Chapter 109: Cold Winter (4) >


    1:41 AM.


    Theo stepped out through a side door that had opened slightly, recing the firmly locked main gate of Winterer’s fortress.


    “The air is brisk.”


    Theo pulled up the fox fur scarf that Cecilia had thoughtfully provided, covering his mouth.


    The night wind of his first winter since his return was as cold as he remembered.


    “Oh, you’ve finally arrived, our youngest.”


    Waiting for Theo were two people: Selperd and Arin.


    These two had been assigned by Julius to be Theo’s mentors.


    ‘Didn’t Evelyn mention she was busy preparing for the Dragon Gate Swordsman promotion test?’


    Although he felt a slight pang of regret, he wished her the best results.


    Since she had put up a good fight against Wolfgang, catching the eye of many masters, it likely wouldn’t be too difficult for her to seed in the promotion.


    “Have you been waiting long? I apologize for the dy.”


    “No, no, no need. We just arrived a little while ago ourselves. Besides, you came ten minutes early, didn’t you? Nothing to be sorry about.”


    As Theo apologized, Selperd waved his hand dismissively and asked casually.


    “So, our destination is the Autonomous Territory of the Floating Archipgo, huh? What mission are we on exactly?”


    “Hmm? Didn’t the Captain tell you anything?”


    “He just kicked me and said to follow you, nothing else.”


    “……”


    That exined why Arin looked so grumpy without saying a word.


    Theo let out a small sigh.


    “I’ll exin in detail as we travel.”


    “Sounds good.”


    Whistle!


    Selperd let out a short whistle.


    Two wyverns appeared in the sky, silhouetted against the moon as they descended.


    * * *


    Over the course of several days, Theo’s group traveled toward the northwestern region.


    The northern pine forests gradually disappeared, giving way to ins, and as they crossed several mountains, the air began to grow warmer.


    ‘Or maybe it’s just that northern winters are especially cold?’


    While Theo pondered these things, a low-lying area eventually came into view on the horizon.


    And beyond it—the vast blue expanse of the ocean stretched out in a single, breathtaking sweep.


    For a moment, his chest felt wide open.


    “Ah! Even after years, it’s still a great sight.”


    Selperd eximed in admiration at the ocean’s blue expanse, then looked back at Theo.


    “Oh, by the way, Theo, isn’t this your first time seeing the ocean?”


    “Well, yes, you could say that.”


    “Huh. But you don’t seem impressed? Other people are either astonished, like, ‘Wow, is that much water even possible?’ or scared, asking, ‘Where does it end?’ It’s always one or the other.”


    In the north, although there were a fewrgekes, the region was mostly filled with ins and forests, so many northerners lived their entire lives without ever seeing the sea.


    It seemed Selperd had expected Theo to have a simr reaction.


    ‘There was a time I lived near the ocean, after all.’


    With his memories from a previous life, the sight of the ocean didn’t astonish Theo. As a result, Selperd’s enthusiasm quickly waned.


    “Did you think everyone in the world would get all worked up like you?”


    Arin scoffed, prompting Selperd to smirk suddenly.


    “Now, is there or isn’t there a friend who, upon seeing the ocean for the first time, suddenly had to run to the restroom?”


    “…Would you shut up?”


    “There is?”


    “Honestly, I have no idea what you’re talking about.”


    “There isn’t?”


    “You wanna die?”


    ck!


    Arin drew her sword and pursued Selperd, keeping pace with him.


    “Pahahaha!”


    “Hey! You’d better stop right there!”


    Whooosh—


    As the two engaged in an aerial chase, exchanging banter andughter, Theo quietly gazed at the tranquil blue waves.


    In the distance, he could make out ‘Novazé,’ the harbor city that led to the Floating Archipgo.


    Large and small vessels were docked at the port, with goods being loaded and unloaded, creating a lively and bustling atmosphere.


    There were workers unloading goods at the docks, auctioneers shouting bids, fishermen celebrating their full catches, traders sorting and packing fish, vendors setting up their stands, and the horns of ships sounding as they prepared to set sail.


    Unlike the north, where people fought fiercely to survive in a harsh environment, here was a ce bustling with a different kind of fierce intensity.


    ‘It’s been a long time since I’ve been here.’


