“Your Highness.”
Jared spoke up.
“Isn’t that basically a sign of interest?”
Yuri, Laurent, and Jared were walking away from Ragna’s mansion. Jared kept talking about Ekaterina.
“I’ve never seen anyone so beautiful. I thought the rumors were exaggerated, but they actually fell short, Your Highness.”
“And?”
“Let’s go to the tournament.”
“No.”
When Ragna briefly stepped away, Ekaterina had asked Yuri for the medal awarded to the tournament winner.
It wasn’t unusual to dedicate the glory of victory to someone else.
“So she wanted the medal, huh?”
“No, Your Highness. You don’t get that look just from wanting a medal.”
Jared insisted that the way Ekaterina looked at Yuri was the look of someone in love.
But Yuri knew better.
Ekaterina could put on that expression anytime she wanted.
“That woman is mine.”
She was terrifying. It was a relief to know the truth, but anyone unaware would end up like Jared—completely smitten.
If it weren’t for his second life, Yuri himself might have fought in the tournament for her without knowing a thing.
Yuri tapped Jared’s chest.
“Jared.”
“Yes?”
“Quiet.”
“But still, Your Highness—”
“Just go and win it yourself.”
“I don’t waste my time on trees I can’t climb.”
Yuri sighed. From now on, he had to handle things alone.
“I’ll move on my own here.”
“Excuse me?”
“I have something to do.”
“It’s dangerous to go alone. Don’t tell me you’re trying to avoid me?”
“Not entirely.”
“I won’t bother you.”
“That’s not it. It’s something I have to do alone. Don’t worry, just go.”
Laurent jabbed Jared in the ribs and answered for him.
“Understood.”
“Sir Laurent?”
“Let’s go, Jared.”
“But—”
“See you later.”
Laurent grabbed Jared and headed off in the opposite direction from Yuri.
Left alone, Yuri looked up at the sky.
Meeting Ekaterina had unsettled him. Laurent must have sensed it too and quickly pulled Jared away. Laurent was much better at reading the room than Jared.
“This can’t happen…”
He couldn’t allow himself to be distracted and fail at his duties because of the lingering effects from his past life.
“Phew…”
He let out a short breath and cupped his cheeks with both hands. Then he activated his manamode, circulating mana throughout his body.
His mind cleared.
“Focus. Focus.”
He muttered to himself and quickened his pace, taking longer strides than before.
“Swift and precise.”
He headed toward the dark alleys of the imperial capital.
Just as light casts shadows, the capital had its own ecosystem in the backstreets. Yuri plunged into it without hesitation.
“Having fun in Briole, huh? Tsk tsk…”
He stopped in front of a sign that read “Samchon Ilsu” (Uncle’s Place).
Because of the excellent casino Basregas, their gambling dens and loan sharks weren’t doing well.
But they weren’t sent to the empire for profit.
Yuri knocked on the door.
“Hey, Gorio.”
He called out, but there was no answer. He called again and knocked once more.
The door creaked open, and a rough-looking man peeked out.
When he saw Yuri, his face broke into a bright smile. The smile was surprisingly endearing.
“Your Highness. I’ve been waiting.”
“Good.”
Yuri stepped inside Samchon Ilsu.
The man immediately flipped the sign and locked the door.
“The layout’s similar to Briole…”
“We designed it for efficiency.”
Inside the dimly lit room, Gorio stood and bowed to Yuri. His attitude was completely different from when they first met.
Asana had played a big part in this change.
“Long time no see.”
“Yes, Your Highness. I didn’t expect to meet you in the capital.”
Yuri sat across from him.
Aside from Gorio now being his subordinate, the dynamic was much like their first meeting.
“What about the information I asked for?”
“I’ve looked into people with recent eye problems, but there were too many, so I filtered them based on our own criteria.”
“Continue.”
“First, the mages.”
Gorio handed over a list.
“Then the nobles.”
Another list followed.
“Among these, the ones showing the secretive movements you mentioned, Your Highness, are as follows.”
This list was noticeably shorter than before.
Yuri recognized some nobles from the empire, and some were complete strangers.
“From this list…”
Yuri handed it back to Gorio.
“Cross-check those who have access to the palace and dig deeper.”
“The palace, Your Highness?”
Gorio’s expression stiffened.
The imperial palace, where the emperor resided, was the most sacred place on the continent. Asking someone from the underworld to investigate it seemed to unsettle him.
Yuri smiled.
“Just confirm who comes and goes. If it looks dangerous, exclude them.”
“Understood.”
“How’s the empire branch’s business?”
“Some places are doing well, others not so much.”
“Good. We didn’t come here to make money anyway.”
Yuri was now directly funding Gorio’s faction. All the money had been grown through the Irein Trading Company.
His wealth was still increasing.
“Gorio, information is money.”
Yuri wanted to build a basic-level information guild through Gorio, like the ones he’d known in his past life.
“There’s no better place to gather rumors than the back alleys. Let’s diversify the business.”
“Understood.”
Gorio was smart and understood Yuri’s intentions.
“Also, Gorio, have you seen anything like this lately?”
Yuri pulled out the drugs he’d received from Ragna. Gorio took them and examined them closely.
“These are drugs circulating in the backstreets recently.”
“Source?”
“Honestly, I haven’t paid much attention to the drug scene…”
Even before pledging loyalty to Yuri, Gorio had avoided drugs. He didn’t trust those addicted.
“Look into it.”
“Understood.”
