Yuri sat at the table in her room, scribbling something down.
Jared, who was standing behind her, tilted his head in curiosity.
“What are you writing so diligently?”
“I’m organizing my thoughts.”
“About what?”
“The Ten Strongest.”
“Ah…”
The Ten Strongest referred to the ten most powerful warriors on the continent.
There might be others with comparable strength who weren’t officially listed, but being named among the Ten Strongest carried immense symbolic weight.
“The first is Lord Pyeha.”
“Of course.”
First, Fiore Briol.
A swordsman surrounded by countless legendary tales, he was undoubtedly ranked first among the Ten Strongest. He was Yuri’s father and the king of Briol—a cornerstone of their military might.
“He’s on our side.”
“Well, since he’s Lord Pyeha, that’s a given.”
Next was Moyongchan.
A swordsman who suddenly appeared from the East, he was a guest under Briol’s protection and Yuri’s mentor. Rumor had it he was highly proficient in the continental language.
“He’s on our side too.”
“I heard Moyongchan has been managing Lord Hose and Lord Bernard lately.”
“That’s a good sign.”
Then there was Gert.
Once thought to be a monstrous beast who destroyed Adelbine, he was actually a knight who tried to protect his country.
“He’s gone now.”
“Yes, he’s dead.”
Also, Inariel.
The only elf wandering the world, a unique figure among the Ten Strongest due to her mage’s body. She didn’t belong to any faction but was generally considered an ally.
However, Inariel, who had accompanied them since Johaim, disappeared again before they reached the castle.
“Half on our side.”
“She’s helping us, isn’t she?”
“Maybe. But she left again before coming to Briol.”
“Probably had urgent business.”
“Still, only half on our side.”
“Isn’t she closer than that…?”
“Then two-thirds on our side.”
“Fine by me.”
And Kruar.
If Inariel was the last elf, Kruar was the last dragon. But their situations were different. Considering that Inariel’s kin were gathered within the World Tree’s barrier, Kruar was truly the last surviving member of his kind—a solitary existence.
They had taken him to save Kori, who had somehow awakened dragon speech, but there had been no news since.
“Hopefully he hasn’t eaten Kori.”
“Of course not.”
“He’s only one-third on our side.”
“Then two-thirds are enemies?”
“Exactly.”
“Why? Kori helped us too…”
“He’s connected to the Empire.”
“I heard he burned down a village and they put a bounty on him?”
“That’s why they made a pact.”
Kruar had once burned down an imperial village, enraging the emperor, who personally placed a bounty on him.
When they still couldn’t catch him, the emperor sent several of the Ten Strongest after him.
But Kruar suddenly appeared at the imperial palace and negotiated directly with the emperor.
Since then, Kruar no longer opposed the Empire and sometimes even offered minor assistance.
No one knew the details of their agreement, but because of it, people considered Kruar to be friendly toward the Empire.
“If it weren’t for Kori, we’d probably see him as an outright enemy.”
“Lucky for us. Kori’s a blessing.”
“I miss him. Kruar must be giving him a hard time…”
“His sacrifice is protecting the country.”
Then there was the Holy Knight.
A paladin who had secluded himself in the Holy Kingdom. Since he never ventured outside, no one knew how he was doing, but given his nature, he was considered a future ally against the Empire.
Someone like the Holy Knight would never look kindly on an Empire consumed by dark magic.
“We should see him as a potential ally. Relations with the Holy Kingdom have been good lately.”
“Is it true that Larson will inherit the throne?”
“Probably.”
“I’m not so sure. Lady Sibylla seems much better.”
“Well, it can’t be helped.”
“Does the Holy Knight obey the king’s orders?”
“He’s closer to the temple, but the Holy Kingdom’s king is nominally the divine’s representative, so he would follow orders if war breaks out.”
“That’s reassuring. So two-thirds are allies?”
“Hmm…”
Yuri drew a line with her pen.
“It’s a feeling. Just allies.”
“Isn’t that a bit convenient?”
“The rest of the Ten Strongest are all Empire. Cut me some slack.”
“Understood.”
Opposite the list she had written so far, Yuri added Yalta.
“Yalta. Deceased.”
