Side Story: Yuri’s Runaway Ruckus! (5)

Hwang Bo-cheol had fainted after taking a hit from Yuri.

Blood still trickled down his leg.

“Phew…”

Yuri let out a sigh.

A Dongbang man who couldn’t even read a fan—his journey would have to continue on to Liberta.

“Your Highness, what shall we do now?” Jared asked.

Yuri looked down at the unconscious Hwang Bo-cheol.

He was a ruthless bandit who had come all the way from the Western Regions to pillage.

Yet…

“Though he’s a worthless bandit, he appreciates the beauty of our continent. I can’t just leave him here.”

Hwang Bo-cheol’s desperate cries hadn’t been in vain—they stirred something small within Yuri’s heart.

“Let’s hand him over to the Yohheim forces so he can receive treatment.”

“Why go that far…?”

“We often criticize our continent as a mess, but through the eyes of a Dongbang man, it’s truly beautiful. Maybe we’ve been too blind to ourselves.”

“Is that so…?”

“If someone can recognize the continent’s beauty so well…”

Yuri gazed warmly at the unconscious Hwang Bo-cheol.

“They’ll also come to realize how advanced our prisons are.”

“Yes, Your Highness. Someday, I’d like to visit and hear their thoughts on how impressive our prisons are.”

“Better than those in the East, so much so they might want to live there forever.”

“Hahaha, should we exaggerate their crimes and throw the book at them?”

“Excellent idea!”

Yuri and Jared exchanged broad smiles.

“By the way, isn’t this near the Yohheim guerrilla zone?”

“Yes.”

“Then we might as well hand him over and catch up with them after a while.”

---

The Yohheim guerrilla force, founded by Yuri, was a thorn in the Empire’s side.

Not strong enough to threaten the Empire outright, but in the mountains, they could hold their own against any Imperial unit.

They were like a dagger pressed against the Empire’s back—always a nagging threat, impossible to ignore.

But that was when the continent was tense.

After the war ended and the Empire was normalized under Yuri Briol, Yohheim was no longer an enemy.

Now, the two nations interacted as they had before the war.

“Come out, you Yohheim slackers!”

Yuri shouted loudly, and suddenly something shot out from the bushes.

No sound, no warning.

Mu-yeong-sal—the Shadowless Arrow.

A secret archery technique taught by Instructor Murray to the guerrillas.

“Not bad.”

Yuri swung her sword, and an arrow-like shape suddenly appeared in midair, splitting in two and bouncing aside.

A brief commotion stirred in the bushes.

Yuri grinned, resting her sword on her shoulder.

“Making that much noise? Disqualified as a guerrilla. Keep your composure! How can you call yourselves ghost hunters?”

More shadowless arrows flew.

Yuri easily deflected them with her sword.

“Whoa…”

The bandits, tied up and dragged behind, watched in awe.

“So that’s Yohheim’s ghost arrow. You can’t see it at all.”

“How do they even block it?”

“We’re done for against these elites.”

“No wonder the Nokrim fell.”

Jared shot a sharp glance.

“Quiet, everyone.”

“Yes, sir.”

As Yuri continued her display, one guerrilla finally stepped out.

“What business do you have here?”

He asked seriously.

“Seems like you have something to say to the guerrillas…”

“You bastard, long time no see.”

“What?”

Yuri smiled slyly and approached the guerrilla.

“Already forgot me?”

“You are…”

His eyes widened.

“Your Highness! What are you doing here?”

“Loud voice you’ve got there. How’s our Amunson been?”

Amunson, a Yohheim knight who once dueled Simon, had joined the guerrillas during the war with the Empire and now seemed dedicated to guarding Yohheim’s borders.

He immediately asked about Simon.

“Where’s Simon?”

“He’s in Liberta.”

“Damn!”

“Still itching for a fight?”

“Of course. You said you’d arrange a duel after guerrilla training…”

“We were busy with the war.”

“Will you make it happen now?”

“Want to come to Liberta with me? I’m heading that way.”

“I’m on duty now. Need to request leave in advance.”

