Chapter 192

“Do you remember me? Back during the nomination ceremony…!”

“Hem-hem! I’m Josephine, commander of the Gale Sword Squad. If you have time, perhaps we could have tea later…!”

“Out of the way, you fools! Can’t you see I’m already in line? Hem-hem! I’m from the Bureau of Law…”

“You move aside! What’s a Bureau of Law representative doing here, breaking neutrality?!”

“You dare talk back to me?”

“What did you just say?”

Theo scratched his cheek as he watched the swarm of people gathering before he even managed to sit in his designated seat.

He had anticipated some attention, but not this overwhelming crowd.

“It’s because Torkel is dead, and I survived. The rumors must’ve spread.”

Those who had once sided with Torkel were now scrambling, their hopes dashed entirely.

“Sir Theo Ragnar.”

Among the crowd, one figure stood out above the rest.

“Th-that person…!”

“Even the Nine Dragons are showing up for this?”

“It’s the Commander of the Azure Sword Guard!”

As the murmuring crowd parted, Hwanryong approached with a somewhat awkward smile and greeted Theo.

“It’s been a while.”

“We met two days ago during the final briefing.”

“Ah, is that so? Age must be catching up with me—I forget things day by day. Hem-hem!”

Hwanryong, known for his stoic demeanor, rarely displayed emotion. Yet, before Theo, he seemed to falter.

“I thought the Azure Sword Guard and the White Armor Vanguard didn’t get along because of the White Tower Incident?”

“Didn’t you hear?”

“Hear what?”

“Lately, the Azure Sword Guard has been cozying up to the Black Iron Brigade. Politics, you know?”

“Even a figure like Hwanryong isn’t immune to political power struggles.”

Hwanryong, well aware of the gazes and murmurs around him, maintained a stony expression.

“I have a lot to discuss with you. Perhaps we could share a meal sometime?”

“Of course.”

“Thank you.”

Relieved by Theo’s response, Hwanryong let out a quiet sigh.

Still, he couldn’t help but feel conflicted. The fact that he had to tread so carefully around someone so young weighed heavily on him.

That morning, he’d heard something from Kyle:

“Is it true the announcement of the Heir Apparent will be made today?”

“Well, perhaps. We’ll see.”

If the rumors were true, it was obvious who the title would go to.

The thought burned like fire on Hwanryong’s heels.

The designation of a successor would inevitably lead to changes among the leadership.

At his age, Hwanryong had no intention of stepping down from active duty.

The same sentiment could be felt from the other leaders present at the ceremony.

“If this boy really becomes the Heir Apparent… I can’t imagine how Kinkarnon or Anshio will react.”

Hwanryong, knowing how hard those two had worked to earn Kyle’s favor over the decades, couldn’t help but speculate.

After Hwanryong departed, Julius, the Mistress of Plum Blossom Palace, and the Black Dragon approached Theo in turn.

“You’re dazzling today! Truly, I have an eye for talent. Ha-ha-ha!” Julius laughed heartily.

“Congratulations, son,” the Mistress of Plum Blossom Palace said softly.

“Thank you, Mother,” Theo replied.

The Mistress blushed slightly at the word “Mother,” a title she still found unfamiliar.

Despite her composed demeanor, she kept sneaking glances at Theo, clearly uncertain how he would react.

She recalled the private conversation she’d had with Cecilia months earlier.

“I’ve decided to adopt Theo as my son,” she had announced.

“Have you?” Cecilia had responded calmly.

“Aren’t you upset?”

Though Cecilia’s temperament had softened greatly in recent times, her jealousy and sharp tongue were infamous throughout Ragnar.

When the Mistress had gone to speak with her, she’d braced herself for harsh words.

Instead—

“I’ll admit, I feel a little wistful, but why would I be upset? It’s a decision Theo made for himself.”

Cecilia had nodded readily, even smiling faintly.

At that moment, the Mistress realized something: Cecilia was no longer the woman she used to know.

“And I’ve always been grateful to you as the First Wife,” Cecilia had continued. “Without you, neither Theo nor I would have remained in our place.”

Cecilia had known well that it was the Mistress who had defended her when everyone else had wanted her ousted from Rose Palace.

“I’m confident that the path I couldn’t give Theo will be one you can guide him through,” Cecilia had added with warmth.

Her sincerity and composure had left the Mistress deeply moved.

“Just as Theo has grown, so too has this woman,” the Mistress mused now.

When Theo addressed her as “Mother,” she couldn’t help but smile brightly.

The resemblance between mother and son’s smiles struck her suddenly—and made her a little jealous.

“Wait, ‘son’? So the adoption rumors were true?” Black Dragon, standing beside them, looked back and forth between Theo and the Mistress in surprise.

“Well… something like that,” Theo replied.

“What? Pulling a move like this?”

It was obvious Julius intended to appoint Theo as his successor.

The Black Dragon found himself pondering whether he should cede his current position as Black Snow Lord to Theo and step back.

“Expect some exciting news today,” the Mistress said with a cryptic smile before moving to her seat.

“Exciting news.”

Theo mulled over her words.

