All kinds of people mingled in Gid.

Merchants, of course, but also mercenaries escorting them and criminals fleeing justice gathered in one place.

People murmured as Yuri and Hernand passed by, casting side glances at them. The word “Briol” could be heard now and then.

Apparently, rumors had already spread.

“Actually, the city of Gid exists thanks to the orcs,” Hernand began speaking with enthusiasm.

“There’s a talisman market here. They trade goods from the East and strange, unseen rarities. And do you know who brings them? The orcs. They plunder the East, then bandits or hunters steal those things from them to resell. Curious, isn’t it?”

“So that’s why you wanted to come?”

“Eh, don’t say that. I just took the opportunity to stop by. Let’s come back together later.”

As they walked, the talisman market came into view. A row of street stalls sold objects of uncertain origin.

Hernand kept inspecting the goods.

“That’s a totem. It contains orc sorcery.”

“Does it work?”

“Barely, but it does have some mana. Its effect, well, it induces a state of excitement.”

“Stimulates, you mean?”

“Yes.”

“Like a war drug?”

“Something like that. Though weaker. There aren’t many items that can really be called artifacts…”

“And this one?”

“Just junk.”

The stall owner’s face twisted in rage.

Seeing the vendor’s hostile look, Hernand coughed awkwardly and hid behind Yuri.

“Maybe it has artistic value.”

“Looks like a kid’s toy.”

“Right?”

The vendor yelled in fury.

“Get out of here!”

They both fled immediately. Yuri continued checking the stalls carefully. He was actually looking for something specific.

“I don’t see it.”

“Told you… The bandits probably took them all.”

When Yuri first raided the bandit group, one of the sentries was wearing a necklace with a red gem.

After interrogating the group’s leader, he found out what it was for.

It was an item that attracted orcs. Though the reason was unknown, whenever orcs sensed the gem’s energy, they went berserk and charged toward it.

They were using their own men as bait to confirm the presence of orcs.

When Yuri heard the explanation, he gave the leader a good beating.

That guy was probably now in Raymond’s hands, handed over to Gid’s guard.

“He said he bought it in Gid’s talisman market…”

“If even a bandit group knew about it, they must’ve already taken everything.”

There were plenty of odd trinkets, but the item they truly needed was nowhere to be found. They left the market empty-handed.

On the other side was an entertainment area. Since the city wasn’t very large, the restaurants and inns were also all concentrated there.

Briol soldiers were patrolling the area.

“Wait, isn’t that a card game?”

Hernand pointed to a tavern. Through the half-open door, they could see playing cards and hands making bets.

“I think even our soldiers are playing.”

“Seriously?”

Yuri frowned.

“Briol soldiers gambling? I can’t allow that.”

“Right?”

“I’ll punish them personally.”

“Let’s go.”

Hernand clenched his fist.

“We can’t have an undisciplined army.”

“You’re absolutely right.”

***

Sybilla finished her conversation with the lord of Gid and rose from her seat.

The order of holy knights was waiting for her.

“Are you finished speaking?”

“Yes,” Sybilla nodded with an expressionless face.

Though she maintained a cordial relationship with the holy knights, they weren’t exactly close.

They were loyal to Larsson, her brother and heir to the throne.

“And that prince from Briol?”

“He left first.”

“I see.”

“Fenek, no issues with the main force?”

“Of course not.”

Fenek nodded. With his neat face, he was the one leading the holy knights sent to this allied campaign.

“That someone so eccentric is a commander… the idea of Briol being a land of knights must be long gone.”

Sybilla didn’t respond. Instead, Fenek’s assistant backed up the comment.

“Totally agree.”

“His informal outfit… you’d think he was just some common mercenary.”

“His conduct was even worse.”

“I’d prefer not to fight alongside Briol’s army. They’d only get in the way.”

Sybilla pointed at them.

“Idle gossip is uncalled for.”

“So what?”

Fenek continued speaking indifferently. Sybilla was the nominal commander of the Holy Kingdom’s army. The knights followed Fenek.

“I have a feeling that by the end of this orc campaign, Briol will have lost one of its princes.”

“That was too much. Watch your words.”

Fenek smiled cynically.

“Yes, understood.”

“Let’s return to the lodging.”

They were staying at the most expensive inn in Gid. It wasn’t luxurious—just a bit cleaner than the rest—but still better than a tent.

When the holy knights stepped onto the street, the townspeople’s gazes turned toward them.

