Regressing as the Reincarnated Bastard of the Sword Clan – Chapter 181

Translator: FenrirTL

Editor: Doodle

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< Chapter 181: Temporary 5th Squad Leader (1) >  

‘The assassination of Torkel.’  

After all the meetings had concluded.  

Theo was lost in deep thought on his way back to his quarters.  

‘Why didn’t anything like this happen in my previous life? Or did it happen, and I just didn’t know about it?’  

In his previous life, Torkel, who had risen to fame as a rare genius, ultimately failed in the competition for the throne.  

The publicly known cause of death was in battle.  

It was believed he had died during combat with the Sacred Demon Church… but apparently, that wasn’t the truth.  

The Black Dragon didn’t explain why Torkel had to be assassinated.  

But considering his obsession with Ragnar, which was even more extreme than that of the family head, there must have been a significant reason for his decision.  

Perhaps he had sided with the Sacred Demon Church.  

Or there might have been some other reason…  

‘Evelyn chasing after Lord Upsurging Dragon is already troublesome enough. What on earth is happening within the family?’  

Theo let out a long sigh, feeling somewhat stifled.  

A family that appeared so great on the surface was, in reality, precariously fractured with invisible cracks, to the point where it wouldn’t be surprising if it collapsed at any moment.  

Would it even be possible to properly address this mess?  

Could he bind it together and transform it into an even greater family?  

What should he do?  

His mind was a chaotic whirlwind of thoughts.  

However, one thing was certain.  

He had to succeed, no matter what.  

This was the weight of the destiny he had been entrusted with upon his regression.  

*         *         *

The moment Theo stepped into the 5th squad’s barracks, he was greeted with cheers from Selperd, Arin, and the rest of the squad.  

“Congratulations, Squad Leader!”  

“Congratulations!”  

“Ha! It feels like just yesterday you became the youngest Practical Swordsman, and now you’re already an Advanced Swordsman and a squad leader…! How far are you planning to go?”  

Pop! Pop-pop!  

Firecrackers exploded right in front of his eyes.  

Theo scratched his cheek with his index finger, looking flustered.  

This was entirely unexpected.  

A large dining table was filled with all sorts of food and drinks.  

He couldn’t help but wonder when they had managed to prepare all of this.  

“Tadaa!”  

To make matters even more suspicious, Selperd, who seemed to be the ringleader of this event, appeared with Arin, holding a cake. They even placed a party hat on Theo’s head.  

“…What is this?”  

“What do you think it is? It’s a crown. Ha, it suits you perfectly, doesn’t it?”  

Selperd winked with one eye and gave a thumbs-up.  

Theo sighed heavily.  

“Nuna! Nuna nuna nuna!”  

Meanwhile, Holcus, who was clapping along with the squad, urgently tugged at Erika’s arm.  

Erika irritably shook off Holcus’s hand.  

“Ugh, I’m listening, so let go already and just talk!”  

“What do I do? What should I do?”  

“About what?”  

“The second sword position for Theo! It’s about to get snatched away—what should I do?”  

“Weren’t you aiming for the first sword position before?”  

“That’s already out of reach, so I gave up. But what about the second sword? What should I do?”  

“That’s simple.”  

“Simple? What is it?”  

“Start by beating Ray.”  

“Damn it…!”  

Holcus’s face turned red. Memories of boldly challenging Ray and getting thoroughly humiliated resurfaced in his mind.  

Erika, arms crossed, let out a light snort, but her eyes never left Theo.  

The words Ray had said, about how Theo had been forged through countless life-and-death battles, buzzed incessantly in her head.  

Ray remained silent, quietly observing Theo.  

“Alright then, we’ll now hear a few words from our new squad leader, Theo Ragnar.”  

Selperd extended an imaginary microphone toward Theo.  

Theo let out a faint laugh and asked, “What is all of this?”  

“What else? It’s a celebration party. You can’t skip a party on such a joyous occasion, can you? Right, everyone?”  

“Exactly! Exactly!”  

“I feel amazing after clearing out those annoying little pests!”  

