Chapter 197: New Rules (2)

When Yuri unsheathed his sword while still mounted on his horse, a force like a storm whirled around him.

The troops guarding the castle gate didn’t dare approach and staggered back.

Yuri spurred his horse.

The steed broke into a gallop.

With him at the front, the thirty knights charged forward at full speed.

“Don’t stop until we’re face to face with Genard. If anyone falls behind, they’ll be left.”

“Yes, sir!”

Yuri shouted as he raised his sword and cut through the fearful gazes around him. At that moment, he felt a strange sense of liberation.

He had returned to protect Briol, to protect his loved ones.

But the one he most wanted to protect had betrayed him.

Cedric Briol.

That warm-hearted brother he had trusted never truly existed. All that remained was a lunatic blinded by his own genius, wielding black magic without remorse.

Accepting that truth wiped away any lingering doubt in Yuri’s heart.

He had already lost what he feared losing most. So now, he had nothing to fear.

“Prince!”

As Yuri and his knights stormed through the gate and galloped along the road, knights from Yuzes appeared, blocking their path.

Yuri slightly slowed his horse.

One of the knights planted himself in the middle of the road and shouted,

“Even if you’re the prince, there are laws to follow! Yuzes is the duke’s territory! Please stop…!”

Yuri swung his sword.

The knight collapsed, blood splashing across his chest.

“Whoever gets in the way, I’ll cut down.”

He didn’t seem dead; he crawled off bleeding to the side. The air grew tense again.

Yuri smiled.

“What’s wrong? You stand in my way but aren’t prepared for the consequences?”

When he visited Yuzes for matters of the Alliance, Yuri still clung to certain limits.

He did it out of respect for Fiore and out of a naïve belief that diplomacy might be possible—a more rational and knightly path.

But no.

After encountering Cedric, Yuri understood clearly. There is no compromise with something like black magic.

If someone is involved in it, they must be killed without hesitation. Even if innocent blood is spilled, he would bear that guilt without a second thought.

This world had cornered him. So the world had to pay the price.

“I am Yuri Briol. Delegate of King Joshua Briol, with full authority to act in his name. I have come to demand justice from Genard Zaetheri. Anyone who blocks my way is committing treason.”

Speaking calmly, Yuri advanced.

His horse, as if sharing his will, walked without fear toward the spears and swords pointed at them.

It even raised its head arrogantly.

“Prince.”

An older knight stepped forward.

“I heard you had fallen, but I’m glad to see you well.”

“Likewise. Good to see you.”

“I can imagine why Your Highness is acting this way. But Yuzes is still the territory of House Zaetheri, and its patriarch is a duke.”

“So what?”

“Invading like this benefits no one. Not the unity of the crown and nobility, nor from a practical standpoint. For everyone’s sake, I ask that you meet with the duke first. If you agree, I’ll personally escort you.”

Yuri looked at him for a moment and nodded.

“I can see you’re concerned about me.”

“Thank you for understanding.”

“And I’ll tell you something too, because I care about you.”

“Yes?”

“Move.”

Yuri gave a slight command to his horse. The animal began walking straight toward the knight.

Startled, the knight raised a hand to stop him.

But Yuri’s sword moved first.

“Aaaah!”

His wrist flew through the air, and blood stained the ground red.

At that moment, the soldiers blocking Yuri and his group drew their weapons.

Yuri’s knights also raised their swords in response. The blades gleamed under the sun.

The wounded knight was supported by his comrades as he bowed his head.

“Ah, eh…”

Yuri spoke.

“No matter whom you serve, all knights of Briol swore the same oath, didn’t they?”

Yuri scanned the eyes fixed on him. Some were defiant, others fearful.

There were also eyes that wavered, caught between both emotions. Yuri didn’t care. If he had decided to wield his sword, then all that remained was to subdue his enemies.

“What say you, knights? Do you remember the duty a Briol knight must bear? Is Genard Zaetheri truly someone worthy of your loyalty? Or does the gold that pig throws at you outweigh the oath you swore as knights?”

The knight who had lost his wrist spoke in a trembling voice.

“Prince… If you do this, a great disaster will follow…”

“The disaster has already happened. The former king disappeared, the Empire took Bezos… and while we risked our lives on the frontlines, you were here laughing and watching from the rear.”

“It was to protect the rear. If we gathered all forces in one place—”

“And that’s why you stayed idle during the Alliance war? Besides Raymond, who else came from Yuzes? Don’t you have knights here?”

“But our enemies weren’t just the orcs—”

“Another rear-guard excuse? Seems like the only thing you know how to guard is your ass.”

Yuri’s knights chuckled.

His calm voice, imposing presence, and the aura from his sword dominated the place.

A leader like him made his followers proud to stand behind him.

Then Yuri suddenly said,

“Want to know something?”

“Eh?”

“Genard conspired with the Empire.”

At those words, Yuri locked eyes with the knight.

With heightened senses, he caught every change in the man’s body. His pupils trembled briefly, his mouth opened, and the muscles around his eyes tensed.

“I-Is that true? Do you have proof?”

Yuri swung his sword instantly.

The knight’s head rolled to the ground. In the blink of an eye, a life was snuffed out.

The scene felt surreal.

Yet neither Yuri nor his knights showed any emotion. They had witnessed too many deaths on the battlefield. There were no warnings or dramatic preludes like in a play.

If a sword is drawn, someone dies.

That was all.

In contrast, the knights of Yuzes were deeply shaken. The gap between the two groups grew even clearer.

