NoveLight ™
Just as Emil awaited Theo’s severed head, her palace trembled with a sudden, ominous commotion.
Bang!
The doors burst open, and a procession of inspectors flooded in, swiftly taking control of the hall. The atmosphere turned tense and grim.
“D-Director of the Security Bureau!”
“Why has the Director come here so suddenly…?”
Emil’s attendants and servants turned pale as they looked toward Ed Troyban, who stood at the center of the gathering, his expression inscrutable.
Without a word, Ed walked forward and stopped in front of his twin sister.
“What is the meaning of this, Brother?” Emil glared at him defiantly, her eyes blazing.
Ed merely held up a document with a cold expression. “I assume you know what this is, Palace Mistress?”
“What is that? Why are you doing this?” Emil demanded.
“It’s a warrant you signed using my seal without my authorization.”
Emil flinched but quickly recovered, replying with mock arrogance.
“So? What’s wrong with that?”
“You impersonated me to mobilize the Central Security Bureau’s agents. And for what purpose? To order the elimination of our own White Armored Knights,” Ed said, his voice icy.
“...!”
Emil’s eyes widened in shock. Was he really exposing her actions in front of everyone?
A quick glance around confirmed her fears. Her attendants and servants looked horrified at what they’d overheard.
“You… You say this in front of the underlings?”
“It seems you’re concerned about your honor being tarnished in front of them?” Ed replied with biting sarcasm.
Emil clenched her lips in frustration.
“What are you trying to say?”
“Impersonating a seal is a serious offense, even for you, Palace Mistress. You should know that mobilizing family forces without permission could lead to accusations of treason. And you even targeted the White Armored Knights—one of Ragnar’s proudest symbols. Imagine how the Clan Head will react when he hears of this.”
“You… You wouldn’t dare tell him everything, would you?”
“Why wouldn’t I? Thanks to your stupidity, my life is now on the line. Surely I must think of my survival as well?”
For the first time, Emil seemed to grasp the gravity of the situation. Her face hardened.
“Why are you being so extreme? If this mission succeeds, everything will be fine, right? When Unit Five is wiped out, everyone will blame Black Skull…”
“Your poorly conceived plan has already failed.”
“What… What did you say?”
“Just a short while ago, we received a report from Unit Five of the White Armored Knights. They encountered a third party aside from Black Skull, captured four of them, and are now on their way back.”
“...!”
“Oh, and they added a rather intriguing note. ‘The third party seems to have deep connections with Ragnar. We’ll report in person for further details.’”
“...”
“Do you realize how reckless your actions were, Palace Mistress?”
Emil’s hands trembled, and her face paled.
The plan… It failed? And they captured them? How could this…
The reality struck her like ice water, and in her mind’s eye, she saw Kyle’s face.
That terrifying man—impossible to read, impossible to resist. What would happen if he found out about this? She didn’t need to wonder. Not only would he punish her, but he’d likely condemn her entire family as well.
She turned to Ed, desperation seeping into her voice.
“Brother! Help me! You can find a way, can’t you? Please, help your sister!”
A twisted smile played at the corner of Ed’s lips.
“I always wondered why Aksion was so impulsive and foolish. I see now he must’ve taken after you.”
“Brother…!”
“My dear, foolish sister, why did you take on something so far beyond your capacity? Had you remained as you were—a decorative doll in this palace—you could have enjoyed your life in peace, receiving everything I provided for you. Why did you choose to meddle?”
Emil’s eyes narrowed, anger rising within her.
“Don’t act like you don’t know! If you had honored your promises, I wouldn’t have done this! I wouldn’t have needed to!”
“What promise did I break?”
“Don’t play dumb! Theo Ragnar! Instead of killing that despicable brat, you decided to protect him!”
“Ha… You mean to tell me you did all this over something so trivial?”
“Trivial? Watch your words! Aksion was everything to me! Taking vengeance on his murderer is only natural! That wretched boy and everything related to him—I have to tear it all apart to appease my heart, my soul, and Aksion’s spirit!”
Click!
Ed clicked his tongue in disdain.
Emil’s rage-filled eyes betrayed her unyielding madness—a madness no reasoning could quell.
“Did it never occur to you that embracing Theo Ragnar was merely part of the plan to ultimately avenge Aksion?”
“...What do you mean?”
