The Son-In-Law Of A Prestigious Household Wants A Divorce-Chapter 66: Blackthorns Subjugation

Blackthorn’s subjugation.

The royal family officially announced Blackthorn’s betrayal and the existence of unknown beings called the Transcendent Race to the public.

At the same time, they assured them not to worry, as they had already completed all the necessary preparations.

Lastly, they declared that the Blackthorn’s subjugation would take place soon, with Helmont leading as the vanguard.

Under Princess Clarisse’s leadership, the meticulously prepared plans began to unfold like dominoes, putting pressure on Blackthorn.

By the time the news spread throughout the kingdom...

An army of nobles, centered around Helmont, had already gathered at Blackthorn.

The people in the territories governed by Blackthorn all looked emaciated, as if they were suffering from famine.

Even the sky was darkened, as if covered by storm clouds, while the people’s eyes looked lifeless.

But, the strange thing here was that their lives were actually abundant.

Children were playing around, their granaries were well-stocked, and they were prosperous enough to eat meat once or twice a week.

But that was exactly the problem.

Despite living such prosperous lives, their faces looked haggard beyond measure.

Hence why orders soon came from above to not accept food from them, or to draw water from their wells.

They judged that there must be a reason why these people looked so destitute despite living such abundant lives.

As the army went deeper into Blackthorn’s territory, they were finally greeted by their opponents.

Blackthorn’s private soldiers, who had built their defenses right in the middle of their territory.

Their numbers were pitifully small compared to the army’s but...

Scattered among them were non-human entities.

The Transcendents, not even bothering to hide their presence, alongside medium to large-sized Demonic Beasts under their command.

Although, despite their best effort to prepare themselves for this battle, the difference in strength was still extreme.

It was clear that the Transcendent Race had already half-given up on Blackthorn.

“...”

Meanwhile, Isaac just silently observed the battlefield from a short distance away.

More precisely, he was observing the red-haired man who was rampaging by himself like a monster in the middle of the battlefield.

Arandel Helmont.

A man whose physique surpassed even the Transcendent Race.

Whose Crimson Essence turned even the most ferocious Demonic Beasts to mere livestocks.

His massive greatsword danced like a flag, leading the battlefield.

Whenever his greatsword struck down...

Even the most unfavorable fights were reversed.

Nobles and knights alike who had been complaining about the Transcendent Race’s strength could only keep their mouths shut.

The fact that Arandel had cut down three Transcendents in the first battle while sneering, saying that it was fun to cut them was etched in Isaac’s mind.

“Itching to join, aren’t you?”

Feeling the same way as Isaac, Silverna—who was standing next to him—laughed.

She was here to join the Blackthorn’s subjugation instead of returning to the North under the pretext of avenging Pollu.

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“Yeah, I am.”

“Me too. He really is something else.”

As they watched Arandel dominate the battlefield like a berserker, the two could only stare at him in awe.

At the same time, their desire to rush in and swing their weapons welled up within them.

The sight made them understand why the kingdom’s knights placed Arandel’s sword on a pedestal.

[There wouldn’t have been a war.]

The Grandmaster was right.

In truth, when he first heard her words, he had doubted her.

Because in his eyes, no matter how strong Arandel was, he still couldn’t see how his mere existence could be a deterrent to war.

But after seeing his Aura that occupied a quarter of the cramped battlefield...

He realized that the title ‘Great Sword’ wasn’t given to him for nothing.

Swift and decisive.

He reduced Blackthorn’s ranks alongside their bases to mere rabbles.

“Ah, it’s over.”

“...”

An hour a day. He only swung his sword for that long before returning.

Yet, within that hour, the army advanced tremendously like nobody’s business. But, once his onslaught ended, the battle entered a stalemate.

Two days since the start of Blackthorn’s subjugation.

Ironically, the kingdom’s side was left with excess strength.

“Isaaaaaac!”

“Haa, here he comes again.”

Lohengrin, who had been swinging his sword by Arandel’s side until just now, approached with large strides.

