Chapter 106: The Rose’s Taste

“Sir Heyrad, are you really going to do this?”

While Clarice had briefly stepped away, Isaac approached him with a sigh.

The two had become relatively close after experiencing various incidents together.

In particular, Heyrad had also played a significant role in confronting Arandel, and was therefore counted among what people called the “Golden Generation.”

“About the princess, I mean,” Isaac said.

Heyrad beamed proudly at Isaac’s question.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve seen Her Highness look so happy. She’s had nothing but hardships lately.”

“…….”

“She seems to be in high spirits, all thanks to Baron Logan. If not for this matter in the north, I’m certain she’d be visiting your estate every single day—”

“Did you hear what I said? I told you to stop this, didn’t I?”

At Isaac’s exasperated tone, Heyrad simply gave a satisfied smile.

“You are far more dependable than Prince Raphael, who’s off clinging to other women like a petty scoundrel. If you ask me, I think this is a good thing.”

“…You’re not listening.”

Giving up on the conversation, Isaac turned away. It was then that Clarice emerged from Isaac’s mansion.

She carried a large plate of snacks, which were confections she had personally brought from the royal palace.

“I heard from Sharen that you don’t really like things that are too sweet?”

“…Do you think showing up like this out of nowhere will make me happy?”

“Isaac isn’t just any man. I figured I should thoroughly show him what a great woman I am.”

Clarice winked playfully at Isaac as she pointed at him.

“Someone taught me all about it—how to seduce a man.”

“That was—”

“They also said that no one would hate it if a woman as pretty as me clung to them. So I shouldn’t hesitate, right?”

“……”

Isaac was at a loss for words.

He couldn’t argue back because every line she was quoting was something he himself had said to her in the past.

Even romance was strategic for her.

Using her opponent’s own moves against them—seeing Clarice corner him like this, Isaac realized she truly had a talent in that area.

“Is it too much?” she asked carefully, watching him for any sign of discomfort.

Seeing the slight quiver in her eyes, Isaac blinked in surprise.

“You’ve learned well—pretending to be vulnerable can definitely tug at someone’s heartstrings.”

“Topping it off with a few tears would be perfection. ‘Carry softness within your toughness,’ right?”

With a playful wink, Clarice showed that her teary act just moments ago was all for show.

“She’s learned too well,” Isaac muttered as he popped a confection into his mouth.

Just as she had promised, the treats suited his taste exactly.

“Well, if it’s too much, let me know,” she said.

“And if I do?” he asked.

“Then I’ll just tell you to endure it. Isaac, you’re leaving in two days, aren’t you? I can’t go with you.”

Naturally, Princess Clarice couldn’t travel to the north. No one knew what might happen there, and besides, she had only just returned from Brentarion.

“So then,” Clarice said with a sly smile, propping her chin on her hand, “shall we go on a date? What do you think?”

“Do I even have the option to refuse?”

“Hehe!”

With a burst of laughter, Clarice made a heart with her hands in an almost cutesy way and answered, “Can a baron refuse an order from a princess? The world must be turning upside down!”

“…What do you want to do?” Isaac asked.

“Well, first—!”

****

Two days later.

The expeditionary force bound for the north had formed.

It felt a bit exhausting to set out again after barely any time since returning to Evergarde, but Isaac finished his preparations with calm composure.

Unlike the bride-escort procession to Brentarion, this time they would be traveling on warhorses, so the journey would be much faster.

Which meant Isaac had to prepare more thoroughly than before.

“……”

Isaac stood gazing at the warhorse he had received as a gift from the princess, looking slightly sheepish.

Over the past two days, after being subjected to all sorts of whims by Princess Clarice…

Yesterday, she had presented him with a remarkable steed named Ravenfall.

Its lustrous black mane was undeniably impressive—though Isaac didn’t say it aloud, he was clearly quite pleased.

‘I suppose it was worth spending time with her.’

Clarice, for her part, had happily told him she now had the strength to return to her administrative duties.

As Isaac was fitting the saddle onto Ravenfall with a satisfied air, Sharen Helmut poked him in the back.

“Isaac! Isaac, I heard that if you make your name longer, your rank goes up, right?”

“Huh?”

“I mean, just by adding a little extra syllable, you become ‘Isa-viscount’? Isaac—doesn’t that make you a viscount already?”

“….”

He’d heard Sharen spent the last couple of days training with the Grandmaster. Maybe she got hit on the head a few times?

“But was that not funny? The Grandmaster is still rolling on the floor laughing. She can’t stop.”

Sure enough, where Sharen pointed, there was the Grandmaster, clutching her stomach and laughing.

“….”

“That was my best joke,” Sharen said dejectedly, pouting.

Just then, Commander Eisenwolf of the knights called out that it was time to depart, giving Isaac a chance to pretend he hadn’t heard the joke.

The commander of this expeditionary force was Sir Eisenwolf. A veteran knight who had guarded the kingdom for many years, he was known for his seasoned leadership.

Rumor had it that he would retire after this mission. Choosing him was a strategic move—to keep the younger nobles in check and maintain balance.

‘Princess Adeline sure knows how to assign the right people to the right places.’