“Not just killing Theo Ragnar, but seizing everything Ragnar holds dear. That would have been the best way to soothe Aksion’s spirit… But thanks to your foolishness, that final plan is now ruined.”
“...!”
“Congratulations, Palace Mistress. You’ve singlehandedly destroyed everything.”
Emil could not meet Ed’s gaze. The eyes that had once looked at her so kindly were now devoid of emotion. There was no hatred, no disgust, no anger—only complete indifference.
For the first time, Emil understood that this expression—this utter detachment—was Ed’s true view of her all along.
That face… It reminded her of someone she’d known since childhood—a tyrant who had dominated her heart and mind from the beginning.
“Worst of all, the Dragon-Slaying Sword, Balmung, was lost due to this incident. Once Father learns of this, he’ll no longer consider you his daughter.”
Emil’s face turned ghostly pale.
Father…
The trauma from her childhood resurfaced like a dark shadow.
“I’ll take care of what’s left. But from now on, you’ll have to be content living like a caged canary.”
“What do you mean by that?!”
“Escort her inside.”
“Brother! Brother! Let me go! I said, let me go!”
Emil struggled as agents seized her by the arms and dragged her toward the inner palace.
Bang!
Without sparing her another glance, Ed scanned the room. The remaining servants and attendants were all trembling in fear.
“D-Director! Please, spare us! We’ll do anything you ask, just please…”
The head steward clung to Ed’s leg, begging for mercy. They all knew what would happen to those who overheard forbidden conversations.
“If only you had served the Palace Mistress more wisely from the beginning.”
With a contemptuous look, Ed gave his command.
“Kill them all.”
Slash, slash—
Splatter!
The agents’ swords moved swiftly, filling the hall with screams that didn’t last long. Soon, the palace was drenched in blood.
Second Deputy Director Morgan approached Ed.
“It’s all taken care of, sir.”
“Replace them with trustworthy people. We can’t allow anything like this to happen again.”
“Yes, sir. I’ll select only the most reliable individuals.”
“And…”
Ed paused, pressing his lips together. Morgan understood immediately.
“The captured agents will be eliminated as well.”
“Unfortunate. Especially Sidra; he was a promising one.” Ed clicked his tongue and walked away.
Because of a foolish nephew and an idiotic sister, the rebellion I spent so long planning has now come to nothing. Any further moves would just play into Robert’s hands.
Ed recalled the shadow of the Black Dragon—his constant, invisible opponent.
For ages, the Central Security Bureau and the Black Snow had battled in the shadows for control over Ragnar and the ancient relic of the Primordial Dragon.
Kyle had known about this silent war all along and simply watched from the sidelines. But recently, the scale had tipped entirely in favor of the Black Snow, with nearly every Bureau operation foiled at the last moment.
And at the center of these failures was one unexpected individual.
Theo Ragnar. Ever since he became involved, everything has fallen apart.
Splash.
The sound of his foot hitting a bloodstained floor snapped Ed back to reality.
I should have recognized it from the start. That boy was never Aksion’s match… he was mine. My biggest mistake was underestimating him.
Under that youthful face lay a sharpness that seemed almost unreal for a fifteen-year-old.
Fine, then.
As he opened the door and stepped out, Ed’s eyes darkened.
“From now on, I’ll treat you as my equal enemy, Theo Ragnar.”
The return of Unit Five to Winterer brought with it a fast-spreading rumor.
-Unit Five of the White Armored Knights has completed their mission, rescuing hostages and returning safely.
Normally, this wouldn’t be particularly noteworthy, but the circumstances of the mission added fuel to the rumor.
-The one who contributed most to the mission was Semho.
Semho.
Theo Ragnar’s achievements had made waves.
Not only had he helped rescue the supposedly dead members and saved hostages, but he had also held his own against an unexpected enemy ambush. Moreover, word had spread that he’d gone toe-to-toe with “Slo Gang the Bald Hammer,” a notorious terrorist.
-The Bald Hammer? Isn’t he a well-known terrorist? And Theo fought him to a standstill?
-Yeah, even with the usual embellishments, that’s impressive.
-I knew he was talented, but this… So he’s not just a trainee but practically at the level of a fully-fledged knight?
-Right? He might have to take another test. At this rate, he’ll set a record for the fastest promotion to a knight in the field.
