LGHTNOVELBOOK Chapter 164
Translator: FenrirTL
Editor: Doodle
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< Chapter 164: Heir of the Magic Tower (4) >
Kleve pressed her temples firmly with her index finger, remaining silent momentarily.
It seemed she was under significant stress due to recent events.
“If I even make a small slip of the tongue in front of you, I’d be in serious trouble.”
The longer Kleve spoke with Theo, the more she felt as though she was sinking deeper into a quagmire.
Theo was like a swamp.
One that was impossible to escape from.
Chasing after Najariu over the past few days had been far less nerve-wracking than engaging in this brief conversation with Theo.
“I’ll answer everything with ‘no comment.’ Even though we’re both of Ragnar, there are secrets I still can’t disclose.”
“I’m not looking for confirmation or denial. I only wish for you to hear my conjecture. Who knows? It might even be of help to you, Miss Kleve.”
“……”
“So, would you care to listen further?”
As expected, there was no response.
Theo took that as silent consent.
“My conjecture is based on two points.”
Theo held up his index and middle fingers, then folded the middle finger as he began to speak.
“The first is that this is a fake. The sub-tower lord of the Magic Tower is merely a front, used as a disguise to conceal the real transaction. However, this seems a bit odd. The sub-tower lord doesn’t hold an unstable position within the Magic Tower, so it’s unlikely he’d risk taking on such a role.”
Of course, contrary to what was publicly known, Najariu might secretly be in a politically precarious situation within the Magic Tower.
But Theo, armed with knowledge of the future, knew this was not the case.
A meteoric rise.
There was even speculation that the word had been coined specifically for the Ivory King.
“Thus, this hypothesis is dismissed. The second conjecture is that it was done intentionally to subtly inform Ragnar of this transaction.”
As Theo folded his index finger, he noticed a change in Kleve’s demeanor.
“If the deal between Lady Hilda and the Magic Tower was meant to be kept confidential, and if the Magic Tower subtly exposed it to the Black Snow to raise the stakes… Furthermore, if they aimed to incite internal strife within Ragnar… it might just be feasible.”
Although Kyle currently held the reins of power within Ragnar, a considerable number of individuals still followed Hilda.
The Gathering of the Hidden Dragons was a prime example.
That was why Hilda had remained in seclusion all this time.
If she were to appear here and there, she would only provoke Kyle’s wariness, leading to internal conflict.
However, for the first time in decades, Hilda had begun to move in secret.
And it happened to be right in the midst of the fierce battle with Troyban.
Moreover, she chose the Magic Tower—a faction not on good terms with Ragnar—as her counterpart.
Wouldn’t this naturally arouse suspicion if it were revealed?
‘Black Snow is the most prominent of the family leader’s personal forces. Of course, they would be on high alert for this.’
This was likely the reason why Kleve had been tailing Najariu.
To uncover the precise nature of the transaction between Hilda and the Magic Tower.
If the deal turned out to be dangerous, the Black Dragon would officially accuse Hilda.
‘The Magic Tower, on the other hand, would simply take advantage of Ragnar’s political turmoil, reaping the benefits while avoiding any repercussions.’
Though the deal's details were unknown, the Magic Tower would not only complete the transaction but also destabilize Ragnar.
And all the credit would go to Najariu, who had been in charge of the matter.
It would firmly establish his position as the next Tower Lord.
“As expected, I’ll keep my answer as no comment.”
Kleve was no longer surprised by how far Theo’s deductions had come in such a short time.
‘So the second conjecture was correct.’
The conflict between Kyle and Hilda.
It was a shadowy struggle that had been difficult to discern in his past life.
Theo calculated how this unfolding situation might alter the dynamics of the coming events.
“The Magic Tower’s sub-tower lord will be handed over to us, so go ahead and take him. However, note that we’ll be filing a formal protest with the White Armored Dragon Cavalry under the name of Black Snow for disrupting our operation.”
“You’re suggesting we prepare a solid alibi to defend ourselves. Thank you for the advice.”
“…I’m leaving.”
Kleve smiled bitterly as she slowly rose from her seat.
Though Theo had been the main culprit behind ruining her work, he was an enigma she couldn’t bring herself to hate.
And then it happened.
「It seems the conversation with me isn’t over yet.」
Both Theo and Kleve turned their heads toward the voice that suddenly echoed from the air.
The mist in the air began to swirl and condense, eventually forming the shape of a person.
The Upsurging Dragon swept back his hair with sunken, intense eyes.
“The sub-tower lord’s custody will be taken by the Dojo of the Upsurging Dragon.”
