Chapter 175: Succession (2)

[The human being is imperfect.]

That was the phrase.

“Hmm…”

Yuri read a few words before closing the book. It said something about how, because humans are imperfect, they must temper their body and mind.

He hadn’t read much, but he understood it immediately.

It was a call to strive.

“The passage of time doesn’t change what the elders say.”

The work spoke of how humans were imperfect, the youth didn’t try hard enough, and therefore they had to follow the teachings of the sages of the past to refine both body and spirit.

Though the content was predictable, it was sound in essence.

The right words often sound cliché, and the cliché tends to bore.

“But this elder… his level is too high.”

He didn’t know who had written it, but the writer claimed that one could only become a complete human being by mastering not only martial arts, but also science, philosophy, art, and human relationships.

If one could achieve that, they would truly be invincible. Yuri closed the book.

“Who could have built this place…?”

Though he said it to himself, Yuri had a suspicion.

It was most likely the founder of the royal palace. This palace had been built when the founder of Briol established the kingdom.

Erich Briol. He was convinced that this was his secret storeroom.

Judging by the absence of recent traces, perhaps Yuri was the only one who had discovered it.

He didn’t know if his brother Cedric had ever been there, but he thought probably not.

It had been his highly developed perception that allowed him to find it. He didn’t believe anyone else could have discovered it.

Yuri continued inspecting the interior.

“This is…”

There were piles of magnificent weapons. But since he already had Guilty, he didn’t feel the need to take any.

“This isn’t what I’m looking for…”

Murmuring to himself, he continued exploring.

What Yuri was looking for were clues about Erich Briol and the technique he had left behind—the Cut of the soul and the heart.

And beyond that, he wanted to understand the power called Chaos that he had begun to control.

Suddenly, he found a crumpled notebook inside a box.

He opened it.

“Hmm…?”

It was titled: [On the sword that cuts mind and soul.]

Yuri turned the page.

Brief notes appeared, presumably written by Erich Briol. They were partially torn, so only fragments could be read.

[It can only be cut with the sword of the Heavenly Demon.]

[The evil spirit is too intense.]

[The Heavenly Demon tried to break the chains of the Demonic Sect.]

Only fragmented, hard-to-interpret pieces remained.

Though Yuri didn’t fully understand the context, he could deduce that Erich Briol had made great efforts to master the martial arts of the Heavenly Demon.

Yuri had always thought that the Cut of the soul and the heart was related to dark magic.

It was a technique that seemed designed to destroy dark magic.

Moreover, the Death Knight who had given him Guilty had said that the dungeon only appeared when the time was right.

It was a risky assumption, but perhaps Erich Briol already knew of the existence of dark magic. And maybe he sought a way to oppose it through the arts of the Heavenly Demon.

With that in mind, Yuri continued flipping through the pages.

The cryptic phrases went on. And at the end, he found a sentence he could hardly believe.

[Tonight, I miss my friend, the Heavenly Demon.]

Yuri turned the page.

After that, there was nothing more written. Only blank, yellowing pages until the end of the notebook.

He had called him “friend.”

According to Moyongchan, the Heavenly Demon was the enemy of the Murim world, and he was defeated by Erich Briol along with the leader of the Blue Star Sect, the greatest warrior of his time. Thanks to them, the world regained peace.

But the one who wrote that note had considered the Heavenly Demon a friend.

“Huh…”

He recalled something Cedric had once told him—that the history we know might be very different from what actually happened. Since we can only deduce from limited documents, perhaps we were no different from blind men touching an elephant.

Maybe, too, there had been something between Erich Briol and the Heavenly Demon that no one knew.

Yuri understood, once again, the importance of records.

“I should get used to taking notes. Maybe even start a diary.”

Only that way could future generations praise his deeds forever.

Yuri walked across the room and turned back. He hadn’t found exactly what he was looking for, but it had been a rather interesting experience.

