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Also known as the struggle for the throne, or the internal war of the family heads.

Under the rule that the strong take all, the clashes between the heirs always brought bloodshed.

In that moment, Wellington felt as though he could smell the scent of blood.

‘Axion, could you really be…!’

Had Theo already predicted that Axion would make a move?

All the other duelists snapped to attention, their eyes wide open.

“What on earth is this…!”

“I’m fine, just stay seated.”

Evelyn tried to block the path of the Judgment Knights, but Theo stood up first, tugging at Evelyn’s sleeve.

“The warrant?”

Theo glanced at the contents of the warrant that one of the Judgment Knights confidently presented, and let out a small laugh.

It seemed they had rushed the process, as the ink hadn’t even fully dried.

“The criminal is to be escorted to the Judgment Hall.”

As soon as cuffs were placed on Theo’s wrists, two Judgment Knights flanked him, leading him outside.

“……”

“……”

“……”

It had all happened in an instant.

A cold atmosphere settled over the pub.

A moment later—

Bang!

Sybil, the duelist who had faced Theo first, slammed the table in frustration.

“How is this even possible?! Lord Theo being taken to the Judgment Hall all of a sudden! He’s someone who’s done nothing but train all day without paying attention to anything else…!”

“That’s right! This has to be some kind of setup!”

“Exactly!”

“Indeed!”

“Could it be that the Gathering of the Hidden Dragons, or whatever it’s called, is behind some conspiracy…!”

As the outcry grew louder, Evelyn stomped her foot hard on the ground.

Thud…!

Rumble—

The tremor was so strong, it felt like the building might collapse.

“Watch your mouths. Have you all forgotten who they are?”

At Evelyn’s sharp glare, the duelists all shut their mouths tightly.

It was only then that they remembered the weight the Judgment Hall carried in Winterer.

The Judgment Hall was an enforcement agency that wielded absolute power.

They could even charge innocent citizens with treason if it suited them.

Especially when it came to rumors that insulted their authority—those were never forgiven.

“Until we fully understand what’s going on, no one is to act rashly. There’s still time for us to move as a group once we get a clearer picture.”

As the duelists all nodded gravely in agreement, Evelyn sank into deep thought.

‘That look in his eyes at the end… He definitely anticipated this much.’

In that case, given Theo’s nature, it meant that he had already prepared a countermeasure, right?

As Evelyn’s thoughts reached that conclusion, she turned her gaze toward Wellington.

As expected.

Wellington was staring intently at something.

A small note, barely the size of a palm.

‘Of course!’

When had Theo managed to pass that over in such a situation?

Wellington, wearing a serious expression, glanced at the note several times before crumpling it up and putting it in his mouth, swallowing it.

At that moment, he met Evelyn’s eyes.

“Instructor, could you help me? There’s somewhere I urgently need to go.”

“Where?”

“To a place called the Ceres Trading Company.”

Evelyn knew it well.

It was a military supplier that had maintained a long-standing business relationship with Camellia Palace.

One of the people Evelyn had personally severed the arm of earlier was the daughter of the head of that very company.

“And what’s the task?”

Wellington mouthed silently so only Evelyn could see.

‘Eliminate them all.’

“……!”

* * *

‘It’s still the same here.’

Theo stared silently at the grand building of the Judgment Hall.

It was filled with elements designed to intimidate, as befitting the institution responsible for bringing all criminals in Winterer to justice.

At the entrance, rows of prosecutors stood in formation, radiating a murderous aura.

The buildings all exuded a desolate, oppressive atmosphere.

But Theo remained indifferent.

This was a place he had frequented endlessly in his past life.

So, this time would be no different.

They would lock him in solitary confinement for a few days, starve him, wait until he was completely exhausted, and then drag him out to confess to whatever crimes came to mind. Or perhaps, they would use his family as hostages to threaten him.

However…

‘Where are we going?’

The direction the Judgment Knights were leading Theo wasn’t toward the detention cells.

It was toward the central area.

A massive building that served as the main hall of the Judgment Hall.

‘Could it be?’

Theo, realizing their intention, let out a faint laugh.

No wonder the Judgment Knights had been so quiet throughout the entire transport.

‘So, I wasn’t the only one planning something big, huh?’

Interesting.

A smirk tugged at the corner of Theo’s mouth.

Whether it was Axion’s idea or Ed’s, it was rather impressive.

Thud!

