Regressing as the Reincarnated Bastard of the Sword Clan

Chapter 298

A military camp stood atop the snow-covered highlands.

It was one of the many such camps scattered across Winterer, established to ensure the White Armored Dragon Cavalry could efficiently conduct their operations.

Officially, these camps existed to aid in military strategies, but their true purpose was to monitor the activities of the northern families.

This particular camp, called Snowman’s Shoulder, was situated along the border between Ragnar’s and Narsio’s territories.

“The condition of the camp is satisfactory. We just need to pitch a few additional tents.”

Julius dismounted his wyvern and inspected the long-unused camp, a satisfied smile spreading across his face.

One by one, the other soldiers landed their wyverns and expertly guided them into the stables.

Huff!

Umbra snorted again, eyeing the wyverns disdainfully before retreating into Theo’s shadow at an almost deliberate pace.

“Hahaha! That temper of his is truly something!” Julius laughed heartily.

“...Seems like he’s been holding a lot in,” Theo replied, smiling awkwardly as if he were a parent watching their child misbehave.

“Well, it’s certainly better than being on the receiving end,” Julius added with a chuckle.

Theo nodded. “Can’t argue with that.”

It was, after all, far more satisfying to see Umbra asserting dominance than to see him humbled.

“How long until the ground forces arrive?” Theo asked.

“They should be here within two hours at most,” Julius answered confidently.

Despite the relaxed tone, Theo felt the conversation was somewhat unnatural.

It was especially odd to hear Julius, of all people, speaking so formally.

“You can drop the formalities. There’s no rush to change how we talk.”

Julius gave Theo a warm smile. “I appreciate the sentiment, but you’ll have to get used to it eventually.”

The awkwardness between them was apparent to everyone present.

As time passed and the tents for the rearguard were nearly completed, a messenger bearing Ragnar’s banner arrived at the camp entrance.

“A message from the rearguard—they’re approaching,” the messenger announced.

“Understood. Inform the commanders to report to the conference room upon their arrival.”

“Yes, sir!”

The messenger quickly departed, and Theo and Julius moved to the camp’s conference room to await the rearguard.

Before long, the sound of marching troops reached their ears, accompanied by the bustle of activity outside.

“Looks like they’ve arrived,” Julius remarked.

As he sipped tea with Theo, the conference room door opened to reveal Fanryong Magnus, who entered with a bow.

“Apologies for the delay, Patriarch.”

“There’s no need. You’ve worked hard,” Theo replied, gesturing for Magnus to take a seat to his left.

“Before your arrival, we dispatched scouts toward Narsio’s territory. They should be returning soon. I ask for your patience in resting until we receive their reports.”

As Theo poured a warm cup of tea for Magnus, the latter’s expression flickered momentarily before returning to its usual calm.

His thoughts must be complicated.

Magnus had once served as captain of the royal guard, a position that demanded unwavering loyalty.

Among those who had served Kyle Ragnar, few could rival Magnus in devotion.

Now, to accompany Theo on his first campaign as patriarch—Magnus’s emotions were undoubtedly conflicted.

“Thank you,” Magnus said, raising the teacup to his lips.

As soon as the cup touched the table again, Theo began speaking, signaling the start of the strategy meeting.

“Our primary objective remains the same: a bloodless victory.”

The participation of Harald’s Black Moon Knights had been instrumental in pursuing this goal.

If everything went smoothly, Theo was confident of success.

Ragnar never underestimated its enemies, and Narsio’s forces were already well-documented.

Their military doctrine, mirroring Ragnar’s, was a reflection of their desire to surpass them.

However, this was also their weakness.

When it came to direct combat, Narsio was formidable—but overly predictable.

“The key to this battle lies in aerial dominance.”

Theo wasn’t concerned about the ground forces.

The main issue was the air power.

Even without Umbra, Theo was confident of victory against Narsio’s drake riders.

This was an unchanging reality.

However—

“The airships.”

At that single word, a shadow fell over everyone’s faces.

According to the Black Veil’s intelligence, five airships had been deployed.

“That cunning old fox... We knew he had ties to the Imperial Court,” Julius muttered, clicking his tongue as he crossed his arms.

Compared to the Mage Tower’s airships, the ones from the Imperial Court were vastly superior.

What made this even more concerning was the commander leading those ships—the captain of the Golden Lion Knights, a renowned force even within the Empire.

It was impossible to underestimate them.

For Theo, who lacked experience dealing with airships, this presented a particularly complex problem.

“How significant is the difference between airships and drake riders?” Theo asked Julius, knowing he was the most experienced warrior present.

“Hmm... To put it simply, it’s like comparing infantry to cavalry.”

“So the gap is absolute.”

While overwhelming them with numbers was possible, the cost in casualties would be staggering.

However, what truly puzzled Theo was something else entirely.

There are no historical records of the Narsio family having close ties with the Imperial Court.

This was a mystery.

As Julius had mentioned, Narsio’s connection to the Imperial Court was minimal at best.

For the Empire to dispatch such a formidable force for them seemed highly unusual.

Could it be for political reasons?

