"Why only me…?"
Jared glanced at Ernando and Laurent, who were seated beside him.
"..."
They were men completely disinterested in women. Jared quickly understood.
"I'll be careful."
Even so, Jared's gaze wandered no differently than Bursen's.
Yuri let out a sigh. Still not fully reformed.
Meanwhile, Mariloz approached the Briol table.
"You do drink, don't you?"
"Of course."
"It's a fine wine."
She leaned toward Yuri and tilted the bottle. Red liquid filled the round glass.
Her hair, the color of wine, swayed near his ear.
"Please, enjoy."
Her face came close to Yuri's. With a faint smile, her breath brushed his cheek.
"Thank you."
But Yuri did not react.
He hadn't been interested in Mariloz to begin with. What preoccupied Yuri was the war to come.
Balshad, like Gid, merely served as a forward supply base—it held no real military might.
Thus, to Yuri, the knights from Bursen, who would actually fight alongside him, were far more important.
After finishing his thoughts, Yuri spoke.
"Bursen, huh…"
His voice was rather loud.
"Bursen. I've heard the name a few times. Hahaha…"
At the sudden mention, the Bursen group fixed their eyes on Yuri. Tension filled the air.
Yuri spun his wineglass slowly, enjoying the brief silence.
"Uncultured folks who can't even appreciate good wine…"
The expressions of those around him changed.
Bursen, located at the edge of the continent, had long been mocked by other nations as a fish-smelling countryside.
They had heard the Third Prince of Briol was a scoundrel—was this his way of insulting them?
Bursen's knights were not known for their mild temper.
The moment they began to rise from their seats—
Yuri continued.
"It's embarrassing for someone like me, with such poor taste, to say this…"
The knights who had just gathered strength in their legs paused awkwardly.
The "uncultured folks who can't even appreciate good wine" were not Bursen—they were himself.
Yuri went on.
"Still, personally, I find the rum from Bursen far tastier than wine. Has a manly kick to it. Hahaha."
The Bursen knights sat back down.
What a classic display of social charm—tease them, then pull them in.
The proof was in their hearts, which had begun to lean toward this young Third Prince.
So Briol truly was a nation of knights—there remained a bold spirit that enjoyed rum.
But it was too early to feel at ease.
"However…"
Yuri spoke again.
"The drink might be good, but the people from that region? Not so much. Huhuhu…"
A sharp silence fell at the sudden insult.
Mariloz opened her mouth in surprise, and the Bursen knights, unable to find the right timing to get angry, froze.
One of them eventually shouted, a beat too late.
"Hey!"
His eyes were fierce.
"Are you crazy!?"
Yuri was startled by the unfamiliar accent.
He had known there were still dialects in some parts of Bursen, but hearing it firsthand was a new experience.
The commander of the unit tried to calm him.
"Hold it."
"Captain, the Prince of Briol insulted us."
"Keep your cool."
The commander remained composed.
"Keep your heart hot, and your head cool. That's the Bursen way."
"Guh… I apologize."
Yuri observed him.
Nobles caught between allied forces were naturally sensitive. Yet this man remained calm even after Yuri's insult.
"Your Highness's provocative words… fascinating."
The man, apparently the commander, rose from his seat. He wasn't particularly tall, but his frame was solid.
Looking around at his men, he spoke.
"There are two possibilities. First, just as the rumors say, the Third Prince of Briol is a scoundrel, and thus picked a fight with Bursen's brave knights without understanding the situation."
"T-That's absurd…!"
"If that's the case, there's only one response—we'll have to teach him a lesson."
Bursen's knights clenched their fists. Their reactions were admirably swift.
"And the second possibility: ahead of the Allied Army's formation, he's testing Bursen's knights."
"Testing us? How dare he…!"
"This is a war where lives are on the line. It's only natural to ensure our allies are trustworthy. And again, there's only one response."
"Our response…?"
He turned to Yuri and grinned.
"To prove our skill firsthand."
In an instant, a duel was arranged.
Mariloz, watching with sparkling eyes, poured herself a glass of wine and took a sip, brimming with anticipation.
"I'll show you to the training grounds."
She seemed like an eager spectator waiting for a show.
