Cold Winter (3)
Dagdadagdak-
A carriage was entering the deserted village.
It seemed as if a great war had swept through the area; the crops were in ruins and not a single building was left untouched.
Squeak!
Then the carriage stopped in the middle of the road, the door opened slowly, and Ed Troyvan got out.
“ha…….”
As he was exhaling lightly, he heard a voice calling him from behind.
“How does it feel to breathe fresh air after a long time?”
Ed turned toward her and bowed his head.
An old man wearing a silk robe that was said to be popular in the East and with a long beard like a god was approaching, accompanied by two sturdy escorts.
“father.”
“I wonder what you think.”
“It was a mess… ….”
“and?”
“I felt like something big was about to happen. It felt like a completely different world.”
Ed thought back to the villages he had seen as he left the North and entered the Eastern Region.
Most of them looked similar to this ghost town.
A world where crops are destroyed and people with bones and skin wander around.
“Was it like this?”
“okay.”
The old man, Granada Troyban, nodded heavily, clutching the backpack behind his back.
“The recent natural disasters that have suddenly occurred all over the world are destroying everything. As sea levels rise, low-lying areas are completely submerged, and as the eternal snow melts, mountainous areas are buried by landslides. In the southern plains, a sudden cold wave suddenly strikes, and in the east, swarms of locusts have flooded, destroying crops planted in the spring.”
Ed recalled, one by one, the current state of the Empire that he had once heard through the intelligence agency.
“When the ocean currents suddenly changed, the once active distribution of goods was disrupted… … and when an epidemic broke out, a city with hundreds of thousands of people was destroyed. And yet, the empire.”
Granada’s speech was flat.
But Ed didn’t miss the anger that was deep beneath it all.
“That emperor lives with only traitors and eunuchs, and he has completely ruined the administrative system. Because of this, there are signs of civil unrest everywhere. Those with ambition are even openly thinking of independence.”
“There was a reason why the Sungma Church’s influence has been spreading so rapidly recently.”
“In times of chaos, there is nothing people can rely on more than religion.”
Granada and Ed joined hands with the Holy Church out of necessity, but secretly they despised them.
“A great war will come soon.”
The Great War.
Those words struck Ed’s heart hard.
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“And then there will be a bigger… a huge wave that no one can resist. From the north.”
“… … .”
“We have a duty to set it right. We have a responsibility. That is why the outdated Ragnar must disappear and why Troyvan must stand upright.”
Granada’s two eyes gleamed menacingly.
“The key to that is the relic of the ancient dragon. It is an ancient mystery that that foolish Ragnar has not been able to properly solve. Do you have it?”
“Here it is.”
At Edgar’s gesture, the waiting subordinate quickly placed the box on the floor and opened the lid wide.
Inside was a long broadsword, wrapped tightly in an iron chain.
Granada was a sight to behold.
“It is the sword of Yong-Hwal.”
“So this is it.”
“I have touched many relics over the years, but I can confidently say that nothing compares to the value of this.”
“But it’s also true that all the artifacts I’ve collected so far have been foolishly stolen.”
“… … .”
“I also lost the relics of the Rose Palace that I absolutely had to secure along with this. It doesn’t seem like a good deal considering I lost Emil.”
“… … I have no face.”
Ed bowed his head deeply.
“It’s over. What difference will it make if we quibble about something that has already happened?”
Granada waved her hand lightly into the air.
Tadadadang!
Then, the chains broke at once and the swords rose into the air.
At the same time, Granada took out a blue key from inside his wide sleeve.
In that moment, Ed’s eyes lit up.
‘That is the universal key that unlocks the relics… …! It is the one I received from him!’
Thump thump thump!
Will you be able to glimpse the mystery of the relic that you have never been able to open before?
“The Dragon’s Sword… … Is it really coming back here?”
Ed nodded heavily.
“I can tell you on my name that that child is definitely the <Chosen One> of his generation.”
“Is that so? He’ll really like it.”
A satisfied smile appeared on Granada’s lips for the first time.
“Then let’s begin.”
Granada took the blue key towards the sword.
* * *
After Kyle’s summons of the nine dragons.
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Julius had a very tired face.
It was because there was so much work to be done.
Preparing for war with Troyban, dispersing and planning the White Armored Corps’ forces, dealing with the aftermath of a dispute with the Senate, etc.
If there was any part that felt good, it was what the Senate announced yesterday.
-The Senate will close all its functions for the next year, and all elders will step down from their positions and serve only as trainee inspectors in the war against Troyban.
It was virtually a declaration of surrender.
Something had to be done to ensure that the Senate remained respected in the future.
“… … So now I was feeling a little better about my work.”
Julius frowned at the papers in his hand.
The cover read:
-Independent operation plan.
“Are you throwing another pile of work at me?”
The place he was looking at.
Theo stood in a relaxed posture.
“sorry.”
“Are you really sorry? You’re smiling?”
“Oops. I made a mistake. I will correct it.”
“… … I shouldn’t have put her under Evelyn. She used to be so sincere, but she changed in just a few months.”
Julius asked a question as he lowered the papers.
“I don’t want to read any more text, so let me explain it simply. What is the solo operation you want to carry out?”
“Do you know ‘Benota’?”
“Are you referring to the maritime federation located in the Northwestern Floating Islands Autonomous Territory?”
“To be precise, it refers to the free city run by the three merchant families at the top of the shipping federation: Spinola, Grimal, and Romelin.”
“Well, anyway, let’s say that’s the case. Why are you there?”
The area that Julius is interested in is limited to the north, which is under the command of the Baek Gap Yonggi Unit.
The rest of the area was of no interest at all.
But this was also the attitude of most northerners.
