Among the Briol students staying in the imperial capital, Gott Barkbar was a figure to be proud of.
He stood out among the talented youths gathered at the Academium.
Always near the top of the honor roll, he personally stepped in whenever Briol students got into disputes with others from different countries.
But Gott had a secret.
“Hey, Gott.”
“Edran.”
In the underground practice room of the Academium, Gott met his classmate Edran.
“You’ve been looking good lately. The stuff’s working well, huh?”
“The goods?”
“You left it with me, right?”
At Edran’s nod, the bodyguard standing behind him stepped forward.
“Show me the goods.”
The bodyguard opened a pouch, revealing it filled with tiny shards of blue crystals.
Gott’s eyes reddened.
He couldn’t take his gaze off the pouch as he spoke to Edran.
“I’ll buy it. All of it.”
Gott offered several silver coins.
But Edran didn’t take them. The bodyguard sealed the pouch and stepped back.
“Why not?”
“What do you mean why?”
Edran jabbed a finger into Gott’s chest.
“Just because it’s some money, you think you can buy it all at my price?”
“If you need more money—”
“Not that.”
Edran smirked.
“I’ve got a favor to ask.”
“Just say it.”
“The Third Prince is coming to the capital, right?”
Gott’s expression stiffened at the mention of the Third Prince.
He had a long history with the prince.
When he visited the royal palace with his father years ago, a fight broke out with the still-young Third Prince.
He couldn’t recall what started it, but somehow it escalated. The prince resorted to cowardly tricks, like kicking sand at him.
When Gott reported the prince’s underhanded tactics to his father, the reply was chilling.
“The Third Prince won’t die early on the battlefield.”
At the time, Gott didn’t understand his father’s words. Now, he thought he did.
The Third Prince had indeed played a significant role in the allied forces.
Before parting, the prince had said something that stuck with Gott.
“No matter what situation you face, try to see its true nature.”
The more Gott thought about it, the stranger the prince seemed. The words and actions from his childhood only made sense now that he was an adult.
If only he had met the prince more before coming to the empire, maybe none of this would have happened.
Lost in self-reproach, Edran continued.
“There’s someone who wants to get close to the Third Prince.”
“You planning to make a move on him?”
“Oh, Gott. Didn’t know you were a patriot. Swearing loyalty to the royal family, huh?”
Edran gave a knowing glance, and the bodyguard slyly opened the pouch again. Gott’s eyes involuntarily darted toward it.
The crystals inside shifted and shimmered as the pouch moved.
Gott’s hand trembled.
He wanted to snatch it away immediately.
“No, no.”
At Edran’s gesture, the blue crystals vanished back into the pouch. Gott felt a despairing ache.
Edran whispered low.
“I’m not asking you to harm him. Just create an opportunity for them to get close.”
He went on.
“If you refuse, I won’t sell you this stuff again. And word might get out—that Gott Barkbar is actually a junkie hooked on drugs.”
Gott couldn’t think any longer. Parched and desperate, he simply nodded at Edran.
“Alright. What you said just now—just introducing someone, right?”
“Exactly. Just a little help.”
A tangle of thoughts swirled in Gott’s mind.
Rationalizing was easy. As Edran said, it was just connecting two people. If any trouble arose, it would be the Third Prince’s fault for lacking restraint.
Just as his current predicament was entirely his own doing.
Gott spoke.
“Fine.”
“Good choice. The Third Prince will probably thank you. That woman’s incredibly beautiful.”
“So…”
“Here.”
At Edran’s signal, the bodyguard pressed the pouch into Gott’s hand.
Without hesitation, Gott pulled out a blue crystal and placed it on his tongue. It dissolved instantly, turning into a pale blue vapor that swirled in his mouth before being absorbed through his membranes.
Gott’s eyes rolled back.
His breathing grew ragged.
Watching this, Edran laughed.
“Feeling good, Gott?”
Gott exhaled deeply, saliva dripping from his mouth.
“Gott, huh? An unexpected name.”
Yuri nodded, arms crossed, sitting astride Dale’s back. A groan came from below.
