Chapter 215: Wildflowers (4)

“A circus troupe, huh…”

Yuri murmured.

“Well, let them handle it however they can.”

He didn’t give much importance to the innkeeper’s words. Whatever story the escapees had, the most urgent thing for him was still reaching Valshard.

“We leave early tomorrow. Better for everyone to sleep soon.”

“Yes, sir.”

Francesco complained.

“This is the best this inn has? The bed is a mess. I need something fluffy…”

“Sir Francesco.”

“Yes?”

“If you don’t want to sleep on the floor, lie down quietly.”

“Ugh…”

Yuri regularly scolded Francesco. Ever since the incident with Sybilla, he had noticed that man had a knack for earning slaps.

Yuri had no qualms about hitting him if necessary, even if Francesco regained his strength. That’s why he spoke without fear.

“Damn it…”

Jared, as if understanding, said to Francesco:

“Don’t you think His Highness has a difficult personality?”

“You bet he does.”

“Maybe he needs something sweet to calm down…”

“I’d rather have a good drink…”

“Oh, that sounds better. Let’s have one later…”

They decided how to divide the rooms—Yuri would sleep alone, Jared and Francesco would share, and Simon with Guinness as well.

Ignoring the other two, Yuri went to his room. He sat on the bed, placed Guilty by his side, closed his eyes, and fell into thought.

His ultimate goal was to eliminate both Cedric and the Heavenly Demon.

He sensed that, for that, he had to master both “The Cut of the Soul and the Heart” and the power of Chaos.

But it wasn’t easy.

Chaos attracted demonic will.

Every time he closed his eyes, Yuri had to dive into the mental landscape that dragged him in. And this time was no different. All kinds of random thoughts turned into distorted images that invaded him.

Amid that sea of random possibilities, it was his duty to find the path.

Then he thought of Cory.

The power of Chaos was like half-orcs—inconsistent, and in each individual it took different forms. Most were deformed and useless, but sometimes, like Cory, a miracle was born with a perfect structure to contain the voice organs.

Yuri sighed and murmured.

“Hope that dragon’s teaching him well.”

To Yuri’s eyes, Cruar wasn’t evil at heart, but his mental state clearly wasn’t normal. He constantly talked to himself, and seemed on the verge of a breakdown at any moment.

Even so, Yuri trusted that Cory would make it. He looked weak on the outside but had a firm strength inside.

Yuri wished that Cory would soon master the magic of the verb and return as a great force of combat against the Empire.

“Hmm…”

From outside, constant noises could be heard. Apparently, the villagers were still chasing the escaped circus members.

“Over there! I saw him over there!”

“No, this way!”

Yuri looked out the window. A group with torches was rushing down the street.

“They say if you catch them, there’s a reward. Just make sure they’re still alive.”

“They’re slaves. Doesn’t matter what you do to them.”

“If you see them, give them a good beating!”

Yuri stroked his chin.

He didn’t intend to get involved, but their words and actions annoyed him.

“Hmm…”

Grabbing Guilty, he opened the window and jumped. Even though he fell from the second floor, he made no sound upon landing.

He slipped into the alleys and merged with the darkness. He extended his perception to locate the fugitives, running through hidden paths in the village. Some villagers passed close by, but none noticed his presence.

Yuri was moving in the opposite direction to everyone else.

The fugitives were quite clever. They had created distractions in various areas to throw people off, and used that chance to flee in the opposite direction. Only Yuri had caught on to the trick.

Soon he arrived at a warehouse on the outskirts of the village. It was large, probably used by several people.

“Hmm…”

He glanced quickly around the area and knocked on the door.

He immediately sensed, through his perception, how the bodies inside the warehouse tensed up.

Yuri opened the creaky door and entered.

“Hey.”

At that moment, something was thrown at him.

“Well now…”

It was a farm tool stored in the warehouse. Yuri calmly stepped aside and the attacker lost balance and fell.

“Why so violent?”

“Y-You bastard…!”

Another one lunged with a metal rod. Yuri kicked him and took him down instantly.

“Ugh!”

“Hit him now!”

A dagger flew from behind with a whistle. Yuri leaned and dodged it; the knife brushed the cheek of one of the other fugitives.

“¡Aah!”

“Sorry!”

Another dagger flew. Yuri waved his hand in the air and caught it. Then he calmly tossed it upward and looked at the attacker with ease.

“You know how to throw knives, huh? Were you an acrobat or something?”

Three members of the circus were hiding in the warehouse.

Two were paralyzed with fear. The small one who threw the daggers was slowly slipping his hand into his pocket while watching Yuri.

Yuri shrugged.

“You were probably one of those who threw knives at apples on heads, right? But if you do it again, I’ll kill you.”

With a smile that didn’t hide the threat, Yuri left him frozen.

The boy stayed still, hand still in his pocket. With just those few movements, he had already understood how dangerous Yuri was.

“I’m not here to catch you, so calm down.”

Yuri scanned the faces of the three. They had rather average appearances. Even the knife thrower, aside from his height, didn’t stand out.

He asked,

“Why did you run from the circus?”

They didn’t answer.

Then Yuri unsheathed Guilty and swung it.

“I’ve also got a sword. If we can talk, better do it now. Understood?”

