Regressing as the Reincarnated Bastard of the Sword Clan

Translator: FenrirTL

Editor: Doodle

=================

< Chapter 136: The Tulip Mausoleum (1) >

Theo told Cassandra to keep this matter a secret for the time being.

He was uncertain how others might react if they learned about the “prophecy” concerning him.

Moreover, it could expose his ability to read thoughts.

Still, he wondered what he would do if Cassandra refused.

“Yes. Alright.”

Cassandra nodded so simply that it almost felt hollow.

“No one would believe my dreams anyway. My mother told me never to talk carelessly about my dreams.”

Cassandra’s face darkened slightly when she mentioned “mother,” but she soon smiled again and stuck out her pinky.

“So, does this mean we’re friends now?”

“Friends?”

“Yes. My mother said that people who share secrets are friends.”

Theo let out a soft chuckle and linked his little finger with hers.

“Then we’re friends from now on.”

“Hehehe. I have my first friend now.”

Could this be her way of overcoming her sadness?

Theo quietly patted Cassandra’s head, feeling proud of her.

* * *

Tulip Floral Arts Guildmaster, Ode Le Mère, wrinkled her brow in frustration.

“What? Another guest is coming?”

“Yes…”

“Handling the Upsurging Dragon alone is already enough to drive me crazy, and now there’s more?”

Ode was someone who had spent her entire life far fetched from war.

Floral art.

She had only ever dealt with flowers, priding herself as a master who had elevated this craft to an art form, as widely acknowledged by the world.

Thus, even though the Floristry Guild was technically affiliated as a Retainers’ group under the House of Ragnar, she hadn’t been too concerned about the outbreak of war.

After all, nothing here but flowers could make much of an impact.

But recently, two groups of visitors to the Floristry Guild had begun to disturb her peace bit by bit.

Especially when Upsurging Dragon, who hadn’t shown himself outside the North for a long time, had come looking for the Guild—she had felt quite anxious.

And now, on top of that, another guest?

“But the problem is…”

“What, there’s more?”

Her assistant, Glen, hesitated, barely continuing his sentence while averting his gaze from Ode’s fiery stare.

“They added a cautionary note—since they’re coming here to meet after completing a mission, there might be trouble with Troyban.”

“Are they trying to turn this place into a battlefield?!”

Bang!

Finally, Ode couldn’t hold back and slammed her hand down hard on the table as she sprang to her feet.

It was one thing to accept the main house guests staying, that much was understandable.

But getting swept up in the war was another matter entirely.

The “new guests” Glen mentioned referred specifically to Theo and his party.

“This won’t do.”

Ode gritted her teeth.

“Wh-What are you planning to do…?”

“What do you think I’ll do? I’m going to confront them! Or do you think it’s fine to disturb the peace of those resting beneath the flower gardens?”

“Bu-But still!”

“But what’s ‘but still’ about it! Come with me!”

“Guildmaster! Guildmasteeeer!”

Glen had no choice but to hurriedly chase after Ode, who had burst out of the guildmaster’s office.

* * *

“Our Guildmaster seems to be quite upset.”

“You’re not saying that as if you don’t know why, are you?”

Upsurging Dragon welcomed the fuming Ode with an amiable smile.

Before him, a tea brewed from flower petals was gently steaming.

“The tea is delightful. May I ask what kind of petals were used?”

“Oh, for goodness’ sake! Enough with the small talk—can we focus on the conversation?”

Bang!

Ode slammed her hand down on the table where Upsurging Dragon’s teacup sat.

Glen, caught in the middle, could only shift his gaze nervously, attempting to gauge the mood.

‘Wh-What exactly is the Guildmaster thinking…?’

The person before them was Upsurging Dragon.

Known as possibly the strongest among the Nine Dragons, he was a figure hailed as a living legend of the North.

Yet, the Guildmaster seemed utterly undaunted, even going so far as to challenge him outright. It made Glen feel his blood run cold.

No matter how kind Upsurging Dragon might be, in the end, Ragnar was Ragnar.

It wouldn’t have been surprising if he suddenly unleashed his wrath, with blades drawn in an instant.

That was the general “common sense” held among the Northerners.

Glen gave Ode a silent look as if to say, wouldn’t it be better to stop?

But that foul-tempered Guildmaster only shot back a look that said, What? as if to dismiss him entirely.

It was Upsurging Dragon who responded instead.

“You there.”

“M-Me, sir?”

“Heh. Who else would I be talking to, standing there?”

