Chapter 55
Chapter 55
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 55
Chapter Title: Kyle Ragnar (5)
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The boiling rage inside Kirson subsided the moment Theo returned, changed into his formal attire.
“Huh!”
“As expected of our son. Who on earth does he take after? His presence is just on another level.”
Cecilia couldn’t stop smiling as she straightened Theo’s clothes.
It was because she was so pleased with the greatest masterpiece she had ever created.
The outfit accentuated his figure,
his hair neatly pulled back, exposing his pristine neck,
his confident gaze,
and his solid shoulders.
In just half a year, Theo had changed completely from before.
If he had once resembled a delicate flower boy, now there were hints of wild beast mixed in.
Even Kirson, who had a hobby of viewing and collecting countless works of art, couldn’t help but gasp in admiration.
‘Not surprisingly, the son of that mother. He’s just like her in her younger days.’
Kirson felt a pang of bitterness as he recalled Cecilia’s always proud and vibrant image.
It was as if the lost time between mother and daughter was right there before his eyes.
‘…I don’t like it, but I can see that bastard Kyle’s face in him too.’
Of course, he immediately erased such sentiments from his mind.
After all, that scoundrel had stolen his young daughter from him.
-Ooh, oh my, that guy…!
-Yeah. It’s Theo Ragnar.
-Was he always that handsome? Well, I knew he was handsome, but dressed up like that, he looks just like…!
-Damn it! He’s got the looks, the talent, the skills—what doesn’t he have?
-Hearing he caught the Family Head’s eye is impressive too. Maybe we should pull him into our side early.
Whispers like that rose from all around.
Theo himself still looked awkward, though.
‘Like with the tailcoat, it’s still uncomfortable. Can’t it be any more comfortable?’
At least since he’d worn it once before, it felt much better than the first time.
‘Well, thanks to this, I can get close to the Kanaka Archipelago mines, so this level of discomfort is nothing.’
Theo forcibly suppressed the twitch at the corner of his mouth.
Though not yet known, the Kanaka Archipelago mines didn’t just have adamantium.
There were other minerals just as valuable, or even more so, scattered about.
It was a profitable venture to get a foot in the door of what would soon become the largest mine symbolizing the Basque Workshop.
“The nomination ceremony will now begin. All graduates, gather in one place—!”
Just then, the judge’s voice, laced with mana, rang out.
“Then I’ll be off, Mother.”
“Yes. Do your best until the very end.”
Theo slowly made his way forward, leaving Cecilia’s encouragement behind.
* * *
“…Nomination ceremony? A nomination ceremony? How can they hold this ridiculous event without Axion, Brother?”
The former Camellia Palace Lord, Emil, gritted her teeth as she stared at the Central Bureau building visible through the dilapidated window of the Rose Palace.
After Axion returned as a headless corpse.
Emil had clung to her son’s body for days, refusing to let go.
Even as the corpse began to decay and the stench filled the air.
Only after hearing that the Awakening Ceremony had ended and the nomination ceremony was about to begin did she finally come to her senses.
But.
‘Her eyes are completely gone.’
Ed clicked his tongue inwardly at the madness in Emil’s eyes.
It seemed he would no longer see the clever Emil he once knew.
‘That stupid fool…! He wouldn’t listen and went off on his own.’
If Axion had followed Ed’s instructions properly, not only would he have taken Theo’s relic, but also his life.
Perhaps all the spotlight now on Theo Ragnar would have been Axion’s.
The trap Ed had set in the Winter Mountains through the Central Intelligence Agency was something no mere trainee swordsman could escape.
The crime of ‘treason’ was that terrifying in the North.
But all those traps had been rendered useless.
Because Axion had died on his own before the plan could even start.
‘Even if I try to set traps again, it’s harder now that he’s wised up. To find out about the relic, I need to change the approach entirely.’
He had already decided how to deal with Theo at this nomination ceremony.
It was an unavoidable choice, even for the sake of the family… the Troyvans, who must be anxiously awaiting his news.
‘Even if I don’t like it, there’s no choice. Other opportunities will come.’
As he organized his thoughts, Emil suddenly grabbed Ed’s hand tightly.
“Brother.”
“Yes. Speak, Palace Lord.”
“That bastard… kill that retarded fucker. In front of everyone, brutally, tear him to shreds.”
Ed clicked his tongue inwardly once more.
Emil could no longer discern right from wrong.
‘She’s even coming after me.’
But his outward words differed from his inner thoughts.
“Don’t worry.”
His tone suggested she leave everything to him.
Yet the hand gripping him showed no sign of letting go.
“You’ll… do that, right?”
“Yes. Leave it to me.”
Only after hearing his firm assurance multiple times did Emil finally rise from her seat.
She stared at Ed’s retreating back as he left for the nomination ceremony for a long while before slowly opening her mouth.
“You have to do it properly, Brother. If you don’t.”
Emil’s eyes had sunk cold.
To the point where it was hard to believe she had been mad just moments ago.
“I won’t be able to stay still either.”
* * *
“Ugh…! There are way too many people.”
Holcus shuddered.
The bureau was packed everywhere he looked.
Of course, with far fewer spectators than during the Awakening Ceremony, the crowd was smaller, but intense mana waves emanated from various spots.
Not just the Nine Dragons seated high above, but also the captains representing Ragnar’s various units.
All the heroes he had only heard about in tales were gathered in one place.
For Holcus, who had admired them since childhood, it was overwhelming.
“A guy built like a mountain, and you’ve got such a small bladder?”
“It’s not small—it’s that your bladder’s huge, Sis?”
Holcus bristled at Erika snorting beside him.
“Then what about him? He’s fine over there?”
Holcus turned to where Erika nodded and chuckled.
There stood Theo, tall and steady.
“Nah, our Theo’s different.”
