Dragon Blood (3)
The Romelin family, one of the three shipping houses, has long maintained neutrality in the political conflict between Spinola and Grimal.
Some people criticized Romelin’s behavior as bat-like.
Gaju Vittorio has always been proud of his choices.
Maintaining your center without being swept away by any one place.
Because he thought it was for the future of his family and his wealthy archipelago.
but,
I felt like it was time to get off my heavy butt.
“… … This all happened overnight. I knew it would be chaotic, but I didn’t know it would be this bad.”
Vittorio adjusted the reading glasses on the tip of his nose and carefully examined the documents in his hand.
Collapse of the central temple.
Changes to the magical wind system that supports the archipelago.
Damage to the island’s inhabitants.
Just trying to clean up this damage will require considerable bloodshed.
“But this was solved by an outsider named Lantra? I owe you a huge debt.”
“This is Theo Ragnar.”
“Ah, you said that was your real name. Ragnar.”
Vittorio lowered his reading glasses and looked at his granddaughter Marti, who was standing across from him.
For him, who lost his children and their spouses in a shipwreck when he was young, Marty was a precious treasure and alter ego.
“After defeating the lynx, it seems like we’ve invited a tiger into our house. We can’t even imagine what kind of mischief they’ll commit next. And especially since they’re Krimhild’s successors.”
Public opinion about Troyvan within the archipelago is already at its worst.
Some even went so far as to say that they should go to war.
But would it be different if he were Ragnar, who is from the same great family?
He was inwardly skeptical.
but,
“Ragnar can’t be trusted. But at least I think he can be trusted.”
“Based on what?”
“… … .”
“It may be that he is acting to some extent now in order to seize power. But once he has it? What will his true nature be then?”
Vittorio’s wrinkled mouth twisted.
“I have been a sailor for a long time, traveling all over the world. After that, I realized that I can’t trust anyone except myself, my family, and my people. Everyone is busy filling their own pockets. Is this boy any different?”
Knock, knock-
Vittorio continued, tapping the papers with his index finger.
“Of course, I could compromise a little and believe this boy for now, just like you said. But even then, I would have no choice but to do whatever Ragnar tells me to do. In the end, I would be a huge burden to our floating archipelago.”
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It was an assertion.
Theodosius will be no different from Troyban and his gang.
It is a certainty that they will eventually show their ambition to swallow up the floating archipelago.
“But I think Theo Ragnar will be different.”
“So what is the basis for that?”
Marty still comes to mind vividly.
The image of Theo struggling to save at least one more person amidst the chaos of falling to sea level.
The passion to hold out tenaciously without letting down one’s guard for even a moment in case there was a counterattack from Noil.
That heat.
That beating sound.
That tension.
How could I forget that?
“If you meet me.”
But it was difficult to express it all in words,
“When you meet me, you will know what I mean.”
Marty had no choice but to say this.
“… … .”
This time Vittorio stared at Marti for a long time,
“I haven’t seen you insist on something this strong since you joined the Knights Templar.”
Eventually Vittorio stood up and took a step back.
“Grandfather.”
“We’ll find out when we meet. Whether he’s someone worth risking the fate of Romelin and Venota with.”
Vittorio’s eyes flashed sharply.
* * *
Theo was having a long dream.
A past life that I have gradually forgotten.
There were times when I struggled to survive somehow, but couldn’t.
It was a memory that I had left in a corner and forgotten about.
-You are a young guest who has not visited in a long time. Yes. What are you curious about that has brought you to this old man?
I was walking down the street.
By chance, I met a group of wandering gypsies and they told me they would tell my fortune for cheap, so I went to have my fortune told.
But I don’t quite remember what question I asked back then.
Instead, the answer I heard came to mind strangely clearly.
-… … You’re curious about that? What a curious friend. Just wait a moment. I’ll roll my fortune. Here, draw three cards.
-Is this okay?
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-Hmm. Let’s see.
-What does it say?
Actually, I didn’t feel particularly good when I saw the front of the card I drew.
The wheel of death.
A knight commander impaled on dozens of swords.
The Queen abdicates her crown.
Because they were all equally ominous looking.
