Honestly, it would've been better if he'd just gotten drunk, blinked, and opened his eyes to find it was the next day.
Drinking, by nature, was a time to let loose—but when someone lets go too far, there's always someone who has to keep things together.
"Sigh, come on, let's get up for now."
Isaac, the only one who wasn't drunk, tried to get Liana and Silverna—both clinging to him on either side—to stand up.
"Where are you going? Don't leave meee…"
"Again?! You're trying to run again?! Again?!"
Each of them grabbed onto him for their own reasons, and all Isaac could do was sigh.
"Hehahaha, take care of your master, would you."
The Grandmaster, lying on the floor and looking their way, didn't seem in any condition to help, so Isaac had already given up on her.
His only hope left was Sharen, who had only drunk orange juice and remained sober.
"Mmmnya…"
But since it was already late, while the others were trapped in a drunken stupor, Sharen had succumbed to sleep and closed her eyes.
Curled up in the Grandmaster's arms, she was sound asleep.
She was from Helmut, after all—sleeping outdoors in a garden didn't seem to bother her body much.
Really, a Helmut body came in handy in all sorts of ways.
"Uunng? Isaac. I'll make it work. Okay? I'll really do my best, Isaac."
Liana's breath brushed against his cheek as she quietly placed a hand on his chest.
Her cheeks were softly flushed, and her touch—gentle, yet oddly tense.
"..."
Was she always this forward?
Back when they were married, no matter how much she drank, he remembered Liana always being composed.
It seemed like she had finally laid down some of the burdens she'd been carrying.
"Hic…! Hey, no way, right? You're lying, aren't you?"
Now the one crying was Silverna.
"There's no one else to carry on my family line if not me! So stop saying nonsense and come back!"
Isaac was aware that what he had said to her was cruel.
There was clearly a difference between being Helmut's son-in-law and being Caldias's son-in-law.
And yet, he couldn't answer.
His path stretched out before him.
Now that the transcendent beings had vanished, he was free to walk wherever he chose.
But if he joined another family again—became someone's son-in-law—it would be like giving up all choices once more.
"I'm sorry, Silverna."
Isaac twisted his body and gently embraced her.
He knew all too well that he'd given an unbearably harsh answer to his lifelong friend who had always supported him.
As he patted her back, Silverna rested her chin on his shoulder and nodded.
"You bastard. You're such a terrible man."
"I know. I'm sorry."
"What's terrible, you idiot! There's no one better than you!"
"Thank you—for thinking of me that way."
Then came the warmth from behind.
Liana wrapped her arms around his waist from behind and buried her face in his other shoulder.
"Isaac smells nice…"
"Why did I ever let you go?"
"I love you, Isaac. I love you."
Sandwiched between the two women, Isaac found himself momentarily flustered.
He tried to slip away, but couldn't—just like his current situation in life.
***
The next morning.
"..."
"..."
A late breakfast had begun.
Liana and Silverna were sitting across from each other, chewing on bread spread with honey.
Their red faces betrayed that they both remembered the mess from the night before.
They tried to avoid eye contact at first, but since it was just the two of them, they decided to speak honestly.
"Hey, if Isaac chooses me, will you give up?"
The proud northern woman didn't hold back.
For some reason, Silverna straightened her back to emphasize her chest even more.
A simple action—but to Liana, it felt oddly aggravating, like she was already losing.
Liana took a breath and nodded.
"If that's what Isaac truly wants. But he asked me to give it some time. I'm sure he still hasn't gotten over me—"
"He probably just felt sorry for you since you were bawling and apologizing."
"..."
Liana's hand froze mid-motion.
She took a slow breath, trying her best to remain composed.
A faint flicker of red aura briefly formed on the butter knife she was using to cut her bread—then vanished.
"Back at you."
The Blood Rose's gaze sharpened as she glared at Silverna.
"Are you planning to take Isaac up north? He already said he's no longer willing to become anyone's son-in-law."
This time, Silverna bit her lip. No matter how precious Isaac was to her, she couldn't chase him while cutting off her family line.
That would be seen as dishonorable, even disgraceful.
"I understand how Isaac feels. Haa… I never imagined the kind of tragedy Anna used to talk about in novels would apply to me."
But Silverna still had the spirit of a warrior.
She intended to fight for what she could.
She had until the victory celebration a month from now.
After that, she and Uldren would have to return to the North—so until then, she planned to persuade Isaac.
'If there was truly no hope, he wouldn't have comforted me the way he did last night.'
She was sure Isaac was conflicted and troubled, just as much as they were.
And then—
"Tsk, how foolish."
The Grandmaster, who had been thoroughly drunk the night before, entered the dining room, her ears and tail drooping.
