Chapter 303

The meeting room was empty, with only Theo, Julius, and Magnus remaining.

Magnus spoke with a voice tinged with concern.

“If we send them back like this, it will be hard to win their hearts.”

Although they had shown complete surrender, their expressions were still tainted with humiliation and shame.

Moreover, if they were given too much freedom, who knew what kind of schemes they might plot.

Of course, Theo was fully aware of this fact.

“You’re right. But I don’t need the kind of loyalty I can win by coaxing and comforting them.”

Narsio should not be handled that way.

He had seen it countless times before—treating Narsio like that had always led to rebellion sooner or later.

Theo’s purpose now was to remind them of the absolute northern discipline they had long forgotten.

He intended to ensure that they would never dare to turn against Ragnar again.

So—

“Keep a close watch on them. If anyone shows signs of rebellion or complains, I give you the authority to deal with them on the spot.”

At these words, Magnus grinned.

“Understood.”

After Magnus left the meeting room, Theo and Julius were left alone.

“Hwanryong is quite a combative individual, it seems.”

They hadn’t had many opportunities to meet, given his position as the head of the family’s guard, but this time Theo had gained a bit of insight into Magnus.

“Hahaha! He’s become more refined due to his position as the head of the guard, but originally, he was a fierce general who struck fear into enemies.”

Julius laughed as he recalled the past, sipping the tea that had been prepared.

“Still, given how you must feel about it, he’s likely still trying to clean up the mistakes of his past.”

“Past mistakes?”

Theo tilted his head, not fully understanding, and looked at Julius.

“Because of his past connection with Torkel, he nearly fell politically.”

“Ah.”

For Magnus, it must have been an unjust situation.

He had simply been close with Torkel, yet in an instant, he had been on the verge of falling from grace.

Thinking back, it seemed Magnus had been constantly seeking Theo’s favor since then.

“That’s not all, though. He must be excited to be on the battlefield with the ‘Patriarch’ after so long.”

“It seems you’re quite close with Hwanryong.”

“We’re not exactly close, but we’re not on bad terms either. He’s a straightforward man.”

Theo thought that Julius, given his personality, would likely get along well with most people, as long as there were no significant issues.

“So, what will you do? Will you send the Narsio family into the history books, or will you absorb them?”

“I think it’s better to first examine the key documents of the Narsio family before deciding.”

Whether or not to absorb them—this was a concern.

Originally, Theo had participated in the battle with the intention of absorption.

“An old, crafty snake is indeed a problem.”

The maneuver Ralph had briefly shown was undeniably skilled.

It was possible that Kalen’s defeat was part of a larger scheme, and Theo couldn’t easily figure out what he was thinking, so he remained on guard.

“Do you really intend to spare him?”

Without hesitation, Theo could have had him killed, and it would be easier and more peaceful.

“I regret it, but his abilities are worth considering.”

Having someone knowledgeable about the terrain and situation as an ally would make it easier to rule over the newly absorbed Narsio territory.

A sense of regret emerged.

That’s when an idea suddenly flashed in Theo’s mind.

But with it came an uneasy feeling.

‘It feels like I’m using him, but...’

Theo paused for a moment in thought.

What came to his mind was none other than Wellington’s funeral.

It had been delayed and postponed.

Now, if he could use Wellington, who was lying in the morgue in the Ragnar territory, preserved by magic...

‘I hope you understand... This is a strategy to save as many Narsio family members as I can.’

Theo made up his mind and stood up.

“Have you thought of a good plan?”

“Yes, for now. Let’s bring Ralph in first.”

“Will you go yourself? Who’s outside?”

At Julius’s heavy voice, a guard quickly opened the door and entered.

“Go bring Ralph Nagnik.”

“Yes, understood.”

Theo smiled faintly, sitting back down as he waited for Ralph’s arrival.

“Did you call for me?”

It hadn’t been long since the guard left when Ralph entered. Theo couldn’t help but be surprised by his calmness.

“Were you nearby?”

“Where else would the head butler be? I was doing my work.”

There was no change in Ralph’s emotions; his composure was impressive.

He moved so smoothly that it almost seemed as though nothing had happened.

“...Let’s get to the point. Bring me all the important documents that Narsio was handling, without missing a single one.”