“Haha! That’s right, that’s right. You should’ve seen their faces when the tower was completely conquered at the end. Ugh… priceless!”  

“It was so satisfying, I felt completely liberated!”  

“But seriously, where did all those dragons come from? I am dying of curiosity.”  

The other squad members chattered noisily, recalling Theo’s display of divine authority.  

By that point, they had already accepted that Theo was more than qualified to be their squad leader.  

“What are you doing? My arm’s about to fall off. Hurry up and give your speech already.”  

Urged repeatedly by Selperd, Theo gave a wry smile and said,  

“I’m Theo Ragnar, and I’ve temporarily taken on the role of squad leader.”  

As his voice dropped into a serious tone, the chaotic atmosphere quieted.  

‘Their gazes are sharp. As expected.’  

Though their eyes were tinged with amusement, their expressions were anything but lighthearted.  

At that moment, Theo fully realized why they were part of the White Armored Dragon Cavalry. Adjusting his uniform, he continued,  

“For the sake of convenience in issuing orders, formalities will end at midnight today. Since this is my first time serving as squad leader, I understand if you feel uneasy, but I intend to do my best. I won’t ask much of you. I have only one request that is, trust.”  

A squad leader not even in his twenties.

Despite any doubts they might have had about his abilities, there was hardly a trace of hesitation in their eyes.  

“If you place your trust in me, I will repay it in kind. And I will deliver victory into your hands. However, if anyone disobeys orders, I will deal with them immediately.”  

Selperd looked on with satisfaction as Theo effortlessly took command of the group.  

‘As expected, this kid has talent.’  

He knew it wasn’t appropriate to refer to his superior as “kid,” especially now that Theo was officially his commanding officer. Still, Selperd couldn’t help but feel a mix of affection and respect for this younger colleague, who also inspired him greatly.  

“On that note, I must apologize for disrupting the mood, but I’ll issue my first order. The party will be postponed to the same time tomorrow.”  

This sudden announcement caught Selperd and the rest of the squad off guard.  

Why postpone it after all this preparation?  

Considering the squad’s fatigue from recent disputes with the Black Iron Cavalry, their dismay was only natural.  

“At 4 a.m. today, there will be a joint operation between the White Armored Dragon Cavalry and the Black Iron Cavalry. Our mission, as ordered by command, is to dismantle a Sacred Demon Church altar located within Troyban’s encampment.”  

At this, the squad reacted in varying ways.  

Some looked shocked, while others turned to Theo in alarm.  

But one reaction was universal, their expressions hardened.  

After a brief pause, Selperd hesitated before speaking.  

“Squad Leader, the Black Iron Cavalry…!”  

“Yes. The conflict with them was just a few hours ago. However, the orders remain unchanged.”  

“Hmm.”  

“Ughhh!”  

Groans emerged from various corners of the room, reflecting the squad’s unease.  

The doubt was evident could they really entrust their backs to the Black Iron Cavalry?  

“And…”  

Theo’s tone shifted as he transitioned to telepathic communication for what came next.  

「This is the official mission for the White Armored Dragon Cavalry. However, our 5th squad has a separate, covert task to assassinate the Black Iron Cavalry’s commander amidst the chaos.」  

“…!”  

“…!”  

“…!”  

The squad members were stunned. While they tried to regain their composure, it was clear this wasn’t easy.  

「Please ensure that everyone performs their roles flawlessly to avoid any complications. To maintain security, all external activities are prohibited effective immediately. That’s all.」  

The atmosphere within the barracks grew increasingly tense.  

*         *         *

The 5th squad sprang into action.  

With only three or four hours remaining until the mission, time was tight for completing all preparations.  

There was much to do: securing equipment, feeding the wyverns until they were full, and more.

“…I have no idea what’s really going on,” Selperd muttered.  

Keeek!  

Selperd tugged hard on the bridle lock clasped in the jaws of his partner wyvern, preventing it from causing a ruckus. Arin, who was distracting the wyvern nearby, tilted her head in curiosity.  

“About what?”  

“This operation.”  

“There’s no problem with it, is there?”  

“Not really. We’re just soldiers following orders from above. It’s just…”  

Selperd paused, organizing his thoughts before continuing.  

