Chapter 82

[The functions of ‘Dragon Slayer Sword: Balmung’ have all ceased, returning to its sealed state.]

The chill of the night breeze seemed to clear Theo’s mind.

‘As expected, it was a wise decision to get my hands on Balmung. It’ll be a great help in securing the throne going forward.’

No matter what, Theo resolved to uncover the mysteries surrounding Balmung. In some ways, it could prove more useful than even the relics of the Ancient Dragon.

‘And thanks to that, I also got my hands on this.’

Theo chuckled to himself as he examined the wooden box held in his left hand.

—

[Garuda’s Heart]

· Type: Elixir, Material

· Effects:

– Significantly increases fire resistance.

– Enhances abilities by 150% during battles against dragons.

– Magic attribute specialization.

– Triggers the ‘Frenzy’ status, drastically increasing attack speed and agility.

– Grants the special perk ‘Seed of Resurrection.’

—

He had successfully stolen it while the Black Dragon confused Hilda’s mind. Hilda would undoubtedly be furious when she discovered this.

But what could she do?

Their relationship was already irreparably broken.

‘Besides, the appearance of the Black Dragon means Father will soon learn of this too. He’ll start keeping her in check, so no matter how reckless Hilda is, she’ll have to restrain herself for a while.’

Knowing how powerful Garuda’s Heart was, Theo couldn’t help but smile even wider.

‘This will be the key to solving the mystery of Balmung.’

As soon as Theo stored both items in his inventory—

Keaaak!

Umbra let out a long screech.

It seemed like a warning.

‘Of course, this is all for after I make it out of here safely.’

Narrowing his eyes, Theo infused spiritual energy into his gaze.

At the top of a nearby mountain peak stood the Upsurging Dragon.

「So, you managed to strike a blow against Lady Hilda and make it out, huh? As always, you never cease to amaze.」

Tense, Theo placed his hand on his Moon-White Sword. Most of his magic power had been drained while escaping the Three-Second Abyss, but he couldn’t afford to show any weakness.

However—n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

Click!

The Upsurging Dragon calmly sheathed the sword he had been holding.

“…?”

What is he up to?

Theo widened his eyes in confusion.

The Upsurging Dragon gave a small laugh.

「There’s no need to be so on guard. I have no intention of harming you.」

“…!”

「Though I claim to be Lady Hilda’s vassal, isn’t it the duty of a loyal subject to offer counsel when their lord makes a poor decision?」

The smile on the Upsurging Dragon’s face deepened.

「No matter how much pressure one applies to a strong-willed youth like you, even if you bend at first, you’ll eventually turn your back in the end. Besides, I opposed this restriction from the start. It was only because our lord didn’t accept my advice. Above all… aren’t you the dear friend of my one and only disciple? I could never harm you.」

Theo’s lips parted slightly.

「Are you sure about this?」

「About what?」

「If you let me go, Lady Hilda won’t remain idle.」

「Ah, you mean the consequences. Don’t worry. She may seem like a demon when she loses her temper, but she’s not so narrow-minded as to hold a grudge over this. If that were the case, do you think she would’ve let you take ‘that’ without a fight?」

「…!」

「Even so, it would be wise for you to reflect seriously when you’re alone.」

The eyes of the Upsurging Dragon, looking up at Theo, sank deeply.

They held the kind of profound wisdom one might expect from a sage.

「I won’t deny that the current head of the House is a wise ruler who led Ragnar to its peak. But he is also, at his core, a tyrant. A tyrant who, if unchecked, could drag Ragnar into ruin.」

「……」

「His iron-blooded rule, pushing even his children into extreme competition… I fear what that may bring. That’s why I’m trying to use Lady Hilda to keep it in check.」

「But I don’t believe Lady Hilda is the right answer either.」

「You’re right. But you, Theo, have time on your side and the advantage of reincarnation. In the end, you will be the final victor. So, use Lady Hilda. Just as she plans to use you.」

To be advised to use one’s own lord—this would be considered outright treason by most vassals.

Yet, it was precisely because of this that Theo could feel the sincerity in the Upsurging Dragon’s words.

「For now, the head of the House favors you, so he’s leaving you alone. But in such uncertain times, it wouldn’t hurt to have a backup plan. Lady Hilda could provide a solid foundation for your ambitions, no? And both Wel and I can serve as your hands and feet.」

The Upsurging Dragon winked at him.

