Chapter 15
Chapter 15
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 15
Chapter Title: Dragon Instructor Meeting (5)
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Throne competition.
Also known as the throne battle or family head civil war.
Under the rule where the strong devoured everything, clashes among the heirs were always bound to bring bloodshed.
For a moment, Wellington felt as if he had caught the scent of blood right then.
‘Axion, you really…!’
Had Theo already anticipated that Axion would make a move?
The other trainees snapped to attention, their eyes wide open.
“What the hell is this…!”
“I’m fine, so sit down.”
Evelyn tried to block the Law Swordsmen’s path.
But Theo grabbed the hem of her sleeve first and stood up from his seat.
“The warrant?”
Theo glanced at the warrant the Law Swordsman boldly presented and let out a smirk.
The ink wasn’t even dry yet, showing how hastily it had been prepared.
“Escort the criminal to the Law Court.”
The moment handcuffs were fastened around Theo’s wrists, two Law Swordsmen flanked him and led him outside.
“…”
“…”
“…”
It all happened in the blink of an eye.
A chill settled over the pub.
A moment later.
Bang!
Sybil Dray, the first trainee to spar with Theo, slammed the table in frustration.
“This is outrageous! Theo Young Master suddenly taken to the Law Court? To someone who spends all day training and pays no attention to anything else…!”
“He’s right! This has to be some kind of frame-up!”
“Yeah!”
“Exactly!”
“Could it be that they plotted something at that Dragon Instructor Meeting today…!”
As the protests grew louder, Evelyn stomped the ground hard.
Thud…!
Rumble—
The vibration was so intense it felt like the building might collapse.
“Everyone, watch your mouths. Have you already forgotten who they are?”
Under Evelyn’s piercing glare, the trainees all clamped their lips shut.
Only then did they recall the weight the Law Court carried in Winterer.
The Law Court was an all-powerful law enforcement agency.
Depending on the circumstances, it could even pin treason charges on innocent citizens.
It was infamous for never tolerating rumors that insulted them.
“For now, no reckless actions until we grasp the full details. We can act together when the time comes, and it won’t be too late.”
As the trainees nodded gravely one by one.
Evelyn sank into deep thought.
‘The look in his eyes at the end. He clearly anticipated something like this.’
Given Theo’s personality, that meant he had already prepared countermeasures.
Evelyn’s thoughts reached that point, and she turned her gaze toward Wellington.
Sure enough.
Wellington was staring intently at something.
A small note the size of a palm.
‘As expected!’
In that situation, when had he slipped it to him?
Wellington examined the note with a serious expression several times before crumpling it up and swallowing it.
Then their eyes met.
“Instructor, could you help me? I need to go somewhere urgently.”
“Where?”
“The Ceres Merchant House.”
Evelyn knew the place.
A military supply merchant house that had long maintained trade relations with Camellia Palace.
One of the people whose arm Evelyn had personally severed just moments ago was the daughter of that merchant house’s lord.
“What needs to be done?”
Wellington mouthed the words so only Evelyn could see.
‘Eliminate them all.’
“…!”
* * *
‘Still the same as ever.’
Theo gazed impassively at the imposing Law Court building.
Filled with elements designed to crush a person’s spirit, as befitted an institution that hauled away all of Winterer’s criminals.
Stern-faced swordsmen stood in rigid formation at the entrance.
The buildings exuded a stark, oppressive atmosphere.
But Theo remained unfazed.
It was a place he had frequented relentlessly in his previous life.
So this time would be much the same.
They’d toss him in solitary for a few days, starve him, wear him down completely, then drag him out and demand he confess to whatever crimes they cooked up. Or maybe threaten him with his family as hostages.
But…
‘Where are they taking me?’
The direction the Law Swordsmen were leading him wasn’t toward the detention cells.
The central headquarters.
The massive building that served as the Law Court’s main office.
‘No way?’
Theo caught on to their intentions and let out a hollow chuckle.
