Chapter 64
Chapter 64
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 64
Chapter Title: The Former Chosen One (4)
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“For now, let’s keep everything that happened today under wraps for the time being. Don’t tell a soul.”
The Wind Lord’s manual.
Theo’s punishment of washing the stables.
The oath of loyalty and vow.
Everything was the kind of thing that would cause trouble if it got out.
“Yes, understood. The unit’s morale is already low enough as it is.”
“Yeah. So while we’re in the unit, treat me casually, Evelyn. Drop the formalities.”
“Yes? But how could I...!”
“You’re my superior there, right? I’m your subordinate. That’s just how it is.”
“But...”
“Don’t worry. I’ll catch up in no time, somehow.”
It meant he would rise through the ranks somehow.
“You think you can pull that off?”
He smirked.
“What? You think I can’t?”
“It won’t be easy.”
“Doesn’t matter. I have to. Didn’t I say it? I’ll become the White Dragon Knights’ captain in five years.”
“...”
“That wasn’t just empty talk.”
“Yes. Understood.”
“So.”
Theo looked straight into Evelyn’s eyes as he spoke.
“Start by dropping the formal speech with me... no, with this junior of yours, Senior.”
* * *
Theo and Evelyn finished cleaning up the area and returned to headquarters.
The sun was already dipping low toward the west.
“Uahaha! Theo, you’re the last one back! Newbies have to move fast. What’s this, dragging your feet right after joining the unit?”
Holcus was brimming with confidence for the first time, having finally beaten Theo at something.
He and Erika had passed their aptitude tests and returned ages ago.
Now Theo will see my true colors(?)
Holcus approached Theo, who was landing on the ground right on cue with that thought in mind.
“Uh, uh...?”
He froze without realizing it.
‘He’s... huge?’
The wyvern Theo brought back was much bigger than his own new partner.
His own partner was clearly a giant dragon breed, one of the largest wyvern types, yet this one made it look small.
His bear-like bulk suddenly felt a bit glum.
Grrr?
At that moment, Holcus’s partner ‘Spatium’ bared its teeth aggressively at Umbra.
“What the—? Why’s it acting up all of a sudden!”
While Holcus panicked over his usually docile partner disobeying him,
-What? Is that...?
-Umbra? No way...
-Umbra as a partner? That stubborn thing that won’t listen to anyone?
-No way!
-How the hell did he do that?
The White Dragon Knights members finally spotted Umbra and erupted in noise.
Everyone in the White Dragon Knights knew Umbra’s heartbreaking backstory.
They’d all been deeply worried about the beast’s temperament keeping it from ever getting a partner, but to think a newbie had tamed it!
-The top prodigy of the millennium lives up to the hype. Wow, even here it’s all about talent. Reality check hitting hard...
The members stared blankly at Theo and Umbra.
Rumors that they might have to re-discuss his test pass due to returning so late vanished in an instant.
Meanwhile,
Theo and Evelyn approached Julius.
“Senior Swordmaster Evelyn Nereville reporting. Trainee Swordsman Theo Ragnar has completed his aptitude test and returned. Theo Ragnar has been deemed suitable and assigned as the partner for Umbra of Nest 3.”
“Good work. Looks like our unit’s headache finally has an owner.”
Evelyn nodded at Julius’s words.
“Fortunately, Te...o and Umbra seem to mesh extremely well.”
“Oh? That good, huh?”
Julius stroked his chin, his eyes gleaming.
The record holder for the Awakening Ceremony and the troublemaker of the White Dragon Nest.
Their pairing was sure to become a major asset for the White Dragon Knights.
It meant a much wider range of tactics at their disposal.
“We can make unit assignments a lot smoother now.”
Julius grinned at Evelyn, as if struck by a great idea.
Evelyn flinched involuntarily and straightened her back.
‘What’s he planning now...?’
She knew all too well that Julius always smiled like that right before trouble.
She tried to intervene quickly, but
“Alright, it’s late, so assembly ends here! Everyone, dismissed. I’ll relay details on unit assignments tomorrow. That’s all!”
“Thank you, sir!”
“Thank you, sir!”
“Oh, and go easy on the drinking. If I hear one more hangover complaint... you know.”
“We’ll keep it in mind!”
“We’ll ensure no such incidents occur again!”
“You lot and your mouths. Anyway, dismissed!”
“See you tomorrow!”
“Have a good night, Captain!”
And so,
The noisy day of both naming and aptitude tests came to an end.
* * *
Once unit assignments wrapped up, the next step was naturally the newbie welcome party.
“Junior, junior! We can drop the formalities now, right?”
Selferd sidled up to Theo, who was standing awkwardly in the unfamiliar setting, beer mug in hand.
Theo couldn’t help but chuckle.
‘Didn’t he sneak in some casual talk even before the aptitude test?’
Of course, Erika and Holcus were there too.
But Selferd’s gaze was mostly fixed on Theo.
“While we’re here, being a White Dragon Knights member outranks my status as successor.”
“Right? Puahaha! See that, Arin? He says we can drop ’em now!”
At Selferd’s shout, Arin, who’d been with the other comrades, sighed and shook her head.
“So how’d you end up with Umbra as your partner? Everyone’s dying to know.”
“That’s...”
Theo glossed over anything involving the Wind Lord and gave a suitably embellished account of his time with Umbra.
The other members, curious for the follow-up, began gathering one by one,
And before long, they were all gasping in unison at every line Theo said.
