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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 4
Chapter Title: Theo Ragnar (4)
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Theo Ragnar's evaluation in the Ragnar Family was close to the worst.
- A worthless bastard wasting Ragnar blood.
Everyone whispered it behind closed doors, but it was public knowledge that the elders planned to expel him from the family after the Awakening Ceremony.
Evelyn held no personal ill will toward Theo, but she shared that preconception.
Especially when he gripped the zweihänder—her assessment swung to the extreme.
Yet.
'More... refined than I expected. Clean, without any wasted motion.'
The moment Theo assumed his stance, took his first step, and swung the sword.
All of Evelyn's doubts vanished from her mind.
Movements so slow they could induce yawns.
Others might scoff, "What the hell is that?"
In fact, the spectators who had come to gawk at Theo's sudden antics had all left, bored.
But every one of those slow motions was flawless. Perfectly precise.
Evelyn, once a renowned swordmaster herself, knew exactly how impressive that was.
'As far as I know... that guy's never properly held a sword before...?'
No wonder that con artist mercenary Renden was blabbing about giving up on him.
And yet, he was at this level. There could only be one reason.
'A genius! Right. Young Master Theo was a lazy genius all along. Born with such innate talent, he never felt the need to pick up a sword... that kind of genius.'
Evelyn harbored a misunderstanding that wasn't entirely wrong, but she also felt a pang of regret.
'If only he'd taken an interest in the sword a little earlier.'
The Awakening Ceremony wasn't something you could take lightly.
No matter how innately gifted Theo was, with less than half a year left, closing the gap with his siblings through training now was impossible.
His other brothers were geniuses with exceptional talents, after all.
'Should I help him out a bit?'
He might develop faster that way.
As Evelyn watched with pity, shifting her hips restlessly.
"One arm gone, and now your ass is flying all over the place?"
A sudden voice from behind shattered her thoughts.
The mention of her missing arm was a taboo no one who knew her would dare utter.
"Which fucking son of a bitch is talking shit...!"
Evelyn whipped her head around in fury, then gasped.
"That son of a bitch would be me."
There stood a middle-aged man with a warm demeanor, hands clasped behind his back.
A flower of a man who must have ruined many noble ladies' sleep in his youth.
"C-Captain?"
"Captain? Call me that son of a bitch. Ah, but don't hate dogs too much. My big brother actually loves them to death."
Evelyn's former boss, White Dragon Knights Captain Julius, tossed the joke with a mischievous grin. She scrambled to her feet.
"Senior Swordmaster Evelyn Nereville greets the White Dragon Knights Captain...!"
"Enough, enough. I'm not such an old fart that I expect full protocol from someone who left the unit ages ago."
Demon Dragon Julius Ragnar.
Head of the White Dragon Knights, the strongest of the Ragnar Family's four great legions.
The only outsider to receive the Ragnar name and impending elder council membership, thanks to his unmatched valor and merits.
"Ah, saying I'm not an old fart—isn't that the old fart's habit? Damn, tricky."
He usually wore that handsome, affable face.
"Without a word... what brings you here?"
"Do I have to tell you my every move?"
Evelyn's expression soured slightly.
In her old temper, she'd have snapped at her boss, "What nonsense is this?"
"...That's not what I meant."
"Haha. Just kidding. I was taking a bored stroll. Your temper's the same as ever?"
Evelyn bit back a torrent of words.
"More importantly, looks like you're watching something fun. Mind if I join?"
Without waiting for permission, Julius sidled up beside her and peered at the training ground.
"Oh. Haven't seen a greatsword that big in ages? Pretty clean footwork for the young man. Good power in his swings too. Looks like he's drilled the basics steadily for years. Did we have a guy like that in the family?"
Talents had to be scouted early, or other units would snatch them at the Awakening Ceremony.
Julius had a voracious appetite for recruits, always getting recommendations... but this kid was new to him.
Slim build swinging a two-meter greatsword effortlessly. That stuck in his mind.
Meant wiry muscle, dense and real.
Those were the real deals.
Especially Theo's eyes—they appealed to him.
Sharp as a leopard's, yet clever.
"Theo Ragnar."
"...What?"
Julius flinched at Evelyn's words.
"Lady Cecilia's...?"
"Yes. That's right."
"Hah!"
Julius let out a grand exclamation. He knew the mother-son duo's story to some extent.
"Never heard the son had talent? Wasn't he basically disowned by the elders?"
"The elders must've had shit in their eyes."
Julius gave a wry smile.
"Say that only to me. Watch your mouth elsewhere, or you'll be in deep shit."
"I only said it because I know you'll keep it secret, Captain."
Julius shook his head.
He knew how much Evelyn despised the elder council, so he held his tongue.
"Anyway, he's intriguing... A hidden dragon biding its time, huh."
Julius now shared Evelyn's misunderstanding-that-wasn't.
