"Larsson is dead. Sibylla's succession was the most likely. Of course, the remaining heirs all gave up as well."
"What happened to Larsson?"
"The cause of death is unknown."
Yuri was speaking with a guest.
It was Vlad.
He had left the Imperial Capital and visited Briol. To Yuri, he was a welcome guest. He needed to know the situation in the Holy Kingdom.
"What about the Temple?"
"They're keeping silent, saying they don't know the details. Since Larsson suddenly died, it's only natural for Sibylla to become queen."
"Why did they attack Bursen?"
"The Holy Kingdom and Bursen have traditionally not gotten along. They share a border, after all. There's been a long-standing dispute over control of the Alras region…"
Alras was land nestled between Bursen and the Holy Kingdom.
It was a source of high-quality wine and thus brought in considerable tax revenue. Because of that, both countries had tried to incorporate the region into their own territory.
The land had frequently changed hands, but recently, Bursen had been in control.
The Holy Kingdom used that as a pretext and invaded Bursen, and the conflict immediately escalated.
War had begun in an instant.
Yuri's head began to throb.
It wasn't just that the Holy Kingdom had withdrawn—they had become outright enemies.
With Liberda already in chaos due to the ogre outbreak, the alliance couldn't function properly.
Now, only the Empire and Briol remained.
"I see. I get it."
Yuri fell into thought.
Vlad gave a bitter smile.
There was a time when they could talk peacefully about drug rehab clinics. Now, that business was utterly meaningless.
The continent had been swept into the whirlpool of war in an instant.
"That poison changed many things."
The Emperor had claimed he'd been poisoned in Yoheim and then acted upon it.
That was when everything started.
But Vlad wasn't naive enough to believe the imperial palace's statement at face value.
"I miss the days when I met Your Highness in the capital. Why is the Empire going this far?"
"The reason, huh."
"Yes. The Empire was enjoying prosperity. It was wealthier than ever. It doesn't seem like there was any need to start a war."
"Maybe the Emperor went mad."
"Could be."
At Yuri's words, Vlad nodded obediently.
It sounded like a throwaway remark, but it was also the most convincing explanation.
Ibarra had been a reasonably competent emperor. Perhaps even better than that. He wasn't aggressive, and he wasn't incompetent.
Seeing him suddenly lash out like this, the theory that he'd gone mad seemed most fitting.
"Maybe the poison only half-succeeded."
Yuri shrugged.
"So then, Your Highness."
"Mm?"
"I have a request."
"Is it unreasonable?"
"Perhaps."
Vlad got to the point.
"Your Highness has ties to both Bursen and the Holy Kingdom, yes?"
"I know a few people."
"Please mediate."
He leaned forward.
"Now is not the time to be fighting. Everyone knows the Empire is acting suspiciously."
"What's the mood in the capital?"
"Hostility toward other nations is at its peak. Almost abnormally so. It wouldn't be surprising if something explodes."
Yuri nodded.
He had been hearing about the atmosphere in the capital through Gorio.
Imperials continued persecuting people from Yoheim, and they gave cold looks to people from other nations as well.
There was a strong air of exclusion toward anyone not from their own country.
Vlad must've been affected by it too.
"Well…"
Yuri tapped the table.
"It's not going to happen."
"Pardon?"
"Sibylla has no intention of listening to me."
Before Vlad arrived, Yuri had received a letter from Sibylla.
There wasn't much written in it.
She had simply used the "wish token" Yuri had given her long ago.
She briefly wrote that she wanted him to stay out of it, not ask or interfere.
It was a subtle way of expressing that she wouldn't change her mind.
Of course, Yuri wasn't bound by a mere wish token in this situation, but there was no way for him to intervene either. He couldn't exactly lead Briol's army to support Bursen.
"I need to worry about Briol first."
Intelligence reports indicated that the Imperial army had started moving.
They were heading toward Briol.
The countries in between would all open the way.
Briol, too, had begun its preparations. Fiore, breaking her long silence, inspected the army and checked on the knight orders.
Cedric and Joshua were also returning to the capital.
"Phew…"
Vlad shook his head.