Yuri rose from his seat and addressed Bursen.
"Yuri Briol. Third Prince of Briol and commander of the Briol army."
"I am Jonathan Eagle. Count of Krill, Captain of the Shark Knight Order, and current commander of the Bursen forces."
"Do you wish for an apology?"
"There's no need. I will simply prove your Highness wrong."
"You're a real man."
"That's the Bursen way."
Yuri looked at Laurent and Jared. Laurent's eyes gleamed, while Jared looked annoyed.
"Good. I'll send these two."
"And Your Highness…?"
"I leave the dirty work to my subordinates. That's the Briol way."
"Pardon?"
Yuri raised Laurent and Jared to their feet.
"Two-on-two sparring seems fair enough."
Mariloz guided them to an open courtyard within the castle.
"Right here will do."
A maid approached, holding a tray of fruit and wine beside her.
Mariloz clinked her wineglass, thoroughly enjoying the sudden event.
"Prince Yuri?"
"What is it?"
"Did you really provoke them on purpose? To gauge Bursen's skill?"
"Let's say I did."
"Wow, so this is the world of men. Fighting to earn each other's respect, right?"
"Having an unreliable ally by your side is a sure way to die on the battlefield."
"So cool. So exciting."
Mariloz laughed, sipping her wine.
Drinking it like water—she definitely showed signs of dependency.
Yuri averted his gaze.
Three Bursen knights entered his sight.
There was a reason Yuri provoked Bursen this way.
Two of those knights would later become famed across the continent.
And one of them, beyond mere fame, would go on to take a seat among the Ten Strongest.
The Ten Strongest—just the name alone carried deterrent power.
Recognition that they stood near the very peak of the vast continent.
If Yuri could build ties with such promising individuals, it would become a great asset in the future.
"Friendship among men always starts with a fight."
Yuri muttered with a grin.
Meanwhile, Laurent stood opposite one of the Bursen knights.
"I'm Laurent."
"I'm Froin."
It was the same knight who had shouted earlier.
Now his tone was calm. Apparently, his dialect only came out when he was agitated.
"Laurent, huh. Heard the name plenty. But I'm no pushover either."
Laurent nodded.
"I'll go all out."
With sword in hand, Laurent no longer resembled the naïve youth who had followed Yuri around with shining eyes.
He had earned fame early as a young knight, winning numerous swordsmanship tournaments.
A genius recognized across the continent—that was him.
As he drew his sword, an upright force flowed from his arm into the blade.
Watching intently, Yuri placed a hand on Jared's shoulder.
"Watch closely."
"Yes."
Jared's eyes moved rapidly.
After encountering monsters like Yuri and Laurent, he realized his own talent was nothing special. That's why he worked tirelessly to keep up.
Jared focused all his attention on Laurent's movements.
"Indeed…"
Proper, indeed.
Laurent was a knight to whom that word truly applied.
The mana was pure, his stance perfect, and his response to the opponent's approach textbook in its precision.
In contrast, Froin, who faced Laurent, was the complete opposite.
Letting his sword hang loosely, his upper body leaning forward, he glared at his opponent like a wolf.
"You've been trained well with the sword."
Froin said, circling around Laurent, his movements like a wild beast stalking its prey.
"All young masters are like this."
Muttering to himself, Froin suddenly lunged forward.
His burst of speed was incredible.
Laurent didn't rush. He blocked the attack and angled his sword to counter, aiming the tip at his opponent's neck.
"Predictable!"
As if expecting it, Froin dropped low, twisting his body like an acrobat to target Laurent's lower half.
Or rather, he tried to.
Froin couldn't advance any further.
Laurent's blade, which had been aimed at him, followed the movement down, still targeting his neck.
"..."
Froin froze in place, looking up at Laurent.
The result was clear.
Laurent calmly withdrew his sword.
"Shall we go again?"
Yuri whistled.
"Precise."
Such unorthodox attacks often throw an opponent off.
But Laurent wasn't shaken in the slightest.
When one's opponent suddenly ducks and spins, confusion is natural, but Laurent had precisely calculated both offense and defense, fully confident his strike would land first.