“What a miserable city…”

Fenek muttered.

To him, used to the splendor of the Holy Kingdom’s capital, Gid seemed like a barn.

“No, not even a barn.”

“Exactly. Our horses are much cleaner.”

“The people here live worse than horses.”

The knights chuckled quietly. Sybilla ignored their voices and walked ahead.

What was miserable wasn’t the city, but their words and actions. The world was full of forgotten places like this, and people who could only survive in such places.

Just as they hadn’t chosen to be born nobles, the people here hadn’t chosen their fate either.

As she walked toward the inn, Sybilla thought the title “holy knights” hardly suited them.

“What’s that?”

Fenek spoke in annoyance.

The street had suddenly filled with people.

“It’s the Briol army.”

The assistant responded immediately, scanning the surroundings with his eyes.

“How reckless. It looks like they let their soldiers into the city.”

“Soldiers should remain outside. They lack discipline.”

Sybilla said,

“Don’t cause trouble and go straight to the inn.”

“Seems like they’ll be the ones causing it.”

“They’re soldiers from another country. If anything happens, I won’t overlook it.”

“Yeah, yeah. Don’t worry. We’re just going to have a few drinks.”

Sybilla went up first.

Fenek gathered some of the knights he was closest with. The assistant commented,

“I’ll bring the liquor. Not that I expect to find anything decent here.”

“Do it.”

They stepped out into the street. Briol soldiers glanced sideways at them.

“The Briol soldiers are brazen.”

Fenek muttered. In the Holy Kingdom, commoners didn’t look nobles in the eye. But Briol soldiers stared at them like they were just anyone else.

“If the water above is dirty, the one below will be too.”

“You’re right.”

Fenek chuckled at the assistant’s words.

That third prince from Briol he’d met earlier hadn’t acted like royalty at all. His clothing, his speech—it all lacked dignity.

What would someone like that do when facing orcs?

“It’ll be a disgraceful spectacle. Hehe…”

Suddenly, there was a loud cheer from nearby.

The noise startled Fenek.

“What’s that ruckus?”

From a tavern came the sounds of laughter, shouting, and fists slamming on tables.

Fenek frowned.

“Go see.”

The assistant went inside and quickly returned.

“It’s a card game.”

“What?”

“Briol’s army is playing cards. The game is so heated a huge crowd has gathered around one table.”

“Those bastards…”

Fenek sneered coldly. Gambling was forbidden in the Holy Kingdom.

“As a holy knight, I cannot allow this.”

Fenek removed his helmet and held it under his arm as he headed to the tavern.

He flung the door open.

But no one noticed him.

“……”

A crowd surrounded a table. The tavern owner, smiling, bustled about serving beer mugs. Each time a card was revealed, the spectators erupted in cheers.

“Hey, you.”

Fenek spoke. But his voice was drowned in the noise.

“Didn’t you hear—”

At that moment, the game ended. The man with his back to Fenek stood up suddenly and raised his arms.

The soldiers cheered, while the other players held their heads in frustration.

Seeing that, Fenek’s anger flared.

This time he shouted with mana.

“What the hell is going on here?”

His voice boomed. It echoed through the tavern. Silence fell instantly.

Fenek inhaled deeply, savoring the hush, and stomped the floor with his boot.

“I asked what the hell you think you’re doing.”

His voice lowered, harsher.

Staring at the table, he went on.

“Do you think this is a vacation? Even if you’re soldiers from another country, I won’t tolerate this. Do you think this alliance is some kind of joke—?”

As Fenek spoke, the man who had his back to the door turned around.

Hair black as night came into view.

“Did you know—?”

Fenek’s voice died.

The face staring him down looked exactly like the third prince of Briol he’d met earlier. Fenek fell silent.

“What are you saying?”

Yuri, who had just won a hefty sum, tilted his head.

“What did you just say?”

Fenek, stunned, couldn’t respond. He never imagined someone of princely rank would be playing cards with soldiers.

He kept staring, thinking maybe it was just someone who looked very similar. Yuri frowned.

“What’s your name?”

The assistant hurriedly intervened.

“Th-there must be a misunderstanding, third prince.”

“Tsk…”

Yuri looked Fenek up and down with a scornful gaze. For Fenek, it was a humiliating moment. Something stirred inside his chest.

He didn’t even care about Sybilla—how could he let some mere third prince from another country look down on him? Fenek held his breath and put on a cold expression.