-Ooh!
-Such a story...!
-No way...
-Sniff sniff! It’s too moving; I can’t hold back the tears.
Some, thoroughly drunk, burst into floods of tears.
Watching them,
Theo could gauge the overall atmosphere in the White Dragon Knights.
‘I knew they were freer than other units, but they’re all so open with their emotions.’
Ragnar operated on a strict survival-of-the-fittest meritocracy, making it extremely conservative about hierarchies.
Yet the White Dragon Knights maintained rank but showed no personal disrespect.
‘Must be Julius’s philosophy of wanting everyone to treat each other like brothers.’
Thanks to that, there was no real hazing toward Theo, Erika, or Holcus.
Even though the aptitude tests had just ended, Theo had already blended naturally into their vibe.
Once the welcome party fully wrapped up.
Theo headed to the Camellia Palace, waving off the members’ “see you tomorrow”s.
Dawn had deepened, and the moon now hung overhead.
‘Unit... huh.’
Theo paused and gazed at the moon.
An indescribable emotion filled his chest.
A sense of fulfillment he’d never felt in his previous life.
This life really was worlds apart from the last, he thought.
“What’re you doing standing there all mopey? You didn’t even touch a drop.”
He turned at the voice from behind.
Holcus and Erika approached, their faces slightly flushed.
“Weren’t you two headed to the barracks?”
Erika grinned and shook the beer can in her hand.
“On a night like this, ending after one round would be such a waste, no?”
Theo chuckled lightly in response.
He always felt this way.
Just looking at this sibling duo made him feel an instant warmth.
Just like the Fourth Training Grounds crew.
“Perfect. I know a great spot. Wanna go?”
“Oho! Young master’s favorite haunt? Always a yes.”
“Alright. But first, confiscating this.”
Theo snatched the beer can from Erika’s hand in one swift motion.
Erika bristled.
“What? Why!”
“Forgot? We’re minors.”
“Damn it! You old fogey! Don’t you know it’s tradition to let loose after the Awakening Ceremony?”
“Technically, they turn a blind eye to drinking after the Awakening Ceremony—not that it’s allowed.”
Erika’s face crumpled.
“Fine, I’m out.”
“Jeez, just come along! Where is it?”
Erika grumbled as she followed behind Theo.
Holcus watched his sister, who always got dragged around by Theo, with curious eyes before following.
Theo’s destination was, naturally, the Fourth Training Grounds’ hideout pub.
“Oh, you’re finally here!”
“Guys, gather up! The young master’s back!”
“What? Where?”
“Pahaha! Welcome, young master. We’ve been itching to hear your tales of valor!”
Erika and Holcus gawked at the sudden swarm of people.
Why are so many here?
But Theo smoothly chatted with them while beckoning the siblings inside.
They shuffled in hesitantly.
Wellington and Ray were already seated there.
“You’re here? Quite late.”
“Yeah. Had to do the aptitude test. Ray, you’re here too.”
“Y-Yeah...”
Ray, apparently shy in big crowds, had a slight blush on her nose bridge.
It was a far cry from her reputation as the emotionless Frostblade.
Wellington chuckled.
“Saw you hovering outside, so I pushed you to come in with me.”
“Wh-When did I?!”
“Or we can say I just invited you.”
“You’re teasing me, right?”
Ray glared daggers, but Wellington just guffawed.
That’s when Erika and Holcus approached from behind Theo.
The pub suddenly felt packed with the two big figures there.
“What’s all this? Why’re the priest and ice queen crammed in here too?”
“Why d’you think? Everyone’s here for the Awakening Ceremony afterparty. Want a drink? The whiskey here’s top-notch.”
Erika’s face lit up as Wellington shrugged and offered a glass.
“Oh? Thought you were just some stiff priest, but you’ve got taste.”
“Could you drop the priest jabs already?”
“Fine, priest thug?”
“...You have zero intention of dropping ‘priest,’ do you.”
“Hehe. What’s fun about changing a nickname I gave you once?”
As Erika reached for the whiskey glass, a hand suddenly blocked it.
Theo’s.
“Huh?”
“Minors can’t drink.”
“Come on, just this once. It’s from your friend!”
“Still no. Leave if you don’t like it.”
“Uwaaa! You’re worse than that old fogey!”
“Pfft! Nicknames shouldn’t change easily, you said. But Theo’s got a new one.”
“You too, Well.”
“Huh?”
“Confiscated.”
“N-No, Young Master Theo! On a night like this, a little flexibility...!”
Wellington howled as he lost his cherished whiskey mid-mockery of Erika.
Of course, their protests fell on deaf ears with Theo.
“Just relax with some orange juice. No idea why they insist on that nasty stuff.”
Slurp slurp.
Holcus, right next door, shook his head in confusion as he sucked down a kid-friendly orange drink through a straw—totally at odds with his bulk.
“Come on, young master!”
“Some hero stories!”
“No, with all the top ranks here, spill the after-stories!”
The members crowded around the five, eyes sparkling.
Ray, intimidated by them, shrank back but thought,
‘...This is fun.’
She didn’t leave her seat.
-To Ray, who’d always lived in isolation due to illness since childhood, this place felt like a new world.
She’d never even conceived of hanging out with others.
But.
Meeting Theo, then the people around him one by one, she suddenly thought:
-I want to fit in.
She wanted to be
friends.