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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 2
Chapter Title: 1. Return (2)
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Yuri headed straight to the palace.
The king, his two older brothers, and the Barkbar father and son were waiting for him.
Yuri greeted them politely.
"Sorry I'm late."
Unlike his notorious reputation as a troublemaker, Yuri displayed impeccable etiquette.
He even stepped aside briefly to make room for the servants bringing in the food.
Johannes Count and Tusen Barkbar tilted their heads at this uncharacteristic behavior.
"The Third Prince seems to have filled out nicely. Have you been training hard?"
The skilled knight Tusen didn't miss even the smallest change.
"Looks like my son must have eaten something strange lately."
"If there's a medicine like that, share some with my boy too."
"Isn't your son smart enough to manage on his own?"
"He's still lacking."
Gott, sitting beside Tusen, stared at Cedric across from him with bright, sparkling eyes.
He had betrayed the kingdom, but even back then, he'd admired Cedric.
And rightly so—Cedric was the kind of man who deserved respect from anyone. Just exchanging a few words with him let you feel the qualities of a wise ruler.
On the other hand, Brioll's Second Prince and Yuri's older brother Joshua was a different story.
"Sit up straight."
"Yeah, yeah."
At his father's rebuke, Joshua shrugged casually and mumbled a half-hearted reply.
Joshua had been a major influence in turning Yuri into a troublemaker.
Brilliant and quick-witted, he excelled at pranking people.
Yuri had learned all his mischief from him.
Even right before the kingdom's fall, he'd snapped out of it and shown some strategic brilliance, but at heart, he was an even bigger problem child than Yuri.
"You made it."
As Yuri took his seat, Joshua flashed a sly grin from the adjacent chair and subtly formed a circle with his thumb and index finger.
Word must have gotten around that he'd cleaned up at cards.
"Wanna go again tonight?"
Yuri ignored him, sitting down and facing forward. He tuned out Joshua's persistent teasing.
Gott glanced at Yuri with his characteristic round eyes before looking away.
"...."
A faint spark of anger ignited within Yuri.
Gott's behavior was distasteful, but he was still a knight of Brioll, heir to Johannes Count's title.
Yet he'd led his army straight to the Empire and surrendered. Worse, he'd guided them as their vanguard.
At best, one could say he feared a hopeless war.
But why had he personally leaked Brioll's secrets from the Empire's front lines?
"...."
And that sin was tied directly to Yuri's own failures.
Anger toward Gott mingled with self-loathing, boiling inside him.
Yuri kept glaring.
Gott shifted uncomfortably, eyes darting around, before finally meeting Yuri's gaze.
He looked flustered at first, but soon defiance kicked in, and he held the stare.
While their fathers chatted idly, Yuri and Gott engaged in a silent staring contest.
"...."
Yuri had intended to let it slide at first.
But the prolonged eye contact only fueled his rage.
"Hey, what's your beef with him?"
Joshua whispered.
Figuring he'd keep pestering if ignored, Yuri muttered a vague reply.
"We've got issues."
"What kind?"
"That punk stabbed me in the back."
"What? For real?"
Taking it literally, Joshua mimed smacking the back of his head.
"So, you gonna let him off?"
"We'll see...."
"The great Yuri Brioll wouldn't just take a hit and do nothing, right?"
"Of course not."
"After dinner?"
"Gotta call him out."
"Then what?"
"Teach him a lesson."
"That's my little bro."
He had to admit it.
Joshua and he just clicked.
Even after living a long life and regressing, that connection remained.
Were troublemakers born with matching genes?
No wonder he'd wasted his previous life following Joshua.
"Heh heh heh...."
Yuri shot a sidelong glance at the chuckling Joshua, who looked thrilled at the prospect.
You're next after Gott.
The only one in Brioll who didn't need fixing was Cedric.
"Yuri, if you're not eating that, give it here."
"Sure, go ahead."
"You're handing it over without a fight? Weird...."