"Why is everyone changing like this?"
"Changed, huh…"
"It feels like the only thing that hasn't changed is God in the heavens."
"True."
Yuri nodded.
The Emperor had changed, and so had Sibylla.
It was natural for people to change, but this was too extreme.
There was definitely something behind it.
Sibylla, too, might have been consumed by black magic.
Yuri suddenly recalled the letter he received from her. Until recently, she had been in a tough position due to Larsson's interference. Even joining the Holy Knight Order had been blocked because of him.
"She couldn't enter the Holy Knight Order, right?"
"Yes…"
"Because of Larsson?"
"That's how it turned out, but if she had been given a little more time…"
"The Temple shares the blame too."
"Well…"
"If you make a promise, you should keep it."
Vlad fell silent.
Yuri let out a sigh.
"When are you returning to the Holy Kingdom?"
"Now that I've seen Your Highness, I plan to head back immediately."
"You'll have to do well, more than me."
"Yes."
"Sir Jose left in anger."
At those words, Vlad swallowed hard.
Not long ago, Jose had been recognized as one of the Ten Strong.
Since it was a title determined by the people's consensus, it wasn't officially set in stone, but most had begun naming him among the ten.
That's how strong Jose had become.
Moreover, after sparring with various opponents in Briol, his level had risen even more.
"The Holy Knights won't step forward, will they?"
"Likely not."
"Then it'll be hard to stop Sir Jose."
The Holy Knights didn't act unless it was something extraordinary.
Especially in a situation where the Holy Kingdom had initiated the attack, they would remain restrained.
That meant there was no knight who could properly stop Jose.
"Maybe a letter…"
"Sibylla won't listen anyway."
Rather than sending a half-hearted letter, Yuri decided it was better to do nothing at all.
"If she was willing to listen, she wouldn't have done this in the first place. You know what she's like."
"Yes…"
She wasn't the indecisive type.
Having already made her move, she would see it through to the end.
Yuri considered several possibilities.
The most convincing was that the Empire had promised to make her queen in exchange for her attacking Bursen.
"Larsson must've done something worse than expected."
"They say he tried to marry her off quickly. Ignoring her wishes. And beyond that, here and there…"
"Foolish of him."
"He was particularly wary of Sibylla. If we knew it would come to this, we should've stopped him harder."
"It's in the past."
Words wouldn't help anymore. Talking was nothing but armchair discussion now.
"A new era of war has come again. Vlad, better get ready to pray."
"Mmm…"
Vlad's face darkened.
Yuri chuckled quietly.
He had lived most of his past life on battlefields. Even after Briol was destroyed, he roamed bloody battlegrounds.
Ever since returning to the past, he had always prepared for times like this.
The time had simply come.
Unlike the restless Vlad, Yuri felt a strange sense of calm settling in.
"Is the clinic still operating?"
"Yes, but regardless of income, I wonder if it has any use anymore. Drugs have spread too widely."
"Weakened humans fall easily to demonic temptation. The Temple must take responsibility. Do your best."
Just then, Jared knocked on the door from outside.
"Your Highness, may I enter?"
"Come in."
Opening the door, he gave a silent bow to Vlad and spoke to Yuri.
"A messenger from the Empire has arrived."
"Really?"
"His Majesty has summoned you, Your Highness."
"Got it."
Yuri rose from his seat.
"Vlad. Will you wait?"
"No, I will return to the kingdom."
"All right."
Yuri extended a hand to him.
The time of war had come. No matter who was at fault, they might never see each other again.
"I hope we'll meet again."
"God will guide us."
The two shook hands.
After sending off Vlad, Yuri immediately went to the palace where Fiore was.
Fiore was lounging crookedly on the throne, and the ministers, including the foreign minister, were waiting.
"You're here."
"Yes."
Yuri sat next to him.
Fiore gave a nod of his chin.
"Let him in."
A royal guard nodded and stepped outside.
Soon, the envoy from the Empire appeared.
It was a familiar face.
"I greet His Majesty, the King of Briol."
It was Hasan.
His eyes met Yuri's, but he only bowed his head silently.
