Chapter 236

‘What… just happened?’

At times, an absurdly unrealistic reality can cloud one’s judgment and hinder clear reasoning.

That was exactly what happened to the Mad Dragon.

For a brief moment, he couldn’t understand why he was standing outside the dueling arena.

"Remember this, Mad Dragon. You are nothing more than a hound we Ragnar raise. Never forget that you are not a wolf who dares to bare its fangs at us."

It wasn’t until he heard Theo’s voice ringing in his mind that his senses snapped back into focus.

‘Theo Ragnar…!’

The Mad Dragon glared at Theo, his gaze filled with murderous intent, as though he would devour him whole.

But—

“!!!”

His fierce resolve faltered the moment his eyes met Theo’s cold, piercing gaze.

It froze him in place. Words he wanted to speak caught in his throat.

Dominance.

The overwhelming presence he had believed was his alone now smothered the entire arena.

His aura was nowhere to be found.

He couldn’t speak.

"It is entirely up to us whether you ascend to the imperial throne or not."

Theo’s words carried a stark warning.

If you dare deceive me again, I will strip away even the scraps you cling to.

The very reason you’ve been able to dream of a comeback isn’t because of a deal—it’s because of my mercy.

The Mad Dragon hesitated.

Should he cling to his pride and risk everything in a life-or-death clash with Theo here and now?

Or should he lower his head and bide his time for a future opportunity?

If he chose the former, he could vent his frustration and preserve his dignity.

But doing so would sever his ties with the Ragnar clan completely.

Without their support, his entire foundation would collapse, leaving him with nothing but a hollow title. What could he possibly achieve in that state?

And defeating Theo? That was a long shot. If the battle ended in a draw, even his reputation would be ruined.

On the other hand, if he chose the latter…

He would have no choice but to become the Ragnar clan’s obedient lapdog. He’d have to bark when commanded, grovel when ordered.

Even if the clan demanded that servant girl be placed on the throne, he wouldn’t be able to oppose it.

Either way, his options were grim.

‘…I miscalculated.’

Had Theo’s past compliance lulled him into complacency?

Or was it the recent chorus of sycophants around him that had dulled his edge?

The Mad Dragon now realized he had let Theo—a potentially ideal ally—slip through his fingers.

Lowering his head, he acknowledged his mistake.

…He had built too much to throw it all away over something as trivial as pride.

‘It’s over.’

Theo, watching the Mad Dragon bow his head, understood perfectly.

The Mad Dragon should have stood his ground and clashed with Theo, no matter the cost.

Victory or defeat, such defiance would have allowed him to break free from Ragnar’s chains.

It might even have given him the chance to ally with the clan on equal terms.

‘If only he had cast aside everything Ragnar gave him and started anew, relying solely on his strength. If he had rallied allies and begun again… Even Father or the other Nine Dragons might have chosen to look the other way.’

The Mad Dragon had once been a meticulous, far-sighted man.

He possessed the ability to plan for the long term and see the bigger picture.

But as he built his foundation and grew closer to the imperial throne, his perspective narrowed.

People like him always meet one of two fates:

They either self-destruct.

Or they are eliminated.

‘Now I understand why, despite all his skills, he never ascended the throne in my previous life.’

To Theo, the Mad Dragon’s value had diminished to nothing more than a pawn for ensuring Cassandra’s stable rule.

"Everything you’ve built will ultimately serve as a stepping stone for Cassandra’s reign."

“...It seems the Young Patriarch’s strength has far exceeded my expectations. I underestimated you. I offer my apologies.”

The Mad Dragon stood tall, putting on a composed front as he bowed his head.

To an observer, it might have looked like the honorable concession of a warrior acknowledging defeat.

Theo couldn’t help but feel he should learn from the Mad Dragon’s shameless ability to save face.

With that, the Mad Dragon stepped down from the stage.

The next to step forward was Niel Ragnar, the Ice Dragon.

She wore an expression of utter boredom.

“This is so annoying. I told you, I hate this kind of stuff… Ugh. Let’s just get this over with, okay?”

“That would be ideal for me as well.”

Niel didn’t even bother asking about her daughter, Ray.

She seemed completely confident in Ray’s abilities.

Whoosh!

The two crossed swords in an instant.

***

The trials continued swiftly.

The Azure Dragon Guard Captain, Hwanryong, bowed deeply to Theo, once again apologizing for past offenses, before engaging him in a brief three-move duel.

Reje, who had recently earned the title of Northern Dragon (Sakryong), faced Theo in an all-out battle.

Meanwhile, Kincarnon, who replaced Deungryong after the latter was stripped of his position among the Nine Dragons, now bearing the title Imperial Dragon (Jeryong), proposed a contest of magical prowess—and emerged victorious.

Despite his exhaustion, Theo defeated each of them one by one, proving that his standing was no fluke.

And then—

“...Could I just surrender instead?”

The final figure among the Nine Dragons stepped forward.

Wolfgang, the Elder Council Leader, appeared. His face showed a hint of nervous apprehension as he looked at Theo.

“Do you really think I’d let you?”

“Damn it...! Look at me! Do you really want to defeat an old man like this?”

