Chapter 206

Although Theo had been pestering Lodbrok with his drunken ramblings, there was truth behind his words.

Repairing the Dragonheart Sword truly required what he had suggested—there was no other way.

Moreover, given Lodbrok’s current rate of recovery, it wasn’t an impossible task.

For humans, it might be akin to trimming an inconveniently grown nail.

Of course, it was likely the unpleasantness of physically tampering with his own body that made Lodbrok so resistant to the idea.

“The problem is, I just can’t stop teasing Lodbrok. It’s too much fun.”

Theo didn’t hesitate to entertain the thought, knowing full well that Lodbrok would curse him if the dragon ever found out.

“Well, it’s about time this drinking party wrapped up.”

Thud!

Before Theo could finish his thought, Bracken suddenly spilled his drink and toppled backward with a loud crash.

“—No way! Lord Bracken has lost!”

“Someone outdrank Lord Bracken? How is that even possible?!”

Ranke’s swordsmen rushed to Bracken’s side, helping him up in a panic.

“Phew. I thought I was going to die.”

Theo quietly set his glass down and let out a sigh of relief. Even with Nirvana activated, there were limits to how much his body could handle. He had been on the verge of worry himself.

As he glanced around, he noticed Erica and Holcus staring at him as if he were some sort of monster.

“You two… ugh!”

Just then, Nirvana faltered for a moment, and a wave of nausea hit him like a sledgehammer.

Theo barely managed to summon his mana to steady himself. His vision swam, and his head throbbed.

“Ugh. I really feel like I just crawled out of the grave.”

It took quite some time for Theo to recover fully. After circulating his mana several times to purge the alcohol from his system, he was finally able to regain his composure.

His stomach still churned, and his head throbbed relentlessly, but at least he was functional.

『Hmph. You brought this punishment upon yourself by tormenting your one and only companion.』

“Oh? You’re still here?”

『What?!』

“Don’t you have materials to collect? The Sea King is waiting, you know.”

『AAAAARGH!』

As Lodbrok screamed and cursed in frustration, clutching his spectral temples, people began gathering around Theo.

Survivors of the drinking contest—fortunate enough to have made it through alive—started chattering animatedly.

“Our Young Lord, I had no idea you could hold your liquor so well.”

“Well, he did get a little weak at the end, so I guess even the iron-clad Young Lord is still human after all.”

“Haha! You should’ve seen how cute he looked when he stumbled toward the bathroom!”

“I know, right? Tottering back and forth like a drunkard—it was hilarious!”

Among the group were members of the Ranke family.

“I heard you’re friends with our Lady and Young Master. Truly impressive!”

“Lord Bracken, who even our top officers couldn’t match in drinking, was defeated by you! Truly remarkable!”

“And the way your muscles flexed when you lifted that enormous jug! What’s your secret?”

“Ah, you’re definitely the number one husband material the Ranke women would go crazy for!”

Seeing the enthusiastic thumbs-up from everyone, Theo realized just how much of an impression his victory over Bracken had left.

“A family that honors drinking prowess… is this really okay?”

He briefly entertained the thought but quickly dismissed it as another sharp throb of pain flared in his skull.

“Ugh…”

He could do little more than force a weak smile.

“Theo.”n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

Suddenly, Holcus sat down in front of him with a determined expression.

“What now?” Theo groaned, unsure of what to expect.

“Teach me.”

“...What?”

Theo blinked, clearly confused.

“Teach me how to drink like you.”

Holcus declared it with the solemnity of a warrior heading to battle.

Smack!

“AAARGH! Why did you hit me?!”

Erica landed a heavy slap on the back of Holcus’s head.

“Stop confusing people with that serious tone, idiot. You’re going to give Theo a heart attack!”

“It’s important to me! Do you know how hard it is to drink with Father every time I go home? I thought I was going to die last time!”

Bracken’s love for alcohol was a constant source of torment for his children. Whenever they tried to escape, he would grab them by the neck, claiming, “A warrior who can’t drink isn’t a real warrior!”

And instead of ordinary cups, he’d make them drink straight from massive jugs.

Holcus had been forced to endure this countless times, and though his tolerance had improved over the years, it was still nowhere near enough to challenge his father.

But now, Theo had defeated Bracken.

To Holcus, this was nothing short of miraculous.

His admiration for Theo soared to new heights—no, beyond the heavens and into the cosmos.

“He’s good-looking, stylish, strong, skilled in combat, and even a great drinker! Theo is the perfect role model!”

Holcus had long given up the dream of becoming Theo’s sword. Until he could rival someone like Erica or Reina in skill, he didn’t even dare entertain the thought.

Instead, he resolved to become like Theo. That way, one day, he could stand beside him as an equal.

And the first step toward that goal?

Becoming a master drinker.

“You idiot. How does that even make sense?”

Erica sighed, but she didn’t bother correcting him. She knew it would go in one ear and out the other.

“Fine…”

Theo, still holding his throbbing head, nodded weakly.

“Yes!”

“But there’s a condition.”

“A condition?”

Holcus tilted his head in confusion.

“Join the 6th Company.”

“...!”

