SWNOVELXO Chapter 178
Translator: FenrirTL
Editor: Doodle
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< Chapter 178: The Intensifying Struggle for the Throne (3) >
A flurry of rumors swept through the entire Ragnar military camp.
- The Primordial Dragon has chosen Theo Ragnar!
- He opened the mysteries of the White Tower and claimed the dragons within as his followers.
- A Desert Worm guards him underground, a Drake on the ground, Wyverns and Griffins in the sky, and a Fairy Dragon with magic—all protecting him.
- Even the Black Iron Cavalry and the Red Sword Knights have been overwhelmed by the might of his Dragon Army.
From unbelievable tales to exaggerated gossip, the camp was abuzz.
However, one fact remained certain.
- For the first time since the progenitor Sigurd, someone who dragons love has been born.
For Ragnar, this marked the rise of a figure who could represent their identity more definitively than anyone else.
No longer could adversarial factions like Troyban mock them with comments like, What dragons?
Furthermore, when word spread that Kyle—who had rarely shown himself—personally took Theo away, everyone grew tense.
And,
- Lord Torkel didn’t seem to be in a good mood…
- On the other hand, Lady Lezé looked rather pleased.
- She mentioned meeting him once before. Could the rumors about their alliance be true?
- Lady Ansio hasn’t issued any statements yet, has she?
- I wonder what Lord Kinkarnon will say once he emerges from his seclusion training.
- He might welcome a strong rival.
- Yeah. But more importantly, Lord Kishar seemed the angriest. Where did he go? Did anyone see him?
- Someone claimed to have seen him secretly approaching the White Tower during the clash between the White Armored and Black Iron forces…
- What? That’s absurd. If that’s true…!
The murmurs trailed off, but even those less attuned to politics could sense a subtle shift in the atmosphere.
* * *
Ssshhhh—
Theo trailed closely behind Kyle.
Mounted on his sword as he moved through the sky, Kyle’s speed was so fast that even Umbra showed clear signs of strain keeping up.
『Surpassing the realms of Heart Sword or Flying Blade Technique—he’s become one with the sword itself. No matter how you look at him, he’s not human.』
Lodbrok, displeased by Kyle’s presence, furrowed her brow continuously.
No matter how hard she looked, there wasn’t a single opening to exploit in him.
‘He doesn’t seem human, that’s for sure.’
『That’s not something to laugh about, is it? The seat you aspire to occupy is precisely like that. A place where one must abandon being human. A monster’s throne.』
The higher Theo climbed, the more he keenly felt the overwhelming height of the wall named Kyle.
Unable to muster any response, Theo scratched his cheek in silence.
- Wh-what is that? That’s a human, right? Why does it look like a monster in human skin?
- It’s a monster, but it’s human, I think. But is that really a Ragnar?
- If it is, it seems too… human, doesn’t it?
- So that’s why a monster like Young Master Theo was born. The seed was different from the start.
Even the spirits confessed they had never seen anyone like Kyle in their lifetimes.
Today, the throne's towering wall felt insurmountably high.
* * *
Tak!
Kyle finally arrived at a barren, modest mountain far from the camp.
It was a barren peak, devoid of even a single blade of grass.
Standing atop the cliff, Kyle gazed downward, and Theo landed silently beside him.
“This place is…?”
“Look there.”
Kyle gestured with his chin toward the base of the mountain.
Theo tilted his head in confusion.
There was nothing there but an empty clearing.
Then, as he infused [Spiritual Essence] into his eyes—
Duum…!
“Ugh…!”
『Partner!』
Theo staggered as a sudden, intense shock struck his head.
Lodbrok quickly supported him, glaring at Kyle.
『What have you done?!』
“This is where Ragnar must share their stories. It would be better for the specters of a bygone era to step aside.”
『What…?!』
Before Lodbrok could say more, Kyle waved his hand lightly.
Her presence flickered like a candle in the wind and vanished with a soft puff.
“You can see it, can’t you?”
“Yes… I can.”
“Then look closely.”
Theo, enduring the searing pain clawing at his mind, fixed his gaze ahead.