Theo nodded heavily.

「Understood. With what you’ve said, I’ll give it some thought.」

「Thank you for saying that, at least. Ah, and don’t come to resent Lady Hilda too much over this.」

Leaving the Upsurging Dragon’s words behind, Theo soared even higher into the sky.

-Use Lady Hilda.

The words of the Upsurging Dragon kept spinning endlessly in Theo’s mind.

Even the grandeur that Hilda had shown lingered.

Ding—

[Congratulations! You have successfully completed Scenario Quest #1 by fully resisting external temptations and threats.]

[Evaluation: A+]

[You have received 2 coins as a reward.]

[You have gained a significant amount of additional experience points as an evaluation-based bonus.]

[Level up.]

[Level up.]

.

.

* * *

In the early dawn, with the moon hidden behind the clouds, a wind shaped like a human figure slipped into the underground prison of the White Armored Dragon Cavalry.

‘This should be the place.’

Rank 1 assassin, Number 4, narrowed his eyes coldly and pulled a dagger from his cloak. His mission was to assassinate a prisoner being held here.

Given that this was the headquarters of the White Armored Dragon Cavalry, the difficulty of an assassination or escape would naturally be high, but he wasn’t worried. Every detail of the plan was already imprinted in his mind.

The patrol routes of the guards, the shift changes, the surveillance angles, the layout of the prison, and the location of the prisoner—all critical information that could only be obtained if someone from Ragnar provided it directly.

‘Ragnar is really a mess when you think about it.’

Number 4 smirked to himself, having carried out similar tasks in the past.

Click—

As soon as he arrived at the target location, he used a prepared key to unlock the firmly secured iron bars.

Inside, four prisoners sat, their faces blank and vacant.

“Who are you…?”

“Are you Sidra Evoil?”

At that moment, Sidra lifted his head, sensing a presence. Upon realizing what was happening, a bitter smile appeared on his face.

He had understood the situation instantly.

“It seems the Director has sent you.”

“So, you are Sidra Evoil. Don’t hold a grudge against me. I’m just following orders.”

Number 4 drew the dagger from his cloak.

Swish—

“Your family’s safety and your promised reward are assured… that was the message.”

“Well, that’s a relief.”

Sidra closed his eyes tightly and leaned against the wall.

It was as if he was ready to be killed at any moment.

He had already predicted that Ed would move to silence him.

“W-wait a moment! I don’t want to die yet! If it’s money you want, I’ll give you as much as you need…!”

At that moment, one of the prisoners grabbed onto Number 4’s pants, his attitude having clearly shifted during his time in captivity.

But Number 4, his face devoid of emotion, simply lowered the dagger.

Just as the blade was about to touch the prisoner’s neck, another wind blew into the room.

A sharp and stealthy wind.

Clang!

The dagger collided with something and was deflected.

‘When did that happen…!’

Number 4 found himself on edge, his spine tingling at the sword’s swift movement, which was so precise it had even deceived his own senses.

Shhh, shhh, shhh, shhh—

Four gusts of wind swept in rapidly.

“Hup!”

Number 4 deflected all of the air blades with his dagger and leaped backward.

He attempted to vanish again using his stealth technique, but—

“Where do you think you’re going?”

Evelyn had already closed the distance between them.

The true danger of assassins lies in their stealth, making them hard to detect. However, once their presence is sensed, everything changes.

Moreover, Evelyn didn’t rely solely on her physical senses to track Number 4.

She was reading the movement of the wind.

By following the paths of the wind around him, she could predict not only where he would move and which direction he would attack from, but also his habits and intentions.

‘The ceiling to the right.’

Following her prediction, Evelyn swung her sword violently in that direction.

The energy blade at the tip of her sword crashed down like lightning, tearing through Number 4’s body.

Slash!

“Urk!”

Blood sprayed into the air as his hand, still clutching the dagger, was severed and sent flying.

Thud—

Evelyn swiftly grabbed Number 4 by the collar and slammed him to the ground.

Then, she gripped her sword in a reverse grip and thrust it into his Aura Hall.

Stab!

A technique to prevent him from committing suicide.

Not only that, but her blade was already coated with a paralyzing poison.

‘Even prepared for this…!’

Number 4’s body shook violently for a moment, trembling like an epileptic, before finally collapsing, limp.