The Judgment Knights stopped in front of an iron door.

“We have brought the prisoner, Theo Ragnar.”

“Bring him inside.”

Creeeeak—

As the iron door slowly opened, a massive room revealed itself.

In the distance, there were nine stone seats arranged in a semi-circle around a large central table.

Among the nine seats, only four were occupied.

One of them was a face Theo knew well.

Julius.

The Commander of the White Armored Dragon Cavalry, who was staring at Theo with a bitter smile.

The other three were also people Theo could never fail to recognize.

The Mistress of Plum Blossom Palace.

The Head of the Senate.

The Director of Central Intelligence.

These individuals, known respectively as the Sword Dragon (검룡), the Origin Dragon (원룡), and the Soaring Dragon (항룡), along with Julius—who was also referred to as the Dark Dragon (마룡)—were part of the legendary Nine Dragons that protected Ragnar.

This meant that this wasn’t just any trial treating Theo as a common criminal.

It was a tribunal to judge his qualifications as an heir.

These individuals held the sole authority within Ragnar to punish any of the heirs.

‘They mean to crush any chance I have of making further moves, to stamp me out before I can plan anything else.’

Theo let out a slight smirk as he glanced at Ed Troyban, who was seated furthest to the right as the Soaring Dragon.

Ed was staring intently at Theo, his face displaying a feigned solemnity.

“Theo Ragnar.”

At that moment, the voice of Wolfgang Ragnar, the Origin Dragon seated at the center, rang out, pulling Theo’s attention back.

Wolfgang was the current family head’s great-uncle and the oldest living member of the Ragnar family.

Yet, he still maintained the vigor of his active years—a monstrous old man.

“Yes, Head of the Senate. It’s been a while. Though I didn’t expect to meet under these circumstances.”

“Enough with the greetings. A charge has just been brought against you for your recent crimes. I don’t think I need to elaborate on the details… So, what do you plan to do about it?”

Wolfgang made no effort to hide his dissatisfaction at being forced to attend this tribunal.

He was a staunch purist who believed that the bloodline of the great Ragnar should remain untainted by “half-breeds.”

Naturally, he was meticulous about social status and rank, and his disdain for Theo, born of a commoner, was evident.

“The Byron family, the Ceres Trading Company, the Red-White Mercenaries, and even Hanabi? Ha! All of them are on the verge of rebellion, threatening to sever their ties with the main house because of your foolish actions. Do you think a lowly creature like you can handle the damage that would cause?”

Rumble—

Wolfgang’s roar shook the Judgment Hall as if it might collapse at any moment.

Even the air felt charged with heat, as though ready to swallow Theo whole.

For most people, this would be an overwhelming and terrifying situation.

But—

“Is that so?”

Theo remained calm, his expression indifferent, not showing a hint of fear.

At that moment, Theo didn’t miss the subtle shift in the gazes of the Sword Dragon and Julius, who had been silently observing him.

‘Julius is favorable. The Mistress of Plum Blossom Palace is curious… At least the good news is that out of the four present, I can potentially win over two as allies. If I handle this well, I might even push them to remain neutral.’

The Mistress of Plum Blossom Palace was the first wife of the family head, and she was effectively the true mistress of the Ragnar household.

Theo recalled that she had maintained a good relationship with Julius.

It seemed that this had led to her hearing positive things about him.

Should he consider that fortunate?

“It seems the Head of the Senate believes that I am to blame for this incident.”

“Of course! Are you saying otherwise?”

Theo shook his head.

“No. I deeply regret my past mistakes as well. I have learned much from the rebuke you’ve given me, Head of the Senate.”

Theo slightly bowed his head.

Julius’s expression subtly changed, and the Mistress of Plum Blossom Palace tilted her head as if she found something strange.

Meanwhile, Ed continued to stare at Theo with unbroken focus.

Hmph!

Wolfgang crossed his arms and scoffed, assuming that Theo had surrendered.

“Even if you admit it, your crimes…!”

“I should have cut off more than just an arm; I should have taken their heads. I was too lenient.”

“…What?”

Wolfgang’s aged face twisted in fury.

A light chuckle escaped from the Mistress of Plum Blossom Palace beside him, but he was too enraged to notice.

“What nonsense are you spewing now…!”

“They are vassals. The ruler grants land and honor, while the vassals repay it with loyalty and their lives—that is the code of chivalry. Yet they dare to forsake this code and even threaten their lord with treachery.”

