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After all the training was over.

Theo, a bit exhausted, stepped out of the training grounds of the Plum Blossom Palace, and Lang Frence was waiting for him outside.

Natasha was nowhere to be seen.

“Ah, do I? Actually, I’m pretty tired from all the back-to-back training…”

“For someone who says they’re tired, the smile on your lips hasn’t left. Haha.”

Theo scratched his cheek, slightly embarrassed.

After all, Lang was right.

Even though his body was exhausted, his mood was far fresher than ever before.

He had received hints about many secret arts, martial techniques, and realizations that had previously been locked in his mind, unable to understand them.

Even just reviewing what he learned today would help him see a new path.

“I’m grateful to you, Lord Theo.”

Lang, who had been watching Theo with satisfaction, suddenly bowed respectfully.

Theo was startled, wondering why Lang was acting this way, but Lang continued speaking.

“You may not know, but ever since the Lord of Plum Blossom Palace first saw you at the Central Hall and after guiding you through Full Blooming Plum Blossom, she has been smiling much more often.”

Theo’s eyes widened slightly.

“So, please continue taking good care of her.”

“Ah, yes, of course…”

Theo, caught off guard, bowed his head while awkwardly scratching the back of his neck.

‘It seems like he naturally assumes I’ve already become her disciple. What should I say?’

Lang’s loyalty to the Lord of Plum Blossom Palace seemed exceptionally strong, making it hard for Theo to speak carelessly at that moment.

“Are you Theo Ragnar, the new recruit of the White Armored Dragon Cavalry?”

Step—

Suddenly, a group of about a dozen people appeared in front of Theo.

In an instant, Theo’s eyes sharpened.

Among the group, there were familiar faces.

Felix.

“And what if I am?”

However, Felix, who had his neck shrunk like a turtle, was merely blended into the group, and the real leader was someone else.

Theo knew exactly who she was.

A woman with long hair cascading down to her feet, her cold eyes piercing.

Hazel Copel.

A direct descendant of the Copel family, one of the Six Snow Families, and a practical sword master who had entered the Plum Blossom Palace in pursuit of the Lord of Plum Blossom Palace’s sword techniques.

‘In the original timeline, she was the one who became the true “first” disciple of the Lord of Plum Blossom Palace, surpassing Felix.’

Her skills and talent were remarkable, and later, she even became the right hand of one of the five main candidates for succession.

It wasn’t hard to figure out why she had appeared now.

‘She must think I’ve taken her place. Just like Felix. Is she here to pick a fight?’

The head butler, Lang, found the unfolding situation so interesting that he quietly stepped back to watch. He showed no intention of intervening.

“Your words are curt. I don’t see any respect for your superior.”

Hazel, displeased with Theo’s blunt response, frowned as she scanned him up and down.

Tsk—

Theo let out a cold sneer, finding the situation absurd.

“Superior? To whom?”

“What?”

“You’re not even my direct superior, so why should I care?”

Hazel’s face hardened in an instant.

“You arrogant bastard, you’ve been pushing it too far!”

*Cha-cha-chang!*

The swordsmen next to Hazel, enraged, drew their swords in unison.

Meanwhile, Felix, who had already been beaten by Theo once before, turned pale with fear.

A cold killing intent flickered in Theo’s eyes.

“You understand what it means to draw your sword, right?”

“What nonsense are you spou—!”

The one who first shouted tried to say something more, but—

Swaaang!

Drake’s blade was already out, cutting through the air with a streak of light.

*Schk!*

*Splat!*

“Ahh! My arm! My arrrrm!”

“Henry!”

“This crazy bastard actually used his sword—!”

The man, clutching his severed left arm, screamed in agony, while the others, shocked by Theo’s sudden strike, tensed up, ready to attack him.

However—

Gooooo—

[‘Skill: Lesser Drake’s Fear’ dominates the battlefield.]

For a moment, the killing aura that surged from Theo bound their feet in place.

“Stop. Unless you want to die.”

“…!”

“…!”

“…!”

“I’ve only tolerated your insolent behavior out of respect for the Lord of Plum Blossom Palace. But if you really want to continue, go ahead. Just know it won’t end with losing an arm next time.”

Their expressions hardened instantly.

Hazel placed her hand on her sword’s hilt, her brow furrowing.

“You’re already acting as if you’ve become the successor of the Plum Blossom Palace. Just because you’ve become her disciple doesn’t mean we’ll all obediently follow your words.”

“So, you’re saying you’ve come to gang up on a trainee swordsman because you can’t handle me one-on-one?”

“…Seems like words won’t get through to you.”

“So, what’s next? Are we going to fight?”

A tense standoff continued between Theo and Hazel, both locked in a deadly stare.

The air was thick with killing intent.

Then, suddenly, Hazel sheathed her sword back into its scabbard.

*Clack!*

“H-Hazel?”

“Why all of a sudden…?”

The swordsmen, who had been ready to spring into action at Hazel’s command, looked at her in confusion.

Hazel, who had just moments ago exuded a deadly aura, now wore a faint smile on her lips.

“You’ve got even more guts than Natasha told me about. No wonder the Lord of Plum Blossom Palace has taken an interest in you.”

The sudden shift to a warmer atmosphere left the swordsmen of the Plum Blossom Palace even more bewildered. They hesitated, unsure of what to do next, clearly flustered by the abrupt change.

