Chapter 288: The Way (1)
vD460qVYuri arrived at his former palace.IFmj4
Nc5Yekaterina was in the garden, gazing at the flowers.KB7f1i3
6FjtN9She soon sensed Yuri’s presence and smiled.lhtRW4
HZoqI“Hello?”oftF
fzLahWRYuri approached without saying anything.JUDrxC
zTadXAt his unusual attitude, Yekaterina tilted her head in curiosity.9uMRI
P4xAy“You seem more imposing today.”gFki
XUD“Lady Yekaterina.”h9T
5HEyW“Hmm?”XwtGp
UCtRj“We need to talk.”wXNw
bOq6Yekaterina looked at Ena, who was standing behind Yuri. Ena waved her hands exaggeratedly at chest height.0pJDiZ
I9heTaIgnoring the exchange of glances between the two, Yuri led her into the palace.invVwal
rqcBLjEThe door closed immediately.X1CW
wJRgL45“…”7rE
v8wDCh9At the end of a long hallway stretching from the entrance, their eyes met.g6yI7
KwC4It was the first time, in this life, that they were alone somewhere where others couldn’t see them.tZW
0QpPi“Don’t you have anything to say to me?”BHkT
8VXLWlu“I suppose you’re the one who has something to say to me, aren’t you?”2TD3
tuVrk7Yekaterina stared at him.M4Vpyvs
sX4Her emerald eyes shifted in depth depending on the angle, leaving anyone speechless.rIso
L4eJFFor some reason, that calmed Yuri’s heart. The confusion he had felt subsided.fs2
Z6HYuri spoke in a steady voice.ULNP
RTzbY“I know you also returned to the past.”uRQ
lQkHh“Oh, really?”DEBc
J65pz“I’m sorry.”vw8
k20yIn his previous life, he had blamed Yekaterina.N7BwKZt
qkn2JKrHe believed the fall of Briol was her fault.52lJ2i
r4RkBut after returning to the past and living anew, he understood it had all been Cedric’s conspiracy.QWRX
S2fSMbUYekaterina had also been a victim. That was why Yuri apologized for his misunderstanding.IX8wJ
SMmchlAfter hearing his words, Yekaterina only tilted her head slightly, showing no great reaction.jfan9gB
KcmyjhBWith a mischievous smile, she looked at him with clear eyes.lSqX
AtI7w6Yuri frowned.KCZI
uSCOcHsShe was always like this. Even in a serious conversation, she simply looked at him with that expression.A3T
yLX“…That’s why I thought I should apologize.”e486Td
mN1KvML“I see.”rnS
Z1To“And you have nothing to say?”wCdV
tCOB6lq“Me? I don’t know…”n2DFvN
UhDYekaterina tilted her head.bxS
hQDFkE“The truth is I don’t remember things exactly. Especially after giving back the necklace…”ZK19nmD
yRj34qBefore the fall of Briol, she had returned the necklace to Yuri. And at some point, she went back to her childhood.4IrzG
NZipe2Her memories of the previous life were not so clear, and the scenes appeared blurred.VVEdW
mk54But the time she wore the necklace she remembered more vividly.OFubYK
RsAyrYekaterina smiled.2Uwi
5lxQ“I suppose I returned thanks to that necklace.”mJHR
8KBGCc“Maybe.”ZT3Pm
aT1fLrw“Then, Yuri…”AfJ
uzuQShe called to him in a soft voice, the same as in his previous life.lKNIs
rUVczk3“Is that all you have to say to me?”usWxKhQ
Mt7“Hmm?”xUU
fgQS“Just that you’re sorry?”CNnB3
9AyS“Then what else should I say…?”tXBa
laRymQ7“Hmm, I see.”7mC
DPc“And you? Don’t you have something to say?”Zm2
PAe“No.”j5WuuEz
sydclO“If you have nothing to say, why interrogate me?”afC1l9p
QWiCU29“It’s just…”3n1
dBfdYekaterina’s hands circled Yuri’s neck. In that instant, his body tensed.ZxQ9E
425At the edge of his vision, Yuri caught sight of Yekaterina’s feet lifting slightly onto tiptoe.CuRMNM