With her eyes half-closed, she slumped into a chair and sprawled against the table.
'…How can someone change so much in just a few days?'
'Is this really the master I used to know?'
Of all the people, the Grandmaster seemed to have changed the most since the war ended—living like a near-idle layabout.
Well, it had only been about three days, so maybe that was understandable.
Still, it felt a little excessive.
"Do you two really think that child has found an answer?"
"Huh?"
"What do you mean?"
The Grandmaster took a sip of water with a lemon wedge and wiped her lips.
"He's a child who once chased the stars. Even after turning back time… he still kept chasing his own star."
Isaac Logan.
The path he'd walked had always been like reaching for a star—an impossible dream.
Yet he had endured fate and time itself, and reached it.
"Now, that child has become a star himself. He's reached his goal—so now he's simply taking time to figure out what comes next."
The Grandmaster believed it wouldn't take him long.
Even if Isaac lost his way, he was wise enough to find another path.
"Just wait. The Isaac Logan I know… never disappoints others."
"..."
"..."
"He's a kind boy, isn't he?"
The two women looked at each other at the Grandmaster's words.
For some reason, they both felt oddly convinced—and strangely comforted.
And at the same time, the same thought crossed their minds:
"By the way… when are you planning to leave?"
"Isn't it about time you went back to the mountains?"
"..."
Faced with their pressure, the Grandmaster cleared her throat awkwardly and replied,
"How could I leave behind my one and only disciple when there's still so much left to teach? How could I ignore the love of such a sweet student who looks after her master so dearly?"
"…Parasite."
"With ears and a tail, you're not much different from a house pet—"
"Ahem!"
The Grandmaster let out a loud scolding shout, slamming her fist on the table with a thud.
"At the very least, I shall remain here until Isaac himself asks me to leave!"
Which, in other words—
"So you're never leaving?"
"Because he's too kind?"
"Ahem."
The Grandmaster averted her gaze.
As if embarrassed that her own words had revealed her true intentions, she took another gulp of water for no reason.
"But where is the boy? Here I am, suffering this grievous humiliation, and he's nowhere to be found."
"..."
"..."
Neither of the women knew, either.
When they had woken up that morning, Isaac was already gone.
It seemed he had gone out somewhere.
"Isaac went out."
A girl entered the dining room once more.
It was Sharen—bright-eyed and energetic, clearly having had the freshest morning of them all.
With a towel around her neck, she wiped away sweat, as if she'd just finished her morning exercise.
"He said he was going to see a friend."
***
[Our time together was truly a happy one, my friend.]
"Now that I think about it, I don't think we ever drank together, did we?"
Under the warm sunlight,
Isaac poured another drink before a gravestone.
"Not in our past lives, and not in this one either. We only ever spoke in secret, confiding in each other. Maybe that made those moments even more precious, since there was no alcohol involved."
Saying that, he poured himself a drink and took a sip.
Whether it was because he stood before Millie's grave,
Or because of the lingering emotions from the day before—
He felt a strange light buzz setting in.
"I'd wished for this moment so badly."
Isaac looked at the gravestone with a bittersweet smile.
"But now that you're not here, the emptiness feels overwhelming."
With a sigh, he gave a small nod.
The Grandmaster had moved forward by accepting the deaths of her dear friends.
And she had once told Isaac that he needed to do the same.
"I thought I'd overcome it."
"But standing here in front of you… I realize I hadn't overcome anything. I'd just forgotten."
What could the living do for the dead?
Nothing.
And that made death all the more cruel.
"That's why… it becomes a goal to live for."
Gathering the empty bottle, Isaac stood and gently brushed his hand over the gravestone.
"Thank you, Millie. Every time I lose my way… it feels like you're the one grounding me."
I'll try to visit more often.
Because I might not be able to come again for a while.
Whispering that, Isaac turned and left the cemetery.
Just like last time, Princess Clarice was standing there.
Somehow, she had known to come—but had respectfully given him time alone with Millie.
"Did you know? Even though the palace collapsed, my room miraculously survived.
So I'm always in the same place."
"..."
"And yet you never came by even once. Kinda hurts, you know?"
Clarice crossed her arms and pouted.
Isaac looked at her and gave a faint, bitter smile.
"Your Highness, I don't believe my contributions in this war against the Transcendents need to be mentioned publicly."
"Um… right? But where did that come from? And besides, Isaac, you're not the type to say that kind of thing out loud."
Surprised by the uncharacteristic comment, Clarice hesitated—then gave a knowing smile.
"Ah, I get it now."
As if she had been waiting for this moment, Clarice nodded.
And in response, Isaac said calmly:
"There's something I want."