-You’ve only drawn some really weird cards. They’re ones that are hard to come out with. Hehe. Then let me start with this card. This card, of course.
The first wheel of death.
What it means is… … .
“Theo, Theo!”
Theo forced his eyes open at the sound of someone calling his name.
Where is this…?
“Are you out of your mind?”
Ray was staring at him with a worried face.
Theo wondered why she was suddenly like that, and quickly recalled his memories from before he fell asleep.
‘Ah, I fainted right on top of Umbra due to exhaustion of magical power.’
He seemed surprised when he collapsed without being able to say anything.
When I looked back, I realized that I was in an unfamiliar room.
“Yeah. I’m fine. Ray, where am I?”
“Marty’s house. They helped us. They helped with Theo’s treatment.”
“therapy?”
“I guess you don’t remember. You’ve been sick in bed for four days, Inma. You’ve caused me all kinds of worries, oh my!”
At that moment, Shelford and Arin approached and shook their heads.
It seems that while guarding the perimeter, he sensed Theo’s presence and ran towards him in a hurry.
Shelford’s explanation was very simple.
After Theo fainted without saying a word, Marty rushed him to Romelin’s mansion and treated him.
Also, when word spread that the warrior was injured, all the famous doctors in the floating islands came flocking to him, and the shamans came with all kinds of elixirs.
In front of the broken temple, there were so many residents praying for Theo’s health that there was no room to set foot.
“But fortunately, the doctors who took your pulse said that you recovered very quickly and that you overcame the crisis without much difficulty. I guess that was true. Did the medicine work well?”
Theo smiled silently.
How can I say that thanks to awakening to the Dragon’s Blood, I can now easily recover from most injuries?
“Does anything hurt? Are you dizzy?”
Theo shook his head at Arin’s question.
“I’m fine. I just feel a little heavy.”
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“Thank goodness. I just happened to have to submit a report to headquarters and was debating whether or not to request assistance.”
“No, not now. Please wait a moment.”
“Me! Me! Look at that greedy lump. Are you doing this because you’re afraid that the old people will put their spoons on the table you’ve laid out?”
“I won’t say no.”
Theo smiled at Shelford.
“Now that we’re on the subject, how’s the situation outside? It must be quite chaotic.”
“It would be fortunate if it ended in chaos. It would be a complete mess.”
“Please don’t hesitate and speak properly.”
“No, but I told you that you’re sick, you punk? Get some rest. Are you thinking about work? You can do it after you’ve fully recovered, right?”
“This is my rest.”
“… … Anyway, this is why I can’t understand these worker bees.”
Shelford continued his explanation, shaking his head.
“Marti, that girl is very busy right now. She’s raiding the guard headquarters and starting a search and seizure, then ransacking the Grimal mansion and arresting all the senators and merchants connected with them… .”
Currently, martial law has been declared throughout the entire country of the Floating Islands Autonomous Region.
All ports were sealed off, completely cutting off all contact with the outside world, making escape absolutely impossible for the inhabitants.
Marty is leading the survivors of the Knights Templar to capture all such fugitives.
This was possible because the Knights Templar were the only military group left, with the Knights Templar having lost their legitimacy and the Guards having lost their justification.
Even the slightest resistance resulted in immediate judgment, and even the slightest hint of incompetence resulted in unconditional imprisonment, creating an administrative vacuum.
The Romelin family, one of the three remaining shipping families, is said to be providing manpower, so the supply is being replenished somehow.
“It seems like the Grimal family line has almost been cut off, what about Spinola?”
“It’s no different there. From the beginning, Grimal’s crime was ‘attempted assassination of a warrior’, right? I thought this was the moment to link him together.”
Theo let out a hollow laugh. So, in reality, the only place left in the three shipping dynasties is Romelin.
“The prison is about to burst.”
“Don’t talk nonsense. It’s so noisy here that I beg you to show some leniency… …!”
Shelford’s explanation was interrupted midway.
Boom, boom.
There was a commotion outside, and then the door flew open.
“Hero! Please! Save us! Weren’t we on your side?”
A man threw himself in front of Theo’s bed and made an earnest appeal.
The faces of the Romelin soldiers who arrived late were filled with confusion.
