Bernard spoke.
“I’ve heard everything.”
“Already?”
“Your Highness and I are closer than you think.”
“I didn’t know that.”
“The deepest scar on my body was given by Your Highness.”
“Oh… I see.”
“Didn’t you see it yourself?”
Yuri nodded.
Bernard had originally been a wandering swordsman, challenging the strong to duels wherever he went.
The reason he stayed in Briol was none other than his father, Fiore.
Even young Yuri had witnessed that duel.
Bernard had attacked like a demon, and Fiore had tried to show mercy, but Bernard was a formidable swordsman himself, so Fiore couldn’t hold back completely.
In the end, Fiore had stabbed Bernard in the abdomen.
Bernard’s wide-eyed, disbelieving stare at Fiore, followed by his collapse, bleeding profusely, was still vivid in Yuri’s memory.
Bernard, recovering in bed, pleaded persistently.
“Please fight me again!”
Eventually, Fiore agreed that Bernard would teach the princes swordsmanship and, in return, they would duel annually.
Cedric had reached a certain level and trained with Captain Saned, and Joshua had no interest in swords at all, so Yuri was now Bernard’s only student.
“Bernard.”
“Yes?”
“At first, I thought you were a beast without a human heart…”
“Please, go on.”
“Have you grown attached to us by now?”
Yuri spoke.
If memory served, Bernard was about to leave Briol soon.
Yuri wanted to hold onto him.
“If your father refuses to duel you anymore, will you leave?”
“Of course.”
“Bernard.”
Yuri’s expression softened with sadness.
Though not overly emotional, her years had taught her how to convey sorrow through her eyes.
She deliberately lowered her voice.
“You’re my teacher.”
“Yes…”
“I think Briol needs a swordsman like you. Someone who fights outside the rules, like a street thug—sticky, snake-like, a master of the Sihan style.”
“Are you trying to keep me here?”
“Of course.”
“I don’t think so.”
“You’ll duel your father soon, and you’ll lose terribly again.”
“…”
“And your father, tired of losing, will declare he won’t duel anymore…”
“Why do you think that?”
“Just a feeling. Like he doesn’t want to torment poor Bernard any longer…”
“Why are you saying this?”
“I’m asking you to stay.”
Yuri said firmly.
“Briol needs you.”
Bernard stared quietly. Yuri didn’t look away.
They held each other’s gaze for a long moment.
Surprisingly, Bernard agreed without resistance.
“Very well.”
“Really?”
“Then, what will you give me?”
“Me?”
“There has to be conditions.”
“Well…”
Yuri scratched her head.
Though a prince, she had little to offer—at best, some knowledge of the future, which was hard to prove.
But Bernard spoke first.
“I’ll make the offer.”
“What?”
“The swordsmanship of Erich Briol.”
A demand worthy of a sword demon.
Yuri was at a loss.
Not because it was difficult to teach the previous generation’s sword style to someone else.
“No, that’s hard.”
“Even if you haven’t fully mastered it, that’s fine. I’m taking that into account.”
That was partly true.
Yuri had only experienced Erich Briol’s swordsmanship through a dummy; she hadn’t fully made it her own.
But there was a bigger reason.
“It’s not that. Even if you watch, it won’t help.”
“Why not?”
“This swordsmanship and the Mana Method are one and the same.”
They were usually treated as separate.
The Mana Method was like a power-giving assistant; it never dictated swordsmanship.
But Erich Briol’s style was less about swinging a sword and more about expressing the Mana Method itself.
In other words, ‘Shinhon-cham’ was both swordsmanship and Mana Method.
It was so new that Yuri sometimes wondered if she was even learning it correctly.
Bernard’s eyes shifted.
“That’s the first I’ve heard of that.”
“Me too.”
“Your Highness, with your limited experience, everything must seem new. But I am Bernard, the sword demon.”
“Oh… I see.”