“Understood. I’ll bring them quickly. Before that, there are documents in the Patriarch’s office as well, so let’s head there first.”

Theo felt a strange sense of being the head of the Narsio family himself.

He stood up from the meeting room and followed Ralph’s lead into the Patriarch’s office.

And—

“Then I’ll bring them quickly.”

“I’ll go with you.”

As Ralph was about to leave, Julius stood up from his seat.

Though he didn’t explicitly mention any threats, he still had some doubts. He didn’t want to risk Ralph potentially hiding anything.

Ralph seemed to sense this and gave a slight nod before closing the door and leaving.

Theo was left alone and quickly grabbed a pen to write a letter, preparing a note to be sent via the post.

“Guard.”

Theo called out to the guard waiting outside.

“Yes, sir?”

“Send this by courier. Also, send it by airship.”

“Yes, understood.”

The guard took the note and quickly departed.

Sending a message by airship was to gauge the thoughts of the leader of the Golden Lion Knights.

Theo would have to bring the airship down again as a judge, but sending the message personally was something the knight commander would surely understand.

‘For now, let’s wait calmly and do what we must.’

Theo opened every drawer in the Patriarch’s office and began inspecting the documents closely.

On the airship, Felix stood still for a long time.

His shocked eyes were still fixed on the scene below.

It was an astonishing sight, one that left him speechless.

Felix couldn’t regain his composure as he thought back to Theo’s calmness during the life-and-death decision.

It wasn’t just the calmness that had shocked him.

‘He’s definitely hiding his true strength. But… how could he toy with Kalen like that?’

Felix felt like Theo had treated Kalen as if he were a child.

Even though Kalen had been classified as a strong opponent in Kyle’s era, Theo, just a young man barely past his prime, had outplayed him!

‘Could this be the birth of a monster even greater than Kyle...?’

Though it wasn’t on the same level yet, the potential for growth was limitless.

How strong he would become was still unknown.

Felix realized it was impossible to predict.

‘Depending on his nature, the fate of the continent could change drastically...’

If he were evil, he would have to be eliminated immediately.

Even if he weren’t evil...

‘What am I thinking?’

Felix shook his head, clearing the troublesome thoughts from his mind.

He realized why those thoughts had even crossed his mind and let out a hollow laugh.

He had to admit it.

The black light beams had been enough to instill both fear and awe in those who witnessed them.

That’s probably why he was having these absurd thoughts.

It’s better to strike a monster while it’s still young, after all.

“Commander!”

At that moment, a subordinate rushed toward Felix with a white letter in hand.

“Theo Ragnar has requested a meeting!”

“...!”

Felix gave a faint smile.

It wasn’t just him who wanted to meet.

“Since we need to wrap up the battlefield for this judge’s task, let’s go down.”

“Yes, I will lower the fleet.”

Nodding, the subordinate gave a signal.

And Felix issued another command.

“Everyone, conduct a full weapons check and be ready for battle at any moment.”

The warm sunlight and the cool breeze coming through the window created a perfect indoor temperature.

It was so comfortable that one could easily fall asleep if they lost focus.

This sense of relaxation, the ability to feel the temperature of the room and bask in the sunlight, was only possible when one had time to spare.

The Black Dragon, after a long time, was enjoying his leisurely break as he dealt with some administrative tasks in his dwelling.

Now that Theo had officially become the head of the family, the temporary responsibilities he had held as the acting Patriarch were over.

Moreover, the minor task of filing documents added to his sense of calm.

Drip-drip.

He poured hot tea, and the fragrant steam gently rose, filling the room with a calming scent.

The Black Dragon was beginning to understand why powerful individuals sometimes retired and moved into the Senate.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

The moment he entered the Senate, he would likely be wasting his time, so it made sense to enjoy life as it was now.

He chuckled while savoring the tea, enjoying the present.

When he looked at the final lines of the letter, though, a slight unease appeared on his face, and he paused.

“Why would they want to use an old man like that so much?”

The final line of the letter asked him to come to Narsio’s territory.

Of course, the request wasn’t framed that way, but the tone wasn’t exactly welcoming either.

He smiled softly and stood up from his chair.

Then, before heading to Narsio’s territory, he made a detour to the morgue.

To retrieve Wellington’s frozen corpse.