Just as he was heading back toward the entrance to leave the secret space, he noticed something on the inner side of the revolving door through which he had entered.

He stopped in front of it. And smiled.

In that moment, he knew for certain. That place had belonged to Erich Briol, and he himself had carved those words with his sword.

[I will never fear my enemies.]

For some reason, that made him stop. In the midst of the war with the Empire, he had forgotten all about things like oaths.

[I will act according to my convictions.]

Had Erich Briol written them there to repeat them to himself every time he saw them?

[I will fulfill my duty to the end.]

Each of us is assigned a duty. Whether we like it or not, it is imposed on us. One can choose to reject it. But some fulfill it to the very end.

[This oath will be my honor — Erich Briol.]

It seemed to be the original text of the oath passed down through the royal family.

Yuri reached out and ran his fingers over the carved markings. He didn’t know with what feeling Erich Briol had written it, but for him, it held great meaning.

The vague uneasiness he had felt, and his anxiety about the war, melted away.

Yuri raised Guilty. And summoned the aura of the Cut of the soul and the heart. The blade glowed.

Beneath the text carved by Erich Briol, Yuri added his own will.

[Me too! —Yuri Briol.]

***

Yuri left the secret storeroom and continued exploring the restricted archive.

There, he found several useful books and began reading them. They were books on swordsmanship, with various sections that proved quite helpful.

He didn’t find a direct solution to the problem he was facing, but within the broader perspective of the path of the sword, it was a valuable experience.

After taking a general look around inside, he went back up. The librarian guarding the royal archive was waiting for him.

“You’ve returned, Your Highness.”

“How did you know?”

“I heard your footsteps.”

The librarian smiled silently.

The same thing happened in the imperial library—the guardians of valuable materials had an enigmatic air, as if hiding secrets.

Yuri suddenly spoke.

“You’re not hiding something, are you?”

“Excuse me?”

“Something hidden.”

“…”

“You’re hiding it.”

The librarian remained silent.

Yuri had said it as a joke, but the man actually began to look uncomfortable.

Yuri pressed him as if he knew something.

“Come on, confess. I know everything.”

“How…?”

“Would you hide it from a prince?”

“Well…”

The librarian smiled as if he had no other choice.

“There’s no helping it. I’ll tell you everything.”

“That’s better.”

“Sir Jared…”

“Hmm?”

“He went to Section 96.”

Yuri’s body tensed. That was a forbidden area.

No one knew why that kind of knowledge had been gathered in the royal library.

At some point, it had simply ended up there. Maybe one of the ancient kings had developed a forbidden desire for certain subjects.

Yuri frowned.

“You’re saying he went to Section 96…?”

“Yes…”

The number 96 brought to mind the symbol of a typhoon.

Likewise, Section 96 was a repository of knowledge capable of shaking the human heart.

In other words, it was the erotic literature section.

“A knight going in there…?”

Yuri sighed. The librarian gave a knowing smile.

“Everyone visits it at least once. I have records of every visitor. Hahahaha…”

Yuri realized something.

That librarian was the one who held the most compromising secrets of everyone living in the palace.

“But you, Prince Yuri, have never gone. That’s surprising, I must say.”

“Me?”

Yuri shrugged.

“I don’t need that kind of knowledge.”

“Really?”

“Of course.”

Yuri had never gone to Section 96.

In this life.

In his past life, he had visited it so many times that he practically knew all the books by heart. That’s why, in this life, he’d been able to maintain the dignity of a royal.

The librarian remarked,

“Thinking about the future, it wouldn’t be a bad idea for you to check it out at least once, Your Highness. Knowledge makes no distinction between noble and common.”

“Don’t worry. I already know everything.”

“Excuse me?”

“In an old swordsmanship treatise I read this: the best master is instinct.”

“Ohhh…”

“But hey…”

Yuri hesitated for a moment before asking a question. His curiosity got the better of him.

“By the way…”

“Yes?”

“My older brother, Cedric… did he ever visit that place…?”