“Then come by later. I’ll tell them.”

“Understood.”

After the war with the orcs ended, Amunson and Simon had a friendly duel.

Though Amunson had the upper hand, Simon used the ‘Art of Feigned Injury’ taught by Yuri to snatch victory.

Since then, Amunson had been burning with competitive spirit toward Simon.

“You’ve gotten stronger.”

“Learned a lot from Lord Gonte.”

“Gonte doing well?”

“Very much so.”

As Yuri’s identity became known, more Yohheim guerrillas emerged from the bushes.

“Your Highness! It’s been a while.”

“You’re as steadfast as ever!”

The guerrillas greeted Yuri warmly.

Currently, Yohheim’s guerrilla force was mainly composed of former Owls trained in Briol.

Even those who hadn’t trained under Yuri knew of her reputation.

The guerrillas bowed to her as if meeting an idol.

Watching this, the bandits’ eyes widened.

“Is this for real?”

“Is that really Her Highness Yuri?”

“Yeah, you fools.”

Jared kicked the bandits’ backsides one by one.

“Did you think it was all a lie?”

“Ugh…”

“Be thankful Her Highness holds no grudges. You’ll all be punished by the book.”

“Thank you.”

“Once you’re out of prison, work hard.”

“There are no jobs…”

“No jobs?”

“Yes. Why else would we become bandits? There’s no work.”

“Then come to Briol. They’re desperate for workers right now.”

“Really?”

“Briol’s booming. Go there, maybe attend an academy, study day and night, and learn a skill. People need skills.”

“What kind of skills?”

“Electromagnetics or quantum mechanics—those are easy and in demand.”

“I’ll remember that.”

And so, Yuri’s group handed the bandits over to Yohheim’s guerrillas.

They would soon face the strict judgment of the law.

“Live right from now on.”

“Yes!”

“Bo-cheol, same goes for you. I’m watching.”

“Y-yes.”

The bandits looked relieved.

Maybe they hadn’t wanted to be bandits—they’d just had no other choice.

Yuri vowed that once this runaway episode was over, she would reform the Empire’s industrial structure to create jobs.

“Hm?”

Just as Yuri was about to leave after greeting the guerrillas, she suddenly stopped.

In front of the barracks stood an incredibly lifelike statue—so realistic it transcended sculpture and became art.

“You recognize it, don’t you?”

Amunson, who had come to see them off, smiled.

“This is the work of With, Yohheim’s pride as a sculptor. It’s his signature piece—the Four Heroes statue.”

“The Four Heroes…”

“When the Empire invaded Yohheim, four heroes seemed to fall from the sky. They’re gone now, but their spirit lives on forever here. Look—this one is…”

“Yu-bi.”

“You know him?”

“Of course.”

Yuri smiled warmly.

The Four Heroes stood like tigers, radiating fierce determination.

Their expressions said they wouldn’t let a single enemy pass.

“That one must be Javid.”

Jared’s face broke into a strange smile.

“I heard he was very brave.”

“Yes, that’s right. And the other is…”

Then Laurent, who had been quiet, stepped forward.

“Low, right?”

“I didn’t expect you all to know so much about the Four Heroes. Their time was short, so few outside Yohheim know them…”

“How could we not? They’re heroes born of the times.”

“Hahaha, indeed.”

Yuri smiled softly.

Those had been tough times, but now they were memories.

“I wish Jose could have seen this too…”

“Hm?”

“Nothing. Anyway, truly magnificent heroes.”

Legends are best left as legends.

Yuri patted Amunson on the shoulder.

“Well then, take good care of those bandits.”

“Yes. After investigation, they’re just small fry. They only stole a few bundles, so they won’t be locked up long.”

“Is that so?”

“Oh, by the way, that leader Hwang Bo-cheol asked me to pass on a message.”

“Hm?”

Amunson grinned.

“People want to study only easy, employable subjects like electromagnetics, quantum mechanics, or linear algebra…”

“But?”

“He says he wants to study Korean literature to spread the beauty of the continent’s common language.”

