Chapter 184: Evil (1)

The army of Briol celebrated their victory with a loud night of festivities.

Fiore had temporarily set up the throne room in the office of the feudal lord. The nobles and knights gathered in Bezos bowed their heads before him.

Ainzer spoke.

“Congratulations on your victory, Your Majesty.”

Fiore shook his head.

“It’s not my victory, it’s Briol’s victory.”

“But if it weren’t for Your Majesty, we wouldn’t have won.”

“Who knows.”

“Thanks to this, the entire continent must have learned of Briol’s power.”

Having stopped the Empire’s first invasion was a monumental achievement. Who could assure victory against the Imperial army?

Even if they hadn’t mobilized all their power, for Briol it was an event enough to greatly boost morale.

But it was still too early for fireworks.

“The war isn’t over yet. Don’t relax too much and make sure the defenses are kept in optimal condition.”

“We’ll keep that in mind.”

The Imperial army, led by the Black Knight, had retreated and maintained its formation coiled like a snake, showing no signs of movement.

But no one knew when they might advance again.

“By the way…”

One of the nobles seated in the throne room broke the silence.

“What’s happening with the other three countries? During the war, we couldn’t get news due to lack of time.”

He was referring to the Holy Kingdom, Brusen, and Liberta.

Fiore replied.

“It seems the ogre in Liberta was practically expelled by the great hero Moyongchan.”

“Oh…!”

“As expected from the foreigner…”

“That’s a relief!”

Everyone showed expressions of relief.

The Empire had sent the ogre to stir up trouble and then blamed Liberta for attacking their own allies.

A blatant provocation. The enemy of your enemy is your friend, so Briol and Liberta would likely act together.

If Liberta’s situation returned to normal, it would be a great help to Briol.

Fiore continued.

“As for the Holy Kingdom and Brusen… it seems they’ll remain in conflict for a while. They’re still fighting battles, wearing down their troops.”

“What a mess…”

“Why are they doing that…?”

Everyone sighed.

Even if the four countries united, the situation was already difficult, but the Holy Kingdom had completely shattered the negotiation table.

Ainzer asked.

“Why is that so-called queen of the Holy Kingdom acting this way?”

“It seems she accepted a bribe to ascend the throne instead of Larsson. Surely the Empire intervened.”

“Then… was it also the Empire who murdered Larsson?”

“Very likely.”

Yuri, who was listening, blamed himself for not foreseeing this situation earlier.

Larsson had always been especially distrustful of Sybilla, and she couldn’t stand him either, so it was most likely that the Empire had approached Sybilla with the proposal to eliminate Larsson and form an alliance.

But he hadn’t expected Sybilla to accept war.

At that moment, one of the nobles asked Yuri.

“Your Highness.”

“Hmm?”

“Didn’t you have a relationship with the queen of the Holy Kingdom?”

“I did.”

The story of Yuri and Sybilla was well known.

“Isn’t there any way to find a solution?”

“There isn’t.”

“You no longer communicate?”

“She cut off all communication. She probably can’t bear to face me. I suppose she made her choice in her own way. There’s no point in holding out hope.”

“I see… then if we end up fighting the Holy Kingdom, Your Highness…”

Yuri smirked coldly.

“What do you think I am to ask me something like that?”

Yuri tapped the hilt of Guilty and said.

“If she becomes an enemy, whether it’s Sybilla or any of you, I’ll kill without hesitation. So don’t worry. If you’re tired, just tell me.”

The old knights around him burst into laughter. Even the noble who asked the question ended up laughing.

“Well, he’ll let us rest in the grave, huh?”

Maybe Laurent or Jared didn’t get it, but Yuri, who had gone through countless battlefields in his past life, understood veterans well.

Those who live on the edge of death often joke even about it.

“I was careless. My apologies, Your Highness. Hahaha…”

Little by little, the laughter died down.

“By the way.”

Fiore spoke.

