Chapter 4

Theo’s reputation within the House of Ragnar was close to the worst.

— A useless bastard, wasting the blood of Ragnar.

Although it was something no one spoke of openly, it was widely known that the Senate intended to expel Theo from the family after the Blossoming Ceremony.

Even Evelyn, who bore some personal kindness toward Theo, carried this prejudice.

Especially when he held the Zweihander, the evaluations became exceedingly extreme.

However.

‘His stance is… unexpectedly precise. Clean, without any excess.’

The moment Theo assumed his stance, took his first step, and swung his sword, all of Evelyn’s doubts vanished from her mind.

Movements so slow they could make someone yawn.

To others, it could’ve been laughable. They might have snickered, thinking, ‘What is that?’

In fact, the spectators who had gathered out of curiosity to witness Theo’s sudden eccentricity had grown bored and already left.

But those slow movements, every single one of them, were without a single flaw, executed with absolute precision.

Evelyn, who had once made quite a name for herself as a skilled warrior, knew exactly how incredible that was.

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

How much so that even that swindler mercenary Rendon, or whatever his name was, went around spreading the word that he had given up on Theo.

And yet, if he was at this level, there could only be one explanation.

‘A genius! Yes, Young Master Theo is a lazy genius. He has such innate talent that he never felt the need to wield a sword… that kind of genius.’

Though Evelyn now held a slight misconception about Theo, she also felt regret.

‘It would’ve been better if he had taken an interest in the sword just a little earlier.’

The Blossoming Ceremony was not a simple event.

No matter how much innate talent Theo possessed, there wasn’t even half a year left until the ceremony, and there was no way he could close the gap between him and his siblings in such a short time.

His siblings were also geniuses, each with remarkable talent.

‘Should I help him?’

Maybe he could develop a bit faster with some assistance.

Just as Evelyn was shifting in her seat, looking at him with a sense of regret, a voice suddenly spoke from behind.

“One arm’s gone, and now your hips are just flying around, huh?”

The sudden remark shattered Evelyn’s train of thought.

Mentioning her missing arm was a taboo, something that anyone who knew Evelyn would never dare to utter.

“Who’s the filthy bastard running their mouth…?”

Evelyn, eyes wide with fury, quickly turned her head back, only to gasp in surprise.

“That bastard would be me.”

Standing there with his hands behind his back was a middle-aged man with a gentle appearance. He looked like the type of handsome older gentleman who must have caused many noble ladies sleepless nights in his younger days.

“C-Commander?”

“Commander? You should be calling me a bastard. Oh, but don’t hate dogs too much. After all, my older brother is quite fond of them.”

Evelyn’s former superior, Julius, Captain of the White Armored Dragon Cavalry, smirked mischievously as he made the joke, and Evelyn quickly jumped to her feet.

“Senior Swordmaster Evelyn Nereville greets the Captain of the White Armored Dragon Cavalry!”

“That’s enough. I’m not such an old fart that I need formal greetings from someone who left the unit ages ago.”

Julius Ragnar, the Dark Dragon.

He was the captain of the White Armored Dragon Cavalry, which boasted the strongest combat power among the four divisions representing the House of Ragnar.

Julius was the only outsider to have been granted the Ragnar name and was soon to be inducted into the Senate, recognized for his exceptional martial prowess and contributions.

“Oh, wait. Saying I’m not an old fart is exactly what an old fart would say, isn’t it? Hmm. Tricky.”

He usually had a friendly, handsome face, just as he did now.

“You’ve come without any notice… What brings you here?” Evelyn asked.

“Do I need to notify you in advance about where I’m going?”

Evelyn’s expression soured slightly. In the past, no matter how senior he was, she would’ve snapped back, asking what kind of nonsense he was spouting.

“…That’s not what I meant.”

“Haha, I’m just kidding. I was just wandering around because I was bored. You haven’t changed a bit, have you?”

Evelyn held back the many things she wanted to say.

