Chapter 164

Cleve pressed her index fingers to her temples, trying to suppress the mounting headache.

The stress of the situation was clearly getting to her.

“Talking to you is like stepping into quicksand, Theo. One wrong move, and I’m doomed.”

The longer Cleve spoke with Theo, the deeper she felt herself sinking into a trap. Theo was a mire—an inescapable one.

Chasing Nazariu over the past few days had been less nerve-wracking than this brief exchange with Theo.

“I have no comment on any of this. Even if we’re both Ragnars, there are secrets I cannot divulge.”

“I’m not looking for confirmation or denial. I simply hope you’ll entertain my speculations. Who knows? They might even be useful to you.”

Cleve remained silent.

Theo took that as tacit agreement to continue.

“I’ve come up with two theories.”

He raised his index and middle fingers, then folded down the latter as he began.

“The first is misdirection. The Vice Tower Master is being used as a decoy to mask the real deal. But this doesn’t make much sense. Given Nazariu’s stable standing in the Magic Tower, it’s unlikely he’d take on such a risky role.”

Of course, there was the possibility that Nazariu’s position wasn’t as secure as it seemed, but Theo knew better. His knowledge of the future told him otherwise.

Nazariu’s trajectory was one of relentless success, so much so that people whispered that the word “triumph” might have been coined for him.

“This first theory is unlikely, so I dismiss it. My second theory: the Vice Tower Master deliberately wanted Ragnar to catch wind of the deal.”

As Theo folded down his index finger, he didn’t miss the subtle shift in Cleve’s demeanor.

“The transaction between Lady Hilda and the Magic Tower was supposed to be secret. But if the Magic Tower leaked it to Black Snow to inflate their leverage… or to stir internal conflict within Ragnar… it seems plausible, doesn’t it?”

No matter how much influence Kyle held over Ragnar, Hilda’s loyalists still existed. Deung Ryong was one of her most prominent supporters.

Hilda had stayed hidden all these years to avoid provoking Kyle and triggering a civil war.

But now, Hilda was moving in secret—for the first time in decades—and during a critical conflict with Troivan, no less.

And her dealings were with the Magic Tower, Ragnar’s known adversary.

If this became public knowledge, suspicions would undoubtedly arise.

“Black Snow is the patriarch’s personal guard. Of course, they’d keep a close eye on this.”

Cleve’s pursuit of Nazariu was clearly meant to uncover the exact nature of Hilda’s dealings with the Magic Tower.

If the deal proved dangerous, Black Snow would formally denounce Hilda.

“The Magic Tower, meanwhile, would exploit Ragnar’s political turmoil for their gain.”

Even without knowing the full details of the transaction, Theo could tell that the Magic Tower was playing both sides, ensuring a deal while destabilizing Ragnar.

And all the credit would go to Nazariu, solidifying his position as the next Tower Master.

“I still have no comment.”

Cleve no longer seemed surprised by Theo’s deductions, even as he pieced together the puzzle with remarkable accuracy.

“So the second theory is correct.”

Kyle versus Hilda.

This shadowy conflict was something Theo had never fully grasped in his previous life. Now, he began calculating what ripple effects it might have on the unfolding situation.

“You can take the Vice Tower Master with you since you’re letting us handle the situation. But know this—Black Snow will officially file a complaint with the White Dragon Knights for your interference.”

“So, you’re advising me to prepare a strong alibi. Thank you for the warning.”

“…I’m leaving.”

Cleve chuckled bitterly as she rose from her seat.

She didn’t like him meddling in her work, but she couldn’t bring herself to hate Theo.

Then, a voice echoed from the air:

“It seems our conversation isn’t over yet.”

Both Theo and Cleve turned toward the sound.

From a swirl of steam that condensed into a human figure, Deung Ryong emerged, his deep eyes cold and steady.

“I will take custody of the Vice Tower Master.”

“...But the Vice Tower Master was captured by Theo Ragnar and delivered to Black Snow,” Cleve countered, though she didn’t dare press her point against one of the Nine Dragons without evidence.

