Regressing as the Reincarnated Bastard of the Sword Clan

Chapter 214

However, as soon as he considered pulling out his third option, it seemed too transparent. How could he move forward without making it too obvious?

Dante hesitated for a moment.

"It’s true that subordinates cannot fully understand the burdens of those above them."

The tone was different from the usual firmness; it was softer, almost coaxing.

"Well, well?"

For a brief moment, Dante saw Theo in a different light.

Underneath the bold, reckless face of a sixteen-year-old, there seemed to be a cunning serpent coiling around, its tongue flicking in his direction.

"I apologize, Young Lord. This was not my intention. I’m sure you know… no, it seems you already do. I have a foolish disciple."

And Dante, who was not foolish enough to miss the implications, realized that this moment was an opportunity to step back.

"That stubborn fool kept begging me for help, and so this happened..."

"Yes. I completely understand."

"I appreciate your words."

The exchange was quick and smooth, and in the blink of an eye, Ansio had been sacrificed as the scapegoat.

Dante couldn’t help but admire how Theo had recognized the setup and had prepared the groundwork for this without him even noticing.

• This whole mess was because Ansio had been stubborn, and Dante was just trying to help his disciple, not intending for things to spiral out of control.

This was the unspoken agreement between the two.

If anything went wrong, they could easily place the blame on Ansio.

"You should visit Dongbaek Palace sometime. I believe we have much to discuss."

"Heh, are you sure? After all, I’ve been a nuisance and now I’m asking for a meal. Wouldn’t it make me seem like an old fool asking for such favors from the Young Lord?"

"That wouldn’t be the case. If you visit, it would be an honor for me. Also..."

Theo’s eyes narrowed slightly.

"Since I’ve recently taken the position of Young Lord, I’ve become more interested in the ‘future’ that the Empire will face. Your wisdom is necessary, so I hope you will not decline my invitation."

"...!"

Dante’s eyes flickered before returning to their usual cold composure.

The unexpected strike was a sudden dagger to the heart.

He had never anticipated this maneuver from Theo, but he realized now that Theo had already seen through his intentions.

Theo’s gaze sharpened further.

‘How did he know?’

It made sense now. After all, Theo had knowledge of a secret that, apart from Kyle, no one else had.

‘The Chosen One... His power truly is a problem.’

Facing someone who knew the future was a taxing mental exercise.

And now, it was clear: Theo was the Chosen One.

He had activated the power of the Ragnar bloodline.

‘The Chosen One, chosen by Kyle, who despised that very title... Ha! This is getting interesting.’

On the other hand, Dante was curious.

In the future Theo had seen, what would Dante’s role have been?

Had Theo been able to sit on the throne as he wanted?

Or had he fallen like Icarus, trying to touch the sun only to have his wings melt?

‘In this battle, Kincarnon has already lost.’

There was no need to place any bets on the losing side.

Dante smiled.

"I remember the scent of herbs from Dongbaek Palace’s garden. I’d love a cup of herbal tea."

"Please, come whenever you like. Though, I’ll be leaving for the East soon."

"It won’t be too late. At my age, I no longer sleep in."

He was implying that he’d visit before the sun rose.

On the other hand, he was also hinting that Kincarnon needed to be dealt with before the day ended.

"Yes, I’ll have a warm tea ready for you."

With Theo’s answer, Dante suddenly disappeared.

"Master? Master!"

Ansio’s frantic voice echoed, but there was no response from Dante.

And then,

"Why not stay neutral and step back now? If you wish to continue, make sure you choose a side."

Ansio, still in the stands, met Theo’s gaze and recoiled slightly.

When he saw the blade looming over him from behind, he bit down hard on his lower lip.

"You will follow me, Ansio."

Arin’s sharp voice broke through, and only then did Ansio realize the reality of the situation.

He would no longer be able to dream of the throne.

***

After swiftly eliminating the disturbances, Theo slowly made his way up to the stage.

Thud, thud—

‘Dante’s true identity is that of a distant branch of the royal family... the few who remember him are probably within the royal circle... his goal was always to sit on the empty imperial throne, throwing himself into Ragnar to gain power.’

Dante’s relentless hunger for power and his involvement in behind-the-scenes schemes were simple to understand:

He wanted to be emperor.

But no matter how much he craved it, he would never sit on the imperial throne.

Why?

Because the Ragnar family, alongside the eighteen major feudal lords, would never allow it.

The royal family would soon become insignificant, and the eighteen feudal lords would seize the power vacuum to rule the empire.

At that point, the Empress of Magic would take the throne, leaving someone like Dante with no place.

Naturally, Dante, with his authoritarian tendencies, would be excluded from the power play.

Of course, one could argue:

• "Could the great war have been avoided if Dante had been emperor?"

Theo’s thoughts on this were simple.