“Ah…”

The librarian opened his mouth but then closed it again. Then he gave a vague smile, impossible to read.

“Who knows…”

“Just tell me. I’ll take it to the grave.”

“Who knows…”

“I’m too curious! Did my brother really look at that kind of stuff?”

“Who knows…”

“You just keep saying the same thing.”

“Hahaha…”

The librarian smiled mischievously.

“Who knows, I couldn’t possibly say.”

“You’ve got a tight mouth.”

“That’s an essential virtue for a librarian.”

“But you told me about Jared just fine.”

“Shall we go?”

***

Cedric was organizing his room.

He had piles of books, models, and maps stacked everywhere.

Though everything was neatly arranged, there were so many items that the room looked chaotic.

“Hmm?”

Suddenly, he found a book inside a drawer. It was one he had borrowed from the royal library a long time ago and had forgotten to return.

“Ah, this one…”

He gave a faint smile and flipped through its pages. One nude figure after another passed by.

“It was from Section 96.”

Although the illustrations were explicit, his eyes showed not the slightest disturbance.

Rather, his gaze was tinged with a certain disdain. With a slight grimace, he closed the book and returned it to the drawer.

Then, from the bottom drawer, a dim light caught his attention.

He pulled the handle and found a crystal orb wrapped in cloth that emitted a soft glow. Someone was trying to communicate from very far away.

Cedric sighed.

He looked at it for a moment, then placed it on the table. As he stroked the surface, someone’s face appeared.

[Cedric.]

“What is it?”

It was Katrina.

“I told you not to contact me until I did.”

His tone was completely cold. Anyone who knew his usual demeanor would have been surprised to see his expression so devoid of emotion.

[It’s just… since you hadn’t responded in so long…]

“And?”

[Sorry.]

“Yes, you should be sorry.”

Cedric sighed disapprovingly, then gave a dry smile.

“Well, Katrina. How are things in the imperial capital?”

[Eugen has control. He’s carrying out everything he was ordered to do. Everyone is acting as planned, like puppets.]

“And him?”

[Ah…]

Katrina twisted her hair between her fingers.

[The one with the Shadowless Sword still needs time to decide…]

“That can’t be.”

Cedric blinked behind his glasses.

“I’ll have to see him in person.”

[It’s dangerous.]

“I’ll be the judge of that.”

[Sorry…]

“Tell him to come to Briol as a diplomatic envoy. I’ll contact you again when he arrives.”

[A diplomatic envoy?]

“The war will soon be over. There will be a truce. Briol must be sufficiently devastated.”

[Is that possible?]

“Katrina.”

Cedric fixed his gaze on the orb.

“I’ll soon be king.”

Katrina’s eyes widened.

[Really?]

“Yes.”

[Fiore… I mean, His Majesty, already said so?]

“He was the one who announced it first.”

[I’m glad.]

“All thanks to my dear little brother.”

Cedric smiled.

It was the warmest expression he had shown in a long time.

“That brilliant little brother of mine… I’m looking forward to seeing how he paves his way.”

[Cedric. Are you really going to keep letting your brother do as he pleases? Isn’t it time to get rid of that obstacle—]

“Katrina.”

Cedric’s face hardened.

Katrina immediately lowered her head, as if she had committed a grave sin.

[Sorry. That was a mistake. I’m truly sorry. I apologize…]

“I don’t tolerate overstepping.”

[Sorry…]

Cedric immediately turned off the orb and threw it into the drawer, slamming it shut.

Then he leaned back in his chair.

“…”

He didn’t say a word. He just smiled while staring into the void. A black energy began to emanate from his body.

He extended his hand.

That dark energy flowing from his fingertips took the shape of a small tower. At the top, a grotesque-looking eye dangled.

Cedric stared at it and let out a low chuckle.

“I wonder what Yuri is doing now…”

If Yuri Briol had inherited the sword of Erich Briol—

Cedric Briol was the heir to dark magic.