Deung Ryong snorted lightly.

“And yet Theo Ragnar is under my direct command. Authority over this matter lies with me, not him. The Vice Tower Master, Nazariu Monte, will not be handed over.”

“Theo Ragnar has independent decision-making authority.”

“No. That authority is conditional. Until then, he remains a combat inspector. I trust you haven’t forgotten his rank.”

The situation had grown more complicated.

Cleve bit her lip lightly.

“...My superiors will not take this matter lightly.”

“It seems you’re mistaken about something.”

Step.

Deung Ryong took a single step forward.

“Did you think I was asking for your permission?”

“...!”

Whoom!

An oppressive wave of energy radiated from Deung Ryong, crushing down on Cleve.

Her face turned pale as the killing intent bore into her very core.

“This is an order. Even the patriarch cannot countermand it lightly. You would do well to remember that.”

Each word he spoke carried the weight of an apex predator’s fury.

“No matter how capable Black Snow may be, to me, you’re nothing more than fledgling rookies. Understand?”

Cleve’s entire body trembled like a leaf.

“Do you understand?”

Just as she seemed on the verge of collapsing, Theo stepped in.

“I believe Cleve has understood your point. Perhaps we should leave it at that?”

The oppressive energy dissipated instantly.

The reversal of the aura was a feat of masterful mana control, one few could achieve.

Deung Ryong cast an appraising look at Theo, who was now crouched beside Cleve, gently channeling restorative energy into her.

The young man was undeniably impressive—a model for any aspiring student and a challenge for even the most talented.

“Then it’s settled. I’ll be taking custody of the prisoner.”

With that, Deung Ryong turned and vanished into the air.

“Are you all right?”

It took several rounds of Theo’s warm mana for Cleve to regain her composure.

“Damn it…”

That was all she could muster.

The Nine Dragons’ power was insurmountable.

Even for someone as capable as Cleve, the gap between her and Deung Ryong was overwhelmingly vast.

***

Hiss!

Clunk, clunk—

The magical train rumbled back into motion, heading toward the ruins of the White Tower.

“So, in the end, Vice Tower Master Nazariu ended up in Deung Ryong’s custody,” Theo mused, glancing at the uncomfortable sight of Nazariu and Jerima sitting restrained beside Deung Ryong.

Of course, it didn’t mean Black Snow had fully given up on them.

“They’re probably hiding all over the train, and some must be trailing us by carriage.”

This wasn’t just a conflict between Kyle and Hilda—it was a political struggle between the Black Dragon and Deung Ryong.

Their clashes in the shadows would likely escalate in the future.

Theo decided to leave it alone.

While it was true he had added fuel to the fire, this confrontation would have occurred with or without his involvement.

Moreover, he wasn’t on bad terms with either the Black Dragon or Deung Ryong. There was no reason to meddle further and risk drawing unwanted attention.

“Doesn’t this all make you uneasy?”

“It’s out of our hands now. There’s nothing more we can do.”

“Well, that’s true, but… Damn it, being around you never lets me catch my breath.”

“Same here.”

“Must be because you’re a Ragnar.”

“Maybe so.”

“Definitely different from the rest of us.”

“...Why does your conversation keep veering off like this?”

Theo sighed as he overheard Selpherd and Arin’s exchange. He turned his attention back to the book in his hands.

"Exploring Field Property Transformations Utilizing Photon Wave Properties"…? That’s not something even elemental mages specializing in light magic would commonly read. You seem quite interested in magic.”

It was Nazariu who commented this time, his tone casual despite the magic-control cuffs binding his hands tightly.

His relaxed attitude suggested he wasn’t the least bit concerned about Deung Ryong harming him.

“Theo Ragnar… I need to figure out exactly what he did to Paracelsus.”

From the outside, Paracelsus appeared unchanged.

But Nazariu’s magical intuition told him otherwise—this Paracelsus was no longer the artifact he had known.

“Even after consuming R-rank data, it couldn’t analyze it. Something must have been done to the algorithm.”