Maybe?

He could have avoided it, or he might have worsened it.

If the former, Dante’s will for power would have reshaped the empire’s politics. If the latter, the conflicts between Dante and the eighteen lords would have only led to greater chaos.

But one thing was certain:

Once the Empress of Magic and Dante set their sights on the throne, Theo had taken control of how the empire would be run.

‘Once this is settled, I can move forward quickly toward the future.’

Thud!

Theo arrived at the stage, locking eyes with Kincarnon.

Kincarnon stood, facing off against Amore and Lezé, in a tense standoff.

As the three’s gazes converged on Theo, he spoke.

“Amore, Lezé.”

Theo remained focused on Kincarnon, not breaking his gaze.

“The Dragon Ascension Tournament has just been halted.”

As Theo spoke with the authority of the Young Lord, Lezé and Amore stiffened.

“I’m with Amore!”

“What are you talking about? Halted? Explain yourself!”

“I’ve received intel that Kincarnon is plotting a coup. I plan to begin the arrests now.”

"...!"

"...!"

“Decide. Which side will you stand on?”

For a moment, both Amore and Lezé hesitated, then Amore smirked and stepped toward Theo.

“I’m not Amore, but I’ll follow the Young Lord’s orders.”

“You’re not trying to deal with an easy opponent, are you?”

“Pfft, no way. But the Dragon Ascension Tournament will continue, right?”

Theo chuckled lightly.

It felt as though their intentions were clearly visible.

Lezé hesitated for a moment but, as expected, stepped toward Theo.

“I returned the Grim Reaper's scythe. If I must choose a side, it’s clear where I should stand.”

As expected.

Theo smiled silently.

Then, with his expression growing colder, he commanded.

“Bring them to me.”

Thud! Fwoosh!

Amore and Lezé moved swiftly, their swords flashing.

It was as if the first person to strike Kincarnon would be promised the title of Dragon.

But their blades never reached Kincarnon.

Two swordsmen descended from the sky and intercepted the attack.

Clash, clash, clash!

They were members of the Sword Emperor’s Guard, known as Kincarnon’s right-hand men.

Without a word, they only swung their swords, creating a space for Kincarnon and Theo to face each other.

“According to the original plan, there should be chaos from all sides by now. The Emperor’s Scepter should be in my hands... but nothing has been accomplished yet. How did he find out? I’ve been careful.”

Kincarnon remained surprisingly calm, as if none of the chaos affected him.

“Gardner.”

“As expected. All that smooth talk, and you let a hole appear. Foolish.”

Tsk!

Kincarnon clicked his tongue, frustration evident in his words.

“Even if I deny plotting a coup, you’re not going to listen, are you?”

“You’ve been plotting in secret and still expect us to believe you?”

Theo narrowed his eyes.

“Drop your weapon and surrender. I’ll consider leniency.”

“Give up everything and bow your head... is that it? Heh! Not likely.”

Kincarnon’s eyes glinted coldly.

“Do you have any idea how hard I fought to get to this position? I’m not going to just hand it over to a younger sibling.”

As Kincarnon lowered his sword, the atmosphere around them grew tense.

“Perhaps it’s for the best. In front of so many people, it’ll be clear who is more fit for the Young Lord’s position, don’t you think?”

Theo, silently, drew the Drake’s Edge sword.

Crack! Sizzling!

The clash of their energies created sparks in the air.

“Come then! You’re one of the few younger siblings I acknowledge. I’ll let you have a few moves in the lesson. But you won’t take another step forward without a fight.”

It was an arrogant statement, but Theo had no intention of stopping Kincarnon’s arrogance from continuing.

“Is that so? Then I’ll accept the lesson.”

Theo smirked as he summoned a blazing sun into the air.

Mock me?

Kincarnon felt a sudden chill. Something was wrong.

He remembered hearing about Theo’s ability to turn the battlefield into an inferno with a wide-area attack.

<Sun’s Jewel – Solar Eclipse>

At that moment, another white sun appeared in the sky.

Spinning wildly, it released waves of heat that instantly began to scorch the surrounding air.

Danger!

As Kincarnon attempted to move to slash the sun, Theo had already swung his great sword.

Slash—

Boom!

The sun shattered into pieces, splitting into dozens of thunderstrikes that rained down across the battlefield.

The stage where the Dragon Ascension Tournament had been held was destroyed, buildings collapsed, and dust clouds filled the air.

The desperate cries of the Sword Emperor’s Guard were drowned out, as were the screams of the audience.

"Huff...!"

The overwhelming brightness of the sun and the deafening explosion.

Before it all, Kincarnon could only think:

He had meant to teach Theo a lesson as an older brother, but now—

Such a lethal move from Theo!

"This is it, isn't it?"

Kincarnon realized that the fight had already tipped in Theo's favor.