Beyond the wavering veil of reality, he saw dark energy violently churning in a chaotic vortex.
“Why is there a trace of the Demonic Sea here?”
“Why else? It’s because of what you’ve done.”
“…?”
A voice tinged with amusement.
Theo tilted his head, not understanding what Kyle meant, then suddenly realized.
“Are you saying the Sacred Demon Church is trying to awaken the Nameless Sovereign again?”
“Yes, that’s correct. What exactly did you do over there?”
Theo scratched his cheek, unsure how to answer.
The ghosts within the Spirit Mausoleum Blade and the Magic Empress—how should he explain them?
“You fool.”
“…Pardon?”
“You usually seem sharp, but in times like this, you’re so naive.”
Kyle clasped his hands behind his back and scoffed lightly.
“You’ve now declared your intent to fully participate in the struggle for the throne. That means you’re confident you can handle any interference from your siblings, doesn’t it?”
“Yes… it does.”
“Then that also means I’m among the obstacles you must overcome. Let me be clear—I have no intention of relinquishing the throne as long as I live.”
Kyle’s gaze was sharp, brimming with intensity.
“And yet, are you planning to reveal all your cards to me? How do you know I won’t use them against you?”
“…”
It was a warning.
A monarch should never reveal their innermost thoughts to anyone.
Kyle was teaching Theo that the throne is a place of inevitable solitude.
However—
“That’s fine,” Theo replied with a smile.
Kyle frowned.
“What?”
“What’s wrong with a son sharing the things he’s been through with his father?”
“You…”
“Yes, I understand. The throne isn’t something to be reduced to a mere father-son relationship. There’s no room for family ties in the face of power. Still, don’t you think that, once in a while, we could shed the burdens of the world and share an honest moment as father and son?”
Kyle pressed his lips tightly together.
“I respect you, Father.”
“You don’t resent me?”
“I used to when I was younger… but coming this far, I understand now. I see how difficult it must have been for you. And I know it must be even harder for you now. Protecting something is far more challenging than achieving it. That’s why I respect you.”
“…”
Kyle opened his mouth as if to say something but stayed silent.
His gaze toward Theo was laden with a whirlwind of emotions.
- Father, why did you do this…?
- My son. My beloved son. Ha ha ha. One day, you too will understand why I had to do what I did. One day, you will…
- I don’t want to! I don’t want to become like you!
Why were long-buried memories of his youth suddenly resurfacing now?
Kyle swept his hand through the air as if to erase those memories and laughed.
“You’ve become quite skilled at flattery.”
“I apologize if it came across that way.”
“Enough. Sharing a drink with you would certainly be amusing, but that’ll have to wait. For now, we need to discuss the matter at hand.”
Theo turned his gaze back toward the vortex of dark energy.
"I hate that."
That.
He was likely referring to the Nameless Sovereign.
"And I hate that as well."
This time, Kyle's eyes locked directly onto Theo.
Theo instinctively realized what he meant.
That.
It seemed he was talking about Lodbrok.
"It’s not just those. Everything surrounding them, all of it—I hate it. The Deluded God, the Outer Gods, all of them."
Kyle clearly knew of both the Deluded God’s temple and the Outer Gods.
But his feelings toward them were not a mix of like or dislike.
It was contempt.
He despised them both.
"There is no place for us where they stand. We, the Ragnar, are nothing but background players decorating their stage. Everything in the world spins according to their whims. I want to destroy that. That’s what drove me this far."
Kyle’s eyes sank deeply, brimming with an unshakable resolve.
"I want you to walk the same path as I do."
At that moment, Theo understood the conviction behind Kyle’s actions—destroying Lodbrok’s heart and fighting against the Nameless Sovereign.
* * *
Theo returned to the White Armored Dragon Cavalry’s camp.
The military camp was abuzz with rumors about him, so he had sent the dragons back to the White Tower and descended quietly with Umbra.
『What did you and your father discuss?』
‘Oh, nothing much.’
Lodbrok asked through channeling, but Theo dodged the question with a vague response.
- I want you to walk the same path as I do.
Kyle’s words still echoed relentlessly in Theo’s ears.
