Chapter 65

By the time the drinking session with the members of the Fourth Training Ground had come to an end, it was already dawn.

Though everyone felt it was a shame to part ways, they had no choice but to disperse, as the unit assignment announcement was scheduled for early the next morning.

The last person left at the table was Ray.

“Theo.”

“Hm?”

“Can I… come again?”

For some reason, Ray couldn’t meet Theo’s eyes properly as she shyly asked that question.

Was she afraid he might say no?

Theo could tell that Ray had put a lot of thought into asking him.

“Do as you like.”

“Re… really?”

“Yeah. We’re friends now, aren’t we? Friends are always welcome.”

“Friends…”

Ray repeated the word to herself a few times, then her face brightened and she nodded energetically.

“Yeah! Thanks!”

Her smile was brighter than ever before.

* * *

Theo quietly entered Camellia Palace.

It was so late that everyone was likely asleep, so he carefully watched his steps. However, he noticed that the dining room lights were still on.

‘Did someone forget to turn off the lights?’

Thinking he would go and switch them off, Theo headed to the dining room, only to be slightly surprised.

“Oh my, young master. Just coming in now? You have to be up early tomorrow morning, and yet you’re coming in so late—how do you plan on managing your condition for the day?”

“I didn’t drink at all, so I’ll be fine. But, aren’t you asleep yet?”

Cecilia was sitting alone at the table, without a maid or butler in sight.

Her slightly flushed face made it seem like she had been enjoying some drinks by herself.

And indeed, there was a bottle of wine submerged in an ice bucket on one side of the table.

She picked up the wine bottle and shook it in front of Theo.

“I was in such a good mood today that I decided to have a drink. Why? Does it seem strange to you?”

“No. It’s just… I’ve never seen you like this before.”

“Hahaha! Well, I suppose I’ve never shown you this side of myself before. Because I couldn’t… afford to show any weakness, not even for a moment.”

The last part of her murmuring somehow sent a sharp pang through Theo’s heart.

Then, Cecilia flashed him a wide smile and spoke.

“So, what do you think? Won’t you be your mother’s drinking companion tonight?”

Theo had planned not to touch a drop of alcohol until he turned twenty.

‘This much should be fine, right?’

For some reason, Theo wanted to talk more with his mother.

He thought this might be the perfect opportunity to discuss all the conversations they hadn’t had, the misunderstandings, and their true feelings. He also needed to thank her for helping with Evelyn.

“Yes, if it’s a drink from you, Mother.”

“It’s been my dream to sit down and have a drink with my son, and now that dream is finally coming true! Won’t you sit here?”

Theo took a seat across from Cecilia.

Clatter!

Late into the night, the mother and son’s drinking session continued.

* * *

The next day, at 6:11 AM.

Wellington entered the Fourth Training Ground with a long yawn, just like any other day.

He couldn’t skip dawn training, after all.

‘It’s amazing how habits stick like this. I thought I’d take a break today, but that’s even harder to do.’

The afterparty had continued even after Theo left, going on to a third and fourth round as some people gathered in small groups.

In particular, Wellington and Erika had been the worst offenders, since they hadn’t been able to drink due to Theo’s presence earlier. They drank in a rush, thinking they had to make up for lost time, and it led to some serious overindulgence.

The other members also fueled the atmosphere, repeatedly calling Theo the hero of the Blossoming Ceremony, which kept the drinking going.

As a result, Wellington’s head was now pounding with a brutal hangover.

‘In the North, we traditionally considered anyone over fifteen as an independent adult and warrior. That custom is what led to the Blossoming Ceremony as a coming-of-age ritual… Ugh, my head.’

He had come to the training ground out of habit, but now he wasn’t sure if he could even hold his sword properly.

He seriously considered going back to his dorm to rest when—

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

The sound of the wind slicing through the air reached his ears.

It was an all-too-familiar sound.

‘No way.’

Wellington turned to look and couldn’t help but let out a chuckle.

“That stubborn bastard…”

Just like every other day.

Theo had shown up the earliest and was slowly swinging a Zweihander larger than his own body, warming up.