Joshua tilted his head, chomping into the meat.
Yuri smirked.
In his past life, he'd been the big brother, but now Yuri had lived longer—no need to call him "hyung" anymore.
Joshua.
This time, you're gonna live for real.
"Bro, hold your utensils properly."
"Imitating Dad now?"
"Straighten your back. It'll hunch otherwise."
"Huh?"
After correcting Joshua's bad habits, Yuri looked up at Gott again.
Gott, mid-bite, immediately met his eyes.
Sparks seemed to fly as their gazes locked.
"It's for your own good, Gott...."
In any case, Gott had lost all his lands soon after siding with the Empire and been cast out.
"This life will be different."
Joshua wasn't the only one he planned to reshape.
Gott was on the list too.
He'd rewire his mind so betrayal never crossed it, molding him to give everything for the kingdom.
Who in the world could claim they'd given their all every moment? Humans wanted to slack when standing, lie down when sitting.
As a mercenary, Yuri had learned one truth.
People performed at their peak when driven hard.
Even the most undisciplined recruits turned into disciplined soldiers after a few days of drilling.
He'd make Gott a stronger, finer knight than before.
One ignorant of betrayal.
"Yuri."
As he steeled his resolve and cut into his steak, his father suddenly called him.
"Yes, Father."
"Haven't you changed a bit too much lately?"
Brioll's king.
Fiore Brioll.
He eyed Yuri with his chin propped crookedly.
Yuri replied.
"I've simply resolved not to be a disgrace to you, Father."
It wasn't entirely lip service.
He might look like a lazy idler without royal decorum, but Fiore was one of the continent's top Swordmasters. Some even called him the strongest swordsman of the era.
"I want to become a great knight like you, Father."
"A great knight, huh...."
Fiore chuckled.
"Am I a great knight? What do you think, Tusen?"
Tusen nodded.
"Of course. Your Majesty is Brioll's king and a great knight."
"I'm strong, sure, but great? Not sure."
"You're too humble."
"Yuri, to become a great knight, you'd do better imitating someone else. I'm worthless without my sword."
Come to think of it, Father had a point.
Yuri nodded readily.
"You're right, Father. I'll do that."
His immediate agreement chilled the atmosphere for a moment.
Cedric smirked, while Joshua snickered with his head down.
"'I'll do that,' he says."
Fiore shrugged, and Tusen burst out laughing.
"The kingdom's future looks bright."
"You mocking me too?"
"I mean it."
The meal ended on a pleasant note.
Fiore and Tusen headed to the garden to discuss matters, and Cedric left for his studies.
Now only the two princes infamous as troublemakers and the proud young noble remained.
"Hey."
Joshua called out to Gott.
"Yeah?"
"Come here."
His beckoning was pure thug.
"Let's go somewhere quiet."
"Why all of a sudden...."
"You hit my little brother, right?"
"W-what?"
"I heard everything."
"I didn't do anything...."
Joshua dragged Gott and Yuri to a secluded corner of the palace.
"Hey, you dare lay hands on royalty...."
"I'll handle it."
Yuri cut in before Joshua could escalate.
"Gott Barkbar."
"Yes, Third Prince."
"You handle a sword pretty well, huh?"
"A little."
His demeanor was already like the adult Gott—feigning humility while his eyes darted slyly.
Thinking back, in his past life, he'd clashed with Gott around this time too.
And won.
Beat him badly.
He could still picture Gott's resentful glare.
Could that grudge have driven him to sell out the kingdom?
"You bastard!"
Yuri shouted.
"The kingdom has no use for petty knights."
"I'm not a knight yet."
"Aren't you training to become one?"
"Well, yes...."
"Gott, you're an important talent who should serve the kingdom faithfully. I believe you're not such trash that a few hits today would turn your heart."
Gott looked baffled by the cryptic words. It sounded like praise, yet a threat to beat him.
"Y-yes?"
"Wipe that dumb look off your face!"
