Regressing as the Reincarnated Bastard of the Sword Clan

Chapter 290

"I am deeply indebted to you all. I will repay this kindness without fail."

At the settlement’s entrance, Harald expressed his heartfelt gratitude to the village chief and its inhabitants. His voice and gaze carried a sincerity that couldn’t be mistaken, reflecting his immense appreciation for how they had cared for Ash during their time there.

"Hoho! We didn’t do it expecting gratitude, but we are glad everything turned out well. Please, travel safely. We look forward to seeing you again someday."

The village chief, with a warm smile, even offered Harald a prized horse from the settlement. Theo noticed the chief sneaking a glance his way.

"I will keep my promise. You have nothing to worry about."

At Theo’s words, smiles spread across the faces of the chief and the villagers.

"Take care on your journey!"

With their heartfelt sendoff, Theo and his group departed. Ash sat atop the horse, her head hung low, her face flushed with embarrassment.

"It should be you riding, my benefactor..."

She seemed uneasy about being the one to use the horse.

"It’s fine, Ash," Harald reassured her gently. "Be grateful and accept the kindness shown to you for now."

Only then did Ash seem to relax slightly.

As they approached the borders of Ragnar’s domain, Harald broke the silence.

"Quite the lively reception for the hero's return."

Hearing the boisterous sounds from beyond the fortress walls, Harald chuckled heartily, glancing at Theo. Theo smiled in return, feeling a tickling sensation in his chest.

“I’d like to make a grand entrance,” he thought, “but…”

He quickly dismissed the idea of calling Umbra and making a dramatic flight, worried it might cause unnecessary chaos.

"You go on ahead. I have some preparations to make."

Without waiting for Harald’s response, Theo slipped away to a secluded spot. From his inventory, he retrieved the spoils of the expedition: three giant Quorch hides, a black fang from the Viper’s disassembly, and a bag Cecilia had prepared.

Though the weight was significant, his steps felt light. The closer he came to the source of the cheers, the louder they grew. Soon, the northern gate came into view, where the Nine Dragons were gathered.

Harald noticed the items Theo carried and raised an eyebrow.

"Those spoils look heavy."

"Waaah!"
"Hooooonk!"

The cheers erupted from the northern gate as the townspeople spotted Theo. Their jubilant shouts echoed throughout Winterer, the stronghold of Ragnar. As Theo approached the gates, the Nine Dragons turned to meet him.

"I’ve returned."

With a heavy thud, Theo placed the giant Quorch hides and the Viper’s black fang onto the ground, sending a spray of snow into the air.

"Well done."

The Black Dragon stepped forward to commend him, and the other Nine Dragons offered smiles of approval.

"Thank you. Allow me to make introductions. This is Lord Van Harald and his daughter, Ash Harald. Please understand that Ash remains seated on the horse due to her health."

As Theo spoke, Harald led his horse forward, offering a polite bow. Ash, despite being told not to, insisted on dismounting to show her respect.

"Van Harald."
"Ash Harald. Greetings to you all."

The Black Dragon extended his hand, and Harald grasped it firmly.

"To receive such esteemed guests during a victory celebration is an honor for Ragnar."

"I hope we haven’t intruded at an inconvenient time," Harald said with a hearty laugh.

"Not at all. Please take your time to enjoy our hospitality. For now, Lord Harald, you and your daughter may rest. You’ll be invited to the banquet this evening."

"We will do so gladly. Thank you for your kindness."

With a snap of the Black Dragon’s fingers, a carriage and an escort of guards emerged from the crowd.

"Treat our honored guests with the utmost care."

"Understood!" the guards responded in unison, guiding Harald and Ash to the carriage.

"Wow!"
"The Sea Sovereign!"
"The Sea Sovereign in Ragnar!"

The townsfolk chanted Harald’s title and name with awe and enthusiasm. His reputation preceded him, and the people cheered as they had never before.

Meanwhile, Theo and Lodbrok moved past the crowd, making their way toward the Patriarch’s hall.

"You’re becoming quite accustomed to the attention, I see," Theo remarked.

"One must adapt," Lodbrok replied, though his tone was less stiff than before.

Seeing Lodbrok’s growing comfort with such situations brought a smile to Theo’s face. As flower petals scattered in the air, familiar faces came into view—Kincarnon, Lezé, and their half-brothers, who now bore resigned, self-deprecating smiles.

They had likely clung to some hope of becoming Patriarch themselves, but it seemed they had finally accepted defeat.

"Congratulations."
"Congratulations."
"Congratulations..."
"Congratulations."

As Theo passed by the Nine Dragons, Julius playfully ruffled his hair, while the Plum Blossom Sovereign gave him a warm smile. Even Lezé and Kincarnon, though lacking energy, offered their congratulations.

At the end of the line stood Cecilia, waiting with an unreadable expression.

"You seem thinner. Are you alright?" she asked softly.

"I’m fine. I feel healthier than ever. I’ll see you later at home, Mother."

Theo embraced Cecilia briefly before continuing toward the Patriarch’s hall. There was much to report, and explanations would need to wait.

"Long live Ragnar!"
"Long live Theo!"

The cheers gradually faded as Theo reached the Patriarch’s hall, where the Black Dragon awaited him, hands clasped behind his back.

“Why do I have a bad feeling about this?” Theo wondered. The slight fatigue in the Black Dragon’s expression did nothing to ease his nerves.

The sunlight glinted off the Black Dragon’s eyes, and from behind him, the faint aura of an overwhelming presence seemed to emanate from the office.

"Well done," the Black Dragon said, his tone sharp yet measured.