“…!”

“If we do not correct this immediately, what will happen in the future? The values that uphold the bond between lord and vassal will crumble, and similar betrayals will occur again and again. How can we stand by and watch the honor of Ragnar, which has lasted for over a thousand years, be trampled like this?”

Wolfgang’s lips moved, but no words came out.

He likely wanted to speak but found it difficult to respond.

If he argued against Theo’s point, it would be akin to admitting that Ragnar’s honor had already been tarnished.

Conversely, if he agreed with Theo, he would have no choice but to punish those vassals to preserve Ragnar’s dignity.

He was trapped by his own words.

“Mocking me with your twisted logic…!”

“Head of the Senate, I believe that’s enough. If this conversation drags on, it seems you will only end up further embarrassing yourself.”

As Wolfgang’s face flushed red with rage, the Mistress of Plum Blossom Palace interjected.

“Sword dragon!” he snapped.

“I would ask you to remember that the Head of the Senate is not the only one present here,” she said calmly but with a sharp gaze.

Faced with her composed yet piercing stare, Wolfgang had no choice but to sit back down, though he continued to fume.

‘As expected of the North’s Greatest Sword. Even the Head of the Senate doesn’t dare to challenge her openly.’

The reason the Mistress of Plum Blossom Palace still retained her position as the first wife, despite having no children, was simple. She was the strongest in Ragnar, second only to the family head himself.

Her moniker, “Sword Dragon,” was well-earned.

She turned her warm gaze toward Theo and began to speak.

“I’ve listened to your opinion carefully. You may be entirely right in your argument. But I hope you understand that reality doesn’t always align with what’s ideal. Ragnar is strong, but it is not large.”

“Mistress of Plum Blossom Palace, what on earth are you saying…!” Wolfgang’s face paled with shock.

Theo, on the other hand, was a bit surprised.

He hadn’t expected the proud mistress of Ragnar to acknowledge the weaknesses of their house so readily.

“To rule this vast northern region and to confront the monsters of the Demonic Sea, we cannot do it alone. Just as one hand cannot manage what ten hands can, if we have no one to support us, Ragnar will eventually collapse.”

– One cannot rule the world through domination alone.

It seemed the Lord of Plum Blossom Palace was trying to convey that message.

‘And yet, despite knowing this…?’

Theo swallowed the bitter memories of his dying household deep within himself.

Why hadn’t such upright ideals been maintained for long?

“That’s why we cannot afford to ignore the voices of our vassals and knights, nor can we refuse their petitions. I hope you take that into consideration.”

Theo already understood that the level of punishment he would receive had likely been decided among the Nine Dragons.

He glanced at Julius.

Julius gave a slight nod, signaling for Theo not to resist too much. It seemed he had managed to reduce the severity of the punishment as much as possible.

“May I ask what my punishment will be?” Theo inquired.

“A three-month suspension.”

Theo’s brow furrowed.

“But the Blossoming Ceremony is in just two months.”

“In consideration of that, we have decided to allow you to participate in next year’s Blossoming Ceremony. Just a moment ago, we also decided that the fourteen children who were injured by your hand today… no, including Hanabi’s child, all fifteen of them will also be allowed to attend next year.”

The Mistress of Plum Blossom Palace seemed to be implying that this was the absolute limit of what she could do to help him.

Wolfgang, of course, was still clearly displeased by even this concession.

However—

‘No. This won’t do.’

Theo could not accept the judgment.

‘This is a trap. In some way or another, Ed will later try to rob me of the opportunity to compete in the Blossoming Ceremony.’

Even aside from that, he couldn’t let them clip his wings just as he was about to take flight.

Once wings were broken, they would never soar in the sky again.

“I hear you’ve just begun to wield the sword,” continued the Mistress of Plum Blossom Palace. “So perhaps it would be good for you to take this time to quietly hone your skills in seclusion…”

“I appreciate the advice, but that won’t be happening. I intend to appeal.”

The expressions of the Mistress of Plum Blossom Palace and Julius stiffened immediately, while cold smiles appeared on the faces of Wolfgang and Ed.

“…If you appeal, this matter will be completely out of our hands,” the Mistress of Plum Blossom Palace warned.

“It may leave your hands, but won’t the sword’s voice speak the truth?”

In Ragnar, where the rule of the strong prevailed, an “appeal” had a very clear meaning.

War.

Only the victor could claim the truth.