Yuri entered the palace without delay.
The king, his two older brothers, and the Barkbar family were waiting for him.
Yuri greeted them politely.
“Sorry for being late.”
Contrary to his notorious reputation as a troublemaker, Yuri displayed impeccable manners. He even stepped aside briefly to let the servants bring in the food.
Johannes, Count of Briole, and Tousen Barkbar exchanged puzzled glances at this unfamiliar side of the third prince.
“The third prince seems to have grown stronger. I suppose you’ve been training hard,” Tousen, an excellent knight, observed keenly.
“Must be something he ate wrong recently,” the king muttered.
“If there’s such a thing, you should share it with my son,” Tousen joked.
“Is your son not smart enough to manage on his own?”
“Not quite yet.”
Sitting beside Tousen, Gote stared intently at Cedric across the table. Though he had betrayed the kingdom, Gote had always respected Cedric. And it was easy to see why—Cedric was a man worthy of respect from anyone. Even a brief conversation revealed the qualities of a wise and just ruler.
In contrast, Joshua, the second prince of Briole and the eldest brother, was different.
“Sit up straight.”
“Yes, sir.”
Joshua shrugged off his father’s reprimand with a casual response.
Joshua had a big influence on why Yuri had become such a troublemaker. Sharp-witted and quick to calculate, he excelled at causing mischief. Yuri had learned all his bad habits from him.
Though Yuri had shown some strategic sense just before the kingdom’s fall, he had originally been less of a problem than Joshua.
“Here already?”
As Yuri took his seat, Joshua smirked and subtly made a circle with his thumb and forefinger.
Word had apparently spread that he’d won some money at cards.
“Gonna play again today?”
Yuri ignored him and stared straight ahead. Joshua kept pestering him, but Yuri paid no mind.
Gote glanced at Yuri with his characteristic wide eyes, then looked away.
A faint anger stirred within Yuri.
Gote’s behavior was irritating, but he was still a knight of Briole, having inherited the title from Count Johannes.
Yet he had led the army to defect to the Empire—and worse, had become their lackey, even guiding their troops.
Maybe he was afraid of a hopeless war, if you gave him the benefit of the doubt.
But why did he personally leak Briole’s secrets right at the Empire’s front lines?
And that betrayal was tied to Yuri’s own mistakes.
His anger toward Gote boiled inside, mixed with self-reproach.
Yuri kept glaring.
Gote, flustered, darted his eyes around before meeting Yuri’s gaze again.
At first, he seemed unsure how to react, but then, perhaps out of stubbornness, he didn’t look away.
While their father and Tousen chatted about various matters, Yuri and Gote continued their silent battle of wills.
At first, Yuri had thought to let it go.
But the more their eyes met, the angrier he became.
“You got a problem with him?” Joshua whispered.
Not wanting to deal with more pestering, Yuri gave a curt answer.
“Yeah, I do.”
“What kind of problem?”
“That bastard stabbed me in the back.”
“What? Seriously?”
Joshua mimed hitting his own head, taking the phrase literally.
“So, you gonna let it slide?”
“Hmm…”
“Yuri Briole wouldn’t just take a beating and stay quiet, right?”
“Of course not.”
“After dinner?”
“I’ll call him out.”
“And then?”
“Teach him a lesson.”
“That’s my brother.”
Yuri had to admit it—Joshua was a perfect match for him.
Even after living a long life and returning to the past, there was something about them that just clicked.
Maybe troublemakers were born with similar genes.
No wonder he’d wasted his life following Joshua in his previous life.
“Ha ha ha…”
Joshua laughed as if this was going to be fun. Yuri glanced sideways and thought:
Next up after Gote is you.
In Briole, the only one who didn’t need fixing was Cedric.
“Yuri, if you’re not going to eat that, give it to me.”
“Sure, go ahead.”
“That’s odd, you’re giving it up so easily…”
Joshua tilted his head and stuffed the meat into his mouth.
Yuri smiled.
He used to call him “brother” in his past life, but now that he was living longer, there was no need for such formalities.
Joshua.
This life, you’re going to have to live it ‘for real.’
“Hey, hold your spoon properly.”
“Imitating Dad?”