Yalta, the barbarian of the Empire. More suited to the battlefield than dueling among the strong, since he lacked any sense of reason. It was fortunate he died before the war.
No successor had yet risen to fill his spot, so it was considered vacant.
“Two vacancies then.”
“Gert’s death hasn’t been made public, right?”
“Right. For now, he remains Gert. Maybe for a very long time.”
Next was the Black Knight.
A masked knight said to follow the emperor’s orders. His origins were unclear, and aside from his deep faith, little was known.
He appeared suddenly and, alongside Yalta, swept away anything that stood in the emperor’s way, establishing himself as the emperor’s sword. His prowess was close to the top tier of the Ten Strongest.
“You’re close with him, aren’t you?”
“Huh?”
“We worship together.”
“Can’t we bring him over?”
“He’s not the type to confuse personal and official matters. He’s an enemy, and it’s unfortunate.”
Then came Donchichi, the “Tyrant of the North.”
He was entrusted with the northern forests by the emperor and lived there as he pleased. Not very intelligent, he was more of a monster than a thinking warrior, unlike the other Ten Strongest.
But his destructive power was immense. Ogres were already huge, but Donchichi was like a mutant among them.
Though loyal to the emperor, he was uncontrollable. In the previous life, the Empire would drop Donchichi alone into battlefields and retrieve him after he smashed everything in sight.
More weapon than soldier.
“An ogre? Is he big?”
“Very.”
“I’ve never seen one…”
“They live far north, and there aren’t many. Donchichi is the biggest among them.”
“How tall?”
“About the size of a building.”
“Bigger than Kruar?”
“Yes.”
“Scary to look at…”
“Not something a knight should say. Jared, remember: for a knight, a big enemy is just a bigger target. Got it?”
“Then the prince will face him?”
“You’ll see.”
“Yes, sir.”
Finally, the “Emperor’s Sword Without a Shadow.”
No one knew his appearance, identity, or even his name. The only thing people saw were the bodies of his victims.
He killed enemies on the emperor’s orders and vanished, moving as if he had no shadow.
If the Black Knight was the sword in the light, this one was the sword in the shadows.
“I don’t know much about him.”
“Is he real?”
“Some doubt it, but I’m sure he exists.”
In the previous life, the Sword Without a Shadow never revealed himself.
Only when key figures opposing the Empire were found dead did people suspect his involvement, but there was no direct evidence.
“Maybe the scariest enemy of all. Nothing is known.”
“Sounds like an assassin.”
“True, but he’s defeated some major players, which is unusual for an assassin.”
He killed previous members of the Ten Strongest and quietly took their place.
It wasn’t a sneak attack; fierce battle marks were left behind.
Strangely, only the sword marks on the dead Ten Strongest were scattered around—no other clues.
The sword scars on their necks were the only trace left by the Sword Without a Shadow.
“So, that’s the Ten Strongest.”
“Most of them are familiar faces. I’ve really made it.”
“That’s thanks to me. Admit it.”
“I admit it.”
“Good, good.”
To sum up, the current allies or potential allies among the Ten Strongest were:
Fiore, Moyongchan, Holy Knight, and Inariel.
Those who were enemies or potential enemies were:
Black Knight, Donchichi, Kruar, and the Sword Without a Shadow.
“Shouldn’t Kruar be considered neutral? I don’t think he’d go to war on the Empire’s side…”
“We’re preparing for the worst. Better to assume the unexpected than be caught off guard.”
“True. So two spots are vacant.”
“Gert’s spot will remain empty for a while, so one new member will fill the other.”
Since Gert’s death was unknown, his name still held a place, leaving one vacancy.
“If Lord Hose joins, we’ll have two more.”
“That’s true. But there’s a problem.”
“What is it?”
“The Ten Strongest aren’t everything.”
Yuri shrugged.
“Honestly, this is just gossip among enthusiasts. How can you neatly divide the top ten? There might be someone stronger out there.”
Combat power isn’t something you can slice and dice precisely.
Except for a transcendent master like Fiore Briol, those on the edge of the Ten Strongest, like Yalta, weren’t much stronger than other powerful warriors.
“Lord Hose is strong, but is there a big gap between him and the Empire’s knight commanders?”
“I’m not sure…”
“That’s what makes the Empire scary. They have several of the Ten Strongest under their command, plus countless others nearly as strong.”
