Regressing as the Reincarnated Bastard of the Sword Clan - Chapter 77

REAPER SCANS

Regressing as the Reincarnated Bastard of the Sword Clan

[Translator – Mr.Ghost]

[Proofreader – Harley]

Chapter 77 - Joint Disciple (2)

“You seem very content, Young Master Theo.”

When Theo left the training grounds, exhausted from completing the training, Lang Franze was waiting outside. However, Natasha was nowhere to be seen.

“Oh. Does it look like that? But I’m pretty tired from receiving consecutive training…”

“You don’t sound very convincing with such a smile on your face. Ufufu.”

Theo blushed as he scratched his face.

Lang was right. Though he might be physically exhausted, he felt more refreshed than ever. He had just gotten various hints on how to figure out the secret techniques, martial theories, and epiphanies that had been evading him. Simply reviewing what he reviewed today would likely lead to a whole new path.

“I want to thank you, Young Master Theo,” Lang bowed politely.

Theo was surprised by the sudden show of gratitude, wondering what this was about.

But before Theo could ask, Lang continued, “You may not know this, but since meeting you central, Lady Plum Blossom has been smiling frequently.”

Theo’s eyes widened.

“So please continue to bring her joy.”

“Oh, well. I’m more grateful…” Theo said while scratching the back of his head.

‘I guess he naturally is assuming that I said yes to being her disciple. How do I tell him?’

Theo didn’t want to accidentally offend him with how loyal he seemed to Lady Plum Blossom.

That was when a voice interrupted their interaction.

“You’re Theo Ragnar, the newest recruit of the White-Armored Dragon Cavalry, right?”

Tmp, tmp—

A group of a dozen or so people came up to Theo. Theo’s gaze sharpened, seeing a familiar face in the group.

It was none other than Felix.

“I am. So what?”

However, Felix was buried in the back of the group. The real leader was someone else, a woman with cold eyes and long hair that went down past her knees.

Theo knew who she was.

Hazel Copple.

Part of the direct line of the Copple Clan, one of the Six Snow Clans, she was a combat swordsman who joined the Plum Blossom Palace seeking Lady Plum Blossom’s swordsmanship.

‘She outshined Felix and became Lady Plum Blossom’s real ‘first disciple’ in my past life.’

Because she was both skilled and talented, she later became the right-hand woman to one of the five major candidates. It didn’t take a genius to figure out why such a person was confronting him.

‘Like Felix, she probably thinks I stole her place. Is she here to start a fight?’

Head Butler Lang appeared to find this situation interesting. He took a step back to watch how things would unfold. He clearly had no intention of stopping this.

“What a curt reply. You’re not showing any manners to your senior,” Hazel glared and looked Theo up and down, unhappy about his cold response.

Smirk—

Theo couldn’t help but scoff, “Senior? That’s funny.”

“What?”

“You’re not my superior officer or anything. Why should I treat you as my senior?”

Hazel scowled, “You insolent brat!”

Shing, shing!

The swordsmen beside Hazel all drew their swords. However, having already lost to Theo before, Felix’s face was pale with fear.

A chilling killing intent lingered on Theo’s eyes.

“You all drew your swords. You do understand what this means, right?” he said.

One of the swordsmen shouted, “Stop acting so high and mighty—!”

Whoosh!

But before he could finish his sentence, the Drake Blade was drawn in an instant, releasing a bright light.

Slice—

Splatter!

“Agh! My aaaaarm!”

“Henry!”

“You crazy motherfucker. You actually swung your sword…!”

As Henry screamed in agony over the loss of his arm, the others tried to gang up on Theo.

However…

Fwooo—

[‘Skill: Lesser Drake's Fear’ dominates the battlefield!]

The sudden flurry of killing intent released by Theo froze them in their tracks.

“Stop. Unless you want to end up worse off,” Theo threatened.

“......!”

“......”

“Despite your disrespectful attitudes, I’ve let it slide out of respect for Lady Plum Blossom. If you still insist on fighting me, know that you’ll be losing more than just an arm.”