“If I don’t know, no one on the continent does.”
“Impressive, impressive.”
“Yes. I’m quite impressive.”
Yuri made a reluctant face.
Lately, she’d felt Bernard’s personality was lighter than she’d thought.
Maybe this was how he really was. They hadn’t talked much in the past life, so she hadn’t known him well.
Perhaps the people he remembered were misunderstandings.
Thinking that, regret about the past washed over her again.
“I regret it.”
The words slipped out before she realized.
Bernard chuckled.
“Are you saying I was rude to you?”
“I should have told His Majesty to cut you down somehow…”
“…”
“Just kidding. Enough nonsense.”
Yuri said.
“So, if I show you the ancestor’s swordsmanship, will you stay in the kingdom?”
“I hope you want me to.”
“Of course.”
“Why?”
“I told you earlier.”
“Answer me honestly.”
“Because, as you said, you are Bernard the sword demon.”
“Oh…”
“Can’t I say it’s because I admire your sword skills?”
“You said to stop the nonsense.”
Bernard stepped closer.
The usual tension around him was gone.
“Be honest.”
“About what?”
“You changed suddenly, Your Highness. You went to the Sword Mountain and even discovered a dungeon.”
“And?”
“His Majesty said it was because of a dream.”
Yuri frowned, wondering how far her father had spread the news.
“Don’t worry. No one else knows. He told me for your education.”
“That’s a relief.”
“Anyway, you saw a great war in your dream.”
“Yes.”
“Briol’s destruction.”
“They couldn’t even resist properly.”
“Good.”
Bernard nodded.
“If you show me the swordsmanship, I’ll stay. And one more thing.”
“One more?”
“You’ll call me ‘teacher’ and use polite speech.”
“Are you serious?”
“Yes.”
“You want my polite speech that badly?”
“It’s not that valuable.”
“But you’ll stay?”
“Because I believe in your premonition.”
Yuri looked at Bernard.
So he believed in her dream?
“You believe in my dream?”
“Yes.”
Bernard raised his sword and ran his eyes up and down the blade.
A strange light flickered in his eyes.
A trance-like gaze.
It was a sight she’d seen before.
Like that strange moment her father had shown her, it was clear Bernard’s fate was tied to his sword.
“The sword changes fate.”
His voice lowered.
“I’ve seen this sword change life and death countless times. That’s why I believe it holds a strange power. And Your Highness, you were born with sword talent. What you saw might really happen in the future…”
Yuri was a little moved.
Who else would believe her lies like this?
“It doesn’t matter if it’s not true. It’s my choice. So, even if it’s only half the swordsmanship, I’ll stay on that condition. I also owe His Majesty.”
Yuri nodded firmly.
“Well thought out, Bernard.”
Since returning to the past, she had been trying to change the future. It seemed her efforts were paying off.
Not only had she gained the founder’s legacy, but she had also succeeded in keeping Bernard, who was originally destined to leave the kingdom.
Yuri smiled broadly.
“Good. Show me. The ‘Shinhon-cham’ of Yuri Briol.”
“Polite speech.”
“Uh… yes.”
Yuri barely managed to continue.
“Show me, Bernard?”
“Teacher.”
“Ugh. Teacher…”
“Good.”
Yuri gritted her teeth, holding a wooden sword as she stepped back. Bernard swung an imaginary wooden sword through the air.
As Yuri took her stance, Bernard suddenly spoke.
“Your Highness.”
“Hm?”
“You said ‘hm’?”
“I said okay. What is it?”
“There’s one thing you got wrong.”
Thinking he meant her stance, she looked down to check her posture.
But he said something else.
“Though you lost to His Majesty, he didn’t tire of you or pity you.”
“What do you mean…?”
Bernard rolled up his sleeve slightly. Faint blood seeped through the bandages wrapped around his abdomen.
Anyone could tell it was a sword wound.
And the only swordsman in the palace who could have done that was one person.
