The Son-In-Law Of A Prestigious Household Wants A Divorce-Chapter 16: Second Dispatch

Arandel’s gaze fell upon his two daughters.

Rianna and Sharen—his eldest and his youngest.

He had somewhat expected Rianna to volunteer to go to the Malidean Wall, as it was likely she was still worried about her husband, Isaac.

Sharen, however, he didn’t know.

Huu.

Arandel wasn’t a perfect father.

Understanding his daughters, especially when compared to his sons, was quite a challenge to him.

Sharen, in particular, was still a spirited tomboy, making her even harder to understand.

“Why did you decide to volunteer, Sharen?”

At times like this, a blunt approach was best.

Everyone’s gaze turned to Sharen. All equally curious about her sudden interest in the Malidean Wall.

“Father.”

Sharen placed her hand on her chest and stepped forward.

Young she might be, but she was a Helmont.

Thus, she was old enough to be well-versed in etiquette.

“I, Sharen Helmont, have judged it as my duty and thus have spoken.”

“State your reason.”

No unnecessary words.

Arandel said as he leaned forward, resting his chin on his hand.

Sharen’s composure instantly faltered.

“I-I’m sorry! My feelings got ahead of me and...”

Her eyes darted about nervously as she explained, her words tumbling out in a rapid, almost urgent, manner.

“T-The Sword Dance Festival is quickly approaching, so, it wouldn’t be wise for elder brothers to go. Elder Sister Rianna also needs to stay, and...”

She stopped for a moment, barely catching her breath.

“The youngest, Edel, shouldn’t go either. Thus I thought, however insufficient, it would be right for me to go, as I can wield the Helmont sword.”

“Hmm.”

It didn’t take even a moment for Arandel to be sure she was lying.

The self-centered Sharen, suddenly bringing up the greater good as a pretext? It was clear she had other intentions. But...

There is no particular reason to refuse either.

He, too, thought Sharen was the most logical choice.

She wasn’t really needed for the Sword Dance Festival, and she was not lacking in combat skill either.

Moreover, he also thought of it as a good learning experience. Perhaps the battlefield would do the immature girl some good.

“Its status as a Great Colony has been confirmed, so do not be careless. Show those gathered there the might of Helmont.”

At his approval, Sharen beamed ear to ear, bowing her head.

“I shall show the world the true greatness of Helmont’s swordsmanship!”

At her words Arandel’s face turned ashen for a brief moment, unnoticed by others.

“Father! I—“

Rianna stepped forward, about to make an appeal for herself, but Arandel, his mood soured by Sharen’s words just now, frowned and waved a dismissive hand.

“Leave.”

“...”

And that was the end. No one present there could oppose the family head.

After everyone left, Arandel remained alone in his office, finishing the remainder of his work.

Sharen’s earlier words echoed in his mind.

[I shall show the world the true greatness of the Helmont swordsmanship!]

Helmont’s swordsmanship.

“Huu.”

A sigh, heavy with lament, escaped him, etching even deeper lines into his face.

“...Which one of you is even actually wielding the Helmont swordsmanship?”

His bitter murmur dissipated into the air like a wisp of gray cigarette smoke.

*   *   *With hurried steps, Rianna made her way through the manner.

She intended to rush straight to Sharen and make her rescind her offer to go to the wall, but...

“Rianna!”

In the second-floor’s corridor, a sharp, heated voice made her halt her footsteps.

Lohengrin, her eldest brother, strode toward her.

“It was you, wasn’t it? The one who pushed Sharen to go?”

“...What are you even talking about?”

Despite being a year younger, Rianna had long since abandoned any respect for Lohengrin.

“If not you, then why would Sharen volunteer for the Malidean Wall?! You’re the one who should be going!”

“...”

“You bitch! Were you that hungry for the family head position? Was it that hard to yield to your older brother?”

“Haa, don’t be absurd. I’ve told you countless times, I have absolutely zero interest.”

Rianna tried to move past, paying him no heed, but Lohengrin grabbed her shoulder.

Thwack!

Rianna’s hand lashed out, striking him away.

Lohengrin recoiled, momentarily frightened by the deadly aura emanating from her, but it didn’t take long for his temper to reignite.

“How on earth did you persuade Father?! He even let the Roselixir incident slide!!!”

“Haa.”

Roselixir.

Helmont’s secret, strength-enhancing elixir.

Immediately after Isaac left, one of the vials, reserved for the direct lineage, had gone missing.

Lohengrin had accused Rianna of stealing it and giving it to Isaac, but Arandel had simply let it slide, offering neither a reprimand nor a punishment.

“Father knew it was your petty scheme.”

Indeed. Arandel wasn’t someone who’d fall for such childish ploys.

“Yes, this timing is perfect. Let me make myself clear, Lohengrin. Stop playing around with your pointless schemes. Father already considers you as his successor. There’s no need for you to reveal more of your incompetence with these meaningless efforts.”

Lohengrin’s expression twisted ugly at Rianna’s piercing, impassive words.

“So that’s how you plan to steal the family head position from me? Ha! How laughable! Rianna, I’ll make this clear for you! There isn’t even a sliver of a chance that you’ll become the family head!”

“What? No... Haa...”

‘How should I deal with this blockhead?’ A sigh escaped her, and with it, the last vestiges of her familial affection towards him.

“Mother will return for the Sword Dance Festival. She will surely support me.”

“...”

“Also, once I show my overwhelming superiority by crushing your pathetic sword at the Sword Dance Festival, it’s over. You know what our duel record is so far, right?”

A smug grin spread across Lohengrin’s face.

