Chapter 219: East (4)

While the gathering of the Three Vassal Families was taking place—

Theo was looking at the now-repaired Drake’s Blade and Dragon Spirit’s Cursed Blade.

Wooong! Woooong!

Ziiiiiing—

"Thank you."

"Do you really feel grateful?"

"Of course. If I can't trust you, Grandmother, then who else would I trust?"

"Tsk. That mouth of yours never stops running... Haa!"

Majang Kirsion took a deep drag from her long pipe, letting out a sigh mixed with irritation.

The dark circles under her eyes spoke volumes about the exhaustion she had endured.

"You probably understand these swords better than I do, so I won’t go into a long explanation. First, that greatsword."

Theo grasped Drake’s Blade in his hand.

The violent trembling made him feel as if his wrist might snap off from the sheer force.

The blade had taken on a dark hue.

He wondered if it had really been shattered in the last battle—

That was how overwhelming the power it contained was.

"You can feel it too, right? The weight has nearly tripled compared to before."

"Yes. It’s definitely heavier."

"But in return, its durability and destructive power are beyond comparison to before. That’s the result of reinforcing it with the ribs of an Ancient Dragon. I tried my best to lighten it, but that was no easy task."

Kirsion's eyes remained calm.

"Instead, I focused on enhancing its Magic Resistance by applying various alchemical treatments using the properties of the materials. You’ll have a much greater advantage in battles against magic users. You said you’d be dealing with the Magic Tower more frequently in the future, didn’t you?"

No wonder Drake’s Blade strongly repelled magic—

It seemed the greatsword had been reforged with magic circles sewn between its broken fragments, essentially turning it into a type of artifact.

‘Her skills really are impressive.’

『Hmph! That arrogant elf blacksmith might be skilled, but she worked with my bone fragments. Isn’t it only natural that the result is this good?』

Lodbrok snorted, though it seemed like she shared a similar opinion to Theo.

『It looks like she applied some kind of glaze to enhance the sword, but I can’t quite determine what it is.』

‘Even you can’t recognize it?’

『Do you think I know everything? Hmph. From what I can tell, it seems to be some kind of secret elixir passed down among the High Elves. Their alchemy and magic system are vastly different from ours, after all.』

‘A High Elf’s elixir, huh...’

Theo examined Drake’s Blade with [Spirit Eye], just in case, but he couldn’t find anything unusual.

[Enhanced Drake’s Blade]

· Type: Zweihander, Relic Component

· Attack Power: 300 – 500

· Equip Requirements: Strength 120, Agility 100

· Effects

- Critical damage applies with a certain probability on impact

- Reduces the target’s defense by 30 upon hit

- 50% chance of wound aggravation

- In Magic combat, has a certain probability of nullifying and reflecting magic

- Self-repair function due to the unidentified fragile effect of ‘Unknown’

Unknown.

Theo considered asking about it, but he knew well enough that Kirsion wouldn’t give him a proper answer, so he didn’t bother bringing it up.

However, he had a vague idea of what it might be.

It reminded him of how Vasque Workshop had once been abuzz over this very issue in his past life.

‘Then that means I’ve received a grace that even all the benefits I’ve provided her so far wouldn’t be enough to repay…’

“The next one, Hrunting.”

Theo’s thoughts stopped there.

He slung Drake’s Blade over his back and instead placed Dragon Spirit’s Cursed Blade on his lap.

“As obvious as it sounds, that sword is already ‘dead.’ No matter how skilled I am, reviving it is beyond my ability.”

Kirsion seemed to have already noticed that Dragon Spirit’s Cursed Blade was not in a normal state.

“So, I used a different method to restore its function.”

“A different method?”

“Resonance.”

“Resonance?”

Theo tilted his head in confusion, and Kirsion smirked in satisfaction.

“The relics of the Primordial Dragon grow stronger the more of them are gathered together. Do you know why?”

“They… are compatible with each other… Ah!”

“That’s right. Hrunting’s latent ‘will’ may have been destroyed, but that doesn’t mean its function has disappeared. So, I distributed its activation authority across multiple locations.”

