"..."
Looking down at Deldan, who was prostrated on the ground, Isaac let out a short sigh.
To be honest, it wasn't like Isaac had picked a fight with him just because he wanted to.
In back alleys like this, fists were worth several times more than the law.
That's why he simply wanted to establish a clear hierarchy that matched their rules and worldview.
Still, he didn't expect Deldan to grovel this fast or submit so completely.
'He said he used to be a knight, didn't he?'
His muscles clearly belonged to someone who had wielded a sword often.
The fact that he had once been a knight, realized the limits of his talents, and then ended up in the back alleys of Volten—
Thinking about the path the man had walked, it seemed only natural for him to be groveling like this now.
He had once gazed upon the lofty sky, only to realize it was forever out of reach and fled from it.
So how could someone like that fight here?
'You could call it wisdom.'
Isaac himself had never made such a choice, but that didn't mean it was the wrong one.
As someone who had once chased stars, he knew how hard that path was.
In fact, thanks to Deldan's attitude, Isaac figured staying in Volten might actually be a bit easier.
"Get up."
No need for formalities now. Isaac spoke casually.
And Deldan, who seemed to prefer it that way, quickly sprang to his feet.
"Yes, my lord! I will sincerely become your loyal dog and guide Volten in the direction you desire—"
"Are you sure you're not mentally ill or something?"
"..."
//Even Silverna and Liana looked at Deldan in amazement.
To think he could throw himself down and submit that quickly.
But it was hard to deny that such behavior had helped him survive this long.
Isaac pushed the liquor aside and spoke.
"Deldan. Like I said earlier, I'll be arriving in Volten as its new lord in a week."
By then, Logan would probably no longer be a baron, but a count.
"And I don't particularly like the current state of Volten."
"...!"
"It's excessively decadent. There's a lot of crime, and the back alleys are probably worse than what's officially known."
"Y-Yes, that's correct."
Though Deldan was part of those very back alleys, he pretended otherwise as he answered.
You could call that another form of survival skill.
"I know I can't change everything overnight. Sudden reforms would cause too much inconvenience for the people."
Whatever the case, it's not like he could completely tear Volten down and rebuild it from scratch.
"What I want from Volten… is controlled decadence."
Controlled decadence.
An oxymoron.
But Isaac began laying out the regulations and policies he had been thinking over the past few days.
"As for the gambling dens, I'll designate a specific licensed zone. It'll be grouped with the red-light district, and I plan to enforce the strictest regulations there."
"...!"
"Do you now understand why I came to you?"
Isaac had wanted to test Deldan's capabilities.
Whether it was quick wit or intelligence, Deldan immediately responded as if snapping to attention.
"Because my casino is the largest in Volten, you plan to make that the center of the licensed zone!"
"Exactly. And you need to become the face of order."
"...!"
Isaac couldn't manage everything himself.
So he needed someone he could trust and rely on.
And Deldan was more than qualified.
"When I return, I'll personally train the Night Guard. I'll also implement a blacklist system to strictly regulate criminal groups and dangerous individuals."
"Ah…"
Deldan gulped.
It was far more specific—and far more threatening—than he had expected.
On top of that, because of Isaac's infamous "Volten Massacre," fear of him already ran deep in the people's hearts.
It hadn't been that long since then, after all.
Deldan was certain.
From now on, Volten would move only within the fence built by the man standing in front of him.
Which is why—
"I will follow you! Until the day you're officially installed as lord of Volten! I—I will do everything I can to clean up the underworld!"
Deldan had just secured the most advantageous and secure position—before anyone else.
***
"Yes, my lord! I'll serve with all I've got from now on!"
Isaac exited the casino.
Deldan and his subordinates followed him out to see him off.
Their bowed heads didn't resemble obedient soldiers—they were something else entirely.
Isaac gave Deldan a nod, patting him on the shoulder.
"I'm counting on you."
"Yes, my lord!"
That should've been enough.
But perhaps Deldan was just a little *too* enthusiastic.
He leaned close and whispered quietly in Isaac's ear.
"When you visit next time, I'll have liquor and women prepared. We have some rather beautiful ladies here, so if you come alone then—"
Deldan's tongue froze in place.
Because he made eye contact with a woman whose face had been partially hidden until now.