No wonder the Law Swordsmen had been so eerily quiet during the escort.
‘It’s not just me who’s planning to make this big.’
Interesting.
One corner of Theo’s mouth curled up.
Whether it was Axion’s idea or Ed’s, he had to admit it was ‘not bad.’
Thud!
The Law Swordsmen halted before a heavy iron door.
“Prisoner Theo Ragnar, escorted as ordered.”
“Bring him in.”
Creak—
The iron door swung open, revealing a vast chamber.
Far ahead.
Nine stone thrones arranged in a semicircle around a massive rounded table.
Four of them were occupied.
Theo recognized one face immediately.
Julius.
The White Dragon Knights’ captain gave Theo a wry smile.
The remaining three were faces Theo could never forget.
Plum Palace Lord.
Elder Council Leader.
Central Intelligence Chief.
Known respectively as Sword Dragon, Origin Dragon, and Anti-Dragon, they were the [Nine Dragons] who, alongside Demon Dragon Julius, protected the Ragnar Family.
In other words, this was no ordinary trial treating Theo as a petty criminal.
It was a seat to judge the qualifications of an heir.
They alone held the authority to punish an heir in the Ragnar Family.
‘They plan to crush me completely this time, leaving no room for any schemes of my own.’
Theo let out a smirk as he looked at Anti-Dragon Ed Troyvan, seated at the far right.
Ed stared back at him with a feigned solemn expression.
“Theo Ragnar.”
Theo’s gaze snapped back as Origin Dragon ‘Wolfgang Ragnar,’ seated at the center, spoke.
He was the current family head’s youngest uncle and the oldest living member of the Ragnar Family.
Yet he was still a vigorous old monster from his active days.
“Yes. Elder Council Leader. It’s been a while. I didn’t expect to see you here, though.”
“Enough greetings. We’ve received a formal accusation regarding the crimes you just committed. No need to explain the details… So, what do you plan to do about it?”
Wolfgang made no secret of his displeasure at having been dragged here.
He was a pureblood supremacist who insisted that the great Ragnar bloodline must never mix with ‘mongrels.’
Naturally, he adhered rigidly to status and rank, hiding nothing of his contempt for Theo, born of lowly origins.
“Byron Family, Ceres Merchant House, Crimson-White Mercenary Corps… and even Hanabi? Ha! They’re all threatening to abandon the main family if things go south. If long-time retainers and vassals turn against us because of your idiotic antics, do you think a wretch like you could bear the consequences?”
Rumble—
The Law Court trembled as if it might collapse under Wolfgang’s roar.
The air grew hot.
As if ready to swallow Theo whole at any moment.
It was a situation that would cow most people.
“Is that so?”
But Theo’s expression remained utterly calm, without a trace of fear.
-At that moment, Theo didn’t miss the shift in the gazes of Sword Dragon Plum Palace Lord and Julius, who had been watching him silently.
‘Julius is favorable. Plum Palace Lord is curious… The good news is, out of these four, I can potentially pull in up to two allies. If I play it right, I can even sway them to neutral.’
The Plum Palace Lord was the family head’s first wife, effectively the true mistress of the Ragnar Family.
Theo recalled she had always maintained a good relationship with Julius.
Thanks to that, she must have heard positive things about him.
That was some small mercy.
“You seem convinced that I’m at fault for this incident, Elder Council Leader.”
“Of course! Are you denying it?”
Theo shook his head.
“No. I deeply regret my past mistakes as well. Your reprimand has given me much to reflect on.”
Theo bowed his head slightly.
Julius’s expression shifted subtly, and the Plum Palace Lord tilted her head as if sensing something off.
Ed continued staring at Theo intently.
Hmph!
Wolfgang crossed his arms and snorted.
He took it as Theo waving the white flag.
“That doesn’t absolve you of your crimes…!”
“I should have cut off their heads, not just their arms. I was too lenient.”
“…What?”
Wolfgang’s aged face twisted in fury.
From the side, he heard the Plum Palace Lord let out a light chuckle, but he had no time to care.