“Third prince.”

“You still have something to say?”

“We’re heading into war.”

“So?”

“Such behavior isn’t just harmful to you, it’s harmful to the troops. Without discipline, they’ll all die like dogs.”

Fenek’s gaze shifted to Yuri’s hand. It was clean, without a single callus.

That told him everything. He smirked.

“What the third prince should be holding isn’t a card… but a sword. Though I wonder if he’s ever held one properly.”

“This bastard…”

Yuri let out a dry laugh and stared at him. Fenek was irritated by that gaze. It was as if Yuri was deciding what to do with someone so pathetic. That expression should have been his—not the other way around.

After watching him for a moment, Yuri murmured,

“A bastard with powdered cheeks, and still he won’t shut up…”

Several soldiers couldn’t help but burst out laughing. Fenek’s face turned red.

He always took great care of his appearance and often applied a thin white cream to his face.

“It shows, you know? What, do you need makeup to go to that glorious war of yours?”

“I ask that you refrain from personal attacks.”

“And what did you just say to me?”

Yuri stepped forward. The sword at his waist swayed.

“This can’t be left like this. Tonight, you’re going to…”

Just as Yuri moved forward with purpose, the holy knights behind Fenek stepped aside. Someone else had arrived.

“What’s going on here?”

It was Sybilla. She wore casual clothes, without armor.

“Sir Fenek. Didn’t I tell you not to cause trouble?”

No matter how proud he was, he couldn’t ignore Sybilla in front of a foreign nation. Fenek bowed his head.

“My apologies.”

“Leave immediately.”

“Yes.”

Just before turning away, he spoke to Yuri:

“I’ll withdraw for today. I wish you good fortune.”

“I’ve got enough luck. Don’t need yours. See?”

Yuri lifted a handful of coins from the table. The soldiers cheered.

Fenek twisted his mouth as he glared at Yuri, then turned and left the tavern. The rest of the holy knights followed him out.

Sybilla, now alone, sighed.

“Allow me to apologize on his behalf.”

“No need.”

Yuri shrugged.

“You must have a rough life, traveling with guys like him.”

“I’ll repay the favor another time.”

Sybilla gave Yuri a faint smile and left. Watching her walk away, Yuri shrugged again.

‘Looks like the Holy Kingdom is more complicated than I thought.’

“Not my problem anyway.”

He returned to his seat.

“Alright, next in line.”

“Hold on, Prince.”

“Hernand, you’ve already lost everything. Step aside.”

“At least let me have a cut of the winnings!”

“And what’s that supposed to mean? Come on, someone else—no one?”

“I-I’ll play!”

“You know how to play?”

“I may not look it, but they called me the Card Demon of Yujes.”

“Yujes? You from the town of Genard?”

“Well, uh…”

“Get ready.”

“No, I hate that guy too!”

“He’s one of Genard’s henchmen!”

“I’m not!”

***

Fenek exited the tavern and muttered a curse under his breath.

He couldn’t stand that so-called third prince of Briol. Even the way he spoke with Sybilla, as if they were close, irritated him.

As he walked, barely containing his rage, he noticed several knights watching him from across the street.

“Those guys…”

They were knights of Briol. Word of what had happened in the tavern seemed to have spread, and their eyes were full of hostility.

“That’s Laurent.”

His assistant whispered.

“Laurent?”

“Yes. Laurent Flandre of Briol. I saw him at a fencing tournament.”

“Bah, just a rookie.”

He had heard the name before. Eldest son of Count Francesse, known from a young age for his skill with the sword. He’d even won a youth fencing tournament hosted by the Holy Kingdom. His character was said to embody the ideal of a knight.

“Looks like comrades back each other up. That Laurent defends his pitiful third prince just because they’re from the same country.”

Suddenly, one of the knights beside Laurent started to approach Fenek. But Laurent stopped him, placing a hand on his shoulder.

“Don’t do it, Jared.”

“Understood.”

Fenek let out a mocking chuckle. Laurent was one thing. But for some nobody whose name he didn’t even know to dare challenge him… it was laughable.

“What should we do?”

“Leave them. They’ll get the message soon enough.”

He cast one last glance at Laurent and Jared’s faces and continued walking.

After all, the true difference between knights is proven on the battlefield.

And that very night, word arrived that the Holy Kingdom’s main force had been attacked.

____

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