“Oh…”

“He also asked to thank you for waking him up and says he’ll live clean from now on.”

“That guy…”

Yuri chuckled.

“Got it. Tell Bo-cheol that when he becomes a useful member of society, we’ll meet again.”

“Understood.”

“Well then, we’ll be off.”

“Yes.”

Waving goodbye to Amunson, Yuri set off once more toward Liberta.

At that moment, she didn’t know…

That Hwang Bo-cheol would one day become the continent’s Saint of Poetry, spreading the beauty of the common tongue far and wide—and even receive a medal from Ekaterina herself for his achievements—was something no one could have predicted.

But for now, his runaway adventure was far from over.

---

Yuri and his companions arrived in Liberta.

The ‘Shincheongseong School’ founded by Moyongchan, which they sought, stood grandly in the heart of the city.

Yuri looked up at the massive signboard and said, “Looks like this place has quite the reputation after all…”

“I heard that no one in this city hasn’t trained in Shincheongseong’s martial arts. If you don’t know their techniques, you’re treated like a spy,” said one of his companions.

“Come on, that can’t be true. Martial arts aren’t that easy to master…”

Yuri’s words were cut off abruptly.

A woman, elegantly dressed in a gown, suddenly stumbled and began to fall backward.

The angle was so dangerous it looked like she’d hit her head on the ground.

“W-wait!”

Even Yuri was caught off guard.

But then—

She stretched out her arm, caught herself on the ground, spun backward once, and landed gracefully, as if nothing had happened.

Her movements were flawless.

“Uh…”

The surprises didn’t end there.

The coachman, struggling to control the horses while parking the carriage, suddenly lifted the entire vehicle with ease, set it down neatly by the roadside, and walked away.

“Whoa…”

And now that Yuri looked around, the gardener trimming the city’s street trees was wielding a sword, slicing branches and leaves with precise, clean cuts.

With just a few strokes, the trees’ shapes were perfectly sculpted.

Everywhere Yuri looked, the air was thick with the spirit of martial prowess.

“This can’t be…”

Yuri swallowed hard.

The wave of Shincheongseong was swallowing Liberta whole.

Frozen in tension, Yuri’s lips soon curled into a sly smile.

“As expected. This is what makes them my true masters…”

“This is no joke…”

Taking a deep breath, Yuri stood before the main gate of Shincheongseong.

A massive, thick wooden door blocked the way like a wall.

An ordinary person wouldn’t even be able to budge it—it was far too heavy.

Yuri said, “Laurent, Jared. How about we try breaking into their dojo today?”

“Sounds good to me,” Jared grinned. Laurent just shrugged.

“…You’re up to no good.”

“Your tone’s starting to sound like it.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“There’s this thing they say second-year mid-level academy students catch…”

“Never heard of it.”

“Anyway.”

Yuri didn’t want to start this long-awaited reunion with his masters on a dull note.

So he shouted loudly, “Hey! Shincheongseong! We’re here to challenge you!”

Then, without hesitation, he kicked the door.

The massive gate, bigger and sturdier than most castle doors, shattered into pieces in an instant.

Yuri laughed like a third-rate villain.

“If we win, we’re taking that signboard! Hahaha!”

He strode inside, Jared and Laurent following close behind, their fierce energy making them look like thugs intent on destroying the entire school.

Yuri swaggered, shoulders swinging, and made his way to the training grounds.

“Oh, looks like everyone’s working hard!”

The disciples of Shincheongseong, caught off guard by the sudden intrusion, all took a step back, their faces uneasy.

Yuri raised his voice even more.

“Scared? Is this all Shincheongseong’s got? Any brave ones, come out and fight! Hahaha!”

Hands on his hips, he laughed loudly.

Soon, instructors from Shincheongseong appeared and stood before Yuri.

“How dare you! Who are you?”

Among them was someone Yuri hadn’t expected to see.

“Ah, no… How did you end up here…?”

It was his third wife.

“So this is what you call ‘important business’?”

Her identity was none other than…