For some reason, he felt today would be an unusually long day.

***

The official distribution of honors began.

“First, Paeryong.”

At Kyle’s call, a towering man stepped onto the stage. His confident expression radiated an energy that seemed capable of shaking the world.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The platform trembled with every step he took.

“As expected of Paeryong…”

“It’s been ages since he’s appeared in public.”

“I heard he had been infiltrating Troiban on the Patriarch’s orders, observing their movements. Apparently, he even eliminated Granada’s right-hand man.”

“Impressive, indeed.”

The murmurs of the crowd seemed to fuel Paeryong’s ego, as the corners of his mouth curled into a smirk.

“He’s exactly the same as he was in my previous life,” Theo thought, shaking his head with a wry smile.

He hadn’t interacted with Paeryong often in his past life, but every encounter left a strong impression.

Paeryong craved attention and adored showing off. His personality was saturated with a need to be in the spotlight.

“And this same man has been secretly watching me? No, more accurately, he must have been observing the situation on the Floating Isles under Kyle’s orders.”

Theo now understood why the commander who had gone missing at sea hadn’t resurfaced until much later.

When Theo appeared unexpectedly and seized the credit for the Floating Isles operation, it must have left Paeryong bewildered.

And just as Theo suspected, Paeryong glanced briefly in his direction.

Their gazes met for a fleeting moment, and the air between them grew tense. Theo felt as if his very thoughts were being dissected.

Hmph!

Paeryong snorted dismissively, his disdain evident as he turned his attention away.

What kind of evaluation did he just make of me?

Theo couldn’t help but wonder about the thoughts of the man who had mentored Gishar and Anshio.

“Paeryong, Dante Roll,” Kyle announced. “You have contributed significantly to bringing this war to an end. As such, I grant you the former County of Krunan in the southwest as your fiefdom, along with the Right of Establishment to found your own house.”

The hall erupted into a frenzy at Kyle’s words.

“The Right of Establishment?!”

“Such a monumental reward? Isn’t this the first time in 200 years?”

“The Seventh Sword House is about to be founded…”

The Right of Establishment was a rare and extraordinary privilege. In the long history of Ragnar, it had only been granted nine times.

It gave the recipient the right to found their own house—a house that could challenge Ragnar’s authority if it chose to.

Although anyone could theoretically establish a house by settling in unclaimed territory or developing regions near the Demon Sea, such houses were not fully recognized. They could swear loyalty to Ragnar and be acknowledged as vassals but would receive minimal support.

The Right of Establishment, however, was different. It came with comprehensive support, acknowledgment as a branch house, and even the right to compete for Ragnar’s throne.

In essence, such a house could potentially become Ragnar itself.

Currently, there were six Sword Houses that had been founded through this right, the most recent being the Ranke House, established 200 years ago.

Kyle granting this right to Paeryong was unprecedented—even his sworn brothers had never received such a privilege.

On top of that, the County of Krunan was one of the most fertile lands in the North. Establishing a house there would guarantee rapid growth.

Kyle’s acknowledgment of Paeryong’s contributions was as clear as it was monumental.

“Brother,” Julius muttered.

“I… I didn’t hear about this,” Black Dragon stammered, letting out a nervous laugh. “Our elder brother truly knows how to drop a bombshell.”

Both turned to the Mistress of Plum Blossom Palace, but she shook her head, her gaze somber.

“I hadn’t heard either. It seems Kyle intends to empower Anshio. But I can’t fathom his reasoning.”

They had all already expressed their support for Theo to Kyle, and they had been confident that today’s ceremony would solidify Theo’s position as the successor.

“Does he intend to prolong this succession struggle?”

Julius clenched his fists, frustrated at his older brother’s inscrutable intentions. He knew full well the ambition of men like Paeryong and Anshio.

But with the Sacred Demon Cult’s apostles still at large, unity within Ragnar was paramount. Kyle’s actions seemed to risk further division rather than fostering cohesion.

“Unless…”

Suddenly, a thought struck Julius.

The County of Krunan, while fertile, was far from Winterer and the core of Northern politics.

Perhaps Kyle intended to isolate Anshio and Paeryong from the heart of Ragnar’s power.

“I am grateful for the honor, but I must decline the fiefdom,” Paeryong said suddenly, breaking his bow and rising to his feet.

Despite Kyle’s piercing gaze, Paeryong showed no sign of backing down.

“A house’s strength lies in its fiefdom. Without one, your house cannot be recognized.”

“Give the County of Krunan to someone else. I request Troiban’s lands instead. Surely I have earned that much.”

The room froze.

Paeryong was essentially demanding control over the East—a region of immense strategic and economic value.

Several figures, including Julius and the Nine Dragons, stood in outrage, but Kyle silenced them with a wave of his hand.

“Indeed, your qualifications are more than sufficient,” Kyle said calmly. “But it cannot be done. The lands have already been promised to someone else.”

Paeryong frowned deeply.

“Who could have achieved more than me in this war?”

He turned his gaze to follow Kyle’s, his expression hardening as it landed on Theo.

“That land will go to the Heir Apparent,” Kyle declared.