Without understanding the changes to its AI, continuing the Paracelsus project would be impossible.

Theo, however, didn’t even glance at Nazariu.

The Vice Tower Master bristled at the lack of attention. No one had ever treated him with such indifference.

“If you’re interested, I could teach you a thing or two about basic magic. We’ve still got a long ride ahead, and I’d hate for you to get bored without anyone to talk to. Ha-ha!”

Despite his irritation, Nazariu feigned cheerfulness, laughing heartily.

“Pathetic.”

“Pitiful,” Lodbrok echoed, chuckling.

“You two are relentless.”

“Ha! Watching him squirm is just delightful. He’s like a dog desperate to relieve itself.”

“You have a peculiar sense of humor.”

“And whose partner do you think I am? Couples tend to resemble one another.”

Theo sighed internally. He had long since learned that debating with Lodbrok was a losing battle.

“What exactly did you do to Paracelsus?”

“It’s a secret. But one thing’s for sure—you’ll thank me on your knees once you figure it out.”

“That only makes me more determined to find out.”

“Oh? Think you can guess?”

“It must be related to time magic.”

Lodbrok didn’t reply, but Theo had a feeling she was smirking.

“Let’s see what I can figure out.”

Pretending to read his book, Theo closed his eyes.

He had gleaned much from hacking into Paracelsus. It was time to put those revelations to the test.

Thump, thump, thump!

His heart began pounding violently as if in overdrive.

Hwaaa—

Mana surged from his dantian, mixing with the energy from his heart, and quickly reached his Brain Gate.

The moment [Spirituality] awakened in his eyes—

Fwoosh!

Theo felt as though the air had grown impossibly dense, as if time itself had stopped.

He looked around.

Nazariu was still talking, but his movements were so slow they might as well have been frozen.

Outside the train window, the scenery should have been rushing by, yet every blade of grass seemed frozen in time.

It wasn’t just sight.

The smell of the air, the vibrations of the train, the scent of mana, and even the faintest murmurs—all became painfully clear to him.

It felt as though the external world had slowed to a crawl while Theo alone moved freely.

“What you’re experiencing is a phenomenon where your accelerated thought process makes the outside world appear slow. Time, as always, is relative.”

“Fascinating.”

“Isn’t it? This is the world dragons live in. Our unnaturally long lifespans, coupled with this phenomenon, are the reasons why our experiences differ so greatly. It’s also why we eventually went extinct.”

Lodbrok’s voice carried a hint of bitterness.

“Look down.”

Theo lowered his gaze.

Tick, tick, tick—

A chronograph manifested at his feet, its hands marking hours, minutes, and seconds as they turned steadily.

“That’s the time currently assigned to you. Now, try using it.”

If Theo could move freely in this slowed world, the applications in combat would be endless.

It was also clear that the ■■Regression ability granted by the quest was related to this.

Determined, Theo focused his attention on moving his arm.

The moment he tried—

Hiss!

A searing pain burned through his arm as if it were tearing apart.

“Grrk!”

Blood vessels popped in his eyes from the intense strain.

“Ha-ha-ha! Foolish boy! Just because your mind is faster doesn’t mean your body is, too!”

“What… do I… do?”

The disparity between his accelerated consciousness and his unprepared body was excruciating. The friction from the air alone felt like being burned alive, and the pressure on his muscles was overwhelming.

“There’s only one way. Practice until it works.”

It wasn’t impossible.

When the Plum Blossom Master had taught Theo the Full Bloom Technique, she had borrowed a similar alternate time flow.

In that fleeting moment, she had accomplished what seemed impossible.

Time magic, Theo realized, revolved around mastering such absurdly precise control.

“If I can master this, I’ll gain the ability to manipulate time at will. Let’s do this.”

Focusing on the chronograph beneath him, Theo resumed his training.

Tick, tick, tick, tick—

Time flowed steadily as Theo honed his newfound ability.

Before he knew it, the magical train arrived at its destination: the ruins of the White Tower.