Yes, Eisenwolf would rein in the Pure Flow Association so they wouldn’t overstep.

It would be Ravenfall’s debut.

Climbing onto the horse and gently stroking its mane, Isaac glanced around to see Sharen still lingering where she stood.

“…What are you doing?” he asked with a twinge of unease.

“Give me a ride!” she said.

Sharen wore a radiant smile.

Isaac wanted to refuse her, but from the fact that she’d left her greatsword behind in the supply wagon, it was clear she’d already made up her mind.

Carrying someone like Sharen wouldn’t be too much of a burden.

Of course, some might find it odd that Isaac, who had once been Helmut’s son-in-law, was getting along so well with Sharen.

But Sharen was already inching her way onto the front of Isaac’s saddle, leaning comfortably against his chest.

“I’ll share my snacks with you, just this once!”

“Haah, sure. Let’s get going.”

****

The procession began to move.

The Grandmaster rode up beside Isaac, smiling as she spoke.

“Do you know what your name sounds like when you stretch it out?”

Isaac felt dizzy just hearing that.

“I already did that joke!” Sharen cut in.

“Hmm? A pity. I was hoping to try it myself,” the Grandmaster grumbled, biting down on her smoking leaf.

When Sharen and Isaac both covered their noses, the Grandmaster glanced around warily and spurred her horse to move farther ahead.

“Ugh, can’t even smoke in peace. What’s the point of living so lo—”

“She really do sound like an old man.”

“She is old,” Sharen whispered back.

At that moment, a hard piece of bread flew straight toward their faces.

“Heh, even if I’m old, my hearing is still sharp.”

The bread smacked Isaac hard in the face.

Sharen quickly snatched it up and took a bite.

“Helmut also has strong teeth, you know.”

Crunch, crunch.

Sharen munched away busily, and in the midst of the commotion, an even more troublesome figure sidled up on horseback.

“Greetings.”

His hair, waxed neatly into a blue sheen, lay over thick skin, and he sported a carefully groomed mustache.

He was Rayahn Leivice’s, the young nobleman of the Leivice’s household, whose first encounter with them had been the worst imaginable.

“Get lost,” Isaac snapped, making his annoyance plain. But Rayahn did not retreat.

“Now, now. I haven’t come to see you. I’ve come to greet the lady here.”

“Lady?”

Sharen raised an eyebrow and glanced up at Isaac.

“Ahem, the lady!”

Isaac let out a sigh as he brushed some bread crumbs off her cheek.

“My lady, I am Rayahn of House Leivice’s. Would you grant me the honor of a brief conversation?”

“A lady doesn’t refuse a gentleman’s offer,” Sharen replied.

“Finish your bread first, would you?” Isaac interjected, but Sharen pretended not to hear and turned her attention back to Rayahn.

“What do you want to talk about?”

“For instance, about your one and only older sister.”

“My sister? Why bring her up?”

Isaac narrowed his eyes at Rayahn, but Rayahn ignored him, continuing to address Sharen with shameless composure.

“You see, I’m rather interested in your sister. I was hoping to learn about her tastes, her hobbies…anything she likes.”

“Ooooh.”

Sharen nodded in fascination. No one had ever come asking her such things before, so she spoke up very readily.

“My sister likes good-looking men.”

“Sharen…” Isaac muttered under his breath.

“Haha! Beauty is a universal preference among us humans. And your sister, the great Blood Rose herself, possesses incredible beauty. Makes sense she’d care about appearances.”

“She likes black hair,” Sharen went on.

“Hmm, I see.”

Rayahn, who seemed quite proud of his own hair, looked a bit disappointed. Sharen then rattled off even more details about Rihanna’s preferences:

“She likes people who look a bit delicate.”

“She’s into someone emotional and kind.”

“She tends to favor slender, handsome men with a soft, pleasant voice.”

The more Sharen spoke, the more frequently Rayahn’s gaze flickered toward Isaac.

Meanwhile, Isaac turned his reddening face away. It was hard not to feel self-conscious since every description sounded like it was pointing straight to him.

“Well? Was that helpful enough?” Sharen asked once she’d finished her bread.

Rayahn forced a smile. “Yes, it was…though it seems to describe Baron Logan here to a T.”

“Hmm? Well, of course.”

Sharen blinked, appearing confused that Rayahn would find anything odd about it.

“My sister’s never shown the slightest interest in any man other than Isaac.”

“…….”

“…….”

Now there was a brief silence.

“So there’s nothing to say beyond what describes Isaac.”

“Ha, haha…” Rayahn broke the awkward moment with a forced laugh, then bowed politely.

“A-Ah, thank you for sharing. That was most enlightening.”

“Shave off that mustache first. I’m pretty sure that’s what she’d hate the most.”

“I—I will keep that in mind.”

Rayahn then urged his horse forward to rejoin the other young nobles of the Pure Flow Association.

Watching him ride away, Isaac gently patted Sharen on the head.

“…Good job.”

“Huh? Did I do something worth praising?!”

At his touch, Sharen beamed and playfully shook her head from side to side, clearly delighted.

– – The End of The Chapter ––

 

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