As night fell, the imperial capital transformed into a sleepless city, ablaze with lights of every color.
Parties for socializing sprang up everywhere. Stories that hadn’t fully settled during the day now buzzed from mouth to mouth.
“They say the Third Prince arrived today?”
“I’d really like to meet him.”
“I heard he’s just as impressive as the rumors say.”
With the allied forces’ campaign concluded, talk of Briol’s Third Prince kept circulating.
Records showed that the eighteen-year-old prince had fought more bravely than anyone against the orcs. Witnesses claimed his appearance was striking, and his true skill far exceeded what had been known until now—ripe material for gossipmongers.
And today, that very prince had arrived in the capital.
That alone stirred the social scene, but then he went and caused a scene.
“Did he really destroy a house?”
Word spread that the Third Prince of Briol, staying at the Duforia Hotel, suddenly appeared in a residential area right in the heart of the capital. He allegedly threw someone from a second-floor window, then jumped down himself, landing without hesitation.
Afterward, he dragged the fallen person away somewhere.
The story, first whispered by a few witnesses, had already spread throughout the city.
“Why on earth would he do that?”
“I heard something.”
As curiosity mounted, someone spoke up.
“They say the person the Third Prince threw down was a foreign student from Briol.”
“So, a noble from the same country?”
“Yes. A student in the Academy’s swordsmanship department. The name was… Gote, I think?”
“Were they on bad terms?”
“I don’t know about their personal relationship, but a friend of mine, whose servant happened to witness the scene while running an errand, said this.”
He took a sip of his drink, enjoying the attention, then slowly continued.
“The student didn’t look normal. Like he was on drugs or something.”
The room fell silent.
Drugs were a sensitive topic in the empire.
Recently, illegal substances had begun circulating through back alleys, eating away at the empire’s core.
The capital was known as a clean zone, free from drugs—until now. His words shattered that belief.
Then, one attendee quietly tilted their head.
“So, the Third Prince was trying to save a drug-addicted student from his own country?”
That was Eil, a reporter for the daily tabloid Daily Capital, which specialized in the city’s petty gossip.
“Personally, I think that’s quite likely, but the truth remains unknown.”
“Interesting.”
Eil jotted down the story in his notebook. It smelled like a scoop.
“May I write an article about this?”
“Of course. I heard it too, but if you need it, feel free.”
“But throwing someone from a second floor seems a bit rough for a rescue, don’t you think?”
A window shattered, a person fell—it was hardly a typical way to handle things.
“Exactly. Either way, the Third Prince of Briol seems to be a rather reckless person, especially for someone so young.”
“Which explains his battlefield exploits.”
“Anyway, one thing’s clear: if it’s true he acted because of drugs…”
The partygoers were already spinning the tale among themselves. The conversation would soon morph and spread in countless ways.
“That the Third Prince cares even about a mere student. He’s not just a skilled fighter.”
The next day, the front page of Daily Capital featured a picture of a young man dragging someone unconscious.
The headline read:
“The Third Prince of Briol: Savior or Punisher?”
Unaware of all this, Yuri was sprawled out, fast asleep in the Duforia Hotel.
Laurent, who knew nothing of the previous night’s events, knocked on his door.
“Your Highness.”
“Mm…”
“May I come in?”
“Mm…”
Yuri answered in his sleep. Laurent opened the door and stepped inside.
“Oh, you were sleeping.”
“Hm?”
Yuri’s eyes opened. He sat up smoothly, without any sign of grogginess.
Startled by Yuri’s sudden movement, Laurent took a step back.
“You looked like an undead from the rumors.”
“I’m very much alive.”
“Where did you go last night?”
Laurent frowned.
He’d heard Yuri was meeting Dale for something, but Yuri had vanished after leaving only a note.
“I’m going to inspect the capital. If I’m late, go to bed without me.”
The Third Prince was always unpredictable.
Knowing Yuri’s skill, Laurent wasn’t too worried. This was the man who had cut through orc armies. The capital was well-policed and brightly lit even at dawn—no accidents were likely.
When they met again in the morning, Yuri looked exhausted.
“Laurent.”
“Yes, Your Highness?”
“I just want to be a sword.”
“A sword?”
“To watch over Briol from behind, under Cedric’s rule, and only step forward to strike when trouble arises.”
“You will surely become that.”
“So, babysitting isn’t really my thing.”
“You have a child?”
“No.”
“Congratulations.”
“Is that supposed to be a joke?”
Yuri sighed.
“There are so many grown men who can’t take care of themselves. That’s why I’m struggling.”
Looking back on his past life, Yuri thought he might have been one of those men, but he pushed the guilt aside and continued.
“Maybe it’s because the young ones grow up too soft these days…”
“What happened last night to make you say that?”
“Do you know Gote Barkvar?”
“Oh, yes. Count Johannes’…”
“That’s right.”
“I’ve met him a few times. At sword tournaments.”
“And?”
“Not bad. Pretty decent for his age.”
Though Yuri was an extraordinary being on his second life, Laurent was one of the continent’s finest talents.
If Laurent said Gote was decent, he probably wasn’t a complete fool.
Yuri was satisfied with the decision he’d made.
“Why do you ask?”
“Let’s go see him later.”
“He’s in the capital?”
“He’s an Academy foreign student.”
“Is that so?”
Yuri grabbed Laurent’s shoulder and stood fully.
“Let’s eat first and talk.”
“Sounds good.”
They left the room and entered the hotel’s restaurant on the first floor. The Duforia Hotel offered a breakfast buffet.
They sat wherever they liked.
The decor was luxurious.
