Chapter 173: Succession (1)

When Jared opened his eyes, sunlight filtered through the branches covering the cave entrance.

“Hm?”

Somehow, his body felt light. He glanced at Laurent, who slept like a corpse, and blinked. Yuri wasn’t there. It seemed he had woken up before them.

Jared moved to check the outside. The mountain, bathed in morning light, was calm.

Jared removed the branches blocking the entrance and stepped out. The fresh morning air caressed his body with a purifying sensation.

As he did some exercises on his own, Laurent appeared shortly after.

“Jared, did you sleep well?”

“Yes. And you, Sir Laurent?”

“Quite well. Although I’m not sure calling what we did ‘sleep’ is fitting for the Breathing Technique.”

Even so, both felt like they had slept deeply.

“And the Prince?”

“He was already gone when I woke up.”

“Oh, really?”

Laurent looked around.

“But… is it really okay for us to be this relaxed?”

“Do you feel anything strange?”

“Doesn’t seem like it…”

They were being pursued by the Ninth Imperial Squadron. That’s why they had entered that cave to hide.

However, after using the Breathing Technique and waking up, they couldn’t sense any presence around them.

“Where could His Highness have gone?”

“Hmm…”

While Jared continued his exercises, Laurent joined him.

It was a knight’s warm-up routine, one that all Briol knights knew. It was highly effective at preparing the body, so it was always done before any activity.

The two began twisting their bodies in unison.

“Sir Laurent.”

“Hm?”

“Isn’t this a bit… too peaceful?”

“Yes…”

The contrast between before and after using the Breathing Technique was stark. All the tension had vanished, replaced by a serenity like a mountain retreat.

It wasn’t that they didn’t understand the situation—they truly didn’t feel any enemies nearby.

That’s when a familiar voice called out behind them.

“What is this? Morning workout?”

“Prince!”

Yuri, who rarely left a trace of his presence, appeared. He was dressed like an imperial soldier, with Guilty slung over his shoulder, walking through the underbrush.

“What’s that?”

“Breakfast. Let’s roast it.”

Yuri was holding two rabbits by the ears in one hand.

“Ooh…!”

After several days of only eating dried jerky, this was a feast like rain in the desert.

Jared immediately gathered dry branches.

“By the way, it’s way too quiet.”

“Right?”

“Where are the imperial soldiers?”

“They’re gone.”

“Huh?”

“They went back to the garrison.”

“Why?”

“Well…”

Yuri shrugged.

“Because their commander died.”

Laurent and Jared stared at Yuri.

“That’s right.”

Yuri coughed lightly and began skinning the rabbits, then gutted them.

Soon, the rabbits skewered on branches were roasting over the fire.

“Did Your Highness not sleep?”

“Sleep?”

Yuri looked at Jared.

“Calling it ‘sleep’… It seems the Breathing Technique worked well on you.”

“Well, yes, it felt like sleeping.”

“I didn’t sleep.”

Yuri said it bluntly.

“I thought it would be easier to move alone. Sorry.”

Laurent and Jared silently watched the rabbits slowly browning over the fire. The fact that Yuri had acted alone meant, in other words, that their skills were lacking.

Even if they weren’t of much help, they shouldn’t have been a burden. Yet the gap between them and Yuri had become significant.

Yuri spoke.

“Don’t be discouraged. It was a situation where moving alone was better, since we were hiding and fighting at night.”

“Yes. I apologize for my lack of skill, Your Highness.”

“It’s fine.”

Laurent lowered his head.

Then Jared, trying to sound cheerful, asked.

“That said, did you really kill the commander yourself? Elpeso?”

“That’s right.”

“Did he get hit by a stray arrow, maybe?”

“Don’t be ridiculous. I did it. Elpeso and the four knights with him—all at once…”

As Yuri began recounting his feat, Jared smiled.

“Your Highness has a knack for storytelling, huh?”

“It’s the truth.”

“Oh, come on…”

Yuri shrugged.

He was telling things exactly as they happened. The problem was that he had become so strong, others saw it as exaggeration.

It was all a result of the power of Chaos he had accepted. Even though the demon seed would eventually come, Yuri judged it wouldn’t be much of a problem.

“If that’s confirmed, Your Highness is officially one of the Ten Greats.”

“Probably already is.”

“Are you serious?”

“Of course. I don’t care much for the title, but if I’m going to fight the Empire, I’ll have to be the wild card myself.”

Yuri often joked, but he didn’t say nonsense. Especially not in war—he would never joke about such matters.

Considering his age, it was absurd.

“Excuse me, may I ask again if you’re serious?”

“No.”

“Then could you beat Lord Jose?”

“Last time was a draw. I suppose I could beat him now.”

“A draw? When did that happen?”

“There was a time.”

Yuri had dueled Jose once by the sea of Brusen.

“Let’s eat and head back to Briol. The Empire’s plan is probably a bit delayed.”

It wasn’t the same to march through land dominated by the vanguard as it was through land abandoned by it.

Not knowing where an ambush might lie, the imperial army would start moving more cautiously.

That alone was already a great victory.

“Especially since their commander died. Imperial morale is going to drop.”

Before the real war even began, the Empire had lost the commander of their Ninth Squadron and a large part of their knights.

“And now the name Jared, the Beast of Briol, will spread across the continent. Be ready.”

“Let’s pretend it was someone else with the same name.”

“But there’s no other knight named Jared in Briol.”

“Let’s say a new one appeared.”

“Let’s just say it was you.”

“No, that can’t be.”

“It’s ready. Let’s eat.”

“Yes, sir.”

“You just said yes.”

“I didn’t mean it like that…”

The three ate rabbit meat in peace on the mountain, now that the Ninth Knight Squadron had withdrawn.

