“Gorio.”
“Yes?”
“Are you telling the truth?”
“I am.”
Yuri was hiding in a shadowed corner of the back alleys of Hwangseong, accompanied by Jared and Gorio.
They peeked out just enough to scan the faces of the passing poor, then ducked back into the shadows repeatedly.
“The drugs aren’t coming from outside.”
Gorio, who controlled the back alleys of Hwangseong, had sent his men to investigate the source of the narcotics. They had reached one conclusion.
The drugs weren’t smuggled in from outside. They were appearing and spreading from within Hwangseong itself.
Moreover, among the two types of drugs, the high-grade ones were being traded directly among the nobles, just as Yuri had learned from pressing Edran.
And the lower-grade drugs, targeted at the lower classes, were being distributed primarily by a gang operating in the back alleys.
“They say the Tiger Faction is handling the drugs around here.”
The Tiger Faction was one of the groups pushed out by Gorio’s gang.
When Gorio’s faction, led by his uncle Ilsu, took over the loan shark market, the Tiger Faction lost their foothold and scattered.
But now, the Tiger Faction—thought to have disappeared—was prowling the back alleys again.
“There they are.”
Soon, a group of men dressed in black appeared.
They swaggered with exaggerated shoulder rolls. The locals dared not meet their gaze, shrinking back against the walls as they passed.
Yuri glanced at Gorio.
“Gorio, you don’t walk around like that, do you?”
“Do you take me for something?”
“Alright, lighten up.”
Yuri patted his shoulder. Despite being a thug, Gorio cared about his pride.
“Your Highness, I am a legitimate businessman. Just in a somewhat… gray area.”
“Got it, got it…”
If he weren’t one of his men, Yuri might have kicked him. But now, Gorio was under his wing.
He simply rubbed his back.
“I trust you, Gorio.”
“Thank you.”
“Anyway…”
Yuri continued.
“They’re probably no different from Edran. They don’t know what they’re selling.”
“Likely so. One of my men questioned them, but they revealed nothing. They just acted clueless.”
“How’s that man?”
“I locked him up in the temple. I told him to just pretend, but he actually got addicted.”
“Hey, you should’ve told me. I could’ve pulled some strings.”
“Discount?”
“No, I get a cut.”
Gorio didn’t respond, averting his gaze. Yuri felt a bit brushed off but let it slide—this was a covert operation.
The Tiger Faction lingered nearby, glancing around and pacing the same spot.
Yuri activated his Mana Method to sharpen his hearing.
Faint voices from the Tiger Faction drifted in.
“Nothing today, huh?”
“Why aren’t they showing up? We’re running low on supply…”
“Those bastards are so damn unpredictable.”
Like Edran, the dealers seemed to appear at random.
Yuri waited patiently.
He wanted to strike immediately and burn them out, but it wouldn’t gain him anything.
Jared, hiding behind, asked quietly.
“Your Highness, what if nothing happens?”
“What else? We go home.”
“We’ve been at this for days.”
“Did you think investigations were easy? They’re always lonely.”
“Coming all the way to Hwangseong for this…”
Jared sighed.
“I envy Lord Laurent…”
Laurent was the only one from Briole participating in the tournament.
Yuri had given him free rein to prepare.
So Laurent was currently meeting other knights to discuss swordsmanship or practicing alone to get ready.
“You should’ve submitted your application too.”
“I didn’t think Laurent would.”
“If you want to, you do it.”
“You’re not mad at Laurent, are you?”
“Do you want to die?”
Yuri hadn’t expected Laurent to apply either.
It left him feeling conflicted, but he pushed it aside and refocused on the Tiger Faction.
“Quiet.”
Yuri put a finger to his lips.
“There’s something.”
His intuition caught a trace.
A dark, hazy presence was trailing the Tiger Faction beyond the walls of the slums.
“They’re hiding their presence, waiting.”
With that, the three fell silent, not even breathing.
Only the Tiger Faction’s grumbling voices faintly echoed.
Then—
From behind the Tiger Faction, someone cloaked in black landed silently.
Yuri instinctively placed his hand on his sword’s hilt.
The figure was swift and agile, like watching Asana in motion.
The man in black silently vaulted over the wall, then pulled a thick sack from his cloak and shook it.
The clinking sound startled the Tiger Faction, who turned around.
“Whoa, shit.”
“Jesus!”
“Could you at least make some noise?”
“See? I thought my heart was gonna jump out.”
Several cursed at him, but the man in black remained unfazed.
He waited until they calmed down, then spoke just one word.
“Ten gold.”
“What?”
One of the Tiger Faction’s men stepped forward, took the sack, and unfolded a scale to weigh it.
After checking the markings, he shook his head.
“Boss, it’s less than last time.”
“What?”
The large man in the center seemed to be their leader.
He approached, checked the scale himself, then looked at the man in black.
“The quantity’s down, but why’s the price higher?”
The man in black said nothing, only extended his hand as if to say, “Pay up.”
The leader bit his lip, then asked again.
“Come on, we’ve been doing business a long time. Can’t you cut us a break?”
The man in black shook his head.
The leader put his hands on his hips, looked up at the sky, and sighed.
“You’re making me lose face in front of my men…”
Watching this, Yuri whispered to Gorio.
“Gorio, would you act like that?”
“No.”
Gorio chuckled.
“It’s less embarrassing to accept it quietly than to get humiliated.”
“Exactly.”
The man in black stayed calm. He didn’t need to show force—just waved his hand, demanding the money.
The Tiger Faction leader gestured to his men as if being generous.
“Give it to him. He’s feeling generous today.”
“Yes, sir.”
A subordinate approached with a pouch of coins.