The rumors all led to one conclusion:
-Semho’s growth is extraordinary.
Given that Theo was only fifteen, his rapid rise was nothing short of remarkable. People were left wondering just how far he could go. Amid this intrigue, however, there was something that people overlooked:
The discovery during this mission that there might be a spy within the ranks of Ragnar.
[Dragon-Slaying Sword: Balmung]
The item is currently sealed. To access its powers, the mystic binding must be removed.
Theo examined Balmung’s information and clicked his tongue in frustration.
Just as I thought.
Mystic artifacts like this were remnants of an ancient age, said to blend the powers of gods and humans. They were almost impossible to possess and control, but those who could wield them would gain unparalleled strength.
Balmung, with its legendary feat of slaying a dragon, was among such artifacts.
Ed Troyban knew how to unlock its dragon-slaying power… but how?
Theo didn’t have the answer, but his curiosity burned. Hoping to gain some insight, he placed his hand on the blade.
Buzz, buzz…
Immediately, the Drakesword and Moonlight Blade in his possession began vibrating violently, as if repulsed.
Whirr…
Even Balmung emitted a faint aura, rejecting Theo’s touch.
A small cut formed on his fingertip.
The sword has dragon-slaying power, so it must be incompatible with me—a being deeply tied to dragons.
But instead of dissuading him, the sword’s resistance only fueled Theo’s determination to tame it.
There must be a way to break the seal…
For now, lacking any clues, he returned the sword to his inventory. The important thing was that Balmung wouldn’t fall into Ed’s hands.
Knock, knock.
“Evelyn Nehrebil and Unit Five, consisting of thirty-two members, have arrived.”
Theo snapped back to attention. He, along with the other unit members, had come to report to Julius.
“Enter,” came the voice from within.
With a creak, the door swung open.
Julius rose from his seat, greeting them warmly.
“Come in, our heroes! Ha-ha!”
“Apologies, Sir. We weren’t able to prevent injuries to Captain Trainer and some of our members.”
Evelyn bowed her head slightly, but Julius shook his head.
“No, no. I’m just glad to see you all returned alive. Injuries can be healed, but lives cannot be replaced. You all did well.”
“Thank you, Sir.”
“Now, I heard the new recruits played a big role in this mission?”
All eyes turned to Theo and the siblings Erica and Holkus.
“They were incredible! Quick and agile… Without them, we wouldn’t have managed, Sir.”
“Sir, please keep recruiting more like them. We could use recruits like this!”
“Yeah, enough of those weird ones,” Selpard joked, ruffling the new recruits’ hair.
Theo and Erica had indeed been instrumental, with Erica and Holkus joining the fight at the last minute, ensuring the capture of the agents.
“They’re all outstanding pillars for the unit,” Evelyn added.
Hearing this, Julius smiled warmly.
“Well done, all of you. It’s reassuring to know I have such capable people under my command.”
Holkus, feeling faint from excitement, could hardly believe he was being praised by his hero, the Dragonlord.
Erica grinned with pride, while Theo kept his usual calm demeanor.
“All right, everyone, you’ve done enough for now. Get some rest. We’ll announce the awards and promotions soon.”
“Yes, Sir!”
“Yes, Sir!”
“Oh, and Captain Trainer and Theo Ragnar, please stay for a moment.”
As the other members left, offering Theo encouraging pats and nods, the room finally quieted down, leaving just the three of them.
Julius looked at Theo with his familiar, mischievous smile.
“You’ve seen it, haven’t you?”
Theo nodded, knowing exactly what he was referring to.
The One Branch of Plum Blossoms.
“Yes, thanks to it, I was able to complete the Fifth Claw.”
“I remember you only had three at the start of the ceremony, and now you’ve reached five… quite fast.”
Julius folded his arms and continued.
“Just be careful. Remember, progress too rapid can lead to a sandcastle built too high.”
“I’ll be cautious not to lose stability, Sir.”
“With that attitude, you’ll do just fine. Now, allow me to ask…”
Theo straightened his back, sensing the importance of the question Julius was about to ask.
Julius’s eyes glinted with an unusual intensity.
“The sword within One Branch of Plum Blossoms… the Marong’s Sword you witnessed. How was it?”
Finally…! Theo clenched his fists.
The moment he’d been longing for had arrived. Julius was about to share his teachings.
Gg
Good