REAPER SCANS
Regressing as the Reincarnated Bastard of the Sword Clan
[Translator – Mr.Ghost]
[Proofreader – Harley]
Chapter 110 - Cold Winter (5)
Spinola's third son, Antonio, massaged his temples as he lowered the document he had been reading.
"Those damn bastards. They really know how to piss people off. Are they seriously okay with hundreds of thousands drowning to death?" His voice was thick with barely contained anger.
Sea King Subjugation Failed
The Sea King's rampage intensified the whirlwinds, causing additional abnormal changes to the updraft that supports the Floating Archipelago...
At this rate, there is a significant risk of the archipelago collapsing or being submerged... New countermeasures against the Sea King need to be sought out, but it is proving to be a difficult endeavor...
The report was filled with nothing but bad news, but the part that infuriated him the most was the final line.
The situation is calling for a more positive reevaluation of the demands of the Troivan Clan...
Those damn dirty dogs!
No, even calling them ‘dogs’ felt like a compliment. At least dogs understood loyalty and trust. Those Troivan bastards knew nothing of the sort.
The Floating Archipelago and Venota, where the 3 Maritime Families—including Spinola—nested in, was an abnormal terrain that could hardly be found anywhere else in the Empire.
It was one of the few known <Mystics> of the world.
A massive underwater current flowing through the deep-sea plains collided against a mana gust from an underwater volcano, creating a widespread updraft that lifted a dozen large and small islands into the sky.
Since the archipelago was significantly distant from the mainland, it had developed a unique ecosystem and culture since ancient times. This distinctiveness continued into the present day, making it a lawless area where exiles and criminals gathered while also becoming a vast economic zone.
The location was advantageous when it came to functioning as a hub port for distributing goods around the world, and as an extension of that, banking had also flourished there.
This was how the Maritime Alliance, a superpower that controlled all sea-based trade routes, came to be.
Notably, they were even classified as electors, holding one of the votes necessary to elect the Emperor of the Empire. This made their influence on the Empire and the world truly immense.
However, recently, the Floating Archipelago had faced an unforeseen disaster.
The ocean currents connecting the continent and the archipelago began to fluctuate, and even the updraft of mana gust supporting the islands showed signs of instability.
Several of the floating islands were plagued by severe earthquakes, and some even began to slowly sink into the water.
For now, the islanders were led to believe that these were just mild quakes caused by the underwater volcano's activity.
But how long could they hide the truth?
Moreover, the 3 Maritime Families knew all too well who was behind this anomaly.
The Troivan Clan. They were the culprit that had disrupted the balance of the stable currents and the mana gust updraft.
The problem was...
‘We just don't have the power to pressure those bastards right now.’
No matter how much power Spinola wielded in the underworld, it was still nothing compared to the great Troivan Clan.
Even if the Maritime Alliance combined forces to pressure the Troivans by cutting off their trade routes, there was a limit to how much influence they could actually exert against a clan so far off in the East.
The most viable option was leveraging the banking industry, but...
‘Those damn Grimals aren't particularly cooperative.’
Spinola of the underworld.
Grimal of the banks.
Romelin of the maritime transport.
Even if the three families joined forces, it would barely be enough to maybe overcome the current crisis. Yet Grimal remained uncooperative.
‘Unlike the other two families that are bound to this territory, they have the confidence to relocate their base whenever they want.’
There was a chance that the Grimals and the Troivans had already made some sort of secret agreement. No, Antonio was certain that they already had.
Grit!
Antonio clenched his teeth in anger. Even though his life in the underworld was far from clean, his attachment to his homeland was genuine, and he couldn't just overlook this matter.
‘If only there were a way to deal with the Sea King lurking beneath the Floating Archipelago...’
Tap tap tap tap!
Antonio drummed his fingers on the desk, lost in thought. Did he need to seek external support?
‘The imperial family is already in shambles, so there's no point in approaching them... What about the North? I heard the Ragnars have recently been at odds with the Troivans. What if I were to reach out to them?’
But Antonio was hesitant. If they sought help from the Ragnars and the Troivans caught wind of it, the Troivans would immediately trigger the Sea King, bringing utter destruction.
Ultimately, it was best to handle it themselves.
"Gah...!" Antonio clenched his trembling fists in frustration, unable to see a way forward.
Knock, knock.
"Sir Antonio. It's Paolo."
That was when, with a knock on the door, an old butler named Paolo entered.
