As Yuri, still on horseback, cloaked himself in sword aura, a storm-like force swirled around him. The soldiers guarding the castle gate dared not approach and awkwardly stepped back.
Yuri spurred his horse.
The steed began to gallop.
With him at the lead, thirty knights rode together.
"Do not stop until we stand before Genard. If anyone falls behind, leave them."
"Yes!"
Yuri shouted.
Raising his sword high, cutting through fearful gazes, Yuri felt a sense of liberation.
He had returned to protect Briol, and the ones dear to him.
Yet, the one he most wished to protect, betrayed him.
Cedric Briol.
The warm-hearted brother he had trusted had never existed in the first place. There was only a madman, intoxicated with his own genius, wielding black magic.
That truth loosened even the slightest hesitation he had kept in his heart.
He had already lost what he feared to lose.
Therefore, he had nothing left to fear.
"Your Highness!"
As Yuri and his knights passed through the castle gate and raced down the road, knights of Euzeth appeared, blocking their path.
Yuri slowed his horse slightly.
One knight stood in the center of the road and shouted loudly.
"Even if you are a prince, there are laws that must be observed! Euzeth is the Duke's territory! Please stop first and—"
Yuri swung his sword.
The knight collapsed, blood spraying from his chest.
"Block me, and I'll cut you."
Apparently not dead, the knight crawled to the side, bleeding.
Tension rose again.
Yuri smiled.
"What? Did you not even have this level of resolve when you blocked my way?"
When Yuri came to Euzeth regarding the matter of the Allied Army Veterans' Association, there were still lines he would not cross.
It was partly out of respect for Fiore, and partly due to the delusion that there might be a more moderate, gentlemanly way.
No, it was not.
After meeting Cedric, Yuri understood.
There is no room for compromise with something like black magic.
If one is entangled, he will simply cut them down. Even if innocent blood is spilled, he will bear it without hesitation.
This world had driven him into a corner, so the world must also pay the price.
"I am Yuri Briol, the King's representative, granted full authority by Joshua Briol, King of Briol. I have come to judge the crimes of Genard Jetherie. To block me is an act of treason."
Speaking evenly, Yuri walked forward.
Perhaps sensing his will, the horse he rode showed no fear, even as it moved toward the leveled spears and swords.
It lifted its chin higher, showing off a proud gait.
"Your Highness."
An older knight stepped forward.
"I heard news that you had collapsed, but it is an honor to see you in such good health."
"I am glad as well."
"I can guess the reason for your actions, but still, Euzeth is the territory of the Jetherie family, and the Jetheries hold the rank of duke."
"So?"
"Charging in so recklessly will help nothing. For the unity of the royal family and the nobility, and also from a practical standpoint. This is personal advice. Please, speak with the Duke first. If you will agree, I will guide you myself."
Yuri, quietly watching him, nodded.
"I understand that you are concerned for me."
"Thank you for recognizing that."
"I too will say something, out of concern for you."
"Yes?"
"Step aside."
Yuri touched his horse, and it once more walked straight toward the knight.
The knight, standing dazed, reached out to press down the horse's head just before they collided.
But Yuri's sword moved first.
"Argh!"
The knight's wrist flew through the air, and blood dyed the ground red.
At that moment, the soldiers blocking Yuri's group drew their swords.
In turn, the knights Yuri had brought also readied their weapons.
Their blades and spears glinted in the sunlight.
The wristless knight bowed his head, supported by fellow knights.
"Hey, hey,"
Yuri spoke.
"No matter whose banner they serve under, all knights of Briol perform the same rite."
Yuri took in each gaze fixed on him.
Some were hostile, some afraid, and some wavered in uncertainty.
He paid them no mind. Since he had chosen to use his sword, he would simply force them to submit.
"How is it, knights? Do you remember the duty a knight of Briol must bear? Is Genard Jetherie a man to whom the knights of Briol can give their loyalty? Was the weight of the gold that pig gave you heavier than your knightly oath?"
The knight who had lost his wrist spoke in a trembling voice.
"Your Highness, if you continue like this, it will cause great trouble. If you keep this up—"
"The trouble has already happened. The late king has gone missing, the Empire has stolen Bezos, and while we were risking our lives on the border, you were sitting back here laughing."
"It was to prepare for the rear defense. If we gathered all the troops in one place—"
"Is that why you stayed idle during the Allied Army as well? Back then, other than Raymond, who came from Euzeth? Are there no knights here?"
"That is because our enemy was not only the orcs—"
"The rear again? Sounds like you people just sit on your asses."
At Yuri's words, some knights waiting in the back burst into laughter.
His calm voice, the air he exuded, and even the force felt from his sword—
At this moment, Yuri was overwhelming his opponents.
Such a leader made his followers feel pride.
Yuri suddenly spoke.
"Do you know something?"
"Yes?"
"Genard has been in league with the Empire."
The moment he said it, Yuri stared into the knight's eyes.
At the peak of his perception, he observed the changes in the knight's body. His pupils wavered for an instant, his mouth opened, and the muscles near his eyes tensed.
"Is… is that true? Do you have proof?"
Yuri instantly swung his sword.
The knight's head rolled across the ground.
In an instant, a life was ended.
The sight felt strangely unreal.
Yet Yuri and his knights showed no reaction. They had seen human death countless times on the battlefield. In war, there were no theatrical foreshadowings or warnings.
Swing the sword, and they die.
That was all.
In contrast, the knights of Euzeth were deeply shaken.