It wasn’t a threat. It was a fact. If he wanted to, the three would be dead in seconds, their bodies lying in the warehouse.

“Come on. Why did you escape?”

One of the ones who had stayed quiet answered.

“The circus leader wanted to kill us. That’s why we ran.”

“What?”

“A rich noble brought a swordsman and said that if we dodged his attacks, we could live. The leader agreed because he was paid well. He didn’t care what happened.”

They explained that a noble from the Empire had come one day as a client. During the performance, he brought a swordsman and proposed a game—if they could dodge his sword, he would spare them.

But that swordsman wasn’t just anyone.

“Not only was it impossible to dodge his attacks… we could barely see them. They played with our lives like it was entertainment.”

“I see.”

“It was our turn the next day… but we were so scared, we ran.”

Yuri nodded. There were many lunatics like that noble.

“I see.”

“Please, save us.”

“I already told you I’m not going to hurt you.”

Yuri replied.

“Here.”

He handed them something. It was a bag of money.

“Take it and run wherever you can.”

“Ah…”

The circus members stared at Yuri, stunned. He smiled to the side.

“My arm’s getting tired.”

“Thank you!”

“Thank you so much…”

They bowed their heads in gratitude. Yuri shrugged.

“It’s nothing. But having money doesn’t solve everything. What matters is what you do afterward. That’s on you.”

The circus would surely keep chasing them. A few bills wouldn’t solve the problem. Those three would have to keep running.

“All of this is that damn half-orc’s fault…”

one of them muttered. The word “half-orc” struck Yuri’s ears.

“Hmm?”

The other didn’t reply, as if he were just talking to himself.

Yuri asked,

“Hey. What did you just say?”

“Excuse me?”

“Something about a half-orc, right?”

“Ah…”

Though he wasn’t the only half-orc in the world, Yuri felt a strange pang in his chest.

“The truth is… our circus had a half-orc.”

The one speaking described him as lazy, selfish, greedy, and arrogant, mocking the other circus members.

“Hmm…”

So it seemed that half-orc was the reason the noble brought the swordsman.

The noble must’ve gotten angry because of the half-orc’s behavior. And without realizing it, the guy kept acting the same, which led the noble to put him in his place with a sword on stage.

The noble, a heartless sadist, ordered the swordsman to attack everyone in the circus as if they were part of the show. The circus leader, though he didn’t oppose, at least delayed the event by setting conditions.

In that time window, some managed to escape. Those were them.

“And that half-orc… died?”

“Yes. Of course.”

“And what was his name?”

Yuri asked, who had listened in silence until then. The others looked at each other and responded hesitantly.

“Name? Like a half-orc would have a name? We just called him ‘that one’ or ‘the other guy’.”

“Yeah. He didn’t even have a real name.”

“Really?”

Yuri tilted his head.

“Yeah. He could barely speak. You know, being a half-orc.”

“I see.”

Yuri, asking in hopes it was Cory, dismissed the idea after hearing them.

Cory spoke fluently. He had nothing to do with the person they described.

“Understood. The villagers are still looking for you, so get out of here.”

“Y-Yes, sir…”

Yuri left the warehouse.

The circus members spoke among themselves for a moment, then bowed in gratitude toward Yuri and headed off toward the outskirts of the village.

Who knew where they’d go, but their path would be hard.

“Better get some sleep.”

Yuri murmured, turning back. But suddenly, he noticed a group of villagers running in that direction.

“Hmm?”

He hid again in a corner. The villagers were about to run into the circus fugitives.

Yuri scratched his head.

“Shit…”

Both groups were armed.

The villagers were more numerous, but the circus members included a knife-throwing acrobat. If he decided to fight, he could cause many deaths.

Yuri paused in thought again. If he intervened, he might be able to prevent a slaughter.

But he didn’t know whom he should help.

“Kill them!”

“Aaaaah!”

The two groups clashed.

Yuri crossed his arms, observing. The screams began to echo.

“Hmm…”

He decided to do nothing. It wasn’t a situation where one could clearly say who was right or wrong. Nor was he close to either side.

Like flowers blooming in fields after their own struggle, or those that simply wilt away… This was a fight they had chosen. They’d have to find their own answer.

***

A few days earlier.

“L-Lord Laurent?”

Cory asked, looking at the swordsman who concealed his face.

On the outside, he looked nothing like the person he knew, but Cory couldn’t help but remember him.

Laurent was a noble who never relied on his status and treated everyone kindly. He was one of the few people Cory respected as much as Prince Yuri Briol.

“Are you Lord Laurent?”

But the other did not respond.

“Why are you here? Why are you dressed like that…?”

“I’m not Laurent.”

He answered in a mocking tone. His voice was terrible. Harsh and broken, as if someone had torn through his throat.

But hearing it, Cory became even more convinced.

“It’s you, Lord Laurent. What… what happened to you?”

His eyes filled with tears.

“I’m Cory. Don’t you recognize me, Lord Laurent?”

The swordsman, whom Cory believed to be Laurent, began to slowly draw his sword.

And Cory, unafraid, took another step toward him.

“Lord Laurent… let’s go back together to Prince Yuri…”

At that instant, the sword swung straight toward his neck.