These fools dare...!

Niel’s eyes blazed with fury, ready to burst into flames at any moment. All she had wanted from tonight was two things: the successful completion of her daughter Ray’s coming-of-age ceremony and a celebration of her birthday. She also hoped to gauge Theo’s potential. But here were these obnoxious fools ruining the celebration.

“My apologies to the Lady of the Water Palace,” one of the elders said with a gruff tone, “but this is a matter we cannot overlook. We shall not leave until the Captain of the White Iron Cavalry is properly punished—” He was abruptly cut off as his right arm flew through the air, severed in an instant.

The other elders stiffened, their faces pale with shock.

“What is the meaning of this, Lady of the Water Palace?”

“Are you siding with the White Iron Cavalry Captain to threaten us, the Elder Council?”

“Silence!” Niel’s voice thundered, shaking the entire Water Palace and banquet hall.

A colossal dragon materialized behind her, its icy breath filling the air as frost settled on the surroundings. The temperature dropped drastically, and the guests could see their own breath in the freezing cold.

“Open your mouths again, and I’ll be slicing heads next,” she warned.

The elders fell silent, retreating slightly. Niel was no longer the restrained woman nursing her sick daughter. She was the fierce warrior who had once shaken the Ragnar family to its core in her youth.

Then Niel’s gaze turned to Julius.

“Captain of the White Iron Cavalry—no, I’ll just call you by your name since I find this whole mess tiresome. Julius, if you continue this nonsense, you’ll be dealing with me. Understood?”

Julius merely looked at her, his expression neutral.

“If you must cause a drunken ruckus, do it somewhere else. Do you have no sense of decorum?” Niel’s icy stare shifted between Julius and the elders. “Now, put down your swords and get out. Every one of you, before I change my mind and cut off more than just your arms.”

Guards loyal to Niel had gathered around, their swords drawn, ready to enforce her command. They were her elite fighters, each one specially trained by her. They would not hesitate to strike on her order, no matter the opponent.

But Julius only shrugged, his face impassive.

“No thanks.”

Niel’s brow arched. “Excuse me?”

“You’re calling me by my name, so I’ll return the favor. Niel, I won’t be leaving. Not until I take an arm from each of these old fools.”

“Captain of the White Iron Cavalry!”

“You insolent—!” the elders sputtered in rage, but Julius’s mocking smile only grew.

“And besides, it doesn’t seem like they’re willing to back down either,” he continued.

“Very perceptive.” Wolfgang, his face twisted with rage, had joined the confrontation, his wounds freshly tended but still seething with anger.

“I’m not leaving like this. I’ll be damned if I walk away after what you’ve done to me!” Wolfgang roared.

He had lost his right arm—the arm that held a swordsman’s pride and life. In nearly a century of life, he had never experienced such humiliation.

If I end it here, everything I’ve built will crumble. I fought for my position; I won’t let it end like this…

He was already in a precarious position due to his ties with Ed, under constant suspicion. But this conflict was a rare opportunity. If he framed the Elder Council as a persecuted group under the oppressive Dragon Lord, he could rally the council’s unity and leverage it against Julius.

Kyle, the Black Dragon, Julius, and even the Plum Blossom Lord—if he could create a rift in their combined power, he could strengthen his own influence.

With a clear strategy in mind, Wolfgang stepped forward, only to find Julius looking at him with a knowing grin, as if he had predicted Wolfgang’s entire plan.

For a brief moment, Wolfgang felt a chill crawl down his spine, but he shook it off.

“Fine. Let’s settle this, once and for all.”

As Wolfgang gathered his aura, Niel’s own frosty energy began to stir, an icy tempest forming around her.

“Good. I’ll rip those mouths of yours apart so that no one will ruin my daughter’s birthday again,” she declared.

Niel raised her sword, channeling the swirling ice into a massive blade of light.

Just as she prepared to strike, a calm voice resonated in her mind.

"Before you unleash your wrath, could I perhaps offer a suggestion?"

Niel paused, recognizing the familiar voice. She turned to see Theo approaching, with Torkel and Naban by his side.

Theo Ragnar?

What’s going on? Why did the Lady of the Water Palace stop?

It looked like Theo Ragnar said something... And why is he with the Captain of the Black Iron Cavalry?

And who’s that with them? Isn’t that the rumored illegitimate son of the Bacchus family, now supposedly the new head?

Amid the crowd’s murmurs, Theo’s calm voice reached Niel through her icy aura.

"I’m speaking not as a White Iron Cavalryman but as a brother to Ray and a friend who doesn’t wish to see this celebration ruined."

The phrase "my daughter’s friend" softened Niel’s heart slightly.

“Very well. Speak. But if you waste my time, I won’t be forgiving,” she replied.

“Thank you.” Theo bowed slightly and turned toward Julius and Evelyn, reassuring them with a nod, then spoke aloud.

“Why not treat this conflict as part of the celebration’s entertainment?”

“Entertainment?” Niel’s brow furrowed, and the crowd looked on in confusion.

Theo’s smile widened.

