Chapter 90

「Naban! Have you lost your mind? Do you even realize where you’re meddling?!」

The urgent voice of the Knight pierced Naban’s ears.

It was understandable. This was an event hosted by Ragnar.

And not just any event, one tied to accusations of treason.

No matter how powerful the Ceres Trading Company might be in the North, if Ragnar decided to act, they could reduce it to ashes in a single day.

So, for the Bacchus family, it was wiser not to intervene.

However,

「You only know one side of things, why are you so clueless about the other? Foolish.」

Naban scoffed as he roughly deflected Cleve’s blade, which was aiming for his neck.

「What nonsense are you spewing…!」

「Don’t you desire money?」

「That’s not something a scum like you should concern yourself with. If you’re entangled in treason, you won’t even be able to preserve the family, let alone your life.」

「And what if the Ceres Trading Company is framed for treason? Do you really think your main family will remain unscathed? The other factions won’t like being linked to Ceres either. Not to mention, the creditors will start hounding you to pay your debts faster. Oh, and maybe Ragnar will get suspicious and investigate thoroughly. Are you confident you’re squeaky clean?」

「……!」

「Judging by your silence, I see you understand the situation.」

Only then did the Knight’s face harden as he realized the severity of the situation.

It was already widely known in the North that the Bacchus family was pushing for a marriage alliance with the Ceres Trading Company.

Naturally, the Bacchus family couldn’t avoid suspicion either.

The problem was that the Bacchus family wasn’t entirely innocent.

Over their centuries-long history, they had done plenty of things behind Ragnar’s back.

There were more than a few things that could be problematic.

「The Ceres Trading Company and our main family are practically bound by fate at this point.」

「…But still, being caught up in treason…」

Even after explaining things so clearly, it seemed the Knight was still terrified of Ragnar’s name.

Naban spoke with a tone full of disdain.

「We just need to block them this one time.」

「What?」

「Don’t you get it? Ragnar isn’t even certain about these accusations. If they had solid evidence, they would have brought more people.」

「Ah.」

「Whether they acted out of urgency or just to probe, we just need to hold them off this time. After that, the Ceres Trading Company will take care of all the suspicious evidence themselves.」

「Th-that’s true…!」

「And have you forgotten who’s backing the Ceres Trading Company? The Director of Central Intelligence, who fiercely protects his people, will certainly sort things out for us, won’t he?」

The Knight was already wearing an entranced expression, captivated by Naban’s words.

「Judging by the fact that they brought Black Snow, it seems like a political fight has broken out between Soaring Dragon and Black Dragon. But do we really need to end up like a shrimp crushed in their struggle?」

「Hmm! You’re right. I had thought something similar, but with the situation being so urgent, I almost acted rashly.」

「Of course, of course. I’m sure you thought it through carefully. Now, before things get worse, shouldn’t we start moving our people?」

Though the Knight was displeased by Naban’s disrespectful tone, especially coming from a mere bastard, he decided to overlook it this time.

More than anything, he sensed that if they resolved this crisis well, they could exploit the situation to gain more benefits.

“Bacchus swordsmen, protect Quadrach’s leader and his people!”

“Yes, sir!”

“Yes, sir!”

Clang, clang, clang!

The Bacchus swordsmen, who had hesitated earlier, now stopped showing reluctance and aimed their swords at Theo’s group with murderous intent.

‘Fools.’

Naban chuckled inwardly at the sight of those loyal retainers.

“…So, should I take this as the will of the Bacchus family?”

Cleve scanned the crowd with a cold, hardened expression.

Hazel and Evelyn were the same.

As Ragnar’s swordsmen, they could not tolerate such insubordination.

However, despite their wavering eyes, the Bacchus swordsmen stood firm and refused to back down.

“Do not retreat! The Ceres Trading Company is nothing but a victim of false accusations! I believe it would be wise for the great family to investigate the matter more thoroughly before intervening. Don’t you agree?”

Although the words were polite, the message was essentially an invitation to leave.

“I had heard that Bacchus was going through tough times lately, but I didn’t expect the person in charge to have gone mad.”

Cleve’s face hardened as he issued a new command.

“Apply the same charges of treason to the Bacchus family. From now on, anyone who interferes with this execution will be eliminated, no exceptions.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Yes, sir.”

Evelyn and Hazel immediately spread out to the sides, unleashing their sword energy.

Though they were vastly outnumbered, there was no way they could back down in this situation.

– Even if casualties occur, we must never submit to traitors.

It was in the nature of Northerners never to retreat.

Clang, clang, clang!

In an instant, the courtyard erupted into a flurry of blades.

“Subdue them all!”

Though Quadrach initially questioned why the Bacchus family, whom he expected to withdraw, had decided to help, he quickly composed himself and skillfully commanded his soldiers, befitting a leader of a trading company.

Naban had been talking about love to Lily, making it seem like he had fallen for her.

‘Many among them are Blood Priests blessed by the Nine Apostles of the Sacred Demon Church! Ordinary swordsmen will be crushed without a doubt!’

Cha-cha-cha-chang!

Theo’s group clashed with the Blood Priests, disguised as mercenaries of the trading company, along with the Bacchus swordsmen. The scene became a chaotic tangle of blades.

In the midst of it all, Naban laughed.

“Pahahaha!”

The sight of them all diving into the grave together, simply because he had used some clever words, was amusing.

With this, the Bacchus family had crossed the point of no return.

‘I’ll witness the fall of Bacchus much sooner than I had planned.’

Just as he was thinking about how to fan the flames even further,

「Do you really think it’ll burn properly like this? You should at least take the head of one or two of the Executors to make it certain.」

A sharp voice pierced his ears.

‘Who…?’

Naban felt a chill run down his spine.

