Chapter 109
Chapter 109
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 109
Chapter Title: Chilly Winter (4)
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Dawn, 1:41 a.m.
In place of Winterer's firmly locked castle gate, the side door cracked open, and Theo stepped out.
“It's cold out.”
Theo pulled up the fox scarf Cecilia had specially prepared for him, covering his mouth.
The night breeze of the first winter he'd faced since his regression was that biting.
“Oh, there you are at last. Our little maknae.”
There were people waiting for him.
Selphard and Arin.
These two were the escorts Julius had promised to assign.
‘Evelyn's swamped with her Dragon Gate Swordsman promotion exam, right?’
He felt a twinge of regret, but he hoped for the best for her.
She'd put up a solid fight against Wolfgang and caught the eye of many experts, so promotion shouldn't be too tough.
“Sorry to keep you waiting. I got held up.”
“Nah, no worries at all. We just got here ourselves. And you showed up ten minutes early? What’s there to apologize for?”
Selphard waved off Theo's apology lightly, then casually asked,
“But the destination's the Affluent Archipelago Autonomous Region? What kind of mission is this, anyway?”
“Hm? Captain didn’t say anything?”
“He just kicked my ass and said to follow you.”
“…….”
That explained Arin's sullen silence.
Theo let out a soft sigh.
“I’ll fill you in on the details en route.”
“Sounds good.”
Whiiist!
Selphard gave a light whistle.
Two wyverns came flying from the sky, silhouetted against the moon.
* * *
Theo's group traveled for several days to reach the northwest region.
The northern conifer forests gave way to plains, then they crossed several mountain ranges, and the air gradually warmed.
‘No, wait. Is it that the North's winter is just exceptionally harsh?’
As Theo mulled this over, a low-lying depression appeared in the distance where the ground dipped unusually.
Beyond it, a horizon of blue waves stretched into view.
His chest felt suddenly wide open.
“Kuh! Been years since I last saw it, and it still hits the spot.”
Selphard marveled at the sea's blue expanse before turning to Theo.
“Oh yeah, Theo, isn't this your first time seeing the ocean?”
“Uh, yeah, pretty much.”
“Huh. No reaction, though? Most folks are like, ‘Whoa, that much water? Is that even possible?’ or ‘Where does it end?’—freaking out or whatever.”
The North had a few massive lakes, but with all the plains and forests, plenty of northerners went their whole lives without ever seeing the sea.
He'd expected something like that from Theo, but
‘Once lived near the coast myself, so.’
It wasn't much of a surprise to Theo, with his past life's memories.
Selphard looked deflated.
“You think everyone's gonna make a big fuss like you?”
Arin snorted, and Selphard suddenly grinned.
“Know a guy who saw the sea for the first time and suddenly had to hit the john? Yeah?”
“......Can you shut up for a bit?”
“Yeah?”
“......No clue what you're on about.”
“Nah?”
“Drop dead.”
Clang!
Arin drew her sword and spurred her mount after Selphard.
“Pwahaha!”
“You bastard! Stop right there!”
Screee—
As their aerial chase unfolded amid Selphard's laughter,
Theo quietly gazed at the serene, rippling blue sea.
The port city of Novaje, gateway to the Affluent Archipelago, came into sight.
Countless large and small ships bobbed at anchor, crates moving to and fro in a bustle of activity.
Dockworkers unloading cargo, auctioneers bellowing bids, fishermen cheering full hauls, merchants sorting fish, street vendors setting up stalls, ships' horns signaling departure, and more.
It breathed a fierce vitality utterly different from the North's harsh survival grind.
‘Been a while here too.’
A faint smile touched Theo's lips.
In his past life, he'd fled Ragnar in disgrace from Winterer and ended up here, thinking he'd try his hand at business.
‘Wonder how those guys are doing?’
By the time he recalled those past-life connections—mere children now—the group had arrived near Novaje.
Before entering the city, they stowed or stationed their wyverns and changed into prepared clothes.
“This mission's top secret, so we keep our identities airtight. We'll move as stealthily as possible. For now, our cover's wandering knights. Here's your ID badges.”
Theo handed Selphard and Arin separate badges.
Selphard examined his curiously, turning it over.
“When the hell did you prep these?”
“Black Snow arranged it.”
“You actually got a Proof Badge from Black Snow?”
“Rumors already?”
“Who wouldn't talk about something that big?”
“Then……?”
“How'd I know?”
“Yeah.”
“Just did.”
“……?”
“Heard it somewhere.”
“……??”
Only Theo, the Black Dragon, and Julius knew about the Proof Badge from Black Snow.
How'd it just “reach his ears” out of nowhere?
Arin sighed deeply beside him, shaking her head.
“Don't bother trying to make sense of what this guy's saying—just roll with it. He scurries around like a rat, picking up all sorts of gossip.”
“Hey! Rat? There's a fine word like ‘gossiper’!”
“Gossiper who knows the exact number of spoons and forks in Theo's house? That's a stalker.”
“……???”
Theo still couldn't follow their banter.
“Just let it slide. Try to understand him from one to ten, and you'll never stop.”
“……Ah, got it.”
Theo nodded awkwardly and entered Novaje with them.