Though his movements were slow, each swing contained a profound depth, as if he were mimicking and sparring with an unseen opponent.

Wellington realized that Theo was revisiting the insights he had gained from the Blossoming Ceremony.

“Even after setting a new record, what more could he possibly need to train for… Haha, unbelievable.”

But what made Wellington laugh the most was something else.

‘Does that guy not even want to rest?’

‘Was it the fourth or the fifth round…?’ Wellington wondered. ‘That’s when Sybil went to call for Lord Theo and saw him drinking with Lady Cecilia at Camellia Palace, didn’t he…?’

In other words, even after drinking all night, Theo was now training at the crack of dawn.

Wellington couldn’t help but marvel at how someone could be this relentless. How could a person have such unyielding willpower?

Or perhaps, it was precisely this level of tenacity that allowed Theo to grow so quickly.

Wellington, regaining his resolve from just moments earlier, decided to join in the training as well.

Meanwhile…

Swish, swish, swish—

Theo’s sword movements were getting faster and faster.

He was so focused on his swordsmanship that he hadn’t even noticed Wellington’s presence. Theo was in a state of complete immersion.

– Son, what is it that you wish to see?

The question his mother had asked him last night flashed through his mind.

– I heard from the maids. They said you’ve officially declared your intention to compete for the throne. I wanted to hear more about that. Knowing you, I’m sure there’s a reason you’ve made such a decision.

Theo had gradually shared his thoughts, revealing what was on his mind.

Cecilia listened quietly for a long time before smiling softly.

– I see. If that’s truly what you’ve decided… I understand. If it’s like that.

The smile Cecilia had worn then carried an ambiguous meaning. It was as if she was conveying that she wouldn’t stand in the way of the path Theo had chosen.

Her eyes sparkled with more vitality than ever before…

‘She’ll tell me more when the time is right.’

Theo now had unwavering faith in Cecilia.

So, he no longer worried about that. What mattered to him now was only one thing.

The new path he was about to embark on.

– And for that, what’s most important is achieving the necessary growth and mastering swordsmanship.

Fwoosh—

Fortunately, he was steadily laying the foundation for that goal.

‘The Flying Blade Technique is built on swift, sharp strikes and free-flowing movements that aren’t confined to fixed forms. It’s the perfect technique for someone like me who plans to use Death Beat.’

Theo was currently focused on mastering the Flying Blade Technique and wind God, the techniques of the Wind Lord.

Of course, since he had passed on the Wind Lord’s true legacy to Evelyn, Theo’s training was slightly different from hers.

He was focused on the thoughts and will contained in the Wind Lord’s Nine Incantations, the personal history the Wind Lord had accumulated over time.

‘The wind God’s technique isn’t much different from the Flying Blade Technique. The traces left in the Crystal Cave all carried the wind. Sometimes swiftly, sometimes intensely, sometimes explosively, and sometimes softly… Before losing his mind, the Wind Lord tried to enhance this somehow.’

Using Hatchling Synchronization, Theo analyzed the Wind Lord’s movements in detail, dividing them into five distinct stages.

A gentle breeze.

A gust of wind.

A squall.

A storm.

And… a typhoon.

The vigorous movements of the wind, which changed in strength and direction, harmonized perfectly with magic power of the thunder attribute.

In particular, it seemed like a perfect complement to Theo’s swordsmanship, which paradoxically involved both a heavy greatsword and swift strikes.

‘It’s clear. If I can fully master these two techniques and the Wind Lord’s realization, I’ll be able to take an even greater leap forward.’

Theo was currently training in the first stage, the ‘Gentle Breeze.’

It was the stage of drawing the wind flowing through the air and wrapping it around his body.

When mastered, it would allow his body to move faster with little burden.

And next… he would be able to envelop his sword with the wind.

Naturally, his attack speed would increase as well.

It would be as if he gained a new secret weapon.

Theo wanted to master the Gentle Breeze before receiving his official deployment and mission.

Tadadak!

Shhh-

Whiii-

The wind began to gather around him.

* * *

“Ugh, my head…”

“Who told you to drink so much, huh? Seriously.”

“Could you be quiet…! Urgh!”