“…The sub-tower lord was secured by Theo Ragnar. And Theo Ragnar entrusted him to Black Snow’s care.”
Unable to accuse a figure of the Nine Dragons without solid evidence, Kleve used Theo as an excuse.
However, the Upsurging Dragon scoffed.
“Theo Ragnar is currently under my jurisdiction, isn’t he? Naturally, the authority to issue commands lies with me, not Theo Ragnar. I cannot hand over the custody of Sub-Tower Lord Najariu Monte.”
“Theo Ragnar has the right to make independent decisions.”
“No, to be precise, he is about to be granted such authority. Let’s not forget that his rank is still that of a Practical Swordsman.”
The situation had become tangled.
Kleve bit her lower lip slightly.
“…The Director will not easily let this matter slide.”
“You seem to be mistaken about one thing.”
Step!
The Upsurging Dragon took a step forward.
“Does this look like I am seeking permission?”
“…!”
Rumble!
A fierce aura swirled around the Upsurging Dragon.
The killing intent pressed against Kleve’s chest like a crushing weight. Her complexion turned pale in an instant.
“This is an order. Even the family leader cannot act recklessly in the face of my command.”
With every word the Upsurging Dragon spoke, Kleve’s body trembled uncontrollably.
Though his tone was polite, it carried the barely contained wrath of a savage beast.
“No matter how formidable the Black Dragon may seem, to me, it is nothing more than an insignificant junior, far beneath notice. Do you understand?”
Shudder…
Kleve trembled like a leaf, unable to muster a proper response.
“I asked, do you understand?”
Just as Kleve’s mind went blank and she was on the verge of losing consciousness, Theo intervened quietly.
“I believe Kleve has understood your point, given how much you’ve emphasized it. Would it not be better to stop now?”
The killing intent that had been suffocating Kleve dissipated abruptly.
It was a remarkable display of magical control, reversing the waves of aura.
The Upsurging Dragon watched with a peculiar expression as Theo patted Kleve’s back, helping her recover after she collapsed to the ground, coughing violently.
The more he observed Theo, the more desirable he seemed.
He was not only a valuable talent but also the perfect example to inspire his disciples.
“Then, let’s consider it settled. I’ll take custody of the sub-tower lord.”
The Upsurging Dragon turned away, clasping his hands behind his back, and vanished.
“Are you alright?”
Only after Theo infused her with warm energy several times did Kleve manage to regain her composure.
“…Damn it…”
That was all she could say.
The wall of the Nine Dragons was—
Even for someone aiming to become a Dragon Gate Swordsman, it was an impossibly high barrier.
*************************
Screech!
Clunk, clunk—
The magical train heading toward the White Tower ruins began moving again.
‘In the end, the sub-tower lord ended up in the Upsurging Dragon’s hands.’
Theo gave a bitter smile as he watched Najariu and Jirima sit uncomfortably next to the Upsurging Dragon.
Of course, it couldn’t be said that Kleve and Black Snow had completely given up on them.
‘They’re probably hiding their identities and lurking throughout the train. Some might even be pursuing by carriage.’
This had to be seen as a clash between Kyle and Hilda, or perhaps a political power struggle between the Black Dragon and the Upsurging Dragon.
The conflict between the two would likely continue in the shadows for some time to come.
Theo decided to stay out of it.
In a way, he’d been the one to stir the flames openly, but it was something that would have happened even without his involvement.
Moreover, his relationship with both the Black Dragon and the Upsurging Dragon wasn’t bad. He had no desire to draw unnecessary attention by interfering.
“Aren’t you nervous?”
“There’s nothing more we can do. It’s completely out of our hands now.”
“Well, that’s true… Sigh! But being around you, I never get a moment to catch my breath.”
“I feel the same way.”
“Maybe it’s because you’re a Ragnar.”
“Could be.”
“As expected, heirs are different.”
“…Why is the conversation suddenly going in that direction?”
Watching Selperd and Arin’s exchange, Theo sighed lightly and shifted his gaze to the booklet in his hands instead.
“Exploring Attribute Conversion in Field Dynamics Utilizing Wave Properties of Light…? That’s not something even atomic mages specializing in the attributes of light encounter often. You seem to have a deep interest in magic.”
This time, however, it was Najariu who took an interest in Theo.
Even though both of his hands were firmly bound by magic-control cuffs, Najariu maintained an air of composure.
It was as if he was certain the Upsurging Dragon wouldn’t harm him.
‘Theo Ragnar… I have to figure out what he did to Paracelsus.’
Outwardly, Paracelsus seemed unchanged from before.