The swordsmen all locked up in fear.

With a glare, Hazel squeezed the hilt of her sword, “You’re already acting as if you’ve become the successor of the Plum Blossom Palace. Just because you’ve become her disciple doesn’t mean we will become your obedient dogs.”

“Oh. Is that why you brought a whole entourage just to deal with a single trainee swordsman?”

“…Seems like you won’t listen to my words.”

“So what? You want to fight me?”

Hazel and Theo’s eyes locked intensely for a minute. Their fighting spirits were at a stalemate.

However, Hazel suddenly sheathed her sword.

Click!

“M-Miss Hazel?”

“Why are you…?”

The swordsmen who were ready to charge on her orders all stared at her in shock.

Then, as if the tension just a moment ago were all a lie, she spoke with a light smile on her face, “You’re even more gutsy than what big sister Natasha told me. No wonder Lady Plum Blossom has taken a liking to you.”

The swordsmen became even more confused by the sudden switch in mood. One could clearly see that they were lost on how to react.

‘I thought she was acting much colder than what I heard about her,’ thought Theo.

In the far future, Hazel would become someone who earned the respect of many swordsmen. Theo had played along with her act because he thought she was acting out of character. He was right on the money.

However, Theo did not fully drop his guard just yet. There was always a chance another person like Felix might try and pull something.

“Sorry for testing you. I’ll make sure to teach these idiots a lesson later. However…”

“However?”

“I meant the part about not recognizing you as Lady Plum Blossom’s disciple yet. We, the swordsmen of the Plum Blossom, do not yet know the man that is Theo Ragnar. We can’t just accept you when we don’t know your character or personality,” Hazel explained.

Her eyes then became sharper as she continued, “I heard that there is a good chance you’ll be recommended for the next promotion exam, becoming the youngest nominee ever. Even if you aren’t recommended for the next one, I know it’ll happen soon enough. When that time comes, I’ll apply to be a proctor. Defeat me then, and we will all recognize you as Lady Plum Blossom’s successor.”

‘Promotion exam?’ Theo was confused, as this was the first he’d heard that this was ongoing. However, he felt like he should first correct the misunderstanding.

“Do whatever you want, but you’re mistaken.”

“What is it?”

“I don’t intend on becoming the successor to the Plum Blossom Palace. Not only that, but I can’t.”

“......?” Hazel was confused by what he meant at first.

But then she shouted in shock, “You didn’t…!”

Theo grinned and said, “I don’t know why you all assumed I said yes, but you caught me on my way out after rejecting her offer.”

“......!”

Hazel and the other swordsmen, even Lang, all shouted in disbelief.

* * *

Reaper Scans

[Translator – Mr.Ghost]

[Proofreader – Harley]

Join our discord for updates on releases! https://dsc.gg/reapercomics

* * *

“How was your meeting with Theo, milady?” Natasha asked, looking around the training ground.

The training had left a lot of rough marks.

‘It’s indeed the «24 Plum Blossom Sword»… Did she already teach him all of the first half? This is so quick,’ thought Natasha.

Considering the fact that it took her over a month just to learn the forms of the first half, this was an incredible growth rate. Unsurprisingly, there was a smile on Lady Plum Blossom’s face as she brushed a plum blossom tree.

“It was fun. Very fun.”

“Finally, a successor worthy of carrying on the legacy of the ‘Heaven Dragon Sword Master’ has shown himself. Congratulations,” Natasha bowed her head.

Heaven Dragon Sword Master. It was the secret identity of Lady Plum Blossom.

Osa isn’t originally from the Ragnar Clan. She was the inheritor of an ancient, secret martial school that only passed its teachings down through a single disciple.

However, because Lady Plum Blossom had neither a child nor a disciple for the longest time, she had yet to find a successor worthy of carrying on this legacy. It was only normal that Natasha assumed Theo was going to become the fated successor.

