Chapter 79: The Prince’s Return (3)

Cedric burst out laughing at Yuri’s expression.

“Why are you so surprised?”

“No, it’s just…”

Yuri replied, trying to contain his bewilderment.

“It caught me off guard…”

“It was a joke.”

“Huh?”

“I’m not dating Yekaterina—I’m dating her cousin.”

“Ah… I see.”

He didn’t like that he felt annoyed just from the relief. Yuri composed himself for a moment and asked,

“That’s great. Since when?”

“I met her at that royal ball Yekaterina attended.”

Back then, Yuri had been so focused on Georg and Yekaterina that he didn’t remember anything else around him.

“After we met, we started writing letters, and little by little we began to like each other.”

“She must be a very intelligent woman.”

“Yes. Katrina and I get along very well.”

In his past life, Cedric never fell in love or got married. Yuri had always thought he just wasn’t interested in women, so hearing that he had a partner was shocking.

Was this another consequence of the changes he’d caused in the timeline?

Though his mind was spinning, Yuri decided to congratulate him.

“Congratulations, brother.”

Cedric smiled warmly.

“Thank you. I’ve talked a lot about you.”

“Really?”

“Five years ago, Katrina already thought you were amazing for standing up to Georg. She was sure you’d stand out in the Alliance army.”

“Bah, it’s nothing… Hehe…”

He didn’t know much about her, but she seemed like a good person.

“When you go to the Empire, you should meet her. She’ll be helpful.”

“Thanks.”

If she was Yekaterina’s cousin, Katrina must be part of the imperial family too. Having such a contact could be very useful in the Empire.

Yuri had a feeling things there would go more smoothly thanks to Cedric.

Of course… he was his big brother.

Yuri looked at him with respect.

“Thanks. I always end up relying on you.”

“I was the one who always relied on you. This time, I’m finally giving something back.”

They shook hands.

“By the way…”

“Hmm?”

“Your reaction earlier…”

“What reaction?”

“When I mentioned Yekaterina.”

Cedric smiled over his glasses.

“I heard Joshua is completely smitten with her. But do you like her too?”

“No, of course not!”

“You got flustered when you heard her name. She’s pretty, right?”

“I was just surprised by the name, that’s all.”

Yuri firmly denied it until the end. Cedric didn’t push further—he just smiled.

“Sure, sure. Makes sense. You’re already dating the princess from the Holy Kingdom, right?”

Yuri choked and coughed violently. Cedric patted his back.

“You okay?”

“W-where did you hear that…?”

“Everyone knows already.”

“What?”

“You know the Empire has long-distance communications, right?”

“Ah…”

“When the Alliance report was sent, it mentioned that you and the princess from the Holy Kingdom were dating. So the rumor spread from the Empire.”

“Ha…”

This is why you never owe anyone favors. He never imagined that thing would come back like this.

“It’s not true, is it?”

Yuri explained to Cedric how he ended up pretending to be in a relationship.

Cedric just laughed.

“So that’s why you reacted like that when I mentioned Yekaterina.”

“Exactly! That’s all it was.”

“You really don’t like either of them?”

“Of course not.”

“Do you like anyone?”

“No.”

Yuri grinned and pointed at himself with his thumb.

“I don’t fall for anyone.”

A needlessly charming smile.

Cedric looked at him in silence for a moment, then nodded awkwardly.

“Understood…”

***

Several days had passed since Yuri returned to the palace. A lot had happened in that time.

First, Fiore and Moyongchan had a duel.

The outcome was never revealed.

As soon as they saw each other, they exchanged excited greetings and went down to the underground training ground, where they stayed for quite a while.

When they finally returned, both looked perfectly fine.

When Yuri asked about the result, neither gave a clear answer. But from their behavior, it seemed Fiore had the upper hand.

After the duel, Fiore didn’t show any particular change, but Moyongchan would occasionally clench his fists for no reason and clutch his head as if regretting something.

The kind of behavior you showed when remembering a past mistake.

Yuri was delighted.

That meant Moyongchan now had one more reason to stay in Briol.