“…‘Our’?”
Erika’s expression soured for a moment.
“Then Theo sir?”
“Did you eat something bad yesterday? Why are you acting up all of a sudden?”
“Sis, I decided last night.”
“Decided what?”
“To bet my life on Theo.”
A completely unexpected statement.
Erika’s eyes widened as they hurriedly turned to Holcus.
“What are you talking about…!”
“I thought about it all night.”
Holcus’s voice was serious.
“Theo’s definitely gonna stir up something huge down the line. He’s got ambition, the capability to match it. And above all, his straightforward personality really clicks with me.”
“…”
“Our Ranke lives are set in stone anyway, right? Ragnar’s swords. Among them, the rough, powerful ones. If we’re gonna be handed to them anyway, better to stake our claim before the other swords take the spots.”
Erika pressed her lips together.
-Ragnar’s sword.
For the Ranke family, it was both a yoke and a chain.
It could be glory, or hell.
If it met the right master, it would shine brilliantly, but a poor one would break it.
That was the fate of all born with the Ranke name.
No, not just Ranke.
All Six Sword Families were the same.
They rose and fell solely for Ragnar.
Unless one became the Ranke family head, that is.
But Holcus couldn’t.
That position was meant for his twin sister, Erika, from the start.
He could challenge for it if he wanted, but… Holcus didn’t.
Because he knew how desperately Erika desired it.
“Me? Like you know, Sis, I don’t have much ambition. Just eat tastier food, sleep in comfier beds, get stronger, cooler… that’s enough. Never had big dreams. But that guy planted one in me.”
“…No other trainee would declare in front of all those examiners that he’d claim the throne.”
“Exactly. That shocked me big time. So I decided. Even if I break, I wanna stand where I can blaze big.”
Erika silently watched her brother showing ‘ambition’ for the first time.
“That’s Theo Ragnar?”
“Yeah. With him, I bet he’ll swing me around like crazy. Sounds fun, right? Heh heh!”
“You lunatic, who decides their life on fun?”
“Hey, even a dummy like me wouldn’t decide that lightly. You admitted it too, Sis. Theo could build a solid foundation easy.”
“…”
“So I’m betting on him.”
Erika shook her head.
“Ha! Whatever. Do what you want.”
“Seemed like you already fell for our Theo too, Sis.”
“Shut up, you punk. And stop with the ‘our.’ It’s cringey. A guy who looks like a mountain bandit, what.”
“Sis, everyone says we look alike. That’s like spitting in my face…!”
“Wanna die?”
Erika drew her two-handed sword slightly to shut Holcus up.
But the grin on his face wouldn’t fade.
“But does Theo know about your decision?”
“Huh? No. Of course not. I decided at dawn today.”
“…”
“Gonna tell him now.”
“…So you did all this drumming and dancing solo, no emotional exchange or anything?”
“Heh heh! When the great Holcus Ranke offers to be his sword, who in the world would refuse!”
Erika pressed her temple with her finger and finally yelled.
“You idiot! To join the same unit as Theo, you need to talk to him first! What if the guy you wanna sword for nominates to another unit?”
“…Huh? Y-Yeah, that’s a point?”
As Erika scowled at Holcus blinking dumbly,
“The nomination ceremony will now commence—!”
With the judge’s shout, all eyes—from graduates to everyone else—turned to the platform.
The Nine Dragons and executives included.
Dong, dong, doong—!
The massive drum sound made hearts race wildly.
“Overall top graduate, Theo Ragnar! Step forward!”
Step, step—
The moment Theo took the platform.
“…”
“…”
“…”
A profound silence fell, as if by magic.
Even the rowdy Nine Dragons and executives stared at the platform, eyes blazing.
All vowing to recruit Theo no matter what.
‘As expected, full of madness.’
Erika let out a silent laugh at the executives.
Not deviating from prediction even an inch.
She worried a bit about the pressure on Theo,
‘What? That bastard’s enjoying it? Pffft!’
Theo faced all those gazes calmly.
As if putting on a show.
As if declaring this was his place from the start!
‘My eyes were right. He’s the type with no qualms pulling all eyes and gripping them.’
King’s Talent.
It had to be the innate quality of a king.
‘Little bro, dumb little bro, you wanna be that guy’s sword? You’ll roll even harder than you think.’
Erika pictured Holcus suffering fiercely to claim his spot and chuckled.
The Demon Dragon Julius,
Sword Dragon Plum Palace Lord,
Gale Sword Unit, Black Sword Unit, Law Court, Security Bureau, Black Iron Knights… All of Ragnar’s elite units and organizations showed interest—who else in the world could?
Even the Neutral Dragon judge leaned in.
‘This place is already his.’
With other graduates looking at Theo with envy,
Creak!
Suddenly, someone shot up from their seat.
‘What?’
Erika’s eyes narrowed on him.
The Nine Dragons and executives too.
All tensed, turning that way.
The one who stood was
Anti-Dragon Ed.
‘No way?’
Julius, Plum Palace Lord, and others swiftly moved hands to their swords.
Even if Ed was grieving, they didn’t think him stupid enough to attack Theo in such a crowd.
Still, unable to read his intent, they prepared to intervene if needed.
But.
Regardless of others, Ed stared at Theo with an expressionless gaze.
Theo, sensing it, turned that way too.
“…”
“…”
Silence hung between them briefly,
“Central Intelligence Chief, whatever it is, sit down. We haven’t even begun explaining the procedure to the first graduate.”
The judge warned Ed, clearly displeased.
But.
Ed slowly opened his mouth, ignoring it completely.
“The Central Intelligence Agency offers Theo Ragnar.”
It was a small resonance, but
“the position of Vice Chief.”
“…!”
“…!”
“…!”
It sent massive ripples through the silent hall.