Yuri and her companions rode horses, crossing Adelbine toward Bursen.
The people of Bursen had louder voices compared to those from the Empire or Briol. When greeting each other, they often shouted so loudly that at first, Yuri thought they were about to fight.
Riding beside Jose, Yuri said, “Sir Jose, the folks from Bursen really seem bold and hearty.”
“Of course. When you think of a real man, you think of Bursen,” Jose replied proudly.
“A full-course meal served by a Bursen knight? I can’t even begin to imagine what that entails. Sir Jose, what exactly do you have planned?”
“Well, about that… um…”
Jose, who had boasted about treating them to a full-course meal, suddenly grew hesitant once they crossed the border into Bursen.
“F-first, let’s head to my estate. We’re almost there.”
“Alright, alright.”
They urged their horses forward and soon arrived at Jose’s domain.
Orphen, the town Jose governed, was a bustling port city by the sea.
As they passed through the streets, locals greeted them warmly. When they reached Jose’s mansion, the servants welcomed them enthusiastically.
Several black-furred dogs came rushing like arrows, leaping into Jose’s arms. He cradled each one, stroking them affectionately.
Jared stepped closer to inspect the dogs.
“They’re all pitch black.”
“Don’t they look like princes?”
“Too gentle to be princes, I’d say.”
“Gentle? These brave beasts would attack like mad if anyone tried to harm me.”
Yuri chuckled.
“You’re calling me a dog?”
“Just a figure of speech! Ha ha ha!”
Yuri and her group settled in as Jose’s guests. A hot bath washed away the fatigue from wandering Adelbine.
Dressed in fresh clothes, Yuri soon sought out Jose.
He stood by the window, gazing out over his lands.
“Sir Jose.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“Isn’t it time to show us now?”
“Show us?”
“The Bursen full-course meal.”
“Oh, that… ha ha, yes, of course.”
“You do have a plan, right?”
“J-just trust me.”
Without delay, Jose led them to a restaurant near the shore.
“This place is absolutely amazing.”
A large pot of stew bubbled vigorously.
“Have you ever tried pig stew?”
“What?”
“That’s Bursen dialect. It means, ‘Have you ever tasted pig stew?’”
“Pig stew? A stew made from pork?”
“Something like that. It’s the favorite dish of the Bursen people. Six pig stews, please!”
The owner, an elderly woman, nodded silently at Jose and went into the kitchen.
Jose explained, “She’s a no-nonsense lady. Whether lord or commoner, everyone eats stew here.”
“Sounds very Bursen.”
Soon, the old woman returned, placing bowls of pig stew before each of them. The clear broth floated with droplets of oil, still boiling hot.
Just as Yuri reached for her spoon, Jose stopped her.
“Ah, there’s a proper way to eat pig stew. Follow my lead.”
“A proper way?”
He added a generous handful of chives, then seasoned it with shrimp paste.
Yuri copied him, but Jose shook his head in dissatisfaction.
“The key to pig stew is the seasoning. Without the right balance, it’s pointless.”
“Isn’t that a bit much?”
“I prefer it salty.”
“Is this enough?”
“Yes, perfect.”
“Well then, shall we try Bursen’s signature dish?”
“Enjoy.”
Yuri took a spoonful and tasted the stew.
“How is it? Amazing?”
“It is… quite delicious…”
“Pig stew is the pride of Bursen! Ha ha ha!”
Yuri lowered her head with a reluctant smile.
It was definitely tasty, but she wasn’t sure it was as extraordinary as Jose made it out to be. It didn’t seem all that different from other stews she’d had in Briol or the Empire.
Still, seeing the pride shining in Jose’s eyes, she decided to agree.
“You’re right. It’s very good.”
“Eat up! Ha ha ha!”
Glancing at the others, Yuri saw they all shared similar impressions.
But as they ate, they found it hard to stop.
“Hmm…?”
Though it was fine to eat normally, there was this strange urge to shovel it in quickly, swallow, and then exclaim loudly in admiration. Without realizing it, Yuri kept moving her spoon.
They all sweated profusely as they devoured the pig stew.
In the end, all six bowls were completely empty.
“Ahh…”
“Thank you for the meal.”
“Thank you, Sir Jose.”
“I wish Kori could have tried it too…”
“I feel full now.”
Sharing their thoughts, they left the pig stew restaurant.
Yuri asked, “So, what’s next?”
“Um, well…”
“A full course can’t end with just one dish, right?”
Jose fell silent, deep in thought. Yuri narrowed her eyes.
“Could it be that all this was just talk, and there’s nothing else?”
“N-no, that’s not true. Absolutely not.”
“Then what’s next?”
“A c-cafe?”
“What?”
“A cool drink or something…”
“Are you serious?”
“No, no, just kidding! Ha ha ha!”
Jose quickly turned his head, watching seagulls flying over the distant horizon.
“The sea. Let’s go to the sea.”
“Oh, the sea…”
“Bursen is the sea.”
“Alright, let’s go.”
Following Jose, Yuri and the others stood quietly on the white sandy beach.
The endless blue sea stretched out over golden sands. Each wave rose and fell, leaving white foam that quickly faded. Seabirds dove beneath the surface.
Watching the scene, the life of a sword-wielding knight suddenly felt utterly meaningless.
If only they could just spread a mat here and lie down—that would be the real life. So why had they struggled so hard all this time?
Jose smiled contentedly, looking back at the group.
“This is the sea of Bursen.”
“Sir Jose.”
“Yes?”
“So, is that all?”
