In the House of Ragnar, Theo's reputation was among the worst.

*"A waste of Ragnar blood."*

It was widely rumored, although hushed, that the Council of Elders intended to expel Theo from the family after the Blooming Ceremony. 

Evelyn also held such prejudices, despite feeling some personal sympathy for him. When she saw Theo wielding a Zweihander, her judgment had initially shifted to an even harsher extreme.

But then.

*"Surprisingly… his stance is flawless. No excess, clean."*

The moment Theo took his stance, moved forward, and swung his sword, Evelyn’s doubts faded entirely.

His movements were painfully slow, almost sleep-inducing. People who saw it might scoff, saying, "What on earth is that?"

The curious onlookers who had initially gathered to watch Theo's odd behavior eventually left out of boredom.

Yet each slow movement was executed with meticulous precision, without a single flaw. Evelyn, once a seasoned warrior, knew how impressive that truly was.

*"As far as I know… he’s never even properly held a sword before, has he?"*

Even that fraud mercenary, Rendon, had practically given up on Theo, complaining about his lack of talent.

And yet, if his skills were this refined, there could only be one explanation.

*"A prodigy! Yes. Young Master Theo must be a prodigy. Born with an innate sense of the sword, a genius who never felt the need to wield it… a true prodigy."*

Evelyn misunderstood Theo, yet couldn’t help but feel regret.

*"If only he had taken an interest in the sword a little earlier."*

The Blooming Ceremony was not a trivial event. Even if Theo was naturally gifted, starting his training now, with less than half a year until the ceremony, wouldn’t bridge the gap between him and his siblings.

His siblings, after all, were talented prodigies in their own right.

*"Perhaps I should lend a hand?"*

It might help him progress a bit faster.

As Evelyn watched, torn by her regret, she shifted in her seat.

*"Lost your arm, but it looks like your rear is floating just fine, doesn’t it?"*

A voice from behind snapped Evelyn out of her reverie.

The mention of her missing arm was a forbidden topic among those who knew Evelyn.

*"Who the hell said that…!"*

Evelyn, fire in her eyes, whirled around, only to freeze in shock.

*"That ‘hell of a person’ would be me."*

A middle-aged man with a warm demeanor stood there, hands behind his back. His presence was that of a distinguished gentleman, the kind who could easily charm noble ladies into sleepless nights.

*"C-Captain?"*

*"Captain? You meant to say ‘hell of a person,’ didn’t you? Though, no need to hate on dogs too much. My brother has a particular fondness for them."*

The man was none other than Evelyn's former superior, Julius, the Captain of the White Dragon Cavalry. With a mischievous grin, he teased her, making Evelyn quickly stand to attention.

*"Senior Warrior Evelyn Nereville greets the White Dragon Cavalry Captain…!"*

*"Enough, enough. No need for formalities to someone who left the army long ago."*

Known as the Demon Dragon, Julius Ragnar was the Captain of the White Dragon Cavalry, the most elite among the four units that represented the House of Ragnar. He was the only outsider to be granted the Ragnar name and was soon to be inducted into the Council of Elders due to his remarkable achievements and loyalty.

*"Ah, does claiming not to be a stiff make me a stiff? How challenging this is."*

Though his face was handsome and pleasant now, Evelyn knew how he could transform in an instant.

*"Didn’t expect to see you here… What brings you here unannounced?"*

*"Do I need to inform you of where I go?"*

Evelyn’s expression tightened. In her younger days, she wouldn’t have hesitated to retort, regardless of her superior’s rank.

*"…That’s not what I meant."*

*"Haha. Just a joke. I was merely wandering about. Seems your personality hasn’t changed one bit, has it?"*

Evelyn had plenty to say but bit her tongue.

*"But it seems you’ve found something interesting to watch. Mind if I join you?"*

Without waiting for permission, Julius casually stepped next to her, watching the training field.

*"Oh. I haven’t seen someone wield a sword that size in a long time. He’s got a clean technique, too. It’s clear he’s put in consistent foundational training. Did we have someone like that in the family?"*

Talent, if not secured in advance, would inevitably be snatched up by other units during the Blooming Ceremony. Julius, always hungry for promising recruits, received numerous recommendations but had never heard of a youth like this.

A boy with a slender build, effortlessly swinging a 2-meter sword. His lean muscles only added to his value.

And Julius liked Theo’s gaze — sharp and intelligent like a tiger’s.

*"Theo Ragnar."*

*"…What?"*

Julius flinched at Evelyn’s words.

*"The son of Lady Cecilia…?"*

*"Yes, that’s right."*

*"Well!"*

Julius couldn’t hide his amazement. He had heard some of the story about Cecilia and Theo.

*"I’d never heard anything about him being talented. Wasn’t he practically disowned by the Council of Elders?"*

*"Maybe the Council’s judgment was a bit off."*

Julius chuckled.

*"Careful where you say that. It could land you in trouble."*

*"I only said it because I knew you’d keep it a secret."*

Julius shook his head. He knew well enough how deeply Evelyn resented the Council and decided to let it go.

*"Still, he’s intriguing… A hidden dragon, lying in wait all this time."*

Julius, like Evelyn, was beginning to misunderstand Theo.