“Besides, you seem to be watching something interesting. Mind if I join you?”

Without waiting for Evelyn’s permission, Julius casually moved next to her and gazed toward the training grounds.

“Oh. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen someone wielding such a large sword. That young man’s movements are quite sharp. He’s putting a decent amount of strength into his swings. Looks like he’s been diligently working on his basic training for a long time. Is there such a young man in the family?”

If you didn’t secure talents in advance, they were bound to be snatched up by other divisions during the Blossoming Ceremony.

Julius, with his keen eye for talent, was always receiving many recommendations from various places, yet this was the first time he had seen a boy like that.

The boy swung a massive two-meter sword with ease, despite his slender frame. That alone kept drawing his attention.

His lean muscles were proof of how well-built he was.

Those who looked like that were usually the real deal.

Julius, in particular, was most impressed by the look in Theo’s eyes. They were sharp and intelligent, like those of a tiger.

“Theo Ragnar.”

“…What?”

Julius flinched momentarily at Evelyn’s words.

“The son of Lady Cecilia…?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

“Ha!”

Julius let out an exclamation of surprise. He was somewhat familiar with the story of Cecilia and her son, Theo.

“I never heard that her son had any talent. Wasn’t he practically disowned by the Senate?”

“Well, then the Senate’s judgment must have been wrong,” Evelyn said with a smirk.

Julius chuckled bitterly.

“Be sure to only say that in front of me. If you say it elsewhere, you’ll be in big trouble.”

“I only said it because I know you’ll keep it a secret, Commander.”

Julius shook his head. He knew all too well how much Evelyn despised the Senate, so he decided not to press the issue further.

“Anyway, this young man catches my eye… Seems like a hidden dragon, concealing himself while waiting for the right time to strike.”

Julius, like Evelyn, had now developed a slight misunderstanding about Theo.

“But even so, if he’s at this level, it means he’s been training consistently. Do you happen to know how long it’s been since he properly picked up a sword?”

Julius was now thinking that if nurtured correctly, Theo could become a brilliant gem.

As he pondered this, he awaited Evelyn’s answer.

“One day,” she said.

“…What?”

Something about the answer seemed off.

Evelyn, with a sly smile, repeated herself.

“One day. To be exact, it’s been half a day. He first picked up that sword just a short while ago.”

“…!”

Crack!

Evelyn thought she could almost hear the sound of Julius’s mask, his usual poker face, cracking for the first time.

“No matter how absurd Ragnar bloodlines are… this is ridiculous.”

“How would I know? Ragnar has always been full of…”

Evelyn shrugged just as something caught her attention.

Someone was marching towards Theo, their demeanor brimming with frustration and irritation.

‘That person?’

Recognizing who it was, Evelyn narrowed her eyes, placing her hand on the hilt of her sword just in case she needed to intervene immediately if anything went wrong.

* * *

…What the hell is this?

Theo, who had been focused on his swordsmanship training with the Zweihander, suddenly froze, his face filled with confusion.

It was because of an unexpected alert sound that interrupted his concentration.

Ding!

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

[Evaluation: A]

[You have obtained ‘■■■’s Ne■■■.’]

[As an additional reward based on your evaluation, 1 year’s worth of mana has been stored in your Aura Hall.]

Just like before, the name of the item he received as a reward was corrupted and unreadable.

However, the “1 year’s worth of mana” caught Theo’s attention.

‘Could it be?’

In common terms, “1 year’s worth of mana” referred to the amount of mana an average person could accumulate through regular Aura training over the span of one year.

Currently, Theo had a total of 34 years’ worth of mana stored in his Aura Heart, all painstakingly accumulated over his past life.

And now he had just been given an entire year’s worth in addition?

It was unbelievable.

As impossible as it seemed, Theo instinctively checked his Dragon’s Heart.

And then…

‘It really increased!’

Of course, even if the amount was the same, the efficiency of mana depended on its purity and density. There were many variables, but the absolute amount couldn’t be ignored.

