Even though he had been stiff in front of Ragna, Moyong Chan showed proper courtesy to Ernando.
"Me?"
"Yes, sir."
"But I'm Ernando?"
"It's an honor to meet the Great Swordsman Ernando."
"Ah, yes. You're the famous Moyong Chan, one of the Ten Strongest."
"Please, speak comfortably."
"Then I'll call you Great Swordsman Moyong Chan."
"Great Swordsmans recognize one another, do they not?"
The two exchanged pleasantries with smiles all over their faces.
Yuri, watching the scene from the side, felt rather displeased.
He wedged himself between the two and asked,
"What's with this 'Great Swordsman' title?"
"It's what ya call someone this amazin'."
"Why do you pronounce it differently?"
"You don't gotta worry 'bout my pronun-see-ation."
"..."
Yuri was dumbfounded and gave Ernando a sharp once-over.
As always, he looked somewhat lacking. The way he scratched the back of his head did not exactly inspire trust.
"Seriously, what exactly are you seeing in him…"
"You only see as much as you know. Hahaha…"
Yuri was aware that Ernando was a skilled mage, but he hadn't expected even Moyong Chan—who ranked among the Ten Strongest—to react like this.
"In that case…"
Yuri thought to himself.
He'd give Cory a heads-up to dig up everything about Ernando's background.
Either way, it wasn't a bad thing that Moyong Chan was growing closer to Briol. Yuri cleared his throat and suggested the two continue their conversation.
"Well, if you two get along so well, why not have a private chat?"
"Great idea. Make way."
"Oh my, Prince. Then you might as well bring out some refreshments."
"How about enjoying a drink together?"
"Sounds good."
Moyong Chan already seemed to have made up his mind.
He turned to the knights waiting in line and said,
"That's it for today."
Then he turned away.
The disappointed knights groaned, but Moyong Chan didn't pay them any mind.
Yuri offered up his own tent, allowing the two to talk in private.
Just before Ernando went in, Yuri tugged on his sleeve and whispered,
"Try to charm him. Convince him to stay in Briol after the Allied Army disbands."
"Oh dear…"
Ernando wagged his finger.
"When dealing with people, you must treat them as the end, not the means. You shouldn't try to use someone. That's the bearing of a true Great Swordsman, isn't it?"
And then he left with Moyong Chan.
Ernando, now basking in Moyong Chan's approval, looked unbearably smug.
"He has no idea this is something we need for the future…"
Yuri recalled his past life.
When the Empire invaded, Ernando returned to aid Briol's defense.
He had somehow broken through the dispel magic unleashed by the Empire's mages and conjured a spell that engulfed the enemy in flames.
But Briol was eventually taken.
After that, Yuri never heard from him again.
He had probably gone back to wandering the world.
"If Moyong Chan had been there, it would've been a whole different story."
Yuri turned his gaze elsewhere.
With Moyong Chan gone, the crowd was dispersing. Among them, he spotted a familiar face.
Yuri waved.
"Sir Wolf!"
"Your Highness."
It was Wolf Gane, commander of Liberda and Count of Abra.
He greeted Yuri with a smile and approached.
"I came after hearing the rumors. That you invited an Outsider from the Ten Strongest. Truly impressive."
"An, an invitation… Well, I suppose you could say that."
Though Moyong Chan had shown up on his own while pretending to be a prisoner, it seemed the rumor had spread differently.
A look of admiration was clear in Wolf's eyes.
Yuri didn't bother correcting him.
"As a fellow knight, I hoped I might glean something to break through my own limits. Alas, I missed the chance."
"Don't worry. I'll create an opportunity for you next time."
"Truly? Thank you so much."
"That's the least I can do between us."
Yuri laughed heartily—until he noticed Sven, pretending not to be there behind Wolf.
Wolf's son, the one who'd been caught badmouthing other nations and had his weakness exposed by Yuri.
Feeling Yuri's gaze, Sven awkwardly lowered his head.
Yuri placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Sven, there you are."
"Ah, hello, sir."
Yuri turned to Wolf with a smile.
"With both father and son being so skilled, you're the pride of Liberda."
"Not compared to you, Your Highness."
The two laughed heartily while looking at each other. Caught between them, Sven awkwardly stepped back.
"Since you're here at our tent anyway, why not spar with me? I may not be one of the Ten Strongest, but still."
"Excuse me?"
Sven's eyes widened at Yuri's suggestion.
Wolf looked delighted.
"If Your Highness is willing, then of course…"
Despite his youth, Yuri had already proven his skill.
Unlike typical young knights who gained fame through tournaments, he had pierced through the orc formation alone on a real battlefield, risking his life.
His martial feats had already spread throughout the Allied Army. Many even said he would become the second Fiore.
On top of that, he was royalty. For Sven, it was an honor.
"N-no thank you, I'm fine…"
"No need to be shy, Sven."
"Well…"
In the end, Sven took up a wooden sword.