*"Given his level, he must’ve been training all along. Do you know how long he’s been wielding a sword?"*

Properly trained, this young man could become quite the gem, Julius thought, waiting for Evelyn’s response.

*"One day."*

*"Pardon?"*

The answer didn’t make sense.

With a peculiar smile, Evelyn clarified.

*"One day. To be exact, it’s been half a day. He just picked up that sword a little while ago."*

*"…!"*

Evelyn was sure she’d just heard a crack in the usually unbreakable mask of Julius.

*"Even if the Ragnars are exceptional, that’s some… unbelievable talent."*

*"Do you think I understand it any better? That’s just how the Ragnars are…"*

As Evelyn shrugged and continued talking, her gaze shifted to someone storming over to Theo with an irritated expression.

*"That person?"*

Recognizing him, Evelyn narrowed her eyes, subtly resting her hand on the hilt of her sword in case she needed to intervene.

* * *

*"…What is this even?"*

Theo, focused on his training with the Zweihander, suddenly blinked in confusion as a notification broke his concentration.

_Ding!_

*[Congratulations! You have successfully completed Tutorial Quest #2]*

*[Grade: A]*

*[Reward: ■■■’s Ne■■]*

*[As an additional reward for your grade, one year’s worth of mana has been added to your Aura Heart.]*

The name of the item reward was garbled, but the additional “one year’s worth of mana” caught Theo’s eye.

*"Could it be?"*

Ordinarily, the amount of mana an average person could accumulate through normal training in a year was termed a “year’s worth of mana.” Theo’s current Aura Heart held a total of 34 years’ worth of mana, painstakingly accumulated over his past life.

And yet, he’d just received an additional year’s worth. 

It was absurd.

Even as he tried to dismiss the possibility, he instinctively checked his Dragon Heart.

And indeed…

*"It actually increased!"*

While the same amount of mana could vary significantly in purity and density, the absolute quantity was still significant.

*"Is this even real? If it were this easy, wouldn’t rigorous training be pointless?"*

It was enough to make him wary.

Though the gift felt gratifying, it clashed with his core beliefs about training and discipline, leaving him conflicted. And then there was the fear of these mysterious messages.

As if mocking his hesitation, a new message appeared.

*[New Quest Available]*

+

*[Tutorial Quest #3]*

Deepen your Aura Hole training.

· Difficulty: E

· Reward: ■■■’s Ear■■

· On Failure: ■■

+

The third mission.

At that moment, a thought struck Theo.

*“Do I really need to be wary of this?”*

After all, enhancing his Aura Heart was essential for his growth. Every training session was part of his adaptation to it.

So why resist? Why not simply take advantage of these gifts? Any future cost could be dealt with later. Right now, his focus was solely on becoming stronger.

*“I just need to concentrate on getting stronger.”*

With that realization, Theo’s mind felt at ease.

The message was there to guide him, and he had his own path to follow.

He lifted the Zweihander once more, pouring all his focus into its blade.

With his increased mana, his focus deepened.

Thump. Thump.

The heavy beat of his heart echoed within him, as powerful as a dragon’s.

Thud. Thud.

He felt the rhythm of the blade reverberate to his

 fingertips, his mind flooded with knowledge of the weapon.

The weight of the blade,

its balance,

its material,

its history,

and finally—

the voice of the sword.

*“A voice.”*

For the first time, he felt as if the sword itself was speaking to him.

When he held 34 years’ worth of mana, he’d sensed it dimly. But with 35, it became unmistakably clear.

With perfect awareness, Theo crossed a previously insurmountable chasm.

_Clang!_

The Zweihander trembled as it sang.

A pure, ringing steel sound.

*[You have grasped Sword Resonance.]*

*[You have achieved the unity of sword and self.]*

…

*[Congratulations. With the understanding of the sword’s will, you have completed Tutorial Quest #3]*

*[Reward…]*

*[As an additional reward, one year’s worth of mana has been added to your Aura Hole.]*

Following the sword’s call, Theo moved.

The Zweihander cut a diagonal path, each step filling his body with energy as the Aura Heart pulsed, sending waves of mana through his veins.

Thud, thud, thud.

_Swish, swish, swish._

Though his muscles grew fatigued from the weight, the sense of freedom invigorated him.

Lost in his training, Theo unconsciously accumulated three more years’ worth of mana.

_Ding!_

*[Congratulations, Tutorial Quest #4 is complete…]*

*[Reward…]*

*[Additional reward, one more year…]*

As Theo unknowingly amassed mana, the Zweihander began etching new paths in the air.

One of them was a technique he’d read about in an ancient manual from the library — the Dragon’s Three Fangs.

It was the first time he’d ever wielded the technique he had studied so diligently.

*[New Quest Available]*

+

*[Tutorial Quest #7]*

Master ten sword techniques in conjunction with your Aura Hole.

· Difficulty: D

· Reward: ■■■’s Arm

· On Failure: ■■

+

_Swish!_

Just as Theo tried to trace the newly-formed paths with the Zweihander—

*"Young master! How could you treat your teacher like this?"*

An irate voice shattered his focus.

It was Rendon.