"Thank you. About the succession ceremony—"

"There’s something you must handle first."

The Black Dragon interrupted, pushing open the office doors.

Inside, towering stacks of pristine white documents greeted Theo. They rose like miniature skyscrapers, a mountain of bureaucracy awaiting him.

"As much as this is a reunion, the Patriarch’s duties are never light. Let’s finish this quickly."

The sight struck Theo with almost the same force as encountering the Viper. As his body instinctively leaned back, a firm hand landed on his shoulder.

The Black Dragon’s smile, faintly tinged with madness, suggested that escape was not an option.

"Understood," Theo replied reluctantly, stepping into the office and taking a seat at the enormous desk.

"Wait, why is Lodbrok here...?"

For a moment, Theo had forgotten the dragon’s presence. Lodbrok was lounging on a sofa, calmly sipping tea poured by the Black Dragon himself.

"Is there a problem?" Lodbrok asked innocently.

"...No, not really."

Theo felt an odd sense of betrayal. Even more surprising was the Black Dragon’s casual attitude toward Lodbrok’s presence.

"Take your time and enjoy yourself. Now, let’s begin the debriefing. You can sign the papers as we go."

With that, the Black Dragon handed Theo the first stack of documents. It wasn’t a request—it was an order.

The sound of Lodbrok's laughter echoed through the office, but Theo forced himself to focus on the Black Dragon’s endless reports, swiftly working through the stack of documents. The Black Dragon showed no signs of fatigue, meticulously detailing each matter requiring Theo’s attention.

Meanwhile, Lodbrok sat nearby, looking unreasonably pleased with himself.

“This is infuriating,” Theo thought but didn’t let his hands stop signing and stamping the paperwork.

As the mountain of documents gradually shrank and his mind began to feel hazy, the Black Dragon finally spoke up.

"Let’s take a short break."

He had noticed Theo’s increasingly heavy eyelids.

"I understand now why humans are so obsessed with comparing themselves to others," Lodbrok remarked suddenly, sipping his tea with deliberate elegance and releasing a quiet sigh.

"What do you mean by that?" Theo asked, his exhaustion tinged with irritation.

"If I were lounging alone in another room, I doubt I’d be having nearly as much fun right now," Lodbrok said with a mischievous smile.

Theo’s brow twitched. Lodbrok’s teasing was met with an expression of mild indignation, which only made the dragon laugh louder.

Nearby, the Black Dragon casually approached with a tea kettle in hand.

"I’ll prepare a fresh pot."

"Something different this time. This one’s becoming dull."

"As you wish."

At a snap of the Black Dragon’s fingers, a servant appeared as if waiting for the signal, presenting a new kettle of tea.

Gurgle.

The Black Dragon poured tea into Lodbrok’s cup with the same practiced grace he might show a royal guest. Theo couldn’t suppress the irritation bubbling beneath his calm exterior.

"Let’s resume the work."

He muttered the words, eager to avoid further distractions, and turned back to the task at hand. Finishing these papers would be the fastest way to avoid watching this galling display any longer.

"Ah, you’re picking up speed now," Lodbrok noted as Theo pressed forward with renewed vigor.

Soon enough, the Black Dragon concluded his reports, looking satisfied with Theo’s industrious pace.

Finally—bang!—Theo stamped the last document. The sound marked the end of his ordeal. Without hesitation, his gaze turned to Lodbrok, his irritation palpable.

"That was immensely satisfying. In many ways. Hahaha."

Lodbrok, clearly entertained, stood and stretched, prompting Theo and the Black Dragon to follow his lead. Theo swore to himself that he wouldn’t so much as glance at another document for a while.

"Would you prefer tea or something stronger?" a servant asked as they entered a reception room prepared for relaxation.

"Tea, please," Lodbrok replied with a grin.

As the staff quickly prepared refreshments, the Black Dragon turned his gaze to Theo.

"Now, tell us what happened in the Beastlands. I didn’t expect you to bring back Van Harald himself."

"Neither did I," Theo admitted with a faint smile. Thinking back, the sheer absurdity of the situation almost made him laugh. Who could have predicted that a hunt for a Class-2 beast would escalate so dramatically?

"It’s a good thing, though. What you need most right now is authority. And Van Harald is a powerful ally in that regard."

The hunt for monsters in the Beastlands had been a demonstration of strength, but one that could only stir temporary excitement. Such authority, derived from a single event, would fade quickly.

“True authority can’t be built overnight,” Theo mused.

In the North, authority came from strength, and strength needed to be consistently proven. Even Kyle, despite being the patriarch, had faced countless challenges until his power became unquestionable.

But now, Theo realized just how much this alliance with Harald had shifted the equation.

Theo, though rising as a new force, was still seen as someone earning his place. Harald, by contrast, was a figure of legendary renown, having stood alongside Kyle as a titan of their era. For someone of Harald’s stature to ally with Theo would make it nearly impossible for challengers to undermine him.

Only someone with authority equal to Harald’s could question why such a man would forge an alliance with Theo. And there were precious few in the North who could claim that level of prestige.

"I thought it would take at least five years of constant challenges to solidify your authority," the Black Dragon said with a chuckle. "Thanks to Van Harald, that timeline just got a lot shorter. Well done."

"It was just luck," Theo replied modestly.

"Luck? Grasping luck is a skill in itself. Your elder brother never let even the smallest opportunities slip through his fingers. That’s how he became the powerhouse he was."

The Black Dragon’s expression grew wistful as he sipped his tea, clearly recalling fond memories of Kyle.

"Now," Theo began, voice steady, "all that’s left is the Narsio family."