“There are still nobles who haven’t presented themselves.”

The atmosphere instantly grew tense.

Most of Briol’s nobles had come with their armies to battle the Empire.

But some still hadn’t shown up. The most representative case was that of Duke of Yuzes, Genard Zaetheri.

Even if he didn’t come personally, he should have at least sent troops, but both he and his faction had retreated to their domains with excuses.

“Does anyone have any idea why they’re doing this?”

A heavy silence filled the throne room. Criticizing a duke of Genard’s level wasn’t something done lightly. Much less in such a critical situation.

The one who broke the silence, once again, was Yuri.

Leaning back indifferently, he murmured as if talking to himself:

“Hmm… collusion?”

After a moment of silence, laughter burst out.

The laughter spread, and some nobles laughed until they were breathless. Even Fiore slightly shook his shoulders.

Einzer, sitting next to Yuri, patted his arm, as if praising him.

“Well, Your Highness. No beating around the bush.”

“Didn’t everyone already know?”

“Hahahahaha!”

Little by little, the laughter subsided. Fiore nodded with a smile.

“True. I’ve let that Genard do whatever he pleases for too long.”

“It’s not Your Majesty’s fault.”

“I wanted to put a leash on him at the right time, but I’ve waited too long.”

“Even if it’s Genard, I doubt he’d act openly against us. For now, let’s keep an eye on him, and first deal with the Imperial army looming before us.”

“Yes.”

One of the nobles asked.

“Maybe the Empire fears Your Majesty as well. What if we propose a truce? No matter how crazy the emperor is, his ministers must still be reasonable.”

“That makes sense. Let’s send an envoy to the Empire first.”

“Yes, sir.”

It was a reasonable suggestion. Yuri also shared part of that opinion.

After all, the one who had been defeated was the Black Knight.

Even if the emperor was mad, Eugen, who managed the black magic from the shadows, had to be watching the situation.

The Black Knight was too valuable a resource to lose.

Yuri looked again at his father. In his past life, not only had they failed to stop the Imperial army at the border, but they had been completely wiped out.

But now, with Fiore standing firm, even the Empire seemed shaken.

Why had his father disappeared back then?

Yuri shook his head, pushing those thoughts aside. Remembering the past was useless. It was time to think only of what lay ahead.

“And one more thing. I have something to announce to everyone.”

Fiore opened his mouth.

“The reason I was late…”

Then, everyone present in the throne room stared at him intently.

Fiore paused before speaking.

“I’m going to abdicate the throne to Cedric.”

The interior of the hall stirred. Some nodded as if they found it reasonable, while others tilted their heads as if wondering if it wasn’t too soon.

As for Yuri, he accepted it gladly. He said to Fiore:

“You’re finally letting go of that burden. Congratulations.”

“Thank you.”

Fiore had never been someone who enjoyed the privileges of being king. For that reason, all that remained to him was duty.

The duty imposed on the king of Briol was a heavy one.

A man obsessed with the sword like him only wished to spend his days in the company of his blade, so he had long yearned to be freed from the throne and gain his freedom.

“Cedric will be a better king than I am. After all, it’s not like I did much.”

Ainzer smiled as he spoke.

“But, Your Majesty, there are many kings who are better off doing nothing.”

“That’s true.”

“But His Highness will become a great monarch, so we only hope he works diligently.”

“He certainly will.”

The atmosphere relaxed.

No one doubted Cedric’s character and ability.

Ainzer said.

“The fact that the succession is going so smoothly fills me with pride as a knight of Briol. I look forward to the coronation ceremony.”

The others agreed.

Most countries face turmoil whenever the king changes.

Just look at the Holy Kingdom, where the crown prince, Larsson, was assassinated, and the new queen suddenly started a war with Brusen.

In contrast, in Briol everything was proceeding normally.

“It’s a little uncomfortable that we’re in the middle of a war.”