"My son, learn from the Prince."
"Yes, sir…"
Once the match began, Sven's eyes filled with determination.
"Well then…"
Yuri grinned.
He had a nasty temper from the start.
And he wasn't exactly lacking in skill. Now that it had come to this, it looked like he was hoping to pay Yuri back for all the humiliation he'd endured so far. The intent was obvious—so obvious, in fact, it was cute.
"I'll let you take the first move."
"Thank you!"
Sven charged in eagerly.
But it only took one strike to break his will.
"Agh!"
"You've got a sturdy backside."
Even if he had potential, Sven wasn't ready to face Yuri.
Aside from Laurent, no other knight of Yuri's age could spar with him on equal footing.
Yuri struck Sven's thighs and backside like a teacher correcting a child. It was the same way Bernard disciplined him every day.
Sven's screams echoed at regular intervals.
"Huff, huff…"
He was already out of breath.
Just being in front of someone overwhelming could sap your stamina.
"Don't always charge forward. Try keeping your weight shifted back a little."
Yuri offered advice.
"You've got a solid foundation."
Surprisingly so.
Sven had been taught well. No doubt it was thanks to his father Wolf's dedicated instruction.
But that was it.
To rise higher, he'd need to devote himself to swordsmanship.
Liberda wasn't a large country. It seemed Sven hadn't met a proper rival until now.
After experiencing someone like Laurent, who was the same age but more talented, his mindset was bound to change.
"Visit Briol from time to time."
"Sorry?"
"Spar with Laurent. He won't turn you down."
"Well…"
"Opening!"
Yuri landed a few more strikes and ended the match.
Wolf expressed his gratitude.
"Thank you. And for giving him that orc ear back then, too—I'm always in your debt."
"An ear? I don't know what you're talking about."
The orc ear had been a secret. Yuri shrugged, and Wolf smiled and nodded.
"My mistake."
"Battles are only going to get tougher from here. Let's help each other survive."
"Of course."
It hadn't been so obvious in his past life.
The Allied Army had remained divided and faced the orcs as such. They paid the price.
That's why Yuri now made efforts to build good relations with other nations.
To fight Okua, they had to draw out more than just the current strength of the Allied Army.
***
The next morning, a messenger woke Yuri.
Yuri sat up on his bed and, out of habit, reached for Guilty, which lay beside him.
"I apologize for disturbing you so early."
"It's fine."
Yuri had told them not to hesitate to wake him if anything happened.
"What's going on?"
"Well…"
The report was unexpected.
"Orcs have appeared. Flying a white flag."
"What?"
A white flag meant they didn't intend to fight. The orcs had sent an envoy.
"When?"
"Just now. I came as soon as I saw them approaching."
"Then I'd better go."
Yuri got up immediately and headed for the Empire's tent to assess the situation.
Ragna's adjutant was waiting outside.
It was still early, and the rest of the Allied Army was quiet. Yuri was the only commander who had shown up so far.
"You came quickly."
Nearby, three Komodo Dragons were sitting with white flags mounted on them.
"What's the situation?"
"The orcs have sent envoys. His Highness received them."
"Just now?"
"Yes."
As they spoke, the tent door opened.
Three orcs walked out.
Despite being in the middle of enemy territory, they showed no signs of intimidation. On the contrary, they looked around the interior with their chins raised.
Then one of them met Yuri's gaze.
"Akuakkai."
That was what the orc called Yuri.
The orc muttered something with a smirk, and the two beside him chuckled.
It definitely sounded like an insult.
Yuri said,
"Okudoku."
At that, the expressions on the three orcs subtly changed.
It was an orcish curse he'd learned from Cory.
Even though his pronunciation was a bit off, it seemed the meaning had gotten across. Yuri shrugged at the three orcs whose faces twisted with anger.
"If you don't want to die, bow your damn heads."
"Akuakkai. Akme gutu jaekura…"
"Okudoku."
"Ukak!"
Ignoring the orcs, Yuri requested entrance into Ragna's command tent.
A response came immediately.
"Come in."
Ragna sat at his desk with his arms crossed, lost in thought. Even when Yuri entered, he didn't raise his eyes, only gave a small nod.
"You're not much of a sleeper, are you?"
"I tend to sleep lightly. It's the battlefield, after all."
"Yes, indeed. This is a warzone."
A letter sat atop the desk before Ragna.
Yuri couldn't make out the contents from this distance, but he could tell it was written in the continental language. Judging by the timing, it seemed the meeting had ended quickly and they had only delivered the letter.
Yuri asked,
"Your Highness, may I ask what the letter says?"
Ragna leaned back and rested his head on the backrest. Even while seated, he seemed to be looking down at Yuri from above.
"Yuri."
"Yes."
Ragna looked tired.
"Why do you think I became the Commander-in-Chief of the Allied Army?"
It was a sudden question.
"Well, because Your Highness is skilled in warfare…"
"Don't give me something that obvious."
