Before the assembly began, Vittorio had given Theo one instruction.
“If you’re putting on a play...”
“Yes, I’d like you to show our esteemed lawmakers just what you’re capable of. Prove your worth to me, and I’ll lend you my support in all things going forward.”
In other words, Vittorio wanted Theo to demonstrate his value, to earn his full investment.
For Theo, this was a natural progression. Commanding only the Temple Knights and the Black Skull wouldn’t be enough to wield complete influence over the Floating Archipelago.
Thus, Theo agreed with a confident nod.
The lawmakers watched Theo, murmuring among themselves as he made his way forward.
They believed they were being discreet, but to Theo, it was as if they were conversing right beside him.
“That’s the one who inherited Kriemhilt’s relics?”
“He looks younger than I expected.”
“Let’s not underestimate him. After all, he was the one who managed to expel the Ghost Slayers when we couldn’t.”
Despite the numerous gazes fixed on him, Theo didn’t show a hint of nerves.
“I am Theo, a practical swordsman of the Ragnar family. It’s an honor to meet the esteemed lawmakers of Venota Island and the Autonomous Assembly of the Floating Archipelago.”
“Practical swordsman? Not a higher-grade swordsman?”
“Is he hiding his true skill? Or does his power come from the relic itself?”
“Have any of you heard the name Theo Ragnar before? Theo Ragnar... sounds unfamiliar.”
Theo’s reputation was primarily limited to Winterer, with no real recognition outside. He had maintained a low profile until now.
“Order! Let’s have some order, please.”
Bang! Bang!
Vittorio called for silence and then addressed Theo.
“Theo Ragnar, this assembly has several matters to inquire about. Would you respond honestly to all questions posed?”
Theo gave a solemn nod.
“I swear on the honor of the Ragnar family that all my statements will be nothing but the truth.”
“Then, this discussion should be straightforward. We all know the pride Ragnars have in their family.”
Vittorio posed a series of questions, to which Theo responded with unfiltered truth about his experiences. The lawmakers listened intently, many of them fuming over the Ghost Slayers’ atrocities while pondering how they might have fared in his place.
Their answer? A silent acknowledgment that it would have been difficult, if not impossible, to achieve the same.
As other witnesses added their testimonies, cheers and exclamations arose from some of the younger lawmakers, along with members of the Temple Knights and Black Skull who had connections to them.
The older lawmakers, however, squirmed uncomfortably in their seats, visibly uneasy with the assembly’s growing support for Theo.
The more perceptive lawmakers noticed a subtle shift in the atmosphere.
‘The one holding sway here isn’t the governor—it’s Kriemhilt’s successor, Theo Ragnar.’
That was the thought crossing all of their minds.
Theo’s presence had surpassed even Vittorio’s, dominating the room.
“If things continue like this...”
“Keeping him in check won’t be easy.”
“Is the governor deliberately putting Theo Ragnar at the forefront to seize control?”
The lawmakers’ suspicions grew.
There was no chink in Theo and Vittorio’s alliance.
“Kriemhilt has truly blessed us by sending such a worthy successor to our Archipelago,” Vittorio said. “He has saved us twice now—from both the Sea King and Troivan.”
“You’re too kind.”
Vittorio’s expression grew serious. “There’s something I’d like to ask. Now that the crises have passed, are you prepared to return Balmung and Aegir to us as you mentioned?”
Lawmakers who had seemed resigned suddenly perked up.
“What’s this? The tone feels tense.”
“Did you notice too? It feels like they’re at odds...”
“Could it be the governor is wary of Kriemhilt’s successor?”
“Something’s definitely going on!”
Without a word, Theo drew the dragon-slaying sword from its scabbard.
Shing!
With a flash of blue light, an intense aura filled the assembly hall.
Hummm—
Drawing a weapon in the sacred assembly was technically an act of treason. Some lawmakers looked ready to object, but they didn’t dare speak. The Temple Knights, Black Skull members, and even Marti, Vittorio’s granddaughter, stood silently, their trust in Theo unwavering.
“Of course, I intend to return it,” Theo said as he plunged Balmung into the floor, “but there is a problem. The Balmung I now hold only acknowledges its owner and rejects all other hands.”
Theo glanced around, his gaze meeting each lawmaker’s.
“Do you believe you can take it?”
A tense silence filled the room.
The challenge in Theo’s question was clear, and some of the more ambitious lawmakers found their eyebrows twitching.
“I am Councilman Caravaggio Romano. Are you saying that if we cannot lift Balmung, you won’t return it to us?”
A sturdily built middle-aged man shot Theo a piercing look.
Theo smiled and shook his head.
“Not at all. I simply mean that if no one can wield it, Balmung would be nothing more than a decoration.”
“Then, by your logic, if someone were able to lift Balmung, that person would have the right to wield it?”
“Precisely. In that case, that individual could represent the Archipelago and wield Balmung as a symbol.”
Caravaggio’s eyes gleamed with greed.
