“Are those two fighting again today?”
“Yes.”
Yuri was walking through the royal palace with Ena when the clang of metal rang out from a distance.
“They’ve been at it since morning.”
Ever since the allied forces returned, the palace had been filled with the sound of clashing swords.
All because of Bernard and Jose.
The two fought daily as if they were lifelong rivals.
Their wins and losses were eerily balanced—no one ever pulled ahead, and victories alternated with clockwork precision.
Sometimes, Moyongchan, watching from the sidelines, would suddenly burst in, knock them both down, and then vanish without a trace.
Yuri chuckled.
Putting those two together had a stronger effect than expected.
“Not sure if it was a good idea or a mistake…”
“It was good. Both of them look happier.”
“Do they?”
“They fight with smiles on their faces.”
“That’s what makes it even scarier.”
Bernard and Jose fought with a wild, almost drugged grin, their madness shining through. Watching them was strangely unsettling.
Ena asked, “When are you leaving?”
“Today.”
“Already?”
“These things need to be wrapped up quickly. I worry that once I’m gone, discipline in the palace will fall apart, but there’s no choice.”
“Isn’t it the other way around? Ever since the prince returned, the palace has felt off.”
“That’s just your personal opinion.”
“No, it’s not…”
Last night, Yuri had met with Fiore to explain the extortion of the consolation funds.
Fiore’s eyebrows twitched.
Though his indifferent attitude made people forget, Fiore was a warlord notorious on the battlefield. He understood the respect owed to veterans.
Fiore entrusted Yuri with full authority.
“Prince, I think it’s fortunate that His Majesty is such a capable fighter.”
“Why?”
“Because we don’t have to worry about wicked nobles staging rebellions.”
Ena’s words made Yuri smirk.
“There’s a downside, though.”
“A downside?”
“Without a sense of crisis, the nobles don’t care even when they get up to all sorts of nonsense.”
“Ah…”
This situation was similar.
In other countries, kings kept nobles in check to prevent them from gaining too much power, but Fiore paid no mind.
As a result, the nobles grew their influence unnecessarily.
In an empire, someone like Genard would have been eliminated long ago.
“But at least you’re here, Prince?”
At that, Yuri smiled and ruffled Ena’s hair.
“You’re younger than me, though…”
“I’m not.”
“You secretly got older without telling me?”
“Yeah.”
“What?”
Yuri thought back on his past life. Everything had been a mess.
If not for this second chance, he would still be living recklessly, and Ena wouldn’t be acknowledging him like this.
He wanted to fix his mistakes.
“I’ll take Jared with me.”
“Just the two of you?”
“That’s enough.”
“What about Sir Hernando?”
“He’s busy these days. It’d be quick if he came, but mages tend to drag things out.”
“Got it.”
Yuri had already summoned Asana and ordered her to infiltrate Genard’s castle.
She would secure the necessary evidence.
“Oh, right. Prince.”
“Hmm?”
“Sir Roland is coming today, right?”
“That guy?”
“Go with him. Two people aren’t enough.”
Yuri hesitated.
Roland’s excessive loyalty was a bit overwhelming.
“That guy…”
“What is it? Are you avoiding loyal Sir Roland?”
“He’s too loyal.”
“Come on, appreciate him while you can. Where else will you find someone like Sir Roland?”
“I know that…”
Still, Yuri felt burdened.
Maybe after this is over, the allied veterans’ association will realize he’s in charge—and then Roland’s already over-the-top loyalty will only get worse.
But Ena had no way of knowing Yuri’s thoughts.
“Go with him, okay?”
“Alright.”
“Good. That’s a wise choice.”
“Hmm…”
Just then, Roland appeared, dressed lightly in training clothes, heading toward the sparring grounds where Bernard and Jose were.
“Oh, Roland. Good to see you.”
“Prince, and Miss Ena.”
Roland greeted not only Yuri but Ena politely.
“Have you been well?”