It felt as though someone had seen straight through the depths of his hidden intentions.

Chaang!

In the next moment, a flash of light shot toward him, and he barely managed to deflect it in time.

The attacker was a young boy.

A boy who appeared to be around the same age as his fiancée, Lily.

However, the deep, sunken look in his eyes made it difficult to guess his true age.

‘Theo Ragnar!’

Naban immediately realized who his opponent was.

Trying to suppress his trembling lips, he spoke.

“I… don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“You’re nervous, aren’t you?”

“What?”

But Theo’s smirk indicated that he already knew everything Naban was thinking.

And then, the voice once again echoed in his mind.

「You may claim to have no fond memories, but it was still the family that gave birth to you and raised you— the very same that killed your mother.」

「……!」

Naban’s eyes widened in shock.

「And despite knowing you had a congenital illness, your heartless father didn’t treat it in time, leaving you with a limited lifespan.」

“What are you trying to say…!”

「Naban Bacchus. The bastard son of the Bacchus family’s current head, born out of wedlock in a foreign land. Overshadowed by Torkel, the captain of the Black Iron Cavalry, but a tragic genius who set the highest score in the history of the Blossoming Ceremony.」

“……!!”

「Yet, for ten years, you wasted away, unable to do anything due to your family’s restrictions. That’s why you have no intention of keeping the family alive. You’ve been planning its downfall, haven’t you? And now, with the five years you have left, you’ve carefully set your pieces, like playing chess.」

“……”

「You’ve driven your family to the brink of collapse, brought in a dangerous element like Soaring Dragon… and now, with this decision, everything is perfect. Congratulations. The Bacchus family is now officially a family of traitors.」

In that instant, all emotion drained from Naban’s face.

He became expressionless, like a puppet devoid of feelings.

“…Who are you? How do you know so much about me?”

“Does that even matter?”

Theo’s twisted smile grew wider.

“What matters now is how the person standing before you can help you, don’t you think?”

“……!”

“I’ll tell you how to cure your incurable disease. And I’ll take responsibility for the downfall of the Bacchus family. In exchange…”

Theo’s eyes gleamed intensely.

“Become my second sword.”

Naban couldn’t quite grasp how to process Theo’s existence.

This boy had suddenly appeared, knowing everything about his past and even offering exactly what he needed.

It felt as if he were being possessed by a ghost, or perhaps it was just Black Snow’s way of toying with him.

Yet, there was no reason for Black Snow to do such a thing. And Theo didn’t seem like someone meant to be controlled by anyone, but rather someone who controlled others.

Having lived his entire life as an outsider, Naban prided himself on being a good judge of people.

Theo was sincere.

“You’d better decide quickly. As you can see, this isn’t a situation where I can give you much time.”

Theo smiled.

* * *

– The Ten Swords.

When Theo first opened his eyes after his return, he identified ten talents essential to ascend to the throne.

The first was Evelyn, and the second was Naban.

Both possessed extraordinary talents and abilities, but they had the misfortune of being born in the wrong era, never fully blossoming.

– Much like Theo himself.

“You say you can cure me? How am I supposed to believe that?”

Naban’s initial moment of agitation passed.

With a calm tone, he asked his question.

It was as if the cynical attitude he had shown earlier was all a lie.

‘As expected, he’s cautious. But I figured he would be.’

Having lived his life suspecting everyone, and being clever enough to lead his family down the path of ruin in secret, it was only natural for Naban to be difficult to convince.

Theo shrugged his shoulders.

“Follow me for a while, and you’ll see for yourself. Then decide. Become my sword or don’t.”

However, Theo’s confident attitude, as if he were certain that Naban could never refuse his offer, stirred something within Naban’s heart.

The hope that maybe, just maybe, he might be able to survive.

And more than that—

– The hope that someone might finally recognize ‘him’ for the first time.

Faced with a situation he had never imagined he’d experience, Naban furrowed his brow for a long while before finally nodding his head.

“…Fine. I’ll trust you for now. But you’ll have to explain how you know so much about me.”

“I will.”

“And.”

“…?”

“I think I’m a lot older than you, so you should speak respectfully. I may not look it, but I’m a peer of the Black Iron Cavalry Captain from the Blossoming Ceremony.”

“We’ll see about that depending on your behavior.”

“So, you’re checking if I’m a sharp enough sword, huh?”

In an instant, Naban’s eyes gleamed coldly as he spun around.

Then—

Whoosh!

Sshhaaa!

A flash of sword energy shot out, grazing the neck of the Knight who had been fighting Evelyn.

“You… what is this…!”

The Knight stared at Naban in disbelief.

After convincing them to side with the Ceres Trading Company, was he now betraying them by stabbing them in the back?

Naban’s lips twisted into his characteristic sneer.

“I have to bring the head of a traitor at least if I want to survive, don’t I?”

“……!”

“So, you should have chosen your side more carefully.”

The Knight looked as if he wanted to protest, but only a faint wheezing sound escaped his lips as he struggled to speak.

Thud!

At that moment, as he lost the last of his strength, a red line appeared across his neck, and his head flew into the air.

Pwooosh—

Thud!

Naban kicked off the ground forcefully and charged toward the Bacchus swordsmen.

“M-my lord!”n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

“Why are you attacking us?!”

“Because you’re no different.”

After all, these men were just as responsible for driving his mother to her death.

There would be no forgiveness.

Swish, swish, swish—

The sword energy Naban unleashed surged, quickly and ruthlessly cutting down the former swordsmen at an astonishing speed.

It was a massacre.

「You told me to become your second sword, didn’t you?」

Naban’s voice shot sharply into Theo’s ears.

「That means you already have a first sword. Perhaps I should make you rethink that decision.」