"Is there another reason?"
"Can't tell if you're pretending or if you really mean that."
For once, Ragna revealed a hint of emotion.
Yuri waited for his explanation.
"The Allied Army is a glorious opportunity."
"Yes."
"So how did I end up in such a valuable position?"
"Sounds like a political story."
"Exactly. You may not know, but I'm not on good terms with the Emperor."
How many people on the continent could dare refer to the Emperor so casually?
Not many, surely.
And one of the few who could was the man sitting in front of Yuri.
Imperial Prince Ragna.
He tilted his chin with a crooked smirk.
"There are plenty of others they could've sent in my place. Loyal dogs who would gladly hand all the glory to the Emperor. So why was it me?"
"Because Your Highness was the most suitable commander?"
"Yes, I was suitable. But the Empire doesn't work that way. Whenever something seems to proceed logically, you can bet the Emperor's scheming is behind it."
Yuri nodded.
The Allied Army had been formed from the start with failure in mind. The Emperor already knew Okua would defeat them.
Yuri was convinced the Empire and the orcs had struck a secret deal.
"You mean it's a trap?"
In his past life, Ragna took responsibility for the Allied Army's defeat and stepped down from power. And the Emperor seized total control of the Empire.
Ragna had been a discarded pawn.
"Here. Take a look."
Ragna handed Yuri the orcs' letter.
Yuri let out a low hum.
"This is…"
"Yes."
The contents were shocking.
The letter stated that the Emperor had made a secret pact with Okua, and warned Ragna to step down unless he wanted to become a scapegoat.
The sender described themselves as an anonymous force opposing Okua.
Yuri flipped the letter back and forth.
There wasn't much content. Just a concise warning.
"What do you think?"
Yuri chuckled.
What a despicable ploy.
He looked up and scrutinized Ragna's face. His stiff expression slowly melted away, and soon, he wore the same look as Yuri.
Yuri said,
"I expected this war to be difficult, but it's going to be harder than I thought."
Ragna leaned forward again and clapped his hands.
"Exactly."
The two of them looked at each other and snickered for a while.
"I like that you get it, Yuri."
"Thank you."
"Whether this anonymous force is real or this is another trick by Okua, what we have to do remains the same."
"Yes."
Whatever the truth was, the Allied Army had no option of turning back. If anything, that was exactly what the Emperor wanted.
"Your Highness, may I offer a suggestion?"
"A suggestion?"
"First, let's step outside…"
Yuri and Ragna exited the tent.
The three orcs were mounting their Komodo dragons. The imperial knights clad in black armor stood guard, but the orcs didn't seem to care at all.
They chatted among themselves, enjoying the moment without a worry.
"What's on your mind?"
"You want to take care of them?"
"Yes."
Yuri didn't underestimate orcs. They were a race capable of acting more despicably than humans.
If Okua pulled another trick, and the letter's contents ended up reaching someone in the Allied Army—
Once the war became more difficult, someone would remember that letter.
Morale would fall, and the Allied Army would splinter.
People would start doubting their own allies, and instead of fighting, they'd start looking for an escape.
"It's better to leave no loose ends."
Yuri walked toward the orcs.
The imperial knights tried to block him, but Ragna gestured with his chin for them to let him through.
As the orcs saw Yuri approaching, they shouted again. Most likely taunting him.
But when Yuri didn't stop, their faces twisted.
"Akuakkai! Murukan ormetun!"
"Shut up."
Yuri leapt forward immediately.
With just a few swings of his sword, one orc's head flew off. The other two panicked, pulling on their dragons' reins to flee, but Yuri didn't let them escape.
He chased them down, stabbed one in the back, and drove his sword into the belly of the last.
In an instant, the three orcs were subdued.
The imperial knights stirred.
They had known the Eighteenth Prince was strong, but not this strong.
Even Ragna muttered in disbelief.
"He's gotten better…"
Yuri didn't stop at killing the orcs. He beheaded the corpses.
His ruthlessness was hard to believe for a royal prince.
"Give me a hand, would you?"
Yuri called over two imperial knights.
He calmed the Komodo dragons and loaded the headless corpses onto them.
Then he took the flag they'd brought and planted it into the severed neck stump.
Finally, using the orcs' blood, he wrote a word onto the white flag.
"Okudoku."
It was the orcish curse he'd learned from Cory. Though written in the continental language, they would understand.
"Go."
Yuri kicked the Komodo dragons, and they started retracing their steps.
They were as smart as horses and would return to the ones who sent them.
In a flash, merciless slaughter and shocking insult had been delivered.
The imperial knights stared at Yuri with a mix of awe and fear.
Ragna came over and said,
"I thought you were the cautious type, but you're a lot more extreme than I expected."
"I made a promise."
"Ah…"
Ragna nodded knowingly and threw an arm over Yuri's shoulder.
As Yuri watched the three headless orcs disappear into the distance with only flags in place of heads, he said,
"They'll pay the price."