In other words, the portion of the burden that Dragon Spirit’s Cursed Blade’s guardian—Nessie—was originally supposed to handle had been shared among other relics’ guardians.

By doing so, the burden each guardian had to bear was reduced, making the smooth use of Dragon Spirit’s Cursed Blade possible.

“Of course, since each command system is different, there may be occasional interference… but I trust you can handle that much?”

Of course.

Theo nodded.

『That much is something I can definitely manage. After all, I’m the one controlling the command tower.』

‘Keratosuchus.’

『Now that the legion’s numbers have grown considerably, isn’t it time I reveal my true form to my master?』

With Keratosuchus’s laughter, all the relics in Theo’s possession trembled.

As if to say that they, too, could handle such a burden.

"I also made adjustments to all the other armaments you had. Various new functions, big and small, have been added, so check them out at your leisure."

From Kriemhild’s helmet to the other relics.

Theo looked at the weapons and armor, which gleamed as if brand new, and expressed his gratitude.

For the past three days, Kirsion and her elite team of master artisans had worked tirelessly. The sheer sight of their completed work was enough to make one’s skin crawl.

As expected, Kirsion was Kirsion.

A smile crept onto Theo’s lips.

"I’ll be counting on you again next time."

"You brat, you just think of working this old woman to the bone! If you’re done, get lost!"

After offering his thanks, Theo left.

Kirsion stared at the spot where he had disappeared for a long while before silently taking a puff from her long pipe.

* * *

How much time had passed as Kirsion sat there, smoking in silence?

One of her artisans, whom she had been raising like a disciple, cautiously approached.

Unlike most artisans, who had a rough and rugged aura, this one had an air of sophistication, as if he belonged in a library, deeply engrossed in study.

Beneath the hood that covered his face, the tips of pointed ears peeked out.

He was one of the few elven artisans under Kirsion’s command.

"As you instructed, the ‘World Tree Sap’ has been sealed again."

"Good. Well done."

"……."

"What, got something to say? Why are you squirming like a restless pup that needs to relieve itself?"

"The sap… there’s only 20% left now."

"Is that so? Hah. Considering how recklessly we’ve been using it, there’s still quite a lot left, isn’t there? Good thing we cashed in big on that deal."

Kirsion chuckled, but the shadow lingering on the elven artisan’s face did not fade so easily.

"That is our lifeline. You know that, don’t you?"

"Of course I do. Oh, I know very well. Those damn old geezers are practically jumping at the chance to cut my head off. How could I not know?"

"Then…!"

"That’s exactly why I did it. Do you think just hoarding it will improve our situation? No, we need to invest it here and there. A prime stock only skyrockets when you let it sit for a while. Just watch, it’s gonna moon! Let’s gooo!"

"……Are you certain that Theo is a prime stock? He may be your grandson, and his chances of succeeding Ragnar are high, but entrusting him with the fate of our lineage is still unverified—"

"You’re mistaken about something."

Kirsion cut him off sharply.

A slight shift in her gaze.

Underneath her decadent eyes, a chilling air lingered.

"Theo isn’t being invested in because he’s a prime stock. To be precise, it’s our job to make him into one. If you can’t understand that difference… I’ll be more than a little disappointed in you."

The elven artisan opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something but, realizing something at the last moment, lowered his head.

"My apologies."

"I understand what you’re worried about. It must feel like a waste. It must be frustrating. You probably think there’s not much time left. But for that very reason—"

Kirsion brought her pipe back to her lips.

"No, rather, because of that, we must look further ahead. Sharpening that child's blade so that he can become our sword—that is the only thing we can do right now."

* * *

‘If my guess is correct, the glaze applied to the sword is entirely World Tree Sap.’

『What? World Tree Sap?』

Lodbrok’s voice was filled with surprise at Theo’s words.

The World Tree—the divine tree that transcended the constraints of time and space and upheld the world.

It was said that all life in the world had originated from it, possessing unparalleled vitality and natural energy. Because of this, humans, dragons, and every other species alike harbored a deep desire to come into contact with the World Tree.

Especially valuable were its powdered leaves, known as "World Tree Leaf Powder," and its sap, which could only be harvested in minuscule amounts by scraping its branches—both so precious that they were worth whatever price one was willing to pay.

