After spending a day in Yuzes, Yuri realized that Josephine was doing her job much better than he had imagined.
Yuzes, with fertile lands and a strategically advantageous location, had always enjoyed prosperous trade. But ever since Josephine had become the feudal lady in place of the corrupt Genard, unnecessary waste had disappeared.
Of course, this was also thanks to Yuri’s full support.
With a powerful figure like Yuri Briol backing Josephine, the vassals who had once followed Genard couldn’t offer any resistance.
“It seems Yuzes is doing much better than before.”
At Yuri’s words, Jared replied:
“A fief tends to prosper even if its rulers don’t interfere too much.”
In the city’s central square, an orchestra was playing music.
Since Josephine loved music, that atmosphere permeated all of Yuzes.
If things continued like this, it might one day become famous as the city of music.
“I’d like to see that.”
“You will.”
When Yuri left Yuzes, he had more soldiers than before.
A large portion of Josephine’s private guards had joined him, and some determined citizens had also volunteered.
If Genard were still lord, he wouldn’t have allowed those people to join Yuri so easily.
Before Yuri and his army departed Yuzes, Josephine, who had come to see them off, said:
“Your Highness, when this battle is over, I will compose a symphony for you.”
“I’ll look forward to it.”
“Please, return victorious.”
After their farewell, Yuri and his army left Yuzes.
They soon came to a fork in the road.
If they took the upper path, they would reach the Duchy of Klein and Liberta; if they went along the side road, they would reach Briol’s border and the grasslands.
“We won’t need to pass through Sidor, right?”
“Sidor, huh…”
Sidor was a fortress that defended Briol from the grassland orcs, ruled by Heime Theodore, known as the “Scar-Filled Wolf.”
In the past, when he had left to join the allied army, Yuri had passed through Sidor and received great help from him.
“I need to meet with Sir Heime.”
However, Yuri had no plans to take troops from Sidor.
Although the number of orcs had greatly decreased thanks to the allied army, small groups still managed to multiply and sometimes disturbed the border.
Even with the fight against the Empire ahead, some defense had to remain in place.
“We’ll go to Sidor and then head directly to Liberta. It’s a small detour, but a necessary one. Come on, raise Tirbo’s flag high.”
“Yes, sir!”
The anti-imperial coalition army led by Yuri advanced in a long column toward Sidor.
***
Upon arriving at Sidor, Yuri sat across from Heime.
It had been quite some time since they last saw each other, but he hadn’t changed much.
He was still covered in scars, and his eyes shone with a strange intensity. He had more wrinkles, but he didn’t seem older; on the contrary, he seemed more full of life.
However, the energy he radiated didn’t seem meant for living fully, but for destroying something.
He was, without a doubt, a dangerous man.
Yuri smirked.
“It’s been a while.”
“That’s right.”
“You look good. You seem younger.”
Heime let out a low laugh.
“It’s been quiet.”
“Sidor?”
“You reduced the number of orcs so much, Your Highness, that I haven’t had much to do.”
“You must have been bored.”
“Not too much. Some show up from time to time, so they serve as entertainment.”
“But that’s not enough, is it?”
Yuri leaned forward.
In the dim light, their faces looked oddly similar.
“No, it’s not.”
“You still hate them, don’t you?”
“Without a doubt.”
“Heime, I have no intention of taking troops from Sidor. After all, you must keep protecting the border.”
“That’s how it should be.”
“Will you come with me?”
Yuri smiled faintly, recalling the words he had said to him in the past.
“Heime Theodore, Shield of Briol. I promised I would show you your true enemy.”
Although the allied army had left the orcs on the verge of annihilation, Heime had not found peace.
The image of his son’s shattered corpse must still have been burned into his memory.
Perhaps, deep in his subconscious, he already sensed that his true enemy was another.
The sword he had been sharpening inside was still looking for something to cut.
“You already suspect, don’t you?”
“Yes.”
Heime smiled.
“The Empire, right?”
“Exactly. The orcs are, in the end, a product of black magic. And the creature that could be considered the source of that black magic is in the Empire.”
Then Yuri told him what he had learned in the grassland ruins — that the orcs had been created from humans corrupted by black magic.
Heime smiled bitterly, wrinkling his face. His eyes shone.
“With age… I began to think maybe it was time to give it all up. I didn’t even go to the front much anymore. But strangely, my body started to feel better and better.”
He shook his head.
“Now I see, it was to meet you, Your Highness.”
He closed and opened his fist, the veins standing out on his strong, calloused hands.
“It was to join you.”
“I’m glad to hear it.”
“I know you came here for me.”
Heime smiled faintly.
“Yes, I’ll join you.”
“Good.”
When Yuri offered his hand, Heime took it.
In that moment, Yuri felt he had made the right decision in coming to Sidor.
In truth, there had been no need to invest time here — it was not a heavily populated fief, and its economy had been weakened by years of orc attacks.
Even after the Allied Army’s war, the number of permanent troops had been reduced.
But this was all for one man.
Heime Theodore.
He was neither a young prodigy nor someone with extraordinary strength, and his addition wouldn’t drastically change their military power.
But Yuri wanted to reward his years of loyalty to Briol.