The man in black took it and counted the gold inside.
The leader added with a smirk.
“Look at him checking again. Chill out, will you?”
The man in black remained still, and the men behind him started to chuckle.
Then, suddenly—
“What?”
The man in black’s hand holding the pouch trembled.
A thin line appeared across the neck of the man handing over the money. The skin split open, and bright red blood poured out.
The man staggered, eyes wide, unable to make a sound.
The entire Tiger Faction froze in shock but dared not move.
The man in black glanced briefly at the leader, then turned and walked away.
No one from the Tiger Faction chased after him or helped the dying man slumped against the wall.
Yuri stopped paying attention to the Tiger Faction.
“Gorio, these guys are hopeless. Clean them up later.”
“Understood.”
“Jared, let’s go. Gorio, good work.”
“Yes, sir.”
Yuri and Jared pursued the man in black.
They activated their Mana Method to lighten their bodies and moved silently through the back alleys.
The man in black leapt freely over buildings and walls, sometimes speeding up, then slowing down.
Yuri noticed something odd.
“He’s circling around.”
“Do you think he noticed us?”
“No, he’s just thorough.”
The man in black was deliberately leaving unnecessary trails to shake off any tails.
He passed through crowded shopping streets, entered illegal gambling dens through the front door, and exited through the back.
Yuri kept a steady distance, following patiently.
If his intuition hadn’t been so sharp, he would have lost him easily.
Jared stayed right behind Yuri.
“You’re really following him, right?”
“Yeah.”
“That black-clad bastard’s clever…”
Yuri quickened his pace. The man in black was pulling ahead.
“Jared.”
“Yes?”
“Let’s run. This isn’t working.”
“What if we get caught?”
“Better than losing him.”
They might never get another chance to tail him.
Yuri was willing to risk being spotted to keep up the chase.
He wanted to uncover the truth about these drugs before the tournament ended.
His instincts told him that the dark magic, the drugs, and the emperor’s madness were all connected.
This was a war.
“Jared, don’t fall behind.”
Yuri sprinted, pushing off the air with his feet, flying forward.
Jared’s startled voice faded behind him. Yuri ignored it and surged toward the direction of the man in black.
Just as he thought he was closing in, the distance remained steady.
The man had noticed he was being followed and had started running.
“Too late.”
Yuri summoned the energy of the Shin-Hon-Cham.
This Mana Method, which moved according to his will, held infinite potential.
He projected the image of a bird onto his body.
His airtime expanded dramatically. With each push off a wall, he cleared the length of an entire house.
Yuri thought he was about to catch the man in black.
But then—
Yuri couldn’t follow him any further and came to a stop.
She stared blankly ahead.
From his perspective, there was no way forward.
When he saw the massive building blocking their path, he immediately sensed that the situation was about to escalate dramatically.
“Huff, huff. Your Highness…”
Jared, who had caught up late, panted beside him.
“What about that guy?”
Instead of answering, Yuri pointed ahead with her finger.
“Hm?”
There was some distance between the man in black and Yuri, and several buildings obstructed their view.
Still, the structure Yuri indicated soared high into the sky, glowing softly beneath the night, bathed in the lights of the bustling imperial city.
Jared murmured, “That’s the imperial palace, isn’t it?”
The next day, Yuri set out from the Duforia Hotel to meet a member of the royal family.
She was staying at a villa just outside the palace grounds, not far from Ragna’s estate. It made her wonder if the nobility had their own exclusive neighborhoods.
“Katrina?”
Jared tilted his head in confusion.
“Who’s that?”
“The emperor’s niece.”
“How do you know her?”
“She might become my sister-in-law.”
“Wha—?”
Before leaving for the empire, Yuri had been tipped off by Cedric.
Cedric was in a long-distance relationship with Katrina.
“That’s impressive. Keeping a long-distance relationship going isn’t easy.”
“I see…”
Before Yuri left for the empire, Cedric had told her to reach out if she ever needed help.
Though she didn’t want to trouble her brother’s lover, the urgency of the situation left her no choice but to seek Katrina’s assistance.
Yuri arrived by carriage and stepped out at the estate’s entrance.
She identified herself to the guards.
“I’m Yuri Briol. I’m here to see Princess Katrina.”
The guards opened the gates, and as she entered, a butler came out to greet them.
He led Yuri and Jared to a parasol set up in the garden.
“Please wait here a moment. She will be with you shortly.”
“Thank you.”
“You’re very welcome.”
Yuri sat at the tea table, enjoying the cool breeze.
Unlike Ragna’s garden, which was left wild and untended, this place was meticulously maintained.
Various flowers were arranged by color, and the trees were carefully pruned.
Suddenly, a delicious aroma wafted through the air.
While admiring the garden, freshly baked bread was placed on the table, as if just taken from the oven.
“Oh, thank you.”
Yuri greeted the attendant and looked up.
Immediately, she realized her mistake.
A woman wearing a baker’s hat was smiling brightly at her.
“Hello.”
Her golden hair shimmered in the sunlight.
Looking into her emerald eyes, Yuri was reminded—just like the Briol family—how strong the imperial bloodline was.
Yuri stood and bowed politely.
“Please forgive my rudeness.”
“No, it’s quite alright. Please, have a seat.”
Katrina was dressed simply, like a woman working in a bakery.
“I’m Katrina.”
“I’m Yuri Briol, Cedric’s younger sister.”
“I’ve heard a lot about you.”
Katrina looked at Yuri intently, then suddenly reached out and began to play with her hair.
Yuri was a little taken aback but stayed still, waiting.
“You really do look a lot like Cedric.”
Katrina’s eyes sparkled mischievously.