NnwFb3Her face drew slowly closer, then veered to the side until her breath brushed Yuri’s ear.a5Oyu
4dO“I don’t intend to say it in words…”t5KPu
BbLeHer fingers were slender and delicate.8J0F
RvkJR0Even so, Yuri couldn’t resist Yekaterina’s touch as she gently moved her head.dqV
Uahp7NBHer scent drew closer and closer.pTNQ
BDy***UCZf
mtBoAll this time, Yuri had been hesitating over whether it was right to tell Yekaterina about his regression.gmT2ZJo
2QyKuAfter all, it was a battle in which the probability of losing was greater.9hu5N
cDuiHe might end up dead, and he didn’t want to complicate the situation unnecessarily.mPV91k
2TQIf he confessed impulsively and that left her with some attachment, he thought he wouldn’t be able to die in peace when the time came.fKgwupr
hl7FhlHe believed it would be better to pretend neither of them knew anything. But his decision changed.ik0z
mLt4o“I died at Laurent’s hands, and when I opened my eyes, I was in the royal palace. So…”IdZS
JSTOoOf course, it wasn’t possible to tell that whole long story in a brief conversation. But just mentioning it briefly already brought him some relief.8QPtm
Y6x20DYekaterina, who had been stroking Yuri’s hair, nodded.kPWz
bns“You’ve been through a lot.”B3C
AP0E3IThen, suddenly, she looked at him playfully and said:XLVb8a
jO7I“Did you really think of leaving without saying anything?”2OuA
aygJQ“Yes.”xeW
psqWsNN“If you had, I’d have been truly angry.”KOI
mjaY“And how would you have been angry?”GYYEMv
Jehk“I’d have gone on a date with Joshua.”pXvy
auv“Eh…”XRKn
mqeo9SYekaterina laughed out loud. Yuri also gave an ironic smile.eQ3
okOQEven so, Yuri still didn’t know if what he was doing was right.yGcvjCv
bUaBut he wanted to be honest.IQK0igo
t6V4dPAfter hearing from Oliver and Raphael about Cory, Yuri experienced a change in mood.cbDO
ewxOEU4And he decided to completely alter all the plans he’d had until then.fc167
I2ubNot only regarding Yekaterina, but also how the final battle to come would unfold.Osp1M
1SlXnx“I’m leaving tomorrow.”NRP
Ks3fU“So soon?”WoUDXXY
8spk6“I have something to do.”xfap
0L3nxdYYekaterina watched him silently for a moment. It seemed her eyes trembled slightly.GGh2SEL
5DQs3sfBut soon they returned to their usual unreadable clarity, and she smiled.NfTkeS
ugbVJ“Alright, I’ll wait for you.”Yr6FE
jSRSTheir lips met.WCX
h4iOHBAfter a moment, when the kiss ended, Yekaterina said.n8okcgg
rdu“Yuri, for today you’d better go.”JucXUH0
5Ko“Why?”yBDkw
wCm8“A visitor will be arriving soon.”laevFiX
nuel“What visitor?”ditp
cqMtYekaterina pulled Yuri to his feet. He stood as if pushed and asked again.alesO
5Nc“Who’s the visitor?”7btS
1oMLXDy“It’s a secret.”YKB
2QZcxYYekaterina went to the window, looked outside, then waved her hand to signal him to leave.S7EOXQ
tKWF“They’re here. Quickly, go.”AqWgj
PmKS“Who is it?”lI4F
hFGO7aB“You don’t need to know.”9Bbo8C
GUqC2f“I think I do.”sRbVO
NjvAUMOYuri moved closer to her and looked outside. Then, surprised, he stepped back.IHaM
Nej“Eh?”Jw0y0
kzQ“I told you there’s no need to know.”2DE2x
SLTk5aYekaterina patted him on the back.x1BQ8fL
zPJ“Now, go.”KEHr
y6k“Why are those two together…?”KbodAYR
51Vart“Is there a problem?”bwUNGo
x07D“No…”ulJ
6ZsSc“Then, goodbye. I’ll go down to greet her, so leave on your own, alright?”8E1
HNVAOyYekaterina went downstairs to receive her guest.vIK