“You already knew.”

Murmuring, Yuri kicked the dead knight’s head. It rolled and stopped at the feet of the Yuzes knights.

“I’ll ask. Was this guy meeting Genard often?”

“Th-That is…”

“If you answer, I won’t kill you.”

“Y-Yes.”

No one had seen the moment Yuri had swung his sword. That could only mean his level was such that none of them could oppose him.

The name Yuri Briol was already widely known.

And now that the numbers were similar, there wasn’t a single knight brave enough to try stopping him.

The knights of Yuzes responded in trembling voices:

“H-He was a knight very close to the duke… They dined together often…”

“I see.”

Yuri looked away.

“And you?”

“W-We’re of low rank. Technically knights, but we don’t have access to the lord.”

“That’s right. We’re just guys who survive by collecting a salary.”

“We’re practically soldiers. The duke… doesn’t care about us.”

They were desperately trying to justify themselves.

Yuri nodded.

“You’re going to move aside, right?”

“Y-Yes. We will.”

The men stepped aside, reopening the path to Genard’s castle.

In the middle of the empty road, the body of the knight, missing both hand and head, lay alone.

Yuri mounted his horse again.

“Clean that up.”

“Yes, sir!”

One of Yuzes’ knights removed the corpse from the road and kicked the head out of the way.

They showed no emotional attachment. Seeing that, some of Yuri’s knights clicked their tongues.

“Let’s go.”

Said Yuri as he passed by the Yuzes knights.

“The next time we meet, I won’t be so kind.”

It could’ve sounded arrogant, but the knights, crushed by Yuri’s pressure, only forced an awkward smile and looked away.

Yuri spurred his horse forward. As he accelerated, the rest of the knights followed.

Although they had all fought against the Empire in Bezos, they had not yet acted as a single group. There was still some awkwardness among them.

But by following Yuri, they gradually began to unite.

It was the influence of Yuri’s leadership. With Yuri Briol at the front, they knew their path would be different from the rest. It wouldn’t be easy, but it would undoubtedly be more honorable.

That thought drove them to follow him.

“Prince!”

Someone called out.

It wasn’t Jared, nor Simon, nor Guinness. It was a knight who had joined for the first time.

“Are we going to capture Genard?”

“That’s right.”

“And if he resists?”

At the question, Yuri burst out laughing.

Then Jared laughed, Simon laughed, and Guinness too. The laughter spread.

Everyone laughed, even the knight who asked the question.

“Hey, what’s your name?”

“Abel!”

“Abel, and you’re asking something you already know?”

“I just wanted to confirm it.”

Thirty knights marching toward a duke. If he resisted, they would kill him.

It was unthinkable.

But since they were with Yuri, it felt perfectly normal.

“I promise you this. I’ll fight at the front.”

“Yes, sir!”

“And I’ll be with you to the end.”

None of them were unaware of who Yuri was.

They had all fought against the Empire in Bezos and had seen or heard how Yuri moved in battle.

“Then, let’s go catch the pig.”

“Yes, sir!”

In the distance, the castle was already rising before them. Yuri leaned forward slightly, reducing wind resistance.

His horse galloped harder.

Yuri and his group charged directly toward Genard’s castle.

***

Yuri stopped in front of Genard’s castle, located within the territory.

As if they had already received the news, the gates were firmly shut.

There was no sign of Genard.

Yuri, arms crossed, looked up at the walls. Some knights watched them from above.

“Open the gates.”

As he said that, Yuri pulled out a magic transmission tube.

“I am Yuri Briol. As the king’s delegate, I have come to demand accountability for the crimes of Genard Zaetheri.”

But there was no response.

“Genard!”

Yuri shouted.

“Come out now!”

Finally, someone appeared on the wall and responded.

“Prince.”

It was a man he found familiar. Yuri searched his memory. He didn’t remember his exact title, but he did recall that he was one of the nobles who used to follow Genard.

“What’s the meaning of this sudden commotion?”

His expression showed disdain.

Yuri looked at him and immediately understood that Genard had no intention of cooperating.

“The Empire has taken Bezos, and instead of uniting, you’re attacking your own allies? Since you can’t do anything against the Empire, you’re taking it out on your own?”

The noble openly provoked him.

Yuri frowned.

“Yuzes claims loyalty to the royal family of Briol, but your recent actions have been very suspicious. As a noble of Briol, I have the right to be concerned. That’s why we’re observing the situation, and yet, you persist in harassing us.”

Yuri’s knights snorted with rage and glared at him. The atmosphere was so tense it seemed they would kill the guy at any moment.

But the walls were too high.

Even so, Yuri asked calmly.

“Fine. What is it that’s so suspicious about the royal family?”

“The king and the prince suddenly disappeared.”

“And?”

“They might have fled out of fear of the Empire, or even surrendered…”

Yuri dismounted. The noble kept talking.

“For now, you should withdraw. As one of the most important nobles of Briol, Yuzes expresses its deep concern about the situation. Until everything calms down…”

Yuri started running forward. The man, who wasn’t a knight, didn’t understand what he was doing.

So he kept talking as if nothing was happening.

“…We formally express our concern and…”

At that moment, Yuri pushed off the ground with force. For an ordinary knight, it would have been an impossible height. But Yuri was different.

He jumped as if flying and landed effortlessly on the railing of the wall.

There, he came face to face with the noble.

The man, realizing his mistake, reacted instinctively and begged.

“Spare my life!”