"Ahem."
Isaac let out an awkward cough, trying to lighten the mood.
He subtly pushed Liana toward the Grandmaster, leaving her in her care.
"I don't want to. I want to stay with Isaac."
"Come now. The adults are having a conversation."
"I'm an adult too—"
Liana was dragged away by the Grandmaster. Though there was a bit of commotion, things soon settled down.
She'd probably return to her room.
"…Roses are bound to have thorns."
At Reian Leviath's words, Isaac unconsciously clicked his tongue.
Despite hearing such remarks, he remained undeterred—it was something to admire.
Maybe that tenacity was what made Reian a famous swordsman in his past life.
After sending the group ahead, Isaac resumed the conversation.
"How are things in the North?"
Isaac asked as if nothing had happened, and Reian promptly replied.
"Can't say they're good or bad. Every day brings some unique situation. Thanks to that, we nobles in the Blue Wave Society have become as seasoned as battle-hardened veterans."
"The Transcendents are still appearing."
Reian's boast didn't come off as arrogant.
But it couldn't match the weight behind Marlin's short remark.
"Indeed, those damned Transcendents show up without warning."
Reian added, taking over the explanation in place of Marlin's brief comment.
"It's like it just never ends. I get that it's a price we're paying for destroying the Malidan Wall, but there's no sign of it stopping."
"…They're probably getting more desperate. They already have fewer numbers, and now their accumulated losses are mounting."
The Transcendents were far fewer in number.
So this slow, relentless damage being done to them wasn't something they'd take lightly.
As they listened, the Leviath siblings both spoke up at the same time.
"Why are you speaking so formally?"
"You can talk casually—"
As expected from siblings.
They looked at each other. Naturally, Isaac thought Reian would speak first, but—
"Please speak comfortably."
"…?"
Unexpectedly, Reian stepped back, allowing Marlin to lead the conversation.
"We're comrades, after all."
Marlin referenced the battles they had fought together in the North. It was only now that Isaac realized how much weight his presence carried for the siblings.
But it was understandable.
To them, Isaac was nothing short of a lifesaver.
Thanks to his tactics, they had survived Helik's assault and the relentless onslaught of the Transcendents.
'…I feel a bit bad.'
Isaac could never forget the battle that day. But the reason he didn't feel as deeply moved as the siblings was because he had lived a life full of such life-or-death battles.
He had often fought under overwhelmingly disadvantageous circumstances, so the emotional impact wasn't quite the same.
Still, he wasn't the type to reject kindness. Isaac was, after all, a man of manners.
"I'll be in your care."
He smiled gently and extended a hand. The siblings returned the smile and shook it.
***
Inside the lodging.
Despite the late hour, Isaac hadn't gone to sleep yet.
In order to resolve Liana's "subjugation binding", he would need to stay at the Magic Tower.
It could turn out to be a long stay—or, surprisingly, a short one.
This was because the Tower had already made considerable progress investigating the Sorcery spell.
The Sorcery on the Mu-myeong's body had kept the Tower Master and the mages busy day after day, so perhaps their efforts weren't in vain.
They had proposed combining magic and sorcery to analyze it further starting tomorrow.
Isaac didn't know exactly what that would involve, but since they were going to try it, he intended to follow along.
He was still working on his writing about the Royal Guard Swordsmanship."
'It's fascinating. So flashy, yet so practical.'
He found unexpected joy in designing sword techniques based on the assumption that the user would be wearing heavy armor.
He had never designed swordsmanship for royal guard-level combat in his past life, so this was a new experience.
Thump. Thump.
Suddenly, a heavy knocking echoed.
Thump. Thump.
The sound came again.
When Isaac opened the door, Liana stood there—wearing handcuffs.
"…Did you knock with your head?"
Liana nodded shyly.
She had probably headbutted the door since her hands were restrained, and the thought almost made Isaac laugh.
"What's wrong?"
Liana moved her lips silently.
But no voice came out.
"Oh, right."
Isaac removed the necklace from around her neck, and her voice returned.
"I need to go to the bathroom, Isaac."