“Huh?”
“I dueled His Majesty yesterday. He said to take care of me from now on.”
“What?”
“He said I’m an excellent swordsman and that dueling me is always enjoyable. He wants to spend at least ten more years discussing swordsmanship with me.”
Yuri stared blankly.
The change Bernard had brought about was starting from a deeper place, beyond her awareness.
In other words, Bernard was always meant to stay.
“That bastard.”
“Polite speech.”
Bernard swung his sword. Yuri was hit several times on the thigh and hopped around.
“Damn it…”
“Show me the ancestor’s swordsmanship.”
“Damn!”
“Use polite speech.”
“Talking to myself!”
“Hey?”
“Yo.”
“Yes. Please demonstrate.”
Yuri sighed deeply.
“Watch closely.”
She synchronized the core in her heart with her will. Mana spread throughout her body.
“I’m attacking.”
“Yes.”
She fixed her gaze on Bernard.
She imagined cutting him down.
Mana surged from the core in time with her heartbeat.
Countless images of striking down the enemy flashed through Yuri’s mind.
He grasped the one he thought most efficient.
Which comes first—mana or the body?
Or perhaps his imagination?
Or maybe all of them happen simultaneously.
Yuri’s world shifted toward the moment of cutting down the foe. But just before achieving his goal, his vision warped sharply.
He hit a wall.
“Your Highness.”
Bernard, who had blocked the sword, wore an expression Yuri had never seen before.
It was confusion.
Yuri had never once flustered him.
“Why?”
“Try once more.”
“Understood.”
Bernard seemed somewhat surprised, slipping back into informal speech without realizing it.
“And…”
He hesitated briefly before continuing.
“Focus your thoughts into one. Your sword wavers. You’re not yet capable of seeing multiple paths at once.”
This time, Yuri was the one taken aback.
That was Bernard for you.
After just one demonstration, he immediately understood the soul slash technique and offered advice.
Yuri felt ashamed of how much time he had wasted in his past life, even with such a teacher by his side.
He smiled bitterly, clutching his guilt tightly.
“Alright. Let’s go again.”
“It’s changing.”
Yuri muttered.
Though he hadn’t intervened directly, his father Fiore stepped in to hold Bernard back.
That hadn’t happened in his previous life.
Had his dream somehow reached him?
The fact that the future was slowly shifting gave Yuri a glimmer of hope.
But the road ahead was still long.
Even looking back, the empire’s forces were unnervingly strong.
The Black Legion.
They had to be stopped.
“No matter what.”
“Yes. No matter what.”
Before he knew it, Ena had entered the room and echoed his words.
“This time, you absolutely can’t cause any trouble.”
“This time?”
“You caused trouble last year.”
“What trouble?”
Yuri tilted his head.
He didn’t remember everything from his childhood. Every day had been a series of accidents, so he wasn’t even sure which incident Ena was referring to.
“You cause trouble every day, so you probably don’t even know what trouble I’m talking about, right?”
“Exactly.”
“Of course. So please, for the sake of your loyal servant, consider asking for a raise, Your Highness.”
“I thought I was already the highest-paid among the maids?”
“That’s because I’m the only one who can put up with your temper.”
“You’ve been quiet lately, though.”
“Exactly.”
Ena shivered nervously.
“Just imagining how big a mess you’re planning to make after this calm period is enough to shorten my lifespan. I think I’m going to have a nervous breakdown.”
“You’re really good at making excuses.”
“Excuses? Do you know why I’m like this? Because in a week…”
Ena spread her hands toward the wall.
“The royal ball is coming up!”
A dazzling formal outfit hung there.
It was so flashy Yuri couldn’t even bear to look at it, covering it with both hands.
“Ugh…”
“You have to dress well and meet the pretty noble ladies.”
“No way. I’m not going.”
“That’s not an option. His Majesty entrusted me with this.”
The royal ball.
No way.