Chapter 217

Just before meeting Kincarnon, Theo had unsealed the Scepter of the King, brought by his companions.

[You have unsealed the artifact of the Ancient Dragon. The trial will now begin.]

When Theo opened his eyes, he found himself in a grand hall.

Under a magnificent chandelier that sparkled brilliantly, court musicians played instruments while elegantly dressed men and women in masks danced gracefully in a grand ballroom.

Seated a few steps above them on a throne was a man with a languid expression.

Theo recognized that face immediately.

Though much younger than the version he’d seen before, the aura radiating from him was no less overwhelming.

"Theo."

‘Yes. I will meet him.’

If there was anyone in the world who could make even Lodbrok’s voice tremble, there could only be one person.

“Sigurd.”

“Oh, you recognized me instantly. Many of my descendants have come here, but very few knew me right away.”

The boredom in Sigurd’s eyes flickered with a hint of interest.

The music and dancing that filled the ballroom now faded into mere background noise, unnoticed by either of them.

“I once had the chance to meet the real you, albeit briefly.”

“The real me? Oh, so you opened the White Tower. That’s no small feat—impressive.”

This Sigurd was nothing more than a shell or an echo left behind.

“So, how’s the real me doing? If he’s lounging around comfortably, I might just want to smack him in the back of the head.”

“He’s been working hard, holding off the Outsiders.”

“So he’s been running himself ragged, huh? Hah! Good. It wouldn’t make sense if I were the only one stuck suffering here while he had all the fun.”

The languor on Sigurd’s face began to fade.

“Still dealing with that mess, huh? Hah, when was the last time I ran myself into the ground like that? Damn pantheon bastards. All talk and no action, as usual.”

Theo was beginning to understand what kind of person this version of Sigurd was.

“Why must you endure all this hardship here?”

“Exactly! Don’t you think I deserve a break? Do you have any idea how long I’ve been stuck in this tiny place doing this crap?”

What followed was a long, ear-splitting rant.

Sigurd bemoaned how long he’d been trapped, how exhausting it was dealing with the occasional visitors, how tiresome it was watching the same NPCs repeat their actions endlessly, and how he would have quit long ago if not for his sense of duty.

‘He didn’t seem this talkative originally.’

Theo couldn’t help but think that this suffocating environment had driven Sigurd to become like this.

“I see. That must have been tough for you.”

“Yeah, right. You’re not listening at all, are you?”

“Of course I am. I was just reflecting deeply on the burden you carry and pondering how best to relay your plight to the pantheon when I meet the real you again.”

“Hah! With that silver tongue, I bet you didn’t care much for swordsmanship before regressing, did you?”

Theo smiled faintly, steering the conversation back.

“More importantly, what’s the mission I need to complete here? Where is the Guardian?”

Sigurd stared at Theo, as if to say, What’s wrong with this guy? Then, after a chuckle, he spoke with a mischievous glint in his eye.

“The Guardian? Isn’t it right next to you?”

Theo frowned, about to ask what he meant when a thought struck him. He activated Eyes of Insight.

The scene around him warped. What had seemed like an opulent ballroom transformed into a surreal nightmare.

The chandelier above revealed itself to be a mass of jagged teeth, and the luxurious carpet underfoot turned out to be a giant tongue.

The ballroom—no, the entire hall—was inside the maw of a colossal beast.

And then,

"Heh, heh, heh..."

From beyond the window came a sound, like glittering jewels laughing. Theo felt something, someone, watching him and laughing mockingly.

"Its size is absurd..."

Lodbrok’s low growl echoed in Theo’s mind.

‘Do you recognize it?’

"It must be Canhel."

‘Canhel?’

"A spiritual creature among the dragon species. It doesn’t conform to a fixed form. Normally, it resides within its master’s shadow, but when it finds a place it likes, it possesses it, replacing the location entirely."

It seemed this ballroom had caught Canhel’s interest and had become its vessel.

“If you pass the trial, you’ll leave this place unscathed. If not… well, it will be gruesome.”

“Why do you have to put it so harshly? Were you expecting an easy way out?”

Sigurd leaned on the armrest of his throne, a smirk playing on his lips.

“This place was designed to punish descendants who are greedy but unworthy, or to awaken the latent talents of those who have potential but have yet to realize it.”

As Sigurd raised his head, his eyes gleamed with menace.

“Those who pass the trial will receive the Qualification of Kingship. But for those who fail, the punishment for coveting treasures beyond their means awaits.”

Theo finally understood why Kincarnon had coveted the Scepter of the King so desperately, even risking a coup.

“To be born of Ragnar blood is no small thing. Shouldn’t such a birth merit an opportunity equal to its weight?”

Sigurd grinned widely.

“Of course, to claim it, you’ll have to surpass me.”

[A quest has been received.]

[Scenario Quest #11]

Among the blessings of the Ragnar bloodline is the ability to regress. However, this is a latent talent imprinted in the bloodline and inaccessible to those who cannot awaken it.

Sigurd, the progenitor, created a trial for descendants with potential but without the ability to awaken their talents.

