Power struggle.

Also referred to as the power struggle or the head’s internal war.

Under the rule that the strong monopolizes everything, the confrontations among heirs were always a bloody affair.

In that moment, Wellington thought he could smell that blood.

‘Aksion, you really...!’

Had Theo already anticipated that Aksion would move?

All the other fighters were now wide awake, their eyes widened.

“What’s happening...?”

“I’m fine, so just stay put.”

Evelyn tried to block the law knights, but Theo was already pulling at her sleeve, standing up.

“What’s the warrant?”

Theo glanced at the warrant being presented confidently by the law knight and chuckled.

It was still wet with ink, indicating how hastily it had been made.

“Take the criminal to the law office.”

As soon as handcuffs were placed on Theo’s wrists, two law knights stood beside him, leading him outside.

“...”

“...”

“...”

The whole incident unfolded in an instant.

A chilling atmosphere enveloped the pub.

A moment later.

Bang!

Sibil, the fighter who had first battled Theo, slammed his fist on the table in frustration.

“How can this be! Suddenly, Lord Theo is being taken to the law office! This is a person who hasn’t cared about anything other than training all day long...!”

“Exactly! This must be some kind of conspiracy!”

“Right!”

“Absolutely!”

“Could it be that the Kyoryong Meeting concocted a plot today...?”

As their protest grew, Evelyn stomped her foot hard on the ground.

Boom...

The vibration felt as if the building might collapse.

“Everyone, mind your words. Have you forgotten who they are?”

Under Evelyn’s piercing gaze, all the fighters pressed their lips shut.

It was then that they recalled the weight the law office held in Winterer.

The law office was a policing institution boasting absolute power.

At times, it could accuse even innocent citizens of treason.

It was particularly notorious for not forgiving any rumors that insulted them.

“For now, until we grasp the exact circumstances, let’s not act rashly. There will be time for collective action later.”

As the fighters nodded solemnly, Evelyn sank into deep thought.

‘The look he had at the end. He seemed to have fully anticipated something like this.’

If that was the case, it meant Theo had likely already prepared a countermeasure as well.

As Evelyn thought of this, her gaze shifted to Wellington.

Sure enough.

Wellington was staring intently at something.

A small note, no bigger than the palm of his hand.

‘As expected!’

When on earth had he passed that on?

Wellington examined the note several times with a serious expression before crumpling it and swallowing it.

Then, he locked eyes with Evelyn.

“Instructor, can you help me? I need to go somewhere urgently.”

“Where?”

“To a place called the Ceres Guild.”

Evelyn recognized the name.

It was a military guild that had maintained trading relations with Camellia Palace for a long time.

One of the people she had just injured was the daughter of the guild master.

“What do you need to do?”

Wellington mouthed softly, so only Evelyn could see.

‘Eliminate them all.’

“...!”

---

‘It’s still the same here.’

Theo gazed at the grand building of the law office.

True to its role as the institution that dragged all prisoners of Winterer, it was filled with elements that suppressed the spirit of the people.

Knights radiating a murderous aura lined up at the entrance.

The buildings all exuded a desolate atmosphere.

But Theo felt unfazed.

In his previous life, this was a place he had frequently visited.

So this time would be similar.

They would probably confine him in solitary for a few days, starve him, and then when he was thoroughly exhausted, they’d have him spill whatever sins came to mind. Or perhaps they would threaten him using his family as hostages.

But...

‘Where are they taking me?’

The law knights were not leading him toward the detention area.

To the center.

The massive building that served as the main hall of the law office.

‘Could it be?’

Theo chuckled at their intentions, realizing he had not been the only one planning something significant.

How interesting.

A smirk crept onto one corner of Theo's lips.

Whether it was Aksion’s idea or Ed’s, it seemed to be ‘well thought out.’

Boom!

Then the law knights stopped in front of an iron door.

“Prisoner, Theo Ragnar has been brought in.”

“Let him in.”

Creak...

As the iron door opened wide, a massive chamber came into view.

In the distance.

Nine stone thrones surrounded a huge semicircular table.

Of these, four were filled.

One was a familiar face to Theo.

Julius.

The captain of the White Dragon’s elite squad looked at Theo with a wry smile.

The remaining three were people Theo could not possibly be unfamiliar with.

Lady Maehwa.

The Head of the Senate.

The Director of the Central Intelligence Bureau.

Each known as the Sword Dragon (劍龍), the Origin Dragon (元龍), and the Soaring Dragon (亢龍), alongside the great dragon Julius, they constituted the <Nine Dragons> that protected Ragnar.

Thus, this place was not merely a courtroom treating Theo as a common criminal but rather a tribunal questioning the qualifications of an heir.

They were the only ones with the authority to punish an heir within Ragnar.

‘They intend to squash any plans I might have before I can even hatch them.’

Theo glanced at Ed, who was seated furthest to the right.

Ed stared at him intently, maintaining a solemn expression.

“Theo Ragnar.”

Then the voice of the Origin Dragon, Wolfgang Ragnar, seated in the center, brought Theo’s gaze back.

He was the current head’s uncle and the oldest among the Ragnar clan.

Despite his age, he still exuded the vigor of a formidable warrior.

“Yes, Senator. It’s been a while since I last saw you. I never expected to meet you here.”

“Greetings aside. We have received a report regarding the crime you just committed. It seems unnecessary to explain the contents... How do you plan to address this?”

Wolfgang openly displayed his displeasure at being dragged into this situation.

He was a staunch pureblood nationalist who believed no ‘mongrel’ should be mixed with the noble blood of Ragnar.

Naturally, he scrutinized status and class more than anyone, showing no concealment of contempt for Theo, a lowborn child.