However…

“That was my original plan… Ufufu! But it appears I need to search for someone else.”

Natasha’s eyes widened upon hearing Osa’s words.

“What do you mean? Are you saying Theo…!”

“He rejected my offer again. That makes it three times now. What a rotten child. Ufufufu!”

For someone who was rejected, she looked quite delighted.

Natasha couldn’t believe it.

“Why did he say no again…?! This won’t do. I have to go ask him why.”

“There’s no need for that.”

“But…!”

“He rejected being my disciple, but that doesn’t put an end to our relationship. If anything, we have grown closer.”

“......?”

Dumbfounded, Natasha blinked, unable to understand what Osa was saying.

“Ufufu!” But Lady Plum Blossom continued to laugh louder, thinking back to what occurred just a moment ago.

“I’m always grateful that you’re looking out for me. However, I can’t become your disciple. In my heart, I already have a master who I follow,” Theo had told her.

“I see…”

“However… may I ask you to be another mother for me?”

The recollection made Lady Plum Blossom unable to hold back her joy, ‘Another mother…’

A mother-son relationship was far more endearing to her than a formal master-disciple relationship. The heavens had not permitted her the joy of raising a child of her own. Even if it may be a child from an emotional bond, it was still a momentous occasion for her.

‘I finally have a child.’

This fact filled the void that had long existed in her heart.

‘But I do wonder. Who is the master that he already follows in his heart?’

Deciding to look into it later, she looked over at Natasha.

“Natasha, could you send a letter to the clan head for me?”

“Of course. What’s the message?”

Natasha realized that she must have formed a closer bond than a master-disciple relationship with Theo.

“I want to recommend Theo for the promotion exam.”

“......!” Natasha raised her head in surprise.

“Let’s give Theo wings so that he can go buck wild.”

* * *

Kyle smirked after seeing the two reports that had just arrived at his desk.

“Promotion recommendation from two of the nine dragons? It hasn’t even been a month since the Awakening Ceremony ended. They’re really pushing hard for it. Don’t they know that forcing a fledgling to fly only makes them easier prey for the hunters?”

Swordsmen of the Ragnar Clan were largely divided into 6 ranks.

When you first started learning the sword, you were a ‘Novice Swordsman’.

Once you opened your aura hall by participating in the awakening ceremony, you became a ‘Trainee Swordsman’.

After you were assigned to a unit, becoming seasoned or garnering enough achievements would get you recognized as a ‘Combat Swordsman’.

When one became greatly skilled, they became a ‘High-rank Swordsman’, the claws and fangs of the clan.

At the stage of ‘Dragon Gate Swordsman’, you were qualified to lead a large group as the hands and feet of the clan.

Finally, there was the face that represented the clan. The ‘Laurel Swordsman’.

Theo was at the second rank, a trainee swordsman.

Newly deployed into action, he was still a beginner who required being taught by a mentor. In terms of a dragon, he was a scale, and a comparatively useless scale on the tail, at that.

However, the reports in front of him suggested that he wasn’t a tail scale but at least a back scale.

Julius reported that Theo showed courage and good judgment in his first mission, accomplishing a great feat.

Meanwhile, Lady Plum Blossom was vouching for Theo’s excellent skills.

If their recommendation was approved, Theo would be promoted at an unprecedented pace. With people still raving about the Awakening Ceremony, this would put the spotlight on him even more.

Once that happened, the five major candidates would have no choice but to finally take Theo seriously.

Chereep…!

The skylark on Kyle’s shoulder chirped.

“You also want to recommend him?” Kyle looked at the bird in surprise.

The skylark nodded, chirping loudly.

“True. That’s a good idea. Alright. Let’s do that then.”

Kyle stamped his approval on both documents.

Slam!

“Alright. You declared yourself that you want to aim for the throne, so let’s see it. Will you fly up safely or have your wings snapped? It’s time to prove yourself,” Kyle smiled wide, baring his white fangs.

Join our discord for updates on releases! https://dsc.gg/reapercomics