“Hmm…”

While cutting his steak, Yuri frowned and looked up.

“Don’t they say anything to you for this?”

“Why do you say that, Your Highness?”

Jared chewed his meat while answering.

“I mean, for eating with a prince while being part of the guard.”

“Ah… that…”

Jared took a moment to respond as he swallowed his bite, so Hernando answered for him.

“He shouldn’t, Your Highness.”

“What did I do now?”

“Sir Jared is completely on the prince’s side, isn’t he?”

Hernando wiped his mouth with a napkin and added,

“After taking him to the Alliance army and training him, do you think he can go back to being a palace guard?”

“That’s his problem, not mine.”

Then Jared looked at him in disbelief.

“Wow…”

“What’s with that disappointed face?”

“You really don’t care at all about me, do you? I’ve been reassigned.”

“To where? Don’t tell me you’re a gardener now?”

Hernando shook his head.

“With Sir Jared’s aesthetic sense, that would be impossible.”

“Right?”

“Haa…”

Jared shoved another big piece of meat into his mouth and said,

“I’m now the prince’s personal bodyguard. I thought it’d be better to stay under your command.”

“Bodyguard?”

Yuri let out a chuckle. Then lowered his head as he kept laughing.

“Are you making fun of me?”

“Yes.”

“You’re looking down on the Third Prince’s personal bodyguard?”

“You’re going to protect me?”

“Now and then…”

“All right, Bodyguard Jared. Train hard.”

Jared pointed to Hernando.

“Sir Hernando is involved too.”

“My bodyguard?”

“No. As a magical advisor.”

After the Alliance army was disbanded, Fiore reorganized assignments to support Yuri. He appointed both as his close aides.

“Sir Hernando.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“It’s an honor to have a mage like you as my advisor.”

“The honor is mine, Your Highness. I’m deeply grateful to serve.”

They nodded to each other. Meanwhile, Jared shoved another big piece of meat into his mouth, looking annoyed.

“You’ll see…”

While they were enjoying lunch, Ena approached Yuri.

“Your Highness.”

“Yes?”

“There are many visitors.”

“Visitors?”

“Yes. Important people here to see you.”

“Who?”

Yuri tilted his head.

If someone were visiting, it was most likely Guillermo, the vice president of the Elaine Trading Company. But he hadn’t scheduled anything with him.

Jared chimed in:

“Isn’t it obvious? Since Your Highness has become famous, the nobles want to show their faces.”

“Ah…”

“Until today, we’ve been declining visits so you could rest, but now the receptions are resuming.”

“Jared, you really are useful after all. I acknowledge you as my bodyguard.”

“Huff…”

There was no denying he was right. Yuri smiled wryly.

“Really, such simple people.”

Five years ago, after his duel with Georg’s champion to save Ena, no noble had come near him.

Rumors that he had been marked by the royal family and had no future as the third prince had left him completely isolated.

But as soon as word of his performance in the Alliance began to spread, everyone acted like nothing had happened and came looking for him.

“Reject them all.”

“But there are high-ranking nobles…”

“Who’s the highest-ranking one?”

“Well…”

“No, wait. Better yet, tell me who’s the lowest-ranking.”

Ena pulled a sheet of paper from her pocket and looked over the list.

“Hmm… This person. Fides.”

“Fides?”

Yuri smiled when he heard that name.

“What’s that guy doing here?”

Jared tilted his head.

“That name rings a bell…”

“He’s a soldier from the Alliance. Great runner. Hernando, he’s the one I sent during the last battle. Don’t you remember?”

“Ah, now that you mention it, yes.”

“His village must be far. Did he run all the way here again?”

During the battle against Okua, it was Fides who had delivered Yuri’s message to Hernando so he could prepare the magic ahead of time and take out the sorcerer.

Yuri finished eating and stood up.

“It’s time to greet my guest.”

Ena raised an eyebrow.

“Your Highness.”

“Yes?”

“Since you said ‘guest’ in the singular and not ‘guests’, I take it you’re only planning to meet with that Fides fellow. Am I right?”

