-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 7
Chapter Title: The Dormant Dragon Now Stretches (2)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
[Tutorial Quest #8]
Escape the title "Waste of Ragnar Blood, Pathetic Loser."
· Difficulty: E
· Reward: ■■■'s ■■■
· Failure: ■■
+
[Player authority increased. Reoutputting information.]
+
[Tutorial Quest #8]
Escape the title "Waste of Ragnar Blood, Pathetic Loser."
· Difficulty: E
· Reward: Novice's Ankle Bracelet
· Failure: ■■
+
"Player, quest, novice?"
Even though all the information had printed out without noise for the first time.
The words didn't feel unfamiliar at all, probably because they resembled game mechanics and functions so closely overall.
The penalty section was still hidden, though.
Thanks to that, his mind felt clear and refreshed, like a fog lifting.
"Come to think of it."
Theo's eyes sparkled as he alternated between his status window and message window.
"Didn't my [Luck] go up when I earned Julius and Evelyn's recognition for sure?"
A good idea had just occurred to him.
Whether it was truly "good" was debatable.
"But if it succeeds, the impact will be huge. One stone, three birds—no, even four."
Ding-a-ling.
He lightly shook the bell on the desk, and the butler waiting outside entered.
"Gather everyone in the Rose Palace who can be called right now."
* * *
The next day, exactly at 6 a.m.
Theo headed to the fourth training ground as usual.
The difference was the zweihänder slung on his back, bigger than he was.
As he walked, the sword tip dragged along the ground, leaving a deep, long furrow. It looked comical yet oddly tense.
-Hey, look over there.
-That guy...?
-Yeah. It's "that" guy from the Rose Palace.
-He looks so scrawny.
-Haven't heard he can't even handle [Heaven-Piercing Sword] properly? How'd he take down a 2-star swordsman?
-That's why we're here, right?
The scene at the fourth training ground was also far from usual.
Quite a crowd had gathered in small groups, pretending to warm up lightly while scrutinizing Theo's every move.
They were people who had come to "verify" after rumors about Theo spread rapidly last night.
-The Rose Palace loser didn't just beat a 2-star swordsman, but he got an enlistment offer from the White Dragon Knights Captain too.
-And the punk arrogantly turned it down!
Of course, most who heard dismissed it with a snort, saying it couldn't be true.
But still.
What if, just maybe, it was?
-We can't let that slide!
That was the swordsmen's conclusion.
Every swordsman in the Ragnar Family revered Julius.
Rejecting his offer was like smearing mud on his face.
It was absolutely impossible.
So they planned to watch Theo's training slowly and judge the truth.
Clang—
Screeech!
Suddenly, Theo yanked the zweihänder from his back high into the air and drew a long line across the training ground floor.
Precisely between him and the watchers.
"...?"
"...?"
"...?"
The baffled watchers could only tilt their heads.
Theo beckoned them toward the inner side of the line.
"You all came to see me anyway, right? No point doing it one by one. Come at me together."
"...!"
"...!"
"...!"
"What're you waiting for? Come on."
"..."
"..."
"..."
A cold sneer curled on Theo's lips as they hesitated.
'Looks like the rumors took perfectly.'
In truth, the source of the rapidly spreading rumors since last night was Theo himself.
He had instructed the servants to spread the story of what happened at the fourth training ground as widely as possible.
Unlike other swordsmen who treated servants like dirt, Theo got along great with them.
Plus, he offered them a little extra reward, so they spread it eagerly.
'This chance, I can aim for four things total.'
First, drawing everyone's attention to boost his fame and raise [Luck].
Second, gaining experience through consecutive duels to level up.
Third, honing his newly learned swordsmanship.
And finally, the fourth.
'Presence.'
Theo didn't want to remain a nobody like in his past lives.
He wanted to make his name resound and claim the family throne.
For that, the name "Theo" had to burn fiercely into people's minds like a blazing flame.
Like a flame.
And the people before him now.
They would make perfect kindling.
The faces of the watchers who had been insulted by Theo were flushed beet red.
From their perspective, no matter that Theo was a Ragnar direct descendant, his actions blatantly disrespected them.
But separate from their anger, they only glanced at each other, not daring to cross the line.
-If we lynch him wrong here...!
-The rumors would explode.
-Damn it. But we can't just take the insult lying down.
Imagine adults swarming and beating a kid who just picked up a sword days ago because he provoked them.
Social suicide, pure and simple.
But ignoring the provocation was unacceptable for Ragnar swordsmen.
Finally, one stepped forward to take the lead.
"I am Sybil Dray, inspection swordsman of the Southern Sword Checkpoint."
Inspection swordsman. A position requiring at least 2 stars.
"Young master, one question. Does your attitude mean we can take all the circulating rumors and suspicions as true?"
"What happened between me and the White Dragon Knights Captain is our business. Do I owe you an answer?"
"Then why provoke us like this...!"
"I'm busy training alone before the Awakening Ceremony. Easier to clear out any disturbances in advance, don't you think?"
"..."
Sybil's face flushed red.
This time, not from anger, but shame.
In other words, Theo's words meant:
-No matter what I say, you'll half-listen and keep hanging around the training ground causing a ruckus.
-I hate interruptions during training. So I'm clearing you out. What's wrong with that?