Hasan, once a direct subordinate of Eugen, had come as an envoy.
That alone signaled that the Crown Prince now held real power.
Fiore spoke.
"Raise your head."
"Y-Yes."
"What brings you here?"
"Well…"
Hasan visibly shrank.
"I, I came…"
Yuri could tell Fiore was emitting pressure to bear down on Hasan.
Fiore rarely used intimidation like this.
It meant his mood was deeply displeased.
Yuri felt a strange sense of relief. His father, Fiore Briol, who had never participated in the previous life, was now stepping forward.
To the Empire, he would be a terror.
"To hold Briol… accountable…"
"Accountable?"
"Y-Yes…"
In the silence, only Fiore responded.
They must have sent a powerful figure like Hasan to deliver a veiled threat, but it was meaningless before Fiore.
"T-The thing is…"
Hasan wasn't just frightened.
A solidified aura was touching his body.
The surrounding ministers looked confused and tilted their heads, but Yuri, along with the knights and royal guards, could feel Fiore's realm, even if indirectly.
"Accountable for what?"
"For aiding Yoheim…"
Hasan swallowed and continued.
"We received information that a number of knights have been moving between Yoheim and Briol."
He must've meant the guerrilla training exercises.
"Yoheim is a wicked group that attempted to poison His Majesty the Emperor, so Briol, who supported them, must also bear responsibility…"
"Ah…"
Fiore nodded.
"We trained Yoheim's knights."
"Then…"
"But that was before the Emperor claimed to have been poisoned."
"It's not a claim."
"Well, whatever."
"Even after that, Briol continued to train their forces."
"So, what are you planning to do?"
"If this continues, we cannot remain idle. War, there will be war."
"Fine, we'll stop."
"Pardon?"
"We'll just train the knights already here and stop after that. Satisfied?"
"Uh…"
Yoheim already had a guerrilla training facility built.
The entire training process had been passed on. If needed, they could just send instructors.
Fiore shrugged.
"Satisfied?"
"However,"
Hasan said firmly again,
"You have already contributed to Yoheim's misdeeds. Briol must take responsibility."
"What kind of responsibility?"
"Compensation."
"What kind of compensation?"
Hasan took a deep breath and spoke.
"Because of Briol, Yoheim has become so lawless. The Emperor commands that Briol provide troops to strike Yoheim. Reap the seeds you've sown yourself."
He then presented several conditions, all of which were impossible.
There was only one conclusion.
The Empire intended to strike Briol.
Fiore looked at Yuri.
"Yuri."
"Yes."
"I heard about it. When the envoy from the orcs came to demand surrender, what did you do?"
"I beheaded him and sent the head back on a flagpole."
"Why did you do that?"
"Because he spoke nonsense."
"I see."
Then Fiore stared straight at Hasan again.
Hasan trembled.
It wasn't just from fear. He could barely breathe.
Fiore rose from his seat.
As the pressure lifted, Hasan collapsed and gasped for air.
"You've changed."
"Hah, hah… What?"
"I said, you've changed."
Fiore stepped down from the throne.
"Ibarra has changed."
"T-That's disrespectful."
"Chatterbox Ibarra. He wasn't the kind to play tricks like this…"
Fiore muttered, as if he were referring to an old acquaintance.
Yuri hadn't known there was any connection between him and the Emperor of the Empire.
Fiore walked up to Hasan and asked,
"Is black magic really that seductive to people?"
Silence fell.
Even Hasan held his breath.
Yuri was slightly taken aback too. He didn't expect him to say it so openly.
Then, Yuri quietly chuckled.
Things had come this far. There was nothing left to hide from each other.
"Leave. Before I kill you."
At Fiore's words, Hasan stood blankly for a moment, then shot to his feet.
Forgetting his dignity, he ran out in a panic.
Even watching him, no one laughed.
Because Fiore's back was heavy with gravity.
Much had changed.
Sibylla, the Emperor, they had become different people.
But they weren't the only ones changing.
Soon, they would witness with their own eyes the transformed figure of Fiore, the strongest Swordmaster, who had long lain dormant.