Chapter 74

It was precisely at that moment, as the palace of Emil, who had been anxiously waiting for Theo’s severed head, began to stir.

Bang!

Suddenly, the doors of the palace swung open, and inspectors poured in all at once, occupying the interior.

A grim atmosphere pervaded the space.

“D-Director of Central Intelligence!”

“Why has the Director suddenly…!”

The attendants and servants turned pale, their faces drained of color, as they fixed their gaze on Ed Troyban, who stood at the center of the inspectors.

Yet, Ed didn’t say a word. He silently stepped forward to stand in front of his twin sister.

“What is the meaning of this, brother?” Emil glared at Ed with a venomous look, unwilling to back down.

With a dry expression, Ed pulled out a document and held it up.

“You wouldn’t say you don’t recognize this, would you, Lady of the Palace?”

“And what, pray tell, is that?”

“It’s an order bearing the seal, stamped without my authorization.”

Emil flinched slightly but responded with even more brazenness.

“So what? What’s the problem?”

“You impersonated me and recklessly mobilized agents from the Central Intelligence Bureau. And that, too, with a ludicrous command to kill the White Armored Dragon Cavalry of our own house.”

“…!”

Emil’s eyes widened.

To say such a thing in front of so many people?

Sure enough, when she looked around, even the attendants and servants in the palace who overheard the conversation had turned pale.

“To say such a thing in front of mere subordinates…!”

“Oh, so you’re aware that your honor has been tarnished in front of them?”

His tone was dripping with sarcasm.

Emil bit down hard on her lower lip.

“What are you trying to say exactly?”

“The crime of forging an official seal. No matter if you’re the Lady of the Palace, it’s an unforgivable crime. You’ve privately mobilized the family’s forces, which could very well lead to charges of treason. And you’ve even harmed the White Armored Dragon Cavalry, the pride of House Ragnar? I’m sure the family head will be delighted when he receives the report.”

“You wouldn’t seriously… confess all of this to the family head, would you?”

“And why wouldn’t I? Thanks to my foolish sister, my own life now hangs by a thread. Don’t you think I’d want to survive?”

Finally grasping the gravity of the situation, Emil’s expression hardened.

“Why must you take things to such extremes? If we just handle things properly, everything will turn out fine, won’t it? Once the White Armored Dragon Cavalry is wiped out during their mission, the blame will naturally fall on that group, the Black Skull, or whatever they’re called…!”n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

“Your ridiculous plan fell apart, and that’s why you’re in this mess, isn’t it?”

“W-what did you say?”

“A report from the 5th Unit of the White Armored Dragon Cavalry just arrived at Central Hall. They found a third party in addition to the Black Skull, and they’ve captured four of them alive. They’re returning with the prisoners as we speak.”

“…!”

“And do you know what else they said? ‘They appear to be closely linked to Ragnar. I’ll deliver a detailed report in person.’”

“….”

“Do you realize now just how foolish your actions were?”

Tremble tremble…

Emil’s hands started to shake uncontrollably, and her face turned pale.

‘The plan… failed? And they were captured? How could this happen…?’

It was only now that Emil felt a sudden jolt of clarity.

The image of Kyle’s face flashed in her mind. The dictator with whom she’d spent her whole life, yet whose true intentions were always a mystery to her.

What would happen once he found out about this?

There was no need to think twice.

Not only she, but even her family, the Troybans, would be held accountable.

Begging wouldn’t work.

Kyle was a man who always put Ragnar’s safety and honor above all else.

“B-brother! Please help me! If it’s you, brother, you can find a way, can’t you? Please, help your sister!”

Ed’s lips twisted into a mocking grin.

“I always wondered why Axion turned out to be so impulsive and foolish. I suppose it runs in the family, doesn’t it?”

“Brother…!”

“My dear, foolish sister, why did you have to go and do something you couldn’t handle? You could’ve just remained as you always were, a beautiful, decorative doll. You could’ve lived comfortably, getting everything you ever wanted, all the things that I brought to you. But instead, you had to stir things up.”

For a brief moment, Emil’s gaze turned sharp. A surge of emotion welled up within her.

“Do you really not know? If only you had kept your promise to me! I wouldn’t have had to resort to this!”

“What promise did I fail to keep?”

“Are you really pretending not to know? Theo Ragnar! That despicable, crippled bastard! Not only did you fail to kill him, you even tried to embrace him!”

“Heh…! So you did all of this over that? Over something so petty?”

“Petty, you say? Watch your words! Axion was everything to me! And yet, the one who took him from me… of course, a mother would seek revenge! The enemy, and everything connected to him! I need to tear them apart and burn them to ashes, only then will my heart—this heart of Emil Troyban—and Axion’s spirit find any peace!”

Tsk!

Ed clicked his tongue.

The madness flickering in Emil’s eyes was beyond the point of being reasoned with.

“Did it never occur to you that embracing that enemy could have been part of a plan for Axion’s revenge?”

“…What do you mean?”

