Chapter 87
Chapter 87
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 87
Chapter Title: Tail-Grabbing (2)
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“This confirms it.”
The Black Dragon lowered the report he had been reading and spoke in a solemn voice.
‘Why does this guy keep showing up here and being such a pain?’
Julius quietly furrowed his brow.
Ever since he had come to discuss this mission, the Black Dragon had been visiting Julius’s office almost every day.
The problem was that there was far more talk about Theo than about Ed Troyvan.
Because of that, Julius was on high alert.
The Black Dragon was now openly showing his greed for Theo.
Just like now.
Julius even wondered if the report in the Black Dragon’s hand was less a mission report and more an observation log(?) on Theo.
And sure enough.
“Theo is truly a talent that suits our Black Snow.”
“Have you lost your mind, human?”
“You’ll have nothing to say once you see this report.”
Ignoring Julius’s irritation, the Black Dragon placed the urgent report from Cleve in front of him.
……Even in an unexpected confrontation with the Blood Priest of the Heretic Cult, he showed not a shred of agitation and subdued them single-handedly with cool-headed resolve…… Based on fragmentary clues, he proposed an opinion leading to the current northward advance toward the Ceres Merchant Group…… Possesses a deep understanding of Black Snow operations…… Additional approval is required for this……
……Thereby, the three examiners unanimously agree to promote Probationary Swordsman Theo Ragnar to Active Swordsman……
“The report’s too verbose. Such formality. Summarize it.”
“It says a Blood Priest appeared.”
In an instant, Julius’s eyes darkened deeply.
This heretical group, which had plunged the Empire and the continent into chaos, had long been a thorn in the Ragnar family’s side.
Julius had a deep grudge against them too.
“You’re saying the Central Intelligence Chief has ties to the Heretic Cult behind the scenes?”
The Black Dragon gave no reply.
The furrow in Julius’s brow deepened.
“You already knew?”
“…….”
“And yet you let it slide, waiting for just one solid catch. Who’s the real sly fox here?”
“No. I didn’t know.”
The Black Dragon shook his head briefly and continued.
“I only predicted something lurking in the shadows. The Heretic Cult was just one candidate.”
This was classified information known only to him, not even shared with Musol.
Nothing had been fully uncovered yet, so he couldn’t jump to conclusions.
Not anymore, though.
“Anyway. What does this have to do with Theo?”
“Three Blood Priests appeared in total, and Theo caught one single-handedly.”
Julius’s stiff expression melted away like a lie.
Heh heh.
“As expected of our little brother. Causing a stir right after joining. Know why that was possible? Because I personally taught him swordsmanship. Per.fect.ly suited for our White Dragon Knights.”
He deliberately emphasized “White Dragon Knights” syllable by syllable.
The Black Dragon ignored it as if he hadn’t heard and pressed on.
“And then he uncovered that the request during the Season of Serpents came from the Ceres Merchant Group, and immediately suggested striking them. Judgment, decisiveness, mission execution…… All perfect. At this point, doesn’t conscience demand we hand him over to Black Snow?”
“Conscience my ass.”
Julius snorted and placed the report he’d just received from Evelyn on the desk.
“Cut the nonsense and look at this. The Intelligence Chief will drop this nonsense once he sees it.”
He adapted the auxiliary operation method [Chain of Flames] into his swordsmanship…… Aura awakening is imminent…… Judged to have high understanding of Flying Dragons……
“They’re rushing to the Ceres Merchant Group headquarters for a surprise attack, right? Know how? We had this guy named Umbra in our stables—twice or three times bigger than a normal monster dragon. Theo tamed it, and now esteemed Musol and the Plum Palace swordsmen are all riding it together amiably!”
“So?”
“Comprehension of blitz tactics! Air force utilization! Potential as a Flying Dragon partner! This is talent and connection utterly inseparable from the White Dragon Knights!”
Bang!
Julius slammed his palm on the desk and shot up from his seat, shouting.
“Above all, he brushed off all the trivial offers and chose the White Dragon Knights of his own will! Why do you keep lurking around the periphery!”
“What? Trivial?”
Julius could see one eye twitching behind the mask.
“Trivial, yeah! What else!”
“Want to die?”
“Fine, kill me if you can!”
Julius roughly tore open the collar of his shirt and thrust it forward.
Like he was daring him to try.
As if he might really charge, the Black Dragon irritably turned his head away with a flick.
“This is getting annoying. Should I just issue the orders to transfer him to Black Snow during the family head meeting……”
He muttered it like a soliloquy, but it was clearly meant for Julius to hear.
“You bastard! I didn’t want to say this, but brother! This is really crossing the line!”
“This isn’t a private setting. Mind your words, White Dragon Knights Captain.”
“Oh? Then shouldn’t our esteemed Intelligence Chief use honorifics too? We’re equals in rank.”
“…….”
“Oh? No answer?”
“By nature, Intelligence and Black Snow are independent agencies separate from other organizations, so that doesn’t apply.”
“Shameless to the end.”
Hah!
Julius sighed deeply, staring at the inscrutable white mask.
“Brother, let’s drop the act and talk straight. What’s the reason? Why keep drooling over our Theo? Osa’s already scratching at my nerves, teasing that he’s adopted Theo as his son!”
Ever since age and heavy titles had piled up before his name, he’d rarely used brotherly terms.
In truth, though, Julius was closest to the Black Dragon among all Ragnar retainers, including the Nine Dragons.
They had once even sworn brotherhood.
He was one of the few who knew the Black Dragon’s ‘true’ identity.
Kyle, Black Dragon, Julius, Plum Palace Lord.
These four knew each other too well.
Far too well.
But,
“You know one and not the other, little brother.”