The unique temperament of the Northerners was so different from that of other imperial people that they were evaluated as having established a separate civilization and kingdom within the empire.
“There was information shared by Black Snow that the flow of money to Black Skull originated from there.”
“what?”
Only then did Julius react.
Black Skull. A terrorist who caused the deaths of many members of the 5th Squadron.
“So I’m going to investigate it myself.”
“… … The investigation is entirely in the realm of black snow.”
“I have already received approval from the Director of Information.”
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‘This old man is real.’
Julius gritted his teeth.
Doesn’t that mean that the Black Dragon secretly met Theo without him knowing?
“But isn’t that all we have right now? It’s dangerous. It’s too difficult to provide assistance when needed. Wait until we gather more information from Heukseol.”
“I understand that the primary role of the 5th unit of the Baek Gap Yonggi Unit was originally to carry out special missions. Isn’t it possible to conduct independent operations starting from the actual test?”
“That is, when the captain decides that he is sufficiently capable of carrying out the operation and gives his approval.”
“Captain.”
“No. It’s dangerous. Go back.”
Julius pushed the papers forward.
“The Floating Islands Autonomous Territory is a place that we have no influence over. It is so wealthy that it is said to attract all the money in the world, but it is also a lawless area where countless runaway slaves and refugees live. Aren’t they full of crazy people who openly call themselves the Navy and even use pirates?”
“… … .”
“And besides, the Black Skull is someone whose identity has not yet been clearly identified. Their power must be much greater than what has been detected so far. Why would you go there alone and do something?”
Julius’s eyes looked as if they would burst into flames at any moment.
“Yes. I’m sure you can do anything. I’m sure you have some ideas that you haven’t told me. But dangerous things are dangerous.”
Theo could read the sincerity in Julius’s shout.
Worry.
He truly thought of himself as his disciple, his son, and his subordinate.
but.
‘That’s why we have to do it even more.’
Soon after we learned that Black Skull’s source of funding was in Venota.
Theo was able to recall some facts about the significance of the Maritime Federation from his past life.
-The source of funds for the Catholic Church.
-The center of civil unrest that occurred in various places.
-Behind the Great War.
‘Is it a coincidence that the terrorist Black Skull has ties to Venota?’
But then one more thought occurred to me.
-If Black Skull is one of the swords hidden by Benota, why did Troyvan and Black Skull, who were enemies before the Battle of Fort Blanqui, end up together in the Great War?
It was clear that there was some conspiracy of which he was unaware.
‘If we figure that out, we’ll be able to get a better high point.’
That was also the reason why Theo had stayed up all night for the past few days to put together a solo operation plan.
‘I might be able to solve the secret of the Dragon Sword as well.’
Black Skull.
Finding them was a top priority.
“This is something I need to do, sir.”
“… … .”
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Julius shut his mouth tightly at Theo’s gaze.
“I can’t say for sure, but this definitely has something to do with Troyvan. Please let me move.”
Julius’s tightly shut lips still did not open.
“And this is also the first step towards laying my foundation.”
“… … !”
Only then did Julius open his mouth.
A deep sigh that comes out on its own.
“… … Good. If you say so, I can’t help it. I will give my approval for this operation only. However, since there is still very little information on this matter, we must cooperate with Heukseol.”
“Yes. I will keep that in mind.”
Ugh!
Julius secretly thought that this would be like pushing Theo into the black dragon’s maw with his own hands.
But what can I do? I have to listen to my disciple’s plea, saying that it is absolutely necessary.
The belief that making Theo the next head of the family was for Ragnar’s good was already firmly ingrained in Julius’s mind.
at last,
Julius ended up stamping his seal on the document in large letters.
bang!
-sanction.
“And I’ll give you reinforcements as a shooter.”
“thank you.”
“I can’t give you much. A general mobilization order has been issued for this operation.”
“Thank you for your sincerity. Okay.”
Theo bowed his head, gathered his papers, and left the office.
Kikrik-
Julius turned his chair around and looked out the window.
Snowflakes were falling from the sky.
“This time, when I go, it will be over a year, so I will come back when I am sixteen.”
What will Theo look like as he ages?
I’m already looking forward to it,
Julius found himself smiling slightly.
* * *
Theo’s preparations were quick.
‘If the real mastermind behind the Black Skull is Venota, there must have been some conspiracy behind his joining Troyvan.’
It was because I thought there wasn’t much time left.
‘Since Troyvan started moving much earlier than the original history, it is highly likely that the plot against Venota has already begun. Let’s cut it off and, if possible, turn Venota to my side.’
If anything, I was worried that we weren’t sure exactly how the butterfly effect worked.
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Still, Theo believed that he could somehow manage it by improvising.
“Are you leaving already, son? It’s a shame that the shop opening is just around the corner. And the new year is just around the corner.”
Cecilia looked at Theo with a pitiful expression.
Theo ended up laughing bitterly.
Due to the incident at the last Suseon Palace banquet, orders for the formal attire Theo was wearing at the time were pouring in.
The same goes for the dresses Cecilia and Evelyn wore.
Thanks to this, Cecilia was planning to open her shop much earlier than scheduled.
The problem is that Theo’s operation started much earlier than that.
“I’ll be back shortly.”
“Yes. Just as I have my own things to do, your son also has his own things to do. I’m sorry. I feel like I’ve only caused your son to worry while he was on his long journey.”
Cecilia hugged Theo’s head tightly to her chest.
“But remember, your son’s home is right here. Whenever you have a hard time, come back without hesitation.”
“Yes, I understand.”
Theo enjoyed Cecilia’s hand gently stroking the back of his head for a long time.
It was warm.
How the bastard of the Return Sword Family lives