“N-No, sir! Please, go ahead!”

“This isn’t the military, but you seem pretty high-strung.”

“M-M-M-My apologies!”

“No need to be sorry.”

“Apologies, sir!”

“Hahahaha.”

Upsurging Dragon’s laughter filled the room.

Glen felt he might die from embarrassment under the piercing gaze Ode shot him, which seemed to say, What an idiot.

“Please, don’t be so harsh! My mouth is already dry as a desert because of you, Guildmaster! I’m the one who’s supposed to be protecting you!”

“But rather than that, can you tell me what this flower is?”

“It—it’s marigold.”

“Oh? I see. I’ll have to look for it when I return to Winterer and try it.”

“Ah, please focus on the matter at hand instead of getting distracted!”

“Haha. Your impatience hasn’t changed, I see.”

“If anything, Upsurging Dragon, aren’t you being far too relaxed?”

Does the Guildmaster… actually know Upsurging Dragon?

“Anyway! You do understand what this place is, don’t you?”

As if she’d had enough, Ode crossed her arms and steered the conversation back on track.

A faint smile appeared on Upsurging Dragon’s lips.

“How could I not? This is, after all, the mausoleum where the ancestral spirits of the family are enshrined.”

If the Tulip Floral Arts Guild had merely been a common floral guild, it would never have qualified as a Retainers’ organization under the House of Ragnar.

It would have been just an ordinary guild.

But here, its value to Ragnar was something entirely different.

A mausoleum.

It was a grave.

A very long time ago—so long that hardly anyone remembered anymore—the ancestors who had laid down their lives for Ragnar’s glory lay at rest here.

A shrine.

It was also a small temple where the ancestral tablets were housed, and where blessings and peace were continually prayed over for them.

“Indeed. Tulips are no ordinary flowers. Long ago, blessed by the God of Flowers, the ancestors transformed. Even in death, their heads that faced Winterer became flowers, their bodies formed the black stems that supported them, and the hands and feet that offered prayers turned into leaves and roots, remaining here.”

It was a legend.

A legend famous even as a children’s tale in Winterer.

– From ages past. A story of knights and dragons who, in the distant Arctic beyond the wall, gave their lives in battle to protect Winterer from a black shadow that descended.

“I am the Flower Keeper and Grave Keeper, entrusted with the duty of tending and protecting this precious place. I cannot bear to see it caught up in the war.”

Ode’s eyes gleamed fiercely.

As though she might breathe fire any moment.

“So, please leave at once.”

Upsurging Dragon quietly sipped his tea.

Gulp!

Only the sound of Glen swallowing nervously could be heard.

“I’m afraid I cannot do that.”

“Truly…!”

‘I feel the same as you do. A place of this value should indeed be tended to with care. There’s no reason to disturb the rest of the departed unnecessarily. If it’s simply a rendezvous for the mission, surely other locations could serve.’

“For someone who knows that!”

“However, this mission ‘must’ be completed here, no exceptions.”

Thud!

Upsurging Dragon set his teacup down quietly on the floor.

His eyes deepened, as profound as the rich taste of the floral tea.

“There’s something I need to verify.”

Ode’s eyebrow twitched slightly.

“…So it’s another political reason, isn’t it?”

“That’s all I can tell you for now.”

“Oh, really!”

Unable to hold back, Ode kicked the table forcefully.

Breathing heavily, she stormed out, and Glen quickly bowed to Upsurging Dragon before hurriedly chasing after her.

“Even at her age, she still can’t control that temper of hers. She has a long way to go before she matures.”

Upsurging Dragon chuckled to himself as he picked up his teacup again.

Even though it had cooled significantly, it was still warm.

* * *

As soon as Theo and his party arrived at their destination, the Tulip Floral Arts Guild, they were utterly shocked.

Someone entirely unexpected was there to greet them.

“What’s this! Selperd, did you know about this?”

“How could I? They didn’t specify who’d be receiving us.”

While Selperd and Arin exchanged flustered looks, Theo’s eyes widened.

“Well?”

“Haha! Young Lord Theo, it’s been a while. You’ve grown quite a bit. The same goes for Lady Ray.”

It was Wellington.

He had clearly gone through a growth spurt over the past few months, appearing taller with a deeper voice.

“Why are you here?”

Ray’s question prompted Wellington to smile broadly.

“Ah, I see you hadn’t heard. I came here while traveling with my mentor. And it so happened that I heard Young Lord Theo and Lady Ray were coming, so I decided to stay.”