The gap between the two groups became even clearer.
"He knew,"
Yuri muttered, kicking the dead knight's head. It rolled and stopped at the feet of Euzeth's knights.
"I'll ask. Was he someone who met with Genard often?"
"Th- that…"
"If you answer, I won't kill you."
"Y- yes."
No one here had seen the moment Yuri swung his sword. That meant his level was such that they could not even hope to match him.
Yuri Briol's fame had already spread far and wide.
And with their numbers nearly even, there was no knight brave enough to try and stop him.
The knights of Euzeth spoke in trembling voices.
"H- he was a knight much favored by the Duke. They often dined together…"
"I see."
Yuri turned his eyes.
"And you?"
"We… we are just low-ranking men. We may be called knights, but we don't even get the chance to meet the lord."
"That's right. We're just men who live off our pay."
"We're no different from soldiers. The duke… the duke doesn't care about us at all."
They pleaded desperately.
Yuri nodded.
"You'll step aside, won't you?"
"Y- yes. We'll step aside."
They split to either side, and once more the road to Genard's castle lay open.
In the middle of the empty boulevard, only the bodies of the knight who had lost his hand and his head remained.
Yuri mounted his horse again.
"Clear that away."
"Yes!"
One of Euzeth's knights dragged the body off the road, and kicked the head aside.
There was little sign of attachment.
Seeing this, some of the knights behind Yuri clicked their tongues.
"Let's go."
As he passed the knights of Euzeth, Yuri spoke.
"If we meet again, I won't let you live so kindly next time."
It might have sounded like mere bluster, but overwhelmed by Yuri, they only gave awkward smiles and averted their eyes.
At the lead once more, Yuri spurred his horse.
As he picked up speed, the rest of the knights spurred their own.
All the knights here had fought against the Empire in Bezos, but they had not acted together as one unit before. That was why there was still an awkwardness between them.
But now, riding in Yuri's wake, they were slowly becoming bound together.
It was the difference that a leader like Yuri created.
With Yuri Briol, they would continue to walk a different path from others. It would not be an easy path, but it would surely be more honorable than that of any other knight.
That thought was what made them follow Yuri.
"Your Highness,"
Someone called to him.
It wasn't Jared, Simon, or Guinness. It was a knight who had joined them for the first time.
"Are we going to capture Genard?"
"That's right."
"What if he resists?"
At that question, Yuri burst out laughing.
Then Jared laughed, and Simon and Guinness laughed.
Gradually, the laughter spread.
Everyone laughed, even the knight who had asked the question began to laugh.
"Hey, what's your name?"
"Abel, sir!"
"Abel, why ask when you already know?"
"I just wanted to hear it once from you."
Thirty knights going to capture a duke.
If he resists, they kill him.
It was absurd.
But with Yuri, it somehow felt like nothing at all.
"I promise you. I'll fight at the very front."
"Yes, sir!"
"I'll be with you to the very end."
There wasn't a man here who didn't know what kind of person Yuri was.
They had all fought against the Empire in Bezos, and had directly or indirectly seen and heard of Yuri's rampages.
"Then let's go catch the pig."
"Yes, sir!"
In the distance, the castle came into view.
Yuri bent low over his horse, lessening the wind's resistance.
The steed surged forward with greater force.
Yuri and his men charged toward Genard's castle.
***
Yuri stood before Genard's castle, located within the territory. The gates were firmly shut, as if word of his arrival had already reached them.
Genard was nowhere in sight.
Yuri crossed his arms, looking up at the top of the walls. A few knights were looking down at them.
"Open the gate."
So saying, Yuri took out his voice tube.
"I am Yuri Briol. As the King's representative, I have come to judge the crimes of Genard Jetherie."
But there was no response.
"Genard!"
Yuri shouted.
"Come out!"
At last, someone appeared atop the wall to answer him.
"Your Highness."
The man's voice was strangely familiar. Yuri searched his memory. He could not recall the exact title, but he remembered him as one of the nobles who followed Genard.
"What is this sudden commotion?"
A smirk played on his face.
Looking at him, Yuri realized Genard had no intention of cooperating.
"Right now the Empire is occupying Bezos, and yet you're here harassing your own allies? Since you can't do anything against the Empire, you vent your anger on those on your own side?"
He was openly provoking Yuri.
Yuri narrowed his eyes.
"Euzeth may be loyal to the royal family of Briol, but recent conduct has raised suspicion. As the lord of Briol, I am concerned. That's why we are observing the situation. So why do you keep harassing us?"
The knights led by Yuri growled under their breath, glaring at him.
The air was one of wanting to kill him on the spot.
But the wall was too high.
Yuri, however, spoke calmly.
"So, what's suspicious about the royal family?"
"The sudden disappearance of both the King and the Crown Prince, of course."
"And?"
"They must have either fled in fear of the Empire, or surrendered…"
Yuri dismounted his horse.
The man went on talking.
"In any case, you should return. Euzeth, as a noble house of high standing in Briol, expresses deep concern over this situation. Until it is settled, there is no need to—"
Yuri began running forward.
Not being a knight, the man had no idea what Yuri was doing.
So he went on speaking without a care.
"—take any action, and—"
In that instant, Yuri kicked off the ground and leapt.
For most knights, such a height was impossible, but Yuri was different.
As if flying, he vaulted upward, landing lightly atop the battlements.
There, right in front of him, he met the noble's eyes.
Sensing at once that something was wrong, the noble instinctively begged for his life.
"Spare me."
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