“What nonsense are you spouting…!”
“They are vassals. A lord bestows land and honor; a vassal offers loyalty and life—that is the way of chivalry. Yet they shamelessly abandon chivalry and dare to threaten their lord.”
“…!”
“If we don’t correct this now, what will become of us? The virtues between lord and vassal will hit rock bottom, and such incidents will become commonplace. How can we stand by and watch the Ragnar honor, unbroken for over a thousand years, be trampled?”
Wolfgang merely worked his lips, unable to speak.
He probably wanted to retort but couldn’t without carelessness.
Refuting Theo would admit the Ragnar honor had already fallen.
Supporting Theo would demand punishment for the sake of the family’s face.
He was trapped by his own words.
“You’re toying with me with sophistry…!”
“Enough, Elder Council Leader. The longer you speak, the more embarrassed you’ll be.”
As Wolfgang’s face flushed red with rage, the Plum Palace Lord intervened.
“Plum Palace Lord!”
“Remember that you’re not the only one here.”
Under the Plum Palace Lord’s gentle yet sharp gaze, even Wolfgang had to sit back down.
Still fuming, of course.
‘As expected of the North’s Greatest Sword. Even the Elder Council Leader can’t challenge her.’
The reason the childless Plum Palace Lord still held the position of first wife was simple.
She was the strongest in the Ragnar Family, second only to the family head.
Her title even included the character for ‘sword.’
The Plum Palace Lord gazed warmly at Theo and spoke.
“I’ve heard your opinion loud and clear. It may not be entirely wrong. But I hope you understand that reality isn’t so accommodating. Ragnar is strong, but not vast.”
“Plum Palace Lord, what are you…!”
Wolfgang’s face paled in shock.
Theo, meanwhile, was mildly surprised.
He hadn’t expected the haughty mistress of Ragnar to so readily admit the family’s weakness.
“To fully govern this vast North and combat the demons of the demon sea, we can’t do it alone. One hand can’t cover ten—without allies to aid us, Ragnar would crumble.”
-The path of hegemony alone cannot rule this world.
That seemed to be her point.
‘You knew that, yet…?’
Theo swallowed the memory of his retainers dying in despair.
Why hadn’t the Plum Palace Lord’s upright thinking endured?
“So we cannot ignore the voices of our vassals and knights, nor deny their requests. I hope you’ll consider that.”
Theo realized the punishment for him had already been decided among the Nine Dragons.
He glanced at Julius.
Julius nodded slightly, as if urging him not to resist.
He had likely pulled strings to minimize the punishment as much as possible.
“May I ask what punishment awaits me?”
“Three months of house arrest.”
Theo’s brow furrowed.
“The Awakening Ceremony is just two months away.”
“Taking that into account, we’ve decided to allow your participation in next year’s ceremony. The fourteen—no, fifteen including Hanabi’s child—who were injured by your hand today will also attend next year, as just decided.”
The Plum Palace Lord seemed to be saying this was the limit of what she could do.
Wolfgang looked displeased even with that.
However.
‘No. That won’t do.’
Theo could not accept the verdict.
‘It’s a trap. Later, one way or another, Ed will strip me of even the chance to undergo the Awakening Ceremony.’
Even without that, he couldn’t afford to have his newly sprouting wings clipped.
Once-clipped wings never soared again.
“I’ve also heard you’ve only just begun wielding the sword. So using this as a chance to quietly refine it in seclusion would be good for you…!”
“Thank you for your words, but that won’t happen. I will appeal.”
The Plum Palace Lord and Julius’s faces hardened, while cold smirks played on Wolfgang and Ed’s lips.
“…If you appeal, this matter will completely leave our hands.”
“Your hands may be free, but won’t the sword’s voice ring true?”
In Ragnar, where the law of the jungle reigned supreme, an ‘appeal’ had a simple meaning.
-War.
Only the victor spoke truth.
How the Illegitimate Son of the Returning Sword Family Lives