“Wow, Your Highness. This is so hard…”
“If you collapse, you die.”
“Ugh…”
Before him, Pamia waited demurely.
“Why did you do it?”
“I’m sorry. I don’t know why I was ordered to do this, but Gott is a good guy. So I trusted him…”
“Enough.”
In his past life, Gott had been a pawn of the empire, opening the way for them and even exposing Briol’s weaknesses.
A scoundrel who deserved to be crushed.
Still, Yuri hadn’t dismissed him outright, hoping this life might be different.
But Gott had disappointed him again.
Yuri asked Pamia.
“Pamia.”
“Yes…”
“You studied cards to seduce me?”
“Yes…”
“Prepared, huh? How long did you practice?”
“A week…?”
“What?”
“I found I had a knack for it…”
Yuri was taken aback.
To reach a level capable of winning money at Basregas in just a week—that would be an incredible talent if true.
“Too good to waste in Kiru.”
Pamia was a high-class courtesan working in Kiru. Edran was her client and had offered a large sum to help with this matter.
Winning a man’s favor was second nature to her, and when she heard the Third Prince of Briol was involved, she accepted without hesitation.
“If I’d known he was like this, I wouldn’t have done it…”
“Cold and rational?”
“A man who doesn’t see women as women…”
“That’s your mistake.”
“Is it true you’re just pretending to be involved with the princess of the Holy Kingdom?”
“Assuming too much.”
“Actually, you’re close with Sir Laurent, the loyal knight?”
“No.”
Putting the pieces together, it seemed Gott was already in league with the empire.
Though Yuri remembered his past life, he hadn’t known Gott studied abroad at the Academium.
Maybe it was because of his involvement that the empire’s influence spread after the allied forces formed. Gott must have originally enrolled at the Academium.
There, he either made friends with the empire’s bad crowd or abandoned Briol’s honor to become their lapdog.
Either way, it was a problem.
Thinking of Gott’s father, the loyal knight Tousen Barkbar, Yuri pondered how to deal with this.
His mind even considered the harshest punishments.
Suddenly, Pamia asked.
“Are you going to kill him…?”
“Huh?”
At her words, Dale collapsed to the floor, groaning under Yuri’s weight.
Yuri patted Dale’s back and stood.
“Why ask that all of a sudden?”
“I saw a murderous look in your eyes for a moment…”
“You can sense that?”
“I’m quick to pick up on things…”
“Maybe so.”
Yuri agreed. Depending on the situation, killing him was an option.
“If he betrayed me, he must pay.”
That alone was reason enough.
If left alone, he might betray again. It was better to nip it in the bud.
Yuri didn’t hesitate when blood needed to be spilled.
If necessary, he would even resort to assassination.
Gott Barkbar would be declared missing or dead in an accident, and forgotten by history forever.
“Dale.”
“Yes, yes?”
“Where’s Gott?”
“Probably at home…”
“Let’s go.”
“Now?”
“Yes.”
Dale hesitated. Yuri then spoke to Pamia.
“Pamia.”
“Yes…”
“Since you played cards with him, I’ll let you go.”
“Thank you…”
“Become a great gambler.”
“Hmm…”
Yuri decided not to punish her.
After all, she only got involved because of Edran’s request. Finding Gott was the priority now.
Yuri signaled Dale.
“Get up.”
“Yes, yes.”
When Dale struggled to stand, Yuri grabbed his arm and pulled hard. He swayed and leaned against Yuri as if to catch himself.
Yuri clicked his tongue.
“What kind of guy are you? What’s your major?”
“Swordsmanship…”
“Seriously?”
“I didn’t want to go either, but it’s a family tradition…”
Yuri understood why Dale relied on Gott.
The rough students in the swordsmanship department wouldn’t leave the weak Dale alone. Gott probably protected him from bullying.
But help without cost is a debt.
Yuri struck Dale’s back hard.
“Stop being so weak.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Lead the way.”
“Are you planning to kill Gott?”
“No. Of course not. I’ll handle it with words.”
A lie.