“So, where to now? Grab a ship straight to Benota?”
“No. Got a stop first.”
“Where?”
“They’ll be here soon.”
“Huh? What?”
Now Selphard tilted his head in confusion,
Thud!
When one of the passing pedestrians bumped into Theo “accidentally.”
“Sorry…… Aaagh!”
Selphard and Arin were left dumbfounded for a moment.
The pedestrian's hand was clearly dipped in Theo's back pocket, rifling around.
Theo had caught the pickpocket mid-act.
“You're from Spinola, right?”
“W-what are you talking about! Let go! I said let go!”
“I want to meet your bosses. How should I go about that?”
Theo grinned, ignoring the pickpocket's screams.
“You little shit!”
The pickpocket flushed red, drew a dagger from his bosom, and swung at Theo.
But,
Crackkk!
The thug's right arm twisted backward,
“Aaaagh!”
Theo didn't blink as he kicked the guy square in the gut.
He had no intention of going easy on a criminal from the start.
Boom—
Roll roll!
The pickpocket flew into the air and crashed onto a street vendor's stall opposite.
-Kyaagh!
-Fight!
-Guards! Call the guards!
As chaos erupted around them,
Theo pinned the scrambling pickpocket's nape underfoot, forcing him back down.
“Guhk! N-neck! Neeeeck……!”
Theo gazed down at the choking, gasping wretch with a cold smile.
“Where's your hideout?”
“N-neck! Neck f-first……!”
“Location first.”
Theo pressed harder.
Panic surged in the pickpocket—real fear he'd choke or snap his neck—as he pointed to a nearby tavern.
“Th-there……!”
“Sure about that?”
“Yes! Please……!”
Only then did Theo ease off.
Gasp!
The pickpocket gulped air at last, but
“Then lead the way.”
“W-what!”
Theo grabbed his nape and dragged him unceremoniously toward the tavern.
“P-please, s-spare me! If y-you drag me l-like this, I-I'm d-dead!”
“You die, not me, right?”
“N-no, you bastard!”
These naive knights out for a stroll—especially the young master's pockets—were supposed to be easy pickings, but shit had hit the fan.
No resisting now; Theo had already hurled him toward the tavern.
Bang!
The pickpocket smashed through the door, tumbling deep inside.
He lay limp, out cold.
-What the!
-Who the hell!
The sudden uproar drew all eyes—patrons and staff—to the dusty entrance,
Shing!
“Is this the Spinola branch?”
Theo lowered Drake's blade and strode in.
* * *
By the time Selphard and Arin followed Theo into the tavern, the commotion had died down.
Broken weapons littered the floor, and thugs who screamed “back-alley criminal” lay twisted in grotesque poses, howling.
Theo sat at a table, looking refreshed after a good stretch, overlooking them.
「......Didn't you say maximum secrecy for this op? This commotion okay?」
Selphard shot Theo a baffled telepathic message.
And <Spinola>, the name Theo was after, hardly screamed “secret op.”
The capital of the Affluent Archipelago Autonomous Region.
Free city hosting the Maritime Alliance and Bankers' Consortium HQ.
Benota.
For ages, it'd run on an oligarchy where three families rotated the governorship.
-The Maritime Three Families.
They were commonly called.
Spinola was one, born from a crime syndicate handling illicit shipping profits via illegal immigrants and exiles.
Now they ran legit ventures too, but still struck fear in many.
Of course, puny compared to Ragnar.
Still, riding the Maritime Alliance coattails, their money and global reach weren't negligible.
Stirring up their branch for no reason could blow things up.
But,
「This is the perfect way to move in secret.」
「How so? Explain.」
「Benota looks like a lawless dump on the surface. But that's why it's under iron surveillance. The Three Families' eyes and ears everywhere.」
Selphard got the gist.
「So we're easy to spot too?」
「Yes. If Black Snow's right and Black Skull's one of Benota's hidden blades, investigating gets harder. Just breeds suspicion.」
「So glom onto Spinola instead?」
「If we're drawing eyes anyway, better to do it openly.」
Theo continued.
「Spinola's like a mafia family. Skilled blades like us? They'll bite.」
「Win 'em over, and waltzing into Benota's core gets easy?」
「Exactly.」
Hah!
Selphard let out an involuntary chuckle.
Theo's plan was airtight.
‘This is straight-up Black Snow's playbook.’
No wonder the Black Dragon was obsessed with recruiting him.
Some talent.
‘For this op, just follow Theo's lead. Stick to his tail, and it'll wrap itself up.’
Arin, catching the explanation late from Selphard, let out an admiring gasp.
Creak!
Thud, thud—
Someone descended the broken upstairs stairs.
An old man with a cane.
All eyes turned his way.
“Looks like your welcome was lacking.”
“You the Spinola boss running this joint? Fitting for criminals—your underlings are all ugly as sin.”
Theo, having already trashed the place, decided to stick with an arrogant prick act for the op.
It suited his sharp features so well that Selphard and Arin flinched watching.
‘Theo's not really like that normally, right……?’
‘Theo's a Ragnar through and through.’
Remembering Ragnars gonna Ragnar, they nodded in vague acceptance.
“……?”
Only Theo tilted his head, clueless.