“Not just killing Theo Ragnar, but taking all of Ragnar—claiming everything that belonged to him. That would have been the most fitting revenge for Axion’s soul. But because of your foolishness, even that final plan has fallen apart.”

“…!”

“What I’m saying is that you have ruined everything.”

Emil couldn’t meet Ed’s gaze. The tender look that had always accompanied his eyes when he looked at her was gone today. Instead of contempt, disgust, or fury—emotions she could understand—it was as if his eyes held nothing at all.

There was no emotion.

It was as if he didn’t even see her as a person.

Only now did Emil finally realize the truth—that this was Ed’s real, innermost attitude towards her all along.

—It reminded her of someone.

That gaze, cold and indifferent, was the same as the one that had controlled her heart and mind since childhood.

“Moreover, the most crucial piece of the plan, the Dragon Slayer Sword, has been lost in this incident… Father will no longer see you as his daughter.”

Emil’s face turned deathly pale.

Father…

The trauma of her childhood, which she had tried so hard to suppress, suddenly surged up again.

“I’ll take care of the rest from here. But from now on, you’ll have to be content as the canary in a cage.”

“What do you mean by that…!”

“Escort her inside.”

“Brother! Brotherrrr! Let me go! I said, let go of me!”

Emil was dragged away by the agents, her arms forcibly restrained, as they led her deeper into the palace.

Thud!

Ed didn’t spare her another glance, instead scanning the room.

He saw the maids and servants trembling, their faces drained of color.

“D-D-Director! Please spare me! I’ll do whatever you ask, anything you command, just…!”

At that moment, the head butler clung to Ed’s leg, desperate.

He had heard something he should never have, and he knew what fate awaited him.

“If only you had properly taken care of the Lady of the Palace from the start, none of this would have happened.”

Ed stared at the head butler with contempt as he spoke.

“Kill them all.”

Swish, swish—

Splat!

The agents’ swords moved swiftly.

Screams echoed through the palace, but they didn’t last long.

In an instant, the palace was drenched in blood.

Deputy Director Morgan approached.

“Everything has been taken care of.”

“Replace all the vacancies with thoroughly vetted individuals. Something like this must never happen again.”

“Understood! I’ll assign capable people.”

“And…”

Ed paused, pressing his lips tightly together.

Morgan immediately understood what Ed wanted to say and bowed his head.

“I’ll take care of those captured as well.”

“It’s unfortunate. Especially Sidra, what a waste. Tsk.”

Clicking his tongue, Ed began to walk away.

‘Thanks to my foolish nephew and sister, the rebellion has already turned to dust. No matter what I try now, I’m just playing into Robert’s hands.’

Ed thought back to the image of the Black Dragon, which had been a constant thorn in his side, secretly hindering him at every turn.

The Central Intelligence Bureau and Black Snow had been engaged in a covert power struggle for a long time, vying for control over the heart of Ragnar and the relics of the Ancient Dragon.

Kyle had always stood by and watched, aware of the situation.

But recently, the balance of power, which had been on a knife’s edge, had tilted completely in Black Snow’s favor.

To be precise, every operation the Central Intelligence Bureau undertook had been systematically thwarted.

And at the center of it all was someone Ed had never expected.

‘Theo Ragnar. Ever since I got entangled with him, everything has gone to hell.’

Splash.

The sound of Ed’s foot stepping in a puddle of blood echoed softly.

‘Yes. I should have acknowledged it from the start. Axion was never fit to deal with him. It was me, Ed Troyban, that should have confronted him. My mistake was not recognizing that sooner.’

The sharpness concealed beneath that young, handsome face still made it hard to believe he was just a fifteen-year-old boy.

‘Therefore…’

Creak!

As Ed opened the door and stepped outside, his eyes sank deeply.

“…From now on, I will treat you as my enemy.”

* * *

With the return of the 5th squad, a rumor quickly spread through Winterer.

– The 5th squad of the White Armored Dragon Cavalry returned from their mission after rescuing hostages.

Normally, this would have been an unremarkable event, not worth any particular gossip.

However, due to the circumstances involved, the rumor began to grow.

– It is said that the greatest merit was achieved by the Flash Tiger.

Flash Tiger.

Theo Ragnar’s accomplishments had spread like wildfire.

The survival of squad members previously thought to be dead.

The rescue of the hostages.

An unexpected enemy ambush.

Their counterattack and even capturing the enemy alive.

Not only was Theo deeply involved in every aspect of this process, but it was also revealed that he had fought toe-to-toe with ‘Bald Hammer’ Slow Gang, causing an uproar.

– Bald Hammer? Isn’t he a pretty famous terrorist? And they were evenly matched?

– Well, considering how rumors tend to grow, it’s still impressive.

– I thought he was extraordinary since he set that record… Hah! So, he’s not just a training knight but at the level of a real combat knight?

– Seems like it.

– He’ll likely take the test again. It looks like he’s on track to be promoted to combat knight in record time. Hm!

In the end, the conclusion drawn from all the rumors was just one.