“Well, good choice. You’ll see. Gott’s a good guy.”
“Only to you.”
Yuri led them out of the room.
The corridor was as quiet and empty as when he first arrived. But as they descended the stairs, casino staff suddenly appeared, greeted them, then turned back up the hall.
The Basregas Casino had a strange underbelly to match its reputation.
Yuri smirked.
“Interesting things happen as soon as you arrive in the capital.”
After sending Pamia off, Yuri headed to Goth’s residence with Dale. Goth was renting the entire second floor of a multi-family dwelling located in the heart of the imperial city.
“Sir Barkvar’s going to have his hands full,” Dale muttered.
Yohannes probably wasn’t exactly flush with cash, but he seemed surprisingly invested in his children’s education.
Yuri let Dale lead the way up the stairs, but then he paused and glanced up through the railing.
There was a foul odor coming from above.
It was a distinct sensation only someone trained in soul perception could detect.
His hand instinctively went to the Guilty strapped around his waist.
“We’re here,” Dale announced, stopping at the door.
The iron door had a small peephole, allowing someone inside to look out, but from the outside, the interior was hidden.
Dale knocked.
“Goth.”
No response.
“Goth?”
He knocked again, but still silence.
Yuri asked, “Does he usually come and go often?”
“No. Goth doesn’t like unexpected visitors…”
“Is that so?”
That strange feeling Yuri had earlier was growing stronger beyond the door.
He summoned his soul perception, letting it spread through his body. Feeling the pressure of his mana, Dale stepped back.
Yuri grabbed the door handle and tore it open.
“It’s unlocked.”
As the door swung open, a putrid stench wafted out.
It was strong enough that even Dale wrinkled his nose, looking around inside with a grimace.
“What the hell…”
Without bothering to remove his shoes, Yuri stepped inside. A door to what looked like a bedroom was slightly ajar.
He kicked it open.
What he saw was a spectacle.
Goth was lying on the bed.
Blueish smoke curled from his nose and mouth. His eyes were unfocused, and drool dripped from his lips.
Even at a glance, it was clear he was high on drugs.
Dale, who had followed, froze in place.
“W-what is this…?”
Goth slowly turned his head toward them and grinned—a chillingly calm reaction that didn’t fit the situation.
“Dale.”
“Goth…”
“Looks like you were right. Well done. Well done…”
He struggled to sit up, swaying unsteadily.
His judgment was clearly impaired. In a dazed voice, he continued.
“Long time no see, Your Highness. Prince Yuri. Ha ha ha…”
Yuri sighed.
He’d expected some kind of preparation for this mess, but there was none.
The situation was far worse than anticipated.
He knew immediately upon seeing him.
Goth was addicted to drugs and had probably been compromised, turned into a puppet of the empire.
“Goth.”
“Yes. Ha ha ha…”
“Long time no see.”
“Indeed. But when was the last time we met…”
“When you were a child.”
“Oh, right. That’s right. Back then…”
Suddenly, his demeanor shifted.
“I’m indebted to you…”
A common trait of someone high—his mental state flipped in an instant, making his thoughts impossible to follow.
Goth suddenly grabbed a vase from the nightstand and hurled it.
“Like this!”
Yuri caught the vase effortlessly.
Hoo…
He was thrashing about, clearly desperate. Judging by how much he’d taken, even if they hadn’t caught him now, he would’ve caused trouble eventually.
But Goth wasn’t done. He grabbed a sword and charged.
“Here we go…”
The bluish aura leaking from his nose and mouth was ominous.
It seemed the drug not only caused addiction but also temporarily pushed his body into a dangerous frenzy.
“Your Highness?”
Dale went pale.
Yuri remained calm, but Goth was laughing like a madman as he lunged forward.
“We’ll have to move this somewhere else.”
Yuri delivered a flying kick.
Goth was sent flying like a cannonball, unable to even swing his sword. He crashed through the window and fell outside, followed by a dull thud as his body hit the ground.
A gust of wind swept through the ruined bedroom.
Dale swallowed nervously, then started coughing violently, as if on the verge of death.