“Could it be that the Byron family, the Ceres Guild, the Red-White Mercenaries... and Hanabi too? Ha! If these individuals get riled up, threatening to leave the shadow of the main family, how would you handle the consequences of your foolish actions?”

The roar that Wolfgang emitted seemed as if it could collapse the law office at any moment.

The air felt heated.

It seemed ready to swallow Theo whole.

For most ordinary people, such a situation would induce intimidation.

“Is that so?”

Theo remained impassive, showing no hint of fear.

-At that moment, Theo caught the shift in the gazes of the Sword Dragon Lady Maehwa and Julius, who had been silently observing him.

‘Julius has goodwill. Lady Maehwa seems curious... At least it’s fortunate that among the four here, I could potentially win over two as allies. If all goes well, perhaps I can make it neutral.’

Lady Maehwa was the first wife of the head, essentially the true mistress of Ragnar.

She had always maintained a good relationship with Julius, as far as Theo could remember.

It seemed she had received some positive reports about him.

That was a relief, to say the least.

“The Senator seems to think this incident rests solely on my shoulders.”

“Of course it does! Is that not so?”

Theo shook his head.

“No, that is not the case. I deeply regret the past mistakes. I’ve learned much from your scolding, Senator.”

He slightly bowed his head.

Julius’s expression changed intriguingly, while Lady Maehwa tilted her head as if she sensed something was off.

Ed continued to stare fixedly at Theo.

Hmph!

Wolfgang crossed his arms, scoffing.

He believed Theo had raised a white flag.

“Even if you concede, it doesn’t absolve you of the crime!”

“Rather than just cutting off an arm, perhaps I should have gone for the head instead. I might have been too lenient.”

“What did you say?”

Wolfgang's aged face contorted with rage.

From the side, Lady Maehwa’s light laughter could be heard, but he had no time to pay attention.

“What nonsense are you spewing...!”

“They are subordinates. The lord bestows land and honor, and the subordinates owe loyalty and sacrifice. Yet, they dare to threaten the lord with such savagery, forsaking their chivalry.”

“...!”

“If this is not rectified immediately, what can we expect for the future? The virtues that should exist between lord and vassal would crumble, and similar incidents will occur repeatedly. How could we sit by and watch the honor of Ragnar, which has endured for over a thousand years, be trampled upon?”

Wolfgang was rendered speechless, his lips twitching, unable to utter a word.

Perhaps he wanted to respond, but it would be difficult to voice his thoughts freely.

To counter Theo’s words would mean admitting that Ragnar’s honor had indeed fallen.

Conversely, siding with Theo would require punishing those who insulted his own honor.

It was a self-inflicted trap.

“Stop mocking

 me with such empty words...!”

“Senator, please refrain from pushing further. The longer you speak, the greater your embarrassment will become.”

As Wolfgang's face turned crimson with anger, Lady Maehwa interjected.

“Lady Maehwa!”

“Let’s not forget that this isn’t just a matter for the Senator alone.”

Lady Maehwa’s warm yet sharp gaze forced Wolfgang to sit back down.

Though still huffing with frustration.

‘As expected, the strongest of the North. Even Wolfgang can’t carelessly challenge her.’

Lady Maehwa's position as the first wife with no children was simple.

She was the strongest in Ragnar, second only to the head himself.

No wonder her alias was ‘Dragon of the Sword.’

Lady Maehwa fixed her warm gaze on Theo and spoke.

“I have heard your opinion well. It may well be entirely correct. However, I hope you understand that the reality is quite different.”

“Lady Maehwa, what are you implying?”

Wolfgang's face contorted in disbelief.

Theo was taken aback.

He never expected the first lady of Ragnar would so readily admit to its weaknesses.

“Even if we dominate the vast North and confront the demons of Maehwa, we cannot do so alone. A single hand cannot manage ten. If we lack those who will assist us from the side, Ragnar will surely fall.”

-You cannot rule this world solely through force.

It seemed Lady Maehwa wanted to convey that fact.

‘If you know that, then why...?’

Theo swallowed the imagery of his dying family.

Why hadn’t her steadfast thoughts persisted for long?

“So, we cannot ignore the voices of the vassals and knights, nor can we refuse their requests. I hope you can consider this.”

Theo realized that the level of punishment directed at him had already been decided among the Nine Dragons.

He glanced at Julius.

He nodded, indicating he should not resist too much.

It seemed Julius had managed to lower the level of punishment as much as he could.

“Could you tell me what punishment will fall upon me?”

“A three-month suspension.”

Theo’s brow furrowed.

“But the coming-of-age ceremony is only two months away?”

“Taking that into consideration, I plan to allow you to participate in next year’s coming-of-age ceremony. The fifteen children who were harmed by you today... no, including the child of Hanabi, we’ve decided that all fifteen will participate in the ceremony next year.”

Lady Maehwa seemed to convey this was the maximum limit she could allow.

Wolfgang looked displeased even with that concession.

But...

‘No. I can’t accept this.’

Theo could not accept the ruling.

‘This is a trap. Sooner or later, Ed will try to strip me of my opportunity to participate in the coming-of-age ceremony.’

Even if that weren’t the case, he could not allow the newly sprouted wings to be clipped.

Once clipped, those wings would never fly again.

“Word has it that you just started wielding a sword. Therefore, consider this an opportunity to quietly polish your skills in seclusion.”

“Thank you for your words, but that will not happen. I will appeal.”

The faces of Lady Maehwa and Julius hardened, while Wolfgang and Ed smirked.

“...If you appeal, this matter will entirely slip from our hands.”

“Your hands may be relinquished, but the sword’s voice will remain true, will it not?”

In the world where the law of the strong reigns, the meaning of ‘appeal’ was quite simple.

-War.

Only the victor had the truth.