zihZJYMeanwhile, Yuri remained in the room, scratching his head before turning around.pAQT57
EpHfPJSince it was a place he had lived in for a long time, it wasn’t hard for him to avoid the visitor.KdIg
iLCAs Yuri was about to jump out of a hallway window, he heard voices at the foot of the stairs.zmcho
JC7YeIO“Sister, I’m glad to see you.”dsw8p4
5r4z“Hello. Yeka, you’re beautiful today as well.”31weWjB
12HNS9B“You too. That dress is lovely, where did you buy it?”6HO
CrG37E“This one…”shvH0F
qePfOzkYekaterina and Maryrose were coming up together.twj
9MLpOHearing their lively conversation, Yuri hung outside the window, clinging to the ledge with his fingers.SI9Od
xCi“Hmm…”beyy
ZjYThey were already speaking so familiarly. He had no way of knowing when or how they had become so close.Zb962
ahTvWDuWhen the two of them entered the room together, Yuri dropped down. He landed without a sound and brushed off the dust as if nothing had happened.JY4wxie
aqCpW6Looking up, he saw a maid passing by who froze in surprise.axy
fE6yKX“It’s a secret.”leEBb
oOB2FzYuri brought a finger to his lips and walked away calmly.6sS
TaxwH1Then he thought to himself.o2jz8
CjTI“Hmm… What the hell was that…?”2hzRFYM
21pBeHe couldn’t understand how Yekaterina and Maryrose had become so close.Fjt
ST4After being perplexed for a while, Yuri shook his head.naW
6DdlHe was glad to have repaired his relationship with Yekaterina, but he had matters to attend to.jDHJcE
fb5UHe couldn’t let his emotions distract him and ruin everything. The relationship between those two wasn’t important.K8c1
aLqCThe smile on his lips faded.3pKyF
zLMkxThe final battle was approaching.WI0Z
uTFIt was time to cast aside any unnecessary feelings.U7Ibw
98ThoBz***tWo
FNsO0mThe next morning, Yuri prepared to leave Briol.LwhQF
X9OhLHe didn’t plan a grand event or mobilize a large military force.Y6fjK
fPuTufI“I’m going to travel around the continent.”7XMjyAQ
G2khdFcDuring the month Cedric had granted him, Yuri intended to move without rest.tiGr
YN9NDSs“I’m not going to drag anyone along by force. Only those who want to fight will join. I’ll make them come to me on their own.”AZkJTKC
rUMMV“I understand.”NhjawA
Uq40Joshua nodded at his words.w1pL5G8
gFF“I respect your decision. But why the sudden change? Weren’t you planning to wait here until it was time to depart?”2zxm9
Dv7tOriginally, Yuri planned to remain in Briol until the right moment and then head directly to the Empire.rh1Wc
9NrBut he decided to change his plan and personally travel the continent to gather people.6Rquf
70F“Something happened.”j87Sl
UXF2vYuri smiled.SUFG
U5e6VPs“Instead of sitting still preparing for a grand exit, I’d rather fight to the end, even if I end up looking bad.”onR
XAkM6p5“Alright, I get it.”FfLbh0
Jqc4Joshua ruffled Yuri’s hair with a smile.SsLgp
Thh“Go, and come back.”zIXat
I6NskYuri looked at him and gave a small laugh.kNjQiR
Ql5VIn his previous life, Joshua had been a libertine, but in this one he seemed much more mature. People were unpredictable.7l59
tKX5DcThis time, the group leaving was much smaller.fkeS
GDpkIn the past, when Yuri had formed the Anti-Imperial Union, he had set out amid cheers with a large army. Now, the troops were few and there weren’t many people to see them off.uWAbtXn
XH8BvBut Yuri thought that was fine.uiXE9