The chairs had gold leaf decorations carved into their backs, and a massive chandelier hung from the ceiling—big enough for three grown men to link arms around.
Trays of steaming food were laid out for breakfast.
Some of the people who had come from Briol were already eating.
When Yuri appeared, they bowed politely, but Yuri waved them off.
“Is Jared still asleep?”
“Yes. Should I wake him?”
“Leave him be. He’s a terrible guard.”
Yuri and Laurent returned to their seats with their food.
Laurent asked, “So, what happened last night?”
“Well…”
Yuri began explaining as he took a bite of meat.
Dale had brought them to the Duforia Hotel on Gote’s orders. A woman named Famia had tried to seduce him. Laurent’s expression stiffened.
When Yuri mentioned Gote’s drug use, Laurent’s eyes grew cold.
“So, what did you do?”
“I took care of it.”
Yuri had no intention of making things difficult in the empire’s heart.
He didn’t know what Edran’s motives were behind this, but he simply followed the law.
“I put Gote in the temple’s psychiatric treatment center.”
“Excuse me?”
“A rehab clinic for drug addicts. There are plenty like him.”
“Ah…”
“Dragging him away in the middle of the night and throwing him in scared him, but I managed to persuade him. The temple’s influence and money work wonders.”
Laurent’s expression softened.
“Well done.”
Now Gote would undergo treatment to break free from addiction.
“At dawn, the security forces will investigate the drug’s source. Edran probably has some backing, so he won’t be arrested immediately, but what can you do?”
Trying to handle this in the shadows would only complicate things. Since he was in someone else’s territory, Yuri planned to face everything honestly.
Those with nothing to hide need not lurk in the shadows.
“You had a busy first day.”
“Tell me about it. But…”
Yuri raised an eyebrow as he chewed.
Though the empire was advanced in all fields, he hadn’t expected their cuisine to be so refined. He tasted something unlike anything before.
“What is this flavor? Such a unique aroma.”
“I’ve never smelled it before.”
“People might love it or hate it, but I like it.”
“Me too.”
Then a voice nearby answered.
“Coriander…”
Yuri and Laurent turned their heads.
A man quietly eating beside them chuckled softly and replied.
“It’s coriander. Some people just can’t eat it.”
“Is that so? Thanks for the tip.”
He smiled faintly but said no more, returning to his meal.
Yuri glanced at him. There was nothing suspicious.
Laurent said, “By the way, someone from the palace will come today, right?”
“Seems so.”
“Will you participate in the sword tournament?”
“Hmm.”
Yuri shrugged.
“I’m still thinking about it.”
“If you enter, the whole continent will admire your skill.”
“That’s not something I’m eager for.”
As they talked, the man who had explained the coriander stood and approached Yuri’s table.
He kept a respectful distance, smiling as he spoke.
“Are you the Third Prince of Briol?”
“Yes?”
“Sorry to interrupt your meal.”
Then he pulled something out.
“I really wanted to show you this.”
“What is it?”
“A newspaper.”
Yuri took the newspaper the man handed her.
It wasn’t something that had caught her interest much back in Briol. But a paper published in the Empire was different.
Right on the front page was a large, eye-catching illustration. It showed a young man walking through a dark street at night, dragging someone by the foot who had collapsed.
It looked more like an illustration from a novel than a newspaper.
“The artwork is impressive.”
“He’s a well-known artist, famous for his quick, skillful drawings. He’s our newspaper’s staff illustrator.”
“Oh, so he works for your paper?”
“Yes.”
The man pointed to the folded part of the newspaper Yuri was holding.
“Go ahead, unfold it.”
“Hm?”
Following his suggestion, Yuri opened the rest of the paper and found an unexpected headline.
“I wrote this article. What do you think?”
“You’re a reporter?”
“Yes.”
“Oh…”
Yuri quickly scanned the article.
It roughly described what he had done the previous night. There were no inaccuracies—though the details were sparse to begin with.
A second-floor window had been broken, someone had fallen, and the third prince of Briol had dragged him away. The fallen person looked like a drug addict.
That was all.
The rest was just the reporter’s editorial.
“Please understand that we published this story about the prince without prior notice. Our Daily Imperial City values the citizens’ right to know. Even the Crown Prince is an avid reader of our paper.”
“Hmm…”
Yuri thought for a moment, then nodded.
“No, this was the right thing to do.”
His name was already well known from his exploits with the Allied Forces. He had long since accepted that he would be more famous than he wanted.
More importantly, this newspaper might help him get what he wanted.
“What’s your name?”
“Ayle. I’m a reporter for the Daily Imperial City. Here, let me give you my card.”
“Looks like we might become friends while I’m in the Imperial City.”
“Do you really think so?”
“Of course.”
“I’m very glad to hear you say that.”
“You probably came looking for me to write a follow-up story. To find out what kind of guy I am, like the headline says.”
“Not necessarily. Ha ha ha…”
For Ayle, this was a stroke of luck.
The third prince of Briol, a hot topic in the Imperial City, was unexpectedly friendly. And he was even offering new material for an article.
He pulled out a notebook and opened it.
“Then I’ll take notes on what you say.”
“Mind if we talk over a meal?”
“Not at all.”
“You won’t twist my words, right?”
“Of course not. I don’t want to make an enemy of you, Your Highness. We’ll be seeing each other again.”
“Good to know we understand each other.”
Savoring a meat dish with herbs, Yuri began to speak slowly.
“That bastard I threw to the ground yesterday—no, that guy…”
“Goat Barkvar.”
“Yeah, Goat Barkvar. The truth is…”
Yuri’s expression grew sad.
“He was actually a very close friend of mine.”