“Not really.”
“What? Is something troubling you?”
“Roland, come with me.”
“Eh?”
“I have business to attend to.”
“I was planning to watch the duel between Sir Bernard and Sir Jose today…”
“A comrade of the allied forces is in danger. Will you just stand by?”
“No, it’s not like that…”
He placed a hand over his chest and bowed deeply to Yuri.
“I am Roland Flandre, eldest son of Count Frances and knight of Briol. I pledge to do my utmost to aid the allied comrades alongside Your Highness.”
Just from saying a comrade was in danger, he made a vow like that.
Yuri gave him a reluctant pat on the shoulder.
“Alright then…”
“I stake the honor of Flandre.”
“Don’t stake too much.”
Still, having the prince and the heir of Frances together made a good team. It looked like royalty and nobility joining forces for justice.
“Let’s go. Jared, my top subordinate, will be waiting.”
“Understood.”
Ena cheered them on.
“Be careful.”
“Will do.”
Roland bowed politely to Ena once more.
“Thank you for taking such good care of the prince. Until we meet again, please stay well.”
“Oh my…”
Ena returned the bow with a playful belly-to-belly greeting.
Watching them, Yuri crossed his arms.
“Looks like I’m the only rude one here.”
“That’s true. You grew up in the palace but ignore formalities.”
“That’s not true. I did grow up in the palace, but who really raised me was…”
Yuri recalled his mercenary days from his past life. He had learned far more then than in the palace.
“Eighty percent was the wind.”
“Huh?”
“Just remember that.”
A sudden strong wind blew through, scattering Yuri’s hair as he walked on.
Watching his back, Roland said softly,
“Impressive…”
“Pardon?”
“I must be off now.”
Seeing Roland hurry after him, Ena sighed.
“I get why you find him a bit much when normal people get involved with the prince, things get weird…”
Yuri rode out of the palace with Roland and Jared.
Beyond the castle, fields stretched out before giving way to dense forest.
Though there was a maintained road, cutting through the woods was faster.
“Shall we take a break?”
Yuri stroked the mane of the black horse he was riding. It had served him well during the allied campaign. Not the biggest horse, but smart and responsive to Yuri’s commands.
“Sir Raymond must be doing well.”
“No need to worry about him.”
“True.”
As they rode, Yuri felt a strange sensation.
“We’re like the Three Musketeers or something…”
Yuri, with black hair and dark clothes, rode the black horse; Roland, bright blond and dressed in light colors, rode a white horse; and Jared, with plain brown hair and average clothes, rode a brown horse.
The colors were so distinct it felt like they’d coordinated, which made Yuri a little embarrassed.
“Don’t worry about it. No one’s thinking that.”
“Hope so.”
“Want to rest a bit?”
“Good idea.”
They stopped by a stream to let the horses drink.
During the allied campaign, they had to march in long formations, but now they could adjust their pace freely, which was comfortable.
“Looks like the veterans’ association has raised a lot of money. I paid my dues too, but it’s surprising nobles are interested…”
“That just means Briol has many patriots.”
“Maybe.”
“The prince’s exploits have spread across the continent. People must be proud. Embarrassingly, when I return to my lands, everyone welcomes me warmly.”
“The people have united.”
“The future of Briol looks bright.”
Listening to Jared and Roland’s conversation, Yuri cleared his throat.
Though the dues and donations were substantial, it wasn’t quite that much.
He was the one footing most of the bill.
“Look at this. I hear bandits are rampant in other countries, but Briol is clean.”
Roland’s words made Yuri flinch.
Whenever someone said that, bandits always showed up.
“Roland.”
“Yes?”
“Don’t you hear that?”
“What do you mean?”
Before he could explain, the bushes ahead rustled. Yuri touched the hilt of his sword and said,
“Don’t worry. Bandits summoned by such talk are usually weak.”
Still confused, Roland stood up, while Jared drew his sword and scanned ahead.