Among alchemists, they were classified as elixirs on par with Ambrosia or Nectar.

However, the World Tree had always been under the guardianship of the Tree Keepers, a role traditionally held by the High Elves. Without their permission, nothing from the tree was ever allowed to leave.

‘Kirsion was originally a Tree Keeper in charge of the World Tree. But she became a criminal after stealing the sap and fleeing.’

『That’s…!』

‘Yes. A crime that warrants nothing less than the death penalty.’

『……And yet, it’s surprising that no execution order has been issued until now.』

‘That’s because the High Elves have no time to worry about such things right now.’

『Hmm?』

‘The World Tree is dead.’

『……!』

‘From what I’ve heard, it’s said that the negative influence from the Demonic Sea is the cause… Because of that, the High Elves are too busy trying to cultivate a new sapling of the World Tree to concern themselves with Kirsion and her followers.’

Theo had come across this information in his past life when he was part of the Information Bureau.

Since it was classified as top-secret, he couldn’t access the full details, but he knew that the conflict between Kirsion and the High Elves had grown so severe that Ragnar was deliberating on how to intervene.

‘Kirsion left for the outside world in search of a way to revive the World Tree. Perhaps that’s also why she showed such a deep interest in relics.’

『She was trying to find a way to revive the World Tree through the power of the Primordial Dragon’s relics? That’s certainly a possibility.』

Lodbrok chuckled.

『And now, those Primordial Dragon relics can only be used by you, her chosen partner. Hmph! It seems she has truly placed all her bets on you.』

Since Theo had already resolved to stand against the Nameless Sovereign, the revival of the World Tree no longer seemed like a separate duty.

Perhaps, while dealing with the matters related to the World Tree, he might even discover a way to defeat them.

* * *

The Fourth Training Field was filled with more heat than ever before.

"Do you think we can really do this?"

"We have to. If we fail, that’s it for us."

"Haa…! Ugh, I’m so nervous I could die."

Over the past few days, Theo had rigorously trained his followers with the basic drills of the White Armored Dragon Cavalry.

It was all in preparation for selecting members for Squad 6.

And today was the long-awaited test day.

"I memorized everything we were told to, but… what if I fail?"

"Even if you fail, you can still apply to be sent to the East. I heard they’re recruiting for the security forces there."

"That’s just rear-line duty! I want to stand beside Lord Theo and fight!"

"I feel the same way, but… Ugh, why aren’t they starting already?"

"All applicants, gather at once—!"

At the examiner’s command, the followers hurried into position.

That night, Theo finally met the nine new squad members.

"Sir! Swordsman Sybil Nob reports for transfer to White Armored Dragon Cavalry’s Squad 6!"

"Swordsman Kirk Harbin, reporting for transfer!"

"Swordsman Hajin…!"

"Sword…!"

"I welcome you all. I look forward to working with you."

Theo nodded as he observed the new squad members, now neatly dressed in the white ceremonial uniforms symbolizing the White Armored Dragon Cavalry.

"Khrrrk!"

"Why them and not me?!"

"Damn it! I’m so jealous I could die!"

Meanwhile, those who had failed clenched their fists and bit their sleeves in frustration.

The newly selected members, on the other hand, lifted their chins proudly and sneered, as if to say, Behold, this is the difference in level between you and us.

"What the hell are you losers mumbling about?"

"If you don’t like it, then just pass next time."

"Damn it! Next time, I swear I’ll make it, you bastards!"

"Say that after you pass."

Theo only spoke up once their back-and-forth had settled down to a reasonable degree.

"This test was strictly for the Wyvern Cavalry. However, I don’t plan to limit our forces to just one type of unit. I’ll be introducing various new divisions, along with different kinds of training. So don’t be too discouraged."

"Khrrk! As expected, Lord Theo is the only one we can trust!"

"Unlike those traitors, Lord Theo truly takes care of us! I’ll dedicate my entire life to serving you!"

After all the formations had been arranged, the formal Review Ceremony was conducted.

And following that, the Departure Ceremony was completed as well.

Thus, Theo’s journey to the East had begun.