But the unique intuition of a mage told him otherwise.
The current Paracelsus was no longer the one he once knew.
‘Paracelsus couldn’t even explore what the R-Rank data was. It must have consumed the data, yet…’
Unable to discern what had been done to its algorithm, Najariu realized that he couldn’t proceed recklessly with further research on Paracelsus.
However, Theo merely glanced at Najariu without offering him the slightest attention.
Najariu felt a sudden surge of irritation.
No one had ever treated him so coldly before…!
“If necessary, I could be of significant help with basic magic. There’s still plenty of time until we reach our destination, so feel free to ask anything. Ha ha ha! It gets unbearably dull without someone to talk to, you see.”
But he managed to conceal his feelings, laughing heartily as if unbothered.
‘Pathetic.’
『Pitiful.』
Of course, his ploy didn’t work on either Theo or Lodbrok.
『Hahaha! He looks like a desperate little puppy that needs to relieve itself.』
‘Your tastes are truly twisted.’
『And who do you think I’m paired with? Couples naturally resemble each other, you know.』
Theo knew well by now that engaging in a verbal spar with Lodbrok brought no benefit.
‘What exactly did you do to him?’
『It’s a secret. But I can promise one thing: once the secret is revealed, you’ll bow before me in gratitude.』
‘The more you say things like that, the more curious I become.’
『Oh? Are you going to try and figure it out?』
‘It must have something to do with time magic, correct?’
Lodbrok didn’t respond.
But Theo had a feeling she was smiling.
‘Let’s give it a shot.’
Theo closed his eyes briefly, pretending to continue reading.
There was much he had gained from hacking into Paracelsus.
Now it was time to test that understanding.
Thump, thump, thump!
His heart began pounding wildly.
Fwoosh—
The magic rising from his lower dantian mixed with the magic surging from his heart, racing upward to his næmun in an instant.
At the moment when [Spiritual Essence] imbued his eyes—
Fwaaaah…!
Theo felt as though the air around him had grown suffocatingly thick.
It was as if time itself had come to a halt.
He looked around.
Najariu was still babbling about something.
But he was moving so slowly that it was indistinguishable from being frozen in place.
He turned his gaze out the window.
The scenery that should have been rushing past was nearly stationary, and every blade of grass outside was visible in minute detail.
It wasn’t just that.
The smell of the air, the vibrations of the train, the magical aura, the sounds of others talking—all of it.
He could sense everything in vivid detail.
It was as though Theo alone was separated from this world, while everything outside had slowed to a crawl.
『Your thought process has accelerated to such an abnormal speed that the external world seems relatively slow. Time, after all, is always relative to each individual.』
‘This is fascinating.’
『Fascinating indeed. And the world you are seeing now is also the world in which we dragons exist. This is why dragons, despite their unnaturally long lifespans, each live on a different timescale. It’s also part of the reason for our eventual extinction.』
Lodbrok muttered bitterly before continuing.
『Now, look down.』
Theo directed his gaze downward.
Tick, tick, tick—
At his feet, a chronograph shimmered faintly, with its hour, minute, and second hands rotating steadily.
『That is the time currently “set” for you. Now it’s time to make use of it, isn’t it?』
If Theo could move freely in this slowed-down world, it would open up numerous possibilities in combat.
Additionally, the ■■ regression ability rewarded by the quest was likely tied to this phenomenon.
When Theo responded in agreement and attempted to move his arm—
Screech!
A horrifying pain shot through his arm as it burned bright red, feeling as though it might tear away from his body.
‘Ugh…!’
The veins in Theo’s eyes bulged as he grimaced in agony.
『Hahaha! Foolish one! Did you think that just because your mind is fast, your body would keep up?』
‘How… should… I… proceed?’
The limits of his nervous system couldn’t keep pace with his accelerated consciousness. The frictional heat from the air and the strain on his muscles were far more intense than he had anticipated.
『What else is there to do? Keep trying until it works.』
It wasn’t an impossible task.
When the Lord of Plum Blossom Palace had taught Theo the Full Blooming Plum Blossom, she had borrowed an entirely different timeframe for the training.
At that time, the actual time elapsed had been no more than a fleeting moment.
This absurd manipulation of time, along with its complete control, seemed to be the essence of time magic.
‘If I can set the timeframe as I wish later, then I must do whatever it takes to master this.’
Theo refocused his attention on the chronograph before him.
Tick, tick, tick, tick—
As he immersed himself in the training, time flowed on,
And before he knew it, the magical train had arrived at its destination: the White Tower Ruins.