With bloodshot eyes, he panted as if the battle just now was just a warm up.

“Duel me!”

He shouted the same thing today.

If Rianna was here, she’d step up and stop him, but...

She wasn’t allowed to join the subjugation.

After all, her husband had come in her stead, so she, as the wife, had to remain in the mansion.

“Haa.”

With no other options left, Isaac stepped forward.

Whether he liked it or not, he had to calm this boar-like man who couldn’t control his strength down.

For reference...

After the Sword Dance Festival, they had dueled 3 times, and the results were 3 wins, 0 losses for Isaac.

Indeed, ever since that day, Lohengrin hadn’t been able to defeat Isaac even once.

“Use your Crimson Essence.”

As Isaac calmly adjusted the tachi at his waist and spoke, Lohengrin swung his greatsword widely and shouted.

“Shut up! Do you think my swordsmanship is inferior to yours?!”

“No. It’s just if you use your Crimson Essence, I might learn some—”

“Shut up! Didn’t you... Fucking hell! Wasn’t you the one who showed me that Helmont’s sword isn’t all about Crimson Essence?!”

“Ugh, my ears...”

“Helmont has good lungs too, huh?”

Silverna sighed, crossing her arms.

After the duel, Lohengrin had stopped using Crimson Essence.

It seemed like he came to realize that his father’s sword wasn’t just about forcefully using Crimson Essence, but...

At the same time, he realized that he still had a long way to go.

“Oh, is it starting again?”

“Lord Lohengrin! Land a hit on him today!”

“Good luck!”

“Can I join next time?”

Knights and soldiers gathered from here and there. At some point, Isaac and Lohengrin’s duels had become something of an event.

“Shall we begin?”

Isaac said this with his hand resting on his undrawn tachi, but Lohengrin didn’t get angry or take it as provocation.

Because he knew. When Isaac’s sword was still in its scabbard...

Was the moment when he was the most dangerous.

That was what he had learned through his three defeats.

*   *   *Information gained by running with one’s legs, experiencing with one’s skin, and hearing with one’s ears differed in quality and versatility.

Having gained this insight, Princess Clarisse volunteered to join this subjugation as well.

But, only as an observer.

She didn’t make any comments in regards to the battle or tactics, as she had realized that she wasn’t mature enough to meddle in such matters.

However, she did question Arandel’s behavior of fighting for only one hour a day.

Is there a reason for that?

Although it was somewhat frustrating, he achieved tremendous advances in that single hour.

At the same time, fighting for a single hour meant that they could achieve an overwhelming victory while minimizing casualties and conserving strength.

Indeed, it wasn’t for nothing that he was praised as the Great Sword. Just having him on the battlefield made her feel like they already had victory in their bags.

“Ah.”

Hearing commotion outside the tent, Clarisse stepped out with her guard.

“It’s starting again.”

Outside, people were gathering.

At the end of their gazes, on the hard, barren ground, were Isaac and Lohengrin, dueling.

Clang!

Lohengrin blocked Isaac’s sword by raising his greatsword diagonally.

However, the latter added another tachi on top, prompting the former’s expression to twist in a strange way.

“Kuaaaah!”

He let out a powerful battle cry.

The moment Lohengrin swung his greatsword widely to push away Isaac’s swords...

Isaac let go of both his swords and dove in.

“He uses a different technique every time we watch him.”

“Indeed.”

Clarisse agreed with her guard, Heyrad’s muttering.

There was no one in their right mind would drop their weapons and dive in against Helmont, but...

Isaac did exactly that.

Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!

At the consecutive impact sounds, Lohengrin’s eyes widened.

Temple, philtrum, solar plexus.

All three were vital points that any human would naturally have.

Even for a Helmont, at the end of the day, they were still human. Being struck in such places would still hurt them.

Lohengrin forcefully spat out his saliva while heaving out his breaths roughly, glaring at Isaac with wide eyes.

Seeing him looking as if he wanted to speak but was unable to due to his tongue being frozen from the pain, Isaac grinned and nodded.

