Chapter 33: Bonds (2)

“Good to see you, Sir Graham.”

“Please, don’t call me that. I’m no longer a knight.”

Yuri offered a faint smile. He knew Graham had lost his knightly title in the past, but he hadn’t expected to encounter him here, among the allied forces.

“Are you busy now? What are you planning to do afterward?”

“We’ll return to Valshard.”

“Then have a cup of tea first.”

Laurent and Jared exchanged odd glances at Yuri. Knowing his usual attitude, they found it suspicious that he was suddenly being hospitable to imperial knights.

The two knights looked at each other and accepted the offer.

“Alright.”

The sudden appearance of imperial knights drew attention across the entire unit. Yuri led them to his tent.

“Take a seat.”

Yuri’s tent was simple. A folding cot, a table with maps spread over it, and a few chairs—that was it.

Graham’s gaze fell on the map as he sat.

“Impressive.”

“What is?”

“The notations on the map. Everything is marked in such detail.”

Yuri shrugged, removed the map, and set cups on the table.

“Not many knights care about topography.”

Just as Graham said, most wars on the continent were decided by brute force.

But the mercenaries Yuri had fought alongside in his previous life were different.

They always paid close attention to their surroundings. Through countless battles, Yuri had painfully learned that the outcome of a war could depend more on one’s footing than the sword.

“Just in case.”

Saying so, he poured tea into their cups.

“Sir Graham.”

“I repeat, I…”

“How did a knight like you end up serving as a common soldier?”

Graham remained silent. Reifio, seated beside him, answered instead.

“Because of a foolish superior.”

“Lord Reifio…”

“An incompetent man who envied Sir Graham. A false knight clinging to power.”

It wasn’t a comment one should make in front of a foreign prince, but Reifio was clearly upset.

“Sir Graham will soon regain his position.”

“I’m sure he will.”

Yuri nodded, and Reifio leaned forward, seemingly pleased.

“Did Your Highness already know Sir Graham?”

“Of course.”

Graham was a famous knight throughout the continent. Even though the Kingdom of Briol was known as the land of knights, when one asked about a true knight, the name that came up most often was Graham of the Empire.

He was the perfect model of what a knight should be.

“As expected from Briol. A land of knights recognizes the true ones.”

“I personally admire Sir Graham. It’s an honor to have him here.”

“Well…”

Graham, who had been sitting quietly, cleared his throat.

“You flatter me too much.”

“I mean it.”

Laurent, who followed Yuri, looked at him with shining eyes. Jared, on the other hand, frowned, trying to discern the prince’s intentions. Yuri gave a subtle smile.

This time, there was no hidden motive. He had invited Graham simply to treat him well. He praised him sincerely because he truly respected him.

Yuri set his cup down and looked up. Graham sipped his tea calmly without lifting his eyes.

He was the same as back then. The last day of Briol returned vividly to Yuri’s mind.

When everything had collapsed and Yuri, resisting to the very end, was captured by imperial soldiers, it was a knight who caught him.

Graham. With a somber expression, he apologized to Yuri. He said that one day, they would pay for what they had done. But at that moment, Yuri had only one thought: he wanted to live.

So that day, he begged for his life.

‘Let me live.’

The heir of Briol, who had sworn never to forsake his honor, pleaded for his life to a knight of the Empire.

‘I want to live.’

Even if the fallen spat at him from the afterlife, he had no excuse. But Graham neither looked down on him nor pitied him. His expression remained unchanged. He only closed his eyes, as if silently contemplating.

What had he thought then?

After a brief moment of silence, Graham stepped aside and left the path open.

And so, Yuri escaped. That was what happened. Despite being a traitor, he didn’t even die with honor—he survived in shame.

Just before turning the corner, Yuri looked back. Graham stood there, still in the same place.

That strong back remained etched in his memory. And most likely, Graham had paid the price for letting him go that day.

“Graham.”

“Yes.”

That same Graham was now sitting in front of Yuri, in a different place, under entirely different circumstances. It was a strange bond.

Yuri said, on impulse,

“Would you like to come to Briol?”

Graham looked up. Laurent and Jared flinched at the proposal.

Even Reifio, who had fiercely defended Graham, widened his eyes in surprise.

Yuri smiled with one corner of his lips raised and added one more line.

“I’ll treat you well.”

Graham also gave a faint smile.

“Sorry.”

He said nothing more, nor did he ask why. It was a simple and sincere refusal.

Yuri nodded.

“As you wish.”

And he finished his tea in one gulp. Warmth spread within. It didn’t feel bad.

At least, he’d been able to offer him a cup of tea.

***

The Army of Briol Arrived at Valshard

A massive stone wall rose imposingly. It was a strange sight that didn’t match the vast grasslands.

“Impressive.”

Yuri expressed his admiration. The stone blocks that made up the wall were so large, it looked as though a giant had carved them straight from the earth. Yuri turned to his side and asked,

“Could it be magic?”

Cory, wearing a hood, flinched at the sudden question.

“I-I don’t know…”

Then, someone answered in her place.

“Who knows? Maybe in the ancient kingdom of the plains, giants lived.”

Hernand was beside him before they noticed. His appearance made Cory breathe a sigh of relief.

Yuri chuckled quietly, patted Cory’s shoulder, and continued talking to Hernand.

“If that were the case, there should be massive buildings too. But this is just a giant stone.”

“You’re right. Maybe they were incredibly strong?”

If it had been built with stacked bricks, it would make sense to require a large workforce. But seeing that each block was the size of a house, it was impossible to imagine how they did it.