“Straighten your back. Otherwise, you’ll end up hunched over.”
“What?”
After pointing out Joshua’s bad habits, Yuri looked back at Gote.
Gote, who had been eating, immediately met his gaze.
When their eyes locked, sparks seemed to fly.
“This is for your own good, Gote…”
After all, once Gote had sided with the Empire, he was soon stripped of all his lands and cast out.
“This life will be different.”
Yuri wasn’t just planning to fix Joshua.
Gote was on the list too.
He would rewire their minds so they’d never think of betrayal again, and make them give their all for the kingdom.
Who can honestly say they give 100% all the time? Humans want to sit when standing, lie down when sitting.
From his mercenary days, Yuri had learned one truth:
People only perform at their best when forced.
Even the most untrained recruits became disciplined soldiers after a few days of hard knocks.
He would make Gote a stronger, better knight than before.
One who knew nothing of betrayal.
“Yuri.”
As he steeled himself and cut into his steak, his father called him.
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“You’ve changed a lot lately, haven’t you?”
Fiore Briole, King of Briole, rested his chin on his hand and looked at Yuri with a crooked smile.
Yuri replied,
“I’ve just decided not to bring shame to Your Majesty.”
It wasn’t mere lip service.
Though the king lacked formal airs and sometimes seemed like a carefree noble, Fiore was one of the continent’s top swordmasters. Some even called him the strongest swordsman of his time.
“I want to become a great knight like Your Majesty.”
“A great knight, huh…”
Fiore chuckled.
“Do you really think I’m a great knight? What do you say, Tousen?”
Tousen nodded.
“Of course. Your Majesty is both the King of Briole and a great knight.”
“I’m strong, yes, but whether I’m great… I’m not so sure.”
“You’re too humble.”
“Yuri, if you want to be a great knight, you’d do better to look up to someone else. I’m not much without my sword.”
Thinking about it, Yuri realized his father was right.
He nodded obediently.
“You’re right, Your Majesty. I will do as you say.”
The moment he admitted it, the atmosphere turned chilly.
Cedric snorted, and Joshua chuckled with his head bowed.
“So you will, huh?”
Fiore shrugged, and Tousen laughed out loud.
“The kingdom’s future looks bright.”
“Are you mocking me too?”
“I’m serious.”
The meal ended on a good note.
Fiore and Tousen went to the garden to discuss matters, and Cedric left to study.
Only the two princes known as troublemakers and a proud noble child remained.
“Hey.”
Joshua called to Gote.
“Yes?”
“Come here.”
His gesture was unmistakably that of a bully.
“Let’s go somewhere quiet.”
“Why all of a sudden…?”
“You hit my brother, didn’t you?”
“W-what?”
“I heard everything.”
“I didn’t do that…”
Joshua led Gote and Yuri to a secluded corner of the palace.
“Hey, how dare you lay a hand on royalty…”
“I’ll handle this.”
Before Joshua could cause more trouble, Yuri stepped forward.
“Gote Barkbar.”
“Yes, Third Prince.”
“I hear you’re good with a sword?”
“A little.”
Gote’s mannerisms were no different from an older man’s. Outwardly humble and composed, but his eyes darted around nervously.
Looking back, Yuri remembered fighting Gote around this time in his previous life.
Of course, he had won.
Had beaten him badly.
He still remembered the resentment burning in Gote’s eyes.
Could it be that grudge had driven him to betray the kingdom?
“You bastard!”
Yuri shouted.
“We don’t need narrow-minded knights in this kingdom.”
“I’m not a knight yet.”
“You’re going to be one, aren’t you?”
“That’s true, but…”
“Gote, you’re an important asset who must work hard for the kingdom. I believe you’re not the kind of trash who’d harbor ill will just because you got a few hits from me today.”
Gote was confused by the strange words. It sounded like a compliment, but also a threat.
“Y-yes?”
“Get rid of that dumbfounded look!”
Yuri wanted to throw his glove, but since he didn’t have one, he picked up a stone and hurled it instead.
Gote clutched his chest.
“Ugh!”
“A duel.”
“Wait…”
Joshua calmly handed wooden sticks to both of them.
“An ambush? That’s cowardly…!”