If he could become the assembly member who wielded Balmung, he would gain unparalleled influence. After all, to wield such a relic would mean becoming a prominent figure in the Archipelago.
“That’s true. It wouldn’t make sense to let a sacred sword like Balmung gather dust.”
Caravaggio muttered to himself as he glanced toward Vittorio, seeking his approval. When the governor nodded, he immediately rose and approached the platform.
Clenching Balmung’s hilt, veins bulged on his muscular forearms, showing he was quite capable with a sword.
However—
Clang!
Balmung quivered violently, rejecting his touch.
“Gah!”
-What? It’s moving!
-Move, move! It’s flying this way!
Boom!
With a cough of blood, Caravaggio was flung back, crashing into the middle of the lawmakers’ seats.
The assembly hall erupted into chaos as the lawmakers scrambled to avoid the blowback.
Meanwhile, Balmung continued to hum, impervious to the commotion around it.
“As you can see, it’s quite the finicky sword,” Theo remarked. “Gaining its approval isn’t easy.”
With most of the lawmakers now too intimidated to approach, a few particularly daring ones stood up.
“I’ll give it a try!”
“I will, too. I had a fair reputation across the continent once.”
“Harrumph. I’ll make an attempt as well.”
Each of them thought the same thing:
‘If an outsider can wield Balmung, then surely I can too!’
Yet, they all met the same fate. Either they were repelled by Balmung’s resistance, or they fainted from the backlash of its magical energy.
-This is impossible!
-Could he have tampered with Balmung somehow? Why else would it reject us?
Some lawmakers cast accusatory glances at Theo, but they froze when he calmly reached for Balmung.
The sword immediately hummed with a clear, welcoming note, as though thrilled to be held by him.
Even lawmakers unfamiliar with swords sensed Balmung’s eagerness for Theo’s touch.
A ghostly image of Kriemhilt briefly appeared above Theo, her gaze sweeping over the assembly before fading away.
The lawmakers fell silent.
It was as though the spirit of Kriemhilt herself was silently admonishing them.
Click—
Theo effortlessly lifted Balmung and rested it on his shoulder.
“I will gladly return it if requested. But personally, I believe it would be far more fitting for someone representing the Archipelago to wield Balmung in Kriemhilt’s honor. Don’t you agree?”
Updat𝒆d fr𝒐m freewebnσvel.cøm.
He directed his gaze in the same direction Kriemhilt’s apparition had looked.
The lawmakers averted their eyes, unable to meet his gaze.
No one dared object.
“It seems everyone here shares my sentiments,” Theo remarked with a faint smile.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Vittorio struck the gavel three times, satisfaction evident on his face.
---
The assembly’s final decision was as follows:
- Theo Ragnar would return ownership of Balmung and Aegir to the Autonomous Assembly of the Floating Archipelago.
- However, in honor of Balmung’s significance and out of respect for Kriemhilt’s successor, the assembly would “loan” Balmung to Theo Ragnar for the duration of his lifetime. Should he die or lose his status as Kriemhilt’s successor, Balmung would be returned immediately.
- As part of this arrangement, Theo Ragnar would maintain a reciprocal relationship with the Archipelago and work to share Kriemhilt’s knowledge and secrets, including the Nibelung, with the Assembly.
The crucial detail was that Theo had entered into this “contract” with the Assembly as an individual rather than a representative of the Ragnar family.
The Floating Archipelago was a politically significant region with electors who could nominate an emperor. By negotiating with them on equal terms, Theo’s status and reputation would only grow once the contract details became public.
Unsurprisingly, journalists who had been following the unfolding political landscape began publishing a flood of articles.
**“Troivan’s Reckless Actions: Attempting to Sink the Floating Archipelago”**
**“Troivan Held Tens of Thousands of Lives Hostage. Can They Be Left Unchecked?”**
Many articles questioned Troivan’s ethics, but these were swiftly
suppressed. Instead, stories celebrating Theo’s heroic arrival took center stage.
**“Theo Ragnar, the Young Hero of Ragnar, Foils Troivan’s Schemes”**
**“Theo Ragnar, a Real Swordfighter at 15! An Exclusive Look”**
**“Hero Theo Subdues the Sea King”**
**“The Secret of the Northern Heir’s Emergence”**
Quick-witted journalists even uncovered Theo’s status as the “sixth heir,” a topic of recent interest in Winterer.
**“Like Mother, Like Son? How Cecilia’s Son Inherited Her Beauty”**
One article even included a photo of Cecilia, who had once made waves in the theater world before her quiet departure.
“Oh my! This article is about Theo, and they even featured Cecilia’s picture!”
Excited, a young maid from the Camellia Palace picked up a newspaper and dashed toward Cecilia’s boutique.
“Lady Cecilia! You won’t believe this—it’s an extra edition!”
The maid’s pace, however, came to a sudden halt.
The Lady of the Plum Palace was entering the boutique.