That thought provided some clarity. The deployment of the Golden Lion Knights might serve as a political maneuver.

Knock, knock.

“Scouts have returned,” announced a member of the Blue Sword Guard, knocking as he entered.

This was welcome news.

The distribution of Narsio’s forces would reveal their intentions.

“Here it is.”

The scout pulled a sheet of paper from his coat and handed it to Theo, who marveled at the detail of the troop placement.

The Black Dragon’s work, no doubt.

No intelligence network other than Black Veil could have produced something so precise.

When Theo glanced at the scout, the latter gave a slight nod, confirming his suspicion.

“You’ve done well. You may leave.”

“Yes, sir.”

Julius and Magnus exchanged knowing smiles, recognizing the handiwork of Black Veil.

“The airships are stationed at the rearmost position,” Magnus observed.

It seemed as though the airships were avoiding active engagement in the battle.

Theo’s lips curled into a faint smile.

Just as I suspected.

“They aim for complete dominance over the north,” Julius mused.

This was evident. By siding with Narsio, the Imperial Court sought to extend its influence into the north, where it had previously struggled to assert control.

If the court intended only to send a warning, the airships would have been positioned more prominently.

Their placement at the rear suggested otherwise.

Even the Golden Lion Knights’ captain must be displeased with the court’s stance.

Although their mere presence was intimidating, the airships seemed to reflect the captain’s unwillingness to fully commit.

This realization gave Theo confidence.

“Is the Black Moon Knights’ captain present?” Theo asked.

“I’ll fetch him,” the guard replied.

Moments later, Arnold, the captain of the Black Moon Knights, entered.

A giant of a man with a piercing gaze, Arnold’s presence was second only to Harald’s.

“I greet the brother of my lord,” Arnold said, bowing deeply.

Theo had assumed Arnold would feel uneasy following Ragnar’s orders instead of Harald’s, but the captain showed no such hesitation.

“I apologize for interrupting your rest. Please, take a seat.”

When Arnold sat, Theo personally poured him a cup of tea.

“I wanted to express my gratitude. Because of your support, our objective is now within reach.”

Arnold had expected to discuss strategy, so Theo’s words took him by surprise. He tilted his head, confused.

“I’m not sure I understand, my lord.”

Theo’s gaze, however, was unwavering.

“With Harald’s involvement, they can no longer claim moral superiority so easily.”

The meaning of Theo’s words dawned on Julius and Magnus, their eyes widening in realization.

“Their justification for intervening weakens,” Julius said with a faint smile.

It was clear now.

In a simple territorial dispute, the Imperial Court’s intervention would be unwarranted.

However, if Harald supported Ragnar, any claims of injustice became tenuous.

Their argument that Ragnar acted unlawfully collapses.

With another noble house backing Ragnar, the court’s rationale for involvement fell apart.

The Golden Lion Knights would undoubtedly question the situation.

The Imperial Court, known for its pragmatism, would recalculate its position swiftly.

More importantly, the Golden Lion Knights’ captain would likely recognize this immediately.

“Raise Harald’s banner high. Make sure it’s visible from afar.”

***

Ragnar’s army was stationed at Snowman’s Shoulder, just as Narsio had expected.

Like Ragnar, Felix had also sent scouts to monitor the enemy’s movements. While he harbored doubts about the purpose of this war, it was still a commander’s duty to keep a close eye on the enemy’s activity. Felix waited patiently for his scouts to return.

It was then that his deputy entered the airship’s command office, his expression sharp.

“The Narsio family’s ancestral patriarch has requested an audience.”

“Decline it. Tell him I’ll meet him later and to wait.”

“Understood.”

Since their arrival in Narsio territory, Kalen had repeatedly expressed dissatisfaction with the airship fleet’s positioning. However, Felix had no intention of shedding blood for a conflict whose justification remained unclear.

Still no word on the other information?

Felix had ordered intelligence on the intertwined histories of Ragnar and Narsio, but no updates had yet arrived.

Instead—

“The scouts have returned.”

The scouts, having swiftly scouted Ragnar’s camp, handed over their report to the deputy, who passed it to Felix.

Three hundred from the White Armored Dragon Cavalry, roughly a thousand ground troops, and they’ve deployed their drake unit.

The details of the Naga Forest campaign had been thoroughly reported to the Imperial Court. Among the noteworthy elements were the Drake Unit and the Fairy Dragon Unit, both described as highly aggressive in the accompanying warnings.

Felix read through the report without much reaction, having already anticipated the general composition of Ragnar’s forces.

However—

“Commander?”

Felix’s eyes widened, his expression growing grim as he read further.

“Harald’s forces are involved.”

“What?!”

The deputy’s eyes widened in shock at Felix’s revelation. Harald’s presence in the north was unexpected and concerning.

It’s already a challenge to face Ragnar, and now we must contend with Harald as well?

Even with the airships at their disposal, Felix knew the casualties would be immense. Realizing the gravity of the situation, he decided not to wait for further intelligence to arrive.

Instead, he made a swift decision regarding this war.

Moments later, a rare smile graced Felix’s lips.