No glove to throw, so Yuri hurled a pebble instead.
Gott clutched his chest.
"Guh!"
"Duel."
"Wait...."
Joshua calmly handed wooden sticks to both.
"A sneak attack? Cowardly...!"
Feeling a pang of conscience, Yuri brushed it off.
"It's my glove."
Yuri reflected inwardly. Old mercenary habits slipping out.
Mercenary duels had no rules. Every dirty trick in the book—pebbles, sand, spit, hair-pulling.
Survivors were the strong ones.
That was the battlefield's law.
"...."
Yuri's eyes darkened.
It applied to Brioll too.
No excuses about Gott's betrayal or Yuri's gullibility mattered.
The Empire had won.
Thus, Brioll was weak.
For that weakness, its people suffered tyranny, its glorious history buried in mud.
"Uphold knightly honor, Third Prince!"
Gott yelled, swinging his stick.
Yuri dodged back and kicked the ground.
Sand flew up.
As Gott shook his head in confusion, Yuri's stick whistled through the air.
"Ack!"
It cracked against Gott's exposed arm.
His belated counterstrike missed—Yuri had circled behind.
Smack on the back.
"Even hitting from behind!"
Gott's voice rose.
"Third Prince! Have some shame!"
He shook off the sand, glaring fiercely.
"Shame...."
Shame hadn't stopped him from selling out the kingdom.
Gott surrendered to the Empire, and knights who opposed him died.
Yuri advanced with his stick forward.
Gott countered elegantly from the outside.
Not bad technique.
But Gott was lost in the motions, blind to the true essence of the forms.
Swordplay fitting a hollow life.
"Huh?"
Yuri feinted a block, then dropped his stick.
His wooden sword flew through the air.
He surged in, grabbing Gott's arm and waist.
"Ah...?"
A kick to the supporting leg toppled him.
"Guh!"
Before the shock faded, Yuri snatched Gott's stick.
Planting a foot on his chest, he aimed at his throat.
"Dropping your sword...."
Gott glared wide-eyed.
"Gott."
"Yes."
"What is a sword?"
"Pardon?"
"A tool for killing. Right?"
"Yes."
"If it kills, you don't need to hold it."
"...."
Yuri stepped back.
"One more. Why is your father a count?"
"Huh?"
"Who granted that power?"
"That's...."
"Think about it."
Yuri extended his hand.
Gott stared at it, anger lingering, then grabbed it and stood.
"Gott."
"Yes."
"No matter the situation, always look for the truth beneath."
It might be too much for a kid just a couple years younger.
But he wanted to tell past Gott this.
He'd bitten the Empire's fake bait and marched to his doom.
"Too hard?"
"Yes."
"Ponder it, then come find me. We'll talk more."
He wouldn't punish him for past sins.
Just give him a chance at a different life.
As a fellow sinner.
"Yes...."
Unaware of this, Gott's eyes started darting again.
Yuri gripped his shoulder firmly, warning.
"Hey."
"Yes."
"Don't come, and I'll hunt you down."
"Y-yes...."
"Go."
"Yes."
Gott shuffled away, then yelled once at a safe distance.
"I'm letting you off today!"
Yuri looked at him.
Gott shouted again.
"If I'd used Mana Circulation Method, you'd be the one flat on your back, Third Prince!"
With that, he spun and ran.
Watching his retreating figure, Yuri couldn't help but laugh.
He hadn't known Gott had learned Mana Circulation Method already.
Yet he hadn't used it—proof he wasn't rotten to the core.
Though an immature version wouldn't have changed the outcome.
"Yuri."
Joshua, who'd been watching quietly, spoke up.
"Winning that easy! You're really good at fighting."
He looked more excited than Yuri.
"Thought I'd lose?"
"Yup."
"And you started it anyway?"
"It's fun."
Yuri glanced between the stick in his hand and Joshua.
The quick-witted Joshua bolted instantly.