Yuri nodded, gazing at the wall.

“It must be magic.”

“It’s not a good habit to explain everything with magic when logic fails.”

“But I’m usually right.”

“That’s also true. I suppose, yes—it must be magic.”

The theory that the plains kingdom was once an ancient magical civilization was widely accepted among scholars.

Seeing it firsthand, Yuri couldn’t help but believe it. How could something like this be built by manpower alone?

“The lord of Valshard must be waiting for us.”

Like Gid, Valshard had retained the form of an independent city-state. The only difference was that to become lord of Valshard, one must meet a particular condition.

“Have you met him before?”

“Yes. I saw the Sorcerer Duke once.”

You had to be a mage powerful enough to activate Valshard’s magical barrier.

Luckily, the Antret family’s bloodline, which had protected Valshard for generations, was strong enough.

“What kind of person is he?”

“Be careful. He’s not ordinary.”

“Really?”

“If you’re not careful, you could be devoured. Especially someone like you, Prince Yuri…”

Hernand didn’t usually speak this way about many people. Just then, the gates of Valshard Castle opened, and a messenger from the lord came out to meet them.

“Greetings to the Third Prince of Briol. It’s an honor to meet you.”

“The pleasure is mine.”

“The Duke of Valshard awaits you.”

“We’ll go at once.”

“Yes. If you have a representative, I can guide him while we wait.”

Yuri called Raymond to stay with the troops and entered Valshard. Some knights wanted to accompany him, but Yuri only brought Laurent and Jared.

Beyond the massive castle gates lay an unexpected sight. Despite its size, he had expected a barren, desolate place like Gid, since it was still a remote city in the plains.

However, the interior was bright and full of life.

“Some call Valshard a hidden paradise. The remnants of the old kingdom left the land fertile.”

“Wow, I didn’t expect that.”

“But becoming a resident of Valshard isn’t easy. They’re extremely strict about control.”

The lord’s castle came into view.

Like the wall, it was made of massive gray stones. Instead of looking rough, it appeared majestic and ancient.

A group of people waited at the entrance.

“The Duke himself has come to greet you.”

“How thoughtful.”

The Sorcerer Duke appeared. Yuri squinted to observe. He didn’t look anything like he had expected.

Hernand explained with a smile.

“The title of Duke of Valshard was recently inherited. That person is the new Sorcerer Duke.”

A woman of stunning beauty, with long red hair and a low-cut dress, smiled as she looked at Yuri. A butterfly tattoo adorned her chest.

When she spoke, her red lips moved vividly.

“Pleasure to meet you, Prince. I’m Maryrose Antret, Duchess of Valshard.”

Yuri dismounted and faced her. She was tall for a woman, nearly matching his height.

Yuri didn’t avert his gaze and said,

“I’m Yuri Briol, Third Prince of Briol and Commander of the Army.”

“Just as they say, very handsome.”

Maryrose extended her hand. She wore nearly transparent gloves. Yuri shook her hand calmly.

Maryrose smiled sweetly as she watched him. She was a woman so beautiful she drew attention effortlessly. But Yuri remained unfazed. His heart didn’t waver nor did he feel nervous in front of her beauty.

“Thank you for the compliment.”

When Yuri responded serenely, Maryrose’s eyes gleamed with interest. Without letting go of his hand, she continued the conversation.

“Prince, if it’s not too bold to ask—how old are you?”

“Eighteen.”

“I see. I’m twenty-two. Just a four-year difference—they say it’s the perfect age gap. I’m sure we’ll get along well, right?”

“Who knows…”

A low laugh came from behind—it was Hernand.

Yuri gave Maryrose a cool smile.

She seemed like the type who knew how to use her beauty, but that didn’t work on him.

Because Yuri didn’t believe in love. A fleeting image of silver hair and dark green eyes crossed his mind, but he pushed it away.

“Age doesn’t matter. If you’re compatible, you can be friends with someone seventy. And if not, you can’t get along even with someone your age.”

“Ah, so that’s how you think, Prince.”

Maryrose chuckled softly and, without releasing his hand, led him inside.

“Let’s talk inside. I invite you to the castle.”

The castle’s interior was lavishly decorated. The stone walls had intricate carvings, and golden sculptures adorned every corner.

“This way.”

After passing through a hallway, they arrived at a large hall with a meal already prepared.

On a long red tablecloth, a wide variety of dishes were set out. But it seemed Briol wasn’t the only guest.

“These gentlemen are from Brusen.”

More than ten nations had been summoned to the alliance. Excluding the Empire, Briol and the Holy Kingdom were the most powerful.

Brusen was next in size, located on the western coast. Some bronzed-skinned men looked at Yuri and offered a slight bow. They didn’t seem particularly friendly.

Yuri remained unbothered and took a seat.

“Well, let’s talk about the future.”

Yuri quietly asked Hernand, who stood beside him.

“What’s that woman up to?”

“I don’t think she has any special intentions.”

“Then what?”

“Let’s just say she enjoys socializing. And she values appearances a lot.”

“Then why didn’t you greet her like an old acquaintance?”

“We don’t get along.”

“No wonder… You care about appearances too.”

“Eh?”

When Yuri sat, Hernand and the knights followed. An awkward dinner began among the three factions.

Maryrose stood and personally poured wine at each table.

“This is a very precious wine to me. Since there’s not much, just one glass each.”

The men from Brusen couldn’t take their eyes off her. Every time her dress moved and revealed a pale ankle, their eyes dropped.

Yuri nudged Jared, who sat beside him.

“Jared.”

“Yes?”

“Don’t do that.”