Chapter 169
Chapter 169
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 169
Chapter Title: White Tower Ruins (4)
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Kyeeeeeeng-!
Ding ding ding!
“What in the world is going on?!”
“An emergency alert out of nowhere?!”
People from the camp gathered in droves around the White Tower.
It was because the White Tower had suddenly lit up brightly.
To be precise, only the first floor had lit up, but that alone was enough to startle everyone.
“This incident. We’ll hold you. Accountable. No matter what.”
“The White Tower. Has opened. That’s ours.”
“What are you going to do. About this.”
In particular, the natives who had guarded the White Tower for generations were fiercely protesting to the Red Sword Knights on sentry duty.
They could barely speak the imperial tongue properly, their curt retorts enough to make one’s blood boil.
‘Damn it! Who would’ve thought the mystery would open right there?!’
They said there wasn’t even an official document, so imagining the discipline to come afterward already made his head spin.
Still, he couldn’t show it.
The Red Sword Knight slammed his sword against the ground and shouted.
“Everyone, quiet down! We’re investigating the details, so hold back until there’s an official announcement!”
As other Red Sword Knights who had rushed over upon hearing the situation drew their swords one after another, the natives hesitated and fell back.
But they weren’t truly submitting, their eyes filled with venom.
Some even gripped slings or nocked arrows to their bowstrings.
A tense moment on the brink of collision.
“Clear them all out.”
Suddenly, a chilling voice rang in the natives’ ears.
And then,
Thud thud thud thud-!
The thunderous sound of hooves shaking the earth echoed.
“Th-that’s!”
“Devil bastards! Devil bastards!”
There was only one group the natives called devils.
The Black Iron Cavalry.
Over a dozen squads of five cavalrymen each approached, their lances extended long.
The natives were trampled indiscriminately.
Even forming a defensive line couldn’t withstand the cavalry charge.
Boom! Boom boom boom!
“Kark, Father!!”
“Tzuhan!”
With sounds like hammers smashing down, their lines were shattered chaotically.
By the time the natives’ screams ended, the Black Iron Cavalry had already seized control around the White Tower.
“From now on, the Black Iron Cavalry will protect this place. Detain all the White Tower tribesmen who tried to rebel and keep them under watch in one spot.”
“Understood!”
“Understood!”
Torkel intended to use this chance to deal with the pesky White Tower tribe once and for all.
He spotted the White Dragon Knights scrambling belatedly, but the situation was already over.
Yet Torkel’s face, rigid beneath his helmet, showed no sign of relaxing.
The mystery they desperately needed had long since fallen into the hands of the man they feared most.
“How in the world…….”
A small groan escaped him.
“So that guy really was the chosen one of this era.”
His mutter was too quiet for anyone around to hear.
It was a dry tone devoid of any emotion.
* * *
“The Black Iron Cavalry already seems to have taken the White Tower. Wow, our little maknae really stirred up a storm.”
“This damned…….”
Julius Ragnar grimaced at the report from 1st Squad Leader Amore Tan.
What in the world was Theo thinking?
If he’d given even a heads-up beforehand, they could’ve been on standby.
They’d bolted out mid-welcome feast, so their appearance wasn’t even proper.
Some knights were still hastily donning their armor.
“This is a clear violation of orders. Discipline Theo Ragnar the moment he returns.”
Only 2nd Squad Leader Eit Bolseman scowled toward the White Tower.
He looked ready to tear Theo apart if he appeared before him.
But Amore replied leisurely.
“On what grounds is it a violation?”
“He violated the standby order……!”
“Forgot? The 5th Squad Leader position was empty. Theo Ragnar returned just hours ago. He hasn’t received official orders yet, right?”
“……!”
Eit’s eyes widened.
“Th-then the order document violation……!”
“Oh, that cooperation notice we were supposed to send? Sure, it was a lie, but we can just deny it ever happened. If needed, our Captain will testify it was really in preparation.”
“…….”
“That kid’s sly as can be, huh? Oh ho ho! Makes me like him even more.”
Amore wanted to rush into the White Tower right then and pinch Theo’s cheeks long and hard.
One might expect to hate a fledgling using such tricks, but in a way, it was so cunning it teetered right on the edge between like and dislike.
The kid knew exactly how to stay in people’s good graces, brilliantly.
“Even so, things have escalated too far because of that one kid! If we let this slide without discipline, it’ll breed disorder!”
“Well, I agree. No matter how cute, wrong is wrong, right?”
“Both of you, enough. More importantly, where’s Erika Ranke? I heard she went to the White Tower with Theo.”
Julius mediated between the two and changed the subject.
Amore scratched the back of her head vigorously.
“Looks like the Red Sword Knights detained her?”
“Red Sword Knights?”
“Yeah. I sneaked a peek earlier—they were pretty pissed. They got openly screwed over, so they won’t release her easily.”
“He’s gone and made enemies of the Black Iron Cavalry and now the Red Sword Knights too.”
Theo must have some ulterior motive for pulling this off, but Julius couldn’t read it.
‘Or does he know about the collusion between the Red Sword Knights and Black Iron Cavalry? I only found out after old man Robert tipped me off.’
Wherever he learned it, the kid was sharp.
‘Maybe he can pit those two against each other nicely…….’