‘As I thought. She’s sharper than I initially realized.’

Hazel was someone who, much like the Lord of Plum Blossom Palace, would eventually garner the respect of many swordsmen in the distant future. Her earlier provocation hadn’t seemed like her usual demeanor, which is why Theo had played along. It seemed his hunch had been correct.

However, Theo didn’t completely let his guard down. After all, another troublemaker like Felix could show up at any moment.

“Sorry for testing you. I’ll make sure these idiots fix their sloppy discipline later. But…”

“But what?”

“I wasn’t lying when I said I haven’t acknowledged you as the Lord’s disciple yet. Neither I nor the other swordsmen of the Plum Blossom Palace know anything about this Theo Ragnar. Your spirit, your character—we can’t just accept you without question.”

In that moment, Hazel’s gaze sharpened fiercely.

“I hear you might be listed for the promotion exam soon as the youngest candidate? Even if not, you’ll be there soon enough. When that time comes, I’ll make sure I’m one of your examiners. Defeat me then. If you can do that, we’ll all acknowledge you as the heir to the Lord of Plum Blossom Palace without a word of complaint.”

The promotion exam?

Theo found it odd since this was the first he had heard of it, but he felt it was more important to clear up Hazel’s misunderstanding.

“Do as you like. But there’s something we need to get straight first.”

“What is it?”

“I have no intention of becoming the successor to the Plum Blossom Palace. Nor could I.”

“…?”

Hazel furrowed her brow, momentarily confused by Theo’s words. Then, her expression shifted to one of shock as she raised her voice.

“You… don’t tell me…!”

*Tsk!*

Theo chuckled lightly and spoke.

“I’m not sure why all of you assumed I accepted the Lord’s offer, but I already turned it down. I was just leaving after informing her.”

“…!”

“…!”

“…!”

Hazel and the other swordsmen gasped in disbelief. Even Lang, standing nearby, couldn’t hide his shock.

* * *

“How was your meeting with Theo?”

Natasha arrived at the now-empty training grounds where only the Lord of Plum Blossom Palace remained, looking around at the remnants of the training session.

The signs left behind were rather rough.

‘As expected of the 24 Forms of the Plum Blossom Sword… Has she already passed down all eight forms from the first half? That’s too fast.’

Considering it had taken Natasha over a month to master just the first half of the forms, Theo’s growth speed was extraordinary.

As expected, a smile played on the lips of the Lord of Plum Blossom Palace, who was gently touching a plum tree.

“It was enjoyable. Truly enjoyable.”

“At last, the successor to the Heavenly Dragon Sword Master has appeared. My deepest congratulations.”

Natasha bowed her head deeply.

The Heavenly Dragon Sword Master.

This was the hidden identity of the Lord of Plum Blossom Palace.

She was not originally from the House of Ragnar.

She was the inheritor of a secret martial art lineage passed down by a single individual since ancient times.

But the Lord of Plum Blossom Palace had been without a disciple or children for a long time, unable to find a worthy successor to carry on this legacy.

Naturally, Natasha assumed that Theo’s appearance meant he was destined to be her successor.

However—

“Originally, I had the same thought… but, haha! It seems I’ll need to find someone else for that role.”

Natasha’s eyes widened in shock at the Lord of Plum Blossom Palace’s words.

“What do you mean by that? Are you saying Theo Ragnar…!”

“He refused my offer again. Now that I think about it, this is the third time. He’s a stubborn child, without a doubt. Hahaha!”

Despite being rejected, the Lord of Plum Blossom Palace looked far from upset—she seemed positively amused.

Natasha, on the other hand, was completely bewildered.

“Why this time? This is unacceptable! I’ll go ask him directly.”

“No need for that.”

“But—!”

“He may not have become my disciple, but our bond hasn’t ended. In fact, I’d say it has deepened.”

“…?”

Natasha blinked, still unable to grasp the meaning behind the Lord’s words.

The sound of her laughter grew even louder.

– *I’m always grateful for your consideration, my Lady. But becoming your disciple would be difficult. I already have someone I regard as my master in my heart.*

– Oh dear…

– However…

Theo’s gaze from that moment remained vivid in her mind.

– May I honor you as another mother to me?

Another mother.

The Lord of Plum Blossom Palace couldn’t stop smiling.

It was only natural that she would prefer a mother-child relationship over a rigid master-disciple bond.

While fate had not granted her the joy of having a child of her own, the fact that she could now welcome a child in her heart brought her immense happiness.

– I have gained a child.

That realization filled the previously empty space in her heart to the brim.

The heat from the Blossoming Ceremony had barely cooled, and now this would likely become an even bigger issue.

From that point on, the five main candidates for succession would undoubtedly be on high alert.

*Hoo-rroo…!*

At that moment, the lark perched on Kyle’s shoulder chirped lightly.

“You’re recommending him too?”

Kyle looked at the lark with a surprised expression.

The bird nodded, continuing to chirp softly, *Hoo-rroo, hoo-rroo.*

“Indeed. That’s a good idea as well. Very well, let’s proceed with that.”

With that, Kyle stamped his approval seal heavily onto the two documents.

*Thud!*

– Approved.

“Alright then. You said with your own mouth that you’d challenge the throne. Whether you soar high or get crushed, that’s for you to prove.”

A white fang gleamed between Kyle’s parted lips as he grinned widely.