“It feels like the family’s been too chaotic lately.”  

“Chaotic?”  

“You don’t feel that way? Is it just me?”  

Arin stared at Selperd silently.  

Despite his cheerful personality, Selperd’s background as an illegitimate child had made him exceptionally sensitive to others’ behavior.  

Because of this, he often picked up on things not yet officially shared with the unit, piecing them together from the atmosphere alone.  

And now, his intuition was at work again, which naturally piqued Arin’s concern.  

“Explain what you mean properly.”  

“Well, think about it. Evelyn, who was preparing for the Dragon Gate Swordsman promotion exam, suddenly went off on a solo mission, and Theo immediately took her place. Then there’s this mission… as well.”  

Arin, who had served in the White Armored Dragon Cavalry for a long time, was well aware of one thing.  

The Black Iron Cavalry’s loyalty to Torkel was unwavering.  

If Torkel commanded them to die, they would die; if he told them to live, they would live.  

An assassination order was virtually equivalent to declaring a purge of the Black Iron Cavalry itself.  

“This mission’s significance must be great enough that Lord Black Dragon proposed it, and the family head approved it. But do you really think this is the usual Ragnar way of doing things?”  

“In the past… they’d have just dragged him out.”  

“Exactly. It reeks of scheming. This isn’t like Ragnar at all.”  

It suggested there had been changes in the Ragnar administrative system, which had previously operated with absolute adherence to the chain of command.  

Arin only now began to grasp the potential severity of the situation.  

“From the family head down to the Nine Dragons, they all feel… like they’re being chased.”  

“….”  

“Of course, considering how big this fight is—something that won’t end until one side is completely crushed—it makes sense. But… it feels like this isn’t the end of it.”  

“You’re saying there’s more after this?”  

“Who knows?”  

Arin fell into silence.  

If there was more to this than Torkel’s assassination, she couldn’t even begin to imagine what it might be.  

“Why are you thinking so seriously? I was just speculating. Anyway, let’s stay sharp. Looks like no one’s getting any sleep tonight.”  

Selperd laughed heartily as he wrapped up the remaining preparations.  

While the squad’s busy preparation time passed swiftly, Theo found himself meeting new visitors.  

“Finally, we meet. Gatekeeper. The new one.”  

“It is an honor. A blessing of the tribe. For us!!”  

Despite the late hour, the visitors, covered in dust and grime, were the indigenous people who had long protected the White Tower.  

Theo felt sorry for their battered state and intended to meet them after they had undergone proper treatment.  

But their fervent energy was impossible to suppress.  

“It’s fine. Our bodies can break. But not seeing the Gatekeeper. Even our ancestors wouldn’t forgive us!”  

Lodbrok chuckled.  

『It doesn’t look like they’re in any state to hold a coherent conversation, does it?』  

“But we can’t just leave them like this, can we?”  

『Heh. You could convince me they’re a cult.』  

“Please don’t say such dreadful things.”  

Still, as Theo looked at the indigenous people, all of them brimming with zeal, he wondered how he could calm them down.  

Just then, someone stepped forward, extending both hands and miraculously, the commotion subsided.  

A young woman with long, silky hair stood before them.  

Her appearance was strikingly different from the other indigenous people, not just in demeanor but even in the colors of her attire.  

『That woman… could she be their leader? There’s something familiar about her presence.』  

“Familiar?”  

『Yes. That woman doesn’t seem like an ordinary human.』  

While Theo’s eyes widened in surprise, the woman soothed the indigenous people in an unknown language before turning to him.  

“Forgive our sudden intrusion. My name is ‘The Black and Blue Bird,’ a Dangol of the White Tower tribe.”  

Unlike the others, she spoke fluent and elegant Imperial.  

『She’s a Dragonborn.』  

“…!”  

“It’s an honor to meet the Gatekeeper in person.”  

Theo found himself captivated by her obsidian-like eyes.  

There was something strangely familiar about her face.  

‘Lodbrok.’  

『Yes, I see it too. Her face, her temperament… It’s as if someone copied me.』