“Ah, n-no.”
“Pig stew and the sea. Impressive, but still a bit bland. Surely there’s something truly amazing.”
“Yes, yes. Of course.”
“What’s that amazing thing?”
“W-well, the amazing thing is…”
Jose hesitated, then said, “How about some sashimi?”
“Sashimi?”
“You don’t like it?”
“I do, but…”
Yuri shrugged and rubbed her stomach.
“After eating that much pig stew, I don’t think I can eat more.”
“Ah…”
“Sir Jose, you can be honest.”
Yuri looked him in the eye.
“Is there really no such thing as a Bursen full-course meal?”
Jose’s expression stiffened at the sudden question.
He opened his mouth but couldn’t deny it.
“I-it exists!”
“I know it doesn’t.”
“Excuse me?”
“Before coming to the capital, I asked my older brother.”
When the allied forces disbanded and Yuri returned to Briol, she had asked Cedric about the Bursen full-course meal.
Her wise older brother always had an answer for any question.
This time was no different.
Cedric explained that the so-called Bursen full-course meal was just a phrase Bursen people used to show hospitality. There was no actual set of dishes or special treatment.
“I see…”
“Since I knew that, there’s no need to push it.”
“Your Highness, you know the unspoken rule of Bursen’s full course? The Crown Prince of Briol is truly knowledgeable.”
“There’s nothing I don’t know. You could say I’m the future of Briol.”
Jose laughed bitterly.
“Well, it can’t be helped, Your Highness. I only hope you’ll enjoy your stay at my estate.”
“Is that really all?”
“Yes?”
“If you talked about a full course to bring me here, there must have been another reason.”
“Did your brother tell you that too?”
“No, that’s just my own guess.”
“Ha ha ha…”
Jose nodded.
“Yes. Actually, if the opportunity arose, there was someone I wanted to introduce to you. Now seems like the right time.”
“Introduce someone?”
Yuri eyed him warily.
“Sir Jose, do you have a younger sister, by any chance?”
“No.”
“Or a cousin?”
“I understand what you’re thinking. Neither.”
“Then who?”
“Hmm…”
Jose smiled and looked up at the sky, choosing his words carefully.
“If I had to say… it’s someone I consider my mentor.”
“A mentor? Why would you want to introduce such a person to me?”
“After seeing you fight, I just wondered what might happen if you two met. After everything in Adelbine, my curiosity only grew.”
“Alright.”
Yuri nodded.
“If you say so, Sir Jose, I’m curious too. Shall we meet tomorrow?”
“I’m not sure if he’ll be here, but I’ll try to find him.”
“Good.”
Yuri said this, resting her hand on Jose’s shoulder as they both gazed out at the distant sea.
Suddenly, she found herself missing the older brother mentioned earlier.
“I wonder how he’s doing…”
Muttering this, Yuri smiled softly and shook her head. Cedric was someone she didn’t need to worry about.
Whether in martial arts, scholarship, or looks, he was gifted in every way.
And he even had a good partner and was in a relationship.
There was truly nothing lacking.
The Devil’s Flower was removed from Adelbine, and Gert was dead.
Meanwhile, someone who knew this was walking through a secret passage hidden within the imperial palace.
“The Devil’s Flower is dead… damn it…”
He cursed under his breath, nervously running his hand through his hair.
“I put so much effort into this, and that idiot just ruined it…”
His near-platinum hair swayed as he moved.
Soon, a massive iron door appeared before him. He pushed it open with a shove and stepped inside.
There was an altar.
On a large magic circle, dozens of candles flickered precariously, and unidentified bones were scattered around.
At the center, a skull was raised toward the sky, gripping an old parchment in its jaws.
“Nothing ever goes right.”
He muttered an incantation in an unknown language as he approached the magic circle.
Though the room was still, the candles flickered wildly, as if caught in a sudden gust.
His chanting quickened.
A faint light began to seep from the eye sockets of the skull holding the parchment.
“Phew…”
He then walked to a dark corner and opened a small door hidden in the shadows. Behind iron bars, a group of humans appeared.
He looked at them with cold, emotionless eyes.
The prisoners were so starved that their bones protruded sharply beneath their skin.
When he dragged one of them forward, there was no resistance.
“P-please… have mercy…”
The one being dragged pleaded.
“Your Highness…”
“Silence.”
Indeed, the secret hidden beneath the imperial palace was none other than Prince Eugen himself.
Eugen crushed the prisoner’s head beneath his boot to silence him, then threw the body into the center of the magic circle.
The candles tangled around the corpse, burning its flesh.
“Ahhh…”
“Shut up.”
Eugen drew a dagger and plunged it into the man’s neck.
“Gah…”
Blood poured out.
The parchment soaked with blood began to glow with a crimson light.
Soon, a dark smoke rose, filling the room.
Eugen watched silently before dropping to one knee.
From the darkness, a faint shape began to materialize.
[You’re not doing your job properly.]
A woman’s voice echoed.
“I’m sorry. I trusted that foolish fool…”
[How foolish.]
“I apologize.”
Eugen knelt toward the presence.
[For now, stay out of it and keep quiet.]
“If I can make up for it…”
[I said stay quiet.]
“Yes.”
[From now on, I will take action. You just manage the back alleys.]
“Understood…”
Eugen lifted his head as the darkness coalesced into a form.
It soon took the shape of someone he knew well.
A woman wearing a baker’s hat.
[Come see me soon.]
“Yes.”
[We cousins should see each other from time to time.]
“Yes.”