He wanted to give him the chance to release the resentment he had carried his whole life.
Heime laughed roughly.
“Did you really come all the way here just for me?”
“Yes. This war will be special. To fight against them, we need people as persistent as they are. And someone with an old grudge like yours will be more useful than dozens of young knights.”
“Thank you. This old man already has his grave prepared.”
“Don’t celebrate yet. You might outlive me.”
“That would be a problem. Hahahahaha…”
Heime looked more spirited than ever.
It was the first time Yuri had seen him with such a light expression, as if a weight had been lifted off his shoulders.
“Hahahahaha…”
After laughing and taking a deep breath, Heime stood.
“Maybe I’ve survived until now just for this.”
“And what if you survive again this time?”
“Hahaha…”
When their conversation ended, Yuri left the office with Heime.
Sidor had always been an empty castle.
Its stone walls bore no paintings or ornaments, and only the torches hung for lighting gave it a somber atmosphere.
Suddenly, a soldier came running from the far end of the corridor.
Upon seeing Yuri, he bowed and addressed Heime.
“My lord, we’ve captured a prisoner.”
“A prisoner?”
Heime looked at the soldier when he heard the word.
“Yes.”
“Several unidentified intruders appeared in the east. When the sentry called out to them, they attacked without warning. Sir Calcio intervened and subdued them. Some were captured, but they were skilled, and there were casualties.”
“What kind of people are they?”
“When captured, they turned out to be easterners who do not speak the continental tongue.”
Then Yuri asked.
“Easterners? All of them? No companions?”
“Yes.”
“They don’t know any continental speech?”
“Yes. They didn’t seem able to say a single word.”
“I see…”
Yuri told Heime.
“They say more easterners have been crossing lately — we’ll need to prepare a response.”
“Indeed.”
At first, Yuri thought of the eastern warriors Elaine and Cheongun had brought.
But considering these ones had immediately drawn swords and caused casualties, and that none in their group spoke the continental tongue, it seemed they had no connection to them.
Heime thought for a moment and said:
“I want to see them. Will Your Highness come as well?”
“Of course.”
Yuri went down with Heime to the lower part of the castle.
He thought that, as before, they might have been thrown into a damp dungeon for torture, but at least against humans they did not do so.
Calcio had the prisoners bound, forced to kneel, waiting for Heime’s arrival.
Upon seeing Yuri, Calcio’s face lit up and he greeted him.
“It’s been a while, Your Highness.”
“It has, Sir Calcio. Have you been well?”
“Thanks to you. Hahaha…”
The easterners, gagged, could say nothing and only moved their eyes.
Kicking one in the back, Calcio said:
“These guys drew swords without warning, killing three sentries. There were more wounded.”
Heime nodded.
“I see.”
Perhaps sensing the atmosphere, the easterners suddenly lowered their heads to the floor and began murmuring something under their breath. They were probably asking for forgiveness.
Unfazed, Heime told Calcio:
“Calcio.”
“Yes.”
“You handle it.”
“Pardon?”
At the sudden order, Calcio’s eyes widened.
“You mean…?”
He glanced back and forth between Yuri and Heime.
Heime responded with a low chuckle.
“I’m going to join His Highness. I’ll go alone.”
“What? My lord?”
Calcio’s mouth hung open.
“That… you’re already of age, why do this? There’s no need for you to go. The Marquis of the Border of Sidor can’t leave his post.”
“Aren’t you here?”
“In that case, I’ll accompany His Highness.”
“No. You stay.”
“My lord…”
Calcio seemed uneasy at the idea of Heime accompanying Yuri.
And his words made sense.
There was no reason for an older knight to go into a battlefield where the likelihood of death was high.
Even less so if he was the marquis who had protected the border of Sidor.
But this was no longer a war guided by logic. Those who had to go, would go, and death was not on the list of concerns.
Heime smiled faintly.
“Calcio, you’ve seen how I act.”
“Yes, but…”
“I’m leaving it to you. Only you can replace me.”
“My lord.”
Calcio stared at Heime, then bowed his head as if he had no other choice.
“Who can break my lord’s stubbornness? Haa…”
Then he approached Yuri and suddenly took his hand.
“Your Highness.”
“Yes?”
“Please take good care of my lord.”
“Ah… of course.”
With sad eyes, Calcio said:
“My lord… First, don’t ask him to act like a count. Second, never let him drink more than three bottles of liquor, or he’ll start hitting people. And when he eats, make sure it’s with beer, not water or juice. He likes to pretend he’s not bleeding even when stabbed, or that he’s fine even when about to die. In battle, if you tell him how many he’s killed in the first hour, he’ll be delighted. Make sure to learn his dual-sword style and hidden weapon throws. Sometimes…”
“That’s enough.”
Yuri covered his mouth.
“I get what you mean.”
“Yes, Your Highness…”
“All right, all right.”
It was clear Calcio had great affection for Heime, as he was visibly moved.
After bowing his head for a moment, he turned.
And with a single slash, he cut the necks of the bound easterners.
Several heads rolled across the floor.
“My lord. Is this all right?”
“It is.”
Seeing this, Heime smiled faintly.
“Now I can leave with peace of mind.”
____
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