Several burly men clad in animal skins appeared.
Counting them, there were more than ten.
Though not Jared or Yuri, Roland was clearly a trained noble knight.
Their appearance meant these bandits were confident.
A bearded man grinned slyly.
“Well, well, handsome young master, out for a stroll?”
The others burst into laughter. He seemed to be their leader.
Leaning his sword on his shoulder, the bearded man swaggered forward.
“Just two servants to accompany you? Didn’t you worry about running into some scary old men like us?”
Though the situation was threatening, Yuri and his group felt no tension.
Jared was a handpicked royal guard, Roland a champion of countless sword tournaments.
And Yuri was stronger than both.
“What did you just say?”
Roland stepped forward.
The bearded man smirked and appraised Roland from head to toe.
“You seem to have some money, but you only travel with two servants, huh?”
“If you’d treated me like a servant, I might have forgiven you.”
“What are you talking about?”
“But now, I find it hard to hold back.”
At Laurent’s words, Jared glanced at Yuri. Yuri just shrugged.
“You should take a page from his book.”
“Yes, well…”
Laurent’s firm tone made the bearded man burst out laughing.
“Looks like the young master picked up some sword skills somewhere, but isn’t your ego getting a bit too inflated?”
Yuri tilted his head in suspicion.
That was odd. For a bandit to use such a scholarly phrase about an inflated ego was unusual.
Instead of answering, Laurent drew his sword. The blade shimmered with a ghostly white glow.
“Shall I kill you, or spare you?”
Yuri answered without hesitation.
“Spare him for now.”
The bearded man frowned.
“What? Was he the real master…?”
Laurent’s sword suddenly lunged toward the man’s leg. The bearded man barely managed to block it.
The clash of steel rang out sharply.
The bearded man stepped back, eyes wide.
“No way… this guy…”
Laurent was a little surprised too. For a bandit, his skill was impressive. But Laurent showed no emotion, methodically targeting the man’s weak points.
The bearded man was pushed back repeatedly.
“Not bad.”
“Indeed.”
As their leader faltered, the other bandits grew uneasy.
“What the hell?”
Cornered, the bearded man was finally knocked down by Laurent’s kick. Laurent took a step back, not pursuing further.
“Get up.”
He waited patiently for the man to rise, as if watching a duel between knights.
“Ugh…”
The bearded man grimaced, gripping his sword again.
“You thought you could underestimate me because I’m just a kid? Not bad at all. Heh heh…”
He forced a smile.
“I didn’t want to kill you, but I have no choice.”
A deadly aura flared from his blade—a clear sign he had mastered the mana method to its peak.
For a bandit to wield such sword energy was no small matter.
Yuri narrowed his eyes, guessing the man’s true identity.
“Probably a fallen knight or something.”
“A knight?”
“Yeah.”
Yuri had once been a mercenary in a past life. There were many with complicated pasts in this world.
Meanwhile, the other bandits were slowly creeping closer to Yuri and Jared.
“I’ll handle this,” Jared said, standing up.
At that, the bearded man shouted.
“Everyone, stay put!”
He seemed to sense that Yuri’s group was no ordinary target.
“I’ll take him on. First, I’ll get rid of this one…”
His eyes widened.
Laurent’s sword suddenly radiated the same deadly aura.
“Damn it.”
The bearded man stumbled backward.
“Run! Scatter for now…”
But Laurent didn’t let him escape. He struck the man’s sword aside, breaking his stance, then sliced vertically across his chest.
The fabric tore, blood seeping through.
Laurent had controlled the depth carefully, so the wound wasn’t fatal.
“Hmm…”
Yuri let out a low whistle.
As the man’s clothes were cut open, a tattoo on his chest was revealed.
Yuri recognized the design.
“Laurent. Wait a moment.”
“Yes.”
Yuri stepped forward. The bandits, including the bearded man, all turned their attention to him.
“You lot… were you part of the Alliance army?”