The Empire’s forces were fundamentally exceptional.
Though Briol was known as the land of knights, the Empire had far more knights. Each knight commander was considered a potential future member of the Ten Strongest.
“Don’t worry, Your Highness. We’re the same.”
“Oh?”
“We may not be Ten Strongest, but there’s Lord Laurent and me.”
“Hmm…”
“Just kidding, just kidding. Don’t make that face.”
“I’m not making any face.”
“Well, anyway, we have you, Your Highness.”
“Right.”
“You suddenly smiled.”
But even those determined to stop the Empire still held onto hope.
That hope was Yuri himself.
By defeating Yalta alone, he had already proven that he had reached the level of the Ten Strong.
A master of the Ten Strong caliber, yet completely unknown to the enemy—this was an incredible strategic advantage.
Still, his mind wasn’t at ease.
Yuri hadn’t fully made his power his own yet.
The Shadow Heart.
No one could say when it might consume him.
“It’s done. The preparations are complete.”
“The Ten Strong swordsman without a shadow worries me the most.”
“You have your father, so what’s there to worry about?”
“That may be true, but…”
Yuri folded up his notes and set them aside, then spread out a map.
The vast territory of the Empire stretched before him, with the surrounding countries laid out beneath it.
He circled the Empire’s border—there lay Yohheim.
“The Empire struck here.”
“They say there was an attempted poisoning. Probably just an excuse, though…”
“Technically, yes. But the Emperor truly believes it.”
“Huh?”
Yuri recalled the letter from Asana.
She had witnessed the moment the Emperor was poisoned.
It probably wasn’t Yohheim, but Yugen—or someone else under the influence of dark magic—who deliberately poisoned him and then provoked the Emperor.
According to Asana, the Emperor had already been losing his mind before that.
Long exposure to dark magic had consumed him with madness.
“The Aloy Mountains have been fortified. They’ve supplied enough knights specialized in mountain warfare. The cost of sending troops to Chiwu is too high right now.”
“So?”
“Just like with Yohheim, the Empire will move suddenly. And they’ll aim for the core.”
Yuri circled four countries again.
Liberta, the Holy Kingdom, Bursen, and Briole.
Geographically, Liberta was the closest, followed by the Holy Kingdom.
“These four countries stand in the Empire’s way.”
“Right.”
“They won’t suddenly attack Briole.”
Fiore Briole remained intact. Even in the previous life, the Empire hadn’t touched Briole until Fiore disappeared.
Yuri marked the Holy Kingdom.
“Don’t you get the feeling it’ll be here?”
“Maybe?”
“Besides Briole, the Holy Kingdom is the strongest and closest. Temples are spread all across the continent.”
“Won’t the temples resist?”
“That’s why they need to be taken out first.”
He was half certain.
In his previous life, the Empire had toppled Yohheim before moving on to the Holy Kingdom.
The Emperor even claimed to be God’s representative.
“Liberta isn’t worth the trouble for a surprise attack. If we quickly subdue the Holy Kingdom, things get a lot easier. Then we can strike Bursen directly, surrounding the smaller kingdoms.”
“I see. You’re very clever, Your Highness.”
“Read the books.”
“Yes, sir.”
Tapping the map, Yuri continued.
“If the Holy Kingdom is attacked, the others will respond immediately. Liberta, Bursen, Briole, and even the smaller kingdoms.”
“A united front against the Empire?”
“That’s the plan.”
Yuri pulled out a sheet of stationery from the drawer.
“It’s time to call my brother.”
Cedric and Joshua were due back from France.
He wanted to let them focus on their studies in peace, but this was no longer the time.
The continent was about to be swept into the storm of war.
“The situation is stable.”
Fortunately, compared to his previous life, things were much better.
No orcs harassing the borders, Yohheim still standing, and the entire continent wary of the Empire’s moves.
“Now, all we can do is wait.”
The entire continent was on edge.
Yuri’s assessment was sound, and scholars across the land kept a close watch on the Empire and the Holy Kingdom.
Something was bound to happen.
But the Empire shattered expectations.
“Donchichi is attacking Liberta.”
At the messenger’s words, Yuri’s eyes widened.