Chapter 95
Chapter 95
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 95
Chapter Title: Found You, Finally (5)
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‘Bastard son Theo Ragnar, who’s racked up major merits dragging out the Third Wife and the Central Intelligence Chief... What a perfect topic of conversation. Julius, that guy used his head well.’
A black lark beat its wings powerfully, slicing across the sky.
‘The White Dragon Knights have issues of fairness with their other members, so no special support, but from now on, I’ll put Theo at the center of every topic... That way, I’ll effectively designate the guy gunning for White Dragon Knights captain as the successor... That’s what he wants to say, right?’
So he was growling for others to stop drooling over his own chick.
His sworn brothers—the Black Dragon and the Plum Palace Lord—were both showing intense interest in Theo.
‘Once he learns Big Brother will summon him separately after this is over, he’ll flip out even more.’
After the four sworn brothers seized control of the family.
They’d grown a bit distant as each devoted themselves to their duties.
Their hearts hadn’t drifted apart.
Their feelings for each other remained the same.
But they weren’t as close.
Things had grown awkward.
It was hard to laugh carefree and share drinks like before.
Just them gathering in one place shook Winterer, the North, the Empire, the world.
And yet,
‘That guy’s been subtly drawing us back together without us realizing.’
Julius and the Plum Palace Lord had grown close again, the Black Dragon had dipped his foot in.
Kyle had started paying attention to Theo in his own way.
Connections were forming.
The distrust and resentment toward the regressor still lingered in a corner of his heart.
Even so, this alone was tremendous progress.
‘So, Theo. No, nephew.’
The black lark, now at its destination, was enveloped in a burst of light.
‘Please don’t make the wrong choice and force my hand to cut you down.’
Flash!
In the lark’s place appeared the masked Black Dragon, landing smoothly on the ground.
Flutter—
The hem of his clothes billowed in the wind,
Snap!
Kleve and the Black Snow agents already waiting all bowed their heads.
The Black Dragon gave a slight nod in acknowledgment and peered down at the cliff base.
A single rundown cabin.
A safehouse used by the Central Intelligence Agency.
“The Central Intelligence Chief is down there?”
“Yes. We’ve successfully lured him out first under the pretext of cooperating with Ranke for a secret operation against the Ma-hae. He believes the Ranke family head is coming.”
“What forces did he bring?”
“Twenty first-class agents.”
“Quite the entourage. Came loaded for bear.”
Heh.
The Black Dragon let out a cold sneer.
Central Intelligence first-class agents were all elite upper swordsmen.
In other strike teams, they’d be squad leader rank or higher.
It showed how much Ed Troyvan valued his personal security,
And hinted that this suppression wouldn’t be easy.
But the Black Dragon couldn’t care less.
Shing—
In the end, they were nothing but parasites to be sliced apart.
“Let’s go.”
At his command,
Whoosh!
The agents leaped off the cliff in unison.
* * *
Crackle—
Theo and the Erika siblings, Evelyn and Hazel were speeding through Winterer.
Trailing them were twenty troops from the White Dragon Knights and thirty from Plum Palace.
Over fifty in total.
And Ragnar banners fluttered above their heads.
Executioners carrying out the family head’s orders.
Winterer residents naturally recoiled in shock.
-Wh-what? What the hell’s going on?
-R-right? They’re rushing like there’s a huge problem...
-White Dragon Knights and Plum Palace... What’s really happening?
-D-did a rebellion break out?
-Hey! Don’t jinx it like that!
-Oh, s-sorry. I wasn’t thinking.
The word “rebellion” was practically taboo in Winterer.
Whenever one happened, bloodwinds always swept the North.
Success or failure didn’t matter.
But Theo’s group moved with such ferocious momentum that people hurried to clear the way.
Swordsmen who spotted them rushed back to their units to report.
‘Uh... when do I say it...? This really isn’t the vibe...’
Meanwhile, Holcus glanced at Theo holding the banner high and sighed.
Theo’s fame was skyrocketing—it was obvious even to him.
It was time to lay the groundwork for pledging himself, but the timing just wasn’t there.
It was hard to broach with someone wearing such a serious face.
「This time you’re screwed. Put it off, you stubborn mule. You’ll just ruin the mood with weird talk today.」
Erika read his thoughts, clicked her tongue, and sent a telepathic message.
「Why’s the mood bad?」
「You still don’t get how things were between Theo and that Axion bastard?」
「They just didn’t get along... right? The Third Wife’s pissed because Theo killed Axion.」
「Sigh, you really know nothing. How do you plan to become a swordsman like that? Tsk tsk.」
「Fuck, don’t tease—just spill it.」
「Listen up good. What that Third Wife bitch did to Theo and his mom...」
Erika told him everything Axion and his mother had done to Theo and his in the past.
Holcus’s face flushed beet red with rage.
「Those fuckers crazy? Walking around human-faced doing shit like that?」
「Yeah. Even if Theo’s a bastard son, that’s why the family was blinded by prejudice. Lady Cecilia was treated like a vixen.」
「Axion, you dog bastard! Should’ve curb-stomped his skull when he was alive!」
Holcus fumed for a while before a question hit him, and he asked Erika.
「But how do you know all this, sis? You’ve been in closed training forever.」
「Little bro, dumb little bro, anyone aiming for a crown has to bear that weight.」
「What? How heavy can a crown be? Break your neck?」
「...Can’t talk to a musclehead. Just can’t. Sigh.」
Erika gave up conversing with her brain-full-of-muscles dumb brother.