Once satisfied, they got up. Jared kept glancing back.

“Did they really all leave?”

“Yes.”

Yuri recalled what had happened the night before.

After crushing Elpeso’s chest and killing him, Yuri had hidden in the shadows.

Soon, the knights found his corpse.

Having already been humiliated by three people, and now having lost their commander, they panicked. They argued among themselves and eventually retreated in haste to rejoin the main army.

They didn’t even keep formation. It seemed that, aside from Elpeso, no one was left to lead. Maybe one of the four who died with him had been the vice commander.

Yuri had watched their retreat from the darkness.

“Yes, they left.”

Laurent and Jared fell silent for a moment. That meant, ultimately, Yuri had done everything on his own.

“Sir Laurent.”

“Yes?”

“When we return, let’s train together.”

“Of course.”

Yuri smiled.

“Don’t worry about me, either of you. Just develop your skills at your own pace.”

Yuri had inherited the natural talent of Briol’s royal family, and he had come back in time. Thanks to that, he gained the mana method Cut of the Soul and the Heart and met exceptional masters like Bernard and Moyongchan.

In a way, becoming this strong was a natural path for him.

“Yes, sir.”

But Laurent’s face darkened. Jared was more easygoing by nature, but Laurent—who resembled his own sword—was naturally stubborn and extremely loyal.

Maybe that’s why he felt even more affected. Yuri patted his shoulder.

“Laurent, let’s train together when we return. I’ll teach you.”

“Yes…”

Receiving his loyalty, Yuri felt he had to take care of him.

“Sorry. I apologize for burdening you with these feelings…”

“No, it’s natural.”

Jared butted in.

“Prince, worry about me too.”

“Of course.”

Yuri offered him a piece of charred rabbit meat.

“Here, eat this.”

“Ha…”

“At times like this, a beer would be ideal.”

“We can drink when we get back to Briol.”

“But it won’t taste the same.”

“Then how about right on the training field, right after nearly dying?”

“That doesn’t sound bad.”

They finished eating the rabbits and set off.

“Shall we go?”

“Yes.”

Before turning, Yuri looked northwest. It was the direction the Empire’s knights had retreated, toward the main army. Somewhere beyond the horizon, their enemies continued advancing.

They had bought some time, but the road ahead was long. The war looming on the horizon had only just begun.

After repelling this army, another would appear. And after defeating that, an even stronger foe would rise.

Eventually, they would face the dreaded Black Army he had seen in his past life. This battle wouldn’t end until the beast of dark arts was defeated.

Suddenly, Laurent approached his side. Sensing Yuri’s concern, he offered comforting words.

“Prince, Lord Hernando will return soon. I’m sure he’ll bring results.”

“I hope so.”

“I don’t know much about this dark art, but I’m convinced you can stop it. If it’s you.”

Yuri looked at him. Suddenly, he remembered Laurent from his past life—when he had cut his throat.

He smiled and placed a hand on his shoulder.

“Thanks for saying that.”

Officially, Laurent was a bit older than Yuri, but in truth, he was much younger.

That’s why Yuri saw both Laurent and Jared as endearing young men.

Both were much better people than in his past life.

“Let’s go.”

***

Yuri, Laurent, and Jared returned to the royal palace of Briol.

Although their departure and the fact that they had stopped the Ninth Knight Squadron were officially confidential, some commanders shared the information.

And everyone was astonished by Yuri’s accomplishments.

“I think we can already consider him among the Ten Greats.”

Fiore was speaking with a vassal in the palace. It was the Count of Française and father of Laurent, Lian Flandre.

“And what does His Majesty think about that?”

“I’m not sure…”

Although Yuri had grown stronger, his energy was different from that of a common knight.

Fiore, who had no direct experience with chaos, simply shrugged.

“Seems fine to me.”

“I see.”

At this moment, Briol’s strength was quite solid.

As a nation of knights, they already had a strong military. Moreover, they had Fiore Briol, considered the strongest of his generation, and were on good terms with three members of the Ten Greats—Moyongchan, Inariel, and Jose.

And now, suddenly, Yuri had reached a level comparable to the Ten Greats.

In a way, Briol had more high-level fighters than the Empire.

“Lord Jose is busy defending his country, and Lord Moyongchan has already left, but we still have three fighters on the level of the Ten Greats.”

“We mustn’t grow overconfident.”

Fiore shook his head.

“The Empire has many hidden warriors. The leader of the Ninth Squadron fell to Yuri, but that was only one squadron.”

“True.”

“The Empire likes to rank things numerically. The lower the number, the stronger.”

“Hmm…”

“Surely there are hidden warriors. Some maybe even at the level of the Ten Greats.”

“Wow… there’s still much to do.”

While Lian sipped his tea, the doors of the main hall suddenly opened.

“Good morning.”

The new figure that appeared was Cedric. With a gentle smile, he greeted and bowed to Lian.

“We meet again, Count.”

“Yes, we saw each other in Française.”

Cedric sat beside Lian.

“Many things have happened while I focused on my studies. I should’ve come sooner. I regret my lack of virtue. My apologies, Father.”

Fiore nodded.

“Do you really mean that?”

“Yes. Of course.”

“Then, my son, if that’s the case, you’ll have to do me a favor.”

“Name it, and I’ll do it.”

“Lian, are you alright with this?”

When Fiore gave him a look, Lian sighed and nodded.

“Do as you wish. No one can change your mind anyway.”

Cedric tilted his head, puzzled.

“What favor are you talking about…?”

Fiore leaned back on the throne with a smile. He watched Cedric for a moment. The latter adjusted his glasses, surprised.

Fiore said.

“It’s time for me to pass the throne to you.”