‘How is this even possible? If it were this easy, wouldn’t that mean all my previous hard training was unnecessary?’

At this point, Theo couldn’t help but feel a sense of caution.

Though he was happy to receive an unexpected gift, his values—those that had taught him that only through grueling training could true growth be achieved—were now in conflict. He also felt an underlying fear of these mysterious messages.

But as if mocking his confusion, another message appeared.

[You have received a new quest.]

+

[Tutorial Quest #3]

Further train your Aura Hall.

· Difficulty: E

· Reward: ■■■’s Ear■■

· Penalty for failure: ■■

+

The third mission appeared.

At that moment, a thought suddenly crossed Theo’s mind.

‘Is there really any need to be so cautious about this?’

After all, training his Aura Heart was essential if he wanted to grow stronger. The exercises he had been doing so far were all geared toward improving his Aura Heart.

So why avoid this? Why not simply enjoy it?

The extra rewards could just be seen as gifts. Even if there were consequences down the line, he could deal with them when the time came.

‘All I need to focus on is becoming stronger anyway.’

With this thought, he felt a wave of relief wash over him.

The messages were their own thing, and he had his own path to follow.

Theo gripped the Zweihander once more, focusing all his awareness on the tip of the blade.

Was it because his mana had increased?

He felt a much higher level of focus than before.

Thump. Thump.

The sound of a heartbeat, like that of a Dragon’s Heart, echoed in his ears.

Thump. Thump.

The pulsation of the sword vibrated through Theo’s fingertips in sync with it.

At the same time, a flood of information related to the sword poured into his mind.

The weight of the sword,

Its balance,

Its material,

Its story,

And then—

— The voice of the sword.

‘The voice.’

It felt as though he could truly hear the sword speaking to him.

At 34 years’ worth of mana, it had been faint, like a distant whisper. But now, at 35 years’ worth, it rang out crystal clear.

It was as if a blocked bridge had been crossed, allowing Theo to fully perceive every detail of the sword.

Clang!

The Zweihander trembled violently in his grip, emitting a sharp metallic sound.

[You have attained Sword Resonance.]

[You have achieved Unity with the Sword.]

.

[Congratulations! You have successfully completed Tutorial Quest #3…]

[As a reward…]

[As an additional reward, 1 year’s worth of mana has been stored in your Aura Hall.]

Following the voice’s guidance, Theo swung the Zweihander.

From above to below, tracing a diagonal slash.

As his heart tightened with anticipation, his Aura Heart pulsed even larger, infusing mana and vitality throughout his body.

Thump thump thump thump!

Whoosh! Whoosh!

Theo swung the Zweihander over and over, letting it move in the direction it desired, layering one sword path atop another.

Despite the strain the sword’s weight placed on his body, a powerful sense of exhilaration filled him.

It felt as though he was becoming more liberated with each swing.

As Theo’s mind became completely engrossed in the sword, the additional 1 year of mana drew him even deeper into a trance.

Ding!

[Congratulations! You have unlocked Tutorial Quest #4…]

[As a reward…]

[As an additional reward, 1 year’s worth…]

Ding!

[As an additional reward, 1 year’s worth…]

Ding!

[As an additional reward, 1 year’s worth…]

By the time Theo had unknowingly accumulated a total of 3 more years’ worth of mana, the Zweihander began tracing a new sword path.

It was The Three Fangs of the Dragon, a secret sword technique Theo had once discovered in a library.

A technique he had only ever studied was now about to be executed by his own hands.

[You have received a new quest.]

+

[Tutorial Quest #7]

Synchronize ten sword techniques with your Aura Hall.

· Difficulty: D

· Reward: ■■■’s Arm■

· Penalty for failure: ■■

+

Whoosh!

Just as Theo was about to follow the mental image of the sword path and turn the Zweihander in motion—

“Young Master! How could you treat your teacher like this!”

A sudden interruption broke his concentration.

It was Rendon.