Sybil had no intention of leaving until his motivation fully deflated, so he was speechless.
"So, come on already?"
"..."
"..."
"..."
The problem was, those words made it awkward for them to move.
Charging in now would admit they were petty(?).
'No way he did this on purpose to seize the initiative and justification...?'
Sybil had a thought, seeing Theo's attitude differ from his usual reputation.
"If you won't come."
Theo raised his zweihänder into stance.
"I'll come to you."
Chill!
A shiver ran down Sybil's spine.
Boom!
Swoooosh!
Theo crossed the line in an instant, charging the frontmost Sybil.
Sybil desperately drew the sword at his waist.
Claaaang!
* * *
Until he pulled out the chest hidden in the deepest corner under the bed.
And until he carefully dusted off the lid thick with dust and opened it.
Evelyn thought several times inside.
'Is this really the best?'
'Have I fallen for the captain's cunning scheme again?'
'What if that trauma flares up?'
'What if he can't produce that skill anymore?'
'Even if it's the left arm that's gone, losing one arm shifts the center of balance a lot from two arms. Has he really not forgotten swordsmanship?'
'Is this okay?'
'Really?'
'I...'
'I...!'
Whispers of countless demons echoed in her mind.
Anxiety, worry, impatience, anger, sadness... all emotions packed tightly inside.
But.
Click.
The moment the lid opened, filling the room's silence, the demons' whispers vanished cleanly.
'Beautiful... yes.'
The rapier in the chest was pristine.
No decorations, just a sleek blade, but that simplicity pierced Evelyn's eyes.
To think I'd swung this around like mad all that time.
I've been so cruel to you.
Evelyn had various thoughts before slowly extending her right hand to grasp the rapier's hilt.
Tremble.
Her hand shook.
The sword shook.
Her heart... shook too.
-I approved your retirement request because you couldn't hold the reins anymore, not because you couldn't hold a sword.
-So, why not think about picking it up again? Isn't it time to rise once more?
The captain's words brushed her ears.
-I felt that friend's fighting spirit might reignite the fire in your extinguished heart.
Evelyn gripped the rapier tightly and slowly stood.
'He's probably at the training ground by now?'
She wanted to see for herself if Theo could really ignite her cooled heart.
Make her heart beat again.
* * *
Tremble—
Sybil snapped awake from the wrist pain that felt like it would tear off.
'It's real! He really means to go all out!'
They say master swordsmen can read opponents' thoughts just from crossing blades.
And that's exactly what Sybil felt now.
Theo's battle intent burned too fiercely.
As if they'd met on a battlefield.
'Someone who's never even left Winterler in his life...?'
Clang clang clang!
After exchanging several blows in an instant, Sybil leaped back, creating distance.
Hummm, huuumm—
His sword wailed as if about to snap. Scratches marred the blade everywhere.
No matter how heavy the zweihänder, this was impossible without skill.
This qualified as a full-fledged "swordsman."
'...No wonder Julius scouted him.'
Sybil suddenly felt ashamed of himself.
It had been ten years since he became an inspection swordsman.
Yet he remained stuck at 2 stars.
That fact had gnawed at his heart for so long.
-I once dreamed of donning splendid White Dragon armor, standing at the battlefield forefront, showcasing Ragnar glory...
Do you know the heart of someone with a huge gap between dreams and reality?
Only those who've lived it understand.
Fellow trainees who laughed and joked together now shone as seniors far ahead, while he lagged endlessly in the shadows, unseen.
The despair upon realizing his limit hit here crushed him.
Probably from then.
He'd sought out and belittled those worse than him.
One of them was Theo.
-Theo Ragnar? Oh, that pretty-faced Rose Palace young master? How dare compare him to me? Unlike that talentless, motivationless guy, eh? Me, eh?
A punk lucky enough to be born Ragnar blood, nothing more.
That's how he'd seen him—until last night's rumors.
-What? That guy caught Julius's eye...? Impossible! Why him? There must be something. A mistake for sure.
He couldn't accept the one he scorned gaining recognition from his idol.
Or maybe he hated feeling left behind alone.
Sybil had come searching for Theo with casual friends.
Most of the other watchers were in similar straits.
Those who once dreamed big but gave up to harsh reality and lack of talent.
They wanted confirmation.
That Julius had made a "mistake."
Even perfect people err sometimes.
And punishment.
For the arrogant punk who dared kick away Julius's offer.
But...
'It wasn't that.'
Look at Theo's battle intent.
No pampered young master born lucky into Ragnar blood could show that.
It was the will of one who scrambled desperately not to be trampled,
Who gritted teeth to stand, enduring,
Who swung the sword countless times unseen,
Who clung tenaciously, again and again.
A will even Sybil himself lacked.
"..."
Sybil wanted to crawl into a hole.
But that would just be fleeing, not correcting his mistakes and rudeness.
Swoosh!
Just before Theo advanced again, Sybil swiftly lowered his sword, covered his right hand with his left, and bowed deeply.
Sword salute.
A courtesy only among swordsmen.
"What're you doing?"
"I wish to apologize for my mistakes and rudeness."
Theo halted, narrowing his eyes.
"I underestimated your skill, young master, and dared interrupt your training. I know forgiveness is hard, but I had to say it, so here I am late. I apologize again for my rudeness."