“This guy!”
“This is where the warrior rests! Don’t come out!”
“Please! Please save me!”
“Please wait a moment.”
The soldiers stopped midway as they were dragging the man by the scruff of the neck.
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Theo looked at the man who was crying and snotting his eyes.
It was a familiar face.
One of the Black Skull’s executives.
“You finally found me. Oh my.”
Shelford shook his head, covering his face with his hands as if he had known this would happen.
‘It ended up being a waste.’
Theo was able to assess the situation quickly.
It seemed that Marty had cut ties with Black Skull just as he had intended.
Well, there was no reason for her to carry them on her back when they were preparing to spread pumpkin seeds.
It must have been a shock to Black Skull, who had thought he would be able to help Theo and secure a spot.
So, it seems that for four days straight, she had been begging to be able to see Theo’s face just once.
Theo gave the soldiers a nod to go out, and they withdrew with polite greetings.
thud!
The door is closed.
The man was fidgeting without any trace of his desperate expression.
I couldn’t even make eye contact with Theo.
Over the past four days, Theo’s standing in the floating archipelago has grown to the point where he is now comparable to the president.
“Dragon… … Sir. We will fight against the Demon Slayers and accompany you until the end… …!”
“Do you want to live?”
Theo firmly cut off any detailed explanations.
The man suddenly came to his senses and nodded his head wildly.
“Yes, that’s right!”
“There is one way.”
“If you say method… … ?”
“Senior.”
Theo looked at Shelford.
Shelford stood guard, grinning.
Arin looked out the window, and Ray looked outside.
The room turned into a sealed room as magical power flowed out of Theo’s body.
Gulp!
The man swallowed dry saliva in anxiety.
Even while sitting on a sickbed.
Theo’s eyes were sharp and gleaming like a dragon’s.
“Be a dog.”
“… … !”
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“A dog that barks when told to bark and shakes when told to shake.”
“… … .”
“Can you do it?”
Theo had only one wish for the remaining Black Skull.
Absolute obedience.
It meant that he was to become his hands and feet and help move the floating archipelago.
What answer could a man give here?
Just nodding your head.
[‘Skill: Hatchling Synchro’ is activated, imprinting trauma into the opponent’s deep psychology.] [Attempts brainwashing.]
Brrrrrr… … .
The man’s body trembled slightly.
“Anything… we’ll do it. We all agree.”
[Brainwashing was successful.] [From now on, the opponent will feel a strong fear of you and will completely obey your commands.] [You have learned a new way to use ‘Skill: Hatchling Synchro’. Skill rank increases.]
“good night.”
Theo smiled coldly.
I was wondering if it would be possible to use the hatchling synchro to read thoughts, and conversely, plant specific thoughts.
Fortunately, I was able to succeed, perhaps because I had severe psychological anxiety due to my fear of Theo.
I felt like I had gained a new key to building my power base going forward.
“Then I will give my first order.”
“Ma, just speak!”
“All remaining Black Skulls, join the Temple Knights.”
“Yes, I will follow your orders.”
The man didn’t ask why.
He’s just a dog that does whatever he’s told.
‘This will not only compensate for the Knights’ losses, but also give Marty more strength.’
If necessary, it could also be a means to check Marty.
He never thought she would betray him as Krimhild’s successor, but it didn’t hurt to prepare for it.
“Tell them that I gave you this and take it to the Knights. Then you will be able to join without much difficulty.”
Theo threw a booklet in front of the man.
“What is this?”
“Nibelun.”
Theo said with force.
“This is Krimhilt’s vision.”
“… … !”
Making the Knights Templar into the full <Knights of Krimhild>.
So, to buy their loyalty perfectly and make it your own power base and strength.
And through this, to completely take control of the floating archipelago.
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The economic influence of the floating archipelago on the empire through banking, shipping, trade, and brokerage through the maritime federation was very great.
The power of money.
The real deal is to get your hands on this whole thing.
This was the final scenario drawn by Theo.
Right then.
“It seems like you’re drawing a pretty big picture. Can this old man put his spoon in it too?”
An old man’s laughter was heard from behind.
How the bastard of the Return Sword Family lives