Since losing his right arm to Julius, Wolfgang had kept a low profile.

He had voluntarily disbanded the Elder Council and wandered the periphery, keeping a wary eye on the central authorities.

He hoped to outlast Julius, who had left Winterer, waiting for an opportunity to reclaim his position.

But his plans had already crumbled to dust.

With the end of the Northern War, Theo had risen to the position of Young Patriarch.

And it was Theo of all people!

The heir of Julius and the master of Evelyn.

The very boy Wolfgang once conspired against alongside the Anti-Dragon faction. His future seemed utterly bleak.

If Theo decided to settle old scores and take revenge, there was nothing Wolfgang could do to stop him.

Yet, for some reason, Theo had ignored him entirely for the past two years.

Perhaps he had been too busy with matters in the East, or perhaps Wolfgang’s existence had simply slipped from his mind.

Thinking Theo had matured as a leader, Wolfgang had hoped he could finally come out of hiding and live without fear.

But now, standing face-to-face with him, Wolfgang realized the truth.

Theo hadn’t forgotten a single thing.

“Did you listen when Evelyn begged you so desperately?”

“...What do you want from me?”

There was no reasoning with him.

Wolfgang felt like he was suffocating.

“Do you really think someone like you is in any position to offer me a deal?”

And then came the sneer.

Wolfgang felt the last remnants of his pride crumble to the ground.

The respect he once commanded as an Elder of Ragnar had long since vanished.

The courage he once displayed in betraying his brother, the Mad Dragon Emperor, had long since withered.

Now, he desired only one thing.

To live another day.

Thud!

Wolfgang fell to his knees.

“T-That’s...!”

“Hmm...”

“So he’s abandoned all pride as a swordsman, along with his dignity and self-respect.”

Whispers filled the stands.

But Wolfgang inwardly scoffed.

What good is the pride of a swordsman?

What could possibly matter more than survival?

Even dreams of revenge or hopes of reclaiming his position required him to stay alive.

That was the philosophy Wolfgang had lived by.

And yet—

Clang!

Theo suddenly tossed a dagger at Wolfgang’s feet.

Wolfgang looked at him with a confused expression.

“No matter what anyone says, it’s a fact that you served as an Elder, holding Ragnar together as a pillar for many years. Sometimes, you were the roof that shielded us from storms. For that, I’m offering you a chance to die with honor.”

“...”

“Of course, I’m not asking you to take your life here and now. That’s not something your stubbornness would allow anyway. That’s why I’m giving you that dagger. Whenever you feel ready, after reflecting on your actions and finding resolve, you may choose to use it.”

Wolfgang’s eyes twitched.

In the end, it was nothing but an order to die.

Whether it was tomorrow or a year from now,

Living each day under the shadow of death would be a living hell.

“And if... I don’t kill myself?”

Wolfgang bit his lower lip hard.

“Then that would be your choice.”

“Then...!”

“But in that case, it won’t be me who comes for you.”

“!!”

“It will be Evelyn.”

“!!!”

“I will bring Evelyn back from this campaign and make her one of the Nine Dragons. She will take the very position that you once held after defeating you.”n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

“...”

“This is the first and last order I will give you as Elder. Will you meet your end with dignity, or live as a disgrace until your inevitable revenge? That’s for you to decide.”

Wolfgang stared at Theo and the dagger for a long moment.

Then, he picked up the blade and trudged off the stage.

Watching him leave, Theo came to a conclusion.

‘He won’t kill himself.’

For now, Wolfgang might act as though he was reflecting and regretting his past actions.

But deep down, Theo knew the truth.

He would do everything he could to survive until Evelyn arrived.

Perhaps he would try to gauge Evelyn’s strength or recover what he had lost in power.

Or perhaps—

‘He might even align himself with his brother.’

Of all people, Wolfgang was likely the most shaken by the revelation that the Mad Dragon Emperor had returned.

To him, it might seem like a new opportunity.

What would happen from there was anyone’s guess.

But that didn’t matter.

For Theo, it was just another step toward Wolfgang’s ultimate disgrace and downfall.

Theo gathered his thoughts and turned to face the audience.

It was time to announce the completion of the Nine Dragons’ trials.

“Woooaaah!”

“I didn’t think he’d pass all of them!”

“He’s incredible!”

Ragnar’s swordsmen, the northern citizens, and even spies sent by other factions couldn’t help but marvel at Theo’s overwhelming display of prowess.

But their excitement wasn’t solely about the trials themselves.

What truly set their hearts racing was the anticipation of the final challenge.

"You’ve grown well."

A booming voice echoed as the sky trembled.

Something descended into the arena’s center.

Boom!

A massive sword plunged vertically into the ground, its impact shaking the arena.

Standing atop the hilt with arms crossed was Kyle Ragnar.

His sharp, piercing eyes softened as they focused on Theo.

“Crossing blades with my grown son... is truly something to look forward to.”

“I’ll ensure you won’t be disappointed.”

Theo gripped the Dragon Fang Blade tightly, and Kyle smiled.

“Good. I’ll hold you to that.”

With a sharp crack, Kyle vanished from where he stood.