37 matches, 31 wins, 6 losses.

His record against Rianna was overwhelming.

The number of duels was a bit low for siblings, but that was because Rianna intentionally avoided them.

“In the end, I just need to prove it with my skills. But if you try any underhanded tactics—“

“Right.”

Rianna’s expressionless eyes widened slightly.

“That’s right.”

“...What do you mean?”

The corners of Rianna’s lips turned up ever so slightly, as if she had come to a realization.

“With Isaac gone, there’s no need to hold back anymore.”

“What?”

“Come to the dueling ground, Lohengrin.”

A dark red fighting spirit—the Crimson Essence—poured out from Rianna’s entire body, momentarily stunning Lohengrin.

“I need to let you know your place.”

She swept past him, heading toward the dueling ground.

*   *   *“Keu...heuk?!”

It was a pathetic sight.

Tangled and blinded by his own cloak, Lohengrin rolled back pathetically, not even in a state to scream properly.

His greatsword lay abandoned, and his Crimson Essence utterly shattered like fragile glass.

The only saving grace was the fact that they had chosen the unused underground dueling ground, sparing him from even greater humiliation.

New novel 𝓬hapters are published on ƒreewebɳovel.com.

“Lohengrin.”

Rianna’s voice was ice cold, as if her victory was a predetermined outcome.

Lohengrin couldn’t bear the humiliation, for in the duel, he hadn’t even managed a proper swing before being overwhelmed.

“If I wanted the family head position, I would have taken it by force already.”

“...!”

“So stop bothering me. It’s annoying.”

Rianna turned to leave as Lohengrin, scrambling to his feet, cried out in anguish.

“Until now! Have you been toying with me this whole time?! Hiding such power?!”

“Hm.”

Rianna paused, then whispered softly without turning.

“It was because of Isaac.”

“...What?”

“Forget it, I don’t want to say anything more.”

As Rianna walked away, Lohengrin’s anguished, desperate cries followed her.

“I am the eldest son! I-I will become the family head!!!

“I! I might not have known! But do you think Father doesn’t know your true ability?!

“Even so, Father will choose me! Because I...! I will become the great Helmont succeeding Father!!!”

Rianna clicked her tongue at his pathetic display.

Father? Knows everything?

Of course he does.

Arandel wasn’t foolish enough not to know the difference in ability between the two.

However...

It doesn’t matter at all.

To Arandel, the difference in ability between Lohengrin and Rianna was negligible. The only reason why he hesitated to choose Lohengrin was because of his foolishness.

Will there even be someone who could gain his approval through swordsmanship in the first place?

Rianna mused as she reached the ground floor.

As she was crossing the first-floor hall, trying to find Sharen once again...

“...”

Her gaze landed on a copper-skinned woman in a chef’s attire, bustling about.

Milly, wasn’t it?

She had seen this woman chatting about with Isaac, being all buddy-buddy with him.

And, she vaguely remembered that they were the same age, and Isaac had even given her a parting gift.

Milly, who had been engrossed in her work, saw Rianna and hastily bowed.

“Greetings, my lady.”

“...”

Rianna showed no reaction and just stared at her for a long moment before uttering.

“You received a gift from Isaac.”

“...Pardon?”

Milly looked up, bewildered by the abrupt statement. However, she quickly recovered.

“Yes! That’s right. Sir Isaac drew a portrait of me.”

“May I see it?”

“Huh? Oh, certainly.”

Milly led Rianna to the servants’ quarters outside the mansion.

Entering Milly’s room, Rianna glanced around.

From a commoner background. The same age. A bright personality.

She’s similar to Isaac.

A woman, the antithesis of Rianna herself.

Is this the kind of woman Isaac liked?

As Rianna pondered, Milly retrieved the sketch.

“Here it is. I didn’t know that Sir Isaac was so talented in drawing!”

Milly uttered her genuine praise of Isaac.

She knew of the impending divorce, but she didn’t want to speak ill of Isaac.

“Ah...”

The drawing—a portrait of Milly—was undeniably impressive.

Rianna had no idea Isaac was that talented.

“I-“

He never drew me. Not even once.

Rianna swallowed her words, turned, and walked out.

“I have seen it. Thank you.”

Her footsteps, as she left without waiting for a response, seemed to lack their usual strength.

*   *   *Next morning.

“Make sure to pack enough sweets! If we run out of the way, you’re going to regret it!”

Carriages, ready to depart for the Malidean Wall, were lined up at the Helmont mansion.

Nearby, Sharen Helmont gave various instructions, her head poking out of the most luxurious carriage.

Unlike Isaac, who only had Jonathan, this expedition to face the Great Colony included a decent number of Helmont’s knights.

“Haa, it’s just Isaac, what’s all this fuss all about?”

Sharen sighed, yet her eyes sparkled with excitement. She looked like a child about to set out on an adventure, treating the battlefield like a game.

Oh, my lady.

Kelsey, Sharen’s personal maid, fretted.

She was extremely worried that if things kept going on her lady might get seriously hurt.

If only any of her siblings could go with her.

Kelsey grumbled.

She would have felt much more at ease if Rianna Helmont had gone along with her lady.

In the dim and dark carriage, Kelsey diligently packed the luggage, being especially careful to seal and store Sharen’s snacks.

That was when she noticed something covered with a white cloth bulging out from between the luggage compartments.

Hmm, what’s this?

As the one responsible for all the baggage, she lifted the cloth out of curiosity. Only to find...

“L-Lady Rianna?!”

Rianna Helmont was crouched there, her face flushing in embarrassment as she pleaded.

“P-Pretend you didn’t see me.”

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Rianna