It created the image of Laurent standing still while Froin flailed wildly—oddly amusing.
"Damn…"
Froin stepped back.
It wasn't a bad decision. Knights trained in orthodox swordsmanship are often defeated by unpredictable styles.
Because they lack talent, their forms become rigid.
But Laurent was not that kind of knight. Rather, he had no need for trickery, walking the righteous path instead.
He didn't get swayed by opponents—he simply chose the correct answers, like an unbreakable wall.
"Sir Laurent, may I try again?"
"Yes."
Froin's demeanor grew more respectful.
The Bursen entourage also began to watch the duel more seriously.
The two clashed swords once more.
Froin attempted to create openings with dazzling movements.
But Laurent responded calmly, as if he already knew all of Froin's tactics.
Every move was blocked.
Eventually, Froin conceded defeat.
"I yield."
Laurent sheathed his sword and offered a bow.
Yuri clapped. Mariloz followed with a flutter of her hands, and the Bursen group, accepting the outcome, gave Laurent applause.
Jonathan spoke.
"Truly Briol. A nation of knights indeed, your skill is impressive."
Yuri replied with humility.
"You flatter us. Laurent's just especially good. The rest of us? A complete mess."
"I see."
"Surely Bursen won't back down just like that?"
"Of course not. We can't end on a loss. Jose, go on."
"Yes."
The knight stepping forward in Froin's place was massive. Even at a glance, he looked immensely powerful.
He slung his huge sword over his shoulder and glared at Jared.
As the knight named Jose entered the field, Yuri's face lit up.
Jose Aratur.
He was the one who would become one of the future Ten Strongest.
"Jose, huh. Just looking at him, you can tell he's strong. His presence is on another level."
Jonathan smiled proudly.
"Truthfully, Froin is the weakest among us. Jose is the strongest knight in our unit. He's aiming to become Bursen's greatest."
"As I suspected. It's an honor to face such a knight. Show us Bursen's true strength, give it your all."
"Of course."
"Alright, Jared."
"Huh?"
"Go."
Jared looked at Yuri.
"Wait, hold on…"
He tried to step back, but Yuri promptly shoved him forward.
"Wait a second…"
Something felt wrong.
Maybe it was the earlier loss—but Jose's eyes burned. Jared could feel the determination to win.
Even without crossing blades, Jared could tell.
He was screwed.
"Uh, this is…"
"Begin."
The duel started.
Jose was a monster with the brute strength of an orc and the skill of a man. On top of that, he didn't limit himself to swordsmanship, freely using martial techniques.
What followed was a brawl far removed from the earlier clean duel.
Jared's skills were impressive, but he was no match for Jose's brute power.
Despite his resistance, Jared was eventually overpowered and sent skidding across the ground.
"Huff, huff…"
"That's enough."
Jared, nose bleeding, sat collapsed on the ground.
Jose gave a thumbs up.
"Remarkable for someone so young. To hold out this long against me—Briol is indeed a nation of knights."
"..."
Such praise after being manhandled—Jared wiped his nose and rose. Thick blood had smeared his hand.
"Thanks to you, I've… learned a lot."
Jonathan clapped.
"Sir Jared, was it? That was a fine duel. There's no shame in losing to Jose. It's been a while since he had a match this good. You fought well despite losing."
"Thank you…"
All he did was roll around on the ground, yet he was being praised. Jared didn't know whether to feel pleased or not.
In any case, the match between Briol and Bursen came to a close.
"One win, one loss…"
Yuri stepped forward and extended a hand to Jonathan.
"A draw."
"A draw it is."
They shook hands.
Having proven they could watch each other's backs on the battlefield, they were now allies.
When Mariloz waved her hand, the words Alliance Sealed floated in the air.
"How wonderful. Wow."
Mariloz was visibly thrilled.
At this rate, the future Allied Army might end up fighting just because she encouraged it.
Yuri glanced at her.
"The fun's over—shall we get to business?"
"Business, huh. I like it. There are many kinds of business. Shall we go to my office?"
As Mariloz gestured, Jonathan interjected.
"Haha, may I come along too?"
"Well…"
Mariloz gave him a brief sideways glance, then nodded.
"Alright."