"Still, that level means he's been training steadily. Know how long he's been holding a sword properly?"
Proper nurturing could polish him into a gem.
As Julius awaited her answer.
"One day."
"Huh?"
The response felt off.
Evelyn smirked oddly.
"One day. Ah, precisely half a day. He just picked up that sword for the first time."
"...!"
Crack!
Evelyn swore she heard the first crack in Julius's perpetual poker face.
"Even for a Ragnar, that's too much of a scam..."
"How should I know? Ragnars are just... like that!"
As Evelyn shrugged and started to retort.
Someone stormed toward Theo irritably.
'That guy?'
Evelyn narrowed her eyes, recognizing him. Hand drifting to her sword hilt at her waist, ready to intervene if trouble brewed.
* * *
'...What the hell is this?'
Theo, focused on zweihänder forms, froze in bewilderment.
A notification had shattered his concentration.
Ding!
[Congratulations! You have successfully completed Tutorial Quest■ #2.]
[Rating: A]
[Reward: '■■■'s Nec■■■' obtained.]
[Rating bonus: 1 year's worth of mana accumulated in Aura Hall.]
Like before, the reward item's name was garbled.
But the bonus '1 year's worth of mana' caught his eye.
'No way?'
A normal person steadily practicing a standard Aura circulation method for a year yields '1 year's worth of mana.'
Theo's current Aura Heart total: 34 years' worth.
Hard-earned over a lifetime in his previous life.
If another full year had been added?
Impossible.
Unthinkable by common sense—yet he instinctively checked Dragon's Heart.
And.
'It really increased!'
Sure, same quantity didn't mean same quality or density—efficiency varied wildly.
But raw amount was undeniable.
'This make sense? If it's this easy, why bother with grueling training?'
Suspicion was inevitable now.
Joy at the unexpected gift clashed with his ingrained belief that only harsh training led to true growth. Fear of the unknown messages.
But as if mocking his turmoil, a new one appeared right on cue.
[Quest■ arrived.]
+
[Tutorial Quest■ #3]
Deepen your Aura Hall training.
· Difficulty: E
· Reward: ■■■'s Ear■■
· Penalty on failure: ■■
+
The third mission.
In that moment, a thought struck Theo.
-Do I really need to be wary of this?
Strengthening Aura Heart was essential to grow stronger anyway.
His current training was all for adapting to it.
So why avoid it? Why not enjoy it?
Treat the extras as gifts, deal with any bill later.
'Either way, I just need to focus on getting stronger.'
Mind eased, he refocused.
This message thing was its business; he was his.
Theo raised the zweihänder, pouring all awareness into the blade tip.
Was it the extra mana?
Focus felt sharper than before.
Thump. Thump.
The massive heartbeat of Dragon's Heart resounded.
Thud. Thud.
Sword's pulse throbbed through his hands in sync.
Sword-related info flooded his mind.
Sword's weight.
Sword's balance.
Sword's material.
Sword's history.
And.
-The sword's voice.
'Voice.'
The sword's voice rang truly in his ears.
At 34 years, it had been faint, teasing the edge of perception.
At 35, crystal clear.
Fully sensing the blade's entirety bridged the moat that had blocked him.
Ziiing!
The zweihänder quivered violently.
A clear metallic ring.
[Sword Resonance acquired.]
[Sword-Mind Unity achieved.]
.
[Congratulations. You have comprehended the sword's will and successfully completed Tutorial Quest■ #3...]
[Reward...]
[Rating bonus: 1 year's worth of mana accumulated in Aura Hall.]
Theo swung the zweihänder following that voice.
From above to below, a diagonal slash tracing the line.
Heart squeezed tight, Aura Heart pulsed larger, infusing mana and vitality throughout his body.
Thumpthumpthumpthump!
Shiiiik—
Theo swung where the zweihänder yearned, layering paths upon paths.
Fatigue built from the blade's weight, yet exhilaration dominated.
A sense of liberation.
As Theo lost himself in the sword, the added year's mana dragged him deeper into trance.
Ding!
[Congratulations. Tutorial Quest■ #4...]
[Reward...]
[Bonus: 1 year's...]
Ding!
[Bonus: 1 year's...]
Ding!
[Bonus: 1 year's...]
By the time Theo unconsciously stacked three more years' mana, the zweihänder traced a new path.
[Dragon's Three Fangs], one of the secret sword arts he'd found in the library.
A technique he'd only read about was now forming under his hands for the first time.
[Quest■ arrived.]
+
[Tutorial Quest■ #7]
Link a total of ten sword arts with Aura Hall.
· Difficulty: D
· Reward: ■■■'s Arm■
· Penalty on failure: ■■
+
Shiiiik!
As Theo spun the zweihänder along the mental path.
"Young Master! How could you do this to your master?!"
An intruder shattered his focus.
Renden.