Chapter 160

Theo’s dragon blood originated from Lodbrok.

It was only natural that as Lodbrok recovered more of her power, the strength of Theo’s dragon blood would also increase.

Crack. Crackle.

Theo smiled as he felt the pleasant sensation of his body evolving, and he pulled a tome from the shelf.

- The Oath.

“Necromancy, huh?”

- The Demon’s False Kingdom.

“Details on illusions and deceptions crafted by lesser demons.”

- The Sage’s Pinnacle.

“A treatise on celestial magic blending astrology and traditional spellcraft?”

As expected of a royal collection, the grimoires held profound knowledge, each more extraordinary than the last.

Some piqued Theo’s interest, their reputations preceding them.

However, he quickly placed those books back on the shelves.

Focus and prioritize.

‘If it doesn’t help complement my swordsmanship, it’s just excess baggage.’

Theo had only turned to magic because he believed it would enhance his combat capabilities, not because he aspired to become a mage.

Even the time magic framework inherited from the Mage Empress was no exception.

While he studied the concept of temporal cycles, he was also contemplating how to integrate them into his swordsmanship.

If his hypothesis was correct, time magic could propel his growth to unprecedented heights.

‘I need a grimoire that helps me better understand time magic.’

Nothing seemed satisfactory, and Theo considered searching another room.

Rustle, rustle.

“Hey, what’s this? The Secrets of Almadel?”

“Look at this! Analysis of beastfolk’s ancient combat techniques? Incredible!”

“The Three Steps to Transcendence? Why is the Sword King’s secret here?”

The ghosts of the Dragon Fang Legion emerged from the Spirit Crypt Sword, scouring the library with fascination.

“Hey, check out what I found! This is insane!”

Some wandered into the armory, shouting in excitement.

“Theo! Hey, Theo! Can we look through all this?”

The high-ranking ghosts who had stumbled upon rare manuals were visibly flushed with excitement.

“Yes, you can read them, but don’t damage or remove anything from the vault.”

“What? We can’t take them outside?”

“No. According to the Mage Empress, most of these are bound by protective spells. They’re fully usable within the vault, but taking them out will alert the royal family.”

“Damn it! I was hoping to study these at my leisure.”

“Guess we’ll have to memorize everything!”

“Six hundred pages of text? When am I supposed to memorize all this?”

“That’s tough for you, but I’ve been a prodigy since childhood. Kekeke!”

Despite some squabbling among the ghosts, most quickly settled into reading, engrossed in their chosen books.

The knowledge and insights they gained would eventually become Theo’s, and he watched with mild amusement before turning to the final grimoire.

- Belphegor.

“The demon of sloth.”

Like Amon, Belphegor was a demon antithetical to dragons.

Belphegor, a duke among demons, was notorious enough that even Theo was familiar with him.

What connection could one of the Seven Deadly Sins have with time magic? Theo was intrigued as the grimoire emanated a powerful blue glow.

“The wretched heavens claim that sloth is mere laziness, a sin that diligent humans must avoid. Yet, sloth can be leisure, a reprieve. If one lives only to toil, how are they different from the cogs of a machine?”

“Life is finite. Whether to exhaust it or savor it is my free will.”

“To control one’s temporal resource—this is the essence of sloth.”

‘Interesting.’

The idea of manipulating one’s lifespan struck Theo as intriguing.

It tied into time magic, suggesting a way to expand the temporal range of perception and influence.

‘Time is relative, shaped by perception. If I center my biological clock as the axis and expand its influence outward...’

Theories swirled in Theo’s mind, promising a new way to interpret time magic.

‘I’ll need to discuss this with Lodbrok.’

[You’ve uncovered a new interpretation of time.]

[Your understanding of the quest has improved. Current progress: 15%.]

.

[You’ve successfully established a subjective framework. Skill mastery of Hatchling Synchronization has increased significantly.]

[Current progress: 21%.]

.

[Current progress: 32%.]

Thud.

Time passed as Theo immersed himself in the text.

Finally, he closed the grimoire, his mind abuzz with concepts.

[Current progress: 64%.]

‘Time correlates with light. The speed of light, unlike time, is absolute, making it a unit of measurement. By applying this principle to my thunder affinity…’

[Current progress: 69%.]

The study session proved fruitful, offering a foundation for advancing his thunder attribute.

But then—

‘Something’s wrong.’

Theo’s eyes narrowed.

‘The last few pages are missing.’

The final eight pages of the grimoire had been torn out.

The damage was recent, as the edges showed no signs of aging.

「You look like someone who just ran out of toilet paper mid-business.」

“…Where do you even learn these analogies?”

Theo turned to see Lodbrok leaning against the door, her amused gaze fixed on him.

“How were the elixirs?”

「You said there are four more places like this, right?」

“Yes, as far as I know.”

「It’ll take time to digest, but once I’ve cycled through all of them, I should be at 60% of my prime.」

Theo’s eyes widened.

“Then…”

「Yes, that includes restoring my heart. Thank you.」

Theo clenched his fists.

Lodbrok’s revival was closer than ever, and Theo could already feel his enhanced senses and power thanks to her evolving state.

「That grimoire in your hands… it reeks of something vile. Let me take a look.」

At her gesture, the grimoire floated to Lodbrok’s hand.

「Belphegor. A troublesome one. Similar to Amon, but different.」

“You’re familiar with him?”

「A little. Belphegor, like Amon, was once a high-ranking deity, but his selfish nature and slothful tendencies led to his fall. He doesn’t seem to care, though. His original name was Baal-Peor (בַּעַל-פְּעוֹר).」

“Even as a fallen deity, his skills must be exceptional.”

「They are. However, because he rarely reveals himself, he’s underestimated despite his capabilities. Unlike Amon, he doesn’t harbor particular animosity toward us dragons.」

Lodbrok’s gaze sharpened as she examined the torn pages.

「But it’s strange. For a grimoire of this magnitude, the missing content should render it powerless. Yet it’s still functional.」

Theo’s eyes widened as realization struck.

“Someone tampered with the conceptual framework?”

「Precisely. The missing pages likely established a new concept derived from the original. It’s an intricate and precise feat—unusual for a human.」

Lodbrok’s expression darkened, intrigued by the audacity and skill required.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

Ding!

[You’ve narrowly missed a critical clue to completing your quest.]

[Retrieve the missing portion of the grimoire to finish the quest.]

[Failure to recover the pages will result in quest failure.]

‘Missed it by a hair?’

Theo activated his skill.

[Skill: Hatchling Synchronization activated. Retrieving residual thoughts from the grimoire.]

The scene shifted.

Under dim, glowing lights, five figures studied the grimoire’s torn pages.

‘The Star of David? How did they access the imperial vault?’

It was the Magic Tower’s elite—a squad known as The Star of David.

Leading them was a familiar face.

‘Nazarieu Monte… Why didn’t I realize sooner?’

Nazarieu Monte, the Ivory King, was the youngest-ever 10-star mage and the heir to the Magic Tower.

Theo cursed himself for not recognizing him at High Theodore.

‘He’s already taken the pages. But… they haven’t gone far.’

A dangerous glint flickered in Theo’s eyes.

‘This might be the perfect chance to put the Magic Tower in my debt.’

Theo’s lips curled into a smile.

Of course, he wouldn’t let such an opportunity slip by.