Holcus’s eyes widened as if an earthquake had just struck.

“M-Me? In the 6th… the 6th Company?”

“Yes.”

“Really? Truly?”

“Yup.”

“For real? Like, seriously…?”

Unable to Believe It

Holcus couldn’t stop asking over and over again to confirm what he’d just heard, his disbelief evident.

Smack!

Erica’s fist landed on the back of his head with a sharp crack.

“Quiet, already! If you’re going to join, just join! What’s with all the questions?”

“But still! This is a recruitment offer! Haha, I’ve been scouted!”

Holcus, overjoyed, suddenly sprang to his feet and started dancing in place, his excitement overflowing.

Then, just as abruptly, his stomach churned, and he dashed to a corner to vomit.

Bleeegh!

The sound was truly horrific.

“Oh, you idiot. You absolute moron,” Erica muttered, shaking her head in utter disbelief at her younger brother. She turned to Theo with a deadpan expression.

“What about me?”

“If you join, I’d be grateful.”

“Not going.”

“Why?”

“You offered it to that fool before me,” she replied flatly, pointing at Holcus, who was now slumped against the wall, pale-faced.

Theo chuckled.

“Holcus will be a regular member. You, on the other hand, will get a senior officer’s position. Deal?”

“Deal!”

Erica immediately grabbed Theo’s hand in agreement.

A Third Offer

It was then that Rey silently gazed at Theo from the side.

Unable to resist, Theo let out another chuckle.

“Want to come too?”

Rey nodded.

With that, Theo felt a weight lift from his shoulders. Three new members for the 6th Company were now secured.

A Minor Objection

“Hmm? Isn’t this a bit too blatant? You’re just snatching people right under our noses while we’re watching,” said Gorito Ken, the leader of the 3rd Company, approaching with an amused grin.

Hanata Ragnar, the leader of the 4th Company, stood beside him, nodding in agreement.

“The Captain authorized me to recruit any personnel I need. If you have complaints, take it up with him,” Theo replied smoothly.

“Oh, so you’re passing this off to the Captain now?”

“Thanks for your cooperation.”

The company leaders grumbled playfully, but their grins betrayed their good-natured teasing.

After all, they weren’t genuinely upset. To them, it wasn’t a matter of losing their men to Theo—it was more like temporarily loaning them out.

Unbeknownst to Theo, the leaders already believed that he was destined to become the next Captain. Lending him people now only meant they’d eventually serve under him anyway.

Bracken’s Return

“Now this is quite the sight,” Bracken suddenly said, stepping forward with a faint smile.

“Are you feeling better?” Theo asked.

“Must’ve been the long journey. My stomach still hasn’t settled. Normally, I can handle much more. We’ll have to have a proper rematch next time,” Bracken replied, squinting slightly from his lingering hangover as he gave Theo a playful wink.

It was clear he wanted to frame the night’s events as a draw.

“Come now, Lord Bracken! That’s nonsense! You drank more tonight than you have in the last decade!”

“You’re getting older; maybe it’s time to stop showing off your drinking skills?”

“Exactly! Maybe it’s time to give us a break and retire to the back room to rest!”

The Ranke household members chimed in one after another, openly teasing their patriarch.

“Damn brats! What are you even saying—urgh!” Bracken tried to argue, but his body betrayed him, and he doubled over again.

“See? That’s what happens when you overdo it,” someone said with a laugh.

“Just you wait,” Bracken grumbled, glaring at them.

But even as he ground his teeth in mock frustration, the Ranke family members weren’t fazed. They seized the rare opportunity to repay their patriarch for all the times they’d suffered at his insistence on drinking contests.

Theo’s Observations

“This feels a lot like the White Steel Vanguard, but somehow even more... lively? At the same time, the loyalty here seems much stronger.”

Despite their teasing, all the Ranke members instinctively maintained positions that ensured Bracken’s safety. In an emergency, they would protect him without hesitation.

Recovery and Honeyed Words

Eventually, Bracken and Holcus recovered somewhat after downing large bowls of honey water Erica had brought over.

“I’d heard Winterer’s honey was a specialty around here. It’s certainly doing the trick,” Bracken remarked, setting his bowl down and letting out a deep burp. Though the smell was unpleasant, his expression was noticeably more relaxed.

“You must be curious why I came all this way,” he said, looking at Theo.

“You mentioned wanting to meet the friend your children have been spending so much time with,” Theo replied.

“That’s part of it,” Bracken admitted. “When someone like you, a legitimate heir, becomes close to my children, that creates a ‘connection’ for the main family.”

“And what do you think of this ‘connection’ now?” Theo asked with a faint smile.

“If I didn’t like it, I wouldn’t have shared drinks with you. It feels like gaining another son,” Bracken said with a smirk.

Then his tone shifted slightly.

“But truthfully, if I liked this ‘connection,’ I was planning to give you a warning.”

“A warning?”

Theo’s eyes sharpened.

“Do you know much about the relationship between Kincarnon and the Gardners?”

Before Theo could respond, a distant boom echoed across the sky.

Smoke billowed upward in the distance—a signal unique to the White Steel Vanguard.

It was an emergency call for reinforcements.