Paolo was Antonio's longtime secretary and aide.
"What is it?" Antonio asked.
“Well, sir...” Paolo gave a brief rundown of the situation.
After hearing his butler out, Antonio rubbed his face lightly while sighing before lifting his head again.
"If that’s your assessment, Paolo... Alright. Summon all three of them here."
* * *
Reaper Scans
[Translator – Mr.Ghost]
[Proofreader – Harley]
Join our discord for updates on releases! https://dsc.gg/reapercomics
* * *
「We decided to let you have full authority in this matter, so take charge. But don’t hesitate to ask for help if you need it.」
While being guided by the old butler to the mansion, Selford relayed his and Erin’s thoughts to Theo.
Theo was grateful. Despite being senior officers participating in a mission led by a new recruit, they were giving him their utmost confidence.
Thanks to that, they were quickly able to come up with a cover story. Theo was the young master of a lesser-known martial family, while Selford and Erin were his bodyguards.
‘Around this time, the Floating Archipelago was plagued with concerns about its submerging into the ocean. But then, one day, the problem disappeared as if it were never a thing. I wonder what went on between the Maritime Alliance and the Troivan Clan to bring that about.’
While Theo was pondering why the Maritime Alliance might have colluded with the Troivan Clan, the carriage finally arrived at the mansion.
“We have arrived,” announced the butler.
Befitting one of the 3 Maritime Families, renowned for their extreme wealth, the Spinola mansion looked extravagant.
‘But it only looks flashy. It doesn’t appear to have actual substance to it.’
Thanks to the refined taste he acquired from Cecilia, Theo wasn’t very impressed by the interior of the mansion, which had no cohesion or unifying theme.
It didn’t seem like it captivated Selford or Erin either.
But to the old butler, this came across as country bumpkins trying their hardest to not show their surprise. He internally scoffed at their confident stride.
“Please go on in. Sir Antonio is waiting for you,” the butler guided them.
As they entered through the doors, they were warmly welcomed by a well-groomed man in his thirties wearing a suit.
“Thank you for traveling so far. Please, take a seat. I’m the third son of the Spinola Family, Antonio.”
Inside, there was already a table prepared with tea, drinks, and cigars.
Theo glanced over at the table before asking with a cold tone, “Why did you ask us to come here? I came because I was told the young master of the Spinola Family personally requested a meeting, but I won’t be pleased if you called me over for no good reason.”
A cocky, insolent attitude.
If any ordinary mercenary had behaved this way, they would have been quickly buried in a mountain where no one would ever find them.
‘But he destroyed an entire branch alone,’ Antonio received their attitude as a show of confidence in their skills.
Despite Theo’s rough mannerisms, he was beautiful enough to put your average beauty to shame. He was clearly a progeny of a prestigious family. Antonio was certain that Theo was the son of a major martial family, and his companions must be his escorts.
‘The meeting between the 3 Maritime Families is soon. If I can have such skilled people present...’ Antonio’s eyes lit up as he started mapping out a plan.
But he quickly hid his calculative nature by putting on a warm smile, “I would never waste the time of an esteemed guest like yourself. I called you to my humble abode to apologize for my stupid subordinates and to make a generous offer. Would you please take a seat?”
For being the son of a notable family, Antonio was very cooperative. However, this wasn’t a surprise, as he was first and foremost a merchant above being a noble.
Theo was amused by encountering a different type of person than the arrogant brutes of the Ragnar Clan.
“I guess I will,” Theo said, taking a seat.
“Haha. I am glad you’re open-minded,” Antonio sat down opposite Theo and company, quickly trying to get a read on them.
Theo, who looked the youngest, took the center seat, while the other two sat beside him like it was the natural order of things. It was a clear indication that Theo was the leader of the group.
The center seat suited Theo’s arrogant attitude.
“The Lednitt Plains of the Southern region has just the right climate for growing coffee. The beans from that region boast a unique aroma. I reserve it for special guests like yourselves. I hope it suits your taste.”
“You’re saying this is Lednittian coffee? I thought it was from the Parao Mountains, judging by its lemony aroma.”
“Oh, my. Is that so? My servants must have made a mistake. I’ll order the butler to remake it right away.”
“It’s fine. I didn’t come here to enjoy coffee,” Theo said while picking up the cigar from the table.
With precision, Theo cut the tip off before lighting the cigar and taking a puff.
Spark!