    A quiet smile yed on Theo’s lips.


    In his previous life. Fleeing from the House of Ragnar, he had left Winterer ande here with the vague n of starting a trade.


    ‘Wonder if those people are still doing well?’


    As memories of his past life connections—who would now still be children—surfaced, Theo’s group soon arrived near Novazé.


    Before entering the city, the group concealed or stationed their wyverns nearby and changed into the specially prepared clothes.


    “This mission is a secret operation, so we need to keep our identities thoroughly hidden. We’ll also move as covertly as possible. For now, we’ll be using ‘wandering knights’ as our cover. Here are your identity tokens.”


    Theo handed separate identity tokens to Selperd and Arin.


    Selperd examined his token with a curious expression.


    “When did you even get these ready?”


    “ck Snow prepared them for us.”


    “Did you really receive the Emblem of No Snow?”


    “Was there a rumor about that?”


    “Considering how important that news is, do you think it would just be a rumor?”


    “Then…?”


    “How did I know, you ask?”


    “Yes.”


    “I just… heard it.”


    “…?”n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    “It just came to me.”


    “…??”


    The existence of the Emblem of No Snow was a secret known only to Theo, the ck Dragon, and Julius.


    But for him to have just passively heard about it somewhere?


    Beside him, Arin sighed deeply and shook her head.


    “Just let it go, even if you can’t make sense of what he says. He’s like a mouse, scurrying around everywhere and picking up bits and pieces here and there.”


    “Oh-ho! Calling me a mouse! There’s a perfectly good word for that—connoisseur!”


    “Is it ‘connoisseur’ to know the number of spoons and forks at Theo’s house? That’s stalking.”


    “…???”


    Theo still couldn’t follow their conversation.


    “Just let it go. Trying to understand everything about this guy would be a never-ending task.”


    “…Ah, okay.”


    With a puzzled expression, Theo nodded and entered Novazé alongside them.


    “So, where do we go now? Should we buy tickets directly for the ship to Venota?”


    “No. There’s somewhere we need to stop by first.”


    “Where?”


    “It’ll be here soon.”


    “Huh? What?”


    This time, it was Selperd who looked confused and tilted his head in question.


    Thud!


    Out of nowhere, a passerby identally bumped into Theo.


    “My apologies… Aaagh!”


    Selperd and Arin were momentarily stunned.


    The passerby’s hand was still firmly nted in Theo’s back pocket as he screamed in surprise.


    Theo had caught him red-handed while he was trying to pickpocket him.


    “You’re with Spin, aren’t you?”


    “W-What are you talking about! Let me go! Let go right now!”


    “I’d like to meet your superiors. How should we make that happen?”


    Theo grinned, unaffected by the pickpocket’s panicked cries.


    “You bastard!”


    The thief’s face flushed red as he pulled a dagger from his cloak and shed at Theo.


    But—


    Crack!


    In an instant, the thief’s right arm twisted backward.


    “Aaaargh!”


    Without blinking, Theo drove his foot into the man’s abdomen.


    From the beginning, he had no intention of showing any mercy to a criminal.


    Thud!


    Roll!


    The pickpocket was thrown into the air,nding on top of a vendor’s stand on the opposite side.


    “Aaaaah!”


    “A fight!”


    “Guards! Call the guards!”


    As the area grew more chaotic,


    Theo firmly pressed his foot against the pickpocket’s neck, who had tried to get up, forcing him back down.


    “Urgh! My neck! N-neck…!”


    Theo looked down at the gasping man, coldly smiling.


    “Where’s your hideout?”


    “M-my neck first…!”


    “Start with the location.”


    Theo pressed down harder.


    Realizing he might actually suffocate or snap his neck, the pickpocket, in a panic, pointed to a nearby tavern.


    “T-there…!”


    “Are you certain?”


    “It’s true, please…!”


    Only then did Theo lift his foot.


    Gasp!


    The pickpocket managed to catch his breath, but—


    “Then lead the way, shall we?”


    “W-what!”


    Unable to resist Theo’s iron grip on his cor, he found himself dragged toward the tavern.


    “S-save me! If you take me in there, I’ll—I’ll be dead!”


    “You’re the one who’ll die, not me, right?”


    “N-no, stop it, you bastard!”