With the natives’ custody already handed over, the White Dragon Knights had few options against a union of Black Iron Cavalry and Red Sword Knights.
“No matter how much Erika Ranke erred, it’s our place to discipline her or the Law Court to judge—not for the Red Sword Knights to step in. That exceeds their authority.”
At Julius’s words, every White Dragon Knight turned their gaze toward the White Tower.
“Full armaments. Get the White Dragons on standby. We’ll surround the White Tower.”
“Captain! That could spark a civil war……!”
Eit startled and tried to dissuade him, but
“I’ll take full responsibility.”
“……Understood. Yes, sir.”
At that point, he couldn’t buck anymore.
Instead, he followed orders.
That was a squad leader’s duty.
“White Dragon Knights, surround the White Tower—!”
White Dragons on standby outside the camp were summoned in droves, dominating the skies above the White Tower.
Over a hundred wyverns swarming in flight was enough to heighten the tension,
And the White Dragon Knights, now formed up and radiating hostility, exuded overwhelming pressure.
Rustle rustle!
The White Dragon Knights tightened their encirclement around the White Tower, narrowing the net.
The Black Iron Cavalry stood firm like an iron wall in response.
They didn’t even dismount, instead drawing their long cavalry lances.
A powder-keg situation where battle could erupt any second.
Clop clop—
Then, a single horse slowly advanced before the black wall.
It gleamed a more ornate blackish-purple than the other ironclads.
It was Torkel.
“White Dragon Knight Captain, I trust you know your current actions border on treasonous rebellion.”
Torkel deliberately used formal speech, addressing Julius as White Dragon Knight Captain.
A warning not to think of his Demon Dragon status now.
But to Julius, such posturing looked like futile nonsense.
Heh!
A smirk spread across his lips.
The Black Iron Cavalry knights’ faces hardened rigidly.
Anyone could see it as mocking their leader.
“I know you’ve detained not only your own squad members but also the natives you’re supposed to protect. Release them all immediately.”
Julius didn’t even infuse his voice with mana.
Listen if you want, ignore if you don’t.
His gaze especially didn’t miss the Red Sword Knights in red armor clustered tightly behind the black wall, hiding something.
“If you won’t?”
“What do you mean, if we won’t.”
In an instant, the smile vanished from Julius’s lips.
Whoosh!
At the same time, mana wind spread in all directions, instantly dominating the area around the White Dragon Knights, Black Iron Cavalry, Red Sword Knights, and the White Tower outskirts.
‘When did he……!’
Torkel reached for the reins but froze, his face hardening at the black blade hovering over his nape.
The Black Iron Cavalry and Red Sword Knights alike felt chills down their spines.
Whoooosh—
Black smoke swirled wildly around Julius.
Like a black curtain descending around him, it was hard to even perceive his form clearly.
Crunch!
Shoulders grew heavy.
Heads were forced down.
Legs buckled.
High above.
A dragon of congealed demonic energy, the harbinger of doom, glared down coldly.
Kreeeek! Keeek!
The terrified cries of the White Dragons amplified the eerie atmosphere of impending apocalypse.
“We go by Ragnar law.”
“……!”
“……!”
“……!”
The Black Iron Cavalry and Red Sword Knights all swallowed dryly.
Tremble tremble……
It suddenly dawned on them that this Julius had forcibly ripped away the Elder Council Leader’s right-hand man not long ago, and he looked all the more appealing for it.
Only Torkel stood firm amid the heavy air.
Snort—
Even that couldn’t fully break under Julius’s pressure.
“Worried about starting a civil war in front of the enemy? Fine. Let’s do it. We can just crush you lot, Troyvan too, all together.”
Torkel laughed.
The Demon Dragon laughed ferociously.
* * *
Where Theo was, was a small hall about a hundred pyeong in size.
A spiral staircase lined the curved walls.
It narrowed toward the upper floors, the ceiling slightly slanted—like being inside the White Tower itself.
‘A climb-the-tower quest?’
As Theo took a casual step,
Step!
「A guest visits after so long.」
Suddenly, from empty space, a bipedal crocodile in butler attire appeared.
A curved horn protruded from its left temple, giving a ferocious face, yet its speech and aura were refined.
It was a dragonkin form Theo had never seen.
『A Keratossucus. An ancient lesser dragon species that went extinct long before you humans appeared in this world. Normally, they had intellect barely above beasts. This one’s different, though. Intriguing?』
「Intriguing, you say? Such words sadden this beast who hears them, Ancient One.」
Theo was quite startled.
The Keratossucus had heard Lordbroke’s telepathy, meant only for him.
Lordbroke sounded intrigued instead.
Sss—
Lordbroke’s spirit manifested beside Theo.
「You really are a bit peculiar. Your soul rank feels awfully high. Near demigod level. What are you? I’ve never heard of someone like you under the Primordial Dragon.」
Demigod.
Theo’s eyes widened at the word.
That meant the being before him rivaled Kyle or Hilda in power!
「Greetings to the great Guardian Dragon and his chosen mate.」
The Keratossucus courteously folded its short arms and bowed.
「I am Kerato, butler to the Primordial Dragon and envoy to the Pantheon of All Gods. Also, the caretaker of this White Tower.」