance that seemed entirely out of place for the tavern. Since the only patrons were Silvanna and Anna, they immediately caught everyone's attention. "Oh?" Thus, Sharen naturally moved over to their table, joining them. "You said you were going for a drink, and here you are actually drinking?" Silvanna let out a breathy laugh as Sharen sat down casually in a chair. Although they started off bickering, having endured battle together, they had come to be just comrades. "Do you drink?" Assuming Sharen, who liked sweet things, didn't, she asked, and Sharen proudly replied. "I'm a drinker!" With that, she exchanged a few words with the owner and proceeded to make her own drink. "Kelsey is especially good at making drinks. It's great with snacks too." "Oh." She thought of asking for a glass, but Kelsey had already brought one over. Radiant red, unlike the usual beer. Sharen took a sip and smiled brightly. "Mmm! It’s tasty! Maybe it's because today was rough? I feel like I'll get drunk quickly!" "…Just a sip for me." "No way." Sharen pouted her lips, but ultimately shoved her glass slightly forward, inviting Silvanna to take a sip. Silvanna took a careful sip. '...Isn't this orange juice?' Confused, she looked at Kelsey standing behind Sharen, who put a finger to her lips, signaling with a gentle smile. Orange juice and cookies. Not a bad combination indeed. Though it had a slight kick, it clearly wasn't anything alcoholic. "Isn’t it good? Kelsey uses orange concentrate to make it like wine!" "Yes, it’s nice." Silvanna quietly returned the glass. Feeling her senses settle, she sighed and asked, "Why are you here?" "Because I'm stressed out! It’s so annoying to be thought of as stupid!" Sharen's voice rose as she drank her juice, genuinely believing she was getting intoxicated. "What’s troubling you?" Though an unexpected guest, it wasn’t unwelcome. It allowed them to naturally shift away from discussing Silvanna's unrequited feelings. "Isaac, my sister, they keep repeating themselves! Over and over! It’s like they think I’m a fool!" "Hm?" "Why do I have to be the one going around talking about their divorce? When they keep excessively warning me to be careful, they seem like the silly ones! It's irritating!" "A-ack, Miss!" Kelsey, standing urgently behind Sharen, interrupted hastily. Though Kelsey was unaware of their intent to divorce, anyone could tell the mischievous girl had just uttered something she shouldn’t have. "What? What’s—" Sharen paused mid-drink, her red eyes darting to gauge the reactions of the two seated before her. She found them both staring at her, mouths agape. Creak! "You’re drunk! You're drunk! I'm leaving now! See you tomorrow?!" Hurriedly on her feet, Sharen stumbled out of the tavern. "What should I do? Oh, my sister’s going to kill me! What do I do?! Help me, Kelsey!" Her worried cries echoed like a haunting refrain as she fled in haste. For a while, a heavy silence hung around the table where Silvanna and Anna remained seated.