As if deciding to treat Julius as a sworn brother casually, the Black Dragon crossed his arms and snorted.
“What don’t I know?”
“By nature, when a younger brother has something you like best, a big brother takes it.”
“You son of a……!”
“Pretend you didn’t hear that.”
The Black Dragon burst into laughter right in front of Julius’s crumpling face and vanished from the office.
Whoosh!
He’d scraped at his insides again and bolted.
“Aaaargh! These damn humans are so infuriating!!”
Julius clawed at his temples and twisted his body about.
* * *
Theo and his group rode Umbra and Rangus (Evelyn’s partner), speeding toward the Ceres Merchant Group headquarters.
This operation hinged on speed and time—no room for delay.
But a light review was possible en route.
The intense heat radiating fiercely from Theo had now been neatly contained.
“……What exactly did you do?”
Cleve, behind Theo, ended up with a baffled look.
First he’d mastered Chain of Flames and started emitting heat, then added thunder attribute and property changes, and now he’d even learned to conceal the heat within his mana.
Precisely, to confine the heat within his mana.
Heat was energy being consumed, so containing it alone greatly reduced inefficient waste.
No more suffering from body temperature spikes either.
Even for a Ragnar boasting blessed flesh.
This was practically cheating, wasn’t it?
“Who knows.”
But Theo could only brush it off with a smile.
He couldn’t very well say he’d gotten a hint from the Blood Priest’s mana operation.
‘Raising mana density to the max was indeed the key.’
That was Blood Light Harmony.
Pour immense divine power from the brain gate into mana, compress it under tremendous pressure, and keep it rotating within the body.
Of course, it relied on the Heretic Cult’s unique divine power traits, so not directly replicable.
But with his similar [Spirit], Theo could increase density by boosting mana viscosity.
As a result,
Emitted heat was trapped inside the mana, fluidity sped up dramatically, enhancing efficiency.
‘If I refine this further, I could develop a solid breathing method and operation technique.’
Theo planned to research this topic for a while.
Of course, to the onlookers, it was baffling.
‘Was the Family Head like this in his youth? The Chief’s seen this.’
‘Her Ladyship’s choice was right. Theo Ragnar will write new history for Plum Palace.’
Cleve and Hazel were now convinced they had to pull Theo fully into their fold.
‘The Black Dragon or Sword Dragon are going to be furious. Too bad I missed it……’
Evelyn licked her lips, regretting not seeing Julius tearing at his temples in agony right about now.
Smack!
At that moment.
Flutter flutter—
A black bird flew over Theo’s group.
A spirit messenger bird raised by Black Snow for emergency communications.
Cleve urgently snatched the letter it delivered, checked it, and let out a hollow laugh.
“What is it?”
At Theo’s question, Cleve burned the letter with mana and replied.
“A report that the Ceres Merchant Group is up to something amusing, right on cue.”
“Something amusing?”
Question marks appeared on Theo and the group’s faces.
* * *
Ceres Merchant Group.
Under Ragnar protection, this behemoth representing the North for the past century had one wish for its master.
To shed the limits of mere merchants and rise as a proper knight family.
And to claim a seat as a prestigious house rivaling the Six Snows!
Teaming up with Central Intelligence.
No, becoming Ed Troyvan’s hunting dog stemmed from this very context.
“But even that’s not enough. To become a knight family……. Lacks history. Lacks military might.”
Merchant Lord Quadlak Ceres muttered softly, rubbing two walnuts in his right hand.
“Even getting robbed by a mere terrorist—that’s our current reality. To change that, we must build even more military power.”
The recent hostage crisis had shocked him deeply.
And it fanned the flames of his desire to become a military force.
“So this marriage must succeed no matter what.”
Tap!
Quadlak’s sharp gaze turned to the papers on the desk.
A relationship chart of various people and factions.
At the center: Anti-Dragon Ed Troyvan. Above, ‘Kyle’ and ‘Ragnar’ faced off.
Behind Ed, two branches extended to ‘Troyvan’ and ‘Heretic Cult’.
Both the daggers aimed at Ragnar’s heart, the greatest backers of Ed Troyvan.
‘Ceres Merchant Group’ branched right from Ed Troyvan into a ‘Dragon Cult Society’ category.
And,
Ceres had a unique feature unlike others.
A branch connecting to one of the ‘Six Snows’ categories tied to Ragnar.
Bacchus Family.
They flaunted a bull emblem, the most aggressive and bold among the Six Snows.
However, a question mark hung over the branch linking to Ceres.
Tap.
Tap……
Quadlak drummed his index finger on that question mark, muttering.
“No matter what, this marriage must succeed. Then we devour them. Not only will our group rise as one of the Six Snows, but we could even supplant Ragnar.”
Quadlak had already decided to turn his back on Ragnar.
A dangerous gamble, given Ragnar’s zero tolerance for traitors.
But as a shrewd merchant, Quadlak had calculated it all.
‘Troyvan alone rivals Ragnar as a great house. Backed by the Heretic Cult, plus various factions allying to carve up the North. Upheaval is inevitable. No law saying we can’t ride the wave. Moreover.’
Quadlak’s eyes gleamed coldly.
‘Behind this is ‘That One’. ‘That One’ is the true absolute of the North. A game we can’t lose.’
Quadlak shuddered, recalling his first meeting with ‘That One’.
The mental shock lingered vividly.
How could one defy ‘That One’ after witnessing it…….
Right then.
“Merchant Lord, the young master from Bacchus Family has arrived.”
“Already that time? Understood. I’ll be right out.”
At the steward’s voice from outside, Quadlak flipped the chart over and rose.
‘The great event is near. When Ceres Merchant Group becomes House Ceres……!’