    This fool, who thought he could have a bit of fun pickpocketing a noble-looking young man, was in for a terrible shock.


    Trying to resist was pointless, and Theo had already thrown him toward the tavern.


    Crash!


    The pickpocket smashed through the door, rolling a good distance inside.


    Hey limp, clearly unconscious.


    “What’s going on!”


    “Who the hell are you!”


    As the suddenmotion drew the attention of customers and staff, all eyes turned to the dusty entrance.


    Swish!


    “Is this Spin’s branch?”


    Theo lowered the de of Drake’s sword and stepped further inside.


    * * *


    By the time Selperd and Arin entered the tavern after Theo, the ruckus had already settled down.


    Broken weaponsy scattered across the floor, and thugs who looked every bit like back-alley criminalsy twisted in unnatural angles, screeching in pain.


    Theo sat at a table, looking down at them with a refreshed expression, as if he had just had a good workout.


    「Weren’t we supposed to conduct this mission as discreetly as possible? Is causing this much noise really okay?」


    Selperd whispered telepathically to Theo, looking bewildered.


    Moreover, the name Theo was after, Spin, was hardly suitable for a ‘secret operation.’


    The capital of the Floating Archipgo Autonomous Territory.


    The free city where the headquarters of the Shipping Union and United Banking Confederation were located.


    Venota.


    From long ago, this city had operated under an oligarchic system, with three families alternating in the position of chancellor.


    —The Three Shipping Families.


    That’s what they were usually called.


    Spin was one of these families, originally a crime organization that managed illegal gains in the maritime trade by gathering illegal immigrants and exiles.


    Now, they conducted various legitimate businesses in the public eye, yet remained an object of fear for many.


    Of course,pared to the House of Ragnar, they were still a minor power.


    But riding on the back of the Shipping Union, the money they handled and their influence across the world were not to be underestimated.


    So, if this pickpocket gang they had just tangled with was indeed a Spin branch, then Theo had just stirred up a massive situation for no reason.


    However,


    「On the contrary, this is an ideal way to move discreetly.」


    「What do you mean? Exin in detail.」


    「The city of Venota may appearwless on the surface, but precisely because of that, it’s under strict surveince. The eyes and ears of the Three Shipping Families are everywhere.」


    Selperd began to grasp what Theo was getting at.


    「So it’ll be easy for us to be watched as well?」


    「Yes. If, as ck Snow suspects, ck Skull is one of the hidden weapons Venota is concealing, then investigating them will be all the more challenging. We’re likely to draw suspicion too easily.」


    「So you’re nning to stick close to Spin instead?」


    「If we’re going to arouse suspicion, better to do it openly.」


    Theo borated.


    「Spin is akin to a mafia family. If they spot skillful fighters like us, their interest will naturally be piqued.」


    「And if we gain their favor, getting into Venota’s core will be much easier?」


    「Exactly.」


    Ha!


    Selperd let out a shortugh, almost involuntarily.


    Theo’s n was incredibly thorough.


    ‘But isn’t this exactly the kind of mission ck Snow would carry out?’


    It was no wonder the ck Dragon was so intent on bringing Theo into their fold.


    ‘Seems he’s got a remarkable talent.’


    ‘For this mission, I might as well follow Theo’s lead. If I just trail behind, it should alle together.’


    While Arin listened to Selperd’s exnation and nodded in admiration.


    Creaaak!


    Step, step—


    Someone wasing down the broken stairs from the second floor.


    It was an old man leaning on a staff.


    Theo and hispanions turned their attention toward him.


    “Oh dear. It seems we haven’t weed our guests properly.”


    “Are you the Spin boss who runs this ce? Fitting for a criminal group—the subordinates here are just as vile as expected.”


    Having already caused a ruckus, Theo decided to keep up an arrogant, insolent demeanor for the remainder of this mission.


    And with his sharp, cold features, the look suited him so well that even Selperd and Arin, watching from the side, were taken aback.


    ‘Theo… that’s not his true nature, is it…?’


    ‘As expected, Theo is a Ragnar.’


    Remembering that Ragnar was simply acting as a Ragnar would, they nodded, almost in understanding of his behavior.


    “…?”


    Only Theo, unaware of their thoughts, tilted his head slightly in confusion.