“That’s why I moved it forward. In times like these, we need someone smart to handle the government. I’m not even fit to hold a pen…”

Fiore smiled slightly.

“I’m better off wielding a sword.”

At those words, everyone gathered in the room straightened their backs. It was a declaration that Fiore, the symbol of Briol and the strongest swordsman on the continent, would actively participate in the war.

“The war won’t end easily. So be prepared, all of you.”

All the nobles and knights responded in unison:

“Yes!”

“I hope all of you support Cedric well. Well, since you’re not much different from me, the best thing you can do is stay put, and that will already be a great help.”

Laughter erupted again at Fiore’s words.

“When do you plan to hold the coronation ceremony?”

“Soon. In Briol’s fashion, it will be simple. But first, we’ll drive out the Imperial army.”

“Yes!”

Those gathered in the hall began to applaud. Everyone was happy—except Laurent, who sank into somber thoughts.

***

After Fiore’s departure, Cedric took over royal duties as regent in the palace.

The ministers were delighted.

Since he began working, the speed at which issues were resolved visibly increased, and in many cases, the results were even better than before.

They spoke every day.

“His Majesty wasn’t exactly incompetent, but the crown prince is truly outstanding.”

“He’s so brilliant and wise—definitely a genius.”

“Weren’t you called a genius in your youth?”

“The crown prince isn’t just a genius. He’s a genius at the dog level.”

“What? Dog?”

“Just let it go.”

During the war, Cedric gradually began changing what he could in Briol.

He eased trade restrictions and initiated tax reforms. This was also largely thanks to Joshua’s suggestions.

“Brother. I realized something. It’s modern knowledge.”

Joshua, who had come to his office, kept talking non-stop. Lately, Joshua, fascinated by new theories, called himself “modern.” A label he invented, claiming he was a man of the avant-garde.

“What is it?”

“Farmers and fishermen, you know? When they trade carrots for fish… even if one is much better than the other, still, this…”

“And this how…?”

“Ah, this is called comparative advantage.”

“Ohh, the modern one is impressive!”

Cedric knew exactly how to handle Joshua.

“So then, great.”

“Hmm?”

“Joshua. It’s your task.”

“Me? Why me?”

“What do you mean why? Didn’t you say you’re modern? A modern should enlighten the ignorant like us.”

“But it’s too much!”

“Go on.”

“Ugh…”

Joshua left the room dragging his feet with a pile of assignments. Before closing the door, he muttered.

“I’m never coming back…”

Cedric let out a soft laugh.

Even if he said that, in the end he would return because he couldn’t stand staying quiet.

After all, Cedric was the only one in the palace who understood what Joshua was talking about.

“Hmm…”

Once Joshua was gone, Cedric rose from his seat and approached the window.

From there, he could see the entire palace landscape. Suddenly, he noticed some servants struggling as they carried heavy sacks.

It would’ve been much easier to use a cart. And yet, Cedric knew why they didn’t.

Even among servants, there were harmful customs—if you didn’t have enough seniority, you couldn’t use carts. It wasn’t something anyone had imposed.

It had simply emerged as an unspoken rule among themselves.

“Humans are imperfect, huh…”

That expression was too soft. It almost seemed like a fancy way to say they were a bit messed up.

To Cedric’s eyes, humans weren’t just imperfect—they were a complete disaster.

So miserable in every sense it was disgusting to watch. Every now and then someone decent would appear, but they were very few.

At least, two of those few shared his blood, and that was some consolation.

“You were stronger than I thought…”

Fiore Briol, his father, had a natural talent for the sword. So much so that it interfered with Cedric’s long-term plans.

He had to get rid of him. If possible, he had to kill him.

Cedric barely felt emotions, so a bond like father and son meant nothing to him.

And the other one.

Yuri Briol.

Suddenly, Cedric’s expression softened.

“Yuri…”

He whispered his brother’s name with a strangely affectionate tone, uncharacteristic of him.

“What will you do now, Yuri?”