Erika, her face pale, couldn’t even argue with Holcus and had to forcibly stifle her dry heaving.

Even though she kept circulating her magic power to alleviate the hangover, it wasn’t fading, and she felt miserable.

Just as Holcus clicked his tongue and patted Erika’s back, Theo suddenly held something out to her.

“What… is this?”

“A remedy. It’ll help with your hangover. It tastes awful, though.”

“Ugh, thanks.”

Without thinking, Erika took it and drank it, only to immediately spit it out.

“Waaagh!”

“Hey! What are you doing?! That’s disgusting!”

Holcus leaped up in shock, but Erika, her eyes blazing with fury, glared at Theo.

“You… y-you… were trying to a-assassinate me, weren’t you?”

“I told you it would taste bad.”

“Still, how could anyone drink this…!”

What Erika had just drunk was ‘special celery juice.’

It was an alchemical concoction that Theo, the future Blood Sword Emperor, always made and drank. However, to others, it was nothing more than food with an eccentric taste.

“If you keep drinking it, you’ll eventually find it tolerable.”

“Ugh, no thanks.”

“Well, if you don’t like it, that’s that.”

Theo shrugged. He had given it to her because it was genuinely effective against hangovers, but since she didn’t like it, he had no intention of forcing her.

“More than that, I wish they’d just hurry up with the deployment already…”

Erika mumbled quietly, glancing towards the entrance of the waiting room.

The three of them were currently waiting for the announcement of their assignments. The White Armored Dragon Cavalry was composed of five squads, and each squad, consisting of around 70 to 150 members, performed different missions and had different goals.

For instance, the second squad focused on The Demonic Sea exploration missions, while the third squad specialized in guarding the Great Wall. Each squad had its own unique specialties and characteristics.

Because of this, the placement of new recruits was a matter of careful consideration.

Erika and Holcus hoped they’d be assigned to the same squad, but knowing that it was nearly impossible, they just wished they wouldn’t be separated too far from each other.

‘I’d really like to be assigned to the first squad.’

Unlike the siblings, Theo hoped to be placed in the first squad, which was considered the pride of the White Armored Dragon Cavalry.

The first squad was known as “The Dark Dragon’s Guard” and often worked directly with Julius, the heart of the force. Naturally, Theo, who aimed for a rapid rise in rank, saw it as his ideal assignment.

Most importantly, Evelyn was also part of that squad.

‘I wonder what’s going to happen.’

Since the nature of their new recruit training would also differ depending on which squad they were assigned to, Theo couldn’t help but feel curious.

Creak!

At that moment, the door to the waiting room swung open, and Evelyn entered.

Behind her followed familiar faces—Selperd, Arin, and others.

‘……?’

Theo tilted his head in confusion. Evelyn was in the first squad, while Selperd and Arin were in the fifth, each belonging to different squads. The others who entered were in the same situation.

But the biggest question was that all of them wore somber expressions.

“Nice to meet you. I am Evelyn Nerevil, newly appointed as the leader of the fifth squad. From now on, I will also be your superior, in charge of the three of you.”

Erika and Holcus’s faces brightened instantly.

They had gotten their wish to be placed together in the same squad.

However, Theo’s expression darkened considerably.

‘The squad leader was changed? All of a sudden? At this time, the leader of the fifth squad should have been Trainer Isben, shouldn’t it?’

Trainer Isben was the oldest knight in the White Armored Dragon Cavalry.

He even had more experience than Julius, and when problems occasionally arose within the unit, Julius himself would seek his advice. Other squad leaders and Dragon Knights treated him with the utmost respect.

Moreover, he still had more than five years left before his retirement.

If someone had replaced him in such a position?

It clearly meant something significant had happened.

– Something Theo wasn’t aware of.

“Under normal circumstances, you would undergo basic education and training for the next three months to acquire the essential qualities of a Dragon Knight… but due to urgent matters, all of that has been skipped.”

At that moment, Erika and Holcus exchanged glances, and Theo’s eyes sank deeply.

Evelyn slowly opened her mouth.

“Three days from now, all of you will be deployed into actual combat.”

“…!”