Though his conscience pricked him, Yuri replied nonchalantly.
“This is instead of gloves.”
Yuri silently scolded himself. His mercenary habits had slipped out without realizing.
There were no rules in mercenary duels. All sorts of dirty tricks were fair game—throwing stones, kicking sand, spitting, grabbing hair.
The one who survived was the strongest.
That was the law of the battlefield.
Yuri’s eyes darkened.
That rule applied to Briole as well.
No one would listen to excuses about Gote’s betrayal or Yuri’s own gullibility.
The Empire had won.
Therefore, Briole was weak.
Because of their weakness, the people of the fallen kingdom suffered under oppression, and all their glorious history was dragged into the mud.
“Protect chivalry, Third Prince!” Gott shouted, swinging his wooden stick.
Yuri stepped back and kicked at the ground.
Sand scattered.
While Gott shook his head in frustration, Yuri’s wooden stick swung again.
“Ah!”
It struck Gott’s unguarded arm.
He scrambled to counterattack, but Yuri had already stepped behind him.
He was hit in the back.
“Striking from behind, too!”
Gott’s voice rose.
“Third Prince! Have some shame!”
Brushing the sand off, Gott glared at Yuri with burning eyes.
“Shame, huh…”
Wasn’t it the ones who knew shame who sold out their country?
Gott had surrendered to the empire, and knights who opposed his decision had died.
Yuri advanced, wooden stick at the ready.
Gott circled in with a graceful sword strike.
It was a decent move.
But Gott was so caught up in the motion itself that he completely missed the true meaning behind the technique.
A swordsmanship fitting for a hollow life.
“Huh?”
Yuri feigned a clash with Gott’s sword, then dropped his own weapon.
His wooden sword flew through the air.
He then slipped inside Gott’s guard, grabbing his arm and waist.
“Ah…?”
He kicked out the supporting leg, knocking Gott down.
“Ugh!”
Before the shock wore off, Yuri snatched Gott’s wooden sword.
With one foot on his chest, he pressed the blade to his throat.
“Throwing away your sword…”
Gott glared fiercely at Yuri.
“Gott.”
“Yes?”
“What is a sword?”
“Huh?”
“A tool to kill, right?”
“Yes.”
“If you can kill without holding it, there’s no need to cling to it.”
“…”
Yuri withdrew his foot and spoke.
“One more question. Why is your father a count?”
“Huh?”
“Who gave him that power?”
“Well…”
“Think about it.”
Yuri reached out his hand.
Gott looked at it, still angry, but then grasped it and got to his feet.
“Gott.”
“Yes.”
“No matter what situation you face, try to see its true nature.”
It might be a difficult lesson for a kid barely a year or two older than himself.
But Yuri had wanted to tell this to the past Gott at least once.
He had blindly swallowed the empire’s fake bait and walked straight toward ruin.
“Is that hard?”
“Yes.”
“Think it over carefully, then come find me. We’ll talk again then.”
He had no intention of punishing him for past mistakes.
He just wanted to give him a chance at a different life.
As a fellow sinner.
“Yes…”
Unaware of this, Gott rolled his eyes again.
Yuri gripped his shoulder firmly and warned him.
“Hey.”
“Yes.”
“If you don’t come, I’ll come find you.”
“Y-yes, yes…”
“Go on.”
“Yes.”
Gott shuffled away hesitantly, then, once at a safe distance, shouted back.
“Today, I let you win!”
Yuri looked at him.
“If I’d used Mana Method, you’d be the one lying down!”
With that, he spun around and ran off.
Watching his retreating figure, Yuri smiled.
He hadn’t known Gott had already learned Mana Method.
But since he hadn’t used it even once, he wasn’t completely rotten at his core.
Though using an immature Mana Method would have ended the same way.
“Yuri.”
Joshua, who had been quietly watching from the corner, spoke up.
“You make it look so easy! You’re really good at fighting.”
He looked more excited than anyone.
“Did you think I’d lose?”
“Yeah.”
“Then why did you start the fight?”
“Because it’s fun.”
Yuri glanced between the wooden stick in his hand and Joshua.
Sensing the mood, Joshua quickly took off.