It was more work, but Gorio didn’t complain.
“You’re working hard for the empire, so you’ll get a bonus.”
“Thank you.”
Yuri rewarded them fairly for their efforts.
As the major shareholder of Irein Trading Company, this was easy.
Thanks to the knowledge Yuri provided, Irein expanded its business and even blossomed into a supplier of goods. Now, the company had grown to cover the entire continent.
Though under different names, Irein’s capital was behind countless enterprises within the empire.
In fact, Gorio’s faction and their Samchon Ilsu could be considered subsidiaries of Irein Trading Company.
“Gorio.”
“Yes?”
“Let’s drop the ‘boss’ title and call you president from now on.”
“Understood.”
“Make sure your employees listen to President Gorio.”
Yuri stood up.
“If you ever lose a fight, let me know. I’ll assign a knight or two.”
“That won’t be necessary.”
“Alright. No weapons, though. If things get too heated, back off and report to me.”
“Yes.”
The original Gorio had been a cunning and difficult villain, but as a subordinate, he was invaluable.
“Your Highness.”
As Yuri was leaving, Gorio called out.
Turning back, Yuri saw Gorio bow respectfully.
“Until next time. Stay healthy.”
Yuri smiled. Gorio was more polite than before.
With Yuri’s rising status through the Alliance Army, Gorio had realized the unbridgeable gap and decided to pledge his loyalty more seriously.
Smart as he was, he calculated quickly.
Yuri grinned.
“You’re the same, Gorio. You’re a valuable asset, so don’t get hurt.”
“Yes.”
Yuri was ready to reward Gorio’s loyalty accordingly.
The other subordinates watching awkwardly bowed.
With Yuri’s recognition of Gorio, his control over the organization would only grow as Yuri’s influence increased.
“See you again.”
“Take care.”
Yuri left Gorio’s base.
The slums looked no different from those in Briole or the empire.
The residents’ eyes gleamed with greed when they saw Yuri’s neat appearance, but the clinking sword at his waist kept them from approaching.
Ignoring them, Yuri walked on.
After a few blocks, the dazzling streets of the imperial capital appeared as if nothing had happened.
He resumed walking alone through the capital. Soon, he reached a well-maintained street filled with cafes and restaurants—a popular meeting spot for couples.
In his past life, he had come here secretly with Ekaterina, hiding his face.
A smile crept onto his lips without realizing it, but he quickly stiffened his expression again.
No, no.
It was all an illusion.
To Ekaterina, others were nothing more than tools. He was just another pawn to be used.
On the day she betrayed him, he vowed never to forgive her.
Yuri hailed a passing carriage.
“To the Duforia Hotel.”
“Understood.”
The driver seemed to recognize him but said nothing more.
After arriving at the hotel, Yuri paid and returned to his room.
Fatigue washed over him, and he collapsed onto the bed. Covering his eyes with his arms, he tried to rest, but memories resurfaced.
Was it because he met Ekaterina today?
“How’s Briole?”
“Our country?”
She often asked Yuri about Briole’s situation.
One day, Fiore left the palace, saying she had something to do and told no one.
Yuri was naive and trusted Ekaterina.
So he told her that Fiore was gone.
Then the invasion began immediately.
The empire knew not only about Fiore’s absence but much more. Everything Yuri had told Ekaterina about Briole was used as a weapon. The empire mercilessly exploited Briole’s weaknesses.
Even then, Yuri still believed in Ekaterina. That’s why he sent her a letter, but all Ekaterina replied with was a brief apology.
The tone of her words was so familiar to him that the moment he unfolded the letter, it felt as if he could hear her voice.
Yuri closed his eyes.
All of this had started because of his own mistakes.
He shouldn’t have been deceived by her; he had been blinded by her beauty and ended up ruining the country.
Therefore, when it came to Briol’s downfall, his own guilt was the greatest.
He muttered the name of his enemy.
“Ekaterina.”
The sound of the name felt strange coming from his lips.
Yuri was confused.
Since meeting her today, his heart had been in turmoil. Despite all the bitterness between them, the memories of better times were growing just as strong as the hatred he’d built up.
When he closed his eyes, her face appeared.
“Yuri. Let’s walk together.”
Her bright smile, reaching out her hand as she said that, lingered in his mind.
Yuri clenched his fists, trying to push away those thoughts. Over them, he forced himself to paint over the burning ruins of Briol.
Turning longing into hatred made the scales balance.
“Ekaterina.”
Now, that name was laced with hostility.
He gritted his teeth.
The smile she wore today, when she asked him for the tournament medal, was infuriating.
How could she be so skilled at lying?
Yuri had never once hidden his true feelings in front of her.
“I…”
Was that mocking smile, the mischievous grin that revealed her true intentions, all just an act?
Yuri refused to believe it.
“I truly cared for her…”
He didn’t want to drown in self-pity.
But the way Ekaterina looked today was so much like when he first fell for her that his heart kept sinking, as if weighed down by an anchor.
He pulled the pillow over his head.
He’d been running nonstop—one day of weakness wouldn’t hurt. If letting it out like this helped, then this kind of misery might actually be useful.
Then, suddenly, he remembered the ring he had secretly stashed away in the drawer.
He slammed his fist onto the bed. Then again.
His nails dug into his palm, drawing blood.
Yuri sat up and stared blankly at the blood trickling down his hand.
The red stain spread across the white sheets.
The stain kept growing, but he didn’t feel like moving.
So he just laughed.