N5vhB“Come on, raise the flag.”bBthUYh
0rS9iOaHe told Tirbo, the standard-bearer of the Order of Vengeance. Tirbo nodded and raised a thick, specially made flagpole.PNo
itRA large flag unfurled in the wind.CQx3
plB0yLOver the faintly drawn emblem of the Empire, in red letters, were the words “Anti-Imperial Union,” and beneath them a slogan inviting all who wished to oppose the Empire.b9q7f
RYnIt was a simple banner, but full of determination.YXrANSj
RF3QS61Yuri planned to travel the continent with that flag, spreading his message. If people joined, good; if not, it didn’t matter.PMZe64
DzxN“Alright, let’s go.”r7gu
lB3Just before leaving, Yuri looked into the distance.88DmBd
9uHkI0hThere was Yekaterina, behind the palace ladies, tightly holding Ena’s hand as she watched him.FAW7lP
JmQe5eShe seemed to be trying to appear calm, but her nervousness was clear.iOPH8Z
rEV1STheir eyes met.8cS
nmHz7NUYuri smiled.TzJ2xN
24WMXIt had taken too long to see her again. And it wasn’t over yet. To be together, they had to survive a harsh battle.HHNmd
HmGPerhaps they would never see each other again.QV6vQ
A58Yuri murmured to himself.4iaar
h5p1y0Y“I’ll come back.”Nlm9J
cA37VThen something unexpected happened — the ladies began to move aside, opening a direct path toward Yekaterina.ZEFvu
7uzEe“Huh…”bAQGoM
evob6Jared, who was behind him, gave him a shove.gIT
m8f8fbS“Why are you just standing there?”EDt4
isLcSvYuri hadn’t planned on going, but now he couldn’t avoid it.tMx
L0PzbHHe approached Yekaterina.IlC
SC8OThe closer he got, the more her beauty struck him again.Y1vV
JWYlHe smiled.qV2PCi
OQS182“I’m leaving. Take care.”8JpPt
BdK2“You too.”Obv
7pwtR“I’m going to win, but if by chance I lose, live well without me.”haTq
1q1Z7“I don’t want to.”VOI
x38N“Eh?”GdjR
0DsKpYekaterina smiled sweetly, took him by the nape, and, standing on tiptoe, kissed him.wvDG
lqeThe kiss was brief.JfeKU
wQeAp“If you die, I’ll have no reason to live either. I’ll throw myself after you and follow you, so fight without worry.”JarD
OmlLLIt was a line that didn’t match her gentle tone, but it strangely put Yuri at ease.OKJ
IGHfSqM“Understood.”l0H4t9r
SWBtWq3“This time you’re not alone, luckily.”MK6
gwR0Bk“Right?”7N0mdGW
WQEThey laughed briefly.oho
KIpVlHoYuri caressed her cheek one last time and turned away.NhSk3q
wRuDW“I’m going.”yDhYM
tXNN“Go.”1a3N3
Z1aICmWhen he returned to the front of the troops, Jared whistled.PKpCk
iT6RjLj“Alright, let’s move.”H4af
VrcCA“Yes!”WCapxgb
LRiAO2The horn sounded and the troops began to march.ID4OP
BduAs they walked, Yuri asked Jared:BsCMKRx
95SAkO“That path that opened between the ladies… wasn’t that planned?”b14OLeh
vCJEH“Of course not. They saw a couple staring at each other so intensely that they stepped aside instinctively.”t4bEww
P0IUg“And how do you know that?”aXIqZ
bjb“The whole palace knows, Your Highness. The rumor that you and the princess are together has been going around for a while.”XLeOQm
QgG5tn“Really?”cEhAxk
dBU“You two walked around together every day. You’d have to be a fool not to notice.”wOPO
RAeAA“I suppose…”iUts
q39Mk“Don’t you want to look at her one last time?”CEf
mOHkvx“No.”zGI
FL9fF6hYuri smiled as he looked ahead.Hv3Zmr
RNdz“I’ll see her again.”fhXSpI
dhHTB9Whether in this world or the next.yyqOUR
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