With an indifferent expression, Evelyn ripped open the fabric near his neck.

A tattoo, hidden beneath his collar, was revealed.

“As expected. Theo was right.”

It was a symbol of a snake biting the moon—a mark of the assassination organization known as Season of the Snake.

However, this particular group was more infamous for being a subordinate organization of a certain noble family.

‘At last, I’ve caught the tail.’

Evelyn’s eyes gleamed coldly.

* * *

Erika and her brother stood in front of the Camellia Palace.

Normally, they would have simply entered, but this time, Holcus hesitated, unable to take a step inside.

“What are you doing? Planning to stand here for eternity?”

“But, but…!”

“But what?”

“Just look at that! How am I supposed to walk in there with a stomach full of envy?! Theo Ragnar, that damn lucky bastard…!!”

Holcus trembled as he pointed a shaking finger at the entrance of the Camellia Palace.

Erika couldn’t help but laugh in disbelief, unsure how to process the situation.

The entrance to the Camellia Palace was bustling with people.

But those people were all women.

And every single one of them was remarkably beautiful.

Holcus bit at his sleeve, tears streaming down his face.

“It’s obvious! That bastard Theo, he’s clearly using his face and reputation to seduce all these women!”

“…Does that even sound like him? Since when does he have that kind of personality?”

“Th-that’s true, but still!”

“And even if he was doing that, do you think he’d line them all up like that? Does that make any sense?”

“Then what is all this?”

“They probably came for something else. Just look at them; they seem more like actresses or stylists.”

“Grrr! I still can’t forgive Theo Ragnar! He’s living in a world of happiness while I’m left all alone!”

As Holcus raged on, drumming up his anger by himself, Erika looked at him with a pitiful expression, shaking her head.

“Yeah, you go ahead with that. I’m going in.”

Erika shook her head once more and started walking towards the Camellia Palace.

“W-wait! Take me with you! Sis!”

Holcus hurriedly chased after Erika.

* * *

Theo greeted Erika and her brother, looking a little worn out.

“What happened to your face? Did you stay up all night training?”

“I knew it! You were probably up all night with girls…!”

Smack!

“Can you stop already? Aren’t you tired of this?”

Erika smacked Holcus on the back of his head, annoyed, and turned her concerned gaze to Theo.

Theo smiled bitterly and shook his head.

“I was just really busy yesterday. And by the way, the women outside are visitors for my mother’s business, so don’t get the wrong idea.”

Thinking of Cecilia, who had started a business after borrowing funds from Kirsion, Theo let out a tired smile.

‘I’m going to have to try on a ton of clothes again, aren’t I…’

He could already feel how exhausting it was going to be.

“Anyway, what’s up? Isn’t today your vacation as a mission reward?”

“Yeah, it was. But because of someone, that entire vacation got wiped out.”

“…?”

Theo tilted his head, confused by what she meant.

Erika handed him a document she was holding.

“Take this.”

“What’s this?”

“A new mission order. It’s classified as level-one security, and they told me to deliver it to you in secret.”

“Who?”

“The captain.”

Theo took the document and quickly scanned through it.

“Since it’s a mess you caused, they figure you should be the one to clean it up, right?”

As Theo reviewed the mission orders, his eyes gleamed sharply.

‘As I thought.’

* * *

Mission Report:

At 1:51 AM today, Squad 5 Leader Evelyn Nerevil apprehended an assassin who had infiltrated the underground prison. The assassin was confirmed to be affiliated with Season of the Snake.

Season of the Snake is a subordinate organization of the prestigious Eastern family, Troyban, and has deep ties to the Eastern region. The Troyban family is also the household of Soaring Dragon, the Director of Central Intelligence. Furthermore, there is a significant possibility that a traitor within the organization was involved in this incident.

Due to these circumstances, the upper ranks have judged that this is a highly sensitive matter that cannot be easily resolved. Therefore, it has been determined that Season of the Snake must be swiftly attacked before the Troyban family can respond.

As this mission was proposed by Squad 5 member Theo Ragnar, based on the report submitted by the Squad Leader, the mission has been assigned to Theo Ragnar.

However, as Theo Ragnar was scheduled to take the promotion exam in four days, the exam has been canceled, and this mission will serve as its replacement.

Thus, upon receiving this order, the mission must commence immediately.

– Captain of the White Armored Dragon Cavalry, Julius Ragnar.