“I’d been following news about you, Wellington. I heard you’re training with Upsurging Dragon.”

“Well… yes, that’s how it turned out.”

“They say you’re currently one of the most promising talents in the North, don’t they? I’ve even heard rumors that you’re regarded as the best among the ‘Three Lords and Eight Geniuses.’”

“…That wretched nickname even reached your ears, did it?”

Wellington instinctively covered his face with his hand.

In truth, his name had recently become very well-known throughout the North.

Possibly even more than Theo’s.

The title “Three Lords and Eight Geniuses” referred to the eleven most skilled and highly esteemed rising masters, regarded as the foremost talents among the new generation of warriors.

The swordsman Wellington was one of the ‘Eight Geniuses’.

Recently, he had been making notable appearances across the battlefield alongside Upsurging Dragon, where his contributions were nothing short of outstanding.

Many of Troyban’s units had suffered defeats at his hands.

The achievements Theo had read about in the papers alone would more than fill ten fingers.

“The Hero of Taroban City.”

“…Please, stop.”

“The key figure in the Battle of Neta.”

“…I beg you.”

“A true knight, the protector of children, the elderly, and women.”

“…Young Lord Theo, were you always this mischievous?”

Wellington’s achievements were mostly cast in a heroic light.

The House of Ragnar had deliberately shaped the public opinion around him as a “young hero fighting against the tyranny of Troyban.”

In particular, the story of how he defended refugees to the last against Troyban’s assault during the Battle of Neta stirred the Empire.

As a result, Wellington was constantly mobbed by crowds wherever he went, welcoming him with open arms.

Though he was secretly embarrassed by the continuous praise.

“The next Hidden Dragon successor to wield Upsurging Dragon’s sword.”

“…And that child behind you must be the one rescued in this mission.”

Wellington, worried he might die of shame if the praise continued, quickly changed the subject.

Theo chuckled lightly, realizing his friend was still the same as ever, and gently patted the head of Cassandra, who was hiding behind him.

“Yes. Her name is Cassandra. She’s quite shy, but she’s a very sweet child.”

“She certainly seems so. Nice to meet you, Cassandra. I am Wellington.”

“…”

Cassandra just held tightly to Theo’s cloak, saying nothing in response.

Wellington gave a faint, bittersweet smile and moved his lips in a private message.

「It seems the child is very attached to you, Young Lord Theo. Are you able to hand her over?」

Theo scratched his cheek.

According to the instructions they’d received, Cassandra was to be entrusted to a contact waiting at the Tulip Floral Arts Guild, and they were to head directly to “Castle Tolle.”

But after growing so close to Cassandra, he felt uneasy, as she hadn’t opened up to anyone else—not even Ray or the others.

‘The most important thing is that we didn’t let the ‘Sorceress Empress’ fall into Troyban’s hands… But that doesn’t mean I can keep taking her with me.’

Perhaps he could try persuading his superiors, but even if successful, it wouldn’t be feasible to take such a young child along through the chaos of the battlefield.

However, knowing that the contacts were Wellington and Upsurging Dragon eased his concerns.

With the two of them, he could entrust her confidently.

「Still, orders are orders. This child only recently lost her family, so please take good care of her.」

「Understood.」

「Should I hand her over directly to Upsurging Dragon?」

「Ah, it seems you didn’t hear all the details. It’s not just my mentor and me here. You’ll be handing her over to someone else—a person who’s been waiting here solely for her arrival.」

「…?」

A person?

Did that mean someone ranked even higher than Upsurging Dragon and Wellington?

Just as Theo was about to ask, a voice spoke up.

“So, you’re Theo? The one Torkel mentioned as our greatest rival.”

A chilling sensation ran down his spine.

Instinctively, Theo reached towards the Drake’s Blade slung over his shoulder and looked up sharply.

There, on the edge of the building’s roof sat a woman composed like a cat, looking down at him.

Backlit by the sun, she radiated a fierce, combative aura.

The large scythe on her back stood out starkly.

Why is Black Reaper here?

Black Reaper, Lezé Ragnar.

The one closest to the throne.

She was the latest addition to the Five Great Candidates, following Torkel.

And then—

Vrrrm!

Suddenly, Theo’s earring, ring, and Moon-White Sword began to vibrate intensely.

Simultaneously, the giant scythe strapped to Lezé’s back resonated in the same way.

“Is that the Ancient Dragon’s Artifact?”