Fuuu—
「...How do you know how to do this?」 Selford asked in a shock. His actions had looked completely natural.
Theo smiled lightly, recalling the memories of his previous life.
「You’re always nagging Erika not to drink. She’ll throw a fit if she finds out about this.」
“I like this though. Is this cigar from the Baoyan Desert? I always liked their signature cacao aroma.”
“What refined taste you have. You’re right on the money.”
“I like to mix some ground-up cuvana fruit from the Wuffman region in it. It produces a real unique scent.”
“I’ve never heard of such a way to enjoy it. I’ll have to try it sometime.”
“You won’t regret it.”
From the conversation, Antonio was able to confirm that Theo was in fact a young master of a great clan. There was no other way he would know of such items and have such preferences.
“Now, let’s get to the point. Do you have a business proposal for us or something?” Theo asked.
“I heard that you three were on a journey to train your swordsmanship.”
“Did you look into our entry records?” Theo squinted his eyes in displeasure.
Antonio quickly lowered his head, “My apologies. But we had to do a check for our own sake.”
“Fine. What of it?”
“The ocean currents around Venotta have not been stable lately. There has been an increased appearance of marine predators.”
Marine predators. It was a term for oceanic demonic fiends.
“Are you asking us to be your bodyguards?”
“No, we would never make such an insolent request, Sir Lund. Though they can’t be compared to you, we already have our own guards.”
Lund was the fake name Theo had assumed for this mission.
“Then what is it?” Theo asked.
“But for a potential worst-case scenario...”
“You want us to travel with you?”
“Yes. But as compensation, not only will we provide a first-class seat, but we will also pay for all your expenses at Venotta.”
Theo chuckled, “But you have no idea what we’re planning to do there.”
“Though I may merely be a humble merchant, I pride myself in having a good eye for people. I know that you will not be bringing harm to Venotta.”
“Haha. You sure know how to tickle my fancy. But we may end up having a pretty extended stay.”
“The Spinola Family would be nothing without our tremendous wealth.”
“You’re quite confident. Alright. But you have another request, don’t you? The real reason why you called us here.”
Despite his young appearance, Theo was adept at political negotiations. Antonio’s evaluation of Theo only continued to improve.
“When I ask for it, please lend us your power just once.”
“How can I say yes without even knowing what it is?”
“You may reject my request after I explain it to you. However, I swear upon my name that this will only be of benefit to you, Sir Lund. It will not be harmful to you in any way whatsoever.”
“Hmph. You say that as if there is any honor to a lowly merchant’s name.”
Despite Theo’s direct insult, Antonio’s smile did not waver.
“Fine. I see no reason to reject such a generous offer. When will we depart?” asked Theo.
* * *
The ship headed towards Venotta looked very different from your ordinary ship.
The ship had fins protruding to the sides, meant to help balance it when it rides the upward draft.
‘They have a lot of guards, many of them quite skilled. They said that the currents are turbulent, but the situation must be more dire than we were told,’ Theo noted while boarding the ship.
While he was being given the royal treatment by Antonio’s men, he still paid close attention to the others boarding with him. Some must have been specially recruited guests like him. They seemed displeased that, despite being latecomers to the party, they were being given better treatment.
「Should I put them in their place? They might annoy us during the five-day voyage otherwise,」 Selford asked Theo’s opinion, having noticed a similar vibe from them.
But out of the blue...
Fwump...! Fwump...!
Theo sensed a faint ripple.
Theo’s face hardened as he quickly looked outside the ship.
On the distant horizon, something was rumbling.
「Is something over there?」 Selford asked.
Selford and Erin, having noticed the change in Theo’s expression, quickly looked in the same direction.
Theo was about to ask if they couldn’t sense it, but he quickly stopped himself as his eyes widened.
From the ripple, he sensed a familiar energy.
It was dragon power. The mana of a dragon.
And with it...
『Oh, my significant other...』
Fzzzt, tzzzt—
Through loud static, he heard a familiar voice.
“......!”
Theo quickly drew out his magic power.
Ba-bump, ba-bump, ba-bump!
As his heartbeat started falling into the same rhythm as the faint ripple, he became aligned with the frequency.
Vwooom!
As the relics in his possession also began to resonate, the voice became clearer.
『Do you... hear my voice...?』
‘I wasn’t imagining it,’ thought Theo.
『If you can hear me... throw your arms up in the air like you just don’t care...』
That silly joke. It was none other than Lodbrok.
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