- Now that you’ve climbed this far, you must have some understanding of the world’s secrets.
- The Outer Gods and the Nameless Sovereign, The Deluded God, and the Guardians who oppose them. A world that repeats itself every time it meets its end. And the Ragnar, who exists solely to stop it. Does any of that seem normal to you?
- There is no life for the Ragnar in this cycle. We exist only as tools.
- I despise it. That’s why I wanted to destroy it all.
- My son.
- This father of yours will become a god. A god beyond the reach of both the Deluded God and the Outer Gods.
- And I will destroy everything.
- What are your thoughts?
Even after their conversation had ended, Theo’s mind remained preoccupied.
‘This is the first time Father has ever shown me his true feelings.’
I will become a god.
The weight of that single statement from his father was staggering.
And that was likely Kyle’s way of acknowledging Theo as his true successor.
It must have been a ritual that the five candidates before Theo also underwent.
However, the issue lay in the fact that Theo was the culmination of Ragnar, chosen by both the Ancient Dragon and the Guardian Dragon.
This placed him in a position fundamentally opposed to the path Kyle wished to walk.
For that reason, Theo couldn’t bring himself to share Kyle’s thoughts with Lodbrok.
He, too, was consumed by his own reflections.
‘The more I learn… the heavier the throne of Ragnar feels.’
At the same time, a thought crossed his mind.
Perhaps there were still more secrets about the family that he had yet to uncover.
But even so, he had no intention of halting his progress.
As Theo sorted through his thoughts, he noticed someone standing in front of the barracks.
‘Who is that?’
A woman—Ansio—smiled brightly and greeted him.
“You’re earlier than I expected.”
“It seems this is the first time I’ve greeted you properly. It’s good to see you, Sister.”
“Yes, it’s good to see you too.”
She was one of the five candidates and Kishar’s twin sister.
It seemed she had come alone, as her famous personal guard was nowhere in sight.
“What brings you here?”
“Do you happen to know where Brother Kishar is?”
“Brother Kishar? No, I’m afraid I don’t.”
“Is that so?”
Ansio stroked her chin thoughtfully before letting out a light laugh.
“Perhaps he’s gone for a walk? I’ve heard he’s quite free-spirited.”
“Well, that’s true. He often disappears without a word, even to me, his sister. He’s quite a troublesome brother. Anyway, thank you. Next time, let’s have a drink together with Torkel.”
"Yes. I was too exhausted from the journey and ended up being rude. Next time you invite me, I will make sure to attend."
"Good. Then, until next time."
Ansio waved her hand lightly and left without hesitation.
‘She’s realized that I’m the one who killed him.’
Theo wasn’t particularly tense; he had anticipated this outcome.
Instead, his mind was occupied with how to deal with the Conquering Dragon, who would soon come for him.
‘For now, I need to focus on how to handle the people inside.’
Beyond the barracks, Theo could sense a powerful presence.
Facing them, after just dealing with Kyle, wasn’t going to be easy.
He was still a little weary from his conquest of the White Tower, but persuading the individuals inside was now the top priority.
Tonight promised to be a very long night.
"Excuse me, I’m coming in."
As Theo pushed open the barrack’s door, the scene inside unfolded before him.
Sitting there were Julius, the Lord of Plum Blossom Palace, Niel, and, for some reason, the Black Dragon, making a total of four individuals.
The coffee and tea on the table had gone cold, suggesting their tea time had already ended.
"Welcome."
As the Lord of Plum Blossom Palace welcomed him warmly, Theo stepped inside but then suddenly stopped.
"…?"
"…?"
"Hm?"
"What is it?"
The four of them tilted their heads in confusion.
Theo, however, performed a polite sword salute before speaking.
"There is something I must say to all of you. It would be right for me to first offer an apology for my recent discourtesy. However, I believe it is better to express my thoughts first, so I humbly ask for your understanding."
Their gazes turned sharp and intense.
Yet Theo’s own eyes glimmered even brighter in response.
"I intend to sit on the throne after my father. Please lend me your support."
The four of them were struck by the thought simultaneously—that sharp gaze reminded them uncannily of Kyle’s.