“Exactly. You know me well.”

“This is going to stir things up…”

“Well, what can you do?”

“Pfff…”

Yuri headed to the reception pavilion near the palace entrance, accompanied by Jared and Hernando.

As soon as he appeared, the guard at the gate straightened up and shouted loudly:

“Your Highness! Loyalty!”

“Yes, fidelity.”

Thanks to the war, Yuri’s prestige had grown, especially among knights and soldiers, who saw him as one of their own.

“We respect you, Your Highness!”

“Thank you.”

Yuri patted him on the shoulder and went inside.

When the loud military greeting rang out, the building, which was packed with people, began to stir. Even from a distance, one could see the long line of people waiting.

An attendant approached Yuri and spoke quietly.

“Your Highness. There are too many visitors. Perhaps we could divide them by rank and receive them accordingly…”

“No.”

Yuri shook his head.

“I’ll only see one person.”

“Excuse me?”

“Is that a problem?”

“No, no, understood. Could you tell us who you wish to receive?”

“His name is Fides…”

Yuri stroked his chin.

“Hmm, but just calling him like that would be too dull…”

***

Fides was tapping his leg and frowning.

Even though running was his specialty, after a long expedition, he hadn’t rested at all before running all the way to the palace, so his legs hurt terribly.

Still, he couldn’t sit down.

“Hey, you.”

“Yes?”

“Bring me some water.”

“But… I’m not the baron’s servant…”

“And that means you’re refusing?”

The baron looked at him haughtily.

“Fine…”

Though the class system in Briol wasn’t as rigid as in the Empire, by law a commoner was still expected to obey the nobility. Besides, that baron had three knights with him.

Fides didn’t want trouble, so he went to fetch the water.

“Disgusting.”

But the baron didn’t even take a sip. He simply placed the glass on the table.

“I don’t know why there are so many people here. Even a commoner like you wants to see the prince…”

Unlike other nobles who had come to see the Third Prince, this baron held a very low title, so he hadn’t been assigned a private room and had to wait in the same area as Fides.

“You.”

“Yes?”

“Why do you want to see the prince?”

“I don’t have to answer that.”

“How insolent…”

With a flick of his chin, one of his knights stepped toward Fides. The knight spoke to him.

“You’d better be more respectful.”

Fides looked him up and down. Not a single scar.

Even though he was just a soldier, he had fought many battles against orcs. This knight, who looked like he’d never seen combat, didn’t intimidate him at all.

“Yeah, yeah…”

He replied indifferently. The knight’s frown deepened.

“Baron, I think I should teach this guy a lesson.”

“Leave him. Don’t make a scene.”

The knight shot Fides one last glare before backing off. The baron fanned himself in his seat and muttered,

“To have to go through all this just to make a connection… Being of royal blood really opens doors, huh?”

“True.”

“If I’d been born royal, I’d be far more accomplished by now. Jealousy is a curse.”

Fides gave a faint chuckle. This man, who relied solely on his bloodline to belittle others, was mocking a prince who had personally fought on the front lines.

“That brat, just because he’s royal, makes us all wait…”

Up to that point, Fides had tried to keep calm.

“He probably stayed in the back and took all the credit. Bet he didn’t even fight the orcs for real.”

But upon hearing that, Fides stood up abruptly.

“Baron, that’s enough.”

“What?”

“If you keep insulting the prince, I won’t sit idly by.”

The baron’s face turned red. He stood up violently and glared at Fides.

“Were you listening to me, you insolent brat?”

“With how loud you talk, how could I not?”

“You calling it nonsense?”

The baron scowled and nudged the knight beside him.

“Bah. It’ll be a while before our turn. Some entertainment wouldn’t hurt. Cripple him for life. We’ll say he left early.”

The knight marched forward. Fides didn’t back down and faced him head-on.

Even if this ended in a tribunal, he wasn’t going to let the insults slide anymore.

He looked past the knight, straight at the baron, and said firmly.

“Insulting the prince is insulting the entire Alliance, bastard.”