"…."
"I almost broke the door down."
"Let's go, quickly."
It was an unexpected situation.
Because of the Silence spell, she couldn't speak—even for such a basic need.
'This is harder than I thought.'
Thinking that, Isaac took Liana to the bathroom.
Afterwards, Liana naturally entered Isaac's room.
Isaac didn't find it particularly strange either.
"…Were you writing something?"
"Yeah, the Royal Guard swordsmanship. There are still some parts I want to refine."
At Isaac's reply, Liana glanced at the notebook he had been writing in.
The atmosphere in the dimly lit room was surprisingly warm and comfortable.
To feel this kind of atmosphere again with Liana—he had truly never imagined it.
Even during his regression, life had a habit of taking Isaac to unexpected places.
"Isaac, you know… I've been thinking."
"…"
Liana stared at the moonlight outside the window, as if deliberately avoiding eye contact.
Her pale skin had flushed red.
Though she looked shy, there was no hesitation in her voice.
"I want you to become my master."
"…What are you talking about?"
It wasn't entirely out of the blue.
He understood what she meant and how the conversation had led to that point.
But still, he needed to ask again.
Liana continued calmly.
"The blood demon said it. That there's a way to transfer authority. But that's not a way to undo the binding."
"…"
"Of course, I'm only talking about the hopeful outcome."
"You mean, if we successfully kill the blood demon?"
"Yeah."
Liana nodded calmly.
"If, in the end, the binding can't be completely undone… then I want to entrust myself to someone I can trust."
"…And that someone is me?"
"Yes. I think you already know how much I trust you."
Perhaps feeling embarrassed by her own words, Liana lowered her head a bit more.
But it only showed how much she believed in Isaac.
"I'm not asking you to take responsibility for me or anything like that. I just… if I have to entrust my life to someone, I want it to be you. I don't mind being treated like a maid. Of course, if you don't want to, I won't force you."
But I hope it's you.
Liana's hesitant words were nothing but sincere.
And Isaac knew just how much resolve it took for her to say those things.
But—
"The binding will be undone."
Isaac declared calmly but firmly.
"You will be free, not bound to anyone. That's why we came to the Mage Tower."
The blood demon said the binding couldn't be undone, but that applied only to Sorcery spell or curses.
If magic was combined, there might still be a way.
"And… there's something I've been wanting to say to you."
Isaac thought the timing was just right.
He'd been thinking about saying this several times during the ride to the Mage Tower.
"I'm going to pretend I didn't hear anything you said after the binding happened."
"…!"
Liana's eyes widened.
Her passionate confessions of love.
Thinking that all of that would disappear like a bubble made her chest ache.
Was he drawing a line?
The thought made Liana feel suffocated.
Her chest hurt.
She knew that if she stayed, she might end up pouring out all of her feelings again, and for a moment, she even considered putting the silence-enchanted necklace back on.
But on the contrary, a gentle smile appeared on Isaac's face.
"You know, saying those things takes a lot of courage."
"Y-Yeah."
That's why she hadn't said anything all this time.
It was only because of the binding that she managed to confess her true feelings.
"You know better than anyone that having feelings and expressing them are two different things."
"…Yes. I know that all too well."
No matter how much you love someone, if you don't express it in words, it means nothing.
Liana Helmut knew that better than anyone.
And at the same time, she realized the true meaning behind Isaac's words.
"I… haven't changed at all, have I."
In truth, she was still the same as before.
She only spilled her heart because of the forced situation created by the binding, not because it was truly what she wanted.
"That's why, Lia, I will absolutely undo your binding."
Isaac slowly approached and gently caressed her cheek.
As if responding to his touch, Liana tilted her head and softly pressed her face into his hand, eyes closed.
"The things you want to say, and the things you need to say—say them all with your own will. When that time comes, I'll… think about it seriously, too."
At Isaac's words, Liana held back the tears welling in her eyes and nodded.
"Isaac, you're so amazing."
"…"
"I really love you."
"Do you want to leave now?"
With a blushing face, Liana nodded apologetically.