What she wanted wasn’t just the Ranke family head seat.
-Making Ranke the North’s—or the world’s—top family.
If not, at least supporting that process was Erika’s ambition.
Naturally, thoroughly investigating her temporary ally Theo was part of the plan.
At first, to gauge his vessel.
But after learning his full history, her mind changed completely.
‘My eyes didn’t lie. Theo’s a lifelong comrade.’
Not in a romantic sense.
Someone to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with, to entrust your back to.
‘Whether Theo meant it or not, his name will be huge on dragging out the Third Wife and Central Intelligence Chief. So naturally, I need to be at his side.’
That’s why she warned Holcus not to act rashly.
「Anyway, just sticking by his side is enough for now. Don’t clumsily try comforting and kill the vibe.」
「You think I’m an idiot? I know that much!」
「That’s why I’m worried, little bro.」
「Argh, fuck!」
Holcus felt wronged by Erika but said no more.
As she said, just guarding Theo’s side was enough for now.
Before long, the group reached the Third Wife’s residence: Rose Palace.
Theo’s eyes sank deep.
A place he’d spent decades of his past life in—terribly familiar.
He’d come to take it back.
“Executioners, all of you.”
Theo raised the banner high.
Per Julius’s orders, he held command now.
“Capture the rebels.”
At that moment, White Dragon Knights and Plum Palace elites all moved.
Whoosh!
Screech—
They became streaks of light vaulting the walls, while the Erika siblings led, erupting mana to blast the front gate away.
Boom!
The gates shattered, and fifty elites poured inside in one go.
-Wh-what the...?
-R-Ragnar! Ragnar banners!
-Why here...!
-Kya aaak!
Butlers and maids in the palace paled and screamed in terror,
“Find rebel Emil Troyvan! Kill any who resist or refuse to cooperate!”
Evelyn’s lion roar shook the palace.
-R-rebel...?
-What did the Third Wife...!
As the suppression force scattered from first to third floor, a group blocked their path.
Morgan, Ed’s second deputy chief assigned to watch Emil, and his men.
“What is the meaning of this! This is the Third Wife’s residence, the family head’s harem palace! Show some respect...!”
Morgan couldn’t finish.
A sharp blade wind suddenly rushed at his throat.
Clang!
Morgan frantically deflected it and stumbled back a couple steps.
Evelyn growled with feral eyes.
“I said anyone shielding the Third Wife is a rebel, didn’t I? Oh, and since Central Intelligence joined the rebellion, no difference anyway?”
“What...!”
Morgan’s pupils shook.
‘What...? Where’d our info leak?’
It was true Ed and Central Intelligence had long dreamed of the grand undertaking as Troyvan’s hidden blade.
But they’d never thought of it as “rebellion.”
Just righting wrongs.
Returning everything to its proper place.
So they’d prepared slowly...
Where had it leaked?
‘No way... the Black Dragon, that bastard tracking us?’
Only one suspect came to mind.
Ed and the Black Dragon had clashed politically for ages.
His head spun.
One thought surfaced.
‘Chief! The Chief’s in danger!’
Only Ed’s safety, away on Ranke’s request.
“No excuses. No defenses. The charges against you won’t allow mercy.”
Screech—
Evelyn ignored Morgan’s thoughts entirely.
She became blade wind again, pressing him.
Clang clang clang clang!
Morgan flailed desperately.
“Agency agents, protect the Third Wife! Protect the Third Wife with your lives—!”
Boom! Boom boom!
Explosions rang out everywhere.
Not gunpowder.
Aurapower detonations.
Reverse Blood Explosion Art.
All burning their lives to block the suppression force.
“For Troyvan—!”
“For the truth—!”
Rumble, rumble, cra rumble—
Sword auras clashed wildly.
As the melee between suppressors and resisters intensified,
Step, step!
Theo strode through the battlefield, banner held high, his steps stoic.
Erika and Holcus guarded his flanks, shoving or batting away attacking agents.
None were mere trainees they could handle easily, but duty to protect the banner and help Theo’s vengeance fueled them.
‘Emil can’t hide in many places, even if she tries.’
Theo knew Rose Palace’s layout better than anyone.
He knew exactly where she’d go.
Boom!
Kicked open the first door.
‘Not here.’
Boom!
‘Not here either.’
Kablooey—
‘No one here.’
Blood pooled everywhere Theo passed climbing to the third floor.
‘Then only one place left.’
Theo stood before the final door.
Top floor.
Cecilia’s old room.
Kablooey!
Theo kicked it savagely; the door splintered, revealing the interior.
Amid trembling maids and butlers,
Emil clutched a photo of Axion, beaming ear to ear.
“My baby, my precious... Hungry? Yes, yes. Just hold on a bit. Mommy’ll make yummy food soon. You loved mushroom soup, right? Your outer family just sent the best mushrooms.”
‘Insane.’
Escaping reality?
Emil seemed utterly unhinged.
Even facing Theo, whom she hated so much, she didn’t spare him a glance.
Pathetic.
Her mother endured all that humiliation for this worthless thing...
Theo swung his sword.
Slash—
Emil’s severed head rolled limply across the floor.
Roll...
Watching it,
Theo quietly closed his eyes.
A whirlwind of emotions churned in his chest.