“In the ancient northern traditions, banquets often ended with strength competitions among the participants. Even the Ragnar family has a history of such traditions.”

In the harsh northern lands, strength had always been highly valued, and the Ragnar family’s reverence for strength had grown into a longstanding tradition.

Understanding Theo’s suggestion, Niel nodded.

“You’re proposing we settle this dispute as a form of entertainment?”

“Yes. Let the White Iron Cavalry and the Elder Council each select three or five representatives to compete, with the victors claiming their prize as they see fit.”

“A winner-takes-all approach, then,” Niel concluded.

“That’s the Ragnar way,” Theo replied.

Niel chuckled softly, recognizing the cleverness in Theo’s suggestion. This way, she could preserve her daughter’s honor while also defusing the simmering tensions.

So this is what made Ray take such a liking to him, she thought, glancing up to see Ray waving to Theo from the second-floor terrace.

Theo greeted her calmly in return, unfazed by the attention he drew from the crowd.

He’s just like someone I used to know.

“I’d rather this celebration focus on my daughter’s birthday than such theatrics, but this will do,” Niel said. She then turned back to glare at both Julius and Wolfgang.

“This is my final offer. Refuse, and I’ll shove a blade down your throats myself.”

Julius shrugged. “I see no reason to refuse. My student suggested it, after all.”

“We’ll accept as well,” Wolfgang replied, though he and the other elders seemed less than pleased by the terms.

Niel sheathed her sword with a decisive clink.

“Good. The contest will commence in thirty minutes, right here. The White Iron Cavalry and the Elder Council should each select three representatives by then.”

Phew! It worked, Theo thought, letting out a sigh of relief. He had narrowly averted what could have been a massive conflict.

Beside him, Naban and Torkel couldn’t help but admire his poise.

The kid can talk his way out of anything. His tongue is sharper than any sword, Naban thought.

Torkel was right. Naban wasn’t joking when he called him “lord.”

Torkel reassessed Theo on the spot, realizing how dangerous his potential was. Confidence, eloquence, talent—this boy will become a formidable force.

Just then, someone leapt down from the terrace and rushed over.

“Theo!”

“Ray, it’s been a while.”

“Are you hurt?” Ray clung to Theo, inspecting him for injuries.

“I’m fine. Not a scratch.”

“I hate Mom,” Ray muttered.

“Why?”

“She got mad at you.”

“Lady Niel was just doing her duty. She was only trying to protect you.”

“It was still too much,” Ray grumbled, causing Theo to chuckle. Despite everything, their mother-daughter relationship was as typical as any.

“Ray! It’s been so long!” Torkel waved cheerfully, but Ray only cast a questioning look at him before turning back to Theo.

“So, what’s your plan? The Elder Dragon is scary.”

Torkel was left hanging, his face blank as he watched Ray ignore him completely. Naban chuckled.

“Seems even Torkel can be ignored.”

“Haha... Well, Ray’s a bit shy,” Torkel tried to explain.

“Really? She seems more eccentric than shy.”

“Haha, I’d know. I am her big brother, after all… Oh! Look at the time. I promised to meet Ayan. Naban, it was good seeing you. Let’s share a drink next time.”

Naban waved him off, thinking how even a man like Torkel had his challenges.

As Torkel left, Julius, Evelyn, Cecilia, Wellington, and the Erica siblings approached Theo and Ray.

Evelyn, still looking uncomfortable, spoke up. “Captain, Theo... I don’t think this situation should have escalated to this extent because of me…”

“This isn’t just about you or that old fool. This is about me, and the White Iron Cavalry as a whole. If they hadn’t thought they could get away with it, they wouldn’t have dared to pull this stunt,” Julius replied, his gaze hard and unwavering.

Cecilia nodded. “I agree with the Captain. Evelyn, you’re not to blame here. This is something we must all address together.”

Then Julius turned to Theo, his eyes intense. “You suggested a contest, didn’t you? Got a plan?”

“Yes. My first goal was to prevent them from using sheer numbers to overwhelm us,” Theo replied.

“What? Did you think I couldn’t handle them if they outnumbered me?” Julius’s eyebrow quirked up, challenging.

“Of course not. But I didn’t want a friend’s birthday to end in bloodshed,” Theo said, choosing his words carefully.

Julius laughed, his eyes sharp with understanding. Theo had managed to disarm the situation without tarnishing anyone’s pride and avoided political fallout from a direct clash with the Elder Council. With just a few words, Theo had safeguarded them all.

“Seems like you’ve got us covered, Theo.” Julius looked at Theo, amused yet impressed. “Alright, then, how are we arranging the matches?”

“The final match will likely be against the Elder Council Head himself. He’ll want to restore his tarnished honor,” Theo explained.

“Honor? Does he even have any?” Julius chuckled.

“Whether it’s real or not, he’ll need to save face,” Theo replied with a grin. “And for that, I believe you should take him on. I’ll take the first two spots.”

Julius’s eyes widened. “You’re taking both opening matches?”

“Yes. I’ll handle the first two rounds myself.”