“As expected of the great Helmont. A normal person would get a heart attack from that, not just difficulty breathing.”

“You bas—! Kugh! Guehk!”

“I’d do better than you if I had a body as good as yours.”

Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!

Watching Lohengrin fall backward, Clarisse scoffed and muttered.

“That guy must have a lot of pent-up feelings against Helmont.”

“...But Princess, are you sure this is alright?”

“Hm?”

Heyrad asked with a seemingly serious expression as he watched the duel.

“Isn’t it dangerous to let others see Helmont’s eldest son crumble like this?”

“Well, it’s not like I can tell them to just stop.”

Although the princess seemed to treat the matter casually, it didn’t mean she hadn’t given it much thought at all.

Rather...

“If anything, this incident made me realize. Too much of our power is concentrated in Helmont.”

“...”

“They are capable, yes, they are great, yes, but the kingdom shouldn’t solely rely on Helmont.”

The incident this time was a good example.

If Arandel had sided with Galenia and joined the Transcendent Race, even Clarisse didn’t want to think about what would happen.

“This is the perfect time for a generational change. So, I think this is a good situation.”

Clarisse said with a smile.

“Heyrad, have you heard that the number three symbolizes balance?”

Without waiting for an answer, she continued her explanation.

“Rianna of Helmont, Silverna of Cardias, and—“

Isaac.

The new central axis of the next generation to succeed Arandel, as envisioned by Clarisse.

“I think they will become the forefront of the next generation supporting the kingdom.”

From that perspective, this duel was actually quite meaningful.

It could serve to make people less inclined in deifying Helmont...

While at the same time, helping Isaac establish his standing in the future.

“You’ll have to suffer a bit more, Lohengrin Helmont.”

Clarisse prayed that he’d get beaten every day if possible.

*   *   *“Is it alright to just turn a blind eye to them?”

“Young Master Lohengrin is still an important member of Helmont...”

“Is it okay to let someone who was just on the battlefield get beaten up like this?”

Some of Helmont’s knights were protesting to Arandel.

As people who were affiliated with Helmont, it was hard for them to watch Lohengrin being treated like this.

However, Arandel had nothing to say to them.

Instead, he just observed the duel from afar silently.

He learned something again.

The posture, breathing, and instantaneous judgment Isaac showed when he dropped his swords and dove in just now...

Was similar to the posture Arandel had shown when he smashed a rabbit-eared Transcendent with his fists on the battlefield today.

However, knowing that he still was unable to match Arandel’s strength and posture...

He adapted to his own strength in an instant, quickly striking Lohengrin’s vital points with both hands instead of utilizing overwhelming strength like Arandel.

It was similar to how his two swords, when swung together, gave off the impression that he was swinging a greatsword...

He stole Arandel’s technique and made it his own.

In a short time, he read, learned, absorbed, and reproduced my movements in his own way.

Fascinating.

Though he didn’t show it on his face, Arandel was genuinely impressed.

At first, he had wondered how such talent could have been hidden, but...

Talent, after all, was something that had to be nurtured.

Arandel had to acknowledge that over the past four years, Helmont had failed to nurture Isaac’s talent.

He noticed how Isaac used his unfathomably deep knowledge about swords as nourishment for his talent.

Not imitating, but learning. Though he admires, his belief doesn’t waver. He exists for himself, by himself...

Of course, he also noticed Lohengrin’s growth.

Through his recent defeat, his eldest son had realized his shortcomings.

He realized that he could grow even stronger if he wanted to.

That he could break the limit he had put on himself.

It’s a pity.

Unfortunately, the other person was advancing so far ahead that the gap between them was simply too much..

The stride of their steps were different.

Though they both took a single step forward...

The distance covered was clearly different.

It can’t be helped.

And unfortunately, Arandel wasn’t a kind teacher.

I wonder what he’ll show tomorrow.

Arandel let out a soft smile, looking forward to what growth Isaac would show tomorrow.