The Seat of the Chosen is a throne reserved for kings, a position that proves one’s worth to succeed Sigurd.

Demonstrate that you are worthy of this position.

Difficulty: SS

Reward: Ancient Dragon Artifact, ???

Failure Penalty: Death

Theo’s gaze lingered on the “???” section of the rewards.

Was this the prize awaiting those who claimed the throne as a Chosen One?

“What do you mean by surpassing you?”

“You’ll have to defeat me here.”

Sigurd rose slowly from his throne.

The ballroom fell silent. The music ceased, and the dancers stepped aside, parting the way.

Thud, thud!

With each step down the staircase, Sigurd’s face grew younger, his height diminishing slightly.

“Let’s see... you’re sixteen now, turning seventeen soon?”

By the time Sigurd stood on the carpet, he looked not just youthful but almost boyish—seventeen years old.

Yet Theo could sense immediately, through sheer presence alone, that this youthful Sigurd was far more powerful than Kincarnon.

Zzzt.

So this was the founder of the great Ragnar family, a man truly on another level.

Shiiing!

Sigurd unsheathed his sword slowly.

“If you want to claim the qualification of a king, you’ll have to surpass the me of this age.”

He grinned mischievously as he spoke, but Theo could only let out a dry chuckle.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

‘The Scepter of the King… Now I understand why it remained a secret in the family and why Father never retrieved it.’

The trial of the Scepter had never been conquered.

None of the descendants had ever surpassed Sigurd’s shadow.

Even Kyle must have realized this and refrained from recovering it.

At the same time, Theo felt a surge of fierce determination.

The Sigurd he had seen in the pantheon had been a literal god of war.

The thought of facing even a fraction of that strength made Theo’s heart race.

Of course, failing would mean becoming a mere morsel for Canhel.

‘Well, so be it.’

For Theo, who had resolved to reshape the entire Ragnar clan, this was only a natural trial.

“Has anyone ever passed this trial?”

Theo levitated four swords in place of the broken Drake Blade.

“Yes.”

Sigurd’s grin widened, revealing his teeth.

“Kyle.”

“...!”

***

The sparring match with 17-year-old Sigurd was so intense that the word "training" felt entirely inadequate. "Battle" or even "life-and-death duel" would have been more fitting.

Sigurd showed no mercy, neither for Theo’s status as his descendant nor for his role as the Chosen One.

It was no surprise that the quest difficulty had been classified as SS.

But in the end, the duel ended with Theo’s victory.

Theo’s growth, forged through numerous quests and level-ups, had surpassed even the legendary Sigurd of his prime.

“Should we meet again in the future, it will be quite entertaining.”

The future?

Sigurd’s cryptic remark just before the quest concluded left Theo puzzled, but Sigurd merely smiled, offering no further explanation.

As if to say, “You’ll understand in due time.”

And with that, Theo returned to reality, rewards in hand.

The Scepter of the King now glowed with a blue light as it settled onto his wrist—not in its original form as a scepter, but reshaped into a bracelet.

[Scepter of the King]

Adds to the majesty of a king.

Type: Accessory

Effect: Amplifies all skill effects by 1.5x

Requirement: Completion of the respective quest

The amplification of skill effects.

For Theo, there was no more effective and reliable means of boosting his combat power.

[Skill: Drake’s Fear presses against the target.]

Boom!

Kincarnon’s shoulders visibly sagged under the pressure.

Already restricted by magical restraints that rendered him incapable of using mana, the additional weight of Theo’s sheer presence made it clear he was struggling even to breathe. His face turned pale, drained of blood.

Yet Kincarnon’s composure was remarkable. Not even a sigh of distress escaped his lips.

Instead, his gaze fixated on the bracelet coiled around Theo’s right wrist.

“The Scepter of the King. So, you’ve acquired it.”

A bitter smile tugged at the corners of his mouth.

“In the end, the true owner of such artifacts is always predetermined, isn’t it?”

“I take it you won’t tell me where you obtained it. Then, was it the Light Dragon Emperor?”

Kincarnon closed his eyes again, remaining silent.

But for Theo, that alone was answer enough.

Through the fully activated Eyes of Insight, Theo saw a faint white light emanating from Kincarnon.

“It is the Light Dragon Emperor.”

His tone left no room for doubt.

Kincarnon’s eyes shot open, his gaze locking onto Theo.

A subtle hint of unease flickered across his features.

“Difficult to tell if I’m just bluffing, or if I’m absolutely certain, isn’t it?”

As expected, the white light grew brighter.

In that moment, Kincarnon realized the truth.

Whether he lied or told the truth, it was impossible to deceive Theo’s deeply piercing gaze.

Theo could now discern truth from lies.

[Skill effects enhanced. Spiritual energy imbued in mana has been strengthened.]

[You can now use Eyes of Insight to distinguish truth from falsehood.]

[Black signifies falsehood.]

[White signifies truth.]

With this newfound ability, Theo intended to draw out the thread of the Light Dragon Emperor’s influence tied to Kincarnon.