– Flash Tiger’s growth is unusual.

Considering he’s only fifteen years old, his speed is astonishing.

As everyone wondered where this rapid growth would lead, they missed something else entirely.

The fact that there might have been a spy during this mission.

* * *

+

[Dragon Slayer Sword: Balmung]

· Type: Broadsword, Mystical (神祕)

· Attack Power: ??? (Unknown)

· Usage Conditions: ??? (Unknown)

· Effects: ??? (Unknown)

This item is currently sealed. The embedded mystery must be unlocked to access further information.

+

Theo read the information window of Balmung and clicked his tongue lightly.

‘Just as I expected.’

There existed something called .

A legacy from the mythical era when gods and humans coexisted.

However, such things were often like phantoms, elusive and difficult for humans to grasp.

But once one managed to obtain it, they would gain, as the name implied, ‘mysterious’ power.

Balmung, which bore the legend of slaying an evil dragon, was one such item.

‘Ed Troyban had unlocked the mystery of Balmung. The feat of slaying a dragon… That guy must know how to unseal this. But how exactly?’

Since Theo didn’t know how to do that himself, his curiosity only grew.

Just as Theo was about to run his hand along the blade, hoping to gain at least a hint,

Zing! Ziiing!

Both Drake’s Blade and the Moon-White Sword groaned in protest, vibrating violently in disapproval.

Wiiiing—

Balmung reacted the same way.

As if rejecting Theo’s touch, it even emitted a forceful energy.

A small cut appeared on his fingertip.

‘As expected from a sword carrying the legend of dragon-slaying, it’s incompatible with someone like me who has deep ties to dragons.’

But instead of discouraging him, it fueled his determination.

He wanted to subdue it and make it his own.

‘It must have some connection to the Mystery…’

However, since he couldn’t figure out a way to unlock it right now, he tossed it back into his inventory.

After all, the most important thing was making sure Balmung didn’t end up in Ed’s hands.

Knock, knock!

“Evelyn Nerevil and the 32 members of the 5th squad have arrived.”

Theo snapped back to reality at his subordinate’s voice.

He was with the others, reporting back to Julius after their return.

“Let them in.”

Clunk!

As permission was granted from inside the room, the door swung open.

Julius stood up and greeted them warmly.

“Welcome back, my heroes! Haha!”

“We apologize. We couldn’t prevent Trainer and the other members from getting injured.”

Evelyn lowered her head slightly as she spoke.

Julius shook his head.

“No, no. I’m just happy that not only you but also the others made it back alive. Injuries can be healed, but those who are gone cannot return, can they? You all did well.”

“Thank you.”

“More than that, I heard the newcomers did quite a remarkable job this time?”

As Julius’s gaze shifted, so did the others’, turning toward Theo, Holcus, and Erika.

“They were amazing. Quick and sharp… Honestly, Captain, you have no idea what could have happened if it weren’t for them.”

“Captain, could you just bring in more recruits like these from now on?”

“Yes, please. Enough with the strange ones already.”

Selperd and the other squad members, proud of the recruits, ruffled their hair in approval.

It wasn’t just Theo, but thanks to the efforts of the Ragnar siblings who appeared at the end of the battle, they managed to capture the agents from the Central Intelligence Bureau.

“They’re all talented individuals who will become pillars of this unit.”

When even Evelyn confirmed this, Julius’s lips curled up into a satisfied smile.

“You’ve all worked hard. Thanks to you, I feel much more reassured.”

‘I… I’m being praised by the Dark Dragon…! Aah…! Is this a dream or reality…?’

Holcus was in a daze, overwhelmed by the fact that he was being complimented by someone he admired. Erika smiled confidently, while Theo remained unreadable.

“Alright. Since you’ve all worked hard, go and get some rest. We’ll announce the details of the rewards later.”

“Understood!”

“Understood!”

“Oh, and I’d like the 5th squad leader and Theo Ragnar to stay behind. I have something to discuss with you.”

As the other squad members left the office, they patted Theo on the shoulder, congratulating him for his efforts.

Now, only three remained.

Julius, wearing his usual mischievous grin, turned to Theo and asked,

“You saw it, didn’t you?”

Theo nodded.

It wasn’t hard to guess what he was referring to.

The One Plum Branch.

“Yes. Thanks to that, I was able to draw the fifth claw.”

“I remember you only had three during the Blossoming Ceremony, but now you have five already… That’s fast. Very fast.”

Julius continued, folding his hands behind his back.

“Be mindful that being too fast isn’t always a good thing.”

“I’ll be careful not to build a sandcastle.”

“As long as you maintain that attitude, you’ll be fine. Now, let me ask you.”

Theo straightened his posture.

It seemed that the question Julius was about to ask was the core of their conversation.

A strange gleam appeared in Julius’s eyes.

“The sword within the One Plum Branch… The Dark Dragon’s sword you saw… What did you think of it?”

‘As expected. Finally…!’

Theo clenched his fist tightly.

The moment he had long awaited.

Julius was about to offer him guidance.