'I whispered so quietly… could she have heard?'
No, that's impossible.
Not with human hearing.
Or so he thought.
But then—
The woman walked over, heels clicking, and looked up at Deldan with sharp eyes as she warned him:
"Don't go making weird suggestions."
Despite the coldness of her voice, why did it feel so hot?
The murderous intent in her eyes sparked a primal urge to run.
Deldan, though flustered, clenched his fists tightly.
"No matter how close you are to the Baron, there's a line that shouldn't be crossed—this is a bit—"
Flick.
The woman didn't answer.
Instead, she simply removed the cloth covering her face, as if his words weren't worth responding to.
Her red hair spilled out, brilliantly lighting up the dark night.
"A-Ah…?"
The sudden turn of events left Deldan unable to process what was happening. What in the world was going on?
'Why? Helmut…?'
Liana Helmut.
A woman whose very presence could be called a calamity.
'I heard Baron Logan was once the Helmut family's son-in-law…'
He knew about the connection between Helmut and Isaac. But perhaps because of that very connection, the situation before him felt even more confusing.
'They broke up, didn't they? So why are they still together?'
Questions piled on.
But he couldn't voice them. No, there was something else he needed to do first.
"I sincerely apologize!!"
Deldan immediately prostrated himself again.
His subordinates, following their boss, quickly dropped to the ground beside him.
A single misstep here could mean death.
That's just the kind of person Helmut was.
Liana looked down at Deldan and gave a curt warning.
"If you make another offer like that, expect me to come find you with a greatsword."
"Y-Yes! Of course! Y-Y-Yes!!"
A shout almost on the verge of tears.
Isaac, watching from the side, wore an expression of disbelief.
Liana, meanwhile, pouted her lips and huffed, turning away.
"What was that about?" asked Silverna.
Liana, as if she'd just found an ally, explained:
"He said next time Isaac come, he'll have women ready for me."
"That bastard—!"
Silverna looked like she was about to leap at Deldan, and Isaac barely managed to hold her back.
***
The night in Volten was long and vibrant.
Especially on nights when the night market opened—drunken people began to outnumber the sober, and while that increased the number of disturbances, thankfully, they remained mostly minor.
"..."
Having returned from the gambling den, Isaac now sat at an outdoor table, sipping beer.
He'd heard that reading the mood and rhythm of the streets was an essential trait for any lord.
In that regard, Volten was easy to read—so open that one could almost call it blatant.
"This city is truly decadent and immoral."
The Grandmaster muttered while drinking her beer.
It wasn't a tone of judgment.
She was simply expressing what she saw and felt.
"Huh?! I think it just looks fun! Lively and exciting!"
In contrast, Sharen shouted cheerfully. She'd had one real sip of alcohol earlier and was now swaying side to side, clearly tipsy.
"Still, it's not like there's no potential. The fact that there are this many people here also means the city's economy is moving smoothly."
Princess Clarice added, as if pointing out one of the perspectives Isaac should have.
Just as she said, Volten's money flow was surprisingly stable.
"The guards aren't lacking in skill, but they're a bit too lax."
"Well, they're dealing with people, not beasts. Most issues can be solved with a conversation."
Silverna and Liana, both seasoned warriors, shared their thoughts.
It's not that the guards were incompetent. With so many incidents happening, they'd simply grown used to it. It had become just another part of everyday life.
"..."
Isaac took in their observations while quietly watching the city of Volten.
Everything they said was valid.
After all, there was no such thing as a wrong impression.
They were merely speaking the truth as they saw it.
This was the city where Millie had once lived.
And that was why Isaac wanted to change it—even if just a little.
Even if it was a meaningless form of atonement.
Still—
'I need to change too.'
He had lived looking only at the past, using the excuse of protecting the future.
Now, the moment he'd longed for had finally come. But he couldn't keep living while staring backward.
So he chose to look forward.
What came into his sight were the people sitting at the table—eating and drinking together.
"..."
From the moment he'd first mentioned leaving Volten, he'd kept this buried deep inside.
Now, he used the influence of alcohol to finally let it out.